After a sweaty, heart-pounding 45 minutes on the elliptical and a hard-earned 5.19 miles, B asks me why I'm doing so much cardio.
"I thought you were going to cut down," she says hopefully.
"Well, actually, since I'm eating more and my weight is pretty stable, I thought I'd maintain my cardio routine."
What I don't tell her is that I think cardio is critical to building endurance (and being prepared for the coming Zombie Apocalypse). Okay, I'm joking, but only sort of because you never know when, in this day of peculiar weather patterns and unstable economic times, that you'll need to have physical endurance.
She's doing more cardio too but mostly because she's hoping that it'll bring her congenitally high cholesterol down to reasonable levels. That's not my issue. I just want to be as fit as I can possibly be for as long as possible. I'm not even sure that "cardio" really counts if you don't work up a good heart-racing sweat. I hear that merely walking several miles a day is as good as running a few miles a day but I find that hard to believe. It seems that in the quest to get people off their spud bottoms, scientists keep lowering the bar on the amount and type of activity the body requires for health. I don't really know what to believe, except how my body is responding to my current routine.
I'm definitely stronger than when I first started, and I'm definitely a lot leaner. Today is a Back and Biceps Day (Pull) so I do rows: 3 sets of 12 reps at 90 lbs, 3 sets of 8-12 reps at 105, and just for the heck of it, 2 descending sets: 12 reps at 90 lbs and another 12 reps at 75 lbs. Lower back extensions, torso twists (25 reps each side at 55 lbs), cage stretch and kicks, then back to the pull down station. I dread pull downs due to the Golfer Elbow problem. I have my braces in place and set the weight to 90 lbs and manage to get 6 sets of 12 reps, and actually it doesn't feel all that bad. My back feels bigger, because it feels like my lats are pushing out against the fabric of my gym shirt. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking.
I do another set of lower back extensions (2 sets of 25 reps at 90 lbs) and then put on my brave face and do bicep curls with first the 15 lb dumbbell, and then 3 sets with the 20 lb dumbbells. My thumb and elbow ping at first so my first set is hammer curls. Then I modify the curl angle and my elbows feel okay, and I can see my triceps flex as the dumbbell descends. It's kinda cool to watch.
I skip doing the seated incline dumbbell curls because it's too much pressure on my elbows. I'm going to skip doing 21s and other barbell curls as well. Especially since I know I'm going to have trouble with the Reverse Grip Barbell Row. It's only 50 lbs but I'm going for 6 sets of 12-15 reps. The first 2 sets I can squeak out 15 reps but the last 4 sets I have to catch my breath few times just to get to rep 12. I'm done.
A bit of stretching (damn, my glutes are still sore) and I'm heading off to the shower. The scale bounces around before resting at 106.2 lbs. I take the reading 3 times figuring 2 out of 3 just in case something's funky. 106.2 seems good. I'll take it! In past weeks, my weight'd usually drop by the end of the week but I think I've got it balanced now. Until I decide to change things up again.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Putting a Bad Mood to Good Use
Today is Wednesday. A beautiful crisp sunny Wednesday. Leg Day. And the traffic is unbelievable! Where is everyone going? I hope they're giving something away for free because I can't believe how long the line is from the traffic light. Going in the other direction.Whew!
But everyone is driving crazy, distracted, or perhaps, because it's summer, now all the feeble and, "well, he's too old to drive but he won't give up his license" are out in full force. By the time I get to the gym, I'm in a mood. It's Leg Day and it's time to mix it up again so I do 35 minutes of uphill cardio for 4.05 miles and then an additional 30 minutes of intervals to get 3.68 miles. Grand total is 7.73 miles which is the most I've ever done in one session. I'm really happy now! I suck down half my water bottle and go stretch and kick at the cage while sweat rains down under my hoodie.
Uh oh, Zumba class just let out and all the machine stations are busy so I have to put off doing Seated Leg Curls. Yes! the Smith is free and I've a mind to up the weights on my Squats. Just a teensy bit. The first set is just the bar (45 lbs) and I feel silly doing it. But I want to make sure that my knees feel okay with this movement. Then I add a pair of 25 lb plates (total weight 95 lbs) and do 3 sets of 12 reps.
This feels okay. I'm constantly assessing the movement and how my body is reacting to it. (I do this with cardio as well because you can "step" wrong and injure your knees or ankles.) I add a pair of 10 lb plates (total weight 115 lbs). It's a little heavy but I have the foam pad and my towel on the back of my neck for protection. I do 3 sets of 12 reps. I know I could go heavier but I want to take this slowly. I don't want bigger thighs or glutes. (My size 0 clothes fit just fine.) Just nice ones. And by that, I mean shapely.
I'm a station hog and immediately after I'm done with squats, I set up for Deadlifts. I'm not as sure about upping the weight on this so I stick to doing 6 sets of 12 reps at 95 lbs. I put my elbow braces on and make sure to keep my arms slightly bent to take the pressure off my forearms while pulling the bar straight up. By the last two sets, I have to release the bar at the 8th and 10th rep to readjust my grip before finishing. I make sure to keep my back straight, and squeeze my glutes and hamstrings as I pull up.
There are so many exercises that I don't do because of my knees. Lunges for example. And nothing that involves jumping around or up and down. No no squat thrusts, or burpees, or jumping jacks. The Seated Leg Curl is free so I do 6 sets of 12-15 reps at 75 lbs. I realize that I'm slamming the weights as I contract my legs back under the seat. I guess I should up the weight but I'm too lazy right now. Torso twists, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts and then mat stretching finishes my workout.
I'm wondering if doing Inclined SitUps with the 10 lb plate is making my abs bloat out, but then I dismiss the thought because it's my lower abs that look funny to me, and the inclined situps seem to be all upper abs. Or at least that's where I feel it. The scale reads 106 even. I'm happy. The home scale this morning had read 104.8 (but it always lies). Once I get home I look at my abs again. I can never get the camera to see what I see. But I'm in a much better mood now.
But everyone is driving crazy, distracted, or perhaps, because it's summer, now all the feeble and, "well, he's too old to drive but he won't give up his license" are out in full force. By the time I get to the gym, I'm in a mood. It's Leg Day and it's time to mix it up again so I do 35 minutes of uphill cardio for 4.05 miles and then an additional 30 minutes of intervals to get 3.68 miles. Grand total is 7.73 miles which is the most I've ever done in one session. I'm really happy now! I suck down half my water bottle and go stretch and kick at the cage while sweat rains down under my hoodie.
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| Belly button frown due to "baby belly" skin. Oh well. |
This feels okay. I'm constantly assessing the movement and how my body is reacting to it. (I do this with cardio as well because you can "step" wrong and injure your knees or ankles.) I add a pair of 10 lb plates (total weight 115 lbs). It's a little heavy but I have the foam pad and my towel on the back of my neck for protection. I do 3 sets of 12 reps. I know I could go heavier but I want to take this slowly. I don't want bigger thighs or glutes. (My size 0 clothes fit just fine.) Just nice ones. And by that, I mean shapely.
I'm a station hog and immediately after I'm done with squats, I set up for Deadlifts. I'm not as sure about upping the weight on this so I stick to doing 6 sets of 12 reps at 95 lbs. I put my elbow braces on and make sure to keep my arms slightly bent to take the pressure off my forearms while pulling the bar straight up. By the last two sets, I have to release the bar at the 8th and 10th rep to readjust my grip before finishing. I make sure to keep my back straight, and squeeze my glutes and hamstrings as I pull up.
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| Bizarro abs or ribs? |
I'm wondering if doing Inclined SitUps with the 10 lb plate is making my abs bloat out, but then I dismiss the thought because it's my lower abs that look funny to me, and the inclined situps seem to be all upper abs. Or at least that's where I feel it. The scale reads 106 even. I'm happy. The home scale this morning had read 104.8 (but it always lies). Once I get home I look at my abs again. I can never get the camera to see what I see. But I'm in a much better mood now.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Sometimes it's Best NOT to Listen
Tuesday is sunny, and bloody cold at 54°F when I take the dog for his morning walk. It figures. I head over to the gym wearing new capri leggings under my hoodie and tank top. 45 min of cardio on one of the creakier ellipticals (there are 4 and 2 are better, smoother than the other 2) gives me 5.08 miles and I'm okay with that. The gym looks awfully crowded though so I'm off to the cage to stretch and kick, kill a little time and hope one of the cable rowing stations opens up.
I feel really self-conscious wearing these capri leggings. I can see my thighs flex as I walk. I know my calves are pumped from all the cardio. I keep pulling my hoodie down over my butt. Okay, I can get to the rowing station! Yay! My elbow twinges a bit after the warm up set of 12 reps at 75 lbs. I do 3 sets of 12 reps at 90 lbs, then strip off my hoodie so I can put my elbow braces on for the next 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs. That doesn't feel too bad.
Torso twists, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, lower back extensions. Check. Done. Pull downs. Ugh. I get 5 sets of 12 reps of 90 lbs and try not to grip the bar too hard. It's the gripping that affects the forearm and subsequently, my inner elbow. Afraid of losing bicep shape and strength, I do a few sets of alternating dumbbell curls. The 15 lbs feels okay but the 20s cause my thumb and wrist to ping oddly. I change my hand position so that the movement is more hammer curl now, and this keeps my forearm from rotating too much.
I do 5 sets of Bent Over Reverse Grip Barbell Rows with the 50 lb bar. At first I can get 15 reps and I can really feel my lats. By the last set, I have to take 2 breaths at the 10 rep point before I can finish the set. Still, at some point I'm hoping to see results.
No 21s or barbell curls today. I stretch out to Billy Idol (he's touring Europe!) and go shower. The scale reads 107.2 lbs. I'm definitely heavier and I'm a tad concerned about my abs. I still feel a little bloated. The mirror's in the wrong place at the gym for me to look at my abs without blocking the doorway. At home I'm surprised at how hard it is to photograph yourself without reflexively contracting your stomach muscles.
I look at myself and definitely don't feel "too skinny" although my husband tells me in that tip-toe-through-a-minefield-way, that he agrees with the term skinny. "But in a good way," he adds. I tell him that skinny means stick-doll arms, and being so frail that the wind knocks you down. "Oh, no. Not that kind of skinny," he clarifies.
It doesn't matter though, because I'm still going to work out. My weight is stable even doing 5 miles a day because I'm eating more. I'm pretty sure if I cut out the bread and butter, and ice cream desserts, I'd start to lose weight, or at least body fat. But I don't feel the need to do that.
