The Magic Word is Persistence

The Google news top health story caught my eye because of it's sheer inanity. Sadly, it's probably true -- women, envious of Michelle Obama's toned arms are opting for liposuction to suck away all that excess fat and flab. Of course, if you have flabby, undeveloped muscles under all that dingle dangle, you're still not going to have that coveted "toned" look. But you will have scars. And possibly complications. And the fat will eventually come back. It's unlikely that if you have fat arms, that the rest of you is skinny. Unlikely, but not impossible. I suppose that's not relevant if you're wearing a nice loose tank top...

Or you could just exercise, and not eat a lot of crap. Hmmm. That would be too simple, and take too long. People don't seem to have the ability to focus on long-term goals anymore. Not without chatting with all their friends, making everything a fun group activity, a class, a party. Perhaps as much as we've aged (hell, I'm 53 and it's still shocking to me!), we haven't actually grown up out of high school. At least mentally. 

This week's post on nerdfitness.com was especially relevant because it focused on the number one trait determining success. Steve (Kamb) calls it "grit" as in true grit, not as in "Kiss my grits." It's that nose-to-the-grindstone attitude that marks us as unsociable, unfriendly, determined, directed or just plain "too intense." Perhaps it's something learned in childhood when you're not the popular kid with a lot of friends and toys, but the weird kid off by him/herself tracking the progress of inchworms, or examining light as it refracts through water. It's also an indifference to what the rest of the world thinks, what's new and what's trendy. People are easily distracted with shiny new things that may or may not work. It's just new and shiny. I like the basics. I like simplicity. I do basic exercises. I don't have a lot of variety (I don't really need it). Yep, I'm a weenie-nerd.

Today's Pull Day Workout:
35 min cardio = 4.07 miles Yay!
I'm gratified to read in the NYT that research has now shown cool downs to be a waste of time. I peddle through the elliptical "cool down" as fast or faster than the previous 30 minutes without any issues. I'm generally not very sore the next day either. 
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 lbs
The last sets are heavy and not pretty, but I can control the weights enough to set them gently down when I finish each set. There's nothing I hate more than someone slamming the weights down at the end of each set. It's sloppy and shows a lack of control. 
Pull Ups at Smith Rack: 12+3 (legs curled to chest) / 12 (legs straight out)
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Pull Ups at Smith Rack: 12 (legs curled to chest) / 10+2 (legs straight out)
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 15 @ 90 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
The first set feels heavy but it gets easier as I warm up and I'm reluctant to end at 6 sets.
Seated Alternating DB Curls: 12, 10, 10 @ 25 lbs
My left forearm is twinging a bit and I can't complete the sets. I'm sure the pull ups are wreaking havoc on my forearms but I don't want to give them up.
Pull Ups: 12+2 (legs curled to chest)
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kickouts: 100
Not sure if my husband and I are making it to kickboxing tonight, so I don't want to work abs too hard.
BB Curls: 15 @ 40 lbs / 4 x 12 @ 45 lbs
I think these are key to my biceps suddenly looking so good!
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
These hurt like hell but I just grimace and pace like a cage tiger between sets.
Chin Ups (just to see if I can!): 12 (legs straight out)
I only do one set because the Chin Ups hurt my left forearm worse than Pull Ups do.
Mat Stretch

I see a lot of regulars now that the threat of summer is imminent. Summer means T-shirts, tank tops and shorts, and no place to hide except inside. I note that B's arms don't seem to have ever recovered from her time off last winter when she and her husband went on vacation. They've lost their tone and look soft, but perhaps that's what happens when you're a sunbathing 60 year old. M, the Mayor, 5 o'clock, Skinny Mustache, Tall Pace, PJ Pants, Skinny J, even R. Yep, they're all here today. I don't notice the women much but I'm not one to make eye contact with anyone I don't know, and even some I do know. I catch sight of V in my peripheral vision and quickly move to another corner of the gym. Later, as I'm leaving, I see V having coffee with another guy, and I wave quickly and exit before V can say anything to me. I've learned my lesson and won't invite conversation, not even a "How're you doing?" because, like a needy 4 year old, he'll impose himself on your politeness. I have a kid, and he's a million times more mature and polite than V.

The scale reads 110.0 lbs. Very reasonable. In the mirror, I look soft and smooth. I'm putting on weight but I don't think it's fat. At roughly 19% body fat, I'm at the low end for my age but nowhere near the 12-14% required to appear hard and chiseled (for a woman). I don't need to do that. But I admit that I enjoy getting proper respectful attention. I've joined a few online forums (muscleandstrength.com, and bodybuilding.com) just for advice and feedback. When you work out solo, it's nice to get positive comments without worrying whether they're trying to hit on you. I don't believe in crazy diets, and I don't really supplement, except for the Ensure® 25 gm high protein RTD after each workout because I do believe that muscles need to be fed high quality protein in order to grow and recuperate. It helps that the Ensure is lactose-free with a neutral taste and good mouth-feel.

My husband teases me that we ought to invent a contraption that puts paying clients into a coma that allows us to exercise their bodies for months, so that when they wake up, they'll have the hard bodies they want, but without any memory of having endured such grueling workouts. It's too bad I can't put persistence in a bottle and market it. I'd make a fortune.

Push Days Are Good Days...

I'm getting to this later in the day than normal because I had to waste a good hour and a half waiting (in vain, it turns out) at the glaucoma specialist's office. The fact they had no water due to a burst pipe wasn't their fault, but continuing to admit patients they couldn't actually service (and charge the copay) was a great example of poor corporate management. That their computer records and indications did not match the nurse's plan of action remains to be explained.

So I got there at 1:45 for a 2 pm visual field test, was told "Oh no, you're just here for a chat with the doc and a pressure check", then waited until 3:19 pm whereupon I got up and left without having seen the doc but after being told repeatedly "You're next". Yeah, and the check's in the mail. I had a rendezvous with the school bus two towns away and just got back in time. Obviously, I'm shopping for a new specialist. I'm not comfortable trusting this establishment to perform eye surgery on me later this year. After all, they're my eyes!

However, I had a decent morning workout even if my cardio wasn't quite up to snuff. The Smith freed up quickly and I was on it in a heartbeat. I've been told that I can probably bench heavier given the ridiculous amount of repetitions I knock out afterwards on my drop sets, the reasoning being that power and energy spent on reps can be converted into straightforward power. But drop sets are easy. Heavier weight is not. It's a matter of muscular endurance which high reps promotes.

Today's Push Day Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.96 miles Bleah!
Smith Bench Press: 25 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 / 15 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs (this last set was actually so easy I considered doing more than 25 reps)
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Seated Inclined Rear DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm DB Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Ab Crunch: 100
Tricep Cable Press Downs (the handle I like is attached to the inside cable tract and I decide to see how this pulley system feels. I admit that I'm worried it'll be harder than I'm used to, so I'm surprised at how easy this is. Apparently, these are weighted as if you're using both handles and the actual weight is half of what is stated on the plate, hence my 7 sets ramping up.): 12 @ 40 (as listed on the plate but it's not 40 lbs) / 12 @ 50 / 12 @ 60 / 12 @ 70 / 12 @ 80 / 11 @ 90 / 10 @ 100 (okay, now I'm a bit burnt so I quit)
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch

I suck down the last of my water, exchange my grips, headphones, elbow braces and towel for my stupid pink gloves. I do a Quick Start on the NexerSys and then an actual Beginner Follow Me round. Again, I manage to sound the buzzer a good dozen times because I'm either hitting or kicking too hard. Yep, good thing I only hit this thing AFTER I'm done with my regular workout! But it's fun and I'll be back at it on Wednesday.

