Days 3 and 4--Developing a Routine

Now that my shins are starting to get better, I see a routine forming for me here at camp. Although there is a session at 7am (which so far isn’t too early, as I have been going to bed early and there’s plenty of opportunities for naps throughout the day if I want them), I have been skipping it and instead doing a 1-1 personal training session around mid-day. I prefer it over the group class because I learn a lot more, and I’m able to get a one-hour session for only 12 dollars, which is amazing given the quality of the trainers here. I’d pay probably 80 an hour in the states for that. So, I think my routine for the coming weeks will be an 8am wakeup, lift weights around 8:30, breakfast at 9:30, rest time until my mid-day personal training session (that is admittedly brutally hot, but I like it because the gym is pretty empty—nobody else is dumb enough to exercise at that time I guess), then more rest before the 5pm group class. If today is any guide, I also will need to eat a second lunch around 3pm. I think that three sessions in a day burns a ton of calories, because the lunch I ate at 1pm didn’t keep me full for long. Each day I think my body is getting a little more comfortable with the heat here as well, which is nice because that means that my ibuprofen needs will start decreasing soon (workouts in this heat give me headaches, even when I’m downing about 5 liters of water a day). Admittedly, I may be trying for a little too much with that much exercise in one day, but as long as I’m feeling well enough to do it then I will. If I need to cut back to two a day then I will. As for now, however, I hope to keep it up. Aside from my desire to get in better shape, I really just enjoy the classes, weights, and personal training.

PS, I also want to take a moment and highlight the trainer I’ve been using. He is amazing. His name is Nen (pronounced Nem), and he’s 47 years old. He smokes every day, usually at breaks in our class. He also apparently drinks his fair share of Thai whiskey. He’s probably about 5’8” and 150 lbs, yet he can stand there and let me kick him full strength in his chest 10 times in a row without blocking me. Here is a pic from the gym’s web site. As you can see, he’s a bit of a joker. I love the guy though—I can’t believe someone can be in the shape he’s in, with the knowledge he has and still be a drinker and smoker. He’s like a Thai version of Rocky’s old trainer.