The Executive Workout
Atlanta Athletic Club - Est. 1898
I met an old friend this morning for coffee in the men’s locker room at the Atlanta Athletic Club. We sat fireside next to the new bar in buttery leather chairs – there may be a better way to start your morning, but I’m not aware of it.
We got caught up on our careers, our children, and our mutual desire to spend summers in the Rocky Mountains when we’re empty nesters, which, sadly, is going to be here before we know, it.
Anyway, a locker room attendant overhead me asking about the steam situation. If you’ve been to the Athletic Club, you know the golf locker room didn’t have a steam, which was terribly odd. But they recently completed a massive overhaul: new lockers, showers, handsome plaid carpet, and the aforementioned fireplace and tavern. It’s world-class. But the best addition is the steam.
Being that Tyler and I were there early in the morning, the steam hadn’t been turned on. Lucky for me, the attendant immediately got it going, which made my buddy laugh, “Evans…no one knows an executive workout like you.” And he’s right.
If you’re not familiar with an “executive workout,” they look like this:
No weights. The point isn’t to get stronger.
No stretching. The point isn’t to get limber.
So, we’ve eliminated the worst parts of exercising. Let’s dive into The Four S’s:
Sauna: You start with fifteen minutes of sweating your cajónes off. 190 degrees is ideal.
Steam: You enjoy a fifteen-minute steam and drink a ton of ice-cold water, or, if you’re a professional, a cup full of ice, vodka, and tonic. There is a LOT of sweating in an executive workout, just zero exercise. By this time, you’re soaking wet.
Shower: You hop in a cold shower for a few minutes to wash off the sweat. It feels invigorating, especially if you’re half drunk.
Soak: You wrap it up with a dip in the jacuzzi. Let the jets go to town on your aching back.
There’s an optional fifth “S” – the all-important Shave. By this time, your face has never been so ready for a razor. And, if you’re old school, the sixth “S” is the Suit. Putting on a suit and tie after the aforementioned “S’s” is the perfect way to cap off an executive workout.
Suffice it to say, I enjoyed a “workout.” Lifting weights is for the birds.
