A Bible verse that has always intrigued and motivated me is from 2 Timothy. The passage declares that we should be cautious about always learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth.

I love being a student. I love to learn. I still read fiction and nonfiction books that expand my view. I try new recipes that claim more health benefits from my food. I’ve also tried to learn new ways of exercising through the years, as science and research have found better ways of working out. But through it all, I have not just wanted to learn, I’ve wanted to get to the bottom line: what is going to work for me.

In junior high, we were given salt tablets to beat the Texas heat. In high school, aerobics were the rage. By college, I learned new stretching techniques and the benefits of staying mobile with a variety of activities from racquetball to walking quickly to my classes.

In the 80s I actively lifted weights the way “muscle heads” in my gym taught me to do it. I would start with a high repetition and a low weight and progressively increase the weight while lowering my repetitions to build muscle.
My husband talked me into a 10k race the first year we were married so I also began to run regularly. I could barely finish a mile at first, but after six months completed the race without stopping.

With my new program at Greer Athletic Club, I’m still learning. The latest science proves that toning muscles and achieving weight loss, a goal of most of us in the middle age ranks, is best done by mixing up lifting weights and cardiovascular movements.

There is also new equipment that I have found beneficial. We use kettlebell weights. They are cast iron weights that resemble a cannonball with a handle. They can be “thrown” from the hips in a swinging motion. They can be used to do clean and press exercises or held during a lower body motion like a squat or a lunge.

We also use stability balls. They are like huge inflated bouncy balls that are used to work on balance and core strength. Bosu trainers, half of one of the stability balls on a plastic base, are also used for balance. Suspension trainers are used to do a variety of exercises that are familiar to most gym rats, but they are done using straps that hang from a pole in the ceiling. My trainer has me use the suspension ropes to do push-ups, rows, curls, triceps extensions and lunges. I’m not just actively engaging the targeted body part, but working my abdominals and what is referred to as the core when I’m doing these exercises.

Performing the exercises in a quick and efficient manner is also part of my new skill set. I am learning so many new types of exercises and movements. It is hard work, but my favorite part, the bottom line, is that it is working. After a month, I can see and feel results.

It’s worth re-evaluating how you work out. It’s worth taking the time to learn something new and coming to the knowledge of a new truth.