TRX system!!!! Yeah Buddy!!!!!!

LOVED today!!!!!!!!! ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!!!!!

Well, first we did Cable Rows, but Brian attached two chains to the cable and put separate handles instead of the long handle. It worked out REALLY well and I felt it A LOT in my lats., especially with different angles that he tried. It seemed the straighter I sat, the better I felt it. 90 lbs., 15 & 20. 130 lbs., 2 sets of 12 & 1 of 15.

Then we did Lateral Pulldowns. It's usually not my favorite, because it pulls me up in the air so much. Brian holds my shoulders, which helps a lot. It doesn't really make me nervous or anything, it's just uncomfortable and it's hard to feel it in my lats because of stabilizing reasons. We've figured out though, that if Brian stands right up against my back and keeps me pretty much straight up & down, instead of me leaning backwards, that I feel it a lot more. Then, today he also had me hold it for a second at the bottom and actually, intentionally, squeeze my lats together to learn how to activate them. I really felt them a lot more than I usually do!!!! 90 lbs., 3 sets, somewhere between 10 & 15.

THEN!!!!!!!! He busted out the TRX system!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!! I've been waiting and waiting for him to come up with stuff I can do with it!!!!!!!!!!! It's one of those things I watch everyone else do but because I can't use my feet to dig me into the ground, I never thought I'd be able to use it. That is....until Brian came along with his genius brain and his no fear, try everything once attitude!!!!!!!!!!

If you don't know what a TRX system is, google a picture of it. It's kind of like a single strap that's hooked around the top of the power rack and about half way down it turns into two straps with handles on the ends. It's for exercising with your own body weight. You can do pushups and pull ups and sit ups and curls and all kinds of stuff pulling yourself around holding the handles.

SO! First we tried Y's & T's. I laid on my back and then pulled myself up toward the system, first with my arms up like a Y & then with them to the side like a T. It went really well. A LOT harder than they look, but I know better than to assume anything anymore. You're own body weight can kick your butt any day, any time. Brian held my legs so that I didn't pull them toward me and contradict my own body...but actually he let go for a set just to see what would happen and I really didn't move too much.

!!!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!!!! The major kicker of the day. I don't even know what they're called. I got on my knees and Brian held my legs down right behind my knees. I grabbed the handles, put my arms to my sides, then I stretched them out in front of me so that my whole body (to my knees) lengthened out, then I pulled my arms back in by my sides. It was SO FREAKIN COOL!!!!!!!! It almost made me cry. When I sat up after my set, I couldn't quit grinning at Brian. We had to work for about 5 minutes trying to find the right positioning, but we found it!!!! I wasn't giving up once he got me started...I knew we could find a way to make it work. It was even hard to find it for the second set, but we did find it again and I REALLY liked them. It's not anything I ever thought I would be able to do. I felt it in muscles that I didn't even know I could use!!! That's been happening a lot since I met Brian! :-D

So, then I did some pushups with it as well. Which was a little freaky because Brian stood off to the side to watch me, he didn't hold my legs in place. Once I got them positioned, I didn't need him to, but it was rather entertaining to watch me find my position, I'm sure!! lol.

When Brian brought out the TRX system I was taking a drink. He looked at me and I just started talking about something. He smiled and he said, "Ya know, Chelsi, this is a really great point in our relationship because you don't even look at me funny while I'm setting things up anymore." I told him that's because I trust him now and I know that if it doesn't work I'm not going to end up on my face.

After we were done, Brian told me I did a really good job today with everything....especially on the TRX. I told Brian he did a good job making me try it. He said all he did was bring it out and I'm the one that jumped in and tried. But, sometimes I think he still doesn't get how important it is to me that he's even willing to get stuff out in the first place for me to try. Any number of people would have looked at a TRX system and immediately assumed I couldn't use it. But because he's so good at observing me and my balancing techniques, he knew there was a good chance I'd be able to do it. And I did. And if I couldn't have, at least we know...and he's right there to pick me up and move on to the next thing. That's why he's my Guardian Angel.