The scale reads 110.8 lbs. I'm good. The Apple asks me how I like the boxing station and I tell her it's fun. She tells me that she's taken a kickboxing class so she knows some of the moves. "Ah, so you have the gloves then?" and I warn her that without gloves she'll hurt her knuckles. "Oh no, the gloves came with the class so at the end we just left the equipment there." "Well, P's suppose to have some gloves on order." Perhaps she'll try her hand at it. I'm hoping to encourage more women to enjoy whacking the NexerSys because I've only ever seen guys there.

B stops by briefly to say Hi before she leaves. She's a mess: her sciatica and forearms are acting up, she can't sleep and she hurts all over. I worry that age is catching up with her workouts. I see D later. Her torn rotator cuff is agony but she can't take the inactivity anymore so she's at the gym today, a gentle run on the treadmill. The Aleve she's taken isn't helping. One of the female "trainers" recommends Motrin, as do I. Then I mention arnica gel, and of course, DMSO2. She's willing to try anything at this point because the pain is making her crazy and depressed.

On my way out, I'm accompanied by D, Mo and her friend A. Mo tells me that she's waiting for me to bottle myself because she'd be game. "It's taken me 2 years to get this bod," I tell her. "Hey, I've been working out for over 10 and I still don't have that bod!" she replies. What she has is problems with her hips and knees, and no real desire to exercise any more than 45 minutes each day. Well, better than nothing!

I'm very happy that V never came knocking at my door. He doesn't make it to the gym today and I don't miss him. I do see most of the regulars like M, The Mayor, skinny Mustache, tall Pace, short Pace, PJ Pants, 5 o'clock, Loud Mouth... They are quieter these days. I can't help but feel that they really want me to acknowledge their existence. But I don't. I'm not the social butterfly that B is. I come to the gym to work out, and if someone's got great arms, I'll gaze from afar.

Satisfaction on a Friday

Smith rack as Pull Up bar

The heat kicks on this morning before I take the dog for his walk. It's 37°F and I've got my winter parka on over a fleece hoodie, boots and gloves. I know that by noon, it'll be in the tropical 70s so I'll have to pack my gym bag accordingly. The parking lot is very crowded so I'm momentarily worried but fears are allayed by the chatter of Zumba and RPM class jockeys. If I time it right, I can usually avoid the crowds and do everything in my routine.

I don't write anything down. Perhaps I should. I've seen people enter their stats into their phones but it always seems that they spend a lot more time on their phones than on working out. Maybe that's just me. Apparently not everyone thinks it's normal to workout the way I do. But I get results and no one can argue with that.

My cardio is a tad weak this morning. I'm not on my regular ellliptical and the peddles wobble a bit on this one. I know I'm not making my quota but I'm ever hopeful in spite of developing a stitch halfway through the session. It's a nasty stitch that starts inside my lower right hip and travel up the side and across the bottom of my rib cage, ie, the diaphragm. I grit my teeth and peddle faster. Eventually I win because the stitch melts away. I'm tired and I know my workout is not going to be as good as earlier this week, but I figure I might surprise myself so I'm not throwing in the towel just yet.

Today's Pull Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.96 miles Bleah!
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 6, 5, 6 @ 135 lbs (these feel awfully hard today)
Pull Ups: 12+3 legs curled to chest / 10+2 legs straight out
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Pull Ups: 10+2 legs to chest / 8+2 legs straight out
Reverse Grip Bent-Over BB Rows: 15 @ 90 lbs / 6 x 12+3 @ 95 lbs
If I wasn't so tired I'd consider upping the weight again but maybe not today
Seated Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs (the last set I have to stop at rep 8 for a few seconds before finishing the set)
It gets really crowded in the DB area with The Mayor, Fish Guy, Tall Pace and a few others all jockeying for benches or spotting each other through DB flyes or pull overs.
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
BB Curls: 15 @ 40 lbs / 4 x 15 @ 45 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
And just for fun, but mostly to see if I can, I go do another set of pull ups, and then a set of chin ups:
Pull Ups: 10+2
Chin Ups: 8+1
Mat Stretch
Nexersys station: I do a QuickStart intro round and get the buzzer to sound at least a half dozen times that I'm either kicking or punching too hard. But I don't hurt myself today and I'm still surprised at how much more of a wallop my right cross packs compared to my left jab.

I see Mo briefly as well as a few other ladies. The scale reads 108.2 which confirms my suspicions that I've indeed put on some size/weight. I feel pretty satisfied and plan on getting some lamb chops for dinner. At the supermarket I get ambushed by V who virtually insists that I give him a ride to the gym next Monday. He wants my phone number. I tell him that R, his partner, has it because he's the social director of our Lake Association. He doesn't care that I'm taking my son to school that morning. He vaguely threatens that next time when I need a ride... and I'm thinking "well, I wouldn't want a ride from you" but I'm too polite to voice it. Luckily, after he disappears back into the store, I see R waiting in the car, and we have a rather lengthy conversation about what just transpired. Yes, there's something wrong with V, R admits, and tells me that he's under a neurologist's care, has some symptoms of Parkinson's... I apologize to R because I know how hard it is to be a caregiver, and then I tell him that I think V is developing Alzheimer's. He says he'll talk to V because there's no reason for him to force me to give him a ride. And I don't want V knocking at my door Monday morning.

Tomorrow we're going to Medieval Times in NJ, right after Chinese School and kung fu. It won't be the same as the Renaissance Fair because there's only non-alcoholic beverages. Gosh, I do enjoy a good cup of mead! I discovered absinthe at a local liquor store but haven't been brave enough to try it yet. It's the fabled drink of poets and madmen... luckily, it's been cleaned-up a bit and promises to be a lot more mellow that it's reputation. I get my final bra order from LuluLu.com and it's a lacey underwire (why a 36AAA would need an underwire beats me) with a touch of modest no-peek padding. I have a few thin-as-paper T-shirts that require such an undergarment because this summer will probably be a scorcher. I just want to be prepared!

Magic Mirror on the Wall...

Last night the pesky twinge in my left knee became a full-fledged "Uh oh, maybe I've done something bad to it" pain that had me limping. I could put weight on my leg and I could walk. It was only the actual impact of my foot hitting the ground that hurt. I rubbed in some Penetrex cream both last night and this morning and behaved as if nothing had happened. My knee felt a bit thick, as if it were swollen but it didn't feel too bad, except when I walk. Great, it's an impact injury, probably from kicking the Nexersys pad incorrectly. It'll heal, as long as I don't exacerbate it with more impact stress. People think I'm exaggerating when I say I can't run, jog, do jumping jacks, burpees, hop but I'm not. There's a lot of things I can do, and a lot I can't do, and I'm experienced enough to know the difference.

I'm not limping noticeably when I get on the elliptical. By the time I get off, I'm hot and sweaty, and my knee feels a lot better. Never mind the fact that I modified my gait to favor my right leg most of the time. But I did manage for a millisecond to get my SPM up to 290 before dropping down to the reasonable 195-210 range. I make my quota, but just barely. Good enough!

Today's Push Workout:
35 min cardio = 4.02 miles Yay!
M is on the Smith doing inclined rows and I butt into his conversation with Pony Tail Tattoo to ask him how many sets he has left. I could wait for him to finish chatting but experience tells me that he could go on for some time, and then I'd lose access to one of the three free weight benches. He says two sets, so I warm up on a bench, doing 25 reps with just the bar (45 lbs).
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 6, 5, 5 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 / 15 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
I never feel fully pumped unless I do the drop sets after the max sets, which probably means I can probably do a heavier weight. Except that I could only comfortably do 5 reps at 155. The 6th rep was sort of half-assed and I didn't like the way it felt.
Cage Stretch & Kicks: ooh, I managed to take a bad cell phone photo of me with my leg up over my head!
Rear Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with
  One-Arm Tricep DB Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Close Grip Bench Press (for triceps): 25 @ bar (45 lbs) these seem kind of light so I up the weight just a tad / 3 x 25 @ 55 lbs
Mat Stretch: my knee only occasionally twinges but in general it feels okay.

