Born Again Gym Rat: creepy guys

Showing posts with label creepy guys. Show all posts

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Sleep is Overrated

I stayed up until well past 1 am just to finish the Billy Idol autobiography Dancing With Myself. Since I have several of his CDs, I wanted to know the back story behind the songs and the music. I love the music because mostly it's dance music, which means it's also great for working out. Since he's only 5 years older than I am, I can related to his stories about the emergence of punk music and how it evolved. I hung out in HS listening to an eclectic mix of folk, rock and punk. I had friends who turned me on to the Ramones, Patti Smith, Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Bowie, Zappa, Blondie, The Clash, U2... the list goes on. I still have their vinyls in my garage, although as I recall, they're pretty scratched up from constant play. So, I'm not just reminiscing. I'm finally understanding some of what I experienced as a teen.

Of course, all this means is that I'm godawful tired when the alarm goes off this morning and I have to get the dog walked and fed, and my son up and dressed and sunscreened and fed, and packed off to camp, and myself off to the gym... I already did my cardio/bodyweight day yesterday, so my choices are to do a "big lifts" day, or just part of it... as in maybe just a Push Day. Or a Pull Day. My shoulder's been cranky because I tend to twist myself around to reach something, and that puts a lot of stress on the joint. Still, I'd like to whack the machine tomorrow. So I start out intending to do just two big movements, flat bench and RDLs, but wind up doing more...

While I'm at the Smith, totally and blissfully plugged in to my tunes, there's suddenly a lot of background noise and I realize that The Mayor has arrived and can't help but to announce himself. Other than impending hearing loss, I'm not sure why people feel the need to scream their "inside voice". Creepy Frankenstein sits at one of the machines twenty yards away and stares in my direction. Ugh. I time my sets so that I'm not in the DB area when he is. Because he is just too freaking creepy. And if I start to feel more belligerent, I might actually yell at him for staring like a creep. It's a good thing I don't take any sort of pre-workout other than coffee. Yes, it's a good thing I don't work at a gym, especially this one, even though I know they're hiring. Nope, "never piss where you sleep" is how I remember the saying goes.

The Smith needs servicing. Or at least a good cleaning. I'm sure there's dust and gunk in the tracts, and the bar is hard to roll back. Which makes it a bit dangerous. But since Gym Owner is down one qualified and motivated trainer (he left last December), he's stuck with a bunch of lady trainers, and some kids who mostly don't know what they're doing.

After DBs and Rip Skulls, I'm game for 20 minutes on the elliptical. That always leaves me hot and sweaty. Always a good time to stretch the legs and hips. Since I've started doing a few side bends, my lower back doesn't bother me when I do RDLs anymore. Weird, but everything's interconnected.

Late at night, I tend to binge watch and since most of the shows I like are done for the season, I've discovered new ones to stream. There's only a season and a half left before I'm done with Justified, a show I'd read was highly acclaimed. The fact that Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty) was a consultant and one of the producers gives me hope that the series doesn't unintentionally spiral into cliche silliness. It's based on one of his stories, Fire in the Hole. But of course, he died in 2013, and the series concludes a year later. I think it's those country drawls that have me so fascinated. The characters can be saying the meanest things, but there's a charm with how they speak it.

I have also started watching The Good Wife, but only when there are streams available, which is also the problem with trying to start Parks & Recreation from the first season. The Good Wife is a lot like those Dick Wolf cop shows though. I might be done with it sooner than later. Oh well, I have a ton of unread books on my nightstand...

Thursday
3.58 miles 35 min total

15 min x-trainer
Calories 70
Miles 1.85

HGPU 26

T, Y & I Raises
3lbs x 15
5lbs x 15

Smith Bench
Bar sticky on rotation back to stay
Bar (30lbs) x 15
80 x 13
100 x 12
120 x 12
90 x 25
80 x 25

Smith RDLs
Bar x 12
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 12
150 x 8 reps x 3

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyers
20/25lbs x 12/15reps x 3 sets

Rip Skulls
40lbs x 12reps x 3

20 min elliptical
Program 2
Calories 196
Miles 1.73
Average Heart Rate 140

HGPU 31

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Doing is Worth More Than Talking

Today

We had to go to a gas station convenience store in order to get a single dose package of Alka-Seltzer® because my son wanted to recreate a science "project" he did at camp. I could buy 36 tablets for $5 at the local pharmacy, but what would I do with 34 leftover tablets? And I didn't want to spend $5 on something we'd never use again. We also needed a film canister and luckily, I still had a few old rolls of undeveloped film back home. He put a little water in the canister, popped the tablet in, put the lid on and we stepped back from our walkway to have the canister pop several yards into the air. It left a fizzy, foamy mess but it was fun. Then we went to the gym.

My son was literally the only child in the room since most of adjacent towns have gone back to school today. I do 10 minutes on the Precor elliptical to get warm. I'm suddenly feeling very hyper. The staff tells me that the owner has purchased a new A/C unit and is waiting for the crane to install it on the roof. It's been weeks now and we joke that summer will be over by the time the crane shows up. Not funny!

I'm getting better at wrapping my hands after I tape them. I just needed to trust that I had enough cotton to go around my wrist and palm each time I wrapped a finger. It works as long as I don't wrap my thumb, but my thumbs have never been the problem. I see Scruffy when I first enter the gym. His eyes are swollen like he's either had an allergic reaction or one heck of a night. Later I catch a glimpse of Mouse at the Cybex leg machine. I don't see Scruffy hanging all over her today. Maybe she maced him? Naw, just kidding. Or not.

