olive, who is far from a gym rat
watches the instructor intently
she may be considering asking me to be her home training partner
i’m going to have to step up my game.
—
“friends that sweat together stay together.”
– wayze
May3
Tag Archives: gym
Dec14
it’s very important to have the right clothing to exercise in. If you throw on an old t-shirt or sweats, it’s not inspiring for your workout. – cheryl tiegs
just wondered
not judging
why the guy
working out
next to me today
was wearing
a
buttoned-up
button-down
dress shirt
tucked into
belted dress pants?
maybe a sudden inspiration on his way home from work?
maybe in case he runs into the boss?
maybe told someone he was going somewhere else?
maybe dressing to impress?
maybe i have no idea
though
it is one of
life’s interesting little
unsolved mysteries.
—
image credit: google images
Jan3
hope floats. until it sinks.
(this is hope. she is not me, but is an enthusiastic re-enactor)
—
went to the gym
on what
had to be
the most
hopeful day
of the entire year
january first
new year’s day
first day
of resolutions kept
the energy palpable
electricity in the air
and sweat
and
postive thinking
and vim
and vigor
(a crack team of synchronized re-enactors)
—
with enthusiasm
brimming over
and cheering
and
a shared
spirit
we all
worked hard
while we
watched the rose bowl parade together
and
celebrated
our own
new coach’s
long-awaited
return home
and
each of us
believed
and
hoped
for our
own reasons
that
this was
just
the beginning
of
wonderful changes
coming into
our lives
at least for this day.
—
hope is a waking dream.
– aristotle
—
image credits: getty images, popsugar.com, latimes.com, mlive.com,
Feb24
making the turn
headed out to the gym yesterday to workout and watch the big game. the university of michigan wolverines were playing basketball against our instate rivals, the michigan state spartans. i figured i’d serve myself up a little pleasure with my pain.
as i got closer to the gym, i noticed that it was surrounded by an astounding number of opposing choices: taco bell, burger king, cottage inn pizza, noodles, mcdonalds, gourmet garden chinese, castle liquor store, subway, zingerman’s roadhouse. i could almost imagine my chalupa and mexican pizza and a cold beer.
or, there was –
the gym.
it would have been so easy to accidentally turn into one of those other driveways, and then the next hour would be spent indulging in food and drink heaven instead of in gym hell.
i made the turn.
and when i found myself in the gym, i was not disappointed, and knew i had made the right choice. there were father/sons, couples, singletons, and people of every shape and size and color imaginable. what we all had in common, was the turn we made to get there.
the familiar maize and blue home team shirts were everywhere, and people cheered while on the elliptical, treadmill, with weights, and bars, and balls, and machines. it was a great first half. and while i can’t say where everyone went for the second half, the wolverines played a magnificent game, and we won in the end. go blue! sometimes, it’s just a matter of choosing the right driveway. and if i happen to turn into the taco bell driveway next time, so be it.
One might as well try to ride two horses moving in different directions,
as to try to maintain in equal force two opposing or contradictory sets of desires.
Robert Collier
—
image credits: michigan daily, oldtowneast.com, sweethorseranch.com
Apr14
get up off your nia-s!
What is Nia?
Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts. It empowers people of all shapes and sizes by connecting the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Classes are taken barefoot to soul-stirring music in more than 45 countries.
talked my daughter into taking this class with me. assured her it would be great, low-key, fun, we would just blend in, (i have a history of having stamina, enthusiasm and strength, though not a lick of coordination, and she detests being the center of attention), and i stressed that it would be a relaxing, bonding experience for us, all while getting in great shape.
the class started out slow, with a challenging set of movements and stretches and new-agey music, then i heard someone talking about the ‘good auras’ they were seeing and chakras all around, and it was on! there were all sorts of interpretive dance moves and exercises happening – people twirling, gliding, karate-chopping, leaping. my daughter glanced over at me, we both were smiling, though she had the look of ‘really, what next, are you kidding?’ on her face. i believe i may have seen an eye-roll as well.
at this point, i’m going to go out on a limb and guess that it all took a final bad turn for her when our trainer announced that we would ‘each act out our day with a dance,’ and she had chosen my daughter to go first and to solo. i felt the glare, a bit more intense than kryptonite, coming towards me, and i did my best to avoid any eye-contact. soon after, she blurted out, ‘how am i supposed to do this?! i have had a hell on earth day, i’m in the construction business – dealing with historical commissions, zoning boards, sub-contractors, neighborhood councils, city council, requests for bribes, and an incompetent supplier!?’
she did a little twirl, the trainer and the rest of the class clapped for her, and that was the last move of our nia experience together. i believe some people’s chakras may have been thrown off a bit.
I didn't have my glasses on.... 