FITFI FOR PURPOSE

I am already a month in to my (part-time) college course at Usk and it’s been a steep learning curve – a hair-pin bend even – with my first exam tomorrow. Studying to be a personal trainer, I am quickly learning the names of the parts of me that ache the most – and why, and the bits that are wearing out – and why.

I’m loving the course content and am shocked that I have managed to get this far in life knowing so little about how my body works or understanding the nutrition it needs. Let’s face it what else do you use every day without ‘reading any instructions’ or having any instruction on it at some stage. My mum taught me how to cook. My dad taught me how to garden, my brother taught me how to drive and a variety of other people in my life have taught me other skills, but I have had absolutely no ‘tuition’ about the mechanics of my body or the fuel it needs to perform optimally.

I know more about how my truck works. It just amazes me – especially having such a physical job and having been a runner and ‘fitness freak’ for so long. Our bodies are truly remarkable – and the only thing that we will have with us for the whole of our lives – surely it makes sense to understand them and be able to take care of them.

I also have a whole newly elevated regard for teachers. All teachers. I’m the first to admit my respect for them was a little lacking the first time around but I have realised that whilst we hear so much about the importance of various employment sectors, without teachers we would have no NHS staff, no lorry drivers, no care staff – nothing. Hats off to them.

As you can imagine, learning all about anatomy and physiology, motor neuron units and mitochondria has impacted my gardening. I can’t bend over now without analysing which muscles I’m using to do so – which are the fixators and the synergists, the agonists and which are the antagonists. Up until now my brother has been the only antagonist I’ve been aware of.

It’s a bit tough fitting in college with work, especially as now is the time to start ‘putting gardens to bed’. But I’ve had to pal up with my parasympathetic nervous system and chill out about work a bit. As rewarding as it is to see a garden nice and neat for the winter, it’s far more beneficial to the wildlife to have areas of safety for them to utilise during the dormant months. Old herbaceous stems will provide refuge for bugs and tumps of spent growth will provide a warm haven for all sorts of wildlife.

Thankfully clients are being very understanding as I am being courageous enough to say, ‘I can’t do it all’.

So as well as learning a new skill, I am learning new behaviours too. It’s a great journey and who knows maybe I’ll have a column on lifestyle and fitness next.