Return to Euphoria - Leg Days

Little it be known on this blog, but I love being active. I workout between five and six days a week; on the days that I can't make it to the gym I walk and jog for a minimum of one hour,  and not the tourist trap, lazy paced walk. I apply some serious effort.

I like to use Crossfit in my workouts. I can't do everything they do because I lack some of the equipment so I modify as needed. What I won't modify is the intensity. There is only one speed - FULL. Today's leg workout was one of the best I've had in months. I was forced to max out seven times. This was today's theme song. When I was done, I was completely drained. I was dizzy, I could walk only far enough to collapse on a bench and nearly passed out. I was elated.

When I first started taking weight training seriously, I used the bodybuilder's methods and I got great results, but what really intrigued me was the euphoria I felt once my session was done. My sugar would drop radically; I needed to keep a bottle of grape juice handy at all times so at the end I could drink it and make my way home. But there were times when I didn't have it and I felt incapacitated. Luckily, back then a good friend of mine was the owner of the gym I frequented. He would let me pass out on the floor and check on me twenty to thirty minutes later.

The more I committed myself to these extremes, the more tolerant my body and muscles became. My body wouldn't go into shock anymore. I would get frustrated - Why? Why am I not wigging out anymore? I rearranged my workouts like you're supposed to, but I couldn't get that euphoric feeling again, except when I did wind sprints.  

Fifteen years later, I didn't want to be a bodybuilder anymore, but I didn't want to lose my athleticism. So, I became a regular weightlifter. I started incorporating plyometrics, training with mixed martial artists, and now I've adapted Crossfit into everything. I'm getting that exalted feeling back. Of course, to gain maximum results, eating properly is required; and it's not a diet. Diet is a bad word. You're just eating well, you're eating healthy. I get all the more excited for cheat day, and by cheat day I don't mean gorge yourself stupid.

Now, I get to sit back and wait for the soreness to kick in, which is the only regrettable factor of an intense workout, particularly your legs when it's time to use the bathroom.