heywood24123’s BodyBlog

Im a long ways away from that last post - in time (about 6 months) and even more so in fitness level. I just read about how happy i was to be getting 85 pound dumbbells up for a flat bench set. I did 60s earlier this week and was feeling pretty good about it. The week before i did sets of 40s, 50s then 60s.

My confidence is way down right now. I feel like a fat ****. Went through a major ****it phase there for the last months - as soon as it became certain that there was no more marathons to be done this year. Took a lot of pressure off. That pretty much coincided with a trip to Vegas and a series of other debaucheries that probably dont need to be named at this point. But today was a big turning point. I’ve been working my way back into some semblance of healthy the last couple weeks. Ive been running somewhat regularly but only short distances, and with very little intensity. Same goes with lifting weights. I got a free trial week at Strong and Shapely, so I got in there for a week’s worth of low intensity weightlifting. Even went back to the Chelsea Rec Center after work one day this week for a lower body workout. It was cramped and sweaty and small. But, today. Today I became a full-fledged member of Strong and Shapely gym in East Rutherford, NJ. I got the membership number to prove it. The first gym Ive been a member of since the Round-Up Athletic Club in Pendleton, Ore. (2000-2002). I never lifted weights there though. Not even one time. Got a lot of use out of the pool and hot tub and sauna, and some from the treadmills and basketball courts. That was a long time ago. Brings back good memories. I remember running down there from my apartment, which was probably about a half mile away. Made a few runs from there too, Id wrap my swimming goggles around my wrist and head out. Some beautiful country out there. Plenty of isolated and scenic places to run thats for sure. My favorite was the McKay Reservoir, which doubled as a bird refuge. Those were the days. Very quiet and very very isolated. Great for running, but not so great for trying to meet - and fornicate with - young women. Eventually did meet Toshya there a one-time lover and still one of my really good friends (certainly one of the most loyal).

Then of course I was a member of the McMinnville Swim Club in McMinnville, Ore. That was mostly a pool of course but they did have a small weight room with a couple machines, some free weights and a couple treadmills. I remember jumping on the fly machine one time and feeling like an idiot, like I had no idea what I was doing, which of course was exactly how it was. I was always afraid of lifting weights I guess, mostly because I didnt want to look dumb. I didnt want to be embarrassed, emasculated somehow. That was really ijmportant to me for some reason, and still probably is. Still, I would definitely try more things in the gym if I wasnt so afraid of looking like a fool. Ive come a long way in overcoming this phobia, but theres still a long way to go. Its an extreme fear of failure I suppose. So afraid to fail that you never try. Kind of like my guitar playing. Well I have a guitar, but I feel like Im so afraid to fail that I never get around to trying to learn.

Then of course there was the Chelsea Rec Center in New York City. Im still a member in fact, probably will even renew when the time comes. Only 75 dollars per year. Pool and baskeball courts alone make that a worthwhile deal. Thats where I did my first weightlifting. My friend Mike basically dymistified the weight room for me. I was starting to get more and more courageous in the weight room at the rec center and Mike finally got me into the weight room at his gym, the Montcliar YMCA. He showed me a couple things - dumbbell bench, dumbbell curls, preacher curls and a couple other things. BUt watching him work out, his intensity was the bigger lesson that day. Aggressive, high-energy approach that I need to try to replicate (although in my own low-key style). That’s what’s been missing from my workouts the last couple weeks - that intensity.

Now that Im a full member - if only a 3-month member - I need to stop ****ing around. No more lazing around aimlessly in the gym look around and everyting in awe. I need to start getting after it. Did a pretty good job today in the gym but still went in there with no definite plan and barely a plan for what I wanted to work on. One thing I did want to get on was the rowing machine. I did a pretty good job on that averaging 30 s/m for 20 minutes. Im guessing thats 30 strokes per minute. Not a very high-impact workout really but it does work a lot of body parts - hamstrings, shoulders, hip flexors forearms, and probably a whole bunch of other stuff. Then I did a couple ab exercises and tested out a couple other cardio-type machines.

My goal is to do exercises that work as many body parts at once as possible. Full body workouts to strengthen all parts of all muscles. This is because most likely my calf injury was created by repeated pressure on one specific body part without equal distribution to accompanying muscle groups. I just want to be overall fit, strong evenly throughout. Oh and to gets lot of chicks in the process.

Today was my first day but I think Im in the right mindset to start something good here. My plan is to keep an open mind and

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 6:52 pm and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.