Gym Pain—Simply Awesome

A short time ago, Rita gave me a really upbeat book called “ The Book of Awesome.” It has cute little tidbits about things that are just–awesome.  Things like the smell of rain, a cool pillow and popping bubble wrap appear in this book with lots and lots of other simply awesome things, feelings and experiences.  When I stumbled upon the following, I knew I had to share.  Both funny and very, very true…gym pain is simply awesome. While I know Rita is truly struggling with a back issue that has had her OUT of the gym for way too long, I know that one day soon she will be back in her spot with her beautiful smile and more beautiful karma.  I also know she will be finding the gym pain, simply awesome.

GYM PAIN

“Believe it, folks.  I went to the gym last year.  Yes, flabby belly, spaghetti thin arms, bright white sneakers and all. Though it may surprise you, I am not a walking, talking hulk of a man.  No, I am a scrawny knee-pushups kind of guy who spends more time taking sips of water, talking to the maintenance folks, and figuring out how the machines work, than actually working out.  I don’t tone my pecs, blast my quads, or crush my delts.  If my trip to the gym was a short film it would be called “STRETCHING IN SWEATPANTS.”

But anyway, my trip to the gym….It was 8:45 and I was sipping some water, trying to figure out how the bench press worked, when a steady stream of spandex-clad seniors suddenly brisked by me with sterns brows and folded towels draped over their shoulders.  Honestly, you might have thought there was a sale on oatmeal or a Wheel of Fortune marathon about to start at the back of the gym, because the grannies and grampies were on a mission.  When I asked a couple of maintenance guys what was going on, they told me BOOT CAMP was about to start.

My mind immediately flashed to visions of crawling through muddy trenches in baggy camo, swinging over frothy rapids on jungle vines, and standing on the roof of a rusty beat-up car firing a machine gun into the sky with one hand.  I can’t explain these images, but the compelled me to follow the Winkle March into the aerobic room.

And I know I don’t need to tell you what happened next.  Large, adult-sized Fisher-Price plastic and foam bits were strewn all over the floor, thumping dance music started bumping over the speakers, and a headband-clad Drill Sergeant screamed the sweat out of us.  Adrenaline racing, I stepped up, stepped down, and moved barbells all around.  I kicked up, swung back and prayed softly.  After about 15 minutes, most of the old folks were barely sweating, while I was keeled over, my mouth sucking back dry, sweaty air, a sharp knifelike pain quietly stabbing my gut.  And the whole time Sergeant Purple Leg Warmers was barking at me to keep going, don’t stop, two more minutes, one more minute, and rotate!!

It was intense.  By the end I was a Jell-O blob of hot muscles and shin splints.  I felt like I’d fallen down a hundred flights of stairs and landed in a construction site.  I was in pain and agony but YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT FELT GOOD!

I felt I made it.  I felt I did something.  There was a tingling buzz of satisfaction burning in my shredded calves, a lingering ache of pride in the dirt bike tracks riding up my stomach for three days, and a quiet happiness with the gym pain I inflicted upon myself.

When you reach up higher than you’ve reached before, give a little more than you gave before, and dig deepinto your core and end up sprained and sore…well, around here we say that’s a little something called

AWESOME.

Thanks for stopping in to peaceandfitness.  I hope your day is simply AWESOME!