A Proud Owner Of My First Dumbbell Set

These days I work hard trying to get closer to the 8 hours of exercise a month target as set in my scorecard. Before today, I jog when the weather is cool, swim when the weather is warm, and frown at the sky when it pours. I need a fool proof strategy in achieving my target. Then a wonderful idea struck me: I am going to pump iron when it rains.

I met up with my friends Valerie and Tong Kiat for lunch and am still shocked by the size of Valerie’s tummy as I am writing this blog. She is just 3 weeks from delivering her baby boy! How productive Singaporeans are and that reminds me of a BBQ party I have attended last weekend. Between 5 couples, there were 6 kids. Even the newly-wed couple plans to have one this year. Amid the current situation of low birth rates and the future situation of an aging population, kids do find their way into this Planet Earth at this particularly small island called Singapore! Amazing indeed.

Having kids may not be in my mind after a sumptuous lunch, getting a dumbbell set was. Valerie kindly pointed me to a seemingly-everyone-know-but-me shop called AIBI that sells gym equipment. Don’t ask me why but I had an impression that the dumbbells I was used to practice with weighted 25 kg (on one side). You should see how Tong Kiat’s jaw dropped when I told him that I was looking for a set of dumbbells with such weight. I knew why half an hour later.

I stepped into the AIBI shop at Harbourfront shopping mall and the sale assistant showed me a choice of a 16 kg cast iron set (S$88) and a 15 kg rubber coated set (S$123). First of all, 16 kg (that is 8 kg on each side) sounded a bit … light. Secondly, to use rubber or not to use rubber, that was the question. I quickly called up my ex-girlfriend’s brother or shall I say, my perhaps-likely-future-brother-in-law-to-be (okay, my sister is going to kill me if she reads this) as I was used to practice with his dad’s dumbbells when I was still his … erm … brother-in-law-to-be (confused?). Benny gave me a very long and comprehensive explanation on what are the different types of dumbbells, the pros and cons, and even more than what I needed to know. Excellent. I learnt that a 15 kg dumbbell set is about right and rubber is good for protection … against cracking the floor. Imagine my trembling arms trying to raise the dumbbells high in the air and in one unexplainable lost of concentration, the dumbbells slip away from my hands … although I am sure that was not the image Benny had.

After a rather long phone conversation at AIBI’s counter, I have decided to invest S$123 to meet my monthly target. The sale assistant told me that the rubber ones are popular (due to New Year Resolutions I suggested) and they are all sold out. However I may put in a deposit and he will have them sent to my doorstep in 2 to 3 weeks’ time. I asked if other branches may have it and he told me that all the rubber coated dumbbells are sold out in all AIBI branches. I paid attention to his eyes and somehow I sensed that he may not be completely honest with me. I made a trip to VivoCity shopping mall next door and at basement 2, I found another AIBI shop that has the stock.

Buying the 15 kg dumbbell set was easy. Carrying it from VivoCity shopping mall back to where I parked my car (Keppel Bay Tower) was the tough part. My face was red and I was perspiring when I reached my car. Before I forgot, I better log down another 15 minutes of exercise today (event: walking with dumbbells). I swear my shoulders are still hurting and so are my legs!