bullvolution: “(Grand) Father Time” “I celebrated the same way every year although this year was a f
bullvolution: “(Grand) Father Time” “I celebrated the same way every year although this year was a first for me. Maybe it was different because it was the 50th anniversary for me having been a discipline to the gym life. Most guys my age had packed it in already but I was always a bit different in those regards. I started a little later than most guys at the ripe age of 18 most having discovered it through football or some other sport I did it to get bullies off my back and fell in love with the first barbell press.” I spoke facing the ocean before me.“But for me to be out of the gym on this most marked of days was a little ironic for sure. I did complete my ritual yesterday before making my way here.” I smiled remembering it well.————————————————————–I walked into the nearly empty gym that night. Work had ran over that day although I had retired 5 years ago. I found myself excited to continue my work in real estate on a case by case basis as a realtor during peak months and good friends just so I could have a daily task to get me up besides the gym. I was already hitting it twice a day before I retired so anymore and it would lose it luster rather quickly. Tony waved to me and told me he was just about to head out. I told him cool and that I had my spare key. I smiled and headed back to the locker room. I quickly got changed and started warming up my rotator cuffs and joints. I just came in for my ritual then I would be out of there. I expected to be alone but I felt a pair of eyes on me.I turned to lock eyes with a kid no younger than when I started in this very same gym no matter how many hands it had been through it was always present for me. I waved to break the ice and he waved back shyly. I loaded the first pair of 45s on the bar and began quickly pumping out some warmup reps. I did this till I got to 405 and the speed never changed when I got up from that set I noticed his eyes were big. I chuckled to myself as I usually found myself doing whenever someone got a glimpse of my workout. I caught loading 45s till I got to my desired weight after I had loaded the last of the weight I could having changed out the regular barbell for a Texas barbell to handle the poundage. I gestured to him to come over.“Hey kid you think you can give me a spot?” I asked. He swallowed hard and answered with a big nod. “Thanks man this is the max weight I’m going to work up to tonight and better safe than sorry.” After registering what I was telling him he took a moment to try to add up the weight in front of him in his head. I coughed loudly. “It’s 690lbs even including the bar. See I have this ritual every year that for my sort of anniversary in the gym I bench my age multiplied by 10 for 10 reps to celebrate making it another year safe and sound in here as well as giving thanks to everything it’s done for me. Yep every year since I was 19 years old.” I stated matter-of-factly as I sat down on the bench. “To be honest with ya I don’t expect ya to help all that much, but for you this will be the best view in the gym and you don’t have to be pretending to do your workout while I’m over here.” I continued as I laid back with a big thud and got myself in position smiling a bit at his slack jaw. -- source link