It’s not the clink-CLANK
echo of weights slamming
iron/ON/iron, IRON/on/IRON,
or the sweat-filled gym
drowning sounds
of grunts and groans
mixed with hard rock music
blaring through corner speakers.
It’s not the flexed muscle,
sexed-up-on-display mentality
or the steal-a-glance
sneak peek thrill
of knee bend thrusts,
fleshy chesty push-up breezes,
white towels hung on shoulders
used to wipe away the drudgery.
No, it’s the feeling that I get
with a breathless extra mile
or a lowering of pins
at the universal gym,
a shifty lift
of more weight pumped,
less flab to pinch
and sleep-filled nights
waking up refreshed
with astounding bounding energy – -
the results fit, perfect.
*
First published in Backlit Barbells: An Anthology of Health & Fitness Poetry
Posted and linked for my friends at dVersePoets: OLN
ah it is def the results….the sleep at night after knowing you gave it…and feeling better about yourself…you have to go through the other, the pain, to get there…and you do have more energy as well…
You have really captured the sights and sounds of the gym, Laurie, plus the way you feel during and after your workout. It really does as much for your mind as for your body.
I can almost smell the gym – and it’s not pleasant. I prefer to exercise outdoors
great rhythm –and your word choices take me there. I get my exercise outside these days, but I remember well the years spent in metallic drudgery. very effective poem!
ha nice.. i like the rhythm in this…and training def. has its good results like being able to sleep better, more energy… at the moment i go running when time permits and biking and skating in the summer
excellent attitude!
Most energetic words. Nice one.
I need to talk my gym into pounding rock music from corner speakers – I could smell the sweat through your words
Good for you! It’s awesome to know you gave it your all and see and feel the results. Great capture.
Nice one, but I’m afraid I remain unconvinced to go to the gym. I know I should for the results, but as I sit here eating my chicken strips and french fries for lunch (I really do usually eat a more healthy lunch) and reading poetry, even if all the facade of the gym were washed away and only the results remained, I probably wouldn’t make it. Peace, Linda
Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve been to a gym, but you captured it just perfectly, all of it. And it is the best feeling, I still run, and there is no better feeling than the one after a nice long sweaty run.
Let me guess, New Years resolution for someone, hitting the gym? Anyway, you capture the scene so brilliantly with this, I did not have to imagine the scene, I was in it.
i thought this was going in another direction at first, i thought this was going to be about watching the sweaty guys at the gym, and it’s not really about what they are doing and…but you fooled me. it’s about personal fitness.
nice job.
not alone
Really liked this. Great to explain the reasons behind keeping fit-( also like the clever wordplay on fit at the end!)
I imagine the moving of that pin is quite gratifying, as is the sleep-filled nights that leave you feeling refreshed an ready for a new day. lovely poem.
Like in most things…the biggest rewards are not the ones that are seen…and I am reminded why I need to tackle the unspoken resolution…grrrr
Yes, the scene is set quite well here …
totally agree with you… just feel better
Oh yes, Laurie, observed with the keen poet’s eye, the superficiality of the circus that a gym can so often be; and, if I may say, an observation that a woman is more likely to make than a man?
And yet, I can remember best that feeling of intense physical tiredness after rugby training, many years ago (in the days when gyms were not the thing they are today), that led to a far greater sense of satisfaction and quality sleep than almost anything else could do. So, comment on the poem… it has done its job, Laurie, it has reminded me of what I never miss about gymnasiums. You really don’t need them to get fit!
This was wonderful – and I resent you making fitness seem so possible and so fun (as my fat tuchus drips over the edges of my office chair). Go to it, SuperWoman!
Laurie, you really rocked this poem! Love the rhythm, like iron pumping-that iron/on/iron/on was brilliant and ending, well…it fit
Excellent capture and imagery. Well penned!
One mark of excellence in a writer is creating an experience in which the reader becomes completely immersed in sounds, smells, sights, feelings, voicings, even the heartbeat of a scene.
Hello “Excellence”
May I tell others I know you?–grin!
PEACE!
“iron/ON/iron, IRON/on/IRON”
That’s really cool.
This one brought me back to the days I used to work out. Great writing here!
From pain rewards are delivered, but like dieting, when fitness is neglected, it rolls downhill like an ice turd on viscus. This poem puts us right in the odiferous gym as your spotter. I always equated iron clanks to church bell choirs, injecting some spiritual into the muscle frenzy; nice work.
I love it! The personal benefit are enough the rest is just icing on the cake. Oh opps did I just bring up icing and cake when referring to this totally healthy poem
Oh I love the “Iron on Iron” line. It adds a punch and the way you used them adds depth and so much imagery. Loved this!
That final stanza wraps it tight Laurie.. clean and yes, bounding with energy.
as i retired slave to iron pumping i know this world well but now i’m a fully payed up member of the at the universal gym i’m so busy staring at the stars that my muscle mass has decreased . . . its a fair trade!
Wow – you make this sound almost good enough to try – almost. No, you’ve captured the sounds, smells and sights of the gym experience really well – I’m just hard to convince that it’s something I should be doing even tho’ intellectually, I know it’s so … good poem.
http://leapinelephants.blogspot.ca/2013/01/a-life-lived-flagrantly.html
I’m still talking about doing this… but glad it fits you so well!
Yes! I agree completely! It’s not how we look, it’s how we feel! Excellent write, Laurie!
P.S.: You might enjoy my post today (it will go up at 10:05 cst) that talks about weight loss and one of its unintended results: http://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/back-in-the-day-3/
oops! I put up the wrong link! The post I’ll put up at 10:05 cst is called “Too Much Skin in the Game”. Here’s the link, but it won’t work until the post is up: http://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/too-much-skin-in-the-game/?preview=true
Not all of us will have a Mr./Ms. Universe body, but we do what we can! Nicely written, great detail.
cool. Don’t think I ever read a health and fitness poem before. Really nicely done Laurie, definitely enjoyed the read. THanks
Wonderful. There is a lasting satisfaction to working out hard.
And that’s how I feel about yoga and pilates. I get lost in my own workout/practice.
Love the images you described, Laurie….could almost smell the sweat! Yeah, pretty grungy those gyms but you’re right about the results…can’t complain about that.
Laurie, I approach the gym the same way: for results. I know the Olivia Newton John types (wow, that’s dating me a bit, huh? Let’s Get Physical!) who preen in front of mirrors; ditto, the muscle boys who are begging to be looked at. Attention whores, not my style. Once my blood gets pumping, that’s all the satisfaction I need, and the only attention I value is Lex’s! This poem shows every phase of personality in the gym, great. Love, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/01/31/chanteuse-in-sneakers/
Physical movement is very important, a strong physique also helps the mind feels stronger as said the Latins “Mens sana in corpore sano”
the only problem I think is the food, often do not know what our body needs, there should be more information on the welfare of food on what is healthy or what is not healthy for us,
I’m not sure exactly why but this site is loading incredibly slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? I’ll check back later and see
if the problem still exists.
I’m sorry about that… will check into it. Thanks for being patient!