A Leg Day Workout Skirting Sciatica

Yay! Over Eight and a Half today!

I spent a good portion of yesterday lying flat on my back with my right knee bent up to my chest. It seems to ease the discomfort and I suspect that I have some sort of sciatic impingement. This morning I felt good enough to walk the dog and get my son and husband ready for Boy Scout Camp. Today is Leg Day and I'm not sure what my body can handle so I play it by ear. My right pinky toe feels a tad numb but that's the only thing bothering me so far. I get to the gym just as B drives away. I've decided that I just can't deal with her type these days. At the gym, I can't do anything until I do a session or two of cardio. It warms me up and clears the fog from my brain, makes me sweaty and limber. Because the first session felt really good, I opt to do a second session. I usually do two sessions on Leg Day but today is not a normal day.

The Smith Machine is empty and I position myself under the bar to see if I can squat without any weight. I can't quite get my butt to my heels because my knees don't feel right as I descend. I do a set and then add weight to the bar until I've done three sets at 155 lbs. My right knee twinges slightly but my back feels okay. The SLDL are another matter altogether. I do a slow set with just the bar, then add a pair of 25 lb plates. I move slowly and cautiously, but at the 10th rep my lower back spasms, nearly bringing tears to my eyes. Because I'm stubborn, I repeat this exercise twice more, each time only getting to the 10th rep before I have to stop. I move on to the Cage Stretch, not knowing what to expect. I move slowly and deliberately. The stretches feel good and my side kicks seem normal. Normally I do a few pistol squats afterwards, and because I was able to squat at the Smith, I think that this should be okay. But I'm wrong. As I crouch down, I experience excruciating pain shooting down my extended right leg. Nope. That's a negative today. No Pistols. Probably not for a few weeks by the way things feel.

I'm so surprised by the pain that I'm not sure if I can or should do the rest of my workout. Seated Leg Curls are next. Gingerly, I position myself with a light weight. It's godawful easy. I jump the weight from 60 to 90 lbs. It still feels easy. Okay, last time I did sets at 105 lbs so I up it again. Braced against the lap bar, I do three sets and decide that it's enough. Ab Crunches are painless and I lose count, meaning to stop at 100 but catch myself at 120... Leg Extensions are last and shouldn't cause too much stress. I do my six sets before heading for the Mats. But I don't do my normal Mat Stretch. Instead I spend 10 minutes flat on my back, doing sciatica stretches. I feel better but standing is a bitch and I bite my lip straightening up. I've had sciatic pain before but not in a long while. It's not at all encouraging that one of the possible causes is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, something my dad suffered from as he got older. He couldn't treat it and it limited his ability to walk around.

Leg Day Workout
35 min Intervals 7 = 4.54 miles + 35 min Hill 6 = 4.06 miles  Grand Total = 8.6 miles Wahoo!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 95 / 115 / 135, 3 x 12 @ 155 lbs
Smith SLDL: 12 @ bar / 3 x 10 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips and side kicks
No Pistol Squats!
Seated Leg Curls: 12 @ 60 / 90 lbs , 3 x 8 @ 105 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 120
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Sciatica Stretch on the Mats: lying flat with knees bent and feet flat on floor, pull one knee up to chest, curling lower back and hips up. Hold for several seconds then repeat with other leg. Lying flat with knees bent and feet flat on floor, pull one leg up and cross it over thigh of stationary leg, stretching hip open. 

The gym scale reads 109.2 lbs and I'm certain it's the salty clam, bacon & spinach pizza we had for dinner last night that's causing me to retain some water. When I get home my own scale reads 107.6 lbs which is well within my normal range. I see Mo briefly at the gym but she and I were both doing our own routines so we didn't converse. When I leave the gym, R's silver sedan is parked next to my battered old Subaru. That makes me smile for no apparent reason. I know it's stupid, but we're all human beings, craving connection, no matter how tenuous or oblique.

The test results are back and my urine is mostly normal. No protein. Whew! But there are traces of micro-albumin, suggesting that my kidneys might still be leaking. Or it could be due to vigorous exercise. I choose the latter but this is not truly determinable without further testing. Of course. So I have agreed to a 24-hour urine test. According to the Mayo Clinic, less than 30 mg is normal, 30-300 mg suggests early kidney disease, and over 300 mg indicates advanced kidney disease. I have to pick up a container and collect urine from first thing in the morning until bedtime. When I review my schedule, I realize that this isn't going to be possible until the weekend because I'm sure as hell not going to carry around a bottle to pee in all day. Nope, not taking it to the gym or the grocery store. Nope. It's gonna wait until the weekend.

Unexpected and Inexplicable

Today started like most others, with me making breakfast and packable lunches. Then I hurry off to the doc to have some tests done. Of course there aren't as many bubbles in my pee this morning as there's been in the past two weeks. Of course. I wonder if it's the voluminous amount of wild wine raspberries that we've been eating. The season seems to be winding down for these tiny luscious treats so we haven't been eating them lately. Or perhaps it's the double and triple amounts of cardio I've logged in for the past few weeks, but exercise-induced proteinuria usually occurs relative to exercise intensity, not duration. Upping my cardio doesn't mean I'm working harder, just longer.

I give the P.A. (physician's assistant) a sample of urine. It's got a cluster of bubbles in it. She takes my blood pressure, which has been borderline high for the past few years (my sister claims it's a by product of menopause), and we're both pleased that it's 110/70, which is what it was in high school. The blood tech takes a sample to run tests. I warn her that my veins are notoriously skittish (they slither under the skin like snakes) and I've been told they're tiny. "Oh no, they're lying to you," she says as she sticks a needle effortlessly into my arm and draws a vial of the dark red stuff. "Your veins stick up, so they're not tiny." We conclude that those other techs must just be covering for poor technique. I also know that in the past two years, as I've gotten thinner and in better cardio shape, my veins do seem more pronounced, as if they've grown in diameter.

The increased vascularity in my forearms is endlessly fascinating to me, but I already know I have a bizarre network of blood vessels scattered throughout my body. I don't do Overhead Presses (military presses) because the right side of my neck has a tangle of vessels that congest and put pressure on odd nerves, resulting in a temporary loss of hearing in my right ear. I can see a zig-zag pattern of veins in my upper right chest as well: they don't branch or fork but form Zs like switchbacks on a treacherous mountain road. I see the same pattern on my son's chest, remembering that when he was born, the inch of umbilical cord attached to his navel would not fall off on its own because it had it's own blood supply and required silver iodide to shrivel the appendaged tissue.

After cardio I set down to Seated Cable Rows. Last week I had a really good workout so I proceed to do the same routine, warming up with a mere 60 lbs. But my right knee has been twinging today, and as I move the weights up the stack, I feel a sudden stiffening on my right lower back, just over the hip bone. I can't find soreness in the muscle. Rather, it seems to be emanating from inside the hip bone, sending an unpleasant sensation down my leg and up my back. Drat! Is this sciatica?

My Seated Cable Rows are not going well. I forgot to take my rings off before coming to the gym so I was distracted by them cutting into my fingers while I did cable rows. Afterwards I ran back to the lockers to stash my rings, but the damage had already been done! Normally I only wear my wedding band. It's platinum so it'll hold up to abuse, but my diamond engagement ring and grandmother's diamond and white gold engagement ring (which I wear on my right hand) are best kept safe from such hardships!

Today I'm moving slowly because I'm not taking flexibility or strength for granted with an impending injury. I'm surprised that I can manage my Cage Stretch and kicks. However, the BB Rows are another matter. Bending at the hip is not easy today so I only use the 100 lb barbell for sets of Reverse Grip Rows. The rows themselves are fine; it's picking up the BB and putting it down again that's a bit tricky. Because of that, I rule out Pendlay's and opt to try Lat Pull Downs again. It's been nearly a year since I did those. Today the pollen count is wreaking a bit of havoc on my sinuses and inner ear so I'm cautious not to climb up too quickly: I can't actually reach the bar to the Pull Downs unless I'm standing on the seat.

