Perseverance Gets Rewarded

Still got tape on my knuckles

Because I'm a stickler for rules and details, I can be an annoying geek about just about anything. Sometimes it pays off though. After taking my son to his last day of tae kwon do summer camp (he'll spend next week with me at the gym since school is still a week off due to Rosh Hashana coming early this year), I double back to the auto repair shop figuring that mornings are the better time to get my Safety Inspection. If my car has enough highway miles on it. Which it does! Yay! And thirty minutes later my car gets a new sticker in the windshield. I'm pretty sure the repair guys were tired of seeing me there in their waiting room all week.

I still need to take the car to the dealership repair shop for the exhaust system, but this buys me a year. When I ask about the weather strip gasket falling out of the rear passenger door, the guys point me to a body work shop down the road. Okay, it's only a few minutes to ask them what kind of glue I can use. Except that glue won't really solve the problem unless I methodically clean both the gasket and the car frame, and then apply Crazy Glue with a brush. And keep my fingers crossed. Otherwise, because the clips that hold the gasket are broken and the gasket itself is torn, I'd have to bring it in and have the gasket replaced. Which means taking the door off. That's $150 in labor minimum plus the cost of the gasket (about $60). Or I could use rubbing alcohol, Crazy Glue and a rabbit's foot. Hhmmm. It's been unsuccessfully glued before and the body work guy shows me remnants of dried yellow glue. "You have to get all this old stuff off." Must've been the previous owner. Perhaps I'll have better luck.

The gym is relatively quiet except for the 70s station blasting disco tunes for one of the classes in back. My butt is sore as I start peddling but I'm stubborn and punch in Interval 7. My lats are a tad sore which is a pleasant surprise, but my legs feel heavy and lethargic. Four and a half miles later, I'm sweaty and happy. Since I plan to box the Nexersys later, I punch in another cardio session. Instead of taking the easy route, I punch in Interval 8. I must be crazy. Ten minutes into it and I'm wondering why I'm doing it. I can't keep the same pace from the first cardio session, but I can try to maintain a decent stride. In the last two minutes, I've kicked up my speed to 240 SPM just so I can finish with acceptable mileage. It's not as good as session 1, but very satisfying.

Follow Me Avatar 3 Rounds

Meanwhile, Mo flags me and mouths something about talking to me later. I can't hear her because I've got MeatLoaf singing at the top of his lungs. I do a very abbreviated Cage Stretch (got those dayglo shorts on again) and then head to the Mat. Halfway through, while I'm in a vertical split position, Mo comes over to tell me long story short about why she quit the job she just got. After she leaves, I realize that my back leg is starting to cramp in the calf. The rest of my stretch sucks. I hate being interrupted when I'm working out. But how do you tell people that pleasantly without offending them? Luckily she's gone before I head back to the locker room to tape my knuckle and don kickboxing gloves. The gal I saw at the Nexersys yesterday has apparently upgraded her gloves to white pillowy boxing gloves. They look like giant dough balls on her hands and I wonder how you can punch anything with those. But at least she's doing it. Punching, that is.

Sparring Avatar 3 Rounds

As a creature of habit, and because I'm not quite proficient, I stick to 3 rounds of Follow Me and 3 rounds of Sparring. I'm apparently improving because my Accuracy (59% vs 46%) is better this week (I'm still confused by the Cross and inadvertently use the wrong hand to cross punch), and I've scored more points (864 vs 816). I still don't know what the points mean. I'm also landing almost double the amount of blows. I like to keep track by snapping a quick cell photo. When I'm done, sweat is dripping off my nose again. I saw R earlier but RR wasn't around to keep him company. I probably should've wished him a good weekend, but he's conveniently across the gym when I turn around with all my gear. I'm so bad with this socializing stuff.

