Caleb's Tiny Gym

A blog that has fascinated me for several years now, is the tiny house blog.  I have been following the tiny house movement ever since I read an article in a newspaper about 3 years ago about a man who lives in a house that is only 120 square feet.  It challenges my mind to imagine ridding myself of all the stuff I have, and radically downsizing to fit into a tiny abode.  To think tiny.

Indent now.  To the topic of getting in shape.  (I know, that was a big leap, but I am going somewhere with this.)

My son Caleb has a tiny gym!  In his tiny bedroom!  Well actually his bedroom is a very average size bedroom, but when you put a queen-sized bed in the one end, a double closet at the end of the bed, and a large dresser and chest of drawers on the other side of the room, the floor area left is fairly limited.  And yet, he has managed to use the space he has and the workout equipment he purchased and has gotten himself into pretty darn good shape.

I'm giving you all a rare insiders' look into Caleb's room, I guess to impress upon myself mostly and encourage others that a person does not need a gym membership or even a lot of space to be able to get some exercise.

Let's look at how he has organized his room and how he uses the space.  If you look into his room from the hall, first you will see the pull-up bar he hangs on the door frame.  To the left inside the door is his bed and his closet.  To the right is the dresser and chest of drawers.

Pull-up bar installed

Here you see all of his equipment

His laptop and iPad are used to watch and follow exercise software.

Caleb has used the P-90X and P-90X2 programs.  They are intense 90 day workout plans that target all areas of the body and include cardio, yoga, and stretching workouts.  In addition he uses the Polar Fitness Trainer, an app/computer website used along with his heart rate monitor.  He has used an iPhone app called "Couch to 5K Trainer," an application that helps you prepare to run a 5K race.  Lastly, he has used the APFT, Army Physical Fitness Test training program, as he is preparing himself for a career in the army.

This is the actual area that is the "gym" floor.

I think perhaps Caleb has some of my grandfather Raymond in him.  My grandfather had a lifelong ritual of rising each morning in time to see the sun come up.  He would work out down in his small, dingy cellar - running laps, doing pull-ups and sit-ups, and other calisthenics.  Following his workout, he would study his weekly Sunday school lesson (he was a teacher for the adult class his entire adult life), and then shower, have breakfast, and leave for his 8:00 AM workday start.  He was quite a man, very self-motivated.

Caleb has uncommon willpower and determination.  I wish he could bottle this and share it with all of us.  He has transformed his body and has become very healthy and fit.  Not only does he now have muscles, but he practices a well-rounded fitness program and is also very heart-healthy.  You can judge his results for yourself:

Caleb before getting started

Caleb now

Hmmmm....    Maybe I'll go take a walk.  Or eat some celery.