Pump Pump Pump It Up!

So, I think I should start this post by stating that I love the gym. I find it to be a strange form of meditation that gets me to focus only on what I am doing.To think about one action without considering the past or the future, only what you are doing at that very moment, its amazing. Well, now that I think about it, there is an important distinction. Cardio, I feel, in a gym, is torture. Running in place is a huge oxymoron. I love running but I like to do it out in the world, otherwise you just stare at one place on the wall (thank god for tvs) and think about how you are tired, your legs hurt, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes.... But lifting is different. Especially when you lift to your max, you have to put all of your energy into that single motion.

Funny anecdote: You know those situations in movies where the person can't lift the heavy barbell and ends up dropping it on themselves? Well, I have had the distinct oppurtunity to be that guy and all I have to say is thank GOD the gym was nearly empty, cause it really is as humiliating feeling as it looks. I mean, the first thing is that you feel weak cause you literally can't lift the weight to save yourself. But secondarily, getting that bar off of yourself is the biggest fiasco after which you must try and play it off and put the bar back like its no big deal. The only good part is that it is funny, I mean, it is just silly to do that, so you get a good laugh out of it.

Ok, back to the topic. I am a very scatter brained person so it is hard for me to focus on a single thing, unless that single thing is me...scoff... So the feeling of let's say moving your arms from chest high down to your hips ushing as hard as you can is amazing. All your thought, all your energy and all your power go into that single movement. Plus, anyone who lifts enough knows that the soreness associated with lifting makes you feel like the freaking Hulk but less sea sick looking.

So getting away from the amazingness of the gym I feel I need to make a comment about something that just seems completely hilarious. The gym is all about making yourself better, sweating, exerting and working hard. Well, if you ever watch someone lifting weights when they are in between sets, they just sit there and stare into nothingness. I know I do it, and I saw plenty of others doing it today. The polarity of it amazed me. You just saw some guy bobbing his head to his Ipod bench 8 reps of 200lbs. You could literally feel how hard he was working, and after a big exhale and a quick towel wipe that same guy seems to release all of his kinetic energy (well, you cant release energy technically, so we will be correct and say he converted it back to potential energy) and just sit there and regain his breath. You can see (dont stare to hard) that he has a completely clear mind just sitting and breathing and recovering. Its like weight lifting is all about transitions between the polar opposites of extreme exertion and complete relaxation.

This makes me think of the distinction between the body and the mind when it comes to weight lifting. Its like the balance of energy used shifts to the body therefore the brain, more specifically the mind is given a break. So for those who think lifting is hard work, it is. But to be specific it is hard work for the body but simple for the mind, almost mediation for some...