So, I walked into the gym today, ready to smash some legs. I followed the same routine as I always do. Pack my bag in my room listening to some music, get my protein shake for after the gym, get my pre-workout for before, and then head out the door to kill it. When I walked into the gym it hit me, I’ve just made a grave mistake, or so I thought. When I walk out the door, I normally throw my headphones in my bag so I have them for the gym, but on this day, I was thrown off by a phone call from a friend. I took my headphones out to answer and forgot to bring them with me to the gym.
This was the first time in about a year I went to the gym to workout with no music. I thought that this workout was going to suck because I didn’t have my beats to pump me up, and push me through the workout. I hit the stair-climber like I always do, and proceeded to warm up. While I was warming up I started to notice the sounds of the gym which I never noticed before. It was a calming background noise that combines all that was going on around me.
There is the banging of the weights, the sound iron makes when it bounces off iron. This sound holds a special place for lifters, and it is a nostalgic sound that motivates you just by hearing it. CT Fletcher says there ain’t nothing better than a pair or 45 pound plates slapping together. In the gym today, you could hear the loud thud from heavy deadlifts, and the clinking from re-racking the bar when squatting. These sounds represent the respect and power it takes to lift these weights.
The conversations in the gym were drowned out by the sound of the weights. Voices blurred together and became a constant murmur. Individual conversations formed a collective from a zoned-out state. I could narrow in to try and eavesdrop on a conversation, but I choose to stay withdrawn, and let the voices in the gym drown out the thoughts in my head.
I listen to music to pump me up or as background noise. I was ignoring how great a place the gym can be to just unplug and take in what’s around you. Over the past few months I’ve been making an effort to be mindful of what I’m thinking about. When I am in the gym I try and keep my focus on the task at hand. I need to get better at paying attention to the here and now, and let my mind wander less. Forgetting my headphones might become a common occurrence because of the calming nature of the sounds of the gym.
Warmup:
- 5 minutes stair climber
- Lower body stretch
- Lower body foam roll
Workout:
- Squats (pyramid up and down): 95 for 12, 135 for 8 for 3 sets, 155 for 8, 175 for 8, 185 for 6, 195 for 3, 205 for 2, 225 for 1 for 2 sets, 135 for 8
- Leg Press: 360 for 6 for 3 sets (normal), 180 for 15 for 3 sets (narrow legs)
- Quad Extension (drop sets) 60 for 10 then drop to 40 and go till failure. 4 sets
- Calf Raises (plate machine): 70 for 10 for 4 sets
- Walking Lunges: 50lbs barbell on back, walk for 10 sets each leg, turn around then walk back
- Hip Abductor machine: 175 for 12 reps
Johnny
Soon to be “Johnny Two Plates”
Slow Cooking God 