Sometimes your friends say things that aren't really very helpful either. I'm afraid that some friends are more comfortable with you in your old body, because they're unconsciously threatened by you in your new body. I'm pretty sure now that B would rather I was 20 lbs heavier and looked my age. She can't help it. "You've done in a year what took me 7 years to do," she once told me. I can't help it either. You have to know your "friends" and listen to yourself. Trust yourself. And then just get out there, and Do It!
I feel really self-conscious wearing these capri leggings. I can see my thighs flex as I walk. I know my calves are pumped from all the cardio. I keep pulling my hoodie down over my butt. Okay, I can get to the rowing station! Yay! My elbow twinges a bit after the warm up set of 12 reps at 75 lbs. I do 3 sets of 12 reps at 90 lbs, then strip off my hoodie so I can put my elbow braces on for the next 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs. That doesn't feel too bad.
Torso twists, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, lower back extensions. Check. Done. Pull downs. Ugh. I get 5 sets of 12 reps of 90 lbs and try not to grip the bar too hard. It's the gripping that affects the forearm and subsequently, my inner elbow. Afraid of losing bicep shape and strength, I do a few sets of alternating dumbbell curls. The 15 lbs feels okay but the 20s cause my thumb and wrist to ping oddly. I change my hand position so that the movement is more hammer curl now, and this keeps my forearm from rotating too much.
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| Today's abs "relaxed" |
No 21s or barbell curls today. I stretch out to Billy Idol (he's touring Europe!) and go shower. The scale reads 107.2 lbs. I'm definitely heavier and I'm a tad concerned about my abs. I still feel a little bloated. The mirror's in the wrong place at the gym for me to look at my abs without blocking the doorway. At home I'm surprised at how hard it is to photograph yourself without reflexively contracting your stomach muscles.
I look at myself and definitely don't feel "too skinny" although my husband tells me in that tip-toe-through-a-minefield-way, that he agrees with the term skinny. "But in a good way," he adds. I tell him that skinny means stick-doll arms, and being so frail that the wind knocks you down. "Oh, no. Not that kind of skinny," he clarifies.
It doesn't matter though, because I'm still going to work out. My weight is stable even doing 5 miles a day because I'm eating more. I'm pretty sure if I cut out the bread and butter, and ice cream desserts, I'd start to lose weight, or at least body fat. But I don't feel the need to do that.
Sometimes your friends say things that aren't really very helpful either. I'm afraid that some friends are more comfortable with you in your old body, because they're unconsciously threatened by you in your new body. I'm pretty sure now that B would rather I was 20 lbs heavier and looked my age. She can't help it. "You've done in a year what took me 7 years to do," she once told me. I can't help it either. You have to know your "friends" and listen to yourself. Trust yourself. And then just get out there, and Do It!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Suprise Yourself!
It's the wet, cool Monday after a very busy weekend and I've probably drunk too much wine and eaten too much in general, and gone to be at 3 am for the past 3 nights. So, moving on auto-pilot, I get myself gym-attired, pack my stuff and my son's stuff and drive him off to the first day of summer camp, and then myself off to... well, what'd you think?
I'm a slug as I get onto the cardio equipment but iPods are wonderful devices and pretty soon I'm bopping along with my eyes closed, my hoodie flopping over my face and a big grin on my face. I tell myself that it's Monday so if I don't quite make it to 5 miles, well, that's okay. And the display reads 5.07 miles and I'm pretty damn happy. Shape.com has their free June music download available and 3 out of 5 are pretty darn good.
My elbow and shoulder are a bit achy so even though I'd like to push heavy today, I decide to ease off. I pyramid up my bench press on the Smith machine (12 reps at 95, 12 reps at 115 and 12 reps at 135 lbs) but my right thumb and wrist ping oddly even with the elbow braces on so I settle for the one good full set and then pyramid down without much resting in between. 115 feels a bit heavy but I muscle through a full 15 reps, and go for 25 reps at 95 lbs. The bar is ridiculously light so I move my hands further apart than shoulder's-width and get another 25 reps just for a stretch.
To give my upper body time to recuperate, I do abs (torso twists) and then to the cage to stretch and kick. That's almost a cardio workout in itself if you do it quick enough for enough reps. Shoulders are next and even though I can get 6 sets of 12-15 reps, I'm not convinced that I can handle more than the 15 lb dumbbells. Perhaps next time I'll add those magnetic disc weights. If only someone could tell me how much weight they actually add.
I haven't done decline benching in a while but the bench is occupied. I'm not interested enough to ask him about the bench so I do triceps instead, warming up with a quick set of dumbbell extensions with 15 lbs. The tricep push-down station is vacant and it already has the right angled bar on it. I'm game! 3 sets of 12 reps at 40 lbs is enough for me. I do 4 sets of 25 reps of inclined situps while holding a 10 lb weight to my chest. I've already done the twisting situps and lower ab kick-outs.
B tells me that she's leaving because she's been here since 7:30 am, and 4 hours is definitely enough. Then she tells me that I'd better not be losing more weight. I scoff at her and tell her that I'm wearing old clothes that are too big, which is true. She says, "But you don't see what we see." I go into the locker room and look at myself in the mirror.
Well, my pants are too big, yes it's true. The butt is all wrinkly and flat because it's too damn big. Because it's a medium and I don't wear medium anymore. I'm under 5 feet tall, so yeah, medium's gonna be too big. Jeez! But loose clothes are definitely comfy! I'm not a skin-tight lycra girl. I just can't do it — too damn self-conscious! I get on the scale and it reads a reassuring 108 lbs. Standard Monday weight after a piggy weekend.
I bought new, smaller workout clothes at Marshall's last week. I suppose I should start wearing them.
I'm a slug as I get onto the cardio equipment but iPods are wonderful devices and pretty soon I'm bopping along with my eyes closed, my hoodie flopping over my face and a big grin on my face. I tell myself that it's Monday so if I don't quite make it to 5 miles, well, that's okay. And the display reads 5.07 miles and I'm pretty damn happy. Shape.com has their free June music download available and 3 out of 5 are pretty darn good.
My elbow and shoulder are a bit achy so even though I'd like to push heavy today, I decide to ease off. I pyramid up my bench press on the Smith machine (12 reps at 95, 12 reps at 115 and 12 reps at 135 lbs) but my right thumb and wrist ping oddly even with the elbow braces on so I settle for the one good full set and then pyramid down without much resting in between. 115 feels a bit heavy but I muscle through a full 15 reps, and go for 25 reps at 95 lbs. The bar is ridiculously light so I move my hands further apart than shoulder's-width and get another 25 reps just for a stretch.
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| Trying kicking the side bars lightly. |
I haven't done decline benching in a while but the bench is occupied. I'm not interested enough to ask him about the bench so I do triceps instead, warming up with a quick set of dumbbell extensions with 15 lbs. The tricep push-down station is vacant and it already has the right angled bar on it. I'm game! 3 sets of 12 reps at 40 lbs is enough for me. I do 4 sets of 25 reps of inclined situps while holding a 10 lb weight to my chest. I've already done the twisting situps and lower ab kick-outs.
B tells me that she's leaving because she's been here since 7:30 am, and 4 hours is definitely enough. Then she tells me that I'd better not be losing more weight. I scoff at her and tell her that I'm wearing old clothes that are too big, which is true. She says, "But you don't see what we see." I go into the locker room and look at myself in the mirror.
Well, my pants are too big, yes it's true. The butt is all wrinkly and flat because it's too damn big. Because it's a medium and I don't wear medium anymore. I'm under 5 feet tall, so yeah, medium's gonna be too big. Jeez! But loose clothes are definitely comfy! I'm not a skin-tight lycra girl. I just can't do it — too damn self-conscious! I get on the scale and it reads a reassuring 108 lbs. Standard Monday weight after a piggy weekend.
I bought new, smaller workout clothes at Marshall's last week. I suppose I should start wearing them.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Something's Different
Something's different and it's not just this unusually hot weather. I remember June being humid and miserable, especially at school, which by the way, used to run until the end of the month. It's the last day of school for my son and of course, it's a half day so it's another abbreviated workout today.
Yes, I'm wearing a hoodie as I do my 45 minutes on the elliptical, and I'm very happy with my 5.08 miles. Today is Back (pull) and Biceps although I won't be doing much of the latter. Rows feel okay with the standard 3 sets of 12 at 90 lbs and 3 sets of 8 at 105 lbs.
I want a stronger, more powerful back. Maybe even a little thicker. I injured my back a long time ago while working in the college dining hall (best paying job on campus). It took months of painkillers, muscle relaxants and non-activity for it to finally heal. I almost failed out of school and actually withdrew from some of my tougher classes, not that I would've passed uninjured.
A classmate tried to warn me that I was basically done. "Once you screw up your back, it'll always be screwed up." He was speaking of his dad. But of course, I'm stubborn. Yes, my back's acted up in the past but it's been at least 10 years if not longer since anything remotely resembling my old injury has bothered me.
I credit post-college weightlifting at places like Brooklyn's 5th Avenue Bodybuilding (it closed last June), Better Bodies (NYC) and Madison Avenue Muscle (NYC). Now everything's a fitness club. Even the Gold's Gym (the name is virtually synonymous with Arnold and bodybuilding) I work out at has very few hardcore muscleheads.
Of course, one of the reasons I started lifting weights again was because I was having trouble picking up my then 54 lb son when he'd fall asleep in the livingroom. Now he's 64 lbs and I can still carry him to bed. Yes, his feet may dangle over my knees, but I can still pick him up. Yay!
The weather's suppose to be cooler, only 90°F today but I still look like someone's tossed me into a pool. No, not cool and refreshed. Just wet. Pulldowns, alternating dumbbell curls, lower back extensions, torso twists, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, reverse grip barbell rows. Time for stretching and then I gotta go. The schoolbus has been arriving earlier than anticipated although with my luck, I'll get there early and it'll be late. The scale reads 106 even. It must be the combination of breakfast and the extra protein shake I've been inhaling each afternoon. Or, I'm getting my period...
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| Image from www.simplyfitnessgear.com |
I want a stronger, more powerful back. Maybe even a little thicker. I injured my back a long time ago while working in the college dining hall (best paying job on campus). It took months of painkillers, muscle relaxants and non-activity for it to finally heal. I almost failed out of school and actually withdrew from some of my tougher classes, not that I would've passed uninjured.
