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Saturday, January 7, 2012

Case for the Gym

One of the biggest reasons I started lifting Kettlebells was so that I didn't have to go a gym. I basically got sick of the whole scene. From automatic withdrawals that never stop, to listening to the crazy training/ nutrition talk... I had to escape.

Training at home is great! Pick your own music, wear whatever you want, nobody to think about but yourself... perfect for a guy like me... I work in the fish business so most days I have a slight hint of fish on my shoes from walking around the plant... this is not that noticeable at my house... it is very noticeable in a gym type place...

I decided to join a place on my way home from work. This is has turned out to be a very good idea.. I go there looking forward to training.. I go in, change up and get to work.. when I go home, I open mail, look in the fridge, go online, do some laundry, answer the phone... then I start to get ready, this process could take me a long, long time... very easy to stall at home... Big problem... Some nights when I'm dogging it, I might start working out at like 8pm... this is bad! That means I eat late, shower late, go to sleep late... all bad..
Going to the gym forces me to get in there, change up and go to work.. No mail, no internet, no laundry, I usually start my sessions with some form or cardio, rower, treadmill, stairclimber, and get my body temperature elevated... then I do some joint mobility... foam roller, stretch a little bit... just get loose...
then, what I have been doing is all one arm work... basically 4 to 6 minute sets of the pentathlon lifts... and some swings at the end... I usually try to do 3 or 4 work sets sometime heavy, sometimes light... sometimes I start light and work up every set, sometime I start heavy and drop down every set... The main point right now is to work and make things fun...
Another unexpected benefit is that I find myself doing more stuff after I finish the bells... Nothing huge but things like battling ropes, TRX, body weight exercises, plyo metrics... things I do not do at home...
Things are going well, I am sure that when I have some clear targets I will go back into my little pain cave at home... but for right now, I am very happy with hitting the gym...

1 comment:

  1. I like the option of training at home. That being said, I underestimated the power of routine in terms of going to the gym.

    Until 2005, I went to the same gym consistently (avg 5 times per week) for 7 years.. For part of that time, I actually lived downtown 2 blocks from my gym and would walk the KBs over there. I trained at home from mid 2005 until Nov 2011.

    What made training at home difficult at times (although I certainly like it). Very hot summers (garage would get to 115) and very cold winters (sometimes as cold as 10 in the garage). Yes, I trained in that environment with some consistency, but pushing it (especially in the heat) was always difficult.

    Most importantly, like you said..There are the distractions with being at home. For me, this might be the internet or something.

    I actually like the short drive to the gym in the morning. It is short enough that I can justify belonging to this particular gym, yet long enough that I am very awake and ready by the time I get there.

    I'm sure I'll do training at home in a pinch. But, with this particular gym (it's weightlifting centric and 24 hours), there's really no reason not to train there except maybe the hassle of hauling in my bells.

    CI

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