I see R and say a quick Hi to him before I head off to the locker room. For a tall skinny guy, he has great arms and I like to watch him surreptitiously. Most guys wear t-shirts and have their arms well-hidden so there's nothing to look at. M, the Mayor, Skinny Mustache, Fish Guy and others all come and go. Tall Pace walks like a defeated man until a skinny blonde woman with an unnatural tan comes over to chat with him. I run into Mo in the locker room and she introduces me to a young woman I've never seen before. But I'm not good at remembering people at the gym. Because I'm not usually looking at them.

I forget to weigh myself because I so desperately need a shower. But I snap a few quick photos with my cell in the mirror. You can tell the images are distorted because the closer shoulder looks enormous compared to the far shoulder, and yes, I need a haircut, but just add some gel and I could have "animé" hair! Maybe it's a magic mirror, like the ones in the fitting rooms at Marshall's. Even though they're filled with blue fluorescent lights, the mirrors actually make you look fairly attractive, which is great for increasing sales, because, honestly, we're not going to buy clothes that don't make us look good, right?

My home scale tells me that I'm 106.8 lbs. Seems pretty reasonable. I'm not trying really hard but as I up my weights and drop my sets (just a bit) I'm either putting on size and/or changing the shape of my arms. This is the best my arms have ever looked. I'm happy. It's a beautiful spring day and I've just spotted two goldfinches at the bird feeder. My workout didn't suck too bad and tomorrow I get to smack the Nexersys again, after I work Back and Biceps. Yay!

My Favorite Fugly Workout Shorts

Fugly but comfy!

Today is Leg Day! Yay! Although the morning dog walk was at a brisk 37°F, the afternoon promises to heat up to a tropical 70+ friggin' degrees! Ah, Spring! I've got my new Danskin Bermudas on, as well as a tank and all-cotton hoodie. My cardio workout is going well until I develop a stitch at minute 13 during Intervals. I realize that I'm doing Intervals ass-backwards (peddling as fast as I can during the valleys, which is about 195-210 SPM, and trying to maintain the leisurely 169-175 pace during peaks) but I don't think it matters that much. I'm not doing "steady state" cardio and that's what's important. I try to breath deeper and slow only a little. Eventually the stitch passes and I'm relieved. When I'm done, I have to wipe strands of sticky white mucous off my lips and blow my nose. My hoodie is drenched and I feel great.

I've been attacked by insects and have half a dozen bites to show for it. One is on the inside of my right thigh so I'm really glad that these shorts fit loosely. Seams are killing me there and I've resorted to pasting bandaids over the bite to keep it from being chafed. At the Smith, I do Squats and Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts. The gym is oddly crowded for a Wednesday. At the next bench is a chubby guy wearing a hoodie and shorts that come to his knees. Suddenly, I feel like I'm wearing a uniform! It's a generational thing: girls wear tanks and shorts or lime green sweat pants, middle-aged moms wear t-shirts and yoga pants, elderly ladies wear button down blouses and slacks. I've seen a few old guys working out in jeans and button down shirts as well. But it's not like they've ever built up enough momentum to actually bust a sweat.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill = 4.05 miles + 35 min intervals = 4.32 miles  Grand Total = 8.37 miles Wahoo!
I only rest about 2 minutes between the first and second cardio sessions; just enough time to blow my nose, gulp a long swig of water and reset the elliptical.
Smith Squat: 12 @ bar (butt down to heels) / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
There's a crowd at the actual Squat Rack and I've no wish to be in the middle of it, especially since The Mayor and M seem to be offering advice to everyone there.
Smith Stiff-Legged Dead Lift: 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs (damn, these never get easier!)
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Didn't make it to kickboxing last night so I'm definitely going to do a round at the Nexersys later.
12 Pistol Squats each leg
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 15 @ 60 lbs (my left knee is sporadically twinging)
Seated Leg Curl: 15 @ 90 lbs (this seems easy so I up the weight) / 12 @ 97.5 lbs / (oh hell, go for broke and up it again) 12 @ 105 lbs (next time I'll just do 3 sets at this weight)
Mat Stretch: the stretches are my cool down although there's enough stress to actually make me perspire while I'm doing it; I'd stretch out on the mat for an impromptu nap if I wasn't so drenched that it'd just make everything gross.

I put all my gear in the locker, retrieve my stupid pink gloves and head to one of two Nexersys stations. While I'm in the locker room, an elderly lady says to me, "You really work out hard! Every time I see you, you're working out hard!" I tell her, "I figure I should do it while I can because eventually I won't be able to. I don't want to wake up one day and say, Damn, I should'a spent less time watching TV and more time at the gym." It's the truth. I wanted a hard body, and I'm awful close now. Of course, once you get that perfect (for your own ideals) body, then you have to work at maintaining it! Better than spending $25/week getting a "maintenance manicure". OMG, is that what ladies here spend their money on? Oh, but a good manicure will cost you $40... it's no wonder that I plug in my iPod as soon as I reach the lockers.

I decide to be brave today and hit the QuickStart button which jumps right into sparring. Except for the fact that I can't really hear the screen over the ambient gym music, this is a lot of fun. I get beeped a few times for hitting too hard, but it doesn't cause the action to stop. I discover that my right hits a lot harder than my left, and that I've got to figure out how to power kick without squishing my toes. Otherwise, I have a damn good time!

The gym scale reads 108.6 lbs. Whew! I'm relieved. And I look a lot less puffy today. I suck down my ice cold Ensure in the car, then it's off to do errands. Later, suddenly hungry with no time to fix anything reasonable to eat, I reluctantly break open a vanilla Muscle Milk 20 gm protein drink and mix it with 3 tsp of Nestle Strawberry Quik because that at least makes it palatable. I'm not all that concerned about sugar content right now.

I See Changes

Well, it certainly beats seeing dead people (yes, a reference to the Bruce Willis flick, The Sixth Sense). And I've been trying so hard to keep visual changes to a minimum! What? Well, I've been trying to increase my strength and endurance, but not necessarily my size, except for my back because everyone loves that athletic V-shape on men and women. And I like seeing my biceps and triceps and delts nicely defined but I don't want to get bodybuilder big. That's a bit scary. I don't begrudge anyone for making a living, but finding out that our local bodybuilder has just made a film for an online fetish company, well.... It gives me cause for pause.

I've been increasing my weights where possible and cutting some of my reps, but not a lot. I figure high reps would work two ways for me: increase muscular endurance, and retard muscular growth. I'm not sure it's working. I've always thought that doing 3-4 reps of your maximum would make you puffy big, power lifter big, and that's so not what I'm trying to achieve. But today I seem big and other than not getting enough sleep (and under the right gym lights, you can see the bags under my eyes) and feeling a bit "too much beer this weekend" puffy, I don't think I should see anything different.

