Earplugs equal peace and quiet

I'm sure everyone knows about earplugs.But have you ever actually tried them?
Trust me.They're effective,and comfortable.
I work out at home in my own gym area.I can listen to whatever I want,or nothing.But if you work out in a crowded public gym you're probably getting bombarded with auditory distraction.Crappy music,people talking, announcements over the speaker system.Some people tune things out better than others.
I find excessive noise a bother so I've been wearing earplugs for a long time.
I know you can listen to music on your own device.But that's active listening.Maybe some people really get charged up listening to music when they work out.Good if that works for you.But there are a number of situations when quiet is sweet relief.Maybe you have to take a bus to the gym.Pop in the plugs,and tune out the environment.And if you're at the gym and you don't want people talking to you,it can send a message that you're in serious mode.You won't even have to wear a rude t-shirt telling people to bug off anymore.
Of course they can also be a great help in reading/studying/focusing on work whatever the setting.   

The ones I included a picture of are from the top brand in the business,Mack's.They make a whole line of earplugs for different needs.Including for swimming,and shooting sports.
They do make very soft earplugs for sleeping.Now you can live with that snoring spouse a little easier.Maybe you won't have to throttle the neighbor for his yapping mutts.
They are actually soft enough to be comfortable.After awhile you hardly notice they're in.I find that once I'm asleep I don't tend to register much outside noise.The trash trucks can do their banging business without waking me up.But I can still hear the alarm clock when it goes off.( I use an interesting kind of alarm clock which I'll post about some time ).
If you're at all prone to anxiety,I think these could be helpful too.It does reduce the general stimulation.
They might be helpful to a kid with ADHD,or Autism to reduce distraction,or provide a calmer feeling.

A few notes on use.They do make some out of silicone that are like soft putty.They will conform to the ear,but are a little too gushy.They can squish too far into the ear canal.They also need to be cleaned,and reshaped after use.You'll wake up with your hair stuck to them.I did use them in the past.But I prefer the foam ones.
The foam earplugs will come in different levels of decibel reduction.That's the measure of environmental sound reduction.It will state the level on the package.Such as NRR 29 dB.That means the reduction will be 29 decibels if used properly.
I would advise you to clean your ears before putting in the plugs.You don't want greasy,waxy ears anyway.You can wash them with soap,and water and dry them well.You can also use a rag,or tissue and clean the outside with a little hand sanitizer like Purell..Of course Q-tips tells us never to put swabs in your ear canal.I'm sure we all carefully avoid doing this too.
The foam plugs are squeezed into a tighter shape,and inserted into the ear canal where they will expand to fit snugly.They can be reused a number of times.When they feel like they're getting dirty,throw them out.
They're not expensive.
The quiet is well worth the price.

I just want to live in peace and quiet. Agnetha Faltskog
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Sleepy time workout

Not having an adequate night's sleep is lousy for working out.You just feel sleepy,and slightly out of it.Maybe more than slightly.
It happens to people for different reasons.Some can't fall asleep,some can't stay asleep. Some fall asleep,wake up and thrash around for an hour then fall back asleep,and over sleep and feel like crap.
I almost always fall asleep fine.I wake up to pee,and can't fall back asleep sometimes.My brain just won't let me back down.Then my cat comes into the bedroom,and finishes the job by sitting on me.I don't blame my cat.I'm her servant.She needs things.Sigh.

That happened today.I was about two hours short of my usual eight hours.So I just got up,and got on with my day.
I was very sleepy,and was feeling the aches and pains.Two cups of coffee.
But I had a leg day scheduled,and was determined to do it.I watched a few videos on YouTube to put me in a better frame of mind.Warmed up my legs.Rubbed on a little Aspercreme,and hit the stationary bike.I did about five minutes of intense on and off sprints.Felt much better,and ready to go.
I did a strong leg workout.Deep squats.Good weights.Did some work on the hamstrings,and calves too.Not an overlong workout.About an hour and fifteen minutes.
I was sleepy when I started,and satisfied when I was through.

It's not about feeling like it.It's about doing it.

That's one of the great lessons of experience.

What makes a weightlifter?

