The Learned Dance

I started my familiar morning with the metal weights that fit my hands so perfectly. I grabbed them from the rack, put them upright on my thighs and did the final one, two, three with my legs to push them to my chest. I had to smile in awe of myself at how gracefully I throw up a set of 55 pound dumbells. I credit myself on being a girl in the gym. I like to go in, in pink, and workout without grunts and screams and maintain an effortless show for my audience. What those around me seem to forget and much of the reason they will never make their goals is that weight training is much like a beautiful dance. You start tapping your foot and feeling the beat and then you get to learn how to waltz. I always work out to slow music when I lift weights, music that I love; that makes me think about the good and bad. I think of the "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston that came on today, and I remember the 22 Pull-ups that I did while she sang to me about that moment....slow and controlled and absolutely perfect like a wonderful dance....I saw the same weight hungry animal jump up there to some music that had words I wouldn't let my daughter hear and I saw his body bounce and struggle to make it to 8. You have to find the peace of training, the joy and the power of controlling a weight that should be too heavy. It's a master of the mind. You learn how to control every movement and how it will effect your body. When I push those 'should be too heavy dumbells', my mind instructs the movements to be felt in my chest and it says don't stop until 10 reps; my chest and arms respond. The body is much like a canvas awaiting a beautiful painting. I have become the artist of my canvas. I am patient and ensure that each stroke is perfectly planned. I am not in a hurry to finish my work; instead, I am patiently waiting for the masterpiece to be created.. ...