Today's Workout:
35 min cardio = 4.0 miles Finally!
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 lbs / 5, 6, 6 @ 135 lbs
Pull Ups: 12+3 legs curled to chest / 11+2 legs straight out
Cage Stretch & Kicks
I see P the gym owner boxing the Nexersys as I smack the cage with the side of my foot. I'm probably going to kickboxing tonight with my husband so I'll play with the Nexersys tomorrow. I'm going to restrict myself to just 3 times a week otherwise I'll just get too damn tired. I grab a pair of 2.5 lb magnetic discs from the front desk as I head back towards the barbell area. 
Pull Ups: 12+2 legs curled to chest / 10+2 legs straight out
Reverse Grip Bent-Over BB Rows: 3 x 15 @ 90 lbs / 4 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Seated Alternating DB Rows: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Pull Ups legs curled: 10+2  Oddly I feel my body swaying to the right even in the tuck position
Chin Ups legs straight out (these stress my forearms so I don't do them very often): 10+2
Ab Curl Station: 100
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Standing BB Curl: 15 @ 40 lbs / 4 x 12 @ 45 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 15 @ 40 lbs (these really hurt today)
Mat Stretch: M and Skinny Runner Chick are stretching and chatting on the mat but there's enough room for me to do my routine off to the side. I'm happy with my splits and stretches. 

In the locker room Skinny Runner asks me if I work out every day.
"When my son's in school, I come to the gym. I don't come on weekends."
"You seem very... determined."
My immediate reaction is "So what's your point?" but that would've been rude. On the other hand, that's one of the dummest things anyone's ever said to me. Maybe she's just not that bright.

I looked at her and replied, "That's why I come to the gym. To work out." End of conversation. I must be fascinating and intimidating to some, breaking every stereotype out there, but there's no magic, just consistency. I come 5 days a week and every day that I come, I work out like I mean it. Because I do mean it.

My arms seem bigger and my back is thicker. My whole body seems thicker. Perhaps it's because I'm in dire need of a haircut. I hate my hair the length it is now. It's not doing anything flattering, just long enough to get in the way of my earphones, lay flat on top of my head and make my face look rounder and puffier than it already naturally is. Of course, my husband says that he likes it longer. Even though I think the length emphasizes drooping jowls and faint wrinkles, all the signs of middle-aging that I'm trying to avoid. No, it's definitely time to get a haircut!

New Balance

Jockey Brand

I go to Marshall's to buy some summer shoes for my son. I've learned the hard way that if you shop during the actual season, you won't find the size or style you're looking for so here it is April and I'm shopping for camp stuff. Marshall's has a pretty nice selection of discounted "active wear" and to my delight, I see that several brands are now selling padded sports bras. I'm very excited and try a bunch of them on. They fit soooo much better than the Old Navy disasters and regret ever buying those sports bras. At least they were on sale. These are on sale too, but not as cheap as the ON ones. Still, they're comfortable and fit well. Sold! I also purchase a pair of Danskin "bermudas" which fall just above the knees, are loosely clingy and not at all revealing. Perfect for leg day!

Happy Earth Day

I ignore the fact that my cardio sucked today when I head over to the free weights. M is already on the Smith doing inclined benching so I warm up with 25 reps with just the bar (45 lbs) at a flat bench. Lucky me, M is stripping the bar at the Smith so it's all mine. Yay!

I saw B in the locker room so there's no chance she'll be interrupting me while I bench. Besides, now she's busy chatting so long with all her guy friends. I have to chant to myself what reps I'm doing at what weight so that I'll remember and not screw myself up.

Descending reps with increasing weight: 12, 10, 8, 6.... Jeez, I hope I can get 6 reps at my maximum today because I want to do 3 sets. I've also started jumping my weights in 20 lbs increments (a pair of 10s at a time). So that's a 25 lb plate, then three 10s on each side of the bar. My front right delt twinges slightly so I'm cautious. If I had a spot I might push harder than 6 reps but at the 6th rep I note that I can't quite descend as fully because I'm starting to tire. That's my cue as a solo flyer because you can't go to failure if you don't have a spotter to rescue you. And I'm done with asking for help for now.

Today's Total Workout: 
35 min cardio = 3.86 miles Bleah
Warm Up: 25 reps bar (45 lbs) on a flat bench
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ 95 / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3x6 @ 155 /
12 @ 135 / 15 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
Nerdfitness.com has a link to an article in Men's Journal (Nov 2010) about fitness and gym workouts. In it were references to a book by Mark Rippetoe called Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training. The article summarized an approach to strength gains and made the assertion that there's strength training, and then there's adding power, size and endurance and that each goal had it's own optimal number of reps. Yep, and here I am mixing it all up, going for the whole shebang!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
I see the gal who's making great progress now that she's lifting weights as well as doing cardio. I tell her that she looks great and to keep up the good work! She smiles as her partner grunts away at the cable station. Later he comes by to thank me for my kind words. "It's just what she needed to hear!" he tells me. "Well, I used to see her working out with another woman and honestly, it didn't look like she was getting anything out of it." "Yeah, she's finally listening to me! She's my wife!" and we both grin. I know how important it is to have someone give you a kind word out of the blue.
Seated Inclined Rear DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm DB Tricep Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Tricep Press Downs (I can't find the angled handle that I like and use a larger one with rubber grips. It's really hard to hang on to and imprints my palm even though I'm wearing grips): 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: this feels pretty good today. Afterwards, I swap my iPod, gloves, grips, elbow brace, and towel for my pink gloves and wail on the Nexersys station for 3 quick Try Me rounds. I'm getting better at it although I'm still punching "too hard".

The scale reads 110.8 lbs, exactly the same as last Monday. I probably drank too much beer over the weekend, having just discovered Blue Moon Tequila Ale. Damn, it's a whopping 175 calories, which still isn't as bad as the Angry Orchard's 200 per bottle. The Stella Artois feels downright dietetic at 125, not that I let things like calories get in the way of a sunny afternoon's enjoyment.

I finally see Mo again. She's been out for two weeks because she injured herself using exercise elastic bands. Good grief. She should just stick to basic barbell and dumbbell exercises. They're safer, and get great results. But I don't try to talk her into anything. That's not my nature. I'm off to Staples with a half dozen ancient printers and laptops that I'm bringing them to recycle. It's Earth Day after all!

Taking Joy in Little Things

Yesterday near dusk my son and I spotted an unusually colored bird we'd never seen before. Or at least I'd never seen a real live one scratching in the leaf litter under the privet hedges. "Is it a robin?" my son asked. "No. It's a towhee." What!? And after it flew away, I checked google images for it and sure enough, there it was. Cool! There are also a lot more purple finches this year (my son and I like to call them rose finches for their beautiful red-pink color). Global warming can't be all bad, can it?

It's still April but temperatures hit 72°F this afternoon. And while I enjoy sun on my face just as much as the next northern-clime inhabitant, I'm not partial to biting insects. But they do love me. That's one of the perks of exercising inside a gym: being inside! Away from all the biting insects and flies that want to buzz your ears, climb up your nose and zoom straight into your eyes. Happens to me all the time. Every summer.

Great sound, comfy
but funky wiring

Don't buy these!
Muffled sound,
uncomfortable earbuds

Last night I was unusually tired by dinner time so today I skipped playing on the Nexersys. Three times a week after full workouts is probably enough for now. I have my iPod and the new JVC headphones, but even though I've switched to smaller earbud cushions, the music still sounds tinny and distant. Ambient noise still filters in even at higher volume settings. Disgusted, I go back into the locker room and switch out the headphones, but not until after I've finished a less than stellar cardio set. Lesson learned here is that pricier headsets do not always meet expectations regarding comfort and sound quality. To recap: cheap Maxells are a complete waste of money, cheap Sony's sound great and are reasonably comfortable but have a weird wire design, moderately priced JVCs sound only moderately ok. I still miss my old Phillips headphones. Sigh.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.98 miles Bleah!
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 lbs / 8 @ 120 lbs / 4, 6, 8 @ 135 lbs
Keeping in mind something I read online yesterday, I drop my reps on the heavy set and concentrate on improving my form. Surprisingly, I wind up increasing my reps as well.
Pull Ups: 12+2 / 11+1
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Twice guys come over to use the cable station adjacent to the Cage but both times they leave before they get any momentum going. Not sure if it's me or something else: is what I'm doing too distracting or just plain annoying. Or maybe even intimidating?
Pull Ups: 10+2 / 8+3
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 6 x 15 @ 90 lbs
Standing Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs (these are really hard today)
Pull Ups: 10+2
Chin Ups (oh, what the hell!): 12
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Benching Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
BB Curls: 6 x 15 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch: I don't know the names for all the moves I do but there are several and this takes about 10-15 minutes. One of these days I ought to have someone video this but since I'm fairly solitary, it's hard to imagine who would want to do this for me.

