Day Five is a Wild Card

35 min hill 5 and 35 min interval 8

Day 5!

Since I didn't make it to kickboxing last night (my husband had to work late and I don't like to go without him), I figured I'd do cardio and then get some time in on the Nexersys machines. They usually stand abandoned next to the more popular, less scary cardio machines. On rare occasions I've spied a middle-aged woman or man tentatively poking the pads. I like to punch and jab. Punch hard enough to make the machine beep at me for punching too hard. But that's just me. I punch hard enough to make people look up from their elliptical daze, and when I'm done, sweat is pouring off me like I've just completed a run in the blazing sun. It's very satisfying.

Day Five Workout
35 min hill #5 = 3.93 miles (bleah) + 35 min interval #8 = 4.08 miles  Grand Total = 8.01 miles Whew! I just barely made my quota of 8 miles and I'm so relieved that it's over!
Cage Stretch & Kicks: this includes several sets of body weight heel dips (part of the stretch) and hamstring stretches (heel to face height bar) and side kicks to loosen the hips.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups because I feel guilty not doing any abs before a weekend where I'm basically a slug and don't do anything: 125
Mat Stretch: I'm tired from cardio but my splits still feel good although I don't push the horizontal because I want to save time to play with the Nexersys.
Nexersys: I do a 3 round set of avatar Follow Me (3 minutes per round), and then a 3 round set of avatar Sparring. The machine beeps me several times for punching too hard. Maybe next time I shouldn't tell it I'm female because it seems to be expecting softer punches. I land a lot of punches and my punching power (127%) is well above 100% but I don't really know what that means, nor do I really care. I land a lot more punches than the program calls for (200/150) and I have to be careful not to completely exhaust myself during the first round. Pacing myself is not something I'm used to doing but it seems like a good practical skill to have. 

Looks suspiciously like a blister!

I'd taped my knuckles under those stupid pink Everlast gloves but I've still managed to skin my knuckles, especially my right. I've also split the skin on the 2nd joint of my pointer finger just where the glove ends. When I get home I apply some Liquid Skin in spite of the extremely unpleasant burning sensation associated with antiseptics, and shiny plasticized sheen. The slight yellow glob on my pointer knuckle suggests pus but that's impossible so I'm forced to conclude that it's a blister. All from a few rounds of play boxing. Jeepers, I need better gloves, and it's not for lack of trying. I just haven't been able to find any that fit me. I like my husband's gloves but they're old (probably not available anymore) and waaay too big. Also, I have to learn how to tape my hands. Online, I read about cotton wraps vs elastic ones. I'm using tape. Perhaps I need to use something else?


The gym scale reads 108 lbs and I'm pleased. I've barely drank half my water but damn I'm hungry. My home scale reads 107 lbs and says my BF has dropped to 19.1 which could just be a statistical error considering it usually reads 19.4-.6, at least for the last several months. I haven't decided whether I'm going to work out next Thursday, July 4th. Traditionally I work out regardless of holidays unless it's a day the gym is closed. My son doesn't have camp so he can sleep in. But I'd feel guilty skipping the gym. I'll probably work out, but use the New Plan, leaving me wiggle room for two Wild Card days. As long as I get cardio in, then whatever else I do is cool. I like that.

Day Four is Leg Day! Hurray!

Nearly 6 miles! Yay!

I was so disappointed in my mileage yesterday (totaling 8.10)  that I was seriously considering repeating my double cardio session today. Worried that it would just reinforce a sense of failure (and no one needs that!), I compromised with a 45 min session of intervals instead, reasoning that I used to be able to get 5 miles in that amount of time on hills #5 and #6. My thighs didn't even start to burn (slightly) until minute 27 but the feeling passed fairly quickly. I haven't done 45 minute sessions since early spring 2012 and couldn't remember how many "steps" I needed to make 5 miles. I figured hitting anything over 7700 would be good so I was really happy when the mileage came up over five and half. Damn, that's the best I've ever done in a single session! I feel redeemed.

Day Four is Leg Day
45 min cardio interval #7 = 5.88 miles Wahoo! 
It takes me half the session to figure out that each interval now lasts 2 minutes and 20 seconds instead of 2 minutes so I'm always unprepared when the peddles adjust up or down. It's probably better that way though.
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 3 x 12 @ 155
The weight area is relatively empty and I'm happy to have the Smith to myself. I'm less happy about the creepy fat guy with coke bottle glasses who's doing shrugs in the machine directly behind me. But as long as he keeps to himself I figure he's fairly harmless.
Smith SLDL: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 5 x 12 @ 115 lbs
These SLDL are still kicking my butt, but it's not nearly as dramatic (I don't actually feel like wretching) so I must be getting stronger!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Pistol Squats: 15 each leg, alternating without resting
I'm concentrating so hard on not falling over and doing the movement in as few moves as possible, that by the time I'm done, sweat is running off my nose even thought the A/C is on full blast.
Seated Leg Curl: 12 @ 90 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 12 @ 75
These are my weakest exercise because I have such crappy knees, but they work and they're mine.
Mat Stretch: unexpectedly, my splits are good today! I'm really happy!

B chats with me in the locker room this morning and wants to know what's up. What's up? Nothing really. She tells me that I look like I got skinnier, which pleases me but I don't let on. "Are you kidding?" I tell her, "I put on weight." "Must be muscle," she mutters. But it's true, I do weigh more. I just don't know exactly where it is.

The gym scale tells me 109.6 lbs after I suck down the last of my 1.5 liters of water. I'm so hungry by the time I shower that I feel vaguely ill. At least the Ensure has remained fairly cool in the car. When I get home, I make myself a cup of cold instant coffee because I know I'm going to need the caffeine kick.

My husband wants to go to kickboxing tonight because he hasn't had an opportunity to exercise since last week. The summer schedule is inconvenient, but we might make it yet. I realize that I don't really have to give it 110% when I go although it's in my nature to do so. I'm so excited about my improved mileage that I'm considering whether I should do a double session or just another 45 minute one. It'll have to be another abbreviated workout so I'm actually considering boxing the Nexersys machine after cardio. Just for fun. But I'll have to tape my hands because my knuckles are sliding inside those silly pink Everlast gloves. I still have a scab on my knuckle from the last kickboxing class. Gosh, I'm such a delicate flower. LOL!

Dissatisfaction

Wednesday has been Leg Day for a good year now or at least since April 2012. It feels odd not doing legs today but my gym sessions tend to run long on those days and I have my son with me. My double session of cardio is disappointing although I do make my quota, but not by much. I'm such a hardass when it comes to my expectations. Cage stretch and kicks feel stiff even though I'm drenched with sweat, so much so that I uncharacteristically pulled my hood down during my second cardio session, letting sweat fly everywhere but mostly down my face and off my chin and nose.

