6 am class
No shows
No big deal
I probably wasn’t at my best anyhow
with only 4 hours sleep.

After 30 min doing circle checks in the gym (all good to go for the morning),
scheduling a family meeting
I am left twiddling my thumbs…..

“the devil finds work for idle hands” came to my thoughts.
I am not a criminal mind sort, with my hands anyhow.
Thoughts though, oh, thoughts.
About the only harmful thoughts that come to mind
are most often
those directed at myself.

I’d better get moving.
Hop on a stationary bike.

Plain and simple stationary bike –
no fancy settings,
just strap in your feet,tighten the tension
and
pedal.

Let’s do this….
30 minutes.
GO!

Within 7 minutes,
heart rate barely touched-
mind starting to wander,
bored!

There is no one in the gym,
just me and Maroon 5 playing.
I could get off.
A stronger force was keeping my feet moving
while my thoughts wandered……
are workouts now a days creating adult onset of ADD ADHD
rushing from one thing
to another
compromising form
for speed
for the sweat

People drive the same way to work,
day in and day out
never a thought to
“ooo, lets see if I can go faster, cut my time in half”
Are todays workouts contributing to road rage
and competitiveness behind the wheel?
Because, really
once upon a time
it was
a lot safer,
courteous,
respectful,
safe

 

I smile in drifting my thoughts back to the days of training
8 years competitive bodybuilder…….
a period
where I wasnever so focused,
purposeful,
strong,
competent,
organized

God forbid
if you stepped into a squat rack
with todays workout mindset
well
lets just say it wouldn’t work
having thoughts about “what’s next”
As soon as the scratchy bar hits
that beautiful spot
below your neck above your shoulders
you had better be present

Ah, those challenging workouts,
where
rather than grabbing the weight belt
and
ripping off the gloves
to hit the showers
it was off to a quiet room
to stretch
to reflect
to give thanx
to a body (and mind) well worked.
30 minutes alone with muscles and slow movement
THEN
it was shower time.

Ok, cool, I’m 15 minutes into the ride

boredom slightly lifting
as I recall
leaning down for a contest
dragging the bike in front of the television
or a one hour ride
while watching
back to back,
2 30 minute episodes of
MASH!

At this point,
today,
I am quite enjoying the
commitment to the pedals
and 30 minutes
as I remember
having a 6 month old
and contest day was
5 months away

Now juggling new mom
and competitive athlete
I was hitting the bike
at 5am to get the hour in
before
the baby woke up

Ya right.

In reminiscing,
aboth this period of time
this morning
I found myself reaching
for the ear buds
of a
sony walkman.
It’s 26 years earlier
5:30 in the morning
I hear the baby crying
I know she’s fine,
in the next room.

I put the ear buds back in
and tell her with whispers
“I am almost done
honey,
“I’ve got to do this”.

All this self absorption in my thoughts, I barely noticed the sweat now rolling down my temple, chin and dripping off my nose.  Damn!  That was the zone.  

Are too many looking for the physical experience of an intense workout, or is it the mental experience that is needed more? 

Bored with your workout?  Don’t blame the trainer or the gym.
Get in your game.
Stick with it,
until…………