The warm up set is easy so I jump the weight up. It's still less than I weigh so it's not the equivalent to a Pull Up and I'm hoping that will minimize elbow stress. I do three decent sets before my fingers start to get weak from gripping the bar. Between sets I look around. There are regulars here today like The Mayor, Hoodie Tattoo, M, B and a lot of HS kids, but my iPod is blaring so loud I can't hear anything. Just as well. R has taken an interest in a small kid. Okay, he's probably taller than I am but compared to all the other guys here, he's a small kid, a teenager who looks barely able to shave. I see R showing him DB lunges with the back leg resting on a bench. Later, I see him at a military press rack with the same kid and they seem to be having an animated discussion. Now I have even more respect for R. Sigh.

Tuesday's Back Workout:
35 min cardio Intervals #7 = 4.48 miles Yay!
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 60 lbs / 10 @ 90 / 8 @ 120 / 3  x 4-6 @ 135 lbs / 10 @ 120 / 12 @ 90 lbs
I can barely do the last two reps of my heavy sets and I'm disappointed but try to use negatives to get something out of the movement.
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 100 lbs
I had a helluva time picking this up and setting it down after each set because my right side back over the hip bone got really stiff. The rows themselves felt fine!
Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 60 lbs warm up / 3 x 12 @ 90 lbs
No back or elbow issues on this! So far so good!
Lower Back Extensions: 25 @ 90 lbs / 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Surprisingly, this didn't hurt either.
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Again, I'm surprised that this doesn't hurt either. 
Mat Stretch: executed every movement but extremely slowly. Left hamstring was tight but nothing compared to the right side, top of the glute. My stretches don't worsen or lessen the discomfort and I'm perplexed.

The gym scale reads 109.2 lbs and I'm okay with that. I'd planned to run a few errands but walking to my car and bending over the seat make me reconsider. Driving is actually worse than walking though as I can feel a vague shock of pain vibrate down my leg into my foot and pinky toe. This sucks. I think of R and how he manages to grit his teeth and glide into the gym every day. But what really sucks is that tomorrow is Leg Day. And I love love love Leg Day. Except maybe tomorrow.

Workout Nuances

Even though I didn't have to take my son to camp this morning, I still had a ton of other things to do before getting my butt to the gym. I arrive uncharacteristically late at 10 am, the parking lot full (whether due to early morning flicks at the local cinema or morning zumba classes I'll never know) but the locker room empty. I see B in my peripheral vision but I really don't have the patience for her today. Besides, she's busy chatting.

Mondays are chest days for a lot of people. I should probably do more than one exercise for chest but I haven't been able to find one that doesn't risk me tossing my back out of alignment. That means DB presses and flyes are out. I like bench presses because I haven't hurt myself too much doing those. First, of course, I get my cardio out of the way and warm up. My glutes and lower back feel stiff and I wonder if that means my kidneys are compromised. For the past two weeks I've noticed that my pee has been oddly bubbly. Not consistent in intensity, but enough to make me notice and wonder. Yesterday my brother emailed me that bubbly pee is a sign of kidney disease, an excruciating ailment my maternal grandfather died from. This morning I make an appointment to see my internist tomorrow first thing. It could be dehydration but I find it suspicious that the bubbles are present whether the pee is concentrated (dark) or pale although there is considerably less bubbles present during the latter. I wonder if drinking 25 grams of protein 4-5 days a week for months at a time is causing this. Then I wonder what I would do if I couldn't drink Ensure® High Protein as a post workout meal. That would be devastating!

I don't quite make 4 miles today but close. As I get near the Smith, I see The Manchurian stripping the bar and I wave a quick greeting. He smiles and moves on to the Cybex machines. Although the first two sets seem sticky and I'm dreading my heavy lifts, the cables miraculously loosen up and my heavy lifts are easier than I anticipate. Yay! Because I feel good about my lifts, I do three drop sets instead of two. The free weight area is slowly filling up with high school and college kids. Most of the regulars have come and gone by now. Mo stops by to say Hi but she's not looking good. She had to put her 17 1/2 yr old dog down this Saturday, and that's always a tough thing.

After Cage Stretch and kicks, I move back to the free weight area and find a bench to plant myself on to do Rear DB Flyes for delts. My arms and shoulders are tired but I'm stubborn. Six sets done and I stand up to do six more sets of Standing Lateral Raises, another delt exercise. These feel even heavier even though it's the same pair of 25 lb dumbbells. A couple of JHS boys pile DBs all along a flat bench and I want to yell at them for 1) stressing the pleather bench pad and 2) stock piling DBs they aren't even using. Instead, I walk away muttering loudly about jerks in the gym. I just need to do some abs, and then get a few intro sets of Upright Rows in before Mat Stretch.

Monday Workout:
35 min cardio hill #5 = 3.96 miles
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 15 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips and side kicks
Rear DB Flyes: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
BB Upright Rows: 6 x 15 @ 30 lbs
I'm using a relatively light weight because I want to be certain that this movement won't stress my elbows or wrists too much. I'll probably see how it feels at 35 lbs next week.
Mat Stretch: full stretch except for the horizontal roll forward since my left hamstring is very tight today and I'm pretty damn tired now.

Pants with Zip Off legs (inset)

The gym scale reads 111.4 lbs which is what it's read for the past several Mondays. I did eat well all weekend and didn't do a lick of work or exercise. I even got a pair of cool, lightweight cargo pants with zip-off legs at EMS in Danbury. They're a tad large even at size 0-S (for short) but with the belt, they fit pretty good.

EMS has relocated from the Danbury Fair Mall to a strip next to the newly opened Whole Foods. I'm disappointed that the new store doesn't carry sundresses anymore. However, the pants are great! My husband owns several pairs of them so I was quite happy to discover women's sizes.

Tomorrow's a Pull Day so definitely Back, and maybe Biceps... because Wednesday will be Legs and that leaves Thurs and Fri open as wild card days. Nice!

Week Five Day Five and I'm Glad I Made It Here

Yay for an empty gym!

I had a hectic morning dropping my son off at camp, getting the Check Engine light checked out in my old car (turns out to be a small exhaust leak that needs a "smoke" test to determine where exactly it is), pick up some more Ensure® at the local Kmart (they have the best price and I have a coupon!), go to my eye doc appointment (the generic eye drops seem to be working as well as the name brand so my pressures are 15 and my doc wants them to be 12-13), pick up some kale at the nearby Hannafords (the store is closer to the eye doc than the gym and here I can get organic kale that's more leaf and less stem than at the ShopRite), and then head to the gym. Finally. It's nearly noon by the time I get there, and I'm suddenly hungry. Aarg!

Hill 6 and Intervals 7

I toss the kale into a cooler I keep in the car and hope for the best with the windows cracked a bit. It's definitely a lot warmer today than it was yesterday. I'm hoping that my hunger pangs will abate with exercise. It's worked in the past, and the technique doesn't fail me today. By the time I finish my first leg, I feel warmed up and sweaty. And definitely not hungry although I gulp several mouthfuls of water before punching in the intervals program. I feel so good I'm singing along with my tunes. There's hardly anyone here and that's great! I'm not planning to stay all day though, so after my eight and a half miles or so, I stretch, do some abs, and stretch again. It's after 1 pm and I have things to do before picking up my son from camp! I don't have time to play with the Nexersys today, which is a bummer. Perhaps next week when my husband takes my son to camp all week (they're actually going together as a father-son thing).