Friday Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.50  + 35 min Interval 8 = 4.46  Grand Total = 8.96 miles Wahoo!
Cage Stretch with heel dips and a few side kicks
Mat Stretch with bad splits but 10 rolling Dive Bomber Push Ups
Nexersys: 3 rounds Avatar Follow Me Beginner Female
3 rounds Avatar Sparring Beginner Female

The gym scale dances between 108.4 and 108.6 lbs before I step into the shower to wash the brine off. When I get home, my scale reads 107.2 lbs which isn't very different from yesterday (107.4). What makes me laugh is that almost everything else has changed (except for bone because it never dips below 4.6 lbs for me). Body Fat has dropped to 19.1 from 19.3%, while Total Body Water same at 52.2%, Muscle Mass increased to 38.5% from 37.9%. Overnight!

I know that if I ever want a chance to see a 6-pack on myself I'd have to drop to at least 14% BF and since I'm not competing, I don't think I could put myself through that much torture and dietary restriction. With the exception of the extra "baby belly" skin (which never quite stretched back), I think my abs look fairly decent. At least in the right light. Perseverance gets rewarded!

A Roseanne Roseannadanna Kind of Day

You have to be a certain age to remember Gilda Radner's character Roseanne Roseannadanna on the original Saturday Night Live show way back in the 70s. But we've all had those days where just when you think you've got it figured out, something else pops up. Leading us all to wail, "It's always something!" Today I got all excited because I figure I could drop by the auto repair shop after my workout and get my NYS inspection done. After all, I had over 50 miles on the mileage counter.

The gym's not as crowded as I expect for a rainy Thursday. Perhaps people have gone away for the long holiday weekend in spite of the dismal forecast for thunderstorms clear into next week. Again, my back is uncharacteristically sore and I'm tired. After a good showing on Interval 7, I punch in Manual mode 1 and leave everything else in the default setting (Level 1, elevation 10, resistance 1). I was peddling furiously but I barely made it past 4 miles. Still, altogether I logged in over eight and a half so I'm pretty happy with that. It's Leg Day and the Smith is free so I steel myself for a few sets. I've been ignoring the crunchy bubble sound emanating from my back when I squat heavy. My back also seems to snap crackle pop at the Cage Stretch, especially when I'm trying to keep my torso upright while I've got one foot straight up the Cage side, above my head.

Heel dip stretches calves

After Squats, which don't feel horrible in spite of my stiff lower back, I strip off my hoodie and play with a basic Dead Lift form with just the bar. I'm not used to it as it scrapes against my shins. Because the Smith bar is in a fixed track, it's harder to maneuver. I toss a pair of 25s on and it doesn't feel bad. I put another pair of 10s on. It's okay. Then another pair of 10s. Okay, now it's starting to feel heavy and my form is probably crap because I've noticed my stiff lower back. Drop sets follow. Then relaxation at the Cage! Followed by Seated Leg Curls, and Seated Leg Extensions. I up the Leg Curl weights because I know I can do them. I don't up the Leg Extensions even though 6 sets of 12 reps no longer burns the way it used to. I'd like shapelier leg biceps, but the quads are just the right size for me so I don't want them to get any bigger (it's darn hard to find pants that fit when the thighs are too tight and that's already an issue with my candy-colored Gap pants).

I notice gym rat regulars like RR, R, ZZ and Old Sweatshirt when I start my Mat Stretch. After 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups I play with varying my hand position and keeping my butt low when I pull back after the glide forward. It's quite the upper body workout. My splits are ok although, again the horizontal needs work. I notice R going to the fountain a lot. I've always wondered how people can work out and not bring water: the fountain water is absolutely metallic and horrid. When I gather my gear, I see RR and R chatting. I should probably say Hi but I don't. I'm not good with people and it's not at all helpful that Mo forced an introduction weeks earlier with RR. Having grown up in NYC in the 60s and 70s where you avoid eye-contact at all costs, I find it hard to make eye contact with people I don't know. Now it feels weird to say Hi, and I'm hoping someone else will be around to ask for a spot next when I bench. However, I do manage a quick wave at R in passing. I think he's used to my quirky anti-social behavior by now. He's much the same way, although lately he's been chatting up all the regulars. Perhaps he's working on his sociability. Maybe I should too.

