Callous Chaos

In my quest to improve myself, that is, my physique, I've succumbed to revisiting the ol' "weights" management. I'm aware that they're good for me; I just struggle to utilize them more often than not. I own a few sets of these (yes, I bought them because they're blue). And I use them as often as I get a good whim. (It does happen! 😜)

I've had a rowing machine of my own, which I found from someone who'd had one they no longer needed after finishing up some rehab/therapy. It folds well enough to stay out of the way when necessary & I've had these to help keep my hands safe when I use it. The rowing machine has always served well as a nice warm up - getting my general muscles "ready to rock" & be moving...pushing me better & farther; enhancing my running performance.

And that's where the problem began; that's where I identified & accepted that I needed to work from scratch again. I'd worked with weights years ago, & without even trying, enhanced my performance. This is when I got better & had to figure out the how & why. Even back then I had the rowing machine, which is why, when the going got rough recently, & run/walking a half dozen miles seemed to be way more of a chore than it needed to be, I walked right on over to the weights area at the park. It's always available, & the weights respond based on the user's own bodyweight. So, when someone performs the sitting bench press, they're essentially doing so entirely with their own bodyweight. No, I've not managed this machine to its full capacity.

I no longer wish to feel sluggish just with running a mile or two. I'm proud of myself that I'm not wrangling through a knee brace for each leg. Knowing that, as long as I watch my running form well, & concentrate on what I'm doing, then I'll be able to stay away from the braces & all the congestion that they can cause.

Though I've a rowing machine, & gloves to wear while using it, they're both in storage. So here I am now, interested & excited to utilize this outdoor, at-the-park rowing machine, which, thus far has been creating just as many callouses as it is muscle strength. I could also tell I was immensely focusing on the pressure on the palms of my hands while using the machine versus concentrating on my muscle's performance as I best have been. I wasn't even letting the rowing bars down gently & properly; I was nearly dropping them.

Knowing that finding my pair in storage wouldn't be happening soon, if it actually did happen that I'd find them, & also knowing that the pair wasn't in top-notch condition, I rationalized getting a new pair. First I found these. Very applicable as they are designed for women, though they're also pink. Ugh. Then, from the sidebar I happened to notice this link for the all-black men's pair. I figured it couldn't hurt to click, view, & check them out. So I did.

At least while I was checking them out, the men's pair ran a lower price than the woman's did. On top of that, the page for the men's pair also included sizing info (just using a tape measure, which I had very handy). And the men's pair is all black. Bingo!

This pair would be a successful one for me to have in so that I'll be able focus on properly engaging those muscles that I'm using while at each station rather than focusing on the pressure & pain being caused by callouses. I could use it on the rowing machine as well as all the various options the park offers such as the bench press & the skiing device/elliptical.

And that's exactly what I will be doing! 😊 I'm working on improving these skills while engaging my muscles in so that my performance will become what it should be - while I'm running 😉.

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