I gather all my gear and head to the lockers to change and shower. En route I notice Eagle Eye stealing a glance at me. I haven't seen him in some time. He looks different though, thinner and his face looks splotchy and sunburned. Then I remind myself that he's probably a kid in his 20s, albeit, a very handsome kid in his 20s, and I've got 30 years on him. Still, it's good for a woman's ego to have the attention of young men.

The scale reads 108.6 lbs which is a tad heavy for the end of the week, but I'm lifting heavier and working out harder. It's not unreasonable to assume I'm also putting on size/weight. B tells me that she squatted 175 lbs for two reps today. I congratulate her with a big grin. (Unsurprisingly, she never grins or smiles when I tell her that I've lifted a new personal best.) Then I asked her if this would put size on her thighs and butt. "Of course," she replied. She says her lower back arthritis is acting up. I'd be more worried about my knees, but I have bad knees. Actually, I'd worry more about my butt and thighs making all my new pants unwearable. I don't need to be big, I just want to be strong, flexible and have mega-endurance. I want practical strength, and I want to look good too. I don't think I'm being unreasonable.

I've got on my least favorite of the 36AAA bras I purchased from LulaLu.com. It fits reasonably well but seems a scratchy under the arms. However, it expands my summer wardrobe by making it possible for me to wear otherwise paper-thin cotton T-shirts. Now, what to do with all the bras I've purchased over the years that really don't fit at all. Some are still in their wrappers.... Hmmm.

Later as I sit in my car, gulping down my vanilla Ensure, I see R crossing the parking lot on his way into the gym. That, in itself, makes me smile. Interacting with him has gotten weird. I suspect the feelings are mutual so mostly we avoid each other. Other gym regulars have departed by now. M, the Mayor, skinny J, MacGyver, Loud Mouth were all in earlier. And earlier, a nice Irish (by her brogue) woman asked me if I lifted a lot of weights. "Uh yeah," I replied, looking up from the iPod I was trying to affix to my waistband. "You're so strong. You make it look so easy!" she said brightly. I thanked her and mumbled about how if you keep lifting weights, it does get easier, and you do get stronger. I'm sooo NOT a good sales person first thing in the morning! But it's the little things that make me smile.

The Perils of Chatting

Some days I have to constantly remind myself what day it is and what routine I'm following. Today is my 2nd Push Day so that means Chest, Shoulders and Triceps. But nothing is set in stone. You need to adapt to whatever the situation calls for. It's only after I toss all my gear into the locker that I realize that I've left my iPod on the charger at home. Bummer! Luckily I have tunes loaded on my phone and the Sony headphones tucked in a side pocket of my gym bag. I'd just finished adjusting them with black electrical tape so they shouldn't be quite as annoying. And the music sounds good with them.

I can put my phone on the shelf above the display on the Precor. Luckily, I'm not wearing the comfy yoga pants today, but the slightly more fitted workout pants with the B&W animal print waistband. It's that waistband that secures my phone to my body when I go lift weights. And I have a pretty decent workout overall. Except that I let B distract me right before I set up to do my heavy set on the Smith machine. After she leaves, I forget to double check what I've put on the bar and lift less that I'd planned. I'm so lucky this was the Smith because uneven plating on a free weight machine would've been a disaster! It's two sets later that I realize my mistake but now I'm a bit spent. So I drop my weights and up my reps, ending with 25 reps with 95 lbs. It's still a good workout. But lesson learned here is to always double-check your plating!

Today's Total Workout:
35 minutes = 4.02 miles Yay!
Smith Bench: 25 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 11, 7 @ 145 (I meant to do 6 reps at 155 and had my bar unevenly weighted with a 25 lb plate & two 10s on one side, and 25 lbs & three 10s on the other side!) / 4 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Seated Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Close Grip Thumbless Benching (for triceps): 4 x 25 @ bar (45 lbs) I avoid doing Tricep Press Downs today because my right lower back is still sore over the hip bone and doing heavy weight with this movement definitely calls abdominals and obliques into play.
Mat Stretch: my stretches and splits are all really good today and I'm really happy.

Nexersys: I just can't resist tossing on my pink gloves and doing another 3 intro sessions just for fun. I'm getting better at pulling my punches so that I don't constantly have the buzzer go off warning me that I'm punching too hard. Meanwhile, a dude puts on real boxing gloves and starts wailing away on the adjacent station. I enjoy myself even though my arms are getting a little tired. Damn I've been here a long time. I gotta take a shower!

Today I remember to weigh myself: 108.2 lbs. Like I was expecting something different? I shower and dress and assess myself in the mirror. I don't really look any different, except perhaps my upper arms are a tad thicker. Fully dressed I look like any other petite woman. I feel like a superhero in cognito, and I like that. We should all feel like superheros in our everyday lives!

Earlier there was too much melodrama in the locker room: an elderly lady was in tears that she'd been told that she was unwelcomed at her favorite Zumba class. She's 93 years old and doesn't move too quickly, but she manages to drive her little Smart Car to the gym. Another woman explained in a whisper to me that some members are afraid of knocking her down, and her water bottle spilt on the wooden floor. I know those classes are packed elbow to elbow. I'm too claustrophobic and anti-social to even consider looking at a class. Good for me!

Tomorrow is Back and Biceps Day. I'll be a bit more vigilant about chatting and keeping an eye on what I'm suppose to be doing. Normally I don't chat at all. I see a lot of regulars but maybe I'm giving off some freaky "don't @%&! with me" vibe because everyone keeps a good clear distance from me. It probably doesn't help that I go and punch the boxing system for a good 10 minutes AFTER my workout. I see M, the Mayor, skinny Mustache, ZZ, PJPants, and eventually, R and I don't say nothing to anyone except the CrazyHair gal who usually works the child care room. I commend her on being at the gym to work out! She's all smiles.

Leg Day for Me but...

The attack at the Boston Marathon is everywhere in the news. No one mentions it locally, or at the gym or school. It's a horrible tragedy foisted upon the unsuspecting public by someone who either hates runners, or someone looking to maim the greatest number of amateur athletes. It's bringing anti-personnel devices back home. I think of the late Princess Diana and her efforts to ban land mines because of the devastation left after wars end. I think of all the progress made in robotic prosthetic legs and wonder if now there will be enough amputees crying out for limbs to drive research into the realm of science fiction. I'm glad that I'm crowd-phobic; I'll watch from the safety of my laptop.

