Mr. Muscles is that little green guy on the window sill. My daughter made him at school and he’s been my unofficial workout mascot ever since.

He’s especially important now that I am actually working out at home on a regular basis, when I need a little pick-me-up.

I don’t actually remember the context behind buying those dumbbells. I think it was the waning months of the pandemic?

Anyway, I started going to a gym quite regularly about 10 years ago, mainly doing HIIT workouts at lunchtime a couple times a week. Then the pandemic came and gyms were an absolute no-no (heavy breathing, sweat, all those grips, handles and mats!), and I ended up taking a break from 2020-2024.

Then I returned, but after a few months, I injured a glute muscle and despite taking several lengthy breaks over the course of a year, it never really recovered.

Then last summer, 2025, I was referred to a fantastic new physio, who watched me do some weighted movements (squats, presses, deadlifts…mainly squats) and wasn’t surprised I had hurt myself – I’d been doing high intensity workouts with absolutely terrible form.

This led me to my new gym last September, where, with the aid of a personal trainer, I was able to work more slowly and deliberately on dozens of exercises, dial in my form and crank up my confidence. My glute strain disappeared. My weights got heavier. My body got stronger.

Now, we’re here. Clearly I’m not going to the gym right now, but I’m very grateful that I bought these dumbbells a couple years ago, and for my recent coaching, because I have the tools I need and some baseline fitness that I can continue to nurture – what better thing to do than carefully controlled upper body exercises every couple days to keep myself relatively in shape, even while my leg deteriorates.

One of the big mental pluses, too, in these early days since the injury was the instantaneous optimism and enthusiasm of my gym and my physio to get going with me again as soon as we get the surgeon’s green light. Honestly, having great people on the sidelines ready to go is part of what’s keeping my flame alive.