Slow but strong

I really don't like working in the gym when there's a lot of people in there. I feel like I'm being watched - paraded around in people's minds silently as they gauge my strength in comparison to themselves, or just look in awe.

Maybe they don't care. I see a lot of people doing a lot of different things. I see skinny guys using machines, thinking they know how to not be skinny anymore. I see big guys using free weights, knowing what they need to do to get big, and doing it. I see people whose routine seems to consist entirely of see machine -> do a set -> see another machine -> do a set. It's pretty disorganized. I try not to make fun of these people, misguided as most of them seem to be. The reason is simple. If you're in the gym doing it all wrong, you're still already doing more than half the nation is right now (A lot of our problems with healthcare are caused by the fact that half the nation is obese).

Sometimes, people get it right. Or half right.

I finish cranking out my squats (225 for reps) on the smith machine and start to do my overhead presses (135 or so) when a guy asks if I'm using the bench. I say no. So he takes my smith machine and starts doing bench press with the weight I'm pressing over my head. Then his friends come over. They finished their sets pretty quickly so I wasn't too mad about it. Actually got to talking to them and how I take my sweet time with the weights. That's when the big guy told me that I'm "slow but strong". I'm still not sure if this is supposed to be an insult (i'm slow) or a compliment (i'm strong). Maybe it was just an observation.

But the point stands. You do something right or impressive in the gym, and people will notice. If enough people notice, they'll start talking.

I built a reputation in High School, even though I never intended to. Part of this was because when I was doing weight training there, I was pretty strong. People talked. People who I didn't even know knew that the short, fat, curly haired dorky kid was pretty strong. Among other things. Like, that I was also a total showoff. And then this short, skinny kid named Tyler took my spotlight the year after. Frankly I was glad.

It's not that I don't mind the limelight. I just want it on my terms.