Curves

November 2013

The Groupon expired and I joined curves with a one year contract. I was a little worried about justifying the monthly expense. However I did it anyway. I proved over the previous two months that I would use it. Curves was definitely my gate way to working out without the regular frustrations of timing issues. A quick in and out and muscles worked out. I have to admit that it was all I could handle and I was happy to be accomplishing it. I started to see little changes in my body. I don't think I was seeing weight loss but definitely some toning happening.

My clothing was laying a little better and I was feeling a little stronger. The good thing about curves is you can't hurt yourself. The machines are based on resistance and the more you push the harder it gets there is not fear that you could wrench your back. I was going 4 to 5 times a week and really missing it if I could not go.

Another really cool thing about Curves is the stretching beast as I call it. After you finish your 24 minute of machines you head for this structure that has different stretching bars and stations around it. When done correctly it will take 6 minutes to go through. It introduced me back into stretching. While I loved to stretch it took so much effort to do it right especially when large and inflexible to begin with. With this it was efficient and fast. You know how you try to kick up and grab you foot behind your back and stretch, well the stretch beast had a place to hook your foot at different heights so you could stretch without being about to reach your foot. Totally cool.

I kept going to curves but in my own way I started to kind of slack off a little and spend more time talking and put in less effort. It was a slow creep, but still was a reality. Then one morning I was starting my first round when I noticed a women really putting in the effort. I will call her Mary for the story. Mary was probably in her early 80's. She was running on the spot during the breaks between each machine. She was fast footing it and when she hit the machines she was really pumping. I noticed her before but did not think too much of it.

I asked Mary if she was a runner. She had those strong calfs of a runner. She said she was not. Her calfs while strong, were streaked with varicose veins and told the tale of time even if her muscles did not. She admitted to being a back packer enjoying camping in her younger days. I wondered what her story really was. She admitted she did four rounds, twice the usual curves work out, each time. I watched her sweat and really put it out there and I asked myself what the hell I was doing. This was an 80 plus women and the least I could do is put it out there too. I told her she was inspirational and kick it up a notch or three.