Exercise

I started a new exercise for my own personal challenge. I made a set of sand bags using two duffel bags, donated by a friend, and sacks of playground sand from Menard's. They each turned out to weigh eighty pounds. That was not a particular goal, but just how it happened to turn out.

Eighty pounds in each hand. That may not seem like a lot to professional lifters, but I am not one of them. The canvas straps are pretty tough on the hands. It stings rather fiercely after three or four carries.

So why would I pursue such madness? It's challenging, and offers no way to cheat or go easy. I have to move 160 pounds of sand from my garage to whatever location i decide to walk them to. So far that isn't any great distance. I can imagine what some neighbors might think. I've lost my mind. What is he carrying?

On that note, i remember an article I read some years ago about a woman who was, then, holder of the strongest woman title. She commented about how the neighbors got used to the idea of her walking up and down the sidewalks carrying an atlas stone. I hope to reach the point soon when I can carry both bags on my shoulders and walk them through the neighborhood. Not yet.

Right away I can feel differences in my strength level. I also was somewhat surprised to note that my tendons and joints, rather than aching, are feeling strong and pain-free.

As I heave these bags around, which are cheerleader duffels, I keep seeing in my mind some wispy cheerleader tossing the bag around with ease. "She can do it; move it!" And so I motivate myself to do more than I want to do.

Too many exercise options are made with back-outs, easy versions, and so I purposefully chose to add this to my normal routine. Precisely because there is no way to partially carry 160 pounds around, I am forcing myself to work harder than I have been in the gym.

Bring it on.