18 March 2012

Berkeley Ironworks... and turning a corner :)

This place is all kinds of awesome :)


On Thursday when I was in for my climbing lesson, I noticed again that they have treadmills and ellipticals and weight stuff in addition to the climbing business...but I had no idea how complete of a gym it is! I went Saturday to do a some strength work and a little varied cardio stuff...

I did a little on the blurry treadmill...
blurry because I am out of shape and my hands were shaking...
not because I was running fast.

Then I experienced the elliptical...
I went 'backwards' on this one to work my hip differently.

And to finish my cardio portion, I jumped on the rowing machine...
just like the good ol' days :)

The cardio area looks out over the weight machines and the climbing walls...
The pictures really suck because I wasn't too sure how keen people were to being in pictures 
that would be plastered all over the internet ;-)

What I discovered is that this gym has even more than what I saw at my first casual glance. Up on that cardio level is a whole big section of free weights and stationary bikes. Somewhere, there is a large area for spinning classes and yoga classes and even more classes...that are all free for members! And they have bathrooms and showers. And they give you towels. Can you tell it's been a million years since I belonged to a gym? This was just way too much excitement for me...

After my short cardio adventure and quick self-tour of the gym, I set to working my hip adductors and abductors and glutes slowly and gently so as not to overdo or further injure. Then I hung out for a bit...

This is a hangboard. It simulates all the different holds you might find on a climbing wall...some are super hard to hold onto...like, SUPER hard. So weird to think about building the stamina in my fingers, hands and forearms! Right now they are so weak that I have a hard time hanging on long enough to make good use of my legs when climbing. I aim to remedy that :) To that end, I worked on the hangboard until I couldn't stand it anymore...I don't know how else to explain it. And when I finished, I went home...feeling satisfied and sweaty ... such a nice change from depressed and lethargic!

And I think I've turned a corner.

Today something happened that a week ago...or even two days ago...would have caused me to curl up in a ball on the sofa. But I didn't go into sofa-mode...I got pissed. Not super pissed, mind you, but extremely annoyed. I feel like this is a really good sign. Just say "No!" to curling up in the fetal position and wishing you were in a deep, dark cave!

I very quickly got over the biz that got me pissed, and the day has been a good one. A piano recital for one child and a harp rehearsal for another and an interest in doing things...and a random blogger sighting that involved me shouting out the window of my dirty minivan at this cute couple running together and pissing off the drivers behind me as I lingered too long at the right-turn-after-stopping-at-the-red-light to say "hello" and introduce myself. She probably thinks I'm a total wacko... and I am. So her lawyerly intuition is spot on. But to me, the mere fact that I had the energy and the chutzpah to make the effort to act like a dork is huge. HUGE.

So here's to what I'm hoping is an emergence from the abyss (hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying this!). And many thanks to all of my awesome readers for bearing with me and helping to buoy me up for the past several months as I wrestle with this challenge. You all have been the best :)




26 comments:

  1. That place sounds awesome! I wish there was something like that around here. Glad you are feeling better:)

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  2. yay! so happy to read this! Your gym sounds awesome!

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  3. That looks like a reclaimed old welding shop. I love to see old buildings repurposed like that. I'll go out of my way to look at examples. For a while here there was a fad of converting some into lofts. The first several examples were really nice.

    Sometimes you just have to kick depressed and lethargic in the ass and carry on. Good for you!

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  4. If that was my gym I'd do a sick circuit of Stairmaster intervals, some one-handed V16 grade bouldering and then an intense 20 minute foosball session at just under LT.

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  5. Your gym looks amazing! Yeah for getting some of your mojo back too!

    My girly man fingers and forearms wouldn't last long on that grip torture device :-).

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  6. I'm so happy You are feeling better. I wanna go to your gym.

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  7. There's a similar gym near the Fox theatre I belonged to for a while...it's such a badass workout. Jonathan got all buff and manly during our climbing stint.

    Not to wired you out, but my first thought when I saw you today is how PRETTY you are! No wonder you make such good looking kids. I'm thinking Tuesday for hip therapy. I'll Facebook you to figure out a plan....so happy I saw you!

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    1. O good...we're on equal footing with thinking the other thinks we're a weirdo :)

      Tuesday will work. And just remember that you saw me from the depths of a minivan across a kid while you were running on a beautiful day...I might not be that pretty when you see me up close and in a sedate setting ;-)

      The gyms are related...like sisters or something :) I hope I get all buff and manly-ish (sort of ...you know what I mean) during my climbing stint. And how cool that you can stand to run with your significant other. Mine and I have 'issues' when we run together :P

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  8. I love reading this post Marjorie, you sound hopeful...and better.
    you saw Caitlin! lucky you! I would love to meet her..and YOU.

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  9. I'm so glad your feeling better. Yay :)

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  10. Wow that place sounds awesome!! So good that you are finding ways to beat this depression!! You are inspirational!

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  11. happy for you that you turned a corner

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  12. Those "aha!" moments are the best when dealing with depression. Good for you! Keep at it =)

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  13. The foosball tables cracked me up. So happy to read that the corner has been turned and you had such a great day at the gym.

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  14. Great workout, and so glad you are feeling better, I truly mean that!

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  15. So great to hear the good news. I think it's empowering to all of us when one of us has a success like this. Keep in the community and keep on keepin' on!

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  16. This makes me HAPPY! So glad things are feeling better for you...

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  17. So glad you are turning a corner. And I don't think you're weird at all. I love your honesty and your experiences. Hope today is good. Enjoy your new gym, it looks awesome!!!

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  18. Great description of that gym, and that climbing simulator is so interesting--never seen anything like it! I can imagine working with it til i couldn't stand it anymore, though. Well said.

    Glad you're over whatever upset you; hope things only turn up :)

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  19. Love LOVE Ironworks and all the other "sister" gyms, and climbing, and things generally looking up for you!

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  20. Wow, that looks like an amazing gym and I hope it's the answer to what you are looking for!! Really, I know first-hand how difficult it is rather lay on the couch and looking for the right answer. I think this is your solution :).
    xo

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  21. How awesome! I would love to be near a gym like that! Good for you!

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  22. Hurray for coming out of the abyss! You don't belong there anyway.
    PS: You have got to teach me to use the rowing machine. I am not coordinated enough for that shizz!

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  23. Abyss is not fun I am glad you are out of it.
    That is one cool gym. Gosh, I hate ellipticals but I am slowly making peace with the rower (I have one at home) and can do a decent session as long as there is a movie I can watch. :)

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  24. I have been away from here far too long. Did you get injured? I'll read on to find out.

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