I have a brown belt in judo and want to start preparing to test for my black belt.  I realize that even though I am an active person, I am not in the best of shape.  Muscles are a bit soft, and my endurance…well, I don’t have any.  Sure, I run from 1 to 3 miles a few times per month, but it is truly hard work to really complete the longer distances.  As for weight training, I lift a bottle of beer once in awhile, as well as move my wireless mouse around my desk while coding. (I am a programmer.)  The only exercise I really get is attending judo class twice per week with my son. (No, I was never fat at 184 pounds and 6’1″.  Just not in great shape.)

In November 2008 a new LA Fitness will opening down the street from where I was work.  I had been thinking it would be nice to get into better shape, so after the required haggling to get the lowest monthly cost I joined the gym. (It is not even open yet, but I signed up and waited until they opened their doors to start working out.)

As with most men I tend to show results of weight training pretty quickly. (My wife hates that, and thinks it is so unfair.) I started feeling pretty good within a the first month, and also noticed that my strength in judo was drastically improved.