A classmate tried to warn me that I was basically done. "Once you screw up your back, it'll always be screwed up." He was speaking of his dad. But of course, I'm stubborn. Yes, my back's acted up in the past but it's been at least 10 years if not longer since anything remotely resembling my old injury has bothered me.
I credit post-college weightlifting at places like Brooklyn's 5th Avenue Bodybuilding (it closed last June), Better Bodies (NYC) and Madison Avenue Muscle (NYC). Now everything's a fitness club. Even the Gold's Gym (the name is virtually synonymous with Arnold and bodybuilding) I work out at has very few hardcore muscleheads.
Of course, one of the reasons I started lifting weights again was because I was having trouble picking up my then 54 lb son when he'd fall asleep in the livingroom. Now he's 64 lbs and I can still carry him to bed. Yes, his feet may dangle over my knees, but I can still pick him up. Yay!
The weather's suppose to be cooler, only 90°F today but I still look like someone's tossed me into a pool. No, not cool and refreshed. Just wet. Pulldowns, alternating dumbbell curls, lower back extensions, torso twists, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, reverse grip barbell rows. Time for stretching and then I gotta go. The schoolbus has been arriving earlier than anticipated although with my luck, I'll get there early and it'll be late. The scale reads 106 even. It must be the combination of breakfast and the extra protein shake I've been inhaling each afternoon. Or, I'm getting my period...
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Summer Solstice was Yesterday?
For years I thought that the solstices fell on the 21st day of June and December. Apparently that's changed because even though today is the first day of summer, yesterday was the longest day. Or the hottest. I know it's been hotter, but it was hard to put my hoodie on over my gym clothes this morning. I did anyway. Didn't zip it up until I got on the cardio machine though. 45 min gives me 5.08 miles and I'm drenched.
Why do I wear the hoodies? One, because I'm usually cold when I first start out in the gym, and two, and this is probably closer to the truth, I like pulling the hoodie down over my eyes because I "run" with my eyes closed. And apparently, as B has told me, I have a big grin on my face.
"How can you be smiling going that fast?" she wants to know. But I can't imagine not because it feels so good. It's a weird kind of pleasure, not quite the breathlessness where your lungs ache. Sometimes I lip-synch along with my iPod. That'll definitely take your breath away! If I were a "hat" person, I'd have a baseball cap with the visor pulled down over my eyes. And third, the hoodie keeps my sopping wet hair from flopping all over the place and spraying innocent bystanders. (I've been having to wipe down all my stations with the paper towels and bleach solution the gym kindly places in strategic places.)
My shoulder is sore but I haven't changed my routine so that's puzzling. Muscles don't suddenly develop soreness for no reason. Aw hell, I decide to bench heavy today and get almost 3 sets of 12 reps at 135 lbs. On the last set I falter at 10 reps so to compensate, and because I'm disappointed in myself, I pyramid sets down without resting. Then off to do abs or cage stretching (and side-kicks) before I come back for the delts. Twisting situps and lower ab kick outs are so routine now that I lose count as soon as I hit 100. At the cage I realize that I'm knocking against it when I dip to do high side kicks. Hadn't noticed because I'd been too focused on hitting my targets (points on the cage) with my heel instead of the side of my foot. Gosh I'm such an idiot sometimes.
Not brave enough today to up my weights doing delts. 15 lb dumbbells for 3 sets of front raises, 6 sets of lateral raises and 6 sets of seated rear inclined raises. And I'm wearing braces on both elbows. At first I have the area to myself but soon the floor is inundated with gangly high school boys who really really have no idea what they're doing. Well, maybe the one or two jocks do, but the rest of them would be better off watching Schwarzenegger's Pumping Iron.
Tricep extensions ends my workout. I do a set with 15 lbs but I can get 20 reps. With my left arm (the weak arm). So I do another 2 sets with the 20 lb dumbbells. That's much harder, and my wrists aren't at all happy. I'm done. Just enough time to stretch out, shower and change. The scale works today and it reads 106.2 lbs. That feels right. I've actually been eating instant oatmeal for breakfast, and an extra protein shake when I get home. It's a great way to use spotty bananas! I'm looking to see a little increase in size somewhere (not my waist!) so I guess I'll just have to see what develops!
Why do I wear the hoodies? One, because I'm usually cold when I first start out in the gym, and two, and this is probably closer to the truth, I like pulling the hoodie down over my eyes because I "run" with my eyes closed. And apparently, as B has told me, I have a big grin on my face.
"How can you be smiling going that fast?" she wants to know. But I can't imagine not because it feels so good. It's a weird kind of pleasure, not quite the breathlessness where your lungs ache. Sometimes I lip-synch along with my iPod. That'll definitely take your breath away! If I were a "hat" person, I'd have a baseball cap with the visor pulled down over my eyes. And third, the hoodie keeps my sopping wet hair from flopping all over the place and spraying innocent bystanders. (I've been having to wipe down all my stations with the paper towels and bleach solution the gym kindly places in strategic places.)
My shoulder is sore but I haven't changed my routine so that's puzzling. Muscles don't suddenly develop soreness for no reason. Aw hell, I decide to bench heavy today and get almost 3 sets of 12 reps at 135 lbs. On the last set I falter at 10 reps so to compensate, and because I'm disappointed in myself, I pyramid sets down without resting. Then off to do abs or cage stretching (and side-kicks) before I come back for the delts. Twisting situps and lower ab kick outs are so routine now that I lose count as soon as I hit 100. At the cage I realize that I'm knocking against it when I dip to do high side kicks. Hadn't noticed because I'd been too focused on hitting my targets (points on the cage) with my heel instead of the side of my foot. Gosh I'm such an idiot sometimes.
Not brave enough today to up my weights doing delts. 15 lb dumbbells for 3 sets of front raises, 6 sets of lateral raises and 6 sets of seated rear inclined raises. And I'm wearing braces on both elbows. At first I have the area to myself but soon the floor is inundated with gangly high school boys who really really have no idea what they're doing. Well, maybe the one or two jocks do, but the rest of them would be better off watching Schwarzenegger's Pumping Iron.
Tricep extensions ends my workout. I do a set with 15 lbs but I can get 20 reps. With my left arm (the weak arm). So I do another 2 sets with the 20 lb dumbbells. That's much harder, and my wrists aren't at all happy. I'm done. Just enough time to stretch out, shower and change. The scale works today and it reads 106.2 lbs. That feels right. I've actually been eating instant oatmeal for breakfast, and an extra protein shake when I get home. It's a great way to use spotty bananas! I'm looking to see a little increase in size somewhere (not my waist!) so I guess I'll just have to see what develops!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Heat Wave Wednesday
You know it's hot outside when the gym actually feels comfortably cool when you enter from the parking lot. Still, I had my hoodie on and was ready for Leg Day. Well, not really ready ready. I'm still feeling sluggish, and when I got dressed this morning, I looked down and thought my belly looked a bit bloated. If I wasn't 52 years old, I'd think I was ovulating or something. Or maybe I am. I have to admit that I always felt pretty good during the actual menstrual cycle, unless I had cramps, which wasn't that often.
45 min of cardio gives me 5.02 miles and since it's Leg Day, I opt to do another 20 minutes of intervals which gives me an additional 2.29 miles so that's 7.31 miles. Okay, I feel pretty good now and I take my drippy sweaty self to the stretch cage and do a bunch of side-kicks and calf stretches. 3 sets of seated leg curls for hamstrings (15 reps at 75 lbs) and then to the Smith machine for Squats. I do 6 sets of 15 reps at 95 lbs and I can't stop sweating even though I've stripped off the sopping hoodie and have drunk half my water already. Afterwards, I put my elbow braces on, set up a plastic step under the bar and do 6 sets of Deadlifts (12 reps at 95 lbs). I'm so tired afterwards I manage to only do 1 pistol squat just to see if I can still do them. I can but my quads (thighs) are complaining. I still need to do abs and stretch and shower before rushing off to meet the school bus!
Since the school doesn't have a/c, I'm kinda glad it's a half day. We don't have a/c either, but a system of fans that keeps our house at a reasonable temperature. I sigh. The gym scale needs a new battery so I have no idea what I weigh, and the ladies are all outside chatting with the saleswoman selling some sort of Age Defying Elixir. I weigh myself when I get home but that's not altogether all that accurate since the home scale tends to weigh lower. It reads 104.8 lbs and I know it's lying but I don't care. I read Gina Kolata's article in yesterday's NYT and laugh because now Exercise Addicted Scientist also claim that they exercise because it feels good. Well, duh!
45 min of cardio gives me 5.02 miles and since it's Leg Day, I opt to do another 20 minutes of intervals which gives me an additional 2.29 miles so that's 7.31 miles. Okay, I feel pretty good now and I take my drippy sweaty self to the stretch cage and do a bunch of side-kicks and calf stretches. 3 sets of seated leg curls for hamstrings (15 reps at 75 lbs) and then to the Smith machine for Squats. I do 6 sets of 15 reps at 95 lbs and I can't stop sweating even though I've stripped off the sopping hoodie and have drunk half my water already. Afterwards, I put my elbow braces on, set up a plastic step under the bar and do 6 sets of Deadlifts (12 reps at 95 lbs). I'm so tired afterwards I manage to only do 1 pistol squat just to see if I can still do them. I can but my quads (thighs) are complaining. I still need to do abs and stretch and shower before rushing off to meet the school bus!
Since the school doesn't have a/c, I'm kinda glad it's a half day. We don't have a/c either, but a system of fans that keeps our house at a reasonable temperature. I sigh. The gym scale needs a new battery so I have no idea what I weigh, and the ladies are all outside chatting with the saleswoman selling some sort of Age Defying Elixir. I weigh myself when I get home but that's not altogether all that accurate since the home scale tends to weigh lower. It reads 104.8 lbs and I know it's lying but I don't care. I read Gina Kolata's article in yesterday's NYT and laugh because now Exercise Addicted Scientist also claim that they exercise because it feels good. Well, duh!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The Tuesday Before Summer Begins
I'm hearing that the rest of this week will be Heat Wave Hell with temps in the 90s, and cooler in Florida than up here in the NE. I hope the gym's got decent a/c then 'cuz I'm still going. Never mind that my son has 3 consecutive half days starting tomorrow until the school year ends. Which means I have to be at the school bus stop by 12:15 and he wouldn't've had lunch yet! I'm already trying to plan how to abbreviate my workout so that I can still do cardio, lift weights, stretch and shower and change my clothes. I can't get to the gym earlier as I'm the one putting him on the school bus at 8:30!
