In another post, I mentioned that I had joined a gym for the first time in my life. I grew my muscles the old fashioned way, by hard work. As I am getting older, work isn't all that hard anymore. Maybe that's because I do less of it. So I joined up to lift some weights, perhaps ride a machine or two, and get back in shape. And, the gym has a pool. We used to have a pool here at the LittleBIll compound, but it started to rust out, so it is no more. It was only good for floating around with a beer anyway. Besides, swimming outside in December isn't exactly my idea of fun, or even sanity.

I've been there about two weeks now, and have had several adventures there. One thing that is included in the swingeing fees they charge is a couple of appointments with a personal trainer. They set me up with a young gentleman whose father is four years younger than I am. It is an interesting relationship. He is not quite sure what to make of me, and I am taking orders from someone younger than my own children.

I had my initial appointment with him shortly after joining up. I was supposed to meet with him last week, but had to reschedule due to squirrelus interruptus. Today we met up again so he could take me through a personalized workout plan. I learned a few things. One, I had been just moving weights around on the various machines up until today. He walked me through a bunch of exercises, starting out with the exercycle, or whatever they call it. Then it was squats. I felt like telling him when you get older, you do lots of them anyway. I kept my mouth shut though, because I didn't want to give him the impression I thought he didn't know squat.

I was a little miffed at the weights he was suggesting for me. "I thought, I can lift way more than that!" Well lemme tell you something. By the time I was done, I was lucky to be lifting my feet off the floor. The last exercise probably made the least sense, but it was kind of fun. I had to take a 10 lb medicine ball, lift it over my head, and then hurl it to the floor with all my strength. I told him, "I'm already good at this one!" Every now and then something goes wrong in the shop and a piece of wood will impact the floor at near relativistic velocity. It doesn't improve my situation any, but it makes me feel better. By the time I did 10 reps of that though, I was ready to quit. Fortunately, it was the last thing on the list, and he was expecting my reaction. He told me I did better than he expected. Either that means I am in better shape than I thought, or I look even worse than I am. I will choose to believe the former rather than the latter.

There's no way I am going to join the musclehead crowd though. That's the group of guys there who spend what looks to be most of their life pumping Iron. Some of them have bulging muscles in their eyelids. I am going to have to stop looking in the mirror there though. I understand it is good for proper form, but it also keeps reminding me that right now I sort of look like a snowman in the sun with the way the weight is sluffing off of various parts, and none of it symmetrically.

That's awesome!!! And thanks for the answer on pull-up vs chin-up. I think they would use different muscles then, right?

@BigViffer

Well... sorta. Pretty mush all of the same muscles are involved, it is just to what degree they are working the hardest. With the chin-up, the biceps, forearms, and latissimus are the muscles that are doing the most work. With the pull-up the trapezius and the deltoids are working the hardest. But all of those muscles are needed to do either movement.

It is amazing the difference pronation vs supination of the hand makes!

@@LittleBill

Again I am entertained and find laughter in your story! It's funny how all us WLS people find ourselves entering Gym-land and initially feeling strange. I always feel weird when I am on a cardio machine and right next to me is a 20something year old, 115 lb young lady fully tones running at about 30 MPH. Oh well, I figure that in a year or so MAYBE I can run half that fast.

I have to laugh at the remarks about trainers and other people who help us being half our age. My husband and I are always remarking at how, seemingly suddenly our doctors, kids teachers, lawyers, and most of the work force looks to be young enough to be our kids. It's just weird going the the doctor and having him be half my age.

I was at a retail store yesterday Christmas shopping in the mall. There is a new store call "Buckle" and I wandered in really not knowing what I was looking for. A young man, could not have been more than 22, asked to help me. He was the most polite, helpful salesperson I've ever run into. I was impressed so much by his service that I wrote an email to his boss. I am a huge sucker for manners and showing respect, regardless of age.

Thank you. I appreciate manners too, and when I encounter young'uns who insist on calling me by my first name when they are the same age as my children, I remind them - sometimes forcefully - that as far as they are concerned, my first name is Mister. But the ones who are respectful, like this trainer, are asked to call me by my given name.

I was back at the gym today, and sort of in a fog looking for the one machine I was supposed to do some reps on. All of a sudden he was standing there next to me asking what I needed help with. We had a nice conversation for a few minutes, he pointed out the machine, and then went back to what he was doing. I really appreciate that.

That's awesome!!! And thanks for the answer on pull-up vs chin-up. I think they would use different muscles then, right?

@BigViffer

Well... sorta. Pretty mush all of the same muscles are involved, it is just to what degree they are working the hardest. With the chin-up, the biceps, forearms, and latissimus are the muscles that are doing the most work. With the pull-up the trapezius and the deltoids are working the hardest. But all of those muscles are needed to do either movement.

It is amazing the difference pronation vs supination of the hand makes!

Cool! Thanks for the graphic! I love what I learn here.

Love the gym stories....lol.

Just joined a new gym yesterday, and will start on the treadmill on Monday.

I have to wait another week before any lifting....

Really looking forward to it.

The gym I joined is a lot of older folk... so no meatheads...lol.

They are already trying to get me to do a 45 minute spinning class....lol.

Not quite ready for that.... good times.

Love the gym stories....lol.

Just joined a new gym yesterday, and will start on the treadmill on Monday.

I have to wait another week before any lifting....

Really looking forward to it.

The gym I joined is a lot of older folk... so no meatheads...lol.

They are already trying to get me to do a 45 minute spinning class....lol.

Not quite ready for that.... good times.

The only spinning involved with me goes on in my head if I push my reps too hard. I am thinking it is either low BP or low sugar. (I was going to abbreviate that as BS, but everyone knows I don't have low BS).