Week 3 – Reid Wilkins takes on the YMCA Community Health Challenge

“Do you want to try 300 pounds?”

It took me a second to register what Damien, my trainer at the Don Wheaton YMCA, was saying.

Isn’t 300 pounds more of a weight for, you know, strong people?

“I think you can do it,” Damien said.

It was the weight he wanted me to try in the leg press. Considering I started with 120 pounds three weeks ago, I didn’t think I’d be progressing this quickly.

But I tried it, and I did it. Ten reps. It definitely required more effort than what I’d been doing, but I wasn’t uncomfortable. It’s very encouraging to feel stronger so quickly. Damien also increased the weight in several other lifting exercises, and he adds at least one new exercise every session.

One new one involves tapping a four-pound ball on the ground, moving it back-and-forth across my body. Man, that’s tough! I’m supposed to keep my feet and knees the whole time, but as you can see from the picture, I’m not quite strong enough….YET!

Follow along each week until the end of March as Reid attempts the YMCA Community Health Challenge.