Week Five Day Five Cardio
Precor 35 min hill #6 = 4.02 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.51 Grand Total = 8.53 miles Wahoo!
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 150
Mat Stretch: I shorten my session by leaving out the last hamstring/calf stretch

The gym scale reads 108.0 lbs which makes me happy. Always best to end the week with a weight lower than the beginning of the week. I see Mo briefly and we barely chat while I'm on the Precor and she's on her way out the door. I also see R in the free weight area and I'm surprised because he's never usually at the gym on Fridays until late. Of course, I'm usually here a whole lot earlier.

I flex my arm in the locker room mirror and think that it looks a tad scrawny. Hhmm. I've just spent five weeks doing a "once-a-week-per-body-part workout" and I'm not sure if I'm really seeing any gains strengthwise except for back and hamstrings. My biceps have a decent peak, but the concentration curls hurt too much, and if there's pain then there's probably damage that should be avoided. There's a definite difference between fatigue pain and muscle/tendon destruction pain. The same can be said of pull ups, and lat pull downs although I suppose that at lower weights (less than my body weight) my elbows might forgive the movement enough for my lats to benefit. I guess it's another experiment to be considered.

Week Five Day Four is Leg Day!

Precor gives more info than the Cybex

Instead of doing a double cardio session on the Precor today, I decide to investigate the Cybex further. But only after I've put in 35 minutes on the Precor, program Interval 8. Feeling thoroughly warmed up, I gingerly enter settings on the Cybex. It's an older model so it doesn't quite resemble what I've seen on search engines. I discover a minute shelf in front of the screen, barely wide enough to prop my cell phone on. I can just grasp the handles so the machine registers my heart rate and then cycles through a miasma of readings that I don't quite understand or care about. It's also annoying that when the program ends with an abrupt 3-2-1 countdown, it flashes a data reading for a second before cycling to the next function instead of providing a concise all-inclusive screen like the LifeFitness or the Precor. I barely have time to snap a photo of the mileage reading (which I assume is in miles because there's no explanation of terms or parameters) before the screen goes black. It's by far not my favorite machine. I'll stick to the Precors in the future because at least I know where I stand with them.

Today is Leg Day and the gym is fairly empty, just the way I like it. I wrap elbow braces over my sweatshirt sleeves before I do Smith Machine Squats. I'm not sure why, just that holding the bar across the back of my shoulders causes my elbows a lot of pain, especially free standing. It's less painful on the Smith so I use it in spite of all the naysayers who claim that the Smith is just asking for back and knee trouble. Sure, it's a crutch, but walking on crutches beats not walking at all. Afterwards, I strip the bar and drop it to the ground in preparation for Stiff Legged Dead Lifts, which I also do at the Smith. I can't find any Step Platforms so I have to use the bar as it is, which means it's at shin level. If I were standing on a platform, the bar would be at my ankles. I just have to remember to stretch a bit extra at the end of the movement because it's primarily a hamstring and lower back exercise even though the entire body is involved.

As I do my last set, pulling the bar to my waist as I straighten up, I see R skulk into the free weight area. He looks pale and thin and furtive, as if he's been ill. Most likely he's just busy and trying to get his workout done before he has to dash off to meet a client. I've stripped off my hoodie and draped it over the railing that surrounds the elevated cardio area. At the Cage Stretch, I'm pleased to discover that my hardest stretch (heel over my head, flat against the cage side with my face against my shin) is the easiest it's ever been. I manage to get 10 pistol squats done before two completely clueless gym newbies show up to use the cables. The woman starts first and seem unsure about the movement, which resembles swinging a baseball bat, except using two hands on a cable handle. Her partner, spouse, boyfriend, whatever, shows up a few seconds behind her and has absolutely no sense of body space, nearly smacking me with his clumsy swing. He does, in fact, smack his partner in the head on the next go round. I finish up my last 5 pistol squats and exit the area, shaking my head and I'm sure, muttering loudly to myself. I can't tell -- I have my iPod blaring.

The Seated Leg Extension is occupied so I do a few Torso Twists to kill time. When I do get on the Leg Extension machine, I decide finally to make it count and up the weight. I'm surprised and so is the old man sitting in the station behind me. The Seated Leg Extensions are next, and are still hard. I'm so focused on my quads that Mo waves a hand in front of my face to get my attention because she knows I can't hear anyone when I'm plugged in. We chat briefly before I resume grunting my my quads. I knock out sit ups and crunches before heading to the Mat to stretch out. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it to the gym tomorrow because I need to have my car looked at.

As I start the beginning moves to the Mat stretch (I have this entire routine "choreographed in my head" so that one stretch flows into the next fairly seamlessly) I look up and see R at the pec deck machine. I know he sees me. Neither of us acknowledges. That flusters me for a millisecond before I lose myself in what I have to do: Wide straddle touching elbows to the mat, gliding into a downward dog up and back with wide legs nearly parallel to the floor, pulling back and upright then dropping into side lunges, straighten up with hands on mat, knees straight but cross leg while keeping feet adjacent to each other, squatting legs together with nose to shin to standing, place feet heel to toe and bend down to touch nose to shin, tap floor with hands, tap ankles and stand straight up, place back foot in front, repeat twice for each leg (these are balance and hamstring exercises), drop into one legged squat but push back at bottom into seated position with one leg extended, fold other leg over knee and stretch hip, repeat with opposite leg. Remove sneakers, fold legs under into kneeling, roll up on balls of feet and toes to standing, deep lunge forward while extending back leg then pull back over back leg with body over front leg and hands reaching past front foot. Do this twice, then flatten forward into vertical split. Flex back leg a dozen times. Cup front foot with hand and use other arm to brace as body rolls perpendicular onto mat, straighten upright and roll into opposite direction. Do this again with other leg forward. Do this again and twist into horizontal split with towel on the floor so rolling forward, your face in on the towel and not the mat. Use hands laying out at 180° to push legs further apart. Chest and face on towel. Roll forward so that insides of feet are against mat. Use elbows under chest to support upper body if knees start to hurt. Straighten body upright then dip head towards each shin, reaching hands past toes. Spider walk arms and head from shin across mat to the opposite shin. Sit up and flop head and body onto each thigh rhythmically. Drop arm and head behind thigh with opposite arm touching foot (this is a waist and hip stretch). Repeat for each side. Pull legs together, pull one foot to inside thigh and bend over (traditional runners stretch). Sit cross-legged and rotate both shoulders forward and back, bring arms up overhead, clasp hands, bring arms down behind head, rotate hands palms up, release hands, pull each arm across front of body three times. Rotate each shoulder individually then straighten both arms in front pushing out from chest with fingers up and palms forward, push each arm individually (upper back and shoulder stretch), pull both arms to rest on knees. Roll head down and forward until forehead touches mat with arms extended forward, stretching shoulders and upper back. Roll back to upright sitting position and gently roll head to left, center, right. Repeat. Stretch legs out at 90° angle and stretch upper back by leaning over each shin, then pressing body flat against mat between legs. Sitting, pull one leg in with knee up, heel to butt, then straighten leg straight up using hands to support back of thigh and calf while flexing foot. Repeat with other leg. Done. 

Now that I write it out, it's quite an involved stretch. But it doesn't really take more than 15-20 minutes.

Week Five Day Four Leg Day 
35 min Precor interval #8 = 4.43 miles + 20 min Cybex 1.17 miles = 5.60 miles Yay! 
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / @ 95 / @ 115 / @ 135 / 3 x 12 @ 155
Smith SLDLs: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 5 x 12 @ 115
Cage Stretch w Heel Dips and Side Kicks
15 Pistol Squats
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Seated Leg Curl: 12 @ 90 lbs / 8 @ 105 lbs / 6 x 6 @ 112.5 lbs
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 150
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: see rather lengthy description above...

