The effects of momentary muscle failure

I told you the other day that I'm new to the gym scene. Yep, my dad bought me a two-year gym membership for Christmas, and already I've tackled the treadmill and the weight training circuit at Gainesville Health and Fitness Center (GHFC). The treadmill was nothing new -- my usual at-home fitness routine is all about the treadmill -- but the weight training bit, well, this is entirely new. And at this very moment, my muscles are entirely sore.

The fitness experts at GHFC believe in this philosophy called momentary muscle failure (MMF). Translation: Work your major muscles to failure through eight to 12 repetitions in about 60 seconds and you'll reach optimum strength in a shorter period of time. Being a by-the-book kind of girl, I complied with this philosophy. I pushed myself on nine different machines and in the end felt, yes, failure. A good failure, though. A failure that tells me I exerted myself in a way that in time, will make me stronger and healthier.

While my screaming muscles recover for a day or so, I'm contemplating my next gym assignment. I think I'll make it a BOSU class -- and then another tour of those nine machines. I'll let you know how it goes the second time around.