Woke up this morning feeling uncharacteristically achy. "What's with that?!" I ask myself and choose any one of a myriad of answers. Egads! I think with horror. Could I be getting my period? I'm at that age where I never quite know where I am in the fertility cycle. I've had great workouts for the last several months, but I haven't had my period since February either. I don't seem to get hot flashes, more like a slight warmth, as if I've started to blush. But that's about it. What I remember most about my cycles is that there was always one day right before where I felt superhuman great, and then the next day I'd feel as if someone had unplugged me from the Matrix (like a dead rag doll). I don't think I'm a high estrogen woman, so I'm kinda hoping that this "change" which can apparently go on for years (!!!), doesn't wreak the metabolic havoc that HRT was designed to alleviate. I'm an au natural kinda gal.
On the other hand, I started working out like a demon because hell, I don't want to be 20 lbs over weight at a point in my life where I physically can't get my metabolism to fire properly. There's a little voice in the back of my head that drones on about hitting the "change" and slowly morphing into a matronly doughgirl. Yes, work out like a demon and have high school boys panting and staring while they flex their biceps at you! (Kidding!)
45 min of cardio gives me 5.02 miles. B says, "I thought you were cutting back on your cardio?" and I tell her I feel like a spud today and I need to feel like a human being, and 5 miles gives me that. It's a Back and Bicep day except neither of us is doing much biceps due to the elbow problem. B seems to have the Tennis Elbow version (upper) of my Golfer Elbow (lower), so I tell her to put her wrist brace on her forearm instead.
Rows feel okay and I do my standard 3 sets of 12 at 90 lbs, 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs. I do lower back extensions, torso twists, stretch out in the cage and remember to do sit ups and kick outs along with the weighted inclined sit up. Pull downs don't feel too bad but I'm taking a long time to do 6 sets of 12 reps at 90 lbs. 4 sets of seat alternating bicep curls cause a nerve twinge in my right forearm that travels to my thumb so I loosen the brace slightly. The Reverse Grip Barbell Rows (50 lb barbell) always start out strong but it's such a whole body exercise that I'm tired by the 4th set. I do 6 sets and the last 3 reps are slow and arduous.
By the end of my workout, it's all I can do to keep myself from being carried away by the bouncy dance tunes in my iPod so that's my cue to do my stretch out/cool down routine. I keep adding moves from yoga and pilates so it actually looks a bit choreographed. If only I could get my horizontal split better. Well, that's something to work on. I head to the shower. The scale reads 106.6 which makes me feel good. Next week I'll have to drive my son to day camp before coming to the gym, so I'll be here even later (sigh). Well, I just have to make some adjustments. Nothing that can't be handled! Back tomorrow — it's a Leg Day!
Woke up this morning feeling uncharacteristically achy. "What's with that?!" I ask myself and choose any one of a myriad of answers. Egads! I think with horror. Could I be getting my period? I'm at that age where I never quite know where I am in the fertility cycle. I've had great workouts for the last several months, but I haven't had my period since February either. I don't seem to get hot flashes, more like a slight warmth, as if I've started to blush. But that's about it. What I remember most about my cycles is that there was always one day right before where I felt superhuman great, and then the next day I'd feel as if someone had unplugged me from the Matrix (like a dead rag doll). I don't think I'm a high estrogen woman, so I'm kinda hoping that this "change" which can apparently go on for years (!!!), doesn't wreak the metabolic havoc that HRT was designed to alleviate. I'm an au natural kinda gal.
On the other hand, I started working out like a demon because hell, I don't want to be 20 lbs over weight at a point in my life where I physically can't get my metabolism to fire properly. There's a little voice in the back of my head that drones on about hitting the "change" and slowly morphing into a matronly doughgirl. Yes, work out like a demon and have high school boys panting and staring while they flex their biceps at you! (Kidding!)
45 min of cardio gives me 5.02 miles. B says, "I thought you were cutting back on your cardio?" and I tell her I feel like a spud today and I need to feel like a human being, and 5 miles gives me that. It's a Back and Bicep day except neither of us is doing much biceps due to the elbow problem. B seems to have the Tennis Elbow version (upper) of my Golfer Elbow (lower), so I tell her to put her wrist brace on her forearm instead.
Rows feel okay and I do my standard 3 sets of 12 at 90 lbs, 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs. I do lower back extensions, torso twists, stretch out in the cage and remember to do sit ups and kick outs along with the weighted inclined sit up. Pull downs don't feel too bad but I'm taking a long time to do 6 sets of 12 reps at 90 lbs. 4 sets of seat alternating bicep curls cause a nerve twinge in my right forearm that travels to my thumb so I loosen the brace slightly. The Reverse Grip Barbell Rows (50 lb barbell) always start out strong but it's such a whole body exercise that I'm tired by the 4th set. I do 6 sets and the last 3 reps are slow and arduous.
By the end of my workout, it's all I can do to keep myself from being carried away by the bouncy dance tunes in my iPod so that's my cue to do my stretch out/cool down routine. I keep adding moves from yoga and pilates so it actually looks a bit choreographed. If only I could get my horizontal split better. Well, that's something to work on. I head to the shower. The scale reads 106.6 which makes me feel good. Next week I'll have to drive my son to day camp before coming to the gym, so I'll be here even later (sigh). Well, I just have to make some adjustments. Nothing that can't be handled! Back tomorrow — it's a Leg Day!
Monday, June 18, 2012
No Time for Regrets
Mondays are always hard because the weekends are soooo busy, and chock full o' endless indulgences. For instance, this past weekend contained not just Father's Day, but the end of year picnic for my son's Chinese language school. Of course we ate well. But even though the day started before 9 am on Saturday, my son needed a playdate after the picnic (which ended at roughly 5 pm) so we were off to Danbury for that and pizza and beer, and we didn't get home until after 10 pm. Thank goodness dogs can't tell time, and ours, fearsome beast that he is, sleeps most of the time.
Father's Day we went to my son's last swim class for the term, then drove several miles north to indulge at Big W's Roadside BBQ. I can never finish my brisket sandwich so that gets carefully wrapped in tinfoil while we journey west to Johnny Gelato to see what delicious treats they have freshly made. For dinner, I'd already started defrosting boneless, skinless chicken thighs some nights before so they had to be cooked. My son'd been asking for chicken noodle soup so I complied: slice and sweat garlic and onions in a tiny bit of vegetable oil, add seasoned (salt, pepper, garlic powder) chicken thighs to brown, add 2 cups of sliced "baby" carrots. Set to simmer. Put lid on until there's a nice broth at the bottom of the pot. Add 1/4 cup sherry and splash of low sodium soy. Add washed baby bok choy. Cook fresh noodles in a separate pot. Drain noodles and combine with chicken and vegetables. Delish!
Ah, but Monday rolls around and I'm not feeling the love. Actually I feel like a slug. No time to think about how much I'd rather lay in bed. I get my son on the school bus, and I'm off to the gym. I know I need the 45 min of cardio just to feel human. 4.92 miles is normal first day of the week, and I know I'll get progressively faster (more miles) as the week moves on. I feel heavier. I reason that I'm probably stronger, so what the heck. I bench 3 sets of 12 reps on the Smith at 135 lbs. It feels pretty good although that's only because I haven't thrown up on myself afterwards. Once these sets start to feel "easy" it'll be time to up the weights. But not just yet.
Delts (shoulders), cage stretch and side-kicks, torso twist, sit ups, kick outs, and decline benching all fall into order as I make my way between stations. The gym is crowded today with some extremely large-looking children. Okay, they're teenage boys who can't shave yet, and barely know how to handle their dumbbells so I stay waaaay out of their way.
I finally find the angled tricep push down bar and knock out a "burn out" set which basically means I knock out sets of 12 at 40 lbs, and when I can only get 10 reps, I immediately drop the weight to 30 lbs and knock out at least 12 reps. Or try to. Actually, this time I get 15 reps, so then I do 20 reps at 20 lbs. It's a good workout but not one you can do each session. The boys look mortified.
I stretch out, warm down and go shower. The scale reads 108. I AM heavier. But my clothes fit the same so I'm not worried. I'm only going to worry if I start to feel my new clothes are getting too tight. Then I'll have a problem. Right now I've got too many things to do today, and there's no time to waste with non-productive things. Like regret. Back tomorrow!
Father's Day we went to my son's last swim class for the term, then drove several miles north to indulge at Big W's Roadside BBQ. I can never finish my brisket sandwich so that gets carefully wrapped in tinfoil while we journey west to Johnny Gelato to see what delicious treats they have freshly made. For dinner, I'd already started defrosting boneless, skinless chicken thighs some nights before so they had to be cooked. My son'd been asking for chicken noodle soup so I complied: slice and sweat garlic and onions in a tiny bit of vegetable oil, add seasoned (salt, pepper, garlic powder) chicken thighs to brown, add 2 cups of sliced "baby" carrots. Set to simmer. Put lid on until there's a nice broth at the bottom of the pot. Add 1/4 cup sherry and splash of low sodium soy. Add washed baby bok choy. Cook fresh noodles in a separate pot. Drain noodles and combine with chicken and vegetables. Delish!
Ah, but Monday rolls around and I'm not feeling the love. Actually I feel like a slug. No time to think about how much I'd rather lay in bed. I get my son on the school bus, and I'm off to the gym. I know I need the 45 min of cardio just to feel human. 4.92 miles is normal first day of the week, and I know I'll get progressively faster (more miles) as the week moves on. I feel heavier. I reason that I'm probably stronger, so what the heck. I bench 3 sets of 12 reps on the Smith at 135 lbs. It feels pretty good although that's only because I haven't thrown up on myself afterwards. Once these sets start to feel "easy" it'll be time to up the weights. But not just yet.
Delts (shoulders), cage stretch and side-kicks, torso twist, sit ups, kick outs, and decline benching all fall into order as I make my way between stations. The gym is crowded today with some extremely large-looking children. Okay, they're teenage boys who can't shave yet, and barely know how to handle their dumbbells so I stay waaaay out of their way.
I finally find the angled tricep push down bar and knock out a "burn out" set which basically means I knock out sets of 12 at 40 lbs, and when I can only get 10 reps, I immediately drop the weight to 30 lbs and knock out at least 12 reps. Or try to. Actually, this time I get 15 reps, so then I do 20 reps at 20 lbs. It's a good workout but not one you can do each session. The boys look mortified.
