My Gym

My motivation for going to the gym changes from day to day or week to week. Sometimes I feel lazy and deficient in my cardio or strength so I focus in on whatever that is to squash it out. There have been days that I have gone in and lazily and aimlessly moved through the stations unmotivated. There are times when I go there for self-flagellation or penance and other times out of sheer enthusiasm. When I was going through a particularly hard time in my life I ruminated on events and plotted my course of action to the cadence of the weight's reverberating clank. It was empty back then. I could set up and load the stations however I wanted to and they would be loaded the exact same way the next day sometimes for the rest of the week. . I took pride in that work space and whenever some machine or bench failed I lugged my toolbox in to fix it myself.No matter what the motivation the end result is always the same. That being a sense of accomplishment, betterment, pride, and physical health.

Yappin' don't make it happen. My gym is more populated now. During lunch, when it used to be completely empty except for myself, there are now at least four other people getting their work in and even more after work. Inevitably now people trade regimens and advice or attempt to impress and outdo one another. Usually I will hang out a "Do not disturb" sign in the shape of earphones. I don't go to the gym to talk and socialize but it happens. Although there are some pure meatheads once you get past the gym talk you find yourself talking to some of the more positive, intelligent, and amiable people you will meet.

One man in particular through casual conversation suggested that I consider yoga and meditation. Initially I scoffed at the idea. Reason being that I am skeptical about anything that may have roots in or may have an end point in spirituality. Speaking further he opened himself up with such guileless passion that I was actually considering taking his advice. He said to me that a persons heart like their body needed strengthening and conditioning but of a different sort and dispelled my previous notion of what meditation requires. My mind argues with itself alot on the big issues and it is in my nature to debate and to be skeptical. Sometimes it seems that winning a debate feels more important than the actual truth and I hate that even though I am sometimes guilty of it. So I decided to leave myself open to the possibility of practicing yoga and meditation. Also at this same small gym is my martial arts instructor and a bootcamp personal trainer that at any given time can be good for an impromptu lesson or pointer or tweak for the exercise plan. This small community breeds politeness and familiarity as well and I am proud to be known and know everyone else by name that steps foot through those doors.