Leg Day Work Out:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.57 + 35 min Manual = 4.04  Grand Total = 8.61 miles Yippee!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 2 x 12 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 15 @ 95 / 25 @ bar (butt to heels)
Smith Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 2 x 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 95
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Seated Leg Curl: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 / 12 @ 112.5 / 3 x 6 @ 120 lbs (yay!)
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups (and 5 Hands under waist) and Splits

The gym scale reads 109.6 lbs before I shower but after I drain my water bottle. I feel pretty good now but I have a lot of errands to run. I stop by the auto repair shop only to have them tell me that I need 9 continuous highway miles for the computer to read the exhaust system chip properly. Highway miles? 9 miles at a speed between 47 and 72 miles per hour. Good grief! I go home and map my location to and from various stores. Going to Staples off of Interstate-84 won't help me because it's too close. I'd have to go all the way to the Danbury Mall. Ugh. I map the newly opened Best Plumbing Showroom two exits down the Taconic Parkway. Only 5.9 highway miles. But if I get on the Taconic near Fahnestock State Park then it'd be 14.9 miles. Okay, nothing like driving miles out of your way, wasting fuel and time, just to get the computer chip to read properly so that the repair shop can do the annual safety inspection and put a sticker on your window.

What I've forgotten is that there is construction work on the Taconic to make several exits safer to enter and leave. I worry about having to slow down too much but manage to keep my car between 50 and 70 miles per hour while banking steep curves in a single lane dotted with orange safety markers. I get to the showroom and actually manage to pick out a fixture set that will be delivered to me next week. It's more expensive than I had planned, but looks similar to my old fixture and should hold up better. Now I just need to call the plumber to fix the whole mess.

When I get home I decide, just for giggles, to weigh myself and check all the readings. Everything seems to be back to normal: weight 107.4 lbs; Body Fat 19.3%; Total Water 52.2; Muscle 37.9%; Bone 4.6 lbs. Of course, it's ridiculous to think that I've gained and lost 3.2 ounces of bone in a few days. Everything else is presumably water.

Tomorrow I'm going to take my car to the auto repair shop again to see if they tell me something else. This afternoon I noticed that the decorative molding on the passenger rear door is coming loose. And the foam liner inside the door frame is also coming apart. Yep, it's always something.

In Spite of Myself

I'm still running around like a madwoman before actually getting to the gym. I had reset the mileage counter in my car yesterday (when I got it back from the repair shop) to see if I could rack up 50 miles before the week ended so I could get my car inspected and a new sticker put on the windshield. So far my check engine light hasn't come on, but it's only a matter of time. After dropping my son at camp and then backtracking to his elementary school to drop off his school supplies (taking a quick gander at the class roster to see if any of his friends would be in the same class), I drove east again, this time to the gym. By the time I got home, I'd logged in over 60 miles. And this is just routine, day-to-day stuff, no long excursions anywhere!

Because my favorite Precor was occupied by a sweaty old man, I spent a few minutes chatting with B who's finishing a leisurely stroll on the Step Mill. She's wearing a neoprene half sleeve that covers her entire elbow and part of her upper arm. "What'd you do?" I ask, pointing at it. "Oh, it's that tendonitis again. It's so bad it hurts all the time!" "Did you get it looked at?" "Not yet. But I don't want it to slow me down. But I'm probably making it worse." "Uh, maybe you should get it looked at?" "Oh, I will," she waves me off.

Especially if it's not getting better. I've resisted getting my elbows and back looked at for now. I'm just relishing not having to have eye surgery, and the kidneys seem okay too. Eventually though, I'll probably have to get an X-ray or an MRI... Meanwhile, the old man gets off the Precor but doesn't wipe it down. I hate people like that. I spray bleach water onto a paper towel and wipe down the handles and the control panel. Most people don't even bother to reset the machine after they're done, as if this is suppose to impress the next user? I kick the power button next to the power cord at the base of the machine and the panel resets.

