Spring Tension

A heavy chrome spring collar had clamped tight over the edge of the ribbed rubber floor mat, pinching the border off-axis. I stepped into position, grounded my boots firmly into the textured rubber, and locked both palms over the steel squeeze handles. Pure mechanical resistance. Sinking into an anchored squat, I engaged my core and drove inward through my chest to compress the dense dual coil. The metal jaws yielded with a sharp, resonant creak, releasing their bite on the mat without slipping. I controlled the rebound millimeter by millimeter until the spring settled flush against the wood. Mat flat, grip calibrated for the day.