I made up for not being "hung over" by not getting enough sleep last night. Now this really hurt my cardio performance today and 45 minutes gave me a sweaty 4.93 miles. It's been several weeks since I haven't been able to do 5 miles. But I also admit that I used the #5 hill setting instead of the gentler #6 hill on the Precor elliptical today. So was it not getting enough sleep, the #5 setting, or the fact that I feel like a slug today? I'm not quite sure where I am in my cycle but it sort of feels like the part where I put on 3 lbs and feel all bloated and yucky. I think they call it ovulation. Except that I'm 52 and I haven't had a "regular" cycle since February. Sooooo, it could be anything!
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| Self-portrait Lat Shots are hard to do! |
Nevertheless, I keep to my regular "Pull Day" routine and do seated cable rows. In spite of my nagging elbow (more the lower inner forearm), I knock out some pretty easy sets. So easy that at my 3rd set of 105 lbs (where I should be struggling), I get a full 12 reps. I even do a dozen close grip chin ups after my cage stretch and kicks. Even Lat Pull Downs (which always suck) feel surprisingly easy today. I only struggle with the Reverse Grip Barbell Rows, and oddly, the weighted inclined sit ups. My bicep workout is down to one exercise: seated dumbbell curls, and with the heavier (20 lb) dumbbell, I do each arm solo, and keeping my back straight, swing the dumbbell up with a hammer curl motion and a thumbless grip to minimize elbow pain.
Total's Total Workout:
45 min cardio = 4.93 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 1 x 12 @ 75 lbs / 1 x 12 @ 90 lbs / 3 x 8/10/12 @ 105 lbs / 2 x 12 @ 90 lbs
Lower back extensions: 4 x 25 @ 90 lbs
Torse twists: 2 x 25 @ 60 lbs
Cage stretch & kicks & 12 neutral close grip chin ups
Lat Pull Downs: 6 x 12 @ 90 lbs
Reverse Grip Bent Over Barbell Rows" 6 x 15-12 @ 50 lbs
45° Inclined Sit Ups with 10 lb weight: 1 x 50 / 2 x 25
Dumbbell Bicep Curls: 1 x 12 @ 15 lbs / 3 x 10-12 @ 20 lbs
Mat stretch for hams, calves, back, shoulders & neck
The scale is in an odd position and I readjust it. It reads a whopping 108 lbs and I step off and on a few times just to make sure the reading is consistent. Wow. I AM heavier! I'm still not sure where but my shorts do seem a tad tight in the legs. As does the back of my shirt. Hmmmm. Tomorrow's Leg Day. I damn well better do 7 miles! I'm not sure about anything else though.
So I've been told that reverse curls are the BEST remedy for bad/painful elbows. You will do this exercise for 3 sets of 15-20 reps, at the same weight (no pyramiding for this exercise). Pick a weight that is tolerable for the first set and barely tolerable by the last repetition of the third set. Do this exercise when your elbows are already warmed up from previous exercises with direct biceps involvement, such as cable rows, lat pull-downs, or hammer curls. Use a curling bar at the closest thumbs-up grip available. You can do this with a thumbless hold if necessary, but if possible use a complete grip. Judging by your posted weights, a suggested starting weight would be 25 to 30 lbs. It is not necessary to go to failure, but there should be a good burn. Try this for 9 to 12 sessions before you decide it's not going to work. If the heavier weights are too painful, choose a weight as light as necessary, and do 20 reps per set.
ReplyDeleteHey thanks! I'll definitely look into doing that on my next "Pull Day" which is Friday.
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