The Weakest Link...

I know I shouldn't've but I did. I had a slice of leftover clam, spinach and bacon pizza last night while waiting for my son and husband to return from tae kwon do class. I'm paying for that indiscretion this morning because I'm sodium sensitive, and pizza is laden with salt from the crust to the cheese, clams, bacon, and even the white sauce. The spinach might've been the only salt-free ingredient. But it was tasty! This morning my fingers felt swollen although my elbows feel better. I slathered DMSO on them again. Today is Leg Day so theoretically I should be able to rest my elbows and their inflamed tendons.

Can't see my knees! And the
bar hurts my elbows! Egads!

I have my unitard, shorts, tank and hoodie on. It's a wet, grey Wednesday. Perfect for indoor cardio. The gym is mostly empty though except for participants of the morning Boot Camp class. In between songs on my iPod, I can hear the instructor screaming out directives from a closed room. Cardio goes well and I happily make my quota. The Smith seems perpetually busy so I wander over to an actual squat rack. It takes me a few minutes to adjust the pegs so I can use it, but I'm not at all happy with how it feels. The bar and weights are easy enough to maneuver. It's my left elbow that complains as I put my arms up to brace the bar against my upper back. Either my arms aren't long enough or my elbow just doesn't bend that way, but squatting here is unexpectedly aggravating my already tender left elbow. Wow, didn't see that coming. The Smith is finally free and I drop my towel on the bar as a place holder while I unload the bar at the squat rack. The Smith Machine is my friend. No awkward bending of my elbow. I can focus on Squatting, and doing Stiff Legged Dead Lifts. I could probably do the Dead Lifts out in the open, but since I'm already at the Smith, well, it's convenient and I'm too bloody tired to rearrange bars and plates all over the place.

At least I can see my knees
at the Smith Station

Today's Leg Day Work Out:
35 min hill = 4.02 miles + 35 min Intervals = 4.37 miles  Grand Total = 8.39 miles Wahoo!
My right foot starts to go numb at the toes halfway through intervals and I try to change my foot position to alleviate the pressure. Because I have collapsible veins and highly impressionable skin, any sort of excess pressure causes numbness and tingling in my fingers and toes. I can't even wear terry-cloth socks because they're too rough, too textured, and cause pain. 
Squat Rack: 12 @ bar (45 lbs? I'm not sure if this is an Olympic bar as it seems short so it might be a 35 lb bar instead) / 12 @ bar + 20 lbs / 12 @ bar + 40 lbs / 12 @ bar +50 lbs
My elbows, especially my left, are really hurting from the twist position I need to hold the bar on my shoulders. I'm thinking my arms are just too damn short or my elbows bend funny.
Smith Rack Squats: 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Damn, these feel awfully easy now and I should probably up the weight next week.
Smith Rack Stiff Legged Dead Lifts: 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
These are actually easier this week although they still leave me winded
Cage Stretch & Kicks
12 Pistol Squats each leg
Seated Leg Curls: 3 x 12 @ 105 lbs
The cable's been adjusted so the weight doesn't slam down, but it's a much more limited movement now. 
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Mat Stretch
The Leg Extension machine is extremely popular today and I can't get on until I'm pretty much done.
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs

Dead Lifts on a Step Platform

There aren't a lot of regulars today. I see M hovering near the Squat Racks but I'm so focused on getting everything set up properly that I don't really notice him. Mo waves at me while I'm on the Leg Extension machine. I see a few other ladies on the locker room and we all concur that Marshall's has the best fitting room mirrors because everyone looks fabulous there in spite of the blue-green fluorescent lights. I'm still a whopping 110.4 lbs. Whoa. Wake up call! I've either got to get used to being heavier (good grief!), or I'd better take better control of my food choices. Because my face is still unusually puffy, I think I'm still carrying a lot of water. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself now.

Still, I had a good workout although any thoughts I had about doing regular Squats have been dashed by my weak links: elbows. I have a lot of weak links: wrist and palms in benching, knees and ankles in squats, elbows in delt raises, shoulders and elbows in tricep work... the list is endless. The trick is to figure out how to accommodate your weaknesses and then work around them. It just takes a certain amount of self-righteous stubbornness to plow ahead with your head down. I'm not going to give up benching because I have tiny hands and wrists. I'll just use the Smith. It's still better than using the Cybex machines (which I'm too small to fit into anyway). Worse case scenario, I can always do push ups. A lot of push ups. Variations are endless. There's always a way to get things done!