Okay, so I used to be more into lifting weights than I am now. I used to lift at least once a month. A grueling regimen, I know. I’d lift for between 15 minutes at 2 hours … until I got bored or I couldn’t lift anymore, depending.
And then I stopped because it just kept being boring and didn’t justify the 15-minute walk to the place I lifted.
So I went about a year and a half, if not more, not doing anything I’d classify as weightlifting … some stuff with B’s nieces (and different things with her;)), but they’re fairly light and lifting B herself is not that great of an athletic accomplishment.
Yesterday I went downstairs to take a nap (I’m back in NoVa until tomorrow AM or so) and saw a new lifting machine. “Neat-O” says I, “I’ll go and see how much I can lift.”
Not surprisingly, 110 was very easy. Like, 5-lb easy. 160 was about as hard (we’re nearing my previous best mark here). 200 was really fairly easy as well (new personal record). I decide I’d better have my brother spot me in case I decide to do something stupid, like lift without the safebar there (safebar? We don’t need no stinkin’ safebar! Yeah. Like that).
250 was not as much of a joke, but still decently easy. Then I try 290.
Not happening. At all. I accept “defeat”, seeing as I hadn’t lifted for over 18 months before that, and wonder just how the hell my benchpress mark increased 70 lbs without me actually benching anything in that time. Or doing much of anything with serious weights.
Today my father tells me the bar was set too low. So when I did 250, I did it at a setting more difficult than I should have used. So we go downstairs, my father and I and Little Brother, and I try 200. Again, a joke. 250 is also a joke, though not as easy.
- The bane of my existence the day before. It’s not easy, but it’s not all that challenging. My shoulders and chest remind me that I did this whole thing just the day before, and they’re tired so would I please just finish it of so they can rest for the two days they need, instead of the 20 hours I gave them?
Pah. I don’t need no stinkin’ rest as I clear 340.
Or try to. Couldn’t get it up, as it were. I settle for reps of lighter weights.
I still have absolutely no idea how I cleared 290 when I hadn’t lifted anything near that heavy in the months preceding. The most I’d lifted at all before then was Bailie, who is not in danger of clearing 250. Also bags of horsefeed also not in danger of clearing 250.
Did I work out in my sleep? There’s no weight system at B’s house, and we haven’t done anything more invigorating (well…;)) than a brisk walk or lifting light stuff (50-100 lbs, which is a joke for me).
???