Tag: gym

Send in the big guns

Jamie walked into the house and found me and Erin slumped in the living area.

“How’s it going, team?” he asked, with the cheerfulness of someone who has just had a great workout at the gym.

“Mission failed,” I announced. Erin and I, too, had visited the gym. Erin was up in Shepparton until the end of September. I had taken Erin to the gym this evening, hoping to get her on the ‘No worries, no commitments’ deal Jamie and I were on. If anyone could do this, it was me, champion negotiator, super mediator.

“Failed?” Jamie said, surprised.

“Yeah,” said Erin. “The reception lady said that deal was only for people who did the ‘$40 for 40 days’ special. She said I could get a 12 visit pass. It costs $116!” Jamie and I were paying $51 per month.

“We didn’t even take it lying down,” I added glumly. “I asked her if there was anything she could do. ‘We’re only here for a month,’ I told her. ‘It’s join or not join.’ “

“What did she say?” Jamie asked.

“She said that she couldn’t do anything. The prices are set by the council and she’ll get in trouble if they see she’s changed the prices,” Erin said. “I guess she can’t help it. It’s not her fault. Oh, well. I’ll just jog around the lake or something.”

“Yeah, that’s a shame…” Jamie said absently. “Maybe I’ll try talking to Mel when we next see her.” Mel was a friendly receptionist that Jamie and I sometimes chatted to in the evenings.

The following night, I had just finished washing the dishes and had wandered to the living room to see what was on TV. The front door opened.

“Hi guys.” Jamie was back from his evening gym workout.

“How’d it go?”

“Yeah, okay,” Jamie looked vaguely dissatisfied. “I’m keeping off the legs a little. They’re still feeling a bit tight.” He peered around to see what TV show was on.

“Did you get to talk to Mel?” I said idly.

He brightened. “Girls, our troubles are over.”

Erin sat up “I can join?”

“Here are your free gym passes for the next week…” Jamie slapped down four or five bright blue squares of paper. “…and Erin can take over Joan’s gym membership when Joan leaves after next week.”

We gaped at him.

“And, if we show up on the right night, you won’t even need to pay the transfer fee!”

Erin and I started laughing. “What?! How — ?”

“Cheerio,” Jamie said as he bounced out of the room.

First time gym goer

I joined the gym and so far have done two sessions of weight training.

It seems like my legs are stronger than my arms (relative to other people). I have little trouble stacking on the weights for exercises that require me to push or lift with my legs. But the best I can do with my arms is about 20 pounds. Heck, when I use my shoulders, I use zero weights!

I’ve been sore for the past two days. It’s not so bad now.

As a first time gym-goer, this is what I have found. I felt intimidated by all these gym regulars (mostly men) walking around but once someone explained to me how to use the machines, I concentrated on what I was doing rather than what other people were doing. Then I kind of noticed all the bad gym technique (lack of control of the weights) from some of the gym regulars and I felt better.

I really like carrying around my written program of exercises and ticking off the weights, reps and sets as I do them. I’ve always liked filling in boxes and ticking things off.

Doing strength training feels different to a cardio workout, like running or aerobics. You don’t feel puffed out at the end, as you would for cardio work. Instead, you feel weak. After my first session, my arms felt weak and strangely springy and tight. I didn’t know what they were doing, which made lifting pots and pans after coming home to cook more hazardous than usual!