The gym scale reads 109.4 lbs and I'm good with that. Although I've long since abandoned the type of workouts that leave my muscles quivering and sore moments after I've cooled down, I still feel as if I've had a good workout. I'm not looking for size, just a little increase in the hamstrings to balance out the quads, more strength, more definition and a pleasing shape. If I can get to the gym tomorrow I'll be looking at an actual double cardio session on the Precor, and perhaps a few rounds on the Nexersys. My hands have healed up although I do have a few knuckle scars, but I was never much of a girlie girl. ;-)

Week Five Day Three is an All Out Pull

My son is at camp today so I don't have any time constraints. Now I'm worried about the Check Engine light that popped on yesterday afternoon. Old Subarus are notorious for their finicky chips but since my car is over 10 yrs old, I've got more reason to worry that it's something serious. Of course the car's been making odd noises for the past several months, and I've had it looked at by three different places due to the bizarre fumes that accumulate in the front passenger side when the car is first started on a cold morning. Being old means something's bound to break, or rust off (another great Subaru quality). Still, I do love driving my car and I don't want to replace it. Foresters aren't built on the zippy Impreza frames anymore and I'm not sure I want a bigger car.

I get to the gym at 9:20 am and run almost immediately into B who wants to know why I'm so abrupt with people. Probably because I don't have patience for morons, but I don't actually say that aloud. I have to work at being pleasant, especially in the mornings. If I don't actually rehearse in my head, I tend to just say what's on my mind without any of the expected social graces. I'm so much more pleasant, even if it's completely fake, after my gym workout. When I first get to the gym I don't want to chat. I just want to work out. I'm trying to avoid the inertia that kills a good exercise routine. Don't think, don't talk. Just do it. Does this sound severe? Well, it IS effective.

The Cybex Arc Trainers (there are only two) are occupied but the Precors (there are three working and one perpetually broken) are free so I punch in my standard 30 minutes for Interval #7. I get a slow start but as usual, by minute 20, I'm feeling warmer and more limber. It seems to take a long time for me to warm up so no wonder I enjoy the double cardio days so much. Sweat starts to trickle down my neck by minute 25. This would explain why I'm not ready to cool down after 30 minutes, using the additional 5 min cool down period to rev up instead of down. But I can't spend all my time doing cardio because today is a full Pull Day. I don't know whether I'll be able to get to the gym this Friday so best to do arms, or at least biceps after doing my back workout.

Week Five Day Three Pull 
35 min cardio intervals #7 = 4.53 miles Yay!
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 60 / 10 @ 90 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 / 12 @ 105 lbs
I decided to cut my total sets on these by jumping a few increments and only doing one drop set.
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips and Sidekicks (for stretching)
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
I got 15 reps on my first set, but thereafter, I had trouble again with my right hand gripping the bar. I managed to finish all my sets with the full amount of reps, but putting the bar down wasn't always graceful. 
Pendlay BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 65 lbs
I couldn't touch the bar to my stomach for at least half the reps on each set. Cutting my reps on this will probably help a lot. 
Seated Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
These feel relatively easy and I wonder if my elbows are healed enough to attempt a few pull ups.
Pull Ups on a Smith Rack: 12
I haven't done them in such a long time that I was worried I'd forgotten how. My left elbow still hurts when I do this. I can barely do a dozen pull ups with my legs straight out in front of me. 
Lower Back Extension Machine: 2 x 97.5 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 150
Standing BB Curls: 6 x 15 @ 45 lbs
These actually don't hurt my elbows so I'll stick with them for a while, perhaps doing 21s for a change of pace next week.
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 4 x 20 @ 40 lbs
My forearms are so pumped that the elbow braces feel uncomfortably tight but they don't hurt the way they used to so perhaps it's time to up the weight a tad.
Mat Stretch: as sore as my glutes and hamstrings are, my splits and stretches are surprisingly good. My body is much more limber than it feels which is odd. But I'm not complaining! 

The gym scale reads 110 lbs and that's a lesson to me not to late-night snack on tortilla chips and salsa before going to bed. When I get home, my own scale tells me I'm 108.2 lbs with the same body fat, water weight and muscle percentage, and bone weight I've been for the past year or so (19.4% BF, 51.4 water, 38.9 % muscle, 4.6 lbs bone). My measurements haven't really changed much either, at least the parts I've been measuring (standard chest/waist/hips): 34/26/33.5 in inches. I'm amused by the fact that my measurements are now the reverse of last year's 33.5/26/34 but of course, that growth is all back (not chest), and the loss is in my glutes. Still, my clothes fit fine so I'm okay with all of it.

I've remembered to bring the monster zuke to give to Mo and place it in her locker. It looks really odd next to car keys and a cosmetic bag. I've got four more zukes in the fridge at home, along with a big bowl of wineberries, and some snow peas. There are several big yellow blossoms in the garden but I wanted the bees to get their fill before snipping the blooms to stuff with cheese later. My son actually ate all the raw blooms filled with slivers of American cheese, but he won't eat grilled or sautéed zucchinis. I like them cooked with butter and garlic.

In the free weight area, I recognize a few regulars like The Mayor, Nixon, Hoodie Tattoo, The Manchurian, Tall Pace, Ranger Rick, Skinny Blonde and ZZ. And I'm disappointed not to see R. He's probably busy, or on vacation. It is summer after all. At least tomorrow is Leg Day and that's exciting! Friday I"m not even sure I'll make it to the gym because I need to get the car looked at. Hopefully it's something quick and easy, like the chip needs to be reset. Friday I also go to see my old eye doctor and find out whether the generic version of my eye drops (Latanoprost)  is working as well (although not good enough) as the brand name Xalatan® medication.

Week Five Day Two: Unexpected Cardio

I'd been planning to do two cardio sessions today on the Precor but I got to the gym late and all the Precors and LifeFitness ellipticals were occupied. Bummer. I'm not one to sit around, especially since the clock's ticking in the Child Care room. I look around and realize that there are Cybex Arc Trainers available. I'm not very familiar with their programming so I use the default settings which is 20 minutes at Level 1. While the glide is extremely smooth on the knees, I feel almost too short to be completely comfortable when using the front handles. The screen resets before I can snap a photo of it because my phone is on the floor as there is no shelf under or over the screen display.

There's no cool down so I move on to a freshly vacated LifeFitness elliptical. The Precors are all still occupied. The default setting is 20 minutes and I leave it in manual mode Level 1. I don't like these machines because there is too much resistance in pushing the peddles forward and eventually my ankles and knees complain. But what's really bothering me is the bunion on my left foot because suddenly my sock is chafing against it. I picture the skin splitting every time I step. There's nothing I can do about it because I'm not about to interrupt my workout just to go find a band-aid. At least I know what my mileage is when I'm done.

Now the Precor's are all free, and I trudge over to machine number two and punch in 30 minutes for Interval 7. At first the glide feels gritty but as I rev up to speed, the track seems to even out. I've already done 45 minutes of cardio on two other machines but this is the only one that counts right now. For the last two minutes of the program, I ramp up my speed to finish strong. Again, I don't drop my pace much during the "cool down" 5 minutes and I'm very happy with my mileage.

I do a limited Cage Stretch for just hamstrings, a few torso twists and then an abbreviated Mat Stretch. My legs are a bit stiff but not as much as I've come to expect from a double cardio session. I've enough time to shower and change before rescuing my son from the Child Care room. Today is $5 Tuesdays at the local cinema. Last week we saw Despicable Me 2 in 3-D ($6 tickets). We missed Monster University so we're going to catch Turbo instead.

Week Five Day Two: Cardio and More Cardio
20 minutes Cybex Arc Trainer Manual setting Level 1: I think it said a mile and a half or so but I'm not 100% certain what information the screen was conveying before going blank.
20 min + 5 min cool down LifeCycle manual setting Level 1 = 2.52 miles
30 min + 5 min cool down Precor Interval 7 = 4.52 miles
Grand Total estimate : 8 miles

The gym scale reads 109.2 lbs and I'm good with that. I'm also in a rush because again, my son is virtually the last one in the Child Care room. I may go back and play with the Cybex Arc Trainer until I figure out what everything means. It's got a remarkably smooth glide even if the peddles are spaced a tad wide and the handles a bit far forward. But by far the most annoying aspect is the lack of a shelf for my phone although I suppose I could put it in the side water bottle holder. Tomorrow is Day Three and I'm making it Back Day. Should be fun!