Today is Leg Day for me. I wake up tired. The right lower back over my hip, what I'm guessing is the external oblique, seems stressed and sore. I'm always stiff when I get up so I'm not overly concerned. I'm just hoping to do at least 8 miles on the elliptical. The JVC headphones start off promising but I quickly discover that they sound a bit tinny. Eventually I figure out that I need to swap out the ear bud cushion (they come with 3 different sizes) because the mediums are actually too large so the buds aren't placed correctly. I get my 8+ miles and I'm happy. And drenched. I feel really good.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill = 4.0 miles + 35 min intervals = 4.36 miles  Grand Total = 8.36 miles Wahoo!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Smith Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs (I really feel these on my right side today although dead lifts have never been easy)
Cage Stretch & Kicks: an elderly women on the stretch chair beside the cage is unprepared for my kicking routine and gets up in a huff. I guess she was offended but the gym's not the place to get upset when people get physical.
12 Pistol Squats each leg
Seated Leg Curl: 4 x 12 @ 90 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 12 @ 60 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: my stretch and splits are good and I'm happy enough to put on my pink gloves and wander over to the NexerSys station afterwards.
NexerSys: I do 3 intro sessions at Beginner Level: technique, sparring & follow me. Afterwards, one of the guys at the front desk asks me to critique the system because they need the feedback. I'm happy to oblige. It's fun, but even with gloves, I still bruise my knuckles although I didn't actually notice until I took my gloves off. That's probably because I'm "punching too hard" as the system tells me. My accuracy is improving, but because it's hard to hear the "trainer" or understand exactly what and when I'm suppose to be punching or kicking, my scores could be higher. But I manage to keep my Punch Strength at a respectable 92%. I'm sweating slightly when I finish. It was fun and I'll definitely do it again.

I note a few regulars but I'm the least social on Leg Day because I move from exercise to exercise with little time for resting. And still I'm at the gym for several hours! I completely forget to weigh myself today because of all the commotion the broken toilet in the locker room causes. It's spouting water like a geyser tornado and the accompanying roar foretells some sort of broken valve. I still manage a nice hot shower which feels really good. It's a beautiful sunny day, all the tiny biting insects are out and squirrels are trying to steal the sunflower seed holder again. I love Leg Day!

All Better Now

There was still a residual soreness in my throat this morning but by the time I got home from the gym, it was gone. Cured! Maybe it was the zinc I started taking again, or the incessant gargling. Or maybe it was just a 48-hr sore throat. Regardless, I still plowed through my Tuesday routine like a draft horse because honestly, I don't really know any other way of doing it. Head down, plod on. At least I'm not grazing as I work. (I did once see a guy working out with a half bottle of purple sports drink and a half eaten protein bar.)

My cardio still sucked and again I didn't make my 4 mile quota, but at least I felt better warmed up today. Today I blame my distraction on bad earphones. I got a cheap pair of Maxell headphones ($6.99) and they make the odd Sony headphones feel and sound like a million bucks. The Maxell's not only mute the music so badly that at full volume I can still hear ambient gym noise. In spite of the soft clip that goes over the ear, after a few minutes, the hard overly large inside earpiece starts to hurt. The Sonys may be cheap ($6.99) because of their ill-designed asymmetrical wires, but at least they don't hurt your ears and the music sounds great. Boy do I really miss my old Phillips headphones but I can't seem to find them anywhere. I resort to purchasing an expensive ($20 at Kmart, cheaper online but I can't wait and shipping costs a fortune) pair of JVC sport headphones, saving the Sonys as a backup in case the JVCs fail.

Back and Biceps Day, and biceps had a much better time of it. Seated Cable Rows were good until I hit the heavy sets. I feel sloppy when I do them so I'm going to drop my weight. I barely got a chance to do any pull ups because the Smith rack was very popular today. I did however, remember to take my pink kickboxing gloves with me so that I'd have no excuse for not trying out a few routines on the Nexersys station.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.87 miles (my cardio really sucks this week!)
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 lbs
Pull Ups: 12+2 (legs curled to chest)
Chin Ups: 11+2 (legs straight out)
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks: I do manage a few kicks outside the cage on the flat floor
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 7 x 12 @ 90 lbs (I don't really mean to do 7 sets but lose count and do an extra set just for fun. Maybe I should up the weight even though I'm not making sets of 15 reps?)
Standing Alternate DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Pull Ups: 10+3 (legs straight out)
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
BB Curls: 6 x 15 @ 40 lbs (these seem a tad easy but 45 lbs is too heavy)
Mat Stretch: my stretches and splits are much better today so I'm pleased.
Nexersys station: I put on those godawful pink gloves and do two intro rounds for Beginners: striking and technique. It's fun although again I'm having a hard time following instructions because I can't really hear the monitor very well although I can follow the video fairly well. Still, I admit that wailing on the station with gloved fists is a helluva lot of fun!

I see a few regulars today like B, M, The Mayor, Hannibal BaggyKnees, SkinnyTat, and eventually, R and Fish Guy. I actually don't talk to any of them because I'm so not interested in breaking the rhythm of my workout. I'm not nearly as tired as I was yesterday so I'm thinking today's a good day to get salt for the water softener, and compost for the raised beds. I can't remember but somehow the 40 lb bags of salt feel easier to manage than I last recall. Maybe salt used to come in unwieldy 50 lb bags?

The gym scale reads 109.2 lbs and my home scale registers 106.8 which is exactly what I weighed the last time I weighed myself on a Tuesday. I have on a new Biatta bra and I'm tickled that not only does it fit comfortably (yes, another 36AAA), my chest doesn't look weird when I toss on a T-shirt. I look down and my profile looks like my own and not a mannequin. Or heaven forbid, an Easter egg holder.

My son has tae kwon do at UMAC this evening, about an hour after I pick him up from his after school golf class. Anytime there's a way to get him involved in more physical activities that doesn't involve team sports, I sign him up. No one in my family seems particularly enthralled by team sports of any kind. Just as well. I guess being anti-social runs on the family, although my son is probably the most sociable kid you'll ever meet. But he's not competitive. I'm not either. I just like to kick butt.

It's Just a Sore Throat

I wish I'd been more of a slug over the weekend. Saturday afternoon I developed a sore throat oddly situated on the left side. I hadn't noticed any post-nasal drip but it is the advent of allergy season and I recall developing a nagging sinus infection this time last year. The idea of strep floated briefly floated in my mind. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't been taking my daily dose of zinc and fish oil either. Jeez. Hot tea and gargling provided some minor succor, but not swallowing at all seemed to give the most pain relief. I didn't sleep well either, waking in the wee hours to gargle and pee.

This morning I felt a tad better. Enough to eat my eggy oatmeal with maple syrup, but not enough to finish my cup of instant coffee. B commented that I looked really tired and I gaze into the locker room mirror and note my puffy eyes and general disheveled state. Whatever. I always look like that in the mornings! I knew cardio was going to suck so I didn't stress too much over it. I was bummed that I couldn't get a good sweaty warm up out of it though. Sometimes you need to cut yourself some slack so I decided I'd bench heavy but only for one set. I look for M to spot me but he's so busy chatting that he forgets he's agreed to help me. Because I'm getting cold on the bench, I say "$@#% it" and bench my set of 6 reps without him. I do it and it's not a problem so I guess I didn't really need him after all. However, when I move the weight up, as I inevitably will, I will have to grab him. Or someone. I hate asking for help. But you already know that.

