Bodytribe Fitness

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Today’s workout:

Spine Foundation. Heavy walkouts, hand/thigh lifts, some fun playtime on the GHD and a little dose of mobility make this workout a must for a solid foundation in which to build upon.

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Athlete’s Foot-in-Mouth

There’s no moral clause to being an pro athlete. Loyalties are as fickle as a paycheck. Celebritydom trumps embodiment of spirit. In other words,

Some pro athlete whose pockets were full of cash and his garage full of cars was quoted as saying he had no responsibility to the public. Sir, the public put you where you are. You are a creation of the tribe and therefore your responsibility is huge. Sure, the tribe that handed you the keys to the universe doesn’t have a very good system of checks and balances in place, hence you can get away with so much more than any average citizen. Sure, the tribe lost any sight of the reasons it created the power for you to abuse in the first place. Sure the word ‘fan’ is short for ‘fanatic’ for a very good reason, and Émile Durkheim might have a few choice words to say about how we create our own monsters. But just because you were spawned from a culture who lost track of the original reason it needed its heroes doesn’t mean you are not responsible for the public.

You are still its child. You got nowhere on your own, son/brother, no matter how hard you want to believe that.

Back to the tribe. Culture DID need its heroes as high water markers, open books for accomplished passion. An athlete achieved goals, but he or she wasn’t super human. They were us. Us better, but still us.

As a tribe, we got lazier. Not less busy, mind you, just lazier. So an athlete was soon exalted as a celebrity, for two reasons.
1) They weren’t lazy, therefore they’re no longer one of Us. Not just better, but different.
2) Worshipping is easier than emulating. We became lazy and took the easier path.

Celebrities don’t inspire. Instead we live vicariously through them.

Tonight I’m almost obscenely caressing a barbell before getting under it and squatting with the darn thing. I twist it, tug at it, grip it, all the while knowing I’m going to lift it. But this ritual is to know that I know I’m going to lift it. But today I have help. Often I lift alone during the fairly quiet time at Bodytribe, early in the afternoon when people who actually do important things are at work. But today finds the battle between me and gravity in a much more public scenario, later in the afternoon surrounded by multiple wars/parties going on around me. I’m slow to understand the process, but by my last set, magic sets in and the barbell and I dance, no longer a battle but a celebration.

I’m slow, but not totally oblivious. Around my squat cage bubble was hard work. There were demons being slayed, angels being embraced, hateful regimes being toppled and bridges of opportunity being built, all within the other cages and platforms around me. The Tribe was alive with strength and before I knew it, I was inspired. My bar knew it, my legs knew it, and eventually my consciousness caught up.

Webster has this to say about the word “athlete:” Any one trained to contend in exercises requiring great physical agility and strength; one who has great activity and strength; a champion. Our little power dojo was spilling over with athletes. I saw a room of champions, even if most of them haven’t competed on any public stage. There was no quest for celebrity status, and no worship of corporate logo sponsors going on this night. Instead there was a hive of activity, brutal activity. This iron war dance wasn’t for fame, bragging rights, scholarships or medals. What I witnessed this evening, and experience everyday with my tribe, were winning battles against personal foes. This locks the door against laziness, and if small tribes like ours can do it, maybe the big tribe has a chance. Our heroes are us.

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We did it! And by ‘we’ I mean YOU, since I could only vote once. We cracked the top 3 in the News and Reviews Best Of Sacramento, beating out California Family Fitness… all 20 or so of them. Sure, we came in second to 24-Hour Fitness, ALL the 24-Hour Fitness centers in the area (about 30 of them, if not more). I like to think that we won best GYM, they won best corporate gym chain. Thank you all for voting!

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This weekend:

Saturday Tune Up: Bands: The concept of accommodating resistance. Open a door to a big new world of possibilities by adding some serious elasticity to traditional movements. Squats, presses, deadlifts, lunges, pullups and swings can all become new again with the addition of a big band. 10-noon.

MOVIE NIGHT! The Princess Bride. Half chick flick, half macho sword fights and stuff, this is one of the most quotable movies ever. It’s got Billy Crystal AND Andre the Giant! Bring any chairs or food you want, but you’re more than free to sit on the floor and mooch grub off others as well. We are a Tribe, right? 7 pm.

More info on all events here.

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Support local comedy! A good friend of Bodytribe, and a soon-to-be father, Keith Lowel Jensen has just released a new CD, which is available here (and some of us Bodytribers are on it… listen for our distinct applause and laughter). Here’s a quick clip (it’s got naughty words, so keep the volume down if you’re at work):