Who Will Carry Yours?

?For as far back as I can remember, I’ve had the same workout schedule. Oh, my routine has changed from time to time but when it comes to the days and body parts I work on those days, nothing has changed. 

Monday and Thursday, it’s legs and triceps, Tuesday and Friday, it’s chest and biceps, Wednesday and Saturday, it’s shoulders, biceps and back with Sunday typically being the day off.

Whenever I pump iron with my workout partner, I know his limits and he knows mine. When I put an amount on the bar that’s too light or too heavy, he’ll give me that look—and I’ll do the same with him. 

The gym is only so big and from time to time, you might find yourself sharing a piece of equipment with a total stranger. This is where things can get very interesting, especially on the bench; and last week was one of those times.

I went in without my workout partner, found an open bench and began adding weight to the bar. Before I could begin a stranger approached and asked if he could work in with me. No problem I thought. 

He was much smaller than me and I figured we would surely have to take the weight down for him to get any work done.   That was not the case as he decided to just work with whatever I put on the bar.

This worked fine when the weight was lighter but as it got heavier, he struggled—to the point where I had to help him with the weight; him pushing, me pulling to get the bar back onto the rack. There were some sets I felt like I was doing more work than him because if he were doing any, I wouldn’t have been working as hard as I was.

No problem I thought as I’m always willing to lend a hand or offer a voice of encouragement but when it was my turn, I noticed that I couldn’t lift the amount that I usually did. What I also noticed is that he was so focused on conserving his energy that when the time came to help me, he was nowhere to be found. 

As the workout progressed, I struggled weights and amounts that I usually toyed with. Worried and disappointed I stopped and thought to myself, “How could I have become so weak”?

Then I realized that I wasn’t weak; in fact, I was as strong as I’d ever been. It’s just that I had spent so much strength carrying his weight…that I didn’t have enough strength to carry mine. 

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Make it a point to build a life with people who care enough to give you that look—you know the one--when the amount you’re putting on the bar is too light or heavy…and care enough to do the same for them.

There is nothing wrong with helping someone carry their weight…trying to help them reach another level, make it out of a situation, be a better person…

Just make sure that when your load gets heavy…they’re willing to step in and help lighten yours…