I have learned today that my training is carrying over into my personal life. I am the equipment manager for my son's team.  This weekend I am responsible for 40 hockey jerseys that are carried in a large sports garment bag.  The bag weights 130 lbs. (I weighed it).  I carry the bag from my van into the locker room and back for every game.  What I do is hoist it up onto my back and use one hand to lock it in place via the handle at the top of the bag.  Today I had 3 dads ask if they could lift the bag for me.  None of them could even lift it off the ground.  Two of them are in very good shape, but they are just not strong enough to get the bag off the ground.  They asked how I do it and I explained that I lift weights regularly.  The training has really paid off with this aspect of my life.

Today I hit the gym with renewed vigor after taking an extra day off from training.  I could tell yesterday that my body just wasn't ready so I waited until today.  It paid off with every single exercise seeing an increase of either weight or repetitions.  As I walked into the gym I was in that mood where I wanted to attack the weights.  I loaded up the leg press sled with 680 lbs.  I got to 12 repetitions and really felt as though it was time to quit, but I managed to pump out 6 more repetitions for a total of 18.  I then upped the weight on my standing thigh curls to 120 lbs. and managed 10 repetitions.  My thighs were tired at this point.  I loaded up the front squats with 125 lbs. and managed to get 12 repetitions.  I started thinking about the Quad Blaster and how I would feel afterwards.  I grabbed a 55 lb. dumbbell and cranked out 14 repetitions before falling to the ground.  As has become my custom, I had to crawl to the bench to do my dumbbell flyes.  My left arm gives me some problems during this exercise so I am considering dropping down to 35 lbs. just to get back control of my form.  I am thinking that though my strength has improved, the stabilizers in my left arm may not be where I need them yet, so I think I will drop the weight to avoid injury.  I increased the weight on my Incline Bench Press.  Usually this means I struggle hard, but I managed 11 repetitions today.  I continued through the workout, pushing myself to the brink on every single exercise.  As I approached my deadlifts I kept thinking "Just get 9 and you will be fine".  As I stepped up to the barbell I visualized my successful lifts.  I got to 9 repetitions and realized there was more left in the tank, so I cranked out number 10 and that was it.  I literally fell down on the ground after dropping the weight to the ground first.  My entire body was shaking.  6 second repetitions of deadlifts at 285 lbs. is no joke.

Self awareness

When you are into body building you are intimately aware of the detailed changes going on with your body.  This self awareness is an amazingly motivating thing.  For instance, I've always wished my arms were bigger than they are.  For whatever reason, my legs always respond to exercise, but not my arms.  When I began noticing that my triceps were getting bigger, I got very excited.  It just feels good finally getting to something that has been a goal for a long time.