Between Calls

[shanmonster]

I didn't make it to kung fu this afternoon. Everyone cancelled on me, albeit for good reasons. So instead I went to the gym with f00dave and did some weight training. The Y has a whole flock of new exercise equipment, and I got to experiment with strange machinery. It's been a month since I last pumped iron, and I feel a bit ashamed. Still, I did pretty well for myself, all things considered. I suppose, it's not like I've been living an indolent life. I've been very busy in other physical pursuits. But now that I'm on a regular work schedule, it will be easier to get back into a regular fitness regimen. The Y has a program called Body Pump which looks promising. I'll have to check it out tomorrow.

There was one machine which stymied me. I went on the pec machine, which is apparently quite different from the chest press, which I normally use. Now, I don't do too badly on the chest press, but on the pec machine, I was a total girly man! I had to lower and lower and lower the weights, and even when they were almost at the minimum amount, I strained and grunted and practically wept in mortification. f00 got on it right after me and did the same weights using only his pinkies. What an asshat.

Still, my legs are stronger than his. I could squeeze a cocoanut to death with these thighs.

Too bad my pecs couldn't crush a potato chip.

Comments

[silver-insanity.livejournal.com]

I go to a girly gym here in town. It's one of those circuit routines and it's not bad for what it is. But I had a peek at the equipment today to see it's maximum allowances and it varied from 100 to 200lbs depending on the machine. I know that this is equipment made "for women" but what happens when I reach that peak? On some of the equipment... it's not that far from now.

I never thought I'd be "that type" who'd go to the gym, but I really like it! I was all proud when I added weights for the first time!

Wow... what a rant in someone elses journal! Isn't this supposed to be a comment?

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Is it a Curves gym? My sister goes to one of those. They're not bad for a starter gym, but for more serious working out, you'd probably have to find a different gym--one with bigger weights! Heh....

It's always a rush when you up a weight, isn't it?

[silver-insanity.livejournal.com]

It's similar to Curves, but it's called Contours. You get to actually use adjustable weights instead of hydrolic machines (spelling?)

BUt yeah... For now it's fine, but I'll definelty have to end up somewhere else if I keep at this!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

The resolution folks rarely make it past the first week or two. It's easier to sit back and watch Friends reruns while noshing on potato chips.

I love uncrowded gyms. I also love watching people train seriously, no matter what their current state of physical fitness.

[phil-in-a-box.livejournal.com]

Are we talkin' butterfly presses here? (I don't frequent gyms very much, so that's about the only kind of pec workout machine I know.)

[f00dave.livejournal.com]

Stick your arm out like you're going to arm-wrestle someone. Do the same with the other one. That's the "squeezed-in" position. Keeping your fists pointing up to Heaven, rotate your arms out to the sides, so you look like a bicep-popping body-builder. That's the "relaxed" position.

I'll be damned if that looks anything like a butterfly. ;-)