I need a morale boost today so I punch in Interval 7. It's always good for picking up my spirits and I'm not disappointed. Eventually I start singing along and after 35 minutes has passed, I'm much happier. I see a bunch of regulars like M, Nixon and a young black woman who used to come with an older lady I'm guessing is her mom. She's tall and athletic and seems to be putting effort into her weight. I glance over and see 3 tens and a five on each side which is 115 lbs (70 + 45 lb bar). She gets RR to spot her on the Decline Bench but I don't know how many reps she gets. Nice job though. I'm always happy to see women lifting real weights although I never talk or smile at anyone so it'd be hard tell that about me. Then I see a few more women in the weight area, mostly on the Olympic benches and there are actual plates on the bars! Yay! Meanwhile I'm wrestling with the Lat Pull Down station because today is Back Day.

After a few sets, I need to give my elbows a break so I wander off to the Cage Stretch. Afterwards, I return to the Lat Pull Down and exchange the handles for close grip ones. A few sets of these and it's time to bite the bullet and wrestle with dumbbells. Again, during my heaviest sets, it's not back or arms that are failing, but my small hands. Actually it's just the last two fingers, especially on my left. I'm thinking that I need a pair of straps to wrap around the DBs. Good thing I've got my mesh stuff sack to keep my ever-growing stash of gear! I feel like a pack rat. It's just a good thing that nothing's shiny! Okay, I'm kidding, but that's how it feels.

My elbows are starting to bother me again and my lower back is still stiff so now my routines have become a fine balancing act between work and injury. I lean back on the lat pull downs instead of trying to maintain an upright position because there's less stress on my elbows and shoulders that way. It's probably why I can no longer do Pull Ups without my elbows screaming at me. With the Close Grip Pull Downs, I pull the handles until they tap my chest and I feel a weird cartilage vibration all throughout my ribs as I pull down. It doesn't hurt so I ignore it. For now. Because this is a short week, I decide to do a few bicep curls after sit ups. Then a few reverse grip bicep curls just to finish it all off. But of course, I'm not done. When I finish Mat Stretch, then I'm done.

Back and Biceps Workout In Spite of Myself
35 min Interval 7 = 4.51 miles Yay!
Wide Grip Lat Pull Down: 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 112.5 lbs
Cage Stretch with heel dips and side kicks
Close Grip Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 112.5 lbs
(I know I did 120 lbs last week but I'm worried that my elbows are starting to freak out at the heavier weights so I cut back.) 
One-Arm DB Rows: 12 @ 35 lbs / 12 @ 40 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 45 lbs
Lower Back Extension Machine: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100 
BB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups and 5 with Hands under Waist (these are so hard but I really like them)

The scale reads 111.4 which is a tad better than yesterday although I did pretty much suck my water bottle dry today. I don't really care what my weight is as long as I still look good in my clothes, but I take regular measurements because it's important not to get too complacent! About anything.

I've just read about another invasive plant species, just when I thought I might have the Oriental bittersweet vine under control. Now there's another Asian import called Mile-A-Minute-Vine! OMG! I don't think I've ever seen this one because it's got distinctive triange-shaped leaves. And it literally grows fast enough to strangle whole trees. Good grief!  

Mile-A-Minute Vine AKA Asiatic tearthumb
(Persicaria perfoliata)

The Good, The Bad, and the Mediocre

I was a slug for three days instead of my normal two this past weekend because driving to Philadelphia is about 6 hours round-trip. Yep, a long butt-numbing ride where the only thing we exercised was our patience and the capacity to marvel at why more people aren't killed on the highways with all the stupid maneuvers they pull. There's not a lot of great scenery to view either, unless you count the actual trek from Cherry Hill, New Jersey over the bridge into the city of brotherly love. However, the trip was well-worth missing a workout because my consultation with the glaucoma doc revealed lower IOPs (intraocular pressure) for me that were well-within the target range for someone with low-tension glaucoma.

