The Health Club

Howdy,

Well, I did it. I joined the club. Our local health club had a Christmas Special so I took the plunge.

Now I join other "sluggards" young and old, male and female, 5 times a week on the tread mill and the other diabolical machines designed to carve those pounds off, tighten up those muscles and make me "buff" again. Okay, so maybe "again" and "buff" are not to used by me in the same sentence. I used to be in pretty good shape but you know how it goes. So I'm really trying to get more healthy and if the pounds come off and all the rest, so be it and praise the Lord.

In one part of the building are the free - weights being used by those who don't seem to need it. They have bulging muscles all over their bodies that just accentuate their tatoos. I read somewhere that genetics has a large say about whether or not I could develop 6 pack abs instead of the keg I'm sporting now. I have no intention of venturing into free - weight territory.

Instead I'm using the treadmill, stationary bikes, and resistance machines. I actually am enjoying it. It's fun to see other people suffer. It motivates me. I'm not the type to go off running by myself somewhere. Just to see someone else sweating and straining gets me going.

The whole experience has been rather comical. What do I need to pack in my gym bag? Oh, and what kind of bag should I take? I can't stuff my stuff in a Wal Mart bag. It just isn't done. I'm certainly not going to go out and spend money on a bag since I must have something in my closet that will work. Actually I'm not really concerned about how I look coming into the club / gym or whatever it's called. I don't know if I should call it a club since you might picture a members only tea room off to one side where soft music is played and people sit around in winged back chairs reading the paper. To call it a gym doesn't seem right either. Isn't a gym where a bunch of sweaty oofs work out at punching bags while others are clanging free weights around and grunting. It's sort of like a gym but nicer. Anyway, back to the bag. I began by using a small duffel given to us when we went on a cruise so it says the name of the cruise company on the side. Now I'm using a back pack that my daughter used to use in school I believe. I'll see how that goes. Then how am I supposed to dress to go there? Do I wear my exercise stuff under my street clothes and simply strip down when I get there? Do I wear sweats or office type work clothes? Does that depend on whether or not I'm stopping off at the "gym" on the way to work or on the way home? I want to do what's right. Of the agony of deciding.

So far I've used the treadmill. You can program those things to give you a real workout but first you have to figure them out. You can simply hit a quick start button and get going while adjusting the speed but that would be bush league. You really need to program it so the bed goes up and down and the speed varies to simulate uneven terrain. Wow! So far I just turn it on. Then you plug in your headphones so you can listen to the audio coming from 5 different television screens up front. I like that part. After each workout you are to spray down your machine with disinfectant and wipe it down. You want to do your part to keep everyone healthy.

The resistance machines have proven challenging and that's before I use them. I CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT MACHINES! I went through an orientation about the machines when I first started but they all look alike. I've spend what seems like most of the time I have available simply walking up and down the rows of machines trying to identify the ones I'm supposed to use. After 20 minutes or so I end up going back to the treadmill because I know where they are and how to turn them on.

I know that all of this will come together eventually and that I won't be so intimidated just walking into the building. Soon I'll know some of the players, I'll have figured out how to dress and what to carry my gear in, the machines will do wondrous things at my command and all will be as it should be as my body gets even better looking.

Pray for me. I'm visiting the "gym" this afternoon.

Shalom