Life can be humbling.
So I'm at the gym yesterday, feeling very good about myself. In addition to working out regularly I'm getting stronger. My personal trainer smartly selects effective exercises and keeps increasing the weights on them. I can feel my muscles growing bigger.
Then, I look across the gym and see a guy doing a dozen chin-ups WITH A 100-lb. DISC strapped to and hanging off his body. Geez! How is that possible? Most of us can barely manage one chin-up with no albatross and this dude has the weight of a foxy girlfriend hanging onto him while casually pumping out a dozen of these torturous moves.
And don't get me started on the female trainers... they have arms bigger than mine and swagger the envy of teenage boys.
Getting older is humbling lol I've had a few injuries recently - nothing awful, but enough that I couldn't lift anything or even work out at ll at times.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting back to it, after physical therapy, and I can tweak a muscle just from going to 10 pounds from 8 sometimes lol
I persevere!! Good luck to you too - even our baby steps help.
Hang in there. Thanks for writing.
DeleteMy dear coworker is a 50 something Thai lady who could kick my ass! She's a triathlon, iron man athlete. In my industry, I've seen bodies of all shapes, sizes and capabilities - I've been impressed by the enduring nature of humans!
ReplyDeleteYes, the breadth of humanity is indeed wide.
DeleteAlly, This made me laugh and wince in recognition. There’s always that moment at the gym when your sense of achievement meets someone casually rewriting the laws of physics.
ReplyDeleteStill, getting stronger is getting stronger, regardless of the guy with the human-sized weight plate attached to him.
Thanks for the reminder that progress is real, comparison is optional, and the gym will always keep us grounded… usually right after we start feeling proud of ourselves.
Best Wishes
Lotte x
Thanks, Lotte.
DeleteI love that picture of you, Ally! Thank you so much for the lovely Xmas card (I showed it to Barnabas, who licked it)!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for getting stronger - that's an amazing gift you give yourself. It's not a competition - those whippersnappers wish they could be half as cool as you. ;-P
Ha! Thanks, Sheila. Happy holidays.
DeleteComparison is the thief of joy so best to only look at yourself in the mirror and congratulate yourself upon your well earned success. I guarantee you that guy hasn't been through what you have these past couple of years.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne
Thank you for the wise perspective, friend.
DeleteThank you so much for the lovely Christmas card Ally, I haven't managed to send any apart from the ones my husband sent yesterday.Not sure what I was doing with myself all December!
ReplyDeleteYou should be proud of YOUR achievements- are you making progres? YES? Are you getting healthier? YES! Are you persevering? YES! Then the conclusion is GO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I know you are proud and this is tongue in cheek but still, I said it anyway :-) )
Thanks, Kezzie. Merry Christmas!
DeleteLovely throwback photo.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to exercise, it is something that it almost always good for us.
Sometimes taking a step or two is a greater victory that lifting up your weight. It all depends on what we are dealing with.
True. Thanks for the perspective.
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