I don't sweat until the 4th round of the 5-round warm up Beginner program. Someone calls and leaves a message on my phone. Twice. It's some idiot realtor who thinks she's got her client's voicemail. I call back her office and tell the receptionist that I'm tired of being called since I don't know them. Then I punch in 9 rounds of Intermediate. Maybe I'll up that to 10 rounds next week. The machine doesn't register all of my Lead Kicks and tells me I'm punching too hard on Power Upper Cuts, Cross, Power Digs, Power Hooks. Oh jeeze. I pull back. For all the times I stop the machine, you'd think I'd score higher for Power! I'm breathless and sweaty after 9 rounds, but I could go again. That's one thing that endurance training (high reps and lots of cardio) does for you: enable you to keep going!

The Mayor walks in with his teenage kid, a thin blonde boy who comes to The Mayor's nose. He has his kid jump right into DBs. No warm up. They wander back to the CF area to have the kid do a few DLs. But The Mayor sees a friend up on the cardio platform and wander off to chat. The kid stops lifting and eventually stands in front of the cross-trainers too. Eventually The Mayor tells the kid to start pedaling. He does but without any effort or enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the only thing The Mayor has moved is his mouth. He walks with effort. It'd probably be easier if he lost some of that gut. Or if he spent less time talking.

Afterwards, I have just enough time to unwrap my hands and stretch my lower back a bit. We'll be going to see Shaun The Sheep again. The summer schedule is over for movies and the only appropriate one is one we've seen before. My son thinks he wants to see No Escape, but nothing about it convinces me I should take him. However, Shaun The Sheep is even better the 2nd time around! We stay until the very end and catch the rooster telling everyone that the movie is over and to go home. Then a sheep comes in to vacuum.

Tuesday Workout

10 min Precor elliptical warm up = 0.86 miles

14 rounds Nexersys
5 r Beginner Follow Me
9 r Intermediate Follow Me

Photos posted for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner

9 rounds Intermediate

Monday, August 31, 2015

Give And Take

Today

Sometimes it's all about the first move. Running up or dancing up the Step Mill. Level 8 isn't really fast enough. Did the caffeine just kick in? Maybe it's because even though I've been ferrying my son from play date to play date, I've been physically inactive all weekend. I've only had a cup of instant espresso this morning, and we get to the gym late. Maybe it's because I'm not wearing a hoodie and the gym is still fairly cool? 15 minutes on the Step Mill barely gets me warm but at least I'm not horribly worried when I approach the Stretch Cage for my first set of hammer grip pull ups.

I do the same types of push ups as last Friday, but I add reps to the first (and easiest) set because it's just regular push ups. 60 reps. I look up and catch sight of a guy smiling in an embarrassed way and shaking his head. I get the impression that he's also somewhat shyly infatuated from the way he tries to glance over without staring. And I'm so not even vaguely tempted to talk to him or anyone else who seems to hang with The Mayor. Skinny, tall, balding, bad teeth, and not much to look at physique-wise. Nope. I wonder how many push ups he can do.

The Diamond Push Ups are still hard on the wrists and forearms, but my joints are okay. I take my time, counting. The Dand (Hindu) Push Ups are more difficult than they look, but I can make it to 25. In between I do two sets of planks, but I'm only able to do 25 crunches. My abs are kind of shot by this point! Lower ab scissors are easy though. The last set of push ups are Side To Side, and I can do them, but my right elbow's not happy. I don't want to substitute Dive Bomber Push Ups because those are hard on the shoulders. I wonder if I can do any One-Arm Push Ups and how hard they'll be on my joints. I guess there's no way to know until I try!

I'm breathing hard when I get back to the Cardio Platform. I still want to do 30 min of cardio so I punch in Performance Program #2. I don't see the meek Mouse newbie but I see Shaggy. He's gotten more bold lately, chatting with Pear at a table while she waits for her husband, Einstein, a tall skinny man with glasses, mustache and a huge mop of unruly grey hair. Pear and Einstein are unfortunately the people I see performing ridiculous quarter reps at the bench. Shaggy looks like he's stalking prey, turning to intercept the bleached white haired girl with the violet over-rinse. She ignores him. I deftly step around him. He's still creepy. And desperate. Maybe he's got a wedding he needs a hot date for?

I see a young woman looking uncertain as she does a few bench dips with bent knees. She'd be better off with her legs straight out but she probably doesn't know if she's capable. And she's uncharacteristically alone. Most young women come to the gym with either their boyfriends or a gaggle of chatty girls for moral support. The truly dedicated ones come solo, with no distractions but perhaps, with a bit of fear. Because you never know what you're truly capable of until you try.

After cardio I do a set of pull ups, and then stretch at the Cage. Then added another set of hammer grip pull ups, but they're too close to the last set and my left elbow noticed. But I'm really happy that until that last set, I didn't feel my arms at all in the movement, which is as it should be. It should be back, lat and core. Today I manage to keep myself fairly straight as well, my body not swaying, and my knees not curled to my chest. Not sure if I'm getting stronger or just wearing myself out. Kidding.

Tomorrow I'm going to whack the machine again. And stretch my lower back.

Monday Body Weight Workout