Humidity is Good for Working Out

A flash of lightning lit up my entire bedroom at 4 am. Pulses of the electric activity continued until just before dawn, although there was strangely very little thunder. Torrential rain was promised. The sun peaked out at 7 am and hasn't retreated yet. It's 3 pm. I moved a lunch date with my girlfriend to Friday because she was concerned about the weather, and The Terrace Club is right on Lake Mahopac. Not that I especially enjoy dining outdoors. We'll probably get rained out on Friday instead.

My iPod Cardio Mix

Wednesday is Leg Day and once again I'm outfitted in my UnderArmour shorts, tank top, sports bra and royal blue hoodie. My favorites elliptical #3 is available and I'm happily bopping along to my iPod cardio mix, all of which I've downloaded free from Shape.com over several months. 35 minutes on hill #6 gives me 4.05 miles. Intervals #7 is always fun for another 30 minutes plus 5 minute warm down, and that gives me an additional 4.26 miles. Total = 8.31 miles. Wahoo! I keep my hoodie on to mop up all the sweat pouring down my neck and off my face while I do some cage stretches. No kicks today. Not with these shorts anyway.

Because I don't know if the Smith has been fixed, I decide to go easy on the Seated Leg Curl and only do 3 sets at 75 lbs. I'll come back and do 90 lbs later. I might even do Leg Extensions but that's such a popular machine that I never really get a chance. Plus, I find that it doesn't really help me stabilize my knees in any way. I've got big quads as it is. I'd just like a little more definition. It's the inadequate hamstrings that concern me when I think about balancing my muscles.

The Smith glides easily with just the bar, but once plates are added, the bar sticks as if someone poured gritty caramel into the tracts. I'll just have to muscle through it, and luckily I'm not pushing too heavy. Just squats and stiff legged deadlifts. I have to take my hoodie off for the deadlifts because raising the bar puts a lot of pressure on my forearms and I absolutely have to wear elbow braces for that. Just as well. The soggy hoodie weighs about 5 lbs now.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill cardio = 4.05 + 35 min intervals = 4.26 = Totals 8.31 miles
Cage stretch
Seated Leg Curls: 3 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 4 x 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 95 lbs
Deadlifts: 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Torso Twists (again): 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Seated Leg Curls (again) 3 x 12 @ 90 lbs
60° Inclined Twisting Situps: 100 reps (I counted)
Pistol Squats: 6 each leg (right knees is twinging on the descent)
Mat stretch

I strip off my still-soaking-wet, stinky clothes and step on the scale. 107.0 even. I can deal with that. And I love the water pressure in the showers at the gym. At home, taking a shower is akin to standing outside during a gentle summer sprinkle — you might not get all the shampoo out of your hair.