Alright, let’s talk about this thing I call ‘dumbbell eyes’. It’s not some fancy exercise I found online, nope. It’s just the name I give that feeling I get sometimes after really pushing it with the weights.
So, today was one of those days. I hit the garage gym. Decided to really go for it on my upper body routine. You know the drill:
- Bench presses – really focused on form, slow and steady.
- Dumbbell rows – pulled ’til my back felt tight, in a good way.
- Shoulder presses – these always get me. Felt the burn.
- Finished off with some curls and extensions ’cause why not.
Felt strong during the workout. Sweating, muscles aching a bit, that usual stuff. Real sense of accomplishment when I put those dumbbells down for the last time. Cleaned up my space, wiped down the bench. Felt pretty good about the effort.
Then Came the ‘Dumbbell Eyes’
Got inside, chugged some water, took a shower. Standard post-workout routine. Then I sat down on the couch, thinking I’d relax, maybe read a bit. That’s when it hit me. Boom. Dumbbell eyes.
It starts slow. First, just a general tiredness settling in. But then, it focuses right on my eyelids. Seriously, they start feeling heavy. Like someone sneakily attached tiny little weights to them. It becomes a real effort just to keep them open.
My focus goes blurry. Not because my vision is actually bad, but because my eyes just don’t want to cooperate. They feel strained, almost gritty. Like I haven’t slept in days, even though I slept fine last night. It’s a specific kind of tired, concentrated right there.
Tried to pick up my book. Read maybe half a page? Nope. Couldn’t concentrate. The words swam a bit. It wasn’t worth the effort. Ended up just leaning my head back, closing my eyes for what felt like a minute but was probably closer to ten.
It’s a weird mix. Part of me thinks, “Okay, sign of a solid workout. Pushed the body hard.” But another part just finds it annoying. Makes me feel ancient sometimes. Like my body’s quick to wave the white flag after some heavy lifting.
Anyway, that was my experience today with the good ol’ dumbbell eyes. Just pure, physical exhaustion manifesting in the weirdest way. Usually passes after an hour or so, or a quick nap if I’m lucky. Still, it’s a reminder that I definitely put in the work. Or maybe just that I need more sleep. Who knows.