I stretch out, warm down and go shower. The scale reads 108. I AM heavier. But my clothes fit the same so I'm not worried. I'm only going to worry if I start to feel my new clothes are getting too tight. Then I'll have a problem. Right now I've got too many things to do today, and there's no time to waste with non-productive things. Like regret. Back tomorrow!
Friday, June 15, 2012
It's a Beautiful Sunny Friday and I'm Where?
You can tell us "gym rats" because we scurry toward the badly lit areas on a bright gorgeous sunny day. Yes, we go to the gym. Like we always do. Because it's Friday. No excuses needed!
It's Friday and I've gotten used to scarfing down the packet of instant oatmeal with my instant coffee before I head off to sweaty bliss. My butt's a bit sore from yesterday and the hamstrings are stiff, but nothing that a good bout of cardio won't fix. Seriously. If you're sore and achy, go DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL. Get the blood moving and your recovery time will be greatly improved. I spaced out while keying the input so only did 40 minutes on the elliptical for 4.44 miles. It felt good anyway so I'm satisfied.
Fighting the urge to do Big Movements (chest/back/legs), I did 6 sets of close grip bench presses to work triceps. The further apart your hands are, the more you work chest (pectorals). I wore both my Golfer Elbow braces for the 3 sets at 85 lbs because I could feel my forearms twinging. Can't imagine enough exercises to justify just doing arms (and abs) today so I toss in shoulders as well. I love doing shoulders because it's so damn rewarding! There's nothing to boost the ego more than glancing in the mirror at nicely defined delts, especially now that summer's here and it's tank top weather.
Resisting the urge to up my weights, I stick with my 15 lb dumbbells and do lateral raises (6 sets), front raises (3 sets because benching also works front delts), and finally, seated inclined rear raises (6 sets at 15 reps). I do 3 sets of light (30 lbs) barbell upright rows but the left forearm is complaining, even with the elbow brace. Back to triceps. 3 sets of one arm dumbbell extensions with 20 lbs. Be careful not to clock yourself in the back of the head when doing this!
I alternate with sets of seated alternating dumbbell curls for biceps. The right forearm gets a nerve zing so I have to loosen that brace slightly. All this movement will cause your arm muscles to engorge with blood. It's a good thing, and it's very temporary. I still can't find the angled press down bar (the straight bar hurts my wrists and forearms) so I opt to do sets of 25 reps of French presses: lay on a bench with a light EZ curl bar (15 lbs), keep arms straight up, bend at elbows so that bar comes slowly down to your forehead (pronated grip). Again, don't clock yourself in the head doing this! For biceps, I do 3 sets of 21s. Yup, as its name suggests, the exercise is based on 21 reps per set: 7 reps of full curls with a light bar (I use a 30 lb barbell), then 7 reps of half reps going from shoulder to chest, then the remainder 7 reps going from belly to hip. It's killer! But hell, you'll have nice arms!
The scale reads 106.0. Must'a been those glasses of Barefoot moscato wine I had last night. I know wine doesn't keep and I used half the bottle to poach the remainder salmon. I'm not a dry white drinker (it gives me massive heartburn) but sweet whites are okay. I toss leftover sour cream into the poaching liquid and add mustard to make a sauce for the salmon. It was nice. I've got cod for tonight, and my son made me promise to make chicken & noodles (soup) this weekend. Like I keep saying, Work out like a Demon and eat like a... Civilized Human Being!
It's Friday and I've gotten used to scarfing down the packet of instant oatmeal with my instant coffee before I head off to sweaty bliss. My butt's a bit sore from yesterday and the hamstrings are stiff, but nothing that a good bout of cardio won't fix. Seriously. If you're sore and achy, go DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL. Get the blood moving and your recovery time will be greatly improved. I spaced out while keying the input so only did 40 minutes on the elliptical for 4.44 miles. It felt good anyway so I'm satisfied.
Fighting the urge to do Big Movements (chest/back/legs), I did 6 sets of close grip bench presses to work triceps. The further apart your hands are, the more you work chest (pectorals). I wore both my Golfer Elbow braces for the 3 sets at 85 lbs because I could feel my forearms twinging. Can't imagine enough exercises to justify just doing arms (and abs) today so I toss in shoulders as well. I love doing shoulders because it's so damn rewarding! There's nothing to boost the ego more than glancing in the mirror at nicely defined delts, especially now that summer's here and it's tank top weather.
Resisting the urge to up my weights, I stick with my 15 lb dumbbells and do lateral raises (6 sets), front raises (3 sets because benching also works front delts), and finally, seated inclined rear raises (6 sets at 15 reps). I do 3 sets of light (30 lbs) barbell upright rows but the left forearm is complaining, even with the elbow brace. Back to triceps. 3 sets of one arm dumbbell extensions with 20 lbs. Be careful not to clock yourself in the back of the head when doing this!I alternate with sets of seated alternating dumbbell curls for biceps. The right forearm gets a nerve zing so I have to loosen that brace slightly. All this movement will cause your arm muscles to engorge with blood. It's a good thing, and it's very temporary. I still can't find the angled press down bar (the straight bar hurts my wrists and forearms) so I opt to do sets of 25 reps of French presses: lay on a bench with a light EZ curl bar (15 lbs), keep arms straight up, bend at elbows so that bar comes slowly down to your forehead (pronated grip). Again, don't clock yourself in the head doing this! For biceps, I do 3 sets of 21s. Yup, as its name suggests, the exercise is based on 21 reps per set: 7 reps of full curls with a light bar (I use a 30 lb barbell), then 7 reps of half reps going from shoulder to chest, then the remainder 7 reps going from belly to hip. It's killer! But hell, you'll have nice arms!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
A Few Thoughts on Legs
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| Mirror shots are not accurate |
I do a warm up set of Seated Leg Curls (15 reps at 60 lbs) and then 2 more sets at 75 lbs. The Smith is free so I do Squats: 6 sets of 15 reps at 95 lbs. I could go heavier and do less reps but I don't want bigger thighs. I just want nice thighs. Heck, I'm lucky they fit into the $2 hot pink jegging-jeans I bought at Kmart a few months ago! Afterwards, I do 6 sets of Deadlifts at the same 95 lbs but with a platform underneath the bar to give me a better stretch. I show my friend B how to do them and she remarks that it's the first time she's ever felt the exercise work her glutes and hams. Which is what they're suppose to do!
She's off to do Calf Raises which I avoid like the plague. I got big calves already. I go back and do another 3 sets of Seated Leg Curls, knock out about 150 twisting situps and lower ab kickouts. I incline the bench to do Weighted Situps and the bench slides further than anticipated. But I'm too lazy to readjust the incline back to 45° from 30°. Man! These are much much harder and I barely squeak out 4 sets of 25 reps with the 10 lb plate. The last 5 reps on each set are killer.Torso twists followed by a nice boppy stretch-out cool down (Billy Idol, natch!) and I'm done. The scale reads 105.4. I get on twice just to double-check. I'm a bit surprised because I ate well last night. Made fresh salmon marinated briefly in soy, ginger and sake, then pan-seared in butter for 10 minutes, served with pan-roasted yellow sweet potatoes, and lettuce from our garden. My son & I had cherry vanilla ice cream for dessert, adorned with chocolate shell and fresh blackberries. Yup. Work out like a demon, and eat like... a human being. That's the whole point — not to give in to middle-age lethargy and the dreary inevitability of age. Do not go gentle into that good night!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Hump Day
Hump Day, humpty dumpty day, well, actually, it's Wednesday and I'm only going to do Back and Abs. After I do cardio, of course. Of course! I even ate a packet of instant apples & cinnamon oatmeal this morning and washed it down with instant Starbucks Via coffee. I like the dark French or Italian roasts because they hold up to a spoon of sugar and fake half 'n half. I used a straw to sip my coffee today because I'm still trying to get my upper and lower front teeth to match in color, and after using the dental bleach, I worry that my teeth are so porous that coffee'll just soak right in there. But they are brighter. Not movie star bright (like my dentist promised) but definitely whiter. At least I don't feel as if I've come from a 3rd world country where dental care is non-existent.
45 minutes and I'm happy with my 5.14 miles. I'm wearing a LLBean fitness hoodie today. I used to like them a lot but find that they retain odors even after washing, so I'm not very pleased with them anymore. If anything, I've become quite fond of the heavy cotton hoodies I got from Land's End. They soak up a lot of sweat, and they wash out clean.
Back day means Cable Rows, Back Extensions, Pull Downs, and eventually Reverse Grip Barbell Rows. I do 3 sets of rows with 12 reps at 90 lbs, followed by another 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs. My elbows feel OK so I'm not wearing elbow braces for this. It's not until I decide to do close grip chin ups that I need to wrap my forearms. I forgot how much fun it is to chin yourself and get your head to peek over the cage. I'm only good for 10 but it was worth it. Pull downs suck today. Even with my forearms wrapped, my grip on the bar is tenuous so I have to be satisfied with 5 sets of 10 reps at 90 lbs. I figure it's better than not doing them at all. After abs (torso twist, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, weighted inclined situps), I grab the 50 lb barbell, saunter over to the mirrored wall and proceed to squeak out 6 sets. My goal is 15 reps per set, but by the 5th set, I'm lucky to get 12 reps with my form intact.
No biceps today. I'm going to save myself for an Arm Day on Friday. Right now, my forearms are sore and marked up from the pressure of the elbow braces and it'll take a while for those rather alarming but harmless indentations to fade. I go stretch out to Billy Idol and head toward the showers. The scale reads 106.4 and I'm good with that. Tomorrow's a Leg Day but other than Squats, Deadlifts and Seated Leg Curls, I'm not sure what I'll be doing. Maybe I'll add a few Pistol Squats back in for fun. Yeah, right.
Back day means Cable Rows, Back Extensions, Pull Downs, and eventually Reverse Grip Barbell Rows. I do 3 sets of rows with 12 reps at 90 lbs, followed by another 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs. My elbows feel OK so I'm not wearing elbow braces for this. It's not until I decide to do close grip chin ups that I need to wrap my forearms. I forgot how much fun it is to chin yourself and get your head to peek over the cage. I'm only good for 10 but it was worth it. Pull downs suck today. Even with my forearms wrapped, my grip on the bar is tenuous so I have to be satisfied with 5 sets of 10 reps at 90 lbs. I figure it's better than not doing them at all. After abs (torso twist, twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, weighted inclined situps), I grab the 50 lb barbell, saunter over to the mirrored wall and proceed to squeak out 6 sets. My goal is 15 reps per set, but by the 5th set, I'm lucky to get 12 reps with my form intact.
