Back To Square One?

Since I hadn't been to the gym since before Thanksgiving, I was fully expecting a painful experience when I did get my butt back there this week. But it ended up not being so bad. The worst thing was actually the ridiculous influx of people that I suppose happens every January. It was hard to find free machines my first night back and I ended up not doing as much as I would have liked.

Actually, maybe my limited workout contributed to it not being so bad. But I really don't think my hiatus set me back too far. The first walk/jog warmup was tough, but by the second night I was right back where I was before my break. I do a 3.2 mph walk followed by a 4.6 mph jog, with the reverse to cool down. I'm considering bumping that up to 3.3/4.7. Considering I started at 3.0/4.4, this is pretty awesome. And also counts as three levels.

I was also back up to my highest weights for lifting by the second evening. So I guess my muscles didn't disintegrate as much as I thought they had. Hopefully the crowd at the gym will thin out soon and I'll be able to access the machines I want again. It's not that they were always free before, but there actually seem to be lines now. Whereas I used to just be able to go to a different machine and come back, I now find myself waiting. It probably doesn't help that my work schedule means I'm at the gym at the busiest time and don't have much flexibility in that.

The greatest improvement to my workout has been putting Daft Punk's album Discovery on my phone to listen to. I watched the music video for the album, Interstella 5555, several times in college (possibly upwards of 100, as it was perfect to have on whether I was grading papers or stoned and falling asleep) and listened to various songs even more. Now my jogging warmup happens during a chase scene, which I think is why I'm motivated to go faster. I lift weights to "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" which helps me keep time and encourages me to increase weights and make it through all my reps and sets. This album has definitely made working out more fun.

My New Year's Resolution is to get to the gym at least three times a week, every week. Well, until Thanksgiving, because December just fills up with too much other stuff. I don't think it will be too hard to keep.