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.

Image from www.simplyfitnessgear.com

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...