Equipment Failure

There’s an old law school joke about the failing student with a bookshelf full of books. Performing terribly, he doesn’t crack the binding on the books he already owns, but instead goes out and buys more books.

At the gym yesterday, I noticed this scrawny guy with brilliant white running shoes striding into the leg area. The strap from his bulging gym bag cut into his shoulder. In one hand he clutched a sagging plastic grocery bag, while in the other he carried a full gallon jug of water. He also had a clipboard tucked under his arm that held a half-inch stack of papers.

I took a final swig from my own one pint water bottle and decided to grab a seat on a nearby machine. I knew we were about to see something special.

For nearly 10 minutes, this guy struggled to set the squat rack safeties to their highest position. He finally gave up and moved to the Smith Machine, pushing the bar to its highest setting and throwing a 45 lb plate on each side. With arms fully extended, he unracked the bar and held it steady for a few seconds, then let it drop back in place.

He sat down, grabbed his clipboard, and proceeded to take lengthy notes. Obviously, he needed a detailed record of this major progress.