After bitching and complaining for quite a while about my gym, I did some homework and narrowed down the field of new, prospective gyms to about 2. I had to take into account my wife's concerns because if I don't, she will simply stay at home, drink Bud Light and get fat.
I first checked on a powerlifting gym which with no air conditioning, no cardio equipment and was basically a shit load (not to be confused with a Skipload) of squat racks, heavy dumbells and flat benches. Most of the squat racks were made my EliteFTS - whatever that is. My wife lasted about 30 seconds in this gym though it WAS located right across from her favorite strip club. Her argument was that it was too long of a drive and at well over an hour from the house, I had to agree. Being married isn't much of a democracy but when I agree with her it sometimes feels like I have a say in decisions that are made.
We head to the other gym that is much closer to the house - only about 45 minutes away. Keep in mind, we live in the middle of nowhere - on purpose - so a 45 minute commute for us is no big deal. I hesitate to mention the name of this gym because ... well ... it's a 24 Hour Fitness. I cringed at the thought but understand that I am desperate here. I had a BADASS gym since 2000 until they were bought out and they proceeded to sell off all of the badass equipment and fill the place with cheap, shitty fitness equipment - and only about 1/3 as much of it. I guess people want more space these days. WTF?
I am going to get destroyed for this but this 24 Hour Fitness fits the bill and I LOVE it. It has old Icarian and Cybex equipment and a ton of it - especially leg equipment and anyone that follows me knows that I need that variety for leg equipment due to not knowing how my back will feel on any given day. Add to this that the gym does not close (I always am racing the clock, it seems) and that it is closer to home and we have a winner.
Yes, this gym is loaded with douchey young kids but .. which gym isn't these days? Plus, I'm old, so all old guys feel that anyone young is douchey.
On another note, The Denver Burger Battle was yesterday and that means me and my glutton wife and glutton friends sampling 15 of the best burgers in Denver that are vying for the title. I sampled all of them and then re-sampled the top 5 so that I could be clear on my vote. I then proceeded to hit every dessert tent just for good measure and I can't remember being this full in a very long time. Well, at LEAST since the last Burger Battle last year. My choice ended up being the winner of the People's Choice. We also found about 4 new burgers that we will continue to enjoy over the next few months. If you are ever in Denver and want to know the best burgers, I know - just ask.
Lastly, supercompensation much? Not from the burgers as you might as assumed. No, I am talking about coming back from a 10 day break from not training and eat whatever I wanted only to find that I apparently had been much more over-dieted and depleted than I had previously thought. It's funny that even after doing what I do for .. well .. decades, I still sometimes can miss things. I wish I could duplicate the fullness and skin-splitting size I had before I even picked up a weight on Monday because I would bottle and sell it. Well, I would sell SOME of it but I would likely take the rest, myself.
Not only was I ridiculously strong this week but the pumps were insane - almost painful - and I looked like I actually have worked out for 30 years. I was just under 230 mid-week so about 15 to 18 pounds heavier and that was primarily in my muscles and face. I have very little extra body fat, if any. I enjoyed it this week knowing it would be gone by this next Monday. I am considering a new workout and diet plan where I train and diet for 3 weeks and then eat like a slob and don 't train for one week and repeat. It would likely sell quite well.