Barbara

Barbara had met John when she was 28. He had been the baseball coach/instructor at the community college where she taught English. Their first meeting had not been love at first sight, in fact, she had gone to politely tell him to get his facts straight. She had gone to speak with him about what he had been telling the students in his sports course about the need for literature in their lives (he had said it had little value, she felt it completed the person). The meeting had gone as you might expect - not well. 

Now when they look at back at that first confrontational meeting they just laugh - it is one of those love in adversity stories.

That meeting was almost 30 years ago. It took almost three years of on and off courtship before they married. Now, they could not be happier with their life that included three children and most recently, one grandchild - little Marie.

As they did most mornings, Barbara and John went to the gym for their workout.  Neither dressed to impress, John in what he used to wear while coaching baseball and Barbara in black pants, t-shirt with her greying blonde pulled back in a barrette. The two had recently switched up their workout routine after reading about a new technique online. It was called the EXciTe method developed by Anthony Ramirez (http://dayatthegym.blogspot.com/2015/03/antonio.html?m=1) and they found it fun and beneficial. It involved doing 5 reps of virtually every machine in the gym. Of course the developer had also included push-ups in between every other machine. Barbara and John did not elect to include that in their workouts - too much up and down Barbara though. Instead, they chose to play a variation of "follow-the-leader" through the machines. John would start with one machine, do five reps and go to another. Barbara would immediately start her five reps and run the machine where he was working. Her goal was always to finish her five reps and get to the machine where he was working before he could finish. He would often try and thwart her by selecting machines across the room. She would not be deterred, even if it meant leaving her machine at almost a full run to get to his before he finished. She had gotten quite proficient at quick reps!

After completing their 25 machines for the day (ranging from arms to shoulders to back and legs) they would meet up in free weights for their final push of five different quick lifts. 

Although Barbara was able to complete the follow-the-leader without having to concentrate, the lifting was difficult. Something had been weighing on her mind for a few days. She would need to tell John what she and their daughter had discussed over the weekend. Maybe this evening over dinner the time will be right. Until then... Only one more lift to go!

Antonio

Looking good is feeling good Tony!

Today is another step on your journey!

Tony pumped himself up for today's workout session. He had specifically selected the fluorescent lime green and black workout set. He bemoaned the fact that he did not have fluorescent green Nikes to accompany his shirt and shorts. His fluorescent red and orange ones would have to suffice. As was his tradition, after entering the gym, he posed for a selfie infront of the mirror. This is why coordinating outfits that would look good in print were so important to his workout - these daily photos...

A little over a year ago Tony decided to make a change. He had always been in shape - choosing a job as a landscape designer had helped. He loved the uniqueness of every job he was hired to design. He loved being outside measuring, drawing and overseeing an overgrown or barren yard become something healthy and strong. 

He sighed as he remembered, it was about two months after his father died that he began to think of his body as an overgrown  plot. His father had been in shape, had worked outside all of his life. No one expected the heart attack, no one expected the complications. The doctor had sadly told his mother that his father's heart had simply not been strong enough.  Tony had not really understood when the doctor had said it - his father had worked until his death. How could he not have been strong enough? Tony finally came to understand that it was like the leggy overgrown shrubs he often advised cutting back or removing. Although they looked beautiful on the surface, the plant was lacking key support and would eventually die.  Tony had taken a look at himself and thought - am I like my dad? Am I more leggy than substantial? So Tony decided to make a change. He started coming to the gym to workout.

Here he was, over a year later. He was proud of his progress. He was not so buff that his arms could not rest at his sides, be he had significant tone and strength. When started, he had been watching others on the machines. He began to develop his own method for the weights. The more he used the method, the better he felt and the more results he noticed.

So six months in, he started to seriously track what he was doing. He started taking photos everyday and noting exactly how many of each reo and machine he was using. He had started talking to other people who were working out - sharing tips and what was working for him. Some of the guys started using his technique and were seeing results too. About a month ago, one of the men had suggested he start a website or write a book about his plan. 

He talked to his wife about this strange idea and she was completely supportive, so for over a month he had been taking photos and carefully documenting what he called Exhaustive X-Training or the EXciTe Method. This method involves doing over 25 machines in one 35 minute trip to the gym. In order to accomplish this, you only do five reps on each machine at a very high weight. In between every two machines - it is push-ups next to the machine. Tony had developed six different types of push-ups that could be rotated between the different machines. 

His technique had originally started becuase he didn't know what each machine accomplished and wanted to try them all. The results were an overall improvement in his tone. He had noticed his "leggy" status was gone after only three months of working on all of the machines.

Tony smiled at himself in the mirror, reminisicing. Workout first Tony, then website, then book. Within two years everyone will know your name!