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A Journey at the Gym

1/29/2017

So, last time I wrote about my time with the Insanity workout with Shaun T. Things are going well this time with the DVDs, but it wasn't the only method I was using. I had signed up at a gym (not a New Years Resolution) and got started. While I went to workout, I soon realized I had no idea what I was doing and started to feel intimidated. Don't get me wrong, there were nice people there and everyone respected each other's space, however, I just walked the treadmill or lifted 10lb weights.

So what did I do? I went to Youtube (Imagine the trumpet sound)! I started to look at some videos and did a few routines. They were fun, but being the lazy guy I was (am), I began to fall back into treadmill and 10lb weights. I couldn't keep myself motivated. Wishing for a better body didn't make it so. I figured I must not really want it since I wasn't devoting all the time others were.

I was ready to give up and, as Comedian Christian Finnegan once stated, "I'll just resign myself to paying an $85 a month fat tax." I went for broke and actually signed up to get a personal trainer. I was put with an ex-navy seal, vegan, yoga, spin class, instructor. As you can probably guess, I was even more intimidated. My first day of assessment was less than satisfactory, but my trainer, I'll call him The King, didn't look dismayed. The next session was attuned to my body weight and what I was able to accomplish based on that first day.

We continued with this for about five rounds, then The King pushed me to go further or try a new move (spider crawls suck, especially when you have someone keeping you low with their foot on your back). As we continued the routines, I felt more comfortable and we talked about our lives more. He liked anime and manga, same as me. He was stationed in Japan at one point and shared his experiences. He spoke about his wife and his dreams and the goals that were about to be in reach.
Before I knew it, I was outside flipping tractor tires (don't know if I can still do that). I felt fit and ready to take on any challenge. That was when The King told me about the Spartan Race that was going to happen in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Brewer's Stadium. I signed up for it and was training as hard as I could.

A few weeks before the race, The King was offered a job in New York. It could lead to his own studio. He decided to take it and I didn't blame him. It was a great opportunity. His last workout session was with me. He joined me in the exercises as I worked out the hardest I ever had. The last exercise was holding a plank for 2 minutes (I had only ever gone to 1). We didn't let each other fail, we encouraged each other, and we made those 2 minutes! He thanked me for making his last personal training at that gym the best he had yet.

I ended up having to do the Spartan Race alone, but that is another story.

I went through a few more trainers after that, each with their own personal approach to training me. Here are some of my experiences with them.

The first one after The King was tough on me. While there were many of the same moves, the attitude is the number one factor in training. While the overall training was good, whenever I messed up or didn't complete the amount of sets she wanted me to, she just sighed and had a look like I was wasting her time. It was discouraging to say the least. I still finished what I could and the sessions were over.

The next trainer was nice, though I did have to hear a lot about her love life. While I engaged in the conversation, I felt like I was slacking off from my work. All in all, the personality was there, but I needed more exercises in the time the sessions took.

The last one was pretty cool. He got into Mayo health clinic (I believe there were only 5 spaces available) to continue his studies. He worked out with me just like The King and we were able to hang out and talk after. He even tried Insanity with me and he was sweating more than me! It was a fun way to end my time at the gym.
Unfortunately, my financial situation changed and I was no longer able to continue my payments to keep going. It was sad, but I felt like I had tried as hard as I could and was closer to the body I wanted. I had learned lessons and met people with different goals in life.

The reason I'm writing about this is because I looked at my key ring the other day and found the door chip (to get into the building) still on there. It is deactivated now and you can't read the designation number, but I looked at it and thought about My Journey at the Gym a few years ago.

~ Philip M. Warden ~

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Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

1/2/2017

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The passing of Carrie Fisher hit me, though not in the way it must have hit her family. I never truly knew her and had never met her at any Comicons. Reading about her for the past few days, I realize that I barely even knew the tip of the iceberg about her. Still, I can contribute something. As a fan of Star Wars, it seems only natural.

The Carrie Fisher I saw was a princess from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (yes, I realize I probably owe someone a money for that). She was firm in her belief, not afraid in the face of darkness, being captured was just a hindrance, and she also had a softer, kinder side. I watched in awe as a young boy at how she took charge after being rescued, actually saving the men that came to save her.
I watched how she was captured by a crime lord and made to wear an embarrassing outfit. It was made to humiliate and break her. Of course, it's such sweet justice when the exact item meant to humiliate is used to kill the humiliator (from a fictional standpoint of course, I do not condone anyone to murder someone for embarrassing them. Self defense is for another argument). In the end, she was a key person to help restore a little bit of balance to the galaxy.

I realize that this is only a character based off a script, but I also know that it takes a great actor/actress, to make me believe that character could actually exist. Carrie, as Princess Leia, changed how I viewed women. I started to believe that there were women around me who could do anything a man could (I had much to learn about the world) and look great doing it also. I noticed how strong the women were around me, I still do. She was such an inspiration to a young boy and helped expand my world to something better. She made me want to help others and not back down when someone needed my help. For making my childhood and life awesome, I thank you, Carrie, from the bottom of my heart.

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Picture by ABC News

I only figured out that Debbie was Carrie's mother through an interview they did together on Oprah. I looked her up and found that she had starred in Disney's Holloween Town. I also found she was in a movie I had been wanting to watch, Singing in the Rain. I bought it without a second thought and watched it. Then I watched it again and again and again. The music was beautiful and the dancing even more so (lord knows I have no rythem at all).

Like Carrie, Debbie brought a smile to my face and helped me to see a bigger world. I'm sad I didn't truly know these women, but I am glad at how I did. My life is better because these two were in the world. Even now, when they don't reside on our plain, their works can continue inspiring future generations. Thank you both for being a part of my life.

"Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not." - Yoda

~Philip M. Warden~

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A Journey at the Gym

Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

Philip M. Warden

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