No biceps today. I'm going to save myself for an Arm Day on Friday. Right now, my forearms are sore and marked up from the pressure of the elbow braces and it'll take a while for those rather alarming but harmless indentations to fade. I go stretch out to Billy Idol and head toward the showers. The scale reads 106.4 and I'm good with that. Tomorrow's a Leg Day but other than Squats, Deadlifts and Seated Leg Curls, I'm not sure what I'll be doing. Maybe I'll add a few Pistol Squats back in for fun. Yeah, right.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The Tuesday After...
I went to the Bronx Zoo yesterday with my son's first grade class and it was a lot of fun. Not only was it a blisteringly hot day with enough clouds to threaten rain, but several other schools were on their annual outing as well. Still, it was fun and we got to ride the Monorail, visit the Reptile House, see tigers, peacocks, camels, assorted rodents and experience the Butterfly House (not quite as personal as Rainbow's End Butterfly Farm) with its huge variety of beautiful fluttering wings.
As I loaded my gym bag into the car, I kept thinking about how much I didn't really feel like working out. Three days of being a slug was starting to feel attractive. Nevertheless, with everything set on auto-pilot, I drive the familiar route to the gym, stow my stuff in a locker and get my iPod plugged in. Nothing like a routine to force you to do the things you should.
45 min later, I've got 4.91 miles, a soaked hoodie and I'm eyeing the vacant Smith machine. I only get 11 reps at 135 lbs, basically because I start to doubt myself on the 10th rep. I get 3 sets, always faltering at the 11th rep. I've gotta stop playing mind games with myself. The ab stations are full so I go stretch and throw out side kicks at the stretch cage, then come back to the weight area to do shoulders: delts. Standard 3 front dumbbell raises supersetting with lateral raises. I really need to either add weight or something. 15 lbs is getting too easy and I'm not sure I really want to do more than 15 reps per set. I do 3 more sets of lateral raises then 5 sets of rear inclined seated raises. Yup. I've got to up the weights or something.
After abs, I go back and do Declines benching but only get 2 sets of 12 reps at 95 lbs. My elbows are sore and I've been sporting the Golfer Elbow brace like a big mourning band. But since everything else I'm wearing is black, well, I figure it just sort of blends right in. I don't do triceps, toying with the idea of doing pushups later on, but I don't do those either.
I'm thinking tomorrow I'll do Back and Legs on Thurs, and perhaps see how an Arm Day (bi's and tri's) feels for Friday. It's not a routine I'm used to but this is a short week and if you're feeling bored, the best thing to do is to change the routine. The scale reads 107.2 which is what I expected. I psyche myself to go to the local Marshall's because I really need to get some inexpensive gym clothes that fit. My sport bras are all too big now so I'm afraid to bend over! I like my pants loose but apparently that's not how sport pants are suppose to fit. Que sera...
Some people think I don't eat which is so not true. Some people think I eat like a hog all the time and never put on weight, which is also soooo not true. The whole point is to change your lifestyle to include enough exercise (cardio to burn calories and hopefully fat, weight lifting to build muscle to increase strength, and metabolism) so that you can eat like a human being (and not a rabbit) and still maintain an attractive size. That means eating in moderation most of the time. It's not a diet. It's a way of life so it has to be "sustainable". Everything else is fantasy.
As I loaded my gym bag into the car, I kept thinking about how much I didn't really feel like working out. Three days of being a slug was starting to feel attractive. Nevertheless, with everything set on auto-pilot, I drive the familiar route to the gym, stow my stuff in a locker and get my iPod plugged in. Nothing like a routine to force you to do the things you should.
45 min later, I've got 4.91 miles, a soaked hoodie and I'm eyeing the vacant Smith machine. I only get 11 reps at 135 lbs, basically because I start to doubt myself on the 10th rep. I get 3 sets, always faltering at the 11th rep. I've gotta stop playing mind games with myself. The ab stations are full so I go stretch and throw out side kicks at the stretch cage, then come back to the weight area to do shoulders: delts. Standard 3 front dumbbell raises supersetting with lateral raises. I really need to either add weight or something. 15 lbs is getting too easy and I'm not sure I really want to do more than 15 reps per set. I do 3 more sets of lateral raises then 5 sets of rear inclined seated raises. Yup. I've got to up the weights or something.
After abs, I go back and do Declines benching but only get 2 sets of 12 reps at 95 lbs. My elbows are sore and I've been sporting the Golfer Elbow brace like a big mourning band. But since everything else I'm wearing is black, well, I figure it just sort of blends right in. I don't do triceps, toying with the idea of doing pushups later on, but I don't do those either.
I'm thinking tomorrow I'll do Back and Legs on Thurs, and perhaps see how an Arm Day (bi's and tri's) feels for Friday. It's not a routine I'm used to but this is a short week and if you're feeling bored, the best thing to do is to change the routine. The scale reads 107.2 which is what I expected. I psyche myself to go to the local Marshall's because I really need to get some inexpensive gym clothes that fit. My sport bras are all too big now so I'm afraid to bend over! I like my pants loose but apparently that's not how sport pants are suppose to fit. Que sera...
Some people think I don't eat which is so not true. Some people think I eat like a hog all the time and never put on weight, which is also soooo not true. The whole point is to change your lifestyle to include enough exercise (cardio to burn calories and hopefully fat, weight lifting to build muscle to increase strength, and metabolism) so that you can eat like a human being (and not a rabbit) and still maintain an attractive size. That means eating in moderation most of the time. It's not a diet. It's a way of life so it has to be "sustainable". Everything else is fantasy.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Freaking Friday
I admit that I'm a bit compulsive but that doesn't quite explain why I get so frenetic when I think about missing a workout. Monday I'll be one of the chaperones on my son's school trip to the Bronx Zoo. Sounds like fun! And all I can think about is how much I'm going to miss my workout.
Because we went out last night for dinner to our local seafood restaurant, I stuffed myself like a little piggy AND I had a glass of wine, I'm wondering how my workout is going to be today. 30 minutes of cardio gets me warm and sweaty and an acceptable 3.31 miles. Today is a Back day but I'm adding Legs because I can't really do a decent biceps routine. Plus I'm a little worried about the ravenous appetite I had yesterday. Really. After I got home (I'd already sucked down the Ensure in the parking lot) I made myself a protein shake (20 gm whey protein) with a banana and 10 oz of fat free milk. Then I had several slices of roasted garlic ciabatta bread topped with butter. Then we had sauteed vongoles and fried calamari appetizers, salad (with honey mustard dressing), bread with roasted garlic olive oil, king salmon with white wine and caper reduction, some roasted potatoes and sauteed slivers of red peppers and zucchini, and most of a serving of cheesecake. Plus a glass of cabernet.
This morning I skip the oatmeal and only have coffee. My stomach growls at me when I get on the cardio machine but it soon quiets down. (I won't hear from it again until I get into the shower later.) Rowing feels pretty good with 3 sets of 15 reps at 90 lbs and another 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs.
Pull downs, on the other hand, don't feel so good because they're aggravating my right inside elbow again. I put on the Golfer Elbow brace I bought at CVS and do pull downs anyway. I scope out the assisted pull up machine and determine that the grip is too thick and too wide for me. Damn these tiny hands and fingers. (sigh)
Squats and deadlifts feel pretty good though and I do 5 sets of each with 95 lbs. The brace helps me with the deadlifts because I don't worry so much about my elbow as I straighten up. Bent over reverse grip barbell rows have me feeling a bit tired but I like the way I can feel my lats when I do them. And I admit to a thrill seeing biceps flex in the mirror. Mirrors are very helpful to ensure that you're doing your forms correctly (otherwise you can really hurt yourself). 3 sets of alternating 20 lb bicep curls finishes the workout.
I drink the last of my 1.5 liters and wonder whether I should actually purchase another bottle of water from the desk. The gym is warm but not unpleasant. It's the high school boys draped over the benches, spending more time chatting than pumping iron that's annoying. No wonder they look like 98 lb desk jockeys. I stretch and I'm done. Surprisingly the scale reads 106.2 lbs. It's a freaky Friday.
Because we went out last night for dinner to our local seafood restaurant, I stuffed myself like a little piggy AND I had a glass of wine, I'm wondering how my workout is going to be today. 30 minutes of cardio gets me warm and sweaty and an acceptable 3.31 miles. Today is a Back day but I'm adding Legs because I can't really do a decent biceps routine. Plus I'm a little worried about the ravenous appetite I had yesterday. Really. After I got home (I'd already sucked down the Ensure in the parking lot) I made myself a protein shake (20 gm whey protein) with a banana and 10 oz of fat free milk. Then I had several slices of roasted garlic ciabatta bread topped with butter. Then we had sauteed vongoles and fried calamari appetizers, salad (with honey mustard dressing), bread with roasted garlic olive oil, king salmon with white wine and caper reduction, some roasted potatoes and sauteed slivers of red peppers and zucchini, and most of a serving of cheesecake. Plus a glass of cabernet.
This morning I skip the oatmeal and only have coffee. My stomach growls at me when I get on the cardio machine but it soon quiets down. (I won't hear from it again until I get into the shower later.) Rowing feels pretty good with 3 sets of 15 reps at 90 lbs and another 3 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs.
Pull downs, on the other hand, don't feel so good because they're aggravating my right inside elbow again. I put on the Golfer Elbow brace I bought at CVS and do pull downs anyway. I scope out the assisted pull up machine and determine that the grip is too thick and too wide for me. Damn these tiny hands and fingers. (sigh)
Squats and deadlifts feel pretty good though and I do 5 sets of each with 95 lbs. The brace helps me with the deadlifts because I don't worry so much about my elbow as I straighten up. Bent over reverse grip barbell rows have me feeling a bit tired but I like the way I can feel my lats when I do them. And I admit to a thrill seeing biceps flex in the mirror. Mirrors are very helpful to ensure that you're doing your forms correctly (otherwise you can really hurt yourself). 3 sets of alternating 20 lb bicep curls finishes the workout.
