Work out

Back in Sept 07 I began working out once a week with a personal trainer. Rick is not just my trainer, but also my friend.

I used to post work out updates for the first several weeks, but found that I really didn't have much 'new' to say about the work outs, so I stopped mentioning them. I am still working out once a week, and despite all predictions (especially my own), I am enjoying it.

Two days ago as I was doing some exercise where you stand and push down on a Y-shaped thingy with weights on the other end, Rick pointed to my visible tricep and said "Look at that. You couldn't see that when you started here." And he was right.

When I told Spouse about this he threw me a snarky smile and suggested that Rick had a vested interest in telling clients how much progress they've made, kind of like the boutique employee who tells the rich old woman that everything she puts on looks great on her. I did not let his cynicism deflate me.

I guess my own expectations of seeing my own visible muscular development were kind of low, since I'd never lifted weights or worked out before and since I was only doing it once a week. But my persistence seems to be paying off, and my arms do not look as much like 'tubes of flesh' as they used to. My arms actually have shape and definition now.No, this is not my 'before and after' photo. I culled this off Google Images simply to demonstrate what a developed tricep looks like.

This got me thinking: If I can get decent results like this from working out with a trainer once a week for 10 months, imagine how much quicker the results would compound if I worked out on my own a few times a week between my trainer sessions. Suddenly I could imagine myself not feeling like the most out-of-shape guy at the beach. I actually entertained silly, fleeting thoughts that perhaps other guys at the beach might look at me and raise their eyebrow as I pass by.

So now I'm trying to figure out how I can get our neighbor, the gym owner, to give me a "family membership" for the same price that Spouse now pays for his single person membership. I really don't know the gym owner. I just know his first name and that he owns the gym. I don't really see him often, as he's not usually home or outdoors when I walk Jordan passed his house. But I think its worth a try.

Crush du Jour: Franchesco D'Macho