After a state-of-the-art Visual Field test which was compared with tests from previous years, the doc determined that yes, my tests are consistent with someone with glaucoma, but that with pressures at 11 and 13, he didn't feel surgery was necessary at this point. He also suggested an eye drop different from my current generic latanoprost: Lumigan® which is in the same family as Xalatan® but might have better efficacy. Yeah, well, we'll just have to see how much it costs and whether insurance will cover it or not because health insurance tends to blindly insist that generics are just as good as brand names, and the Philly doc disagreed, pointing to literature to support his claims. I don't need literature. My own brother can verify the difference in efficacy with his own IOP.

I got the gym much much later today than I was planning. My car was suppose to be ready this morning, and of course it wasn't so I had to wait until the part arrived from the dealership, and then it had to be soldered in where the old rusty parts had fused together. Subarus are known for a lot of things, and unfortunately rust is one of them. The auto repair shop tells me that I might want to start shopping because it's an old car that'll start "nickel and diming" me until it just won't be worth fixing. I'm not at all pleased that Subaru redesigned the Forester on the Legacy frame, making it bigger and heavier. More like a real SUV I suppose, but I've always loved the old Forester's tight handling (based on the Impreza). I'm not prepared to look for a new old car yet. Sigh.

The gym is eerily vacant because I've missed the morning rush and it's not quite lunch time yet. I jump on my favorite Precor with my hoodie zipped up and punch in Hill #5 because I'm not really sure how I feel today. I make decent mileage and feel pretty good, but just as I reach the free weights, the 7 foot tall dude claims the Smith so I plop down on one of four free weight Olympic benches. Wrapping my wrists really helps here and I knock out a few sets until I get to a weight where I think I might need a spot (25 lb plate + pair of 10s each side = 135 lbs). There are two kids on the next bench over but I don't want to ask them. RR has wandered away after pretending to fix the broken cable station that one of the gym staff guys has been fiddling with. I'm pretty sure I can get a few reps but I've been using a thumbless grip which is inherently dangerous. Suddenly I see that the Smith is free so I grab my gear and drop it on that bench before stripping the plates.

I probably should've stayed with the Olympic bench though because the Smith again felt sticky and heavy. I start with 95 lbs (which I had no problem with on the free bench) and it feels odd. It's the same with the 115 lbs, which again I had no problem with on the free bench. The next progression feels really heavy and my right shoulder twinges. Sets at 155 are completely disappointing. Benching felt unexpectedly better on the Olympic bench so I think I may have to actually find a spotter next time. Next time I'll come earlier and there will at least be people I trust to spot me.

25 lb DB (left) are so much
smaller than the 30 lb DBs (right)!

The rest of the workout seemed a bit mediocre with Cage Stretches and then back to the free weight area to wrestle with dumbbells. At least I have access to the Inclined Bench, a coveted piece of equipment. I've also got a pair of 2.5 lb magnetic discs because I don't quite know what my shoulders can handle today.

I like the 25 lb DBs but it's time I moved up from 15 rep sets so I only do one set. Then I add 2.5 lbs and do another set. That feels okay. I grab the 30 lb DBs and do 4 more sets at 8-10 reps although I find myself losing count so maybe it's 8-12 reps? But I don't like the 30s because they're too big and it's hard to get a decent grip on them because the plates are too wide. Next time I'll grab 4 discs and affix to both ends of the 25s instead.

Next are standing Lateral Raises and start with 20 lb DBs. After a set, I add the magnets. Then I move up to the 25 lb DBs. These are heavy but I can still do a complete set so I add the magnets. My goal is to reach a weight where all I can do is 6-8 reps. I can barely get 4 sets at 27.5 lbs so this is a good weight for me now.

Because this is a shortened week for me I ponder what to give up and I decide it's going to be Arm Day. I just like boxing the Nexersys too much on Fridays to give that up, and I still need to work Back tomorrow and Legs on Thursday. I briefly consider adding some Tricep work today but I'm actually too tired and feel guilty that it's early afternoon already. Besides, there's still abs and Mat Stretch to do. I don't remember to do Upright BB Rows either but since my front right delt is bothering me, I'm not that concerned with missing the exercise. Abs are a no-brainer as I can do a lot more than I actually do, so there's nothing to really work up to here. I stopped using weights for abs because I tend to bulk and no woman wants a bulky waist no matter how muscular.