I drink the last of my 1.5 liters and wonder whether I should actually purchase another bottle of water from the desk. The gym is warm but not unpleasant. It's the high school boys draped over the benches, spending more time chatting than pumping iron that's annoying. No wonder they look like 98 lb desk jockeys. I stretch and I'm done. Surprisingly the scale reads 106.2 lbs. It's a freaky Friday.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Too Tired to Know if I'm Tired?
Thursday is Push Day. There's also a chance of going to cardio kickboxing tonight. The summer schedule came out and in two weeks it'll be difficult for me and my husband to take the same class because everything's shifted around. Not that we've been able to make many of the classes lately anyway. We've also been looking at actual kickboxing classes given by MMA (mixed martial arts) gyms but I think we're too busy, and too lazy to actually pursue those venues because they're miles away.
This morning I eat a 1/2 cup of (pre-cooked and microwave reheated) oatmeal with a teaspoon of honey, and I manage to wash it down with my cup of instant Starbucks. Push push push. I feel defiant and set the cross-trainer for 45 minutes and plug in my old standard cardio mix to get 5.13 miles. Happiness is doing more than 5 miles. Okay, I've got a weird sense of priorities and that's why I'm a gym rat.
But I'm not feeling the love today. The gym is too crowded and too noisy even though the product sales display is gone. I see my opportunity to use the Decline Bench and grab it (there's only one at my gym). I go fairly easy today since I benched heavy on Monday. Pros only work one body part a week but I'm not comfortable with that.
I pyramid up to 3 sets of 13 reps with 95 lbs (bar + 25 lbs each side), and then pyramid back down until my last set is 25 reps with just the bar (45 lbs). The dumbbell area has cleared so I amble over there to do delts. I ditch the pretty shiny chrome-plated 15 lb "beauty bells" and opt for standard dumbbells. My forearms and elbows ping slightly with sets of front raises but otherwise everything feels fairly routine. To add a little spice, I opt to do bent over rear flyes instead of seated incline rear flyes. This means basically putting your chest in your lap and slowly flapping your arms like a wounded bird.
Normally I'll do abs and the cage stretch/kicks, then return to the Smith for more benching, but I'm not motivated to do any more chest today. Besides someone's using the Smith to do military presses. I grab a 15 lb dumbbell and do a set of tricep extensions. Switch to the 20 lbs to do 3 more sets but the left arm lags and I can only get 8 reps at the end. Abs beckon and I grind my way through the twisting situps, kickouts and weighted situps. I get impatient so my first set is 50 reps with the 10 lb plate. Then 2 more sets at 25 reps. I think I'm tired but I'm not sure.
I can't find the angled bar for tricep pressdowns so I have to use the straight bar that's already attached. It puts more pressure on my wrists and forearms than the angled one so I don't feel I can push as much weight. Still I get a set 12 at 40 lbs. Normally I get 3 sets. Instead, I pyramid down to 30 lbs (12 reps), then 20 lbs (25 reps). I'm done. And I wonder if I'll fall on my face doing pushups at kickboxing class tonight. Hell, I knocked out 51 of them on Monday and I wonder if I should do more today. But that thought lingers for 1/2 second before evaporating with my water. I've drained my water bottle and I refuse to drink from the fountain.
Stretching out on the mat is very comforting even though I'm usually moving to the beat in my iPod so I'm usually pretty sweaty even doing a "cool-down" stretch. But it feels good. And the hot shower afterwards feels even better. The scale reads 106.4 and I wonder what that's about. But I don't wonder too hard. Because, damn it, I'm tired. And hungry (the protein shake is in the car), and I still have grocery shopping to do. (sigh)
This morning I eat a 1/2 cup of (pre-cooked and microwave reheated) oatmeal with a teaspoon of honey, and I manage to wash it down with my cup of instant Starbucks. Push push push. I feel defiant and set the cross-trainer for 45 minutes and plug in my old standard cardio mix to get 5.13 miles. Happiness is doing more than 5 miles. Okay, I've got a weird sense of priorities and that's why I'm a gym rat.
But I'm not feeling the love today. The gym is too crowded and too noisy even though the product sales display is gone. I see my opportunity to use the Decline Bench and grab it (there's only one at my gym). I go fairly easy today since I benched heavy on Monday. Pros only work one body part a week but I'm not comfortable with that.
 |
| Self portraits are surprisingly hard to do. |
I pyramid up to 3 sets of 13 reps with 95 lbs (bar + 25 lbs each side), and then pyramid back down until my last set is 25 reps with just the bar (45 lbs). The dumbbell area has cleared so I amble over there to do delts. I ditch the pretty shiny chrome-plated 15 lb "beauty bells" and opt for standard dumbbells. My forearms and elbows ping slightly with sets of front raises but otherwise everything feels fairly routine. To add a little spice, I opt to do bent over rear flyes instead of seated incline rear flyes. This means basically putting your chest in your lap and slowly flapping your arms like a wounded bird.
Normally I'll do abs and the cage stretch/kicks, then return to the Smith for more benching, but I'm not motivated to do any more chest today. Besides someone's using the Smith to do military presses. I grab a 15 lb dumbbell and do a set of tricep extensions. Switch to the 20 lbs to do 3 more sets but the left arm lags and I can only get 8 reps at the end. Abs beckon and I grind my way through the twisting situps, kickouts and weighted situps. I get impatient so my first set is 50 reps with the 10 lb plate. Then 2 more sets at 25 reps. I think I'm tired but I'm not sure.
I can't find the angled bar for tricep pressdowns so I have to use the straight bar that's already attached. It puts more pressure on my wrists and forearms than the angled one so I don't feel I can push as much weight. Still I get a set 12 at 40 lbs. Normally I get 3 sets. Instead, I pyramid down to 30 lbs (12 reps), then 20 lbs (25 reps). I'm done. And I wonder if I'll fall on my face doing pushups at kickboxing class tonight. Hell, I knocked out 51 of them on Monday and I wonder if I should do more today. But that thought lingers for 1/2 second before evaporating with my water. I've drained my water bottle and I refuse to drink from the fountain.
Stretching out on the mat is very comforting even though I'm usually moving to the beat in my iPod so I'm usually pretty sweaty even doing a "cool-down" stretch. But it feels good. And the hot shower afterwards feels even better. The scale reads 106.4 and I wonder what that's about. But I don't wonder too hard. Because, damn it, I'm tired. And hungry (the protein shake is in the car), and I still have grocery shopping to do. (sigh)
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Allure of Instant Beauty
Today the gym was more crowded than usual, or at least it seemed that way because people who usually leave after taking a class or two were hanging about to sample new products being hawked by some fitness guru (sigh). It's not as if he were handing out gold bars for free either. These products are really pricey! I'm not really sure what they're suppose to do besides promise eternal youth and beauty. At a cost. I'm just annoyed because he set up his display in the stretch out area.
Today I ate a packet of instant oatmeal and half a cup of coffee because I'm just too full to eat or drink any more than that at 7:30 am. It's Leg Day Wednesday so I'm very happy to be able to justify doing an hour of cardio which I break up into a 45 min and a 20 min session. I decided to listen to Billy Idol for the entire session and I get 7.19 miles out of it. Now I'm really happy. My hoodie is soaked and I feel great. Kicks and stretches in the cage, then a quick 3 sets of seated leg curls. Because I dip my heels in my stretches, I don't feel the need to work my calves.
Oooh, even though the gym is crowded, the Smith is free so I set up to do squats. I do 6 sets of 15 reps of 95 lbs (bar + 25 lb plate each side). My knees aren't happy, but they don't actually hurt. They just feel "tired". I decide to modify the deadlift by standing on a raised platform and also by keeping my elbows ever so slightly bent (in deference to my elbow problems). This allows me to drop the bar lower and it feels more productive. Remember, I'm pretty flexible but with a long torso and short legs so standing on a box gives my hamstrings more of a stretch. I do 6 sets of 15 reps at a mere 85 lbs. Then I feel guilty about monopolizing the Smith (it's the only one in the gym) so I move on to abs.
Standard twisting situps, lower ab kickouts, toros rotations and then the 4 sets of weighted inclined situps. The last 4 reps of the last set of 25 actually take my breath away. I'm such a glutton for punishment. I stopped using the adductor and abductor machines when I discovered that they were making my hips so tight, I couldn't properly stretch out. Sometimes you have to give things up in order to gain other things. I'm also not sure if I'll return to the leg extension machine, purportedly to strengthen the muscles stabilizing the knee. I've not found them to be helpful to me and I stopped doing them when I stopped doing the other leg machines.
Even though I'll never have long legs (who am I kidding at 4'11.5"?), I'd like at least the illusion of longer legs. I think the cardio helps me with that by making my thighs thinner. With the typical SE Asian body type (long torso, long thighs but short calves), I'm limited by my genetics. The trick is understanding the limitations and taking advantage where they exist!
The scale reads 106.0 and I'm good with my number for the day. The gym is still crowded with ladies milling about the product display table as I leave. It's a bright sunny day and I have a ton of things to do so the last thing I want is to be caught up in sales talk. I'll be back tomorrow!
 |
| Calf hearts! |
Oooh, even though the gym is crowded, the Smith is free so I set up to do squats. I do 6 sets of 15 reps of 95 lbs (bar + 25 lb plate each side). My knees aren't happy, but they don't actually hurt. They just feel "tired". I decide to modify the deadlift by standing on a raised platform and also by keeping my elbows ever so slightly bent (in deference to my elbow problems). This allows me to drop the bar lower and it feels more productive. Remember, I'm pretty flexible but with a long torso and short legs so standing on a box gives my hamstrings more of a stretch. I do 6 sets of 15 reps at a mere 85 lbs. Then I feel guilty about monopolizing the Smith (it's the only one in the gym) so I move on to abs.
 |
| They've been called Bulldog Legs |
Even though I'll never have long legs (who am I kidding at 4'11.5"?), I'd like at least the illusion of longer legs. I think the cardio helps me with that by making my thighs thinner. With the typical SE Asian body type (long torso, long thighs but short calves), I'm limited by my genetics. The trick is understanding the limitations and taking advantage where they exist!