As sweaty as I am, I still feel the need to warm up my arms so I do three sets of dumbbell tricep extensions, followed by three sets of standing dumbbell bicep curls, twisting my forearms as I raise them up in front of me. My elbows don't mind but my wrists seem tenuous. I don't play well with others so when I find that someone has laid claim to the tricep push down station, I immediately return back to the DB area and do tricep kick backs. They're not as satisfying as Press Downs but easier on my elbows. Barbell bicep curls aren't as gentle even though I'm only using 45 lbs for sets of 20 reps. The Reverse Grip curls at 40 lbs don't hurt too much and I'd do more if I wasn't worried about getting a Mat Stretch in before a shower and change of clothes. I'm waaay too stinky to ever consider not showering before leaving the gym. Years ago, I used to get in quick workouts and not shower but I never discerned the same odors that now emanate from modern synthetic athletic gear.

Day Three Workout: Cardio and Arms
35 min hill #5 = 4.04 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.06 miles (disappointing)
Grand Total = 8.10 miles Yay!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Tricep DB Extensions: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Tricep Kick Backs: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 45 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch: splits are stiff but serviceable.

There is too much drama in the locker room which it throws me out of kilter and I forget to weight myself on the way to the showers. A small, thin woman whom I've seen watching me work out has inadvertently locked the key to her lock inside her locker. Several attempts with a bolt cutter by various female staff members standing atop the adjacent bench have failed to do anything but put a dent in the metal loop. The lady says to me, "I enjoy watching you work out" and like a moron, I don't say anything because I don't really know what to say. I probably should've said something, like Thanks, but that didn't really seem to make any sense to me. I feel like Temperance Brennan in the TV show Bones, because I'm so socially inept that I'm at a loss for words. I do joke with her about how these new locks are probably bolt cutter proof but I've missed my moment to encourage her to add a weight routine to her exercises. Oh well. Eventually a male staff member comes to the rescue and snips the lock off while I'm in the shower.

I see Mo and bring my son back into the free weight area afterwards. It's a two-fold move. One, my son wanted to see all the equipment and Mo wanted to say Hi to him. She has grandkids his age even though she's a mere 4 years older than me. I'm the proverbial late bloomer. Second, I wanted to reinforce my no-nonsense approach to the rest of the gym which is peopled with HS girls, and men like The Mayor, Ranger Rick, Hoodie Tattoo, Hairy Tattoo, and Nixon. Only Nixon seems particularly appreciative of the situation as my son clings to my arm and hides his face in my shoulder. A cold pack is waiting for us in the car with high protein Ensure for me, and juice boxes for my son. It wasn't the best work out, not horribly satisfying, but it'll do. Tomorrow's Leg Day and I'm curious to see how that'll go.

Day Two and the Heat's Kicking My Butt

Hill 6 program on Precor 3

I have fans set up strategically throughout my house to encourage what little cross-breeze exist. Although I slept last night and felt only vaguely sore this morning, I had trouble getting up to speed on the elliptical again. Today's cardio session was worse instead of better. Bummer. Even though Precor #3 glides smoothly, there is a bit of resistance at the bottom of the movement that tugs at my ankles ever so slightly.

I had trouble keeping my pace between 185 and 195 when I'm normally zooming along at 200. I managed to kiss 210 for a few milliseconds here and there, but not consistently. After 35 minutes, I was panting and sweaty, but nowhere near 4 miles. Tomorrow's not Leg Day but I plan to do a double cardio session anyway. I'll have my son in the Child Care room so I'll want to do an extremely abbreviated workout. Maybe just cardio and stretching?

Today is Back Day. I'm saving biceps for tomorrow when I plan to just do 70 min of cardio and arms. Just arms. Just triceps and biceps. How long could that possibly take? I only have three basic back exercises today but it takes me at least an hour because I intersperse abs and stretching. Seated Cable Rows, Bent Over BarBell Rows and Pendlay Rows all go smoothly. I see R doing Concentration Curls for his biceps and guilt tickles me because normally I do biceps after back. I've never seen him do bicep curls before and I'm actually surprised to see him here at all. No Mayor, no Nixon, no Hoodie Tattoo. I see ZZ nearby, and the Latin Guy hovering. I may have snarled at Latin Guy once when he wandered into my space to do bicep curls. He had an entire section of mirrored space and he plops himself down right in front of my barbell. It wasn't as if we were sharing equipment! He hasn't intruded since, but he does hover. People who hover are regarded as pests best ignored.

The Pendlay BB Rows still kick my butt. I've read suggestions to do 5 sets of 5 reps at a heavier weight, but as I've said before, I'm too short to lift the next heaviest barbell off the rack and I'm not sure I can handle 80 lbs.

Day Two: Back 
35 min cardio hill # 6 = 3.85 miles Wow, I really suck today!
Seated Cable Rows: 15 @ 60 lbs / 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 127.5 lbs / 12 @ 112.5 lbs / 15 @ 97.5 lbs The last set feels pretty good although a bit intense. I want to work my way up to 25 reps as a finishing set. The only thing that bothers me is my left elbow, but eventually it eases as it warms up.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Bent Over BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
My hands feel pretty good today!
Pendlay BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 65 lbs
Wow, these still take my breath away. When I get the 60 lb barbell I find a 40 lb BB on the ground where some noodle-armed girl couldn't put it back on the rack. Good grief. I'm like that with the 70 lb BB. Can get it off (maybe) but can't put it back. 
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Mat Stretch: splits are much better today although I'm a bit disconcerted by one of the personal trainer and the pair of HS girls in tiny little shorts trying to do abs with a small medicine ball. They can't seem to choose which mat they want to sprawl all over, but they don't have any stamina either and they aren't on the mats for very long.

EMS clearance special

I'm not completely paying attention when I step on the gym scale so I don't know if it read 109.2 or 109.6 lbs. That's when I need to have my cell with me to snap a quick photo!

When I'm nearly done, a bevy of long-limbed HS girls show up in tiny day-glow shorts and long sun-bleached hair. They look like track team stars and they're big enough to move a bit of weight on some of the Cybex machines, although their barbell and dumbbell exercises need a lot of work.

It's 94°F when I get to my car. I've had to bring my cooler bag into the locker room with me just to keep it cool. Yesterday, baking inside my car, the Ensure was little better than room temperature. Today, I lug it to the gym and back to the car just to drink it because I'm not comfortable eating or drinking inside the locker room. It's hot enough to wear my EMS sundress which I like for its light, non-clingy fabric and the strappy self-bra top. While I like my new bras, once you sweat in them, they require rinsing and it takes days for them to dry out because of the padding. Such a hassle! This dress pattern provides enough camouflage to prevent any "headlamp"issues. I see more and more athletic bras being sold with padding as well to prevent that unfortunate "headlamp" effect. Tomorrow promises to be another blistering day. Maybe I should just wear my sports bras under my street clothes? 

Day One of the New Plan

Local garter snake

So far so good. I get my son to camp and myself to the gym. The day's already sweltering and I drink cold coffee I've saved from this weekend's brewed pot. The appearance of a two-foot long garter snake seems like a good omen to me, except he emerges from foliage just under the bird feeder. He's too little to eat squirrels and chipmunks but perhaps fast enough for the field mice and voles. Most likely he's hunting large insects and perhaps small frogs and toads.

