This New Year I decided to redouble my efforts at weight loss, and gaining a healthier body. I made that solemn pack with the devil know as a “Gym Membership” for the first time in my life. Being the cheap-ass I am, I looked for the cheapest place possible in town. This happens to be located inside a senior community center, where 85% of the gym-goers are 60 and over. I figured this would be less intimidating anyway, since old people are far less likely to point and laugh at you in slow motion.
During my first visit to the gym, I saw that it was sectioned off with one part open area, one part machines, and one part free-weights. The part with the machines was full of people, and since I don’t know enough Yoga to pretend to work out in the open area, I went into the free-weight section. I started doing all the basic exercises there and was feeling okay about it. Then An Old Guy came in and started doing similar exercises on the next bench.
I immediately felt challenged.
Even though he was using smaller weights, had started later, and had probably done this more times than I have, I felt that I HAD to go longer than him simply because I was younger.
I lifted and extended and curled and pressed and punched and cried and just when I thought I had to stop for sure, the old fella finished and walked into the other section.
ViCtOrY!~!
I saw the defeat in his eyes and more importantly I knew that his presence made me do more than I would have otherwise, and I was grateful.
The next day, when I woke up to stiffness and shooting pangs, I was not.
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