Guliking

At last, at long last, I made it to the Gulik Gym during the week! I am so happy to be there despite how crowded the circuit is. I had wanted to arrive at 9am when it first opens, but I was too tired to get up early enough. I don't push these days, so I took my sweet time, happy to make it at all!

The assistant was pleasant, greeted me as I entered, asked if I was familiar with the machines. She watched me for a bit, then suggested that I slow my returns down to work the muscles to the max. She was right. It was much more demanding and I could feel the effect almost immediately.

I glanced around the room and suddenly felt old. Here I am in a room full of senior citizens most of whom appeared a bit fragile and stiff. They barely managed to lift their feet to climb on the steps in the cardio parts, and struggled with range of motion on the machines. Everyone wore glasses and had either gray hair or bald heads. Backs were permanently bent, hands gnarled. Has it come to this?

I give them credit. It must be difficult to come despite bodies that don't want to move. Here they are trying to keep joints moving. I sigh. It renews my determination to keep coming. I don't want to end up in such dire straits. Most of them could not handle going around even once. Many had to skip machines outright. I started to feel that maybe I wasn't in that bad of shape after all.

Then a thirty something gal bounced into the room. She danced on the steps and flew on the machine and actually kept time with the zippy music. I groaned. Nope. I am not in good shape. She isn't even out of breath and jokes with the assistant as she works out. She is having Fun! I glance at her setting. 8! Yikes. Ah, me.

What great perspective. I fit somewhere in between 30 and 80. I do my two rounds at level 2 and decide that next time I will bump it up to level 3. Measurable progress. If I can get stable enough, I will come early, do the water walking, and three rounds at 3. Five years of hard labor ought to help. I may never be 30 again, but I am determined to be a healthier 80.