The gym parking lot is crowded but I'm there late enough to miss the locker room rush. I nod at B who's busy scurrying between groups of chatty men. She barely nods back. Just as well. I'm feeling a bit sluggish after this activities-packed weekend that began with Friday's belt test and graduation from purple belt to brown for my son and husband. Saturday was spent cleaning the house before the first lake association party down at Long Pond. Sunday we met another family at the Rainbow's End Butterfly farm in Pawling, NY, lunched at Big W's BBQ and finished at Johnny Gelato's. And I consumed much grilled meat, sangria, beer and blueberries. I've got several gallon bags stored in the freezer with icy hard blueberries and strawberries. They're wonderful added to sangria as the fruity ice element. If you like frozen fruit.

I'm not surprised when I feel as if I'm struggling to get warm on the elliptical. The air-conditioner is working full blast and it takes me at least 20 minutes before I start to feel decent. I don't get up to speed until I hit the cool down period, and I don't make my quota. I'm disappointed but not horribly so. The Smith is free and it's Day One of the New Plan. The Manchurian is resting on the bench closest to the Smith and there's no bench inside the rack. I don't bother people who look exhausted so I don't ask the Manchurian if he's done with the bench. Instead, I walk past three other guys, including R, to grab the only free bench at the far end of the dumbbell section, just to carry it back to the Smith. With my hands full and my iPod blaring, I can only muster a nod at R, and he smiles back. That makes me feel good. Then I completely ignore everyone and get down to business.

Today's Day One Chest and Delts:

35 min cardio hill #5 = 3.94 miles Bleah!
Smith Bench Press: 15 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 25 @ 115 lbs  Benching feels pretty good today although my right wrist and thumb feel a bit hinky. I have to shake them out repeatedly between sets. 
Cage Stretch & Kicks: I am soooo stiff today that my leg biceps are trembling as I stretch.
Rear Bent-Over DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises (not doing triceps today): 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
My right wrist feels a little weak doing this move and I have to be very careful with my grip.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Decline Bench Press (I go for reps here because it's not a Smith and I don't trust my hands and wrists to support a lot of weight): 25 @ bar / 25 @ 65 lbs / 25 @ 85 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 25 @ 75 lbs / 25 @ 55 lbs  I haven't done Declines in a long time. It stresses my front delts a bit but it doesn't hurt to fill in the lower pecs since my bust is way smaller than my pecs anyway. There's no way I'm ever doing inclined presses because I have an odd enough profile as it is. 
Mat Stretch: my splits suck today but at least I stretched my legs, lower and upper back, arms, necks, torso, hips, calves, fingers and toes!

The gym scale reads 111.2 lbs and I think, in a spacey way, that that's a lovely looking number. Boy, I'd better go shower quick and suck down some protein! I still feel as if I'm spending a lot of time at the gym even though I didn't arrive until 9:30 this morning. It's my stress relief. Lately, I've been feeling extremely anxious. General economic uncertainty and world-wide strife, my son's inability to spell or retain any knowledge of Chinese pinyin, the constant email reminders that the dog's due for a check up (he's in fine health other than the stress induced by a trip to the vet), and the looming eye surgery that is yet to be scheduled all figure considerably. But it's not like my life is different from anyone else. We all have stress. Some of us self-medicate with food and alcohol, or activities such as shopping, or cooking. Sometimes we zone out in front of the zombie-tube. Sometimes exercise is enough. But what happens if it isn't? Ah, tomorrow is Day Two of the New Plan. I'll definitely be adding more cardio to my routine this week.

Abbreviated Friday Workout

It's the Summer Solstice and I'm sure many families have high-tailed it out of town for a long weekend, especially since camp starts Monday. When I was a kid, school ran until the last day of June. I remember those dreary hot humid days, days before air conditioning was the norm in school and other municipal buildings. Today my son is happy to accompany me to the gym even though I've warned him that there mostly likely will not be a lot of kids to play with. I'm right. There's not a lot of kids to play with. Even an abbreviated workout will run longer (including time to shower and change) than the allotted two hours, but luckily, since my son is no trouble (unlike a baby or toddler), he's usually there for at least 30 minutes more.

Back from the dead aloe

To shorten my workout, I consider what I can skip today. Not cardio. Not stretching. Today is Back and Biceps Day. What I skip are abdominals, a second bicep exercise, and lower back extensions. My abs are too big anyway. They could use some atrophying. I still run late but my son is playing with the two remaining toddlers in the room. Being an only child means that he's eager to interact with any other child, younger or older.

Heavy rainfall and hot sunny days seem to have revived the once dead aloe vera plant now sitting outside on a garden bench. These days we call it Lazarus. It's not fully recovered yet, green seeping upward from the soil into the once dead and brittle tips. It's quite fascinating to watch although it's taken several weeks for this process to become noticeable. Sort of like weight lifting.

Today's Abbreviated Back and Biceps Day:
35 min cardio Intervals #8 = 4.20 miles Yay!
Seated Cable Rows: 15 @ 60 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 127.5 / 12 @ 112.5 / 15 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
I knock out 15 reps the first set, but the remaining sets are a struggle to get 12 reps each.
Pendlay BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 65 lbs
I try to squeeze my shoulder blades together at the top of each movement but this is an exhausting exercise, much more so than the BB Rows.
BB Curls: 3 x 21 @ 45 lbs
I drop the weight down 5 lbs and up the reps. With my arms flared out, my elbows don't hurt in this position but it feels a bit weird. I can see the biceps flex so I know they're getting something out of it. 
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
I stretch my forearms between sets and my right wrist suddenly spasms as if sprained. Figures!
Mat Stretch: I am stiff stiff stiff today and my splits are not pretty. But Monday's another day. 

I see a few regulars today but because I'm in a rush, I literally ignore everyone I see or know. People know better than to get in my way. The gym scale reads 109.6 lbs again. That's unusually consistent. I feel pretty good, but hungry. I woke up hungry this morning, and even put an egg in my blueberries, oatmeal and  honey breakfast. I'm so hungry I feel gassy, empty, hollow. It's not a good feeling and I'm glad the Ensure is cold and thick. My son is also hungry so he snacks on a 14 gram protein bar in the car. Their the same calories as a candy bar but less sugar, and he feels as if he's eating a treat.

For the next 5 weeks, I'll be bringing my son to the gym for two days out of five. I tell him that I'm going to change my workout so that he won't spend so much time in the baby room. He tells me that he doesn't mind at all. Such a good kid! But since it's only 5 weeks, I use this as an opportunity to change my workout. I'm toying with the idea of adding more cardio, perhaps doing two sessions twice a week on those days I bring my son. My plan: Monday's still a Push Day but only Benching, Delts and Abs, Tuesday's still a Pull Day with Back and Abs, Wed is double cardio and Abs, Thursday is Leg Day with 1 session cardio, Friday is double cardio and Triceps and Biceps. I'm actually only adding one more cardio session each week, but it might just kick my butt.  I'll just have to see how I hold up. And then, at the end of 5 weeks, I'll assess myself and decide what to do then.