The Mat stretch goes as expected, the right hamstring a tad more limber than the left (old college injury has left it a bit tight) but in general everything feels good. My lower back doesn't really bother me, but it is stiff and because I don't know what's wrong with it, I'm going to resist doing anything that will stress it. Maybe it's a disc on the verge of doing something it shouldn't? I'm tired of doctors for now so I'm taking a break from dealing with them. I finally badgered my internist's office about the 24-hour urine test but I'm not wholly satisfied with their answer. Instead of telling me that my micro-albumin levels are normal, they tell me they've consulted with the Nephrologist who says everything's fine. In fact, they never confirm that they've actually run the test they mentioned. My husband believes that they goofed up and are just covering their tracks now.

Today's Chest and Delt Workout:
35 min hill #5 = 4.07 miles Yay!
Olympic Bench Press: 25 @ bar (45 lbs) / 12 @ 65 lbs / 12 @ 85 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 12 @ 115 lbs
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 4, 6 @ 155 lbs / 8 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 23+10 @ 95 lbs (I had to pause at rep 23, rest for 5 seconds and then push out 10 more reps)
Cage Stretch with heel dips and side kicks
Inclined Rear DB Raises: 15 @ 25 lbs / 15 @ 27.5 lbs / 4 x 8-12 @ 30 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 12 @ 20 lbs / 12 @ 22.5 lbs / 12 @ 25 lbs / 3 x 8 @ 27.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups + 3 Hands Under Waist plus splits and other stretches

I'm not too surprised when the gym scale reads 112.0 lbs because I've been a slug all weekend, and we ate sushi for dinner last night, and I tend to retain a lot of water when I eat foods like that. What's surprising is how measurements change for something as simple as taking a pee. I weighed myself on my home scale and right afterwards I had to pee so out of curiosity, I weighed myself again just to see what readings would change. Everything except bone changed! And not in the way you would expect! Weight went from 110.6 to 110.0 -- okay, that seems normal. Body Fat went from 20.1% to 20%, Total Body Water Percentage went up from 50.8 to 51.1 (??) and Muscle Percentage dropped from 39.2% to 38.8. All from peeing. And I'm sure that by the end of the week, all the measurements will have changed again. So all I'm really looking at are Big Round Numbers and Trends. All the rest is just micro-nutia and not worth worrying about.

Coping with Future Shock

The world is moving at an alarming pace and sometimes it's all we can do to stay sane and focused on daily practicalities. Technology promises solutions to problems we didn't know we had, then we find out that we didn't really have a problem, but we have to pay for the innovative improvement anyway. Like our computer and cell phone Operating Systems. Some of us stubbornly drag our heels (yep, still got an iPhone 3G), hoping to slow things down just enough to catch our breaths. Sometimes it's as simple as my son jumping in sneaker size from 3 to 5. "What happened to 4?" I wonder. I'm an orderly, methodical person. Shouldn't the next size be 4? Too tight. Too small. As we exit the store, my son asks me when he can have his first car. "When you learn to drive." "When is that?" "When you're 16." He's 8 but ponders this seriously. "Okay. That's not that far away. Can it be a Subaru?" "Uh, sure..." I say, knowing he'll hold me to promises I don't remember making.

When I get to the gym, it's as if all time stops. The outside world disappears and all I'm concerned with is making mileage on the elliptical while singing along to MeatLoaf's I'm Still Alive and I'd Do Anything for Love. But what really gets my speed up is You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth. I don't really care for the live versions that I've linked to here, the studio versions are much better on the CDs. I know my mileage isn't going to be as good as Wednesday because I'm tired. After a decent Interval session, I punch in Manual mode and play with the other settings. The default setting is Level1, Incline 10. I drop the Incline setting to 7 to see how this affects the outcome. When the numbers come in, I discover that the lower incline reduces the mileage associated with the number of total strides, so even though I've logged in over 6800 steps, it translates to only 4 miles. Well, at least I've still done over 8 miles and I'm happy with that.