gripbar attached to palm

By the time he remembers and comes over, I've already dropped the weight down 10 lbs and I tell him I don't need him anymore. I do drop sets, get warmer and then head over to the Cage for stretch and kicks. I can tell from the stiffness in my hamstrings that I'm going to have trouble so I take it all slow and easy. I see a few old guys clustered around the Nexersys stations, poking at the display. I have new gloves, purportedly for kickboxing, grappling and such and while I like the padding, I'm a bit offended that they only come in pink. Yep, pink. Guess you can just make anything pink and call it Women's. I'm not thrilled with the "grip bar" in the palm either but my husband assures me that it can be useful. I'm skeptical. He also assures me that these gloves will make our kickboxing class more fun. Hmmm.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.86 miles and I'm barely busting a sweat -- it's very disappointing
Smith Bench Press: 25 @ bar / 15 @ 95 lbs / 12 @ 115 lbs / 10 @ 135 / 6 @ 155 lbs / 8 @ 145 lbs / 10 @ 125 lbs / 12 @ 115 lbs / 25 @ 95 lbs
I started to get cold waiting for M to spot me on the 155 and finally just gave up and did it solo. It felt pretty good so I started doing drop sets, ending with 25 reps giving me a nice warm pump.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
I see M drag away the inclined bench parked next to the Cage as I toss a few side kicks at the side bars on the Cage. He pauses for a moment to watch but I've got my rhythm on so I don't stop. There's too many people on the other stretching equipment to do a few kicks flat on the mat today so I skip it.
Seated Inclined Rear DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm Tricep DB Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Tricep Press Downs: 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
By the 3rd set I'm having trouble breathing and maintaining my strength so the last two reps are really hard to finish as I try to exhale on the downward movement, but inhaling on the upward controlled release is a B@#$!
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch: my hamstrings are tight today and I move slowly and gently to get my splits. 

I haven't seen Mo in weeks now, although I do run into D, the yoga-runner chick. She suffered a torn rotator cuff a few weeks ago, and eschewing surgery means no lifting, no yoga, no stretching for the next two months! Whoa! She doesn't even know what she did to tear it! Bummer.

The gym scale reads 110.8 lbs which is less than I thought, so I'm good with that. I feel tired and can't talk myself into going to purchase compost and soil for our raised beds. April means prepping for vegetables but I just feel like going home to clear the kitchen of the disaster my husband created last night when he decided to experiment with baking his own "last forever nutrition bars" made from honey, wheat flour and an assortment of hand-ground (yes, he bought a table top mill grinder) chickpeas, black beans, powdered kale and spinach.

"Kallie" bralette

The only thing I am happy about is that the bras from LulaLu.com arrived and they actually fit well. So it's confirmed that I am a miniscule 36AAA (yes, that's triple A) but I now own 3 different bras that are reasonably comfortable (no underwire!) and are lightly padded so there's no headlamp issue even with the lightest summer fabrices. I also bought myself two bikinis from Lands End after trying them on at Sears. It's about time that swimsuit makers started selling padded bra tops! And it is best to try them on because sometimes the cute ones just look absolutely ridiculous in the fitting room: my first choice appeared to have me sprouting Easter eggs out of my chest! LOL!

Whaddya Mean I'm Punching Too Hard?

The weather seems typical for April: chilly and wet, and the only thing I'm glad of is that I get to slack off for the next two days, because today is Friday. Yay! The back of my upper arms are uncharacteristically sore and I attribute that to the heavy benching I did yesterday. Yep, they're sore, but not painfully so. Just a little tender when I flex them straight. Today I get to do Back & Biceps, and try out the new padded sports bra I bought online from Old Navy. I had to exchange the size M for a L and I'm worried that with my AA(A?) figure, the bra'll just slip right up. Gosh that reminds me of Phyllis Diller jokes!

Again the gym is busy, but I get on my elliptical and peddle away. Today my butt is sore as well and as hard as I try, I can't really move past the 195 SPM pace. Again, I miss my 4 mile quota, but just barely. Seated Cable Rows seem a bit daunting today and I have to think about how many reps I ought to do. I skip Lower Back Extensions completely today: I've been feeling a little stiff there, and I'd rather do Pull Ups, and maybe even a set of Chin Ups whenever possible.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.96 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 / 10 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 lbs
Pull Ups: 12+2 / 10+2 Legs curled up to my chest
Cage Stretch & Kicks
The Nexersys Virtual Boxing stations are up and running and I make a note to check them out when I'm done with my workout.
Pull Ups: 12+2 / 10+2 Legs straight out perpendicular to my body 

90 lb barbell

Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Rows (I'm too lazy to go back to the front desk to pick up magnetic discs so I just up the weight instead and pray that it's not too heavy for me):
6 x 12 @ 90 lbs (the last 2 reps are hard so this is a good weight)
Alternating DB Curls (my arms are so tired that by the 3rd set, I can barely turn the DB to raise it):
3 x 10 @ 25 lbs
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
BB Curls: 3 x 15 @ 40 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Pull Ups: 12 + 2 Legs curled up to my chest
Chin Ups (I'm really really happy that I can actually do these considering that this is the end of my back and bicep workout and my arms are burnt): 11+1 Legs curled up to my chest

I go check out the Nexersys station. My lifting gloves have too many internal seams to make them good for punching the pads. There's a 4-minute intro session that I start. It asks me whether I'm male or female, and a beginner, intermediate or advanced. I punch in Beginner Female. I can barely hear the speaker on the screen above the ambient gym noise and there's no place to plug in headphones. There's no volume control. I miss part of the instructions but start wailing away when it seem appropriate. Several times the machine stops to warn me that I'm punching too hard. Really? Too hard? It tells me to adjust my stance or power down my punches. I quit out of the program, but not before viewing the stats that tell me my power is at 120%. Good thing I decided to try this AFTER my workout, now that I'm tired and looking to cool down. The gym has appropriate MMA gloves on order. I may buy a pair and give this another try. It still looks like fun.
Mat Stretch: stretches are so much better when I do kicks at the Cage! even though I stretch at the Cage, it's apparently not enough and I feel it at the end during Mat Stretch.

I see B, and M and a few other regulars. There are a lot of new faces too. There's one gal who is making amazing progress since she ditched her svelte girlfriend for a dude to coach her through her cardio and weightlifting. She looks like she's dropped a good 30 lbs around her hips and belly. The dude isn't anything special to look at, but he's definitely having a great effect on her training! Yay for gym buddies who actually help you achieve your goals!

I see S and she always looks distressed when she notices me (she hasn't been around for several months). I'm not sure why--I've never spoken to her. She and M are good friends. I know she can move a lot of weight (power lifting) and that she once told B that she could get her to "the next level", because she's a Personal Trainer. She's relatively young, maybe in her 30s, with two young kids. But she doesn't have the type of body that screams Personal Trainer. She's strong, but her arms are covered in a layer of dimpled fat. She's not fat. She's not even really big even though she's bigger than I am. But then again, just about everyone here is bigger than I am.

I wave a quick Hi to M during Mat Stretch. He seems a bit embarrassed and he's not on the mat for very long. I'm thinking my stretches are probably intimidating as well, but I work hard every day to get to this point. I don't really care what anyone else thinks, and when I'm working out, I don't really see them either. The locker room scale reads 107.8 lbs. I haven't even drained my water bottle yet!

Today I strayed from my  trusty Ensure High Protein RTD and have a Muscle Milk 20 gm protein vanilla drink. It's really kind of awful: too sweet in a weird artificial way that leaves an odd aftertaste that makes me not want to eat or drink anything afterwards. I'm back to the Ensure on Monday. I may be bored with Homemade Vanilla and I wished they'd make Strawberry flavor (the chocolate is just too intense and seems to mask a slight sourness) just for a change of pace. But at least I can end the week with a chuckle... punching too hard? Really?

What a Rush!

Thursdays are the days I normally do reps instead of heavy movements, just to mix things up and give myself a break. I'm tired and sore, and the sun's playing peekaboo with storm clouds all day. Yesterday I took a moment to sit on my front stoop and watch avian friends at the bird feeder.