Fighting Through Lethargy

Honeysuckles in the privet hedges

Tiny seed pearl spray dot the privet hedges and a light floral scent emanates from the star-shaped blossoms. Then a morning breeze shakes the lazy honeysuckles entwined throughout. Their heady fragrance means the best part of summer is here. It's a good thing I exercise inside a gym, otherwise I'd never get anything done, spend all my time sniffing the flora and watching the fauna. Last night I caught sight of frenetic hopping inside our lightly fenced raised bed garden. It was a bunny, about the size of a robin. It'd managed to make a hole in our nylon deer fencing and squeeze through. Before I could get the gate open, it'd found the hole and hopped off like a frantic Peter Rabbit. Now while bunnies are cute, they're also pests and I've got too much invested in my dwarf snow peas to allow hungry rodents pea leaf dinners. (Never mind the chipmunks I find lounging in the bird feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds.) My husband buys a roll of chicken coop wire and attaches that to the fencing, so hopefully Peter Rabbit will find his meals elsewhere.

Today my legs are a lot stiffer and I'm hoping that my cardio warm up will loosen things up. The only Precor available is #3 which is the smoothest one, but also has a tad more resistance to the peddles. No matter. I punch in Intervals # 7 and peddle away. Because I manage more than 4 miles, I'm happy. It's not my best overall, but it was the best I could do today. The Smith is free so I adjust the bench and the bar. I'm tired and I need to adjust my workout as well. It's been a long time since I did high reps so I knock out 25 reps with 95 lbs. It feels pretty good. I knock out another 25 reps at 115 lbs. I know I don't want to bench heavy today so now I'm wondering what to do next. I add a pair of tens reflexively just to see how many reps I can get. Only 12. I'm disappointed but not horribly surprised.

I drop back down to 115 lbs and can only knock out 20 reps this time. But 95 lbs seems light and I can again press out 25 reps. Done! Yeah, if only. Next week I'll have my son with me at the gym 2 days a week for 5 weeks so I'll need to create a different workout plan with abbreviated days. Meanwhile, I try to make the most of the "unlimited" time I have today.

Today's Push Day:
35 min cardio Intervals #7 = 4.16 miles Yay!
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 25 @ 95 lbs / 25 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 20 @  115 / 25 @ 95
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Bent Over Rear DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
The 25s always feel heavy in my hands but not so much so when I raise them for Rear Delts. This gives me hope that I can use them for the Lateral Raises.
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
I have to cheat a little to get them up but in general the movement feels pretty good. I don't dare use the 25s with the tricep movement because they're too heavy for my tiny (5.25" circumference) wrists to handle.
One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 20, 15, 15 reps @ 20 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station (again): 100
DB Kickbacks: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
I'm so tired that I momentarily rest standing there with my head on the bench. It's not like me at all because I usually try to keep the momentum going by pacing or dancing around to my iPod.
Mat Stretch: the splits are stiff but not as bad as I feared. It feels good to just plop down like a rag doll with my head on my shins but no doubt it looks pretty weird. 

When I leave the Mat area I see Ranger Rick, Nixon, Ollie, R and a few other regulars in the free weight area. It looks pretty sparse in there. I feel as if some of them expect me to come over and chat with them, but I don't. What would I say to them anyway? I'm too tired to think about it. The only thing I want to do is stand in a hot shower. I've purchased replacement yoga pants but of course, it needs to have 6 inches lopped off the bottom so I don't trip. I like the Marika brand Balance collection even if I do wear a size M in their stuff. At least it's mostly cotton and shouldn't retain odors the way the completely synthetic pants do.

Need a haircut again!

The gym scale reads 109.6 lbs which is okay. My home scale tells me 107.4 lbs and I'm good with that. What I'm not happy with is that my right bicep seems to be declining. I thought it was just a bad photo, but my injured left elbow has a much nicer bicep (with the faint hint of that coveted bicep split) than the lesser injured right side. Hmmm. I can't decide whether I need to increase exercise for the right side or if it's overworked from babying the left side and needs a break. Maybe I won't even do biceps tomorrow. How radical would that be?! I'm so tired I could get good with that. Of course, I'd still have to do forearms... Maybe I won't even do abs! Whoa! Well, I took my measurements today and I'm still built like a fireplug so not doing abs for 3 whole days (Fri, Sat, Sun) probably won't have much effect. I'm good with that!

Damn I'm Tired and It's Only Wednesday!

Last night I took my son to his TKD class at UMAC where my husband also attends. Afterwards, we participated in an hour-long cardio kickboxing class upstairs. I don't participate in the cardio part which is a lot of running laps, hopping up and down, jumping jacks and thrust-squats. Like I've said before, crappy knees, make it prudent for me to skip impact movements. But I fully enjoy the rest of the class which entails drills such as punching a hand-target (a hand-held padded paddle) between push ups while in the push-up position, and punching a target every time you come up from a sit up. You alternate with your partner, each person doing 10 sets. I'm prone to losing count and I'm always surprised when my husband tells me that now it's his turn. The best part was alternating a punch and a jab, perhaps because I'd just watched  The Fighter with Mark Wahlberg (still a great body) and a hauntingly accurate Christian Bale.

Precor programs hill 5 and interval 7

So no surprise this morning that I'm having trouble getting up to speed doing cardio. Today's Leg Day which means two sessions. My legs feel a little heavy but I'm able to put in decent mileage in spite of the roughness of the peddles on Precor number 2. The other two ellipticals are occupied and I'm happy just to have a Precor to work out on. I'm not so lucky when I'm done because the Manchurian is on the Smith machine. I go do Cage Stretches instead. When I return, a brand new face is on the Smith, doing Squats. Ugh. Well, now what?

I can't wait too long or I'll start to cool down and I can't work out if I'm cold. I can't squat with a normal rack because my elbows, oddly enough, hurt when I put my hands to the bar. I have no choice but to grab a 100 lb barbell and do, for the first time, bare naked Dead Lifts. It's not my back or hamstrings that start to fail, but my hands. My grip is tenuous at the end of each set and it's not a great feeling. But I knock out 5 sets of 12 and then head back to the Smith in order to do a few squats. Nixon and M are at the inclined benches. I watch Nixon watching patiently. M is chatting with the Mayor and others. Too much talking for me. I'm glad I'm plugged in.

