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markmurphywrites.com

Tag: Gym

  • Morning Influencer

    Jill rolls out of bed early, even on the days when she doesn’t open the gym.  Fortunately, the owner finally listened to her.  Very few people work out before seven a.m. on weekdays, and even less on weekends.  She persuaded Mike to drop the requirement for two employees to unlock the doors at five, buying her two extra hours of freedom on Thursdays and Saturdays.  Besides, Dan needed the extra cash, even from the meager raise to morning manager. 

    Today, Jill holds a laser-focus on building her fitness influencer presence, and this means creating loads of content.  Thursday morning is her planning session for the week ahead.  She uses a whiteboard acquired during this year’s spring cleaning at the gym.  There are also waves of neon sticky notes involved, each with the desired exercise and rep count to build her eye-catching videos.  Saturday morning is her chance to stage the equipment, clean her dining nook-turned-fitness studio, and most importantly, to practice the meditation she preaches. 

    Jill typically shoots her Reels in the daylight of Sunday mornings, so the Saturday cleaning session ensures a dust-free shine on the floors and walls.  She also wants the space to appear open and airy, using perfect corner camera angles and bright sunshine to make the room appear bigger.  She is blessed to have the vaulted ceilings of the end unit apartment, and a skylight too. 

    She also feels blessed to have trusted her gut and disclosed her dream with one of the morning gym rats, Alex.  Jill is by necessity all baggy sweats, makeup free, and low ponytail at the gym.  It’s hard enough to get her job done without catching the eye of every male in the place.  Her good-natured demeanor and high-energy smile are enough to pass as friendly to the clients, but the clothes help her escape the unwanted attention. 

    But Alex is different.  He’s easy to talk with, and she feels heard.  He not only sees her determination, but he asks meaningful questions which continue to help Jill develop better content.  She’s even shown him a few of the Reels, allowing him in to her secret world as an aspiring fitness influencer.  Alex is probably the only person at the gym who’s seen what’s underneath the sweats.

    Jill finds herself in an unusual daydream this morning. She visualizes asking Alex out on a date, but the fear of rejection and losing his friendship is too risky.  Besides, she thinks, it would only end up hurting us both.

    [Part of the Morning Series; see also “Morning Routine,” “Morning Manager,” and “Morning Rest.”]

  • Push on Three

    Push push push!  Oh no.  The bar’s coming down.  Okay, try bouncing it back up with your chest.  Use the momentum.  Push push push.  Shoot.  Okay, quick rest.  Is there anybody in here who can help me?  I haven’t seen anyone in a while.  Let me just rest and try it again.  

    Stupid.  Why did you lift heavy tonight?  Why didn’t you call Brooks to come too?  Okay, that’s enough rest.  Let’s try again.  On three, push hard, like a liftoff from the rack.  Careful to keep it over my chest.  Deep breaths.  One… two… three!  Huhunnnn.  Bounce it.  Psshh.  Shoot.

    Okay, think.  “A little help.”  Maybe someone came in.  Maybe they’re around the corner.  Could they hear that?  “A little help!”  I don’t see anyone.  Don’t hear anyone.  Shoot.  Two ninety-five on the Smith machine.  No need for the rack guards.  It’s the Smith machine.  You wouldn’t ever bench this without a spotter.  Shoot!  It’s slipping toward my neck.

    Hold the bar!  Push a little.  Not too much.  You need to rest.  Only push with the left hand for now.  Breath.  Breath.  Just breath.  Options.  Lift it up.  One more try.  Or try sliding off the bench.  Move fast and maybe you can beat the bar down before it catches your neck.  Or wait.  Someone will come.  I’m not the only one who uses the gym at night.  What time do the apartment people clean this place?  Push with the right, rest the left.  “A little help!”

    I’m alone.  No one is coming.  Shoot!  The bar slid again.  Dude!  Focus.  You have to hold this thing away from your neck!  Must!  You are running out of options to push it up at this angle.  Oh man, the bar isn’t slipping, I’m sliding down the bench.  Brace my feet!  Maybe I can push and slide out before it crushes my neck?

    “Help!”  Louder, dude.  “Help!  HELP!”  Okay.  Wait a few.  Did anyone hear that?  “HELP!”  That’s not helping your grip.  Push more with your feet!  “HELP!”  I can’t hold this much longer.  Breath.  Breath.  Think.  Okay, dude.  Decision time.  Nobody’s coming.  We’re going to have to try and slide off the bench.  One big push, everything you’ve got at an upward angle.  Legs and arms.  The force will hold the bar against the machine.  You’ll quickly turn your head left and bail to the left, push hard as hell with your right arm.  

    Take a few quick breaths.  On three, push hard on the right, bail left.  Hard right push bail left.  One shot!  You’ve got this!  YOU’VE GOT THIS!  One… two… THREE!