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. ;-)