Humbling

It has been four months since my knee surgery and three since I started working out with my trainer.  When I look in the mirror, I see muscles.  When other people look at me, they can see all the room for improvement that still exists. But I can't do that and stay motivated, so I press on with a vision of Rachel McLish in my mind's eye view of myself.

When I first started using the leg press at the manly man's gym, Hanks, I could barely lift the weight of the machine.  Lisa my trainer said I was probably pushing 50 pounds.  Then came the day I said I was ready for some weights.   Give me five more pounds, I said.  I had visions of the 12 inch diameter three inch thick 50 pound discs all the other women were pressing.  She walked over with two 3 inch diameter 1/4 inch thick discs and clinked them on.  The visual effect was more humbling than pushing no weight at all.

Lisa's initial rehab workout for my knee included daily straight leg raises, all four directions.  I started with lifting just my own leg weight and progressed to ankle weights.  Week by week, I added another weight to my 5 pound set.  Finally, all my weights were loaded, and I put a 10 pound set on my Christmas wishlist.  I was feeling pretty pumped.  Then I discovered Carl's 5 pound ankle weights in the closet, and I said, well, why not just put both sets on instead of buying a new one.  I took Carl's weights to the gym.  Lisa picked them up and got a puzzled look on her face.  She turned and walked away with them.  When she returned, she reported that she had weighed both his and mine.  Carl's were 5 lbs.  Mine were 2 1/2 pounds.  Oh my Gosh.  I had spent three months building up to just 2 1/2 pounds.  Humble Pie a la mode for me.

I've always considered myself a strong woman.   Kamikaze gardener, farm girl, woman of power.  Then I sat next to a 5 foot woman on the abductor adductor machines.  I set the weight at 85 lbs, proud of my progress since starting at 40.  We both finished our sets and switched machines. She raised my 85 to 160.  Abashed, I lowered her 160 to 85.

I've got a solution for the next time I sit next to her.  I'm going to set the weights at 200 when I finish my set.