Today's Leg Workout:
35 min cardio Hill #5 = 4.10 miles + 35 min cardio Intervals #7 = 4.21 miles 
Grand Total = 8.31 miles Yay! Not my best, but absolutely not the worst.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
I hate doing my routine out of order because I believe large muscle groups should be worked right after cardio, then stretching, then more weights. Today I can't get to squats right away so I have to rearrange the order. I'm not happy about it though.
BB Dead Lifts: 5 x 12 @ 100 lbs
My hands, especially the two smallest fingers, start to fail after the 8th rep, making each set difficult to complete. I persist but wonder how I'll ever be able to up my weights past the 110 lb barbell. The barbells have smaller diameters than the Olympic bars, and my hands aren't big enough to squeeze the grip collars on and off to hold plates in place. 
Smith Rack Squats: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 3 x 12 @ 155 lbs
Pistol Squats each leg: 15
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Seated Leg Curls: 12 @ 90 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 105 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch: my legs are definitely not as warm as they should be so my hamstrings are stiff and my splits are off. Kickboxing took its toll as well, although I'm not sure why it affects my stretch when I'm thinking all it did was tucker me out more than usual. 

I saw B when I walked in this morning. She was doing cardio with her new "gym husband". I see Mo later on when I'm about to leave and we discuss care-taking and hospice care. A boy in my son's Cub Scout's pack has had a brain tumor recurrence and families are rallying together to provide support. I see Ranger Rick and Skinny Blonde, Skinny Mustache, Ollie, Marine Mustache, Hairy Tattoo, R, and Hoodie Tattoo. There are new faces as well, including a new young guy at the front desk. We'll see how long he lasts. Usually, we see a new face maybe once or twice and then never see them again. Not sure if they just find better prospects or if the probation period is too tough for them.

The gym scale reads 109.0 lbs which makes me happy. I'd've been disappointed otherwise since all my clothes are completely drenched. Yes, I know the loss is primarily water and temporary at best, but still, it cheers me. I've been sorting through my old clothes, trying to determine what to toss and what to keep. I dug up a pair of skin tight capris to wear today instead of my Reebok unitard because I'm tired of yanking the thighs down. Tomorrow is another Push Day, and the last day of the school year for my son which means I have to bring him with me on Friday. I'm not usually able to squeeze everything into a 2 hour period so I'll have to create an abbreviated workout. That'll probably be okay because I'm already tired now!

Flying Solo

Sometimes I think of myself as the solitary monk in those old cheesy kung fu flicks, toiling endlessly for years with the same mind-numbing routine, only to emerge a kick-ass fighter. Yeah, right. In my dreams, I hear you snicker. Hey, whatever it takes to get you through the routine, right? My routines are dull, dull, dull and there's not a lot of variety, but I seem to get a good response from it so I only change things when necessary, and that's usually due to injury. This morning I remembered how much I hate cardio as I struggled to keep a reasonable pace on the elliptical. For the first 10 minutes I kept wishing the session was already over because my right knee was throbbing, my quads were burning and my hamstrings felt stiff. I got lost in the music and the next thing I know, 15 minutes have passed and I'm able to kick up into a faster pace. When I get off the Precor, my knee no longer hurts and I feel pretty damn good. It's the routine.

B is chatting with Loud Mouth at one of the cable stations and I walk completely around them to get to the Seated Cable Rows. I already feel as if I spend way too much time at the gym as it is with my limited routine and if I were to actually chat with everyone, I'd be there until well into the afternoon. As it is, I feel guilty about only performing 2-3 different exercises per body part. Major muscle groups like chest and back constitute the bulk of my workout, so I don't see the need to overstress the smaller, weaker muscles like biceps and triceps. I only bench press for chest, front delts and arms. That's only one exercise but it's a compound exercise, utilizing a good portion of the body. When I bench, my body goes rigid which involves the body core (abs) and stabilizers such as legs, side abdominals, and even lats (back).

Back is a different story. Since I can't do pull ups lately without seriously compromising my elbows and forearms, I've resorted to doing an assortment of rowing exercises such as Seated Cable Row, Reverse Grip BB Row, and Pendlay BB Row. Today is Back and Biceps Day which means a lot of rowing and a few painful sets of curls at the end.

Today's Back and Biceps Workout:
35 min hill#6 cardio = 4.02 miles Yay!
Seated Cable Rows: 15 @ 60 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 127.5 lbs / 12 @ 112.5 / 15 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 15 @ 100 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
My hands feel okay today so I figure if I can sets of 15 then I'll up the weight to the last BB in the rack (110 lbs)...
Pendlay BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 65 lbs
Again, these don't feel awfully heavy while I'm doing them, but damn it feels good to stand up straight after each set and I discover that I'm actually breathing hard. I read an article that suggests going heavier with fewer reps such as 5 x 5. It's a thought, but again, I'm stuck with not being able to lift the 70 lb barbell off the top of the rack.
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
BB Curls: 6 x 12-15 @ 50 lbs
I know I said I was going to drop the weight back to 45 but I couldn't resist doing a set at 50, and since it didn't hurt that bad, I figured I'd just do the rest of my sets at 50. I'm so stubborn. I stretch my forearms between every set but that doesn't offer much relief, as if I've stretched as far as I can go.
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 4 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch: I added a back leg flex to the vertical splits today. Didn't feel too bad although the horizontal splits are still inches away from perfectly flat against the mat. Getting there though.

I see Ranger Rick and Skinny Blonde as well as M, The Mayor, PJ Pants, Ollie, Skinny Mustache and even R is here early. I wonder if Amazing Stretch and his pal Curly Cap will come back or if they've joined the CrossFit box down the street in the basement of Doc's Nutrition, a supplement specialty shop. People seem to cycle through dependent on their work schedules. It's only the seniors and Stay At Home moms (like me) who make it to the gym consistently.

I have the Mats mostly to myself so I'm happy. I don't mean to take up so much room, but that's hard to do with splits. There are a lot of college and high school kids here now. M, B and R are gone. R and others have said that there's no reason to spend more than an hour or so in the gym lifting weights, unless you're doing something else. Like cardio. How about cardio AND stretching. When people discuss their routines, they seem to reserve separate days for cardio, stretching and lifting, but I can't because I think it's detrimental to the exercise process and leads to extreme soreness, stiffness and injury. I see that most people don't even stretch, and if/when they do, it's very limited. Some people might be embarrassed, but really, most people aren't that interesting to watch, so no one really watches. Or wants to be caught watching. Except perhaps for creepy PJ Pants.

The scale reads 111.0 lbs which is better than yesterday. Dropping two pounds overnight is consistent with excess water from the high-sodium weekend. But I'm slowly getting myself back to a sensible weight. There's several reasons I fly solo, the predominant being that I don't have the time or patience to wait for someone else to take their turn, and I haven't met anyone with the same sense of endurance, someone who can come 5 days a week and knock out cardio and weights. People have different priorities and exercise is not high on a lot of lists. It's a treat for when they can get away, or a drudgery they impose on themselves because they know they should.

July 2012 (kinda scrawny)                                                          June 2013 (not scrawny)

I realize that most people not only don't have the time to perform a routine like mine, but also don't seem to have the focus or stamina either. There's a constant need for novelty and/or feedback. Women meet for classes so they can socialize while feeling as if they've accomplished something. But they need the guise of a class in order to achieve this. We're in the Age of Instant Gratification and exercise routines are anything but instantly gratifying, unless you count self-imposed quotas for mileage and poundage. But I'm in it for the long haul. Heck, I just spent a year trying to put muscle on my back and when I compare photos from 2012 to recent ones, I can actually see the changes. Now that's gratifying! 

