Biceps and Bhai sahibs

Being a recluse, I have my evolved my own ways to de-stressing, taking time off or even traveling to strange lands without having to go further than a few minutes walk. For me these are ways of getting of the spinning world and  catching my breath and even recharging my batteries. My latest travel is to the gym located ten minutes walk from my home. For an hour or so I am transported on to another planet I have fondly named - Biceps and Bhai Sahibs! As I walk down the steps of this strange world, I feel a different person. I am in alien world and make sure to embrace its ways. So off comes the jacket and scarf, and with a wave to the burly trainers I get on to the treadmill, set my speed at 6km and take off. The blaring music, the kind I normally shun, sets the rhythm of my walk and I find myself enjoying the mix of house music, Hindi pop, Punjabi rock that hits my ears through a speaker located just next to my treadmill. I catch some words but mostly it is just the beat that gets me going. Before I know it, my 30 minutes are over. Strangely these are the only 30 minutes where I find myself not thinking or anything at all. Maybe this is a form of meditation.

Often the treadmills next to mine have bhai sahibs with large biceps running at high speed. Most are young men eager to get the beloved 6 0r 8 or whatever packs. Some of them grunt while they run. Actually there is a lot of grunting, mostly with the lads doing weight training. It is funny, but somehow I feel quite comfortable amidst them. They sometimes smile at me, but are mostly serious trying to impress one and all.

After my walk, it is time to train and all the young trainers are most eager and ready to 'train' me. I think they are quite amused at the old biddy wanting to build her body! So its is one machine after the other and repetitions laded with encouraging words. I somehow don't feel ridiculous even though in most machines I can only lift the minimum weight of 5 kilos though I have reached 15 kilos in some.

I am like a child trying to concentrate and do my best. Lower body, upper body, abs.. the whole enchilada. And all through the show my mind does stray in any direction: no pwhy, no family, no home. Just me and my training.

I am glad I found the world of biceps and bhai sahibs. It gives me the breath of fresh air I need, in spite of the grunts, the sweat and the loud music!