I just have to remember to bring the monster zucchinis to distribute... ignore garden zukes at your peril. I did for two days and the fingerlings morphed into forearm-thick clubs. At least there are a few snow peas.

Week Five Day One: Abbreviated Push

Wineberries AKA Wine Raspberries

I was sore the entire weekend, and learning how to split firewood with a 9-lb maul didn't help when the split wood flew off the stand and hit me in the shin. Luckily I had long pants and gloves on. We were at a day-long seminar on the art of Ash and Coal Fire Cooking at Practical Primitive in Hackettstown NJ. It was there that I learned that the wild raspberries we've been gathering (and eating) these last few weeks are also known as Wineberry or Wine Raspberries, an invasive Japanese variety that's taken hold in the northeast US. Well, it's the first invasive species I actually approve of, because, damn those berries are tasty! The bushes themselves seem extremely prolific, and we're surprised the birds haven't eaten them all. Sshhh!

My son and I got to the gym an hour later than normal because we both needed the sleep after a hectic weekend. He's not old enough to be onsite at the seminar so first we headed east to Connecticut to drop him at a friend's house for an extensive play date which included a trip to the Bronx Zoo and an impromptu water gun fight. Then we drove back through NY to NJ. It makes for a very long day, especially since we didn't get to retrieve our son until 10 pm.

This morning, all the Precor's were available so I got on my favorite machine and punched in Hill #5. Again, I don't actually feel warm until the 20 minute mark, and barely bust a sweat on Mondays. It's as if I need a few days of cardio before my body can rev up to proper speed. I don't make my quota either and the Smith machine is occupied by a pair of college boys who look as if they're going to be there all day. I don't want to lose momentum so I do reps on a standard flat bench. By my 3rd set, the Smith is free and I hurry over to claim it. I know I'm going to regret doing so many reps but I have to at least try to hit the heavy weights. What starts to fail on my heavy lift isn't my pecs or triceps, but my hands. Specifically, my right thumb and palm. My right front delt strains a bit and I know that there's nothing I can really do to improve my hand strength. I cut my sets short and do a few drop sets so I don't feel as if it's been a total waste of time.

Later, at home, my 8 year old son playfully tries on my wedding band and engagement ring, discovering to his horror that even though his hands are smaller than mine, his fingers are bigger. The rings get stuck on his knuckles! I have very small fingers and hands, and that is a big obstacle in my strength training. My right pinky and ring finger periodically lose their grip strength but then recover. I haven't been able to determine any causality for it. I'll have to look harder because I'm sure there is something that I'm missing. I can hang onto the dumbbells as I do Bent Over DB Rear Flyes, perhaps because I'm more focused on the back of my shoulders than my hands. The free weight area is really crowded today. By the time I start my sets of Lateral DB Raises, most of the guys have moved on to other stations. Finally, some breathing room!

B said Hi on her way out as I was signing my son in. She was actually smiling today, perhaps because she recognized that my spacey distractedness isn't personal. I see Mo from across the room but she's in and out so quickly that I don't have any opportunity to greet her. I don't recognize too many regulars, except for R. I think his wife is using the cables because he's spending an inordinate amount of time explaining forms to a tall, thin young woman with skinny long arms and long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. R looks distressed. I sense discord and keep my distance.

Today is an abbreviated workout because the Child Care room closes at 1 pm. I can only squeeze in cardio, benching, stretching, two delt exercises and some abs before showering. I claim my son at 12:58 pm and he is the only child left in the room.

Week Five Day One: Abbreviated Push
35 min cardio hill #5 = 3.91 miles Bleah!
Olympic Flat Bench: 25 reps @ bar / 25 @ 65 lbs / 15 @85 lbs
Smith Machine Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 25 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 2 x 6 @ 155 / 10 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Bent Over DB Raises (chest in lap): 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs I can do 8 reps for each set without any problems then have to slow down to muscle up the last 4 reps for each set.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 150
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: even though my legs and back are stiff and a tad sore, my splits are good today and I'm surprised enough to attempt another horizontal roll forward. It's better on days when I do limited cardio because the double cardio days see too much tightness in the hamstrings.

The gym scale reads 111.4 lbs which is good considering the feasting I partook in yesterday. It started with cinnamon rolls (Pop'n Fresh) stuck to a clay vessel and placed on a bed of coals while a chicken roasted overhead, followed by coal-grilled corn, sweet and white potatoes, clams on the half shell, whole catfish laid directly on the coal bed, tomatoes drenched in olive oil grilled on a granite slab, peppers (directly on the coals), salmon (cooked on a section of ash bark), pork chops cooked directly on an ash bed, vegetable soup (placed in a clay vessel and heated with stones from the fire until the soup came to a furious boil), baked garlic, baked eggs, and for dessert, ash cake (patted thin like a tortilla and placed on hot white ash) made from wheat flour, acorn flour, eggs and water, topped with wineberries, butter and rosehip jelly. Yum!

Again, I didn't have time to incorporate Upright Rows into my workout. I'll have my son tomorrow so that's another abbreviated workout, but perhaps I'll try to do a Back session. Friday is the wild card day because I have an eye doc appointment in the morning with my old eye doc just to renew my eye drop prescription. I have a consultation with a glaucoma specialist in Philadelphia at the end of next month but I don't have enough eye drops to see me through till then. I could just blow off the gym, or I could come to the gym AFTER my appointment and perhaps do a bit of cardio...

Week Four Day Five Endurance Vs Agility

I'm uncharacteristically sore today, perhaps from spending hours last night standing around the Volunteer Fire Department annual summer carnival. Even though I wore long pants, socks and a long sleeve shirt, all liberally doused with DEET, I must've missed a spot because when I got home, I had a nasty, itchy welt on my elbow. Got bit right through the shirt! My fingers are stiff and slightly swollen as well but that might just be the salt from deli meats. I've rediscovered my sandwich press and made pressed cold-cut sandwiches for dinner last night. Then we ate our fill of wild raspberries for dessert. I've lived up here for 20 years but had never eaten them until this summer! Although they're much smaller than the cultivated varieties, they're both sweet and tart with teeny tiny seeds.

But today is Friday and it's a Wild Card Day. I figure I'll do arms after a bout of cardio. At first, all the Precors are occupied, but after a few minutes of strolling backwards on a LifeFitness elliptical, one of the Precor riders vacates. I leap at the opportunity! Because it's the last day of the week, I'm feeling unusually adventurous so I punch in Interval #8 which I find harder than #7. Afterwards, I decide (on a lark) to do another session, but punch in a program I've never used before. Hill #4 is hard because of its steep incline and the higher intervals tend to be bouncier (working only the glutes and calves) instead of the entire leg. I don't make quota on the second session, but mileage on the first session is more than enough to give me the 8-miles I want.

It's arm day but the Smith is being used by a fellow with a huge rack of plates. He's doing overhead presses while sitting on a stability ball. My triceps are big enough, but I'd like them to have a nicer shape so I opt for reps on a standard flat bench, doing close grip presses. At first I only use the bar. Then I only add a pair of 10s. After 3 sets of 25 reps, I'm ready to do something else. I should go to the Cage and stretch but instead I'm diverted by dumbbells. I've had to alter the concentration curl form for my left arm to compensate for the excruciating pain from a full movement. I can only do partial curls on my left, but my right arm seems fine. After a few sets of curls and tricep extensions, I finally go stretch.

