Focus

I try to visit the gym at least three times a week, and it's not unusual to see the same individuals working out next to me.

As I have indicated in previous blogs, I do cardio for about 45 minutes before doing some circuit weights.

When I get to the gym, I check in by swiping my keyholder tag across the scanner and greet the girl behind the counter.  Sometimes she says hello.

After we exchange gestures, I make my way upstairs towards the cardio machines.

When I workout, I try to avoid direct eye contact with any other person there.  I figure people at the gym don't want to be disturbed or ogled at by other people.

Well, I will admit that I was recently caught ogling the girl in front of me.  Of course, my defense is that I was really struggling with the elliptical I had set at level 10 and my focus was at the young girl jogging on the treadmill.

What makes this worse is that my focus was not at her upper torso or head.  Had it been, then I would have recognized her turning around.  Feeling like my body was running on slow-speed, I raised my head and noticed her looking towards me.  As our eyes met, my brain finally kicked in to yell, "Hey dummy!  Turn away.  Now!"

Embarrassed, I lost control of my footing.

I'm a wimp

For the past few months, I have been going to the gym at least twice a week. 

My routine goes something like this: 12 minutes on the elliptical; 12 minutes on the power cycle; 10 minutes on the strider; and sets of twenties on the upper body circuits.

Okay, for those of you who aren't familiar with working out, you're probably thinking I am really doing great and must be slim, trim, and well chiseled.  Wrong.

I'll be honest, I'm a wimp.  I don't have upper body strength.  I never have.  My great legs compensated for my weak arms.  I've recently noticed, however, the need to build strength on my arms after struggling to pick my six-year-old son who weighs 50 pounds.

Therefore, I've made it a point to dedicate a few minutes on the circuits to begin building my upper body muscles; although, doing so has been a humbling experience working out amongst guys and girls who can lift more.

I try to avoid eye contact with people around me and listen to the TV stations on my Insignia HD Radio as I take my turn on the circuits.

Setting the weight dial at the lowest possible level, I tell myself that no one is watching or cares what I am lifting. Of course, passerbys do notice and if you forget to reset the dial, the next person will definitely notice.

From afar, one may assume I'm lifting a heavy load with my strained facial expressions.  At closer observation, they'd notice I'm only lifting 10 or 15 pounds.  Pitiful.  I know.

What's worse is after leaving a circuit I noticed the next person, a girl, reach over to the weights, reset the dial and added extra weights.  Yes, embarrassing.

Again, I try to avoid eye contact and remind myself that Mr. Olympian Dorian Yates resorted to lighter weights and more repetitions.  Of course, I'm not Dorian Yates.