This time of the year, there isn’t a wait at the gym. It’s pretty quiet in there now. People who would normally be there are running up their cortisol levels at the malls trying to satisfy everyone on their gifts list. They are eating and drinking at Christmas parties, adding a little extra weight as they go along, all the while obsessing they are “getting fat” and “losing conditioning”. I say, enjoy it while it lasts because come January 2, they will return along with the “Resolutionistas” who are bound and determined, once and for all to have the bodies they know they must have for “beach season”. They will try to impose their will on the “indigenous peoples” who never left. It’s just all part of the annual gym cycle and part of what makes going there interesting in the first place. I’ll curse them for the riff-raff they are, but for now, it is pleasant to train as if this is my own personal gym and chat with a few of the natives who will have to fight off the returning hordes in January with me.

Most of my session tonight seemed like a warm-up and that was fine because I am battered. Tendonitis in the elbow, traps and scapular muscles tight and strained and a bit fatigued in general. Nothing too serious; just at the bottom of the cycle. This is the time to take it easy and be smart about training so as not to add to the aches and pains.

I started off with a good 800 meter run in the brisk outdoors to break sweat and clear the mind. What came next was,

Kettlebell Swings, 1 x 20 with the 35#, 2 x 20 with the 53#.

Kettlebell Snatches, 35# 3 x 20.

Burgener Warm-up with the empty 45# bar, 3 sets.

Overhead Presses, 5 x 5, 95/115/125/135/145.