My legs feel very tight. And my quads are unusually tender but I only notice this when resting a 20 lb DB in my lap. On the way back to the free weight area, I grab a pair of 2.5 lb magnetic discs and knock out sets of barbell curls. Both biceps look fairly even in the mirror. I wish I could catch a photo of them while performing curls because they have that lovely square look with a hint of a split at the bottom. The reverse grip barbell curls are becoming routine. When I'm done, I decide that perhaps I should do some abs just because it'll be three days before I work them again. I don't feel as if I have any choice but to do a lot of reps for abs because I feel my choices are high reps or high weight and that would definitely lead to bigger ab muscles. That would just be too freaky.

Having had an opportunity to do double cardio sessions several times this week, I've concluded that the extra miles are great for increasing endurance but have the unfortunate side-effect of making my legs very tight. Stretching is much harder and more painful afterwards, although it does seem to ease up a lot the next day when I typically only do 35 minutes. When I add up my miles this week, I'm surprised to discover a total of over 30 miles. Hmmm. When I was in fat-burning mode Winter 2011, I was averaging 5 miles a day and only 25 miles a week. I admit I want to lean down a little but not enough to deprive myself of cooking with butter and putting half'n half in my coffee. Besides, what would I stuff all those zucchini blossoms with if not cheese?

Week Four Day Five Workout:
35 min Interval #8 = 4.66 miles + 35 min Hill #4 = 3.89 miles  Grand Total = 8.55 miles Wahoo!
Close Grip Bench Press on a Standard Bench: 25 @ bar / 3 x 25 @ 65 lbs
DB curls superset with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Concentration Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Side Kicks for stretching
BB Curls: 6 x 15 @ 45 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 4 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 150
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: my hamstrings are stiff and my quads are sore so the stretches are slow and painful. Splits are barely serviceable but better to do them than not. 

The gym's not crowded today but I see a lot of regulars. I wave at B as I head to the cardio area: she's chatting with LoudMouth. She waves back but it's with a somewhat pained expression. Probably because I'm just not all that interested in what she has to say. I also see Mo and we chat briefly about her self-seeding echinacea and free-range peanut plants. Because there are too many people in the mat area, I wander into the empty room where classes are normally held. Ranger Rick is exiting and he says sternly, "You can use it" as I peek in. I grab a big cushy mat because the wood floor is too hard and I'm too sore and stiff, but it's not the best mat for the exercises I do.

I'm not really sure what the deal is with Ranger Rick. Perhaps Skinny Blonde isn't here today. I saw him complaining (or at least that's what it looked like because my iPod is on too loud for me to hear his conversation even though he's only two feet away) to a staff member. I even see R and I mask my surprise because Fridays he normally comes much later. As I'm leaving, I wave Hi at him, and ask him how he is. He's busy and the heat isn't making it any easier. "I thought all your guys had their own spaces," I say surprised. "Oh, I make 'em go outside and run sprints." But instead of saying something benign, like "Well, just don't kill them because they can't pay you if they're dead," I say, "Oh well, torture's good for 'em." And then I wish him a good weekend and leave. When I get to my car, his car is parked right alongside. There are several other spots closer to the gym. Too weird.

Week Four Day Four is Leg Day!

18july2013 hill5 and intervals7

It's suppose to be near 100°F today. So far it's only reached 94°F and it's only a tad cooler inside the house although the dang dog keeps running in and out. In to cool down. Out to chase chipmunks at the bird feeder. Because I did a double cardio session on Tuesday, I wasn't sure if today was going to be better or worse. My butt sure is sore, probably from the barbell exercises yesterday (Back Day). I'm wearing skin tight yoga shorts today even though I don't need the compression. Next time I'm going to buy the S instead of the XS. I finally loosen up at the 20 minute mark during the first session. I'm sweaty and thirsty, and feel pretty good. My second session goes even better and I'm pleased that I'm able to muster a burst of speed for the last minute and a half (averaging 220 Strides Per Min from 190 SPM). I'm also singing along to the iPod with my hood down over my eyes and sweat dripping off my nose. It's a good cardio session!

Calves!

The gym is fairly empty and I'm very happy that the Smith is vacant. I see a few regulars though, and I'm thoroughly surprised to see R. But I'm all business because I need to knock out squats and stiff legged dead lifts while the cardio-induced euphoria is still coursing through my veins. (I wave a quick Hi at him when he crosses in front of me. I don't need to be a complete unsociable jerk). As long as I have my elbows braced, the Squats and SLDLs are fine. Well, not fine, but I haven't puked all over myself doing them. Afterwards I strip off my hoodie and head across the gym to the Cage Stretch. Counterintuitively, stretches are easier when not done immediately after cardio.

I'm on my 4th Pistol Squat when R wanders over to use the cable station. Of course, I lose my footing and balance and fall over because I've lost my concentration. I can't even acknowledge his presence. Instead, I just stare fixedly into the mirror because I want to finish this exercise before moving on to the machines. Sweat is dripping off my nose but I ignore everything just to finish.

Week Four Day Four Leg Workout:
35 min hill #5 = 4.09 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.45 miles  Grand Total 8.54 miles Wahoo!
Smith Machine Squats: 12 @ bar (butt to heels) / 12 @ 95 lbs (thighs parallel) / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 3 x 12 @ 155 lbs
Smith Machine SLDL: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 5 x 12 @ 115 lbs
Pistol Squats done in a continuous motion alternating each leg: 14
Seated Leg Curls: 3 x 12 @ 97.5 lbs / 3 x 6 @ 105 lbs
I could probably either do more reps or more sets but I'm feeling lazy right now
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
I see R walk back from the cables and again I'm surprised because I figure he'd already slipped out the exit door. Instead he gets a drink from the fountain just as I've dropped my head onto my knees because my lower quads are burning from the Leg Extensions. I recover my composure and he's walking past me. We wave Bye at each other but I note a distant look in his face, a grimace, a slight shake of his head, and a hand gingerly touching his lower back. I want to ask him if he's okay but I know he's not. 
Mat Stretch: ZZ and a girl are on the mats but there's enough room for me to stretch out. Because I stopped to chat with Mo beforehand, my hamstrings are tight and I know better than to push them. Still I mange to work on my splits with reasonable success.

Today's harvest

The gym scale reads 108.8 lbs and I note it, but it doesn't have much meaning for me. As long as the scale trends down, under 110 lbs by the end of the week, I feel good. I've harvested a bumper crop of zucchini blossoms so it's time to figure out what to stuff them with. The peas aren't very happy though and look very small although the "dwarf" plants are certainly making full use of the trellis I put up for support.

Something, probably a beetle, is eating big holes in the blossoms, but I've only noticed them in blossoms that are attached to actual zucchinis. I hurry to snip whole blossoms before they're ruined by foreign mandibles.

As I'm dressing this morning, movement immediately outside my window catches my eye. It's something big and brown. Yep, deer. Grazing like it lived in my yard year-round. Pests, not pets!

Week Four Day Three is Back

When I wake, the house is warmer than it is outside so I set the fan in front of the screen door to blow some coolness inside. When I return from the gym, the insulated house is at least 5° cooler than the blistering sun outside and I shut the front door against the heat. My son is at camp today so I'm not rushed at my workout. Still, the heat and humidity sap my energy before I even set foot on the elliptical. I punch in the leisurely hill #6 and proceed to peddle up a furious sweat. Because I find myself longing to hear only the new songs on my iPod, I select the playlist feature that lets me only listen to the latest additions. That's so cool! I make my quota in spite of singing along with most of the songs and I'm happy. The gym seems crowded but there are seniors enjoying gossipy coffee and a Boot Camp or Body Pump class. By mid-morning the gym will seem abandoned but for a few hard core masochists.