Kicking the Feedback Addiction

I'm not sure if spaceyness counts as an allergic reaction to pollen since I'm not taking antihistamines, and flowers are abloom! Dramatically so! Vertigo still lurks inside my middle ear but so far it hasn't really impeded my ability to drive, exercise, shop, clean, cook or type. I feel lucky! Lucky that in spite of a high sodium weekend beginning with sushi of assorted rolls (dragon, crazy dragon, volcano) and ending with vindaloo lamb, mango shrimp and assorted curries, my fingers weren't swollen when I awoke this morning. I took my husband and son to Jaipore for Father's Day dinner and then my husband took us to Johnny Gelato for dessert.

My butt was stiff and sore, but that's the new normal for me. I dread Mondays at the gym because I know how badly I tend to fare with cardio after two days of complete anaerobic inactivity. Hill #5 kicked my butt and I missed my quota by a skosh. Oh well... tomorrow's another chance to make it up. The Smith Machine welcomes me and I'm extremely cognizant of my body placement on the bench today. All my lifts, while never easy, feel strong. Completing my final drop set of 25 reps makes me really happy although you'd never know it from the non-expression on my face.

Today's 1st Push Day of the Week
35 min cardio hill #5 = 3.99 miles Bleah!
Smith Bench Press: 15 reps bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 25 @ 115 lbs Yay!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Bent Over (Chest in Lap) Rear DB Flyes: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 100
Tricep Press Downs: 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station (again): 100
Mat Stretch: the gym has rearranged the mats once again and I move about every few stretches in order to take advantage of open spots as they occur. My splits are stiff and uneven today but I expect that on Mondays. 

Mo waves at me while I'm doing sit ups. I see her at the Mats but she gets up before I'm done. When I'm finally done, I see her at the far end of the DB area along with R and Ranger Rick and a few others. It's too crowded for me and I duck out to the locker room without greeting anyone. I have to pee, my head feels disconnected and I'm ravenously hungry.

The scale reads a whopping 113.0 lbs which, even for a Monday, is a lot. That high sodium weekend is certainly wreaking havoc on my self-esteem. I find myself constantly checking my email to see if anyone's posted comments on the two other weight-lifting sites I've joined. Nothing. I feel deflated and disappointed, then wonder about it. Is this akin to constantly surfing social media sites?

It's a feedback addiction that's almost as insidious as Pavlov's dog treats. Perhaps because there's no feedback when I work out, except for what I perceive about my own efforts, opportunity arises for the (reward) mesolimbic system of the brain to seek recognition no matter how indirect. The sites were exciting when I first joined but I'm quickly growing weary of them, finding it necessary to up the ante in terms of postings or photos to achieve the same thrill response. In spite of my ability to utilize long, boring exercise routines, I don't have the same patience with social media sites. Oh well... it may be time to kick that puppy to the ground (figuratively, of course).

Happy Back and Biceps Day

The storm was pretty wicked last night but nothing toppled over, no trees went down and we didn't lose power so all in all, it was a good storm. I begged out of kickboxing and my husband seemed disappointed, but he had trouble getting up this morning, so it's probably a good thing we skipped it last night. I promised him we'd go next week. It's the end of the week and my body seems to be feeling its mileage. I get on the elliptical and it's at least 6-7 minutes before I'm not sore and stiff. It takes another 20 before I actually start to feel good, but at least I finish my Intervals #8 session and make my quota. Priorities, don't ya know!

I can't find the handles to the Seated Cable Rows that I like so I settle for the ones with rubber padding. This extra bit makes the handles harder to grip because I have such little hands although I do appreciate the extra padding because I also have boney hands. Using a thumbless grip, I'm actually able to complete all my sets with decent form. That makes me happy. PonyTail Tattoo is working out at the adjacent station and in spite of my cranked up iPod with MeatLoaf blaring, I think I hear him grunt in disbelief when I finish with drop sets. The gym's awfully crowded today and I don't speak to anyone, not even B. I see The Mayor, Hoodie Tattoo, Nixon, M, Tall Pace, ZZ, LoudMouth, Old Florida, PJ Pants... yes, the gym's damn crowded and I have to thread my way between stations and people chatting along side.

I don't up my weights today because I'm tired and I don't want to court injury. My elbows feel pretty good all the way up to BB Bicep curls when the left one complains incessantly, regardless of forearm stretching. I haven't done pull ups in weeks and miss doing them, but my elbow's too important to attempt doing those just yet.

Today's Back and Biceps Day Workout:
35 min Interval #8 = 4.49 miles Yay!
Seated Cable Rows: 15 @ 60 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 127.5 lbs / 12 @ 112.5 / 15 @ 97.5 lbs These feel really strong and good today and I'm very pleased with myself
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Rows: 15 @ 100 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
My hands start to slip during the last reps but in general they don't hurt which is surprising considering I woke up feeling as if I'd sprained my right thumb/palm. 
Pendlay BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 65 lbs
I can't say that these feel heavy, but I'm thoroughly exhausted when I finish each set and can't wait to straighten up afterwards. I may affix another 5 lbs to the BB next week and see how that feels.
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 125
Lower Back Extension: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
BB Curls: 6 x 12 @ 50 lbs
My left elbow really complains about this movement and I find myself modifying the exercise to minimize the pain. I may drop back to 45 lbs next week and just knock out more reps instead.
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 4 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch: splits are stiff today but at least I worked them.

My favorite blue pants

Mo plops down besides me as I'm stretching out. When I'm done, we chat for a few minutes. "Grass gotta get cut," she complains gently. "Why can't they create genetically modified grass that only grows 3 inches tall? I'd never need to mow it!" I tell her the lawnmower lobby probably put the kibosh on it. She tells me a joke an elderly lady told her: "Why are men like parking spots? All the good ones are taken, and the only ones left are handicapped." We both chuckle.

The gym scale reads 109.2 lbs again and I'm surprised. I'm not usually so consistent! I did have another egg with my blueberries and oatmeal this morning. Blueberries seem cheap right now so I'm game to buy several pints to wash and freeze. When I get home, I take a photo of my favorite blue pants next to my 2nd favorite blue pants. The cell camera sucks and makes my royal blue pants look mauve! Thank goodness for photoshop color correction.

After trying unsuccessfully to snap a photo of my back in the hall mirror, I drag out my tripod and set the camera timer so that I can see if all my hard work is paying off or if I should revise my workout again. I'm pleased with the results so far! At least I don't think I look scrawny anymore... LOL!

The Body is Stronger Than You Think

I woke up hungry again this morning, in spite of a tasty dinner of poached wild-caught salmon, rice and sautéed spinach in butter. I even ate dark chocolate spiked with chili peppers for dessert. Having purchased another carton of eggs this week, I proceeded to add one to my oatmeal this morning, along with fresh-frozen blueberries (you can get fresh pints fairly cheap at the supermarket), a dash of salt, spoon of raw sugar and water. The egg gives the oatmeal a light and fluffy texture, which is a delightful change of pace. Gotta keep things fresh!

