Gym



I try to make it to the gym every other day. My family belongs to the Michigan Athletic Club, or MAC. It's one of the best gyms in the country. One of the best features is the warm water pool. It's usually heated to 86 degrees, which is a nice temperature. I do water aerobics every other visit; roughly twice a week. Working out in the water is the best way for me to exercise my legs, which are not strong enough for weight bearing exercise.


I use weights to train my upper body. I use the lifecycle machines mostly. Those are strictly mechanical, with a computer figuring out how much resistance you get.


The gym is the first place I ever went outside the house with my walker. At first I felt very self-conscious about going down to the weight room or the swimming pool with a walker, but now, I don't think about it at all. Nobody looks at you at the gym, there is no eye contact, even if you find yourself staring at someone, they don't look back at you. Lifting weights is a very task oriented procedure and people remain focused on whatever their next set is going to be.