I decide I'm going to up my weight on the Seated Cable Row even though 3 sets of 6 reps is still hard at 127.5 lbs (120 lbs plus a 7.5 lb brick). I want to get stronger but I'm not sure what really works for me here so I'm playing with the next higher weight on the stack, which is 135 lbs (increments of 15 lbs). I don't bother to look for the smaller metal handles which proves to be a mistake as my hands tire from the larger padded ones. Small hands and fingers absolutely make a big difference when it comes to hoisting weights. Yesterday my left pinky went numb while I was on the elliptical, followed by my ring finger. I'm always periodically flexing my hands and changing my grip -- I suspect it's the collapsible veins (probably related to a collagen and connective tissue issue), so easily compressed, that are causing the problems. My hands go numb on playground swings as well as monkey bars, so no wonder I was never much of a schoolyard athlete.

Week Four Day Three is Back
35 min hill #6 = 4.04 miles Yay!
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 60 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 6 @ 127.5 / 3 x 5 @ 135 / 8+2+2 @ 120 / 12 @ 105 lbs My right hand seems to be having a grip problem today, especially the last two fingers and it's affecting my workout because I can't hang on to the handles properly.
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 105 lbs
I easily knock out 15 reps on my first set, but I start to lose strength in the last two fingers of my right hand again, and by the 6th set, I've had to pause twice so I can adjust my grip just to finish 12 reps.
Pendlay BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 65 lbs
This is still a really hard movement but at least I can keep my hands on the bar!
Lower Back Extension Machine: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 200 and then I got bored...
I didn't plan to do 200. I was doing crunches until the three old guys chatting while resting on the Sit Up Bench got done chatting, but that lasted well into the Mat Stretch because some people spend their entire gym session exercising their mouths and nothing else.
Mat Stretch with splits: again I don't roll forward to push my horizontal split past 170° but the verticals seem good and I enjoy the opportunity to stretch my upper and lower back.

The gym scale reads 109.4 lbs which seem reasonable considering I've just about finished my water bottle. While undressing in the locker room I see Am, the woman who teaches Body Pump, Boot Camp and a Spin Class here, as well as at major corporate location. She's my age and looks good, but she lacks muscle density, especially in her arms. Mo arrives and I chat with her as well. I'm sociable once I'm done with my workout. Just don't interrupt me while I"m exercising!

Wild raspberry canes

Once I'm showered and dressed, I walk back out into the free weight area to finish my conversation with Mo. I show her my cell photos of our wild raspberry bushes and I congratulate her on getting the part-time job at Home Depot that took her four applications to finally get an interview for. Mo tells me that I look thinner and I tell her I've put on weight. "No, your waist looks smaller," she declares. I think it's the street clothes. And probably the lightly padded bra, because an 1/8" is 1/8" more than nothing! While we're chatting, I see Nixon, Ranger Rick, and R. R is benching an Olympic bar with 45 lb plates, and his legs straight out at a 45° angle. I suppose it's another balance/core exercise because a standard bench press utilizes legs to stabilize the torso while pressing. When I finally go to leave, I make a point of waving Hi and Bye at R. I make it quick because I don't want it to get weird.

I'm always curious as to what kind of vehicles people drive. Ranger Rick, I finally discover, drives a silver Subaru WRX, my dream car. Too expensive to be practical (I do love my battered old Forester) but still... R's silver Audi is parked next to my car, it's roof vent tilted open, and the windows cracked. I've been leaving my windows cracked a bit because it's been so hot that opening the car door actually fogs my sunglasses with a heat blast. The cinema must be packing in the crowds now that school's out and the heat is unbearable. Normally R parks really close to the gym so I'm surprised to see his car next to mine. The parking spaces are tighter the closer you get to the stores (for econo or compact models) so I prefer spots further out. I reason that I'm less likely to get my doors dinged or dented that way, although that doesn't prevent the errant shopping cart from smashing itself into unsuspecting vehicles. That's probably why Ranger Rick parks in the far lot across the access lane. No one parks there. And there are no shopping carts there either.

Tomorrow is suppose to near 100°F and there's a heat advisory. Just as well that I believe in benign neglect of the green areas around my house. I'll snip zucchini blossoms in the early morning, letting the bees have their fill before harvesting the blooms to stuff later. I note that several small zucchinis appear to be well along, and I snip a half dozen snow peas. Finally! Peas don't like the heat and I've been hoping that the broad zucchini leaves will provide shelter and shade. Tomorrow is also Leg Day! I'm excited. How can I not be?

Week Four Day Two: Cardio and Abs

When you have tickets to see Despicable Me 2 in 3-D at 12:30 pm with your 8 year old, you make sure you have enough time to work out, stretch, shower and dress, imbibe appropriate beverages and snacks, purchase popcorn and find good seats. Today was an extremely abbreviated workout, essentially a cardio day. The first leg was a bit slow going as I felt stiff and a tad sore, but warmed up at minute 25 which seems rather late. Luckily I had intervals to do for the 2nd session and I felt much better, so much better that I started singing along with my iPod. The faster my pace, the more inclined I am to sing along (although I do it in a lip-synch fashion so no one actually hears me). Yep, I'm still singing along to Angel With a Shotgun (The Cab) and Ryan Star (Start a Fire). I wish Ryan Star had other good cardio songs because I like his voice -- no surprise there as I'm also partial to Jakob Dylan (The Wallflowers). They've got a new album (Glad All Over) which is pretty nice but not necessarily something I'd use at the gym.

First zuke of the season!

Week Four Day Two: Cardio & Abs
35 min Precor hill #5 = 3.92 miles + 35 min Intervals #7 = 4.47  Grand Total = 8.39 miles Yippee!
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 200 (yep, I'm fast and sit ups are easy)
Mat Stretch with splits

I'm surprised that the gym scale reads 108.6 lbs because that's a 3 lb loss in 24 hours. Probably water retention from all the salty foods like salsa and chips, sausages and humus, beer and wine. Tonight we'll be eating a zucchini harvested this morning from our garden. Because I'll have more squash than I know what to do with (I don't think they dry well as a vegetable) if I don't, I've been harvesting the luscious yellow blossoms as well.

Tomorrow is Day Three and I'll be doing a few Back exercises. Thursday looks good for Leg Day, which leaves Friday to do Arms. Maybe I'll add the Upright Rows to Tri's and Bi's... I'm flexible!

Week Four Day One Abbreviated

15July2013 Hill 5

My son has decided that his camp has the best activities at the end of the week so he's with me this Monday and Tuesday. Which means I have to shorten my first two workouts by a half an hour. Mondays are always Bench Press days and there's no getting around that. After a reasonable spin on the elliptical (I made my quota!), I wander over to the Smith.

The Manchurian is using it for Military (Overhead) Presses. He motions that he has two more sets and I tell him I'll come back. He smiles and I wander off to the Cage Rack on the other side of the cardio area. When I return, the bar is stripped and space empty. Because there are so many guys using the free weights and the benches, I don't swap out the inclined bench The Manchurian was using but instead position it flat. This bench is slightly lower than the standard flat bench and my hips and legs are better positioned on it.

The Smith feels a little sticky, as if the counterweight cables are gunked up. I know the fellow who fixes all the equipment is around today, but I'm in too much of a rush to find him and report on the equipment. I'm able to knock out all my sets which pleases me, and I ignore The Mayor and other guys who seem to linger perilously close to the Smith Rack. When I'm done, I debate (with myself) whether I have time to do delts. I had wanted to add a light Upright BB Row to the shoulder routine but I won't have time today. Instead, I pull up the incline bench to it's lowest inclined position and do Rear DB Raises. I haven't done them in a very long time (mostly because there's only two inclined benches) and the weights feel heavy. I'm wearing thigh-length baggy shorts because insect bites on my calves and ankles are driving me crazy. As I position myself on the bench, I realize that my calves are fully flexed and that must look pretty intimidating. For a small person I've got some big-ass chiseled calves.

