Okay, so Griz is Griz. I can get along with NEARLY anybody BUT if we don’t click, that’s cool. Better we both just move along because changing who we are, fundamentally, to play nice together just won’t work, long term & people who try to be fake & twist around happy faces for all just PIZZ me off, they always have! I call them plastic people. Now over the past year a dear friend has REALLY helped me to improve my patience skills in life & this morning that proved VERY helpful!
Recently I’ve re-entered the real iron arena, joining Helga’s House of Pain (aka ATC Fitness) due to being relo’d to our distribution center which is off campus where the workplace gym was located. First AM today was to be LBWO which ALWAYS lights my fire! The way ATC is arranged is basically a large circle with a mirrored wall nearly bisecting it. On one half is all the usual cardio gear; all arranged facing the center of the circle. Within the ring of cardio rigs are all the various Life Fitness resistance circuit training equipment. The other half of the facility has all of the Hammer Strength plate loaded stations & various free weight stations. As I made entry, passing by the ring of cardio, a fairly fit middle aged lady was trotting her morning away on one of the treadmills & as we made eye contact I noticed her give me a quick once over then turn her nose back in the air, moving on.
No biggie, I’m a newbie HERE & self admittedly NOT one of the average gym going pretty people. I went on & arranged my locker, sweatband, iPod, note pad (yeah, I’m still tweaking station settings & finding the appropriate loads to master burnout in an efficient time) & proceed to bust out a respectable LBWO. Once done with the circuits, knowing I had yet another meeting marathon of desk jockeying to look forward to today, I mounted the treadmill farthest from Ms. Snooty for a 5 minute cool off to stretch things out & spread the lactic acid around evenly in the attempt of acquiring a nice even case of DOMS rather than a focused industrial calf or thigh crampfest later.
As Ms Snooty dismounted her treadmill & headed for her circuit she again gave me a “kiss my @ZZ” look as she passed by, which I basically ignored. I noticed she was going back through the LBWO stations I’d just done & also noticed as she left each station her expression began to soften a little more each time.
As I dismounted my treadmill to head for a shower I had to pass her, exiting a station, so just to prove what a gentleman I can be I nodded & wished her a good one. BIG MISTAKE! I had awoken the hen & she began cackling! Head flipping & jerking, lips running 90 MPH, so I stopped & pulled the earbuds, apologizing for not hearing a single thing she’d said.
She put her hands atop her trophy weekender saddlebag hips & proceeded to lecture me that if I’d just do a little homework all of my hard work might actually result in some progress! WTF?!?!? Griz wanted to just rip her a new one BUT dear one’s patience lessons won the day & I merely growled, “Excuse me, are you a trainer?!?!?” Her expression just melted & she blushed like a school girl who’d just snuck her first peak! “Well, no I’m not.” She replied sheepishly “But I’ve done some web research & noticed you went straight to the stations without stretching or warming up first so all that hard work you did probably did more harm than good, even though you were pushing some really nice loads I must add. Also, cardio AFTER lifting like you did just puts your muscles to sleep, settling them into a slow burn!”
I actually began to laugh, which caught her WAY off guard, explaining that, due to an old ankle & knee injury, on leg day I stretch extensively at home before even dressing, which probably gave her a horror flick thought for the day, then I laughed again, further explaining that besides; hauling this carcass in from the parking lot alone qualifies as a warm up all by itself & I prefer the treadmill AFTER so that I stretch things out & spread the lactic acid around in the attempt of acquiring a nice even case of DOMS rather than an afternoon crampfest while flying my desk.
She didn’t say much more, other than asking what were DOMS & saying I might want to reconsider adding more cardio up front to better prep my muscles for the beating they’re about to receive, said with a little giggle. I explained DOMS & suggested she Google that during her further research, said with an devilish grin as we parted ways.
BTW, couldn’t help noticing her back on the treadmill, AFTER her circuit, as I exited Helga’s but at least I got a little wave goodbye rather than a nose in the air like at hello LMBO!
Rock on pals & remember, be yourselves & be good at it too!!!
Oh man she didn't deserve any of your kindness. Oh well,that betch gets to live with her betchy self. Most people at the gym, I find, are quite supportive! Hang with THOSE people. You'll see a group of regulars after awhile. Hugs!!
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