He Said - She Said

As you might know, I’m in a little bit of a runner’s funk.  The silver lining to this is that I’ve been much happier in the gym lately.   I’ve been focusing on strength and have found some comfort there.  I was talking to a coworker friend who is also a gym goer, we started tossing out all these observations and lessons learned about the “good old gym”.

As 30 something moms and dads, he and I both agree that our objectives for going to the gym have changed slightly. So we thought we’d see just how different in a little segment we will call

 He Said/She Said:

(except the “He” is a former Military Captain turned cube dwelling, daddy of two young kids close in age to E and MiniE who, just like many of us, is just trying to find the balance.)

First up: How has life in the gym changed since becoming a 30 Something moms and dads?

He Said: To sum it up in one word: substantially!  I used to get into the gym daily to lift and would take all the time in the world while doing so focusing on one or two muscle groups per visit.  Now, I have to get up super early to get to the gym to run before work and sneak into the gym during nap times on the weekends where I focus on all kinds of muscle groups with practically no rest in between sets.  When I was a college kid you couldn’t have paid me to get on the, well let’s just call them “not-so-masculine leg machines”.  I use them all the time now and us guys have been missing out for years by not utilizing these machines- they are amazing at targeting the right areas of your legs as long as you can swallow your pride and focus on what’s important: you!  Another area I never had to worry about before: Abs.  Now I have to do abs every time I step foot into the gym just to try to combat the old man fat (and sometimes I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle).  So, basically it’s been a 180 change from when I was 24 to when I was 34- but I’ve adapted my workouts to fit my life and situation and no matter what I still get the runner’s high post workout! 

She Said: Ugh!  I don’t even want to share but I will.  I will say that in my 20’s going to the gym was more of a social event.  I knew everyone there, I was extremely confident (some might say cocky) and it showed.  I might have worn some things that could probably be labeled as “almost inappropriate” and I didn’t care. Now that I’m a mom, a little older, and a lot busier things have changed.  I go with a goal in mind, I focus on the task at hand and if I happen to talk to someone it’s because they are using a machine I want to work in on or I’m just being polite. 

In addition to our fun little comparison, Capt Sean shared with me some pearls of wisdom he acquired over the years in the military.  These two are beyond great and I thought they were definitely worth sharing. 

Be Comfortable, but NEVER Satisfied

His Take: I adopted this gym philosophy from one of my Sergeant First Class’s that I served with.   Maybe it was because he was stationed in Hawaii for too long and had that great laid back demeanor, but he taught me to be comfortable in my own skin- enjoy the progress I had already made & fitness goals I had achieved, but never stop striving to make myself better and set newer and more audacious goals.  Once you get complacent you will find that your workouts will follow suit…

My Take: When Capt Sean said this it INSTANTLY resonated.  Life is about finding the balance where it doesn’t currently exist.   Part of what we have to do, day in and day out is learn to accept while knowing when to push.  It’s a crazy combination but I think we are all in that cycle and it’s a good place to be.   

Competition of One

His Take: You are not competing against the dude next to you in the gym or the woman on the other treadmill.  You are competing against yourself.  You are competing against your current self, challenging yourself physically & mentally to create a better version of you.  Whether that’s in a race or lifting weights, it’s not about the other person, it’s about you doing/performing your best and reaching that next level or goal. 

My Take: PREACH IT CAPTAIN!  This is something I think we talk about a lot but can’t be talked about enough.  Get inspired or motivated by others but make the change that you’re wanting to see about you. 

So what do you think of our first installment of He Said/She Said?  Like it?  Think Captain Sean should make another appearance?  What's your take on these words or wisdom?