The scale reads 106.0 and I'm good with my number for the day. The gym is still crowded with ladies milling about the product display table as I leave. It's a bright sunny day and I have a ton of things to do so the last thing I want is to be caught up in sales talk. I'll be back tomorrow!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Backs and Fronts
Today I did something out of the norm: I ate before I went to the gym! About 2 hrs before my workout, I scooped up a cup of steel cut oatmeal that'd been in the rice cooker overnight and ate it with a spoonful of White Oak Apiary local honey. I've got to adjust the water to oat ratio better as this was a 4:1 as per stove top cooking directions, and the results were a tad gummy but otherwise palatable. I had my instant Starbucks coffee at 7:30 with a spoon of raw sugar and some "fat-free" half 'n half. Then off to the races...
Well, I was definitely slower today on the cardio: 45 min got me as far as 4.89 miles which is below what'd I'd been doing all winter. I didn't feel slower, I just was slower. But I worked up a good sweat and my elbow didn't bother me too much so I got through rows, pull downs, reverse grip barbell rows and a cursory 3 sets of dumbbell curls. I figure if I do 3 sets of rows for 15 reps at 90 lbs and then another 3 sets for only 6-8 reps at 105 lbs, maybe my back will respond with a little size. But at least I'll get stronger!
My abs were definitely uncomfortable laying in bed this morning, so I took that as a sign to continue doing those inclined sit ups: 4 sets of 25 reps with a 10 lb plate held to my chest. I still did a set of twisting situps (about 125 reps) and lower ab kickouts (again, about 125 reps) and a set on the torso twist. I can do 25 reps on each side at 50 lbs so I'm tempted to up the weight, but I don't really want big beefy external obliques. I think they're big enough. It's the center (rectus abdominus) that need help, hence the addition of weighted situps.
I'm not tired as I head to the showers. I've just run out of things to do here. Again. Normally I'd do at least another two exercises for biceps (21s and either concentration curls or seated incline dumbbell), but now I've got the name of a sports doc (chiropractor) in my town who everyone at the gym swears by, so I'll have to check him out and see if he can't help fix my elbow. The scale reads 106.8 then bounces to 107, then back to 106.8. Two out of three takes it so it's 106.8.Whatever. It's just a number I'm writing on my calendar when I get home.
 |
| At least the delts look good. |
My abs were definitely uncomfortable laying in bed this morning, so I took that as a sign to continue doing those inclined sit ups: 4 sets of 25 reps with a 10 lb plate held to my chest. I still did a set of twisting situps (about 125 reps) and lower ab kickouts (again, about 125 reps) and a set on the torso twist. I can do 25 reps on each side at 50 lbs so I'm tempted to up the weight, but I don't really want big beefy external obliques. I think they're big enough. It's the center (rectus abdominus) that need help, hence the addition of weighted situps.
 |
| Hey the diagram shows a navel! Cool! |
Monday, June 4, 2012
Modified Monday
After spending the weekend being a slug (exercise-wise) and eating like the proverbial oinker (Big W's BBQ yesterday and Kamsen Chinese Food Market on Saturday), well, I go to the gym on Mondays with anticipatory trepidation.
45 minutes of cardio gives me only 4.91 miles. I'm slow today, and I woke up with my joints a bit achey — the bad elbow, a ping in the wrist, alternating aches in my knees. Must be the humidity. It's suppose to rain the entire week. The Smith machine is free and I figure, well, I feel heavier today, so I'm probably stronger. Go for it! I actually get 2 sets of 12 reps at 135 lbs although I have to admit the reason I only got 10 reps the first time was because I didn't think I could do it. As in, I was thinking too much about not being able to do it. Granted the 2nd set I almost failed on rep 12, and even on a Smith machine, this is a bit scary. I got my nerve back though and got my full 12 reps for the last set. Then I pyramided down with a set at 115 and a set at 95. It was sweet!
I'm wondering if switching to the thinner pretty chrome 15 lb "beauty bells" is what's effecting my elbow problems. My grip is different on these. I switched because the standard dumbbells were a bit thicker and my pinkies were developing callouses right at the fingertips as they grazed the knurled metal grips. I guess I'd rather have callouses (I can always file my fingertips) than chronic elbow problems, or perhaps this is completely coincidental.
Standard delt workout with 15 lbs. I'm getting a bit bored with doing 5-6 sets at 15 reps each, but I'm not sure I can handle 20 lbs. It's a big leap. I don't do military or shoulder presses at all. Not that I can't. It's just that when I have, my right ear plugs up and I can't hear out of it for a bit. A sports chiropractor I used to see in the City told me that I had some vascular peculiarities on that side of my neck, and I should probably not do those type of movements. I'm okay with that.
Because my right elbow is sporadically sore, I only do a few light sets of tricep extensions and completely avoid doing press downs. My triceps are a bit warm anyway from the earlier bench pressing. But I have decided if I'm ever going to see a 6-pack, well, I should start doing some weighted situps. The first set I do is my standard twisting situp, about 125-150 reps followed by kickouts. Later I go back and incline the board about 30 degrees, grab a 10 lb plate to my chest and do 4 sets of 25 inclined situps. It doesn't feel hard. Just different.
I'm not really tired but I'm running out of things to do that I can actually do, so I go stretch. Afterwards, I figure, what the heck, and I knock out pushups just to see how many I can get. I'm always hesitant at first because no one wants to fall on their face in front of the whole gym, not that anyone is paying any attention. I get to 40 and slow down. Then I get to 50. Then 51 and I think, Oh, I guess I should stop now. I walk my hands to my feet for a stretch and then go shower. Next time, I think, I should stop thinking so much and just count. Before I get on the scale, I tell myself I feel like I'm 108. It reads 107.6 and I smile to myself.
45 minutes of cardio gives me only 4.91 miles. I'm slow today, and I woke up with my joints a bit achey — the bad elbow, a ping in the wrist, alternating aches in my knees. Must be the humidity. It's suppose to rain the entire week. The Smith machine is free and I figure, well, I feel heavier today, so I'm probably stronger. Go for it! I actually get 2 sets of 12 reps at 135 lbs although I have to admit the reason I only got 10 reps the first time was because I didn't think I could do it. As in, I was thinking too much about not being able to do it. Granted the 2nd set I almost failed on rep 12, and even on a Smith machine, this is a bit scary. I got my nerve back though and got my full 12 reps for the last set. Then I pyramided down with a set at 115 and a set at 95. It was sweet!
Standard delt workout with 15 lbs. I'm getting a bit bored with doing 5-6 sets at 15 reps each, but I'm not sure I can handle 20 lbs. It's a big leap. I don't do military or shoulder presses at all. Not that I can't. It's just that when I have, my right ear plugs up and I can't hear out of it for a bit. A sports chiropractor I used to see in the City told me that I had some vascular peculiarities on that side of my neck, and I should probably not do those type of movements. I'm okay with that.
Because my right elbow is sporadically sore, I only do a few light sets of tricep extensions and completely avoid doing press downs. My triceps are a bit warm anyway from the earlier bench pressing. But I have decided if I'm ever going to see a 6-pack, well, I should start doing some weighted situps. The first set I do is my standard twisting situp, about 125-150 reps followed by kickouts. Later I go back and incline the board about 30 degrees, grab a 10 lb plate to my chest and do 4 sets of 25 inclined situps. It doesn't feel hard. Just different.
I'm not really tired but I'm running out of things to do that I can actually do, so I go stretch. Afterwards, I figure, what the heck, and I knock out pushups just to see how many I can get. I'm always hesitant at first because no one wants to fall on their face in front of the whole gym, not that anyone is paying any attention. I get to 40 and slow down. Then I get to 50. Then 51 and I think, Oh, I guess I should stop now. I walk my hands to my feet for a stretch and then go shower. Next time, I think, I should stop thinking so much and just count. Before I get on the scale, I tell myself I feel like I'm 108. It reads 107.6 and I smile to myself.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Dysmorphic Body Image?
I got on the scale today after a relatively moderate workout (still got that dang elbow problem), having done only 30 min of cardio (3.41 miles) and a light routine for back (5 sets each of rows and pulldowns but only at 90 lbs, reverse grip barbell rows but only 12 reps and only 5 sets) and a virtually non-existent bicep workout (3 sets of alternating dumbbell curls with 20 lbs, 1 set of hammer curls, 3 sets of 2 lb wrist curls and extensions). Abs, of course. Lower back extensions (6 sets of 25 reps at 90 lbs). Stretching. And the scale read 105.6 lbs. And I'm good with that.
B tells me that she and her friend L have both decided that I've lost too much weight. Really? I ask her where exactly have I lost too much weight? I have big biceps, big shoulders (I'm so happy to have delts!), big calves and thighs. By no means do I have a wasp-waist, nor do my ribs and hips stick out anywhere. I actually like the way I look! Yeah, I'm having a small issue with finding clothes that fit properly, but who doesn't have that issue in some manner or another. In the rest of the world, we Americans are obese! I'm not feeling skinny. I'm not feeling fat either. I'm having a Goldilock's moment, feeling "just right".
Meanwhile, other ladies (in the locker room) tell me how phenomenal I look and wow, exactly how much weight did I lose? I actually have to come home and look at my calendar to see what all my weight entries are because I'm so fixated on the "here and now" that I don't really remember "back then". Shockingly, I've lost 10 lbs since January, which was actually 6 months ago so that's not bad. I'm certainly not "crash dieting"!
I'm wondering why B is so concerned about my weight. She's a skinny, sinewy woman. I've got at least 10 lbs on her and I look like it. I might be "tiny" but I'm certainly no "90 lb weakling". I like my muscularity, and I'm desperate to keep the body I've wanted for so long before the dreaded "change"— menopause hits me. Rumor has it that not only will my bones get porous, but my insides'll shrivel up, and I'll get wrinkly and brittle. I cringe at the thought and work out even harder.
 |
| This isn't skinny, at least to me. |
Meanwhile, other ladies (in the locker room) tell me how phenomenal I look and wow, exactly how much weight did I lose? I actually have to come home and look at my calendar to see what all my weight entries are because I'm so fixated on the "here and now" that I don't really remember "back then". Shockingly, I've lost 10 lbs since January, which was actually 6 months ago so that's not bad. I'm certainly not "crash dieting"!
I'm wondering why B is so concerned about my weight. She's a skinny, sinewy woman. I've got at least 10 lbs on her and I look like it. I might be "tiny" but I'm certainly no "90 lb weakling". I like my muscularity, and I'm desperate to keep the body I've wanted for so long before the dreaded "change"— menopause hits me. Rumor has it that not only will my bones get porous, but my insides'll shrivel up, and I'll get wrinkly and brittle. I cringe at the thought and work out even harder.
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