Doing it of course.But that's not all.
This is a question of what you are to yourself,and what you appear to be to others.Do you look like a weightlifter?And what does a weightlifter look like? Do you have to look like you lift to be the authentic article?
I think the stereotype is the bulky,lumbering oaf.Which is mostly exaggerated.Many people lift weights and don't look that abnormal.I think some Olympic Weightlifters who are great at what they do could walk down the street in regular clothes,and not stand out too much.A Power Lifter may be very strong looking,but would some people know by looking at them what they could do?
Some lift and look extraordinary.I wish I looked more like I lift than I do.I've done a lot of hard work with not enough awesome looking to show for it.I do train like a Bodybuilder.But I haven't always eaten like a Bodybuilder.I admit I feel cheated by that.But we don't all have the self discipline,or genetics,or the good fortune to be equally rewarded for our workouts.
I don't talk much about my lifting with others.I'm not involved in the gym culture even though I've spent time in gyms.I talk about it a little with my Doctor,a few friends,a few relatives.But I just don't have it in me to brag.Maybe if people looked at me and really noticed.I wonder what it must feel like to wear your work for all to see? That has to be one of the major reasons people work out in the first place.But I've rarely gotten that payoff.I'm inherently modest anyway.It might make me uncomfortable to get more attention.So maybe I'm not missing much.
I think we're lifters because it suits us.We're human Dray Horses.Take the bit in our teeth and haul away.Work hard for the sake of it.Pull.Push.Struggle.Lift.
That's me.I recognized it when I saw it.I knew I should do that.Like a string vibrating in sympathy to another string.I saw my kind.
I don't need other people to give me credit for it.I know how much work I do.
I think that's the best attitude to have.Wear it on the inside,and be comfortable with it.The strength is always there.I don't need other people's eyes to affirm it.I'll keep lifting no matter what.
But yes,I'm trying to bring it all in line more now.That feels like being a proper weightlifter,and respecting the whole process.
So I lift weights,train,bodybuild for myself.I live it.

The Golden Weight Set

This is from the back of Muscle and Fitness magazine from the early 80's.
The big deluxe weight set from Weider.My parents ordered it for me when I was a teenager.
I think I had other weights before this.I'm sure I did.Some of those bulky maroon plastic concrete filled dumbbells second hand.Before that the metal bar from my closet.If you're a determined kid,you make due.
I'm not sure the set I got was precisely like this.I don't remember the head harness.Also I really don't think they sent that many plates.I think that was for the photo to show what could be done with it.Still that's it.The goofy metal barbell shoes which were hopelessly awkward to use.The stick,and string were for your forearms.I think the black handles were to make some kind of kettlebell.I did eventually get better collars.
Here's the crazy thing.I still have it,and use it.Most of it anyway.
There is very little 'Planned Obsolescence' in barbells.You have to appreciate that.I can't tell you much money I spent restringing my tennis rackets with expensive french gut.But the iron...it lasts.

I've been lifting a long time

There's an old joke; I just flew in from 'pick a city',and boy are my arms tired!
I keep remembering that when I think how long I've been lifting weights.I've been lifting weights since I was about 'a teenager',and boy are my arms tired.
They often are.I lifted for about 9hrs and 38min last week.I'm not young.This has been my on and off obsession for most of my life.I did take a lot of time off.I was also very interested in tennis,and played for a while.I really can't run around much on hard tennis courts anymore,so I'm seriously back to the gym.
My gym.People say 'Go hard,or go home'.I have a home gym.I can go home and go hard.
I'm also interested in Bodybuilding.I saw the movie 'Pumping Iron' on TV when I was probably twelve.It made a lasting impression on me.I also saw 'Pumping Iron 2 - The Women'.That made a bigger impression.
I always felt naturally fascinated by muscle,and strength.Seeing the male bodybuilders was exciting,and inspiring.But seeing the women was another matter.I'm female.I think I would have lifted anyway.But it was amazing to see that there were women interested in the devoted pursuit of muscularity.
I watched whatever I could on TV about bodybuilding.They actually had the major contests on TV back then.I also read the magazines,and bought books.It felt like the sport,and way of life,was really growing then.There was an explosion in interest.
The competitive sport has clearly faded.The open class Women's Bodybuilding is out of the IFBB.And the fact is,the men are not ever going to become mainstream.
Of course this is because of the extremity of the bodies on display.It's because of the high amount of drugs that the athletes are taking.
But that's a big issue.The fact is I still enjoy bodybuilding.I still get a lot of good out of it personally.
So I've been thinking about sharing a few ideas,and opinions about it.Probably because I work out at home,and feel separated from the big gym culture I feel like I can have a certain perspective.
A few points.I'm not an expert.I'm interested.It's not the same thing.
I will never be posting pictures of myself,or much personal information.It's easy for people to say "You're not impressive." I'm not.I know that too.To quote Jeff Everson "I've never done anything remotely impressive.".( he actually has )
But I'm smarter than the average gym denizen.I've been around longer anyway.I prefer a mature philosophical approach to over emotionalism.The world of Barbells could use a few more pounds of that.