The impending storm is wreaking havoc with the air pressure and humidity, and my sinuses and equilibrium as well. I feel as if I'm teetering on the verge of a vertigo attack, and it's not very pleasant. When I dip my head to rinse toothpaste out of my mouth, I hold on to the sink to make sure I don't fall over sideways. Still, after my son is safely aboard the school bus, I drive off to the gym. Sticking to my routine isn't all that hard, as long as I ignore the tiny voice that tells me sleeping in can be therapeutic. Plenty of time to sleep in now that weekend classes are over! Stiff and sore legs remind me that yesterday was Leg Day. It takes me about 6 minutes of brisk peddling (175-180 SPM) before my body warms and loosens. I punch in Interval #7 because I can deal with 2 minutes segments right now. Intervals #8 is definitely the harder program in my opinion. Again, I don't catch my second wind until the last few minutes of Cool Down, but I manage to make a good show and I'm happy with my mileage. Now I'm ready to go lift some weights!

While I'm benching B comes over. She accuses me of not looking up at her on the Stair Climber when I'm lying on the bench. Good grief. I tell her that I'm lucky I don't bump into people because I have such tunnel-vision when I work out that I really don't see people. That's nicer than telling her that I don't really want to interrupt my workouts for a lot of chatter. She proceeds to catch me up on the latest developments in her garden. She's now hand feeding the wild chipmunks who come to her bird feeder. By the time she leaves, I'ml cold. I have two more heavy sets to do and then two drop sets. The first heavy set feels awkward, but improves on my next attempt. Perhaps because I'm warmer. The drop set of 12 reps is easy, but the real test is the final set.

Yay horseshoe!

Lately I've not been able to do a complete straight set of 25 reps. Today I'm determined to do it properly. Although I have to pause momentarily at reps 20, 22 and then for each subsequent rep until I hit 25, I don't actually set the bar down, and this feels like an accomplishment. Someone is peering at me from the Stair Climber on the raised cardio station adjacent to the Smith machine. It's odd to watch someone watch you to see if you're actually going to finish.

When I get to the Cage Stretch, Old Florida is using it to hang and stretch. I don't like to rush anyone so I hang back and wait my turn, stretching my hamstrings doing a few slow lunges and then some slow toe touches. Except that I can put my elbows to the ground. After OF leaves, I stretch and kick, and head back to the free weight area. It's horribly crowded with The Mayor and an assortment of men, young and old. All the benches are in use except for the one under the Smith so I use that for Bent Over DB Raises.

By the time I get to standing Lateral DB Raises, superset with Tricep extensions, all the old guys have left for the cable machines, and it's just a bunch of college kids. And me. I don't intimidate easily so they're forced to work, and walk, around me. This becomes especially amusing when I decide to do DB Tricep Kickbacks because I have to bend over a bench with my arm parallel to my body. I set up so I can see my position in the mirror which coincidentally happens to be in front of the Seated Bicep Curl station, and next to overgrown boys trying to heave DB in front of themselves. Good thing I'm not wearing shorts today. In the grand scheme of things, I don't actually do much Tricep work, and yet, I have huge upper arms. Go figure!

Today's 2nd Push Day of the Week Workout:
35 min interval #7 = 4.50 miles Yippeee!
Smith Bench Press: 15 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 25 @ 115 lbs Yay! Finally! 
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Bent Over Rear DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm DB Tricep Extension: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
DB Tricep Kickbacks: 15 @ 15 lbs / 3 x 15 @ 17.5 lbs Next week I'm going to see how the 20 lb DB feel but I'm leery of putting too much pressure on my fragile elbows. Still I do enjoy watching my triceps flex and the way the delts jump at the end of the movement.
Mat Stretch: I'm definitely feeling Leg Day today because the splits are a tad stiff.

Mo joins me on the mats and we chat briefly before I go shower. The gym is full now. There are a lot of regulars and a lot of new faces. Ranger Rick is showing a newbie some basic weight exercises. Skinny Blonde is jogging away on the treadmill. Fish Guy, Hoodie Tattoo, Ollie, Short Pace, PJ Pants and Nixon are scattered throughout the gym. The scale reads 109.2 lbs but I'm ok with that. I don't feel fat and puffy. B tells me that I look as if I've lost weight again. Maybe my gym clothes are stretching out from wear and tear. I don my bright blue, Gap khakis (size 00) tucked into black snow&rain boots and I feel pretty good. I'm not sure I want to brave the weather this evening for kickboxing even though local news reports that the storm has headed southwards. I'm still feeling vaguely vertiginous. But I'm looking forward to upping the weights again next week.

There's nothing more satisfying than proving that you're really stronger than you think you are.

Look Better Naked

A quick photo before
I leave for the gym

Looking better naked is one of the hooks that nerdfitness.com uses to lure people to visit its site. Looking good in clothes is great, but honestly, who doesn't want to look better naked, if only for our own smug sense of satisfaction? Working out hard has its rewards, one being body parts not currently being exercised still look good. It'd be a shame if the only body part that looked good was the arms on arm day, or legs on leg day. We'd either never leave the gym, or get out of bed!

Day-glo shorts!

Today is Leg Day and I'm not at all concerned about how my legs look. I toy with my day-glo socks this morning but decide that comfort outweighs flash so I put on my dull, seamless-toe, navy blue, Land's End trouser socks instead. I'm able to make both my quotas on the elliptical machine which makes me happy in spite of the intermittent abdominal stitch, numb toes and fingers and oddly achy knee. The Manchurian is using the Smith machine so I opt to Cage Stretch & Kick instead. He's not really manchurian; I just call him that because he looks like Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon. One-legged Pistol Squats are saved for later since I don't want to get too tired. I know SLDL (Stiff-legged dead lifts) are going to suck because I worked back yesterday. And I'm not wrong. After each set of dead lifts, I'm panting so hard that I have to stand with my head against the rack post for a few moments before I can regain my composure. I stretch my forearms after each set as well because both the Squat and Dead Lift seem to put stress on my elbows even though they're leg exercises.

I spy Mo at the other end of the gym but I'm not inclined to break my routine to say Hi so I don't. I note Nixon, Loud Mouth, ZZ and a few others, but no Mayor. M shows up later dressed in a uniform. He's a retired cop so I assume he's just coming off a security job. I see R at the next bench over. He's not usually here this early so after I've caught my breath from the SLDLs, I wander over to say Hi and see how he's doing. He's doing light standing leg presses interspersed with DB lunges. I've never ever seen him do legs before! Three spine shots of anti-inflammatory meds, lots of physical therapy and he's doing okay but he still hurts all over, especially his knees when it rains. He tells me it's going to be like that forever, the best it's ever going to be. He's had to ease off from full intensity workouts. I tell him that if he wants to live forever he needs to take care of himself. I know Ranger Rick and Nixon are both watching our conversation from across the weight area. Then I ask R if he's added any new ink. His guy is at his other shop in Spain for the next 6 months so he'll just have to be patient and wait. Good things are worth waiting for, and I agree with him.

