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Day One—Check

Yesterday, I actually went to the Y, and not just that—I used muscles, dormant ones that have been napping for a few years.

It was my first workout at the Y with my new membership. I walked in feeling a little nervous, but instead of turning around and running back home, I stood in the door with my hands on my hips and scanned the room for some equipment that looked familiar.

I spotted the lat bar right away and completed three sets of 10 reps at a moderate weight, but after that all the machines seemed to meld into one big mess of indistinguishable metal and seat cushions. It didn't take long to recognize a friend, though. It's a small town, as I may have mentioned before, so all you have to do is look around, and before you know it, you see your neighbor working on some muscle building thing or other. She was more than happy to direct me to the things I was looking for, and then I was on my way.

I spent at least 40 minutes on a series of machines—biceps, triceps, leg curls, leg extensions, hip stuff, fat-ass stuff, and back muscle stuff. I worked relatively slowly with three set of 10 reps at each station choosing weight limits that weren't too strenuous. I've been away from this world for a few years, so there's no point in giving myself a hernia. Can you get a hernia in your arm? I don't think you can, but I didn't want to strain too much on my first day.

Afterwards, I walked the track for about ten minutes with my neighbor. I hate treadmills. This idea of walking or running in place is intolerably artificial. How ridiculous is it to drive around in a car all day even just to transport yourself a distance of two miles and then walk in place for 30 minutes? Really. Walking around in a big circle isn't much better, but at least I'm actually changing locations with each step.

I think lifting weights in a big room full of machines and heavy objects is as artificial as walking on a treadmill, an odd substitute for pushing plows and shoveling hay and hauling water. But I don't live on a farm in an agricultural age, so I'm not sure I have other options.

As sore as I am this morning, I intend to go back to the Y tomorrow morning for another round of fake movements. Because I forced every major muscle to earn its keep, every major muscle is giving me a piece of its mind this morning, but that just tells me I did the right thing yesterday.

Comments

dive said…
Hoorah for you, Robyn! Well done.
I think you could only improve that regime by actually walking briskly to and from the Y instead of driving. The scenery would be much nicer than walking the track.
When I did my brisk five mile morning walk across London this morning the sun rose behind me and as I looked back the Thames was turned into a ribbon of gold. It was truly beautiful … and free!
So get off the track and out into the lovely Ohio countryside.
9:13 AM
Scout said…
Good point, Dive, but you're assuming there is something lovely between here and there. Let's see—a monstrous decaying warehouse that looks like the factory in Joe Vs. the Volcano, a series of small buildings and used car lots, the fair grounds in winter, and that's about it. I'll drive instead. That way, I can close my eyes.
9:35 AM
Cheltenhamdailyphoto said…
he he Scout! Yep no point walking through horrid areas. Or indeed, on those stupid treadmill things. As I said before, I hate gyms. You are right, everything seems false.
I do envy your aching muscles and feeling of good though. I do stretching exercises at home and have let those lapse so yesterday I started them again. I too am aching a bit but I'm a bit under the weather today so might leave them off for a couple of days, then get into the morning and evening routine which I've always done.
Well done you anyway! I laughed at your hands on hips attitude. Best way I reckon, faced with those slimmy, smarmy, smug gym members of staff. Ok, in my experience. I'm sure all others are charm itself; I just haven't met them.
9:55 AM
Neponset River Bridge Dig said…
Good for you, Robyn. I like the Y and it's affordable compared to those other gyms. One of my favorites is the rowing machine. I just get in a groove and row row row.

Now you will have to get my recipe for a good protien shake to make and drink after your workouts to aid your aching muscles.
10:46 AM
Alifan said…
I am too old to bother... tee hee.. actually I did Yoga for years and must start again and see if I can tighten these flabby bits up...

I admire you Robyn I did once go to a gym, when I worked at Harleston my friend and I walked there in our lunch hour and had 10 mins on each piece of equipment, then walked back to work, never knew whether the walk did more good than the gym....but we did not get a lot of work done when we got back to work we were too tired!

Hope you keep it up....By the way I have discovered a new way.... my thyroid tablets have started to work and I have lost nearly a stone since August.......
11:41 AM
dive said…
Oh, hee hee, Robyn.
Please, PLEASE, do NOT drive with your eyes closed.
3:16 PM
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