Dooley Noted: 2/27/2014
Ladies, we might be to blame for the fact we are slow to strength. We might have let men take it from us, when we could have earned it.
I noticed this when at the gym.
Yesterday, I wanted to use a preacher curl bench to groove my one-armed push-up.
As I proudly lifted and scooted the heavy bench, a very strong gentleman basically pushed me aside to lift it.
He didn’t ask if I needed help.
He simply jutted right in front of me to ease my tension.
You can imagine how this went.
Dooley: Excuse me, sir. What are you doing?
Strong Man: I thought I would help you. You looked like you needed it.
Dooley: So, you decided to take away me earning my strength – in a gym?
Strong Man: Oh, I’m sorry. I should have asked I guess.
Dooley: Yes. You should have asked.
Some of us girls are in that gym to get strong. I’m not going to lift with all my effort to watch you steal my accomplishment.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s very nice.
But your help wasn’t requested. Had you asked, I would have politely declined.
You see, I am earning my strength, and not simply with the dumbbells I lift.
I am earning strength with every staircase I take instead of an elevator.
I am earning strength every time I stand – planked tall – on the subway, instead of sitting slouched.
I am earning strength by heavy carrying my backpack in the rack position, instead of slouching it on my shoulder.
I am earning strength by belly breathing and getting my shoulders out of my ears.
And in the gym, I am earning my strength by not only racking my weights, but racking YOURS.
You had enough strength to move my bench, but I was the one racking the 95-pound dumbbells you were shrugging after we met.
So gents, if I see you in the gym, please let me struggle. I showed up not to break a sweat, but to break through to earning strength.
Ladies, if there are more of us on the weight floor, we can outnumber the gents and get some work done.
I’d love to see you there. I promise to let you struggle with your bench and earn your strength.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley