Day 6, Week 12: Yet another post about weight lifting on my running blog.

Everyone has a favorite number.  I have several favorite numbers; let me show you what they are:

These are most of the delicious weights you get to use in Cathe's Total Body Giant Sets, along with my beloved barbell and a sliding disc to make some of the leg exercises that much tougher.  The woman does not play in this video-while the sets aren't that long for each exercise, the weights are pretty challenging.  Lift big or go home, indeed.  Well, you would go home if you weren't already working out in your home.

Anyway, I've learned a lot about my fitness capabilities since doing Cathe's Strong and Sweaty series.  While I've been doing Cathe for quite some time, this series has really done a lot for helping me look like I actually have muscles as well as helping my running and cycling prowess.  Below is a nice list of what this series has done for me because it has been way too long since I overwhelmed everyone with bullet points.

• This series helped me see that I can use all my big girl weights more than I thought I could.  Before this series, those 25s and that 30 pound weight was for back work only; this series has forced me to use those for some of my upper body exercises, which a year ago would have been nothing but crazy talk.  You never know what you can do until you push yourself.
• I now know that heavy weight work can also work your heart rate.  The "sweaty" part of the title is serious-Cathe has put together some exercises in all of the workouts that get your heart rate pumping.  And, as someone who is constantly training for a race, I appreciate the fact that I can sneak cardio in during a weight workout that is also helping me get swole.
• I understand that you can always have more barbell.  While Cathe doesn't use the barbell in all of the workouts in this series, when she does its use isn't gratuitous (meaning it's not just thrown in as a gimmick). The boot camp workout in this series uses the barbell in every single set, which as a barbell lover I greatly appreciate.  
• If I use 20 pound weights on my chest presses instead of 15s I will not die like I previously thought I would before the Strong and Sweaty series.  Evidence that I survived (along with an awesome bonus shot of my armpit) is below.

• Workout supervisors are still easily surprised when caught sleeping on the job.

• Weight workouts don't have to be long and boring in order to be effective.  Cathe used to be a little notorious for longer workouts and in some series she has there are a lot of repeated exercises (Low Impact Series, for example).  I'm glad this series is structured differently--the sets are pretty short but the exercises and weights are obviously chosen for maximum effectiveness.  And because the sets are short and she doesn't repeat exercises that often, the workouts move along pretty quickly without me ever wondering when the heck the set will be over.
• Large dog will never be impressed with my weight workouts.  Ever.

And now for more bullet points in the form of learnings:

• I meant that whole "you never know what you can do until you push yourself" stuff.  That's true for weights, running, your job, life, etc.
• I got a fever, and the only prescription is more barbell.
• You're welcome for that shot of my armpit.  It's a refreshing change from sweaty running pictures in front of creepy children statues, I bet.
• In terms of workout supervisors, I guess I can't expect any better considering they just work for treats and whatever large dog can steal off the counter when we're not looking.

Tomorrow's workout: I have a little half marathon race that I'm turning into a 20 miler.  More about how well that goes later...