There are a lot of younger men here today, some I recognize from months ago, and some who I've never seen before. College classes have already started in most places. I don't know why these guys aren't in school or something. I do a brief Cage Stretch (yep, wearing those dayglo running shorts again and don't need to show off my undies), strip off my drenched hoodie and do a modest Mat Stretch. When I finish and gather up my gear, I see Meadowlands at the cable station so I go over just to say, "It's good to see you here again." She's a bit surprised but smiles and says, "Thanks!" I can't help but notice (although I pretend not to) that literally all the guys standing several feet away are just staring. I'm not even sure that they're not holding their breaths. It might be all the splits, or the Dive Bomber Push Ups, or one or all of the sundry assortment of stretches. Or it might just be the dayglo shorts. It's Friday and that means time to don a few band-aids and kickboxing gloves. I still hate the fact that they're pink.

Synopsis for Avatar Follow Me program

I always do 3 rounds of Beginner Follow Me and then 3 rounds of Beginner Sparring. By the end of 20 minutes, sweat is dripping off my nose again. I'm learning a few things about myself while playing with the Nexersys. As I tire in the Follow Me, my accuracy (ability to follow direction) declines dramatically, but my punching power increases. However, that's not quite true of Sparring. I'm better able to block punches in the later rounds, but in both Follow Me and Sparring, I land the most punches in Round 2. I'm better at pacing myself again so I'm not breathless by the middle of Round 3 anymore. I'm sure doing lots of cardio helps.

Sparring stats for today

A few vaguely familiar guys pass by behind me as they exit the Cage Stretch and Cagle area to the rest of the gym. One is the Latino I growled at once for crowding me while I did reverse grip barbell curls. There's a whole empty room with mirrored walls everywhere and he has to stand two feet away from me with a barbell that I CAN curl (50 lbs). Like I'm going to be impressed? Anyway, guys tend to pass the Nexersys area very quietly, and looking very solemn. Or at least when I'm there.

I remember to snap a few photos but the glare from the big plate windows behind me make some of the readings difficult to decipher. And for fun, once I'm in the locker room, I take another photo of myself standing atop a bench. I don't look very intimidating at all. The scale reads 108.4 lbs (it was 109.4 yesterday but I forgot to mention it) and I'm starving. When I leave the gym, RR and some of the staff are gawking at SnowBird's hideously veiny old man legs so I slip out the door without saying a word. It's a bright sunny day and now I'm calm enough to deal with it. I won't be at the gym Monday because we'll be in Philly for a consultation with the glaucoma specialist. I'll let you know how it goes, good or bad.

Friday's Future Shock Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.32 miles + 35 min Manual = 4.00  Grand Total = 8.32 miles Hurrah!
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups (hands under shoulders) and 3 with hands under hips
Nexersys Boxing Station: 3 rounds Follow Me, Beginner Female
3 rounds Sparring, Beginner Female

Post-Nexersys Me

Tired and Sore? Not an Excuse!

I'm still a little sore but I don't mind because it enables me to determine what muscles got a good workout on Tuesday (Back Day). As I squirm and stretch, I feel lats, delts and all the smaller muscles that comprise the upper middle back. I'm only doing a 35 min cardio session today because it's Arm Day, and I figure I'll do a double cardio tomorrow. I scan the Precor programs and punch in Interval 8 because it's hard and I really dislike how challenging it is. Yep, embrace the stuff you hate and get it over and done with so you can do the stuff you like. It's easy to have energy for the latter, much harder to work up enthusiasm for stuff you'd rather not do.

That's one of the main reasons I do cardio first, and I do a lot of it. Because I hate it, and I suck at it. And after a year or two, maybe I don't quite hate it so much, and maybe I don't quite suck at it that much. The second reason I do cardio first is because some sports training literature suggests that doing cardio before weight lifting helps kick the body into muscle-building mode, whereas doing cardio afterwards basically tears the muscle down. I end all my workouts with stretching because it's relaxing, and I think it helps prevent a lot of problems with knots (I'm a knotty person and only deep-tissue massage alleviates that problem) and soreness. You don't want to lose your range of motion just because you got a few muscles! That's a recipe for injury.