Afterwards, I wipe down the bench and move the DBs over to a clear spot in front of the mirrored wall. If I keep moving, I can maintain momentum and get my sets of Lateral DB Raises done without too much grimacing. The 25s are still godawful heavy but I like the way my arms and shoulders look when I raise the DBs. In between sets, I pace and stretch my forearms. There's a young woman the next bench over, and she's got a pair of 30 pounders. Although she is taller and younger than me, I still wonder what she's going to do with those. She struggles to press them over her head, and at one point, R steps in to help her finish her set. That's probably the first time I've ever seen R assist anyone he wasn't actually training, and I smile to myself as I walk by. I'm done but I still need to stretch out before I can shower and change. Sweat is dripping off the tip of his nose as he looks up when I wave Bye. I do it quickly and without any conversation. I have nothing to say.

Week Four Day One Abbreviated Workout:
35 min cardio hill #5 = 4.02 miles Yippee!
I feel stiff and a tad sore when I start but by the halfway point, my muscles are warm and my joints feel loose and fluid. Surprisingly, as much as I have to wipe the spit drooling from my lips, I don't actually have to blow my nose. It's odd.
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips and side kicks (just to stretch out the hips)
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 / 25 @ 115 lbs Those teenage guys are hovering near the Smith again, until they start adding up the weight on the bar, then they're on other side of the gym. I use a 25 lb plate on each side to start and then add pairs of 10s as my sets progress. It makes it easier to do drop sets as well. 
Inclined Rear DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
I want to add Upright Barbell Rows but I'm out of time.
Mat Stretch: my left hamstring is noticeably tighter than the right so I ease into all my moves. I know my legs will be better tomorrow.

This one's ripe!

The gym scale reads 111.6 lbs and I'm just happy it's not 112 lbs. We had a great weekend smoking a picnic pork butt (to make pulled pork), eating lots of grilled chicken, london broil, sweet sausages and hot dogs. Drank wine and beer and then some. Yes, it was a regular pigfest that included pumpkin pie, an apple crumb cake, chocolate ice cream and dried strawberries & blueberries. The zucchinis continue to produce lovely orange blossoms but I'm a tad disappointed with the goat cheese so I'm looking at other fillings.

Wild raspberries are in season now, each hairy cluster of berries offering only one or two ripe morsels of sweet tart juiciness. These are tiny berries with tiny seeds, but they are quite tasty. When ripe, the berries will literally fall into your open hand with a little tickle from your fingers. My husband comes home with a handful of ripe berries every time he takes the dog for a walk because these rambling vines seem to grow everywhere.

Tomorrow, after my workout, I plan to take my son to see Despicable Me: 2 in 3-D at the local theatre just two doors down. Tuesdays offer discounted tickets, and air-conditioning, a double bonus. But since there are limited showings, I need to keep my gym workout short. Which means I have no choice but to do double cardio tomorrow instead of Wednesday. Of course, there's nothing stating that I can't also do a double cardio session on Wednesday as well... It depends on how I feel. So far, other than hating the 90°+ temps, high humidity and voracious mosquitoes, I feel pretty good.

Week Three Day Five is Leg Day!

Hill 5 and Intervals 8

Counterintuitively, it doesn't seem to matter whether I do one or two sessions of cardio on Leg Day so if I have the time, I prefer to do two. I'm a tad disappointed in my mileage today, but only because I've come to expect better of myself, and I can't always deliver. I should be happy that I made my 8-mile quota for a double cardio session, but instead I feel a bit let down that it was well short of 8.5 miles. Yes, we are our own worst critics!

I'm not even sweating that much and I attribute that to the air conditioning that's running full blast. My hoodie is sodden but not as much as I've come to expect. I do, however, drink my water bottle dry, which is something I haven't done in a long time. The free weight area is sporadically peopled with HS kids and a few regulars. The Mayor, M, Pony Tail Tattoo and Hoodie Tattoo seem to be finishing up their workouts. The Mayor looks sodden in his splotchy over-sized polo shirt, but no amount of fabric can hide the man-boobs. He's not obese by any means, but he's not in shape either. Or at least not a shape I'd consider good. B flits from group to group, chatting. I'm surprised to still see her here this late in the morning, but chatting seems to be her drug.

My right knee felt odd while I was peddling but it didn't hurt. Eventually, by the end of the 2nd session, the knee felt ok. Perhaps it just needed a vigorous warm up. Squats don't feel too bad either and I concentrate on my form, keeping the pressure off my lower back and more on my quads. The Still Legged Dead Lifts taunt me, but I manage to knock out my sets without having to pause or readjust my grip. This is an improvement! The teenage boys who were hovering by the Smith machine quickly dissipate after I strip off my hoodie. No, I don't look anything like those leggy teenage girls in their tiny shorts and neon tanks.

After stretching out in the Cage and performing a few side kicks, I try to knock out a dozen or so Pistol Squats but I'm distracted by a tiny little boy running up and down the exit ramp. He's just in my peripheral vision, and like any mom, I'm half keeping an eye on him to see that he doesn't hurt himself or accidentally escape into the parking lot outside. My right knee starts to act up a bit here and I'm not able to perform my moves smoothly this time. But I don't linger over this because there's Leg Curls and Extensions to do, as well as Abs.

I have half a mind to try a suggestion from the Muscle & Strength forums which cuts sets down to 5 sets of 5 reps. Of course, these have to be heavy weights! Instead I compromise and do 3 sets of 12 reps at my last heaviest weight, then up the weight a tad (adding a 7.5 lb brick to the stack) and doing 3 sets of 6 reps. It actually feels pretty good considering that at 112.5 lbs, this stack weighs more than I do and I'm struggling to remain properly seated. I'm encouraged by seeing my legs in profile and noting a slight curve on the back of my thighs where previously there'd been none. Little things can be so exciting!

The Leg Extensions are still hard and painful, even with me limiting the range of motion of the machine. Feeling a bit guilty I see that most of the abdominal stations are available and I do a few sets of abs. I don't seem to have a flat stomach anymore. Instead, my abs protrude slightly like the underside of rounded beetle carapace. I've only ever seen this on hugely muscled people, and I'm not one of them, so perhaps it's good not to do abs every day.

Week Three Day Five Leg Day Workout
35 min hill #5 = 3.94 miles + 35 min intervals #8 = 4.34 miles  Grand Total = 8.28 miles Yippee!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar  (butt to heels) / 12 @ 95 (thighs parallel to ground) / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 3 x 12 @ 155 lbs
Smith Still Legged Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 5 x 12 @ 115 lbs
I can finally do these without having to pause in the middle of a set! Yay!
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and  Side Kicks
14 Pistol Squats each leg
Seated Leg Curl: 3 x 12 @ 105 lbs / 3 x 6 @ 112.5 lbs
Thought briefly about doing 5x5s but couldn't figure out what weight to use.
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 150 (yep, I counted)
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with full splits. The verticals are good although my left hamstring is always a tad tighter than the right (old rugby injury back in college); the horizontal hurts my knees when I roll forward but I manage to hold the position for a few seconds. In general the stretches were successful.

I'd rather eat the blossoms!

The gym scale reads a surprisingly heavy 109.8 lbs. I suspect that draining my water bottle didn't help. But my clothes fit okay, and I don't see anything gruesome in the mirror, so I'm good! I've harvested another 5 zucchini blossoms this morning and I'll be stuffing them with herbed goat cheese (and American cheese for my son).

Yesterday I introduced him to his first root beer float. Since we don't normally drink soda, he had no idea what root beer tasted like either and wasn't sure he'd actually like it. We made a special trip just to get Virgil's Root Beer (no high fructose corn syrup please!) and Blue Bunny All Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. I split one 12-oz bottle between the two of us. Add a straw and long-handled spoon and he was in heaven. I was pretty happy too!