Over 700 calories burned! Cool!

I don't want to do my Pistol Squats right there in the Smith Rack so I wander back to the Cage Stretch Rack but Skinny Mustache is busy rearranging a bench there. As a last resort, I peek into the room where classes are normally held. It's empty except for J (who sometimes works the front desk) and a friend. They're busy doing odd jumping calisthenics and the chilly, mirrored room is big enough so that I can do my Pistols in the corner without feeling self conscious. Ranger Rick appears at the door and he stands there talking with an older skinny man I've never seen before. Later, at Mat Stretch, I see Ranger Rick and R chatting. My sister tells me that men are as bad as old hens with gossip, and I can only wonder.

Today's Leg Day Workout:
35 min hill #5 = 4.07 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.49 miles  Grand Total = 8.56 miles Wahoo!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Smith Rack Squats: 12 @ bar (butt to heel) / 12 @ 95 lbs  (thighs parallel to floor) / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 3 x 12 @ 155 lbs
The last 3 sets are godawful heavy and my left elbow twinges painfully. I have to strip off my sopping wet hoodie and put my elbow braces on before doing dead lifts.
Smith Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 115 lbs
After each set, I'm panting so hard that I momentarily stand with my head pressed against the post and my eyes closed. I stretch my forearms. Time for another set!
Alternating Pistol Squats: 12 each leg
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Seated Leg Curl: 3 x 12 @ 105 lbs
This is a popular machine and I don't want to sit on it too long so I only do 3 sets.
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Mat Stretch: horizontal split is a skosh better than yesterday; vertical split feels okay today. I've hardly had any back spasms or knots since I started incorporating back stretches in this routine so I'm quite happy.

The scale surprises me with 108.2 lbs because I'm so used to seeing the number over 110 lately. I'm also so hungry that I'm reconsidering putting the egg back in my breakfast oatmeal. I woke up hungry. And I'm hungry again! My home scale reads 106.4 lbs but tells me oddly that my body fat is up slightly, and my bones are lighter (4.4 lbs from 4.6 lbs). Luckily, I don't really believe any of that because that's just silly.

I discovered a lovely tiny spider web on the deck a few days ago. Perhaps an orb-weaver or garden spider. But certainly not a wolf spider or common jumping spider, of which we have plenty. The day is cool and sunny and my snow peas have finally sprouted in the garden. I planted zucchinis as well, but more for their beautiful, edible blossoms than actual squash themselves. We like to eat them stuffed with goat cheese. My son actually just prefers the flowers with strips of American cheese instead. Wild caught salmon is on sale at the supermarket so I have errands to run today while I can. Tomorrow's going to rain. Again!

Appreciating Summer

As much as I complain about the heat and the rain that comes with the summer months, I do enjoy the wafting scents of honeysuckles and what I presume are wild roses (although they don't look anything like cultivated roses, the wild ones have the same spiny leaves and thorns). The privet hedges are heavy with tiny white buds but haven't bloomed yet. When they do, the hedges will sway with the low hum of buzzing bees. This morning I found an odd hood ornament on my car... it was a perfectly dead fly, lying with its crossed legs in the air. I'm not sure what type it was because it didn't look like the common housefly, deerfly, horsefly or robberfly. But I did manage to snap a cell photo of it because while I have plenty of dead dragonflies, moths and other tiny winged insects inside my front windshield, I normally don't find anything on the hood.

The gym didn't seem too crowded even though the parking lot was full. I got on the Precor that I've been using for the past several months and punched in hill #6. Although I slept fairly soundly, I didn't sleep enough and my cardio was a struggle. With only a minute and a half left during "cool down" I develop a stitch just inside my right ribcage. Because I want to make my quota mileage today, I don't slow down (as is recommended) but instead try to speed up. By the time the session is over, I don't even remember having the stitch. And I make my quota so I'm happy, and sweaty.

I don't mind when the gym is full of regulars because we stay out of each other's way. I'm not fond of the creepy guys, however, who are trying desperately not to be too obvious, that they're trying to get my attention. Fat creepy PJ Pants is lurking about. He's actually in the gym photo I shot today, curling a barbell. The Mayor, Nixon and Ranger Rick are here as well. Ranger Rick is in a much happier mood and I see the skinny blonde running on the treadmill in the cardio area. Hoodie Tattoo comes every day as well, but he doesn't seem to make any gains. I up the weights for the Pendlay BB Row and the BB bicep curl. It feels pretty good although my left elbow complains a lot today in spite of vigorous forearm stretching against a nearby post.

As I suspected, Nixon is quietly watching me. I only know this for certain when I'm doing sets on the Lower Back Extension Station and a movement catches my eye so I turn my head toward the cable stations. In between the two stations is a pull up set up. An attractive young man (probably in his 20s) with Asian characters tattooed on his upper arm is performing a spectacular form of pull up which ends with him pulling his entire body up and curling it so that his toes are up over his head. It seems like a gymnastics move for rings and it looks extremely difficult. I watch for a few seconds and realize that Nixon has been watching me because as I turn towards the pull up bar, so does he but a fraction of a second later. At least Nixon isn't creepy. PJ Pants is fat, old and creepy.

Today's Pull Day (Back and Biceps) Workout:

I need a haircut!

35 min cardio hill #6 = 4.09 miles Yippeee!
Seated Cable Rows: 15 @ 60 / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 127.5 lbs / 12 @ 112.5 / 15 @ 97.5 lbs These rows felt much better this week.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Rows: 15 @ 100 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs My hands don't hurt this week!
Pendlay BB Rows: 12 @ 60 lbs / 4 x 12 @ 65 lbs I'm still glad to stand up straight after each set. Now my only concern is the fact that I'm not tall enough to get the 70 lb BB off the rack next week. I had this problem a few months ago with the BOBBRows. LOL!
Seated Lower Back Extension: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 125
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
BB Curl: 15 @ 50 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 55 lbs
My left elbow is not happy with this movement in spite of stretching my forearms against a nearby post between each set. But this isn't the worst it's ever felt either.
Seated Lower Back Extension (again): 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Torso Twist (again): 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curl: 4 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch: better than yesterday but still inches away from a perfect horizontal split. 

As I'm stretching, I see R glide in. Just as I see him but don't see him, I'm fairly certain he's doing the same thing. Mo is just coming in as I get ready to shower, change and leave. I saw B's car again this morning but she was gone pretty quickly. The scale reads a happy 109.6 lbs because anything under 110 lbs is good news as far as I'm concerned. I had added an egg to my oatmeal for the extra protein when I wanted to increase my strength and size a tad. Now I'm culling it from breakfast because I want to have a lean muscular look for summer. I can't follow a bodybuilder's routine of bulking up and then cutting down to look good for a few hours. I just want to look decently good all the time. Not too much to ask, right? It's summer after all!