What really signals spring to me, more than the purple and white crocuses and the budding daylily shoots, is the shrill frantic singing of tiny peeper frogs. I love that sound!

It's certainly a lot nicer than the thick throaty bullfrog croak which I'll hear the rest of the summer. Bullfrogs are already getting squished on the road. There's always either a mouse or snake or frog flattened outside.

The gym seems unusually busy this morning but the normally raucous women are oddly silent. Maybe it's me. I'm not very chatty in the morning and some might say I'm downright anti-social. I've been accused of being "gangsta" when I stalk off with my hoodie pulled down over my eyes. I get to my favorite elliptical just in time to knock out my 35 minutes. Fatigue sets my pace at a leisurely 190-195 SPM although I do manage for a split second to drive the meter up to 289 SPM, but it's only for a millisecond or however long it takes for me to register the number before I drop back down. I don't even make my quota, but I'm breathless and sweaty all the same.

Two 5s, two 10s and a 25 on
each side of a 45 lb bar

M is doing inclined rows on the Smith so I knock out a few paltry sets on the free bench. Once he's done, I sprint over to set up. I'm not sure whether to count the 3 sets I've just done as part of my routine, but I know I'm going to do more than 1 set at 155 lbs. In fact, I do 3 sets, and all without M's hands on the bar. He says to me about the first set, "That looked awfully easy. You just knocked it out like it didn't weigh anything." And it was true. I stopped at 6 reps because that's all I was expecting to do. But on the 2nd set I decided to see how far I could get. Two more reps. But by the 3rd set, I was starting to feel a bit weak. M tells me that he ends his routine with the heaviest set, but everyone's different, so with me, as usual, I do drop sets afterwards. Yep, a set of 12 reps, then another at 12, and finally, I finish with 25 reps. Now I'm done.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.96 miles
Free Bench: 25 @ bar / 12 @ 65 lbs / 12 @ 85 lbs
Smith Bench: 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 lbs / 10 @ 135 lbs / 8 @ 145 lbs / 6, 8, 7 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 lbs / 12 @ 115 / 25 reps @ 95 lbs
M confirms what I've suspected, that the Smith mechanism offsets the weight by about 20 lbs. That explains why benching the bar is like benching nothing: it's only really 25 lbs. I'm a little bummed that my 155 lbs is really only about 135 lbs on a free bench, but M keeps telling me that it's still a lot of weight. I'm pretty happy, although it is tempered a bit. I could probably up the weight a tad as well.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Rear Inclined Seated DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises Superset with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Close Grip Bench Press on Free Bench: 4 x 25 @ 45 lbs (bar) for triceps
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Mat Stretch

I've drained my water bottle and feel spacey and tired by the time I get back to the locker room. Thank goodness the hot water is on full force! Some days the shower doesn't seem to have enough hot water but today was great. The scale reads 108.0 lbs. I'm good with that. I'm so tired that I momentarily consider not going to the supermarket, but then I realize that I have nothing out for supper tonight, so off I trudge. There's kickboxing tonight but since my husband is in Boston (again!), I won't be making that. Not that I want to. What I really want is a nap. Right now! Now that the Rush is over, it's time to recuperate. Ah, and tomorrow is Back and Biceps. Maybe I'll up the weights on my Bent Over BB Row. Hmmmm....

Does This Make My Butt Look Fat? Do I Even Care?

Short people look
horrible in long shorts!

These look so
different on the model!

It's Leg Day and I get to see how the new, more modest KickBooty yoga shorts will hold up. As much as I like my Underarmour Shorts, I'm still inhibited from doing the full range of kicks and stretches while wearing them. These new shorts promise to be clingy (no leg gaps) but not compressive. My body, with it's collapsible veins, super flexible joints and fish-scale skin, does not respond well to anything compressive. I suspect there's some genetic collagen-connective tissue defect but it's never been confirmed.

I'm tempted to put my Underarmour shorts on over the yoga shorts but that feels way too bulky and I worry about the inner seams chafing my thighs during cardio. By the time I get to the gym, I don't even care anymore as long as I can get my workout done. I note new equipment in the cardio area. They've moved all the Precors further down and rearranged the order so I don't know which one is #3 anymore. I suspect, from the missing bottle holder peg and the scratches on the glide track, that #2 is actually my old favorite #3. I'm proven correct as I punch in program #6 Hill and proceed to peddle away.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill #6 = 4.07 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.37 miles  Grand Total = 8.44 miles Wahoo!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
I don't like the fact my right knee is clicking on the descent and work hard to adjust my footing.
Smith Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
They're still breathlessly hard and I'm sweating so much that I strip off my sopping hoodie in order to let my head dry a bit. The doors are all open and the fans are blowing but it's humid and unseasonably warm today, peaking in the mid 70s by this afternoon.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
12 pistol squats each leg: since I'm plugged in, I like all my movements to flow as if they were choreographed. I set up my Pistol Squats as if I'm standing on an imaginary balance beam with toe to heel footing. I'm concentrating so hard on not falling over that sweat beads up on my face and drips off my nose. Or, it could be a hot flash! Kidding.
Seated Leg Curl: 4 x 12 @ 97.5 lbs 
I can't remember what weight I used last week and decide to just go with this. I don't think I can handle anything heavier because it's all I can do to brace myself in the seat, even with the lap bar down.
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs 
Now this is definitely heavier than last week but my movement on this is very short and limited.
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: my stretch is so much better now that I'm able to toss a few kicks out during Cage Stretch earlier in my workout. 

I see a few regulars today but Wednesdays don't get crowded until later in the afternoon. I haven't seen Mo since last week, but M is always here. Again I don't say Hi because I'm never in the same part of the gym as he is. I just do my routine. I don't quite understand what he does though because he seems to jump between cardio and weights and stretching but sort of erratically to me. But I'm sure he has a system. He looks like he has a system anyway. Just like I have a system: cardio, weights, stretch. Simple! And you might ask Why. Why do this? Because I believe that the cardio not only gets you warm, it uses all your readily available carbohydrates. By the time I get to weights and focused stretching, I feel I'm forcing my body to burn fat. I'm not a skinny person by nature, but I have noticed changes in my body that I find fascinating. For instance, I noticed a round bump in the groove just above the elbow (just under the brachioradialis) and I wondered what it was. It's the end of the humerus bone! Wow, never saw that before! And never realized how knotty the end of it was! Kind of cool. I'm also fascinate by the increased vascularity in my forearms. I've never had such prominent veins before! Again, I think it's kind of cool. Okay, I've always been a weird kid.

I ask the gym owner P what the new equipment is and he tells me it's Virtual Boxing; the stations are just waiting for the video chips to be installed. My face lights up. Oooh, that sounds like fun! I'd be willing to try THAT! Secretly, I wonder if my ersatz cage kicking had any influence on this purchase. I know that everyone's interested in what they can do to get "beach ready".  Yesterday, at my son's TKD class, one of the lady instructors gushed over my arms. She'd been in the kickboxing class last week with me and my husband. 

"I saw you throwing punches and you have such great definition and I want that! I want those arms!" Wow, I'm flattered. She asked me if I'd gotten that from kickboxing but sadly, I had to tell her, "No, it's from my morning workouts at the gym." "Ah, so by the time you get to kickboxing, that's your cool down," she teased. Yeah, well she's sort of right. 

The scale reads 107.8 lbs which is exactly the same as last Wednesday. I'm good with it. I'm not actually getting any bigger as far as I can tell. I still have a saggy butt (losing weight means that not all your skin shrinks) but the fat behind my knees is gone. Honestly, I work out so hard and so intensely that the only person who would even dare comment on my butt is me. And I don't care because there's nothing else I can do except what I'm doing.