My cardio is better today than yesterday and that's a surprise. And yet, maybe one week out of the month I have a really good cardio week. Logging all my numbers on a calendar helps me to see patterns emerge. The Smith is busy so I set up on a free standing Olympic bench where I can see the Smith because I'd much rather use that, even for Close Grip Bench Presses. That's become my favorite primary tricep movement because it's a big movement and I can get a mild chest workout in as well. I use my new wrist wraps but pull the thumb loops off my thumbs after they're secured. When the loops are attached to my hands, my hands feel sprained after a big lift, probably because the loops are exerting too much pressure on that joint. But it's hard to wrap wrists by yourself unless you use the loops, at least to start. After a quick set of 25 reps with just the Olympic bar (45 lbs), I see the 7 foot tall dude (okay, he's probably not 7 feet tall but he's a helluva lot taller than anyone else in the gym) strip the bar and leave. Yay!

I do a dozen quick reps with just the bar to make sure I'm positioned on the bench properly, then add a pair of 25s. I'm going for reps today, making sure my elbows are tucked in close to my sides and the heels of my palms are directly under the bar. I tend to use a "thumbless" grip (also known as a Dead Man's Grip because the bar can roll off and crush your chest, but that's not likely to happen on a Smith where the bar is on a track) to keep pressure off the thenar space (area between thumb and forefinger). After I squeeze out the last set, my chest and arms get a good pump. That's 100+ reps, so no surprise there.


My Cage Stretch feels a little stiff, probably because yesterday was Leg Day and a Double Cardio Day. Those days tend to make my muscles and ligaments feel much tighter. Again, sports training literature suggests that athletes who excel in aerobic activities such as running tend to have tighter muscles, and that stretching before aerobic activity can actually make the runner less efficient. Not to be a contrarian, but I've also read that cheetahs owe their amazing speed and agility to their hyper-flexible spines and hips. Personally, when I want to kick up my speed on the elliptical, I make a conscious effort to loosen my hips as I move. It seems to work (at least for me).

Because it's Arm Day, I alternate between Triceps and Biceps. Never mind that I'm still a tad sore from earlier this week. Lately my methodology has been to do a set and then up the weight, until I can't really do a complete set. And then I just do a few sets at that weight. Sort of cementing the deal. When I knock out a set of 20 reps with 25 DB curls, it's time to up the weight! I've toss on a 2.5 lb magnetic disc that I've borrowed from the front desk. These feel a little heavy so I do a set, lose count and stop myself at 10. Not sure why, perhaps I'm just not psychologically ready. but I don't want to curl 30 lb DB today, so I do sets at 27.5 lbs. I think it's because I'm worried about my elbows and wrists and I'd like my arms to catch up to my head. I'll just ease into the 30s. Maybe next week.

I know my left wrist can't handle anything over 20 lbs on the DB One-Arm Extension and I only do 3 sets. My right arm can knock out sets of 15, maybe even 20, but the left arm lags and starts to fail at rep 10 by the 3rd set. I toy with Concentration Curls for a moment. Again, my left elbow screams at a mere 6 reps at 25 lbs so I stop. I need my elbows for Back Day so no point in aggravating them. My right arm, however, knocks out 12 reps without a pause. Sigh. Yes, I'm right-hand dominant although I write and draw left-handed and I can trackball ambidextrously.

Alternating between Triceps and Biceps means that the next movement is Tricep Kick Backs. And although the 20 lb DB feels heavy when I pick it up, I can do 20 reps. So I affix the 2.5 lb disc to one end of the DB and do another set. Of 15 reps. Hhmmm. Again, in my head, I'm not prepared to tackle the 30 lb DBs. But I put the other 2.5 lb disc on the other end of the DB and that's 25 lbs. For Kick backs. For sets of reps. Good grief. Worried about my elbows, I pick up the 40 lb BB and affix the discs to bring it to 45 lbs. 20 reps later, I put the BB back and grab the 50 instead. Last week I