Last night I rubbed the back of my arms and was surprised that they were sore and tender. Surprised because I haven't worked triceps since last Thursday a week ago, more than adequate time to recuperate! I was hoping that time off would improve my benching and tricep strength but sadly this seems to have backfired. I actually felt weaker today although I did manage to complete all my sets. The only thing I felt good about was cardio. Yes, cardio which I hate and only do to get it out of the way. I do it because I'm paranoid that my metabolism will realize that I'm actually a small middle-aged woman, and come to a complete halt. Kidding. Sort of. At the ellipticals this morning, the grossly obese man (who leisurely peddles on the stationery bike several times a week) manages to catch me before I've mounted the Precor. "You do this every day?" he asks. I nod with one ear piece half in. "Watching you go so fast makes me tired." And my immediate response was, and I'm not kidding, in a dull monotone, "Don't watch." And he chuckled and said, "No I won't" but I'd already put my headphones back.
Today's Total Push Thursday Workout:
35 min Intervals #7 = 4.63 miles Yippeeee!
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| Yep, me again! |
The Smith is starting to feel a little sticky, as if there's gunk in the counterweight pulley system. I'm not sure whether I should complain or not. Last year I had to pester the front desk several times before it was cleaned and fixed which involved pulling it apart and reassembling it.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
I was too burnt to go to kickboxing on Tuesday but I told my husband I'd be up for it this evening. But of course, he'll probably get stuck at work and I'm feeling spent already!
Seated Rear Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
I can feel my right trap strain as I raise the weight and I remember how it spasmed last week when I tried to increase my reps. So only 15 reps per set today.
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
I like the way my arms look when I do these exercises. Wish I had photos though.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Tricep Press Downs: 12/11/11 @ 50 lbs
I lose my ability to draw breath during the last few reps of each set which is very frustrating.
Mat Stretch
During my first vertical split I'm distracted by a large male figure walking towards the mat and weight area. Because the plate glass windows are behind him, I can't really see who it is, and then it dawns on me that it's R because no one else has that effect. It takes me a few moments to figure out where I am in my routine. I have to keep myself focused on my forms or I'm completely lost as to what position to do next because I've "mapped" it so that one form flows into the next. When I'm distracted I'm prone to making mistakes or worse, getting injured.
I saw a few regulars earlier today and I tell Mo that her repairman was great and I'll be recommending him too. The Mayor had simultaneously motioned and screamed at me to ask if I'm done with the inclined bench and to leave the 25 lb DB. So I did, but I still wiped the bench with bleach water and paper towels because it wouldn't be right not to. Nixon, ZZ, Loud Mouth, IrishGal and a few others go about the weight area. There are new faces as well, including a young well-muscled Asian guy. He's tall with nice features. We stare at each other obliquely. But I figure he's maybe 20 years old (it's hard to say how old some people are, especially Asians) and I can't help it if young guys can't tell how old women are. Sure, I'd like to be friends, but my experience has been that guys never just want to be friends. Unless they're gay.
Later, as I gather up all my gear, I stop by R who's doing leg raises and chin ups between the cable stations. "I saw your wife the other day." He looks perplexed. "Wasn't she here a few days ago?"
"Oh, yeah. She was." A big smile erupts. "She's so beautiful. You're so lucky," and I poke him in the arm as I leave and he's grinning from ear to ear, and I just know, although I haven't looked, that ZZ and the Asian dude are wondering wondering wondering. But I don't care.
The gym scale tells me 110.6 lbs and I'm okay with that today although I'm planning to drop some body fat for the summer. I'm not quite sure exactly how yet but I did buy salad greens and more pineapple cottage cheese, which I love to eat on apples, or arugula or even just plain toast. I suspect that changing up my cardio is the key. That, and watching my fatty food intake. I don't know how this will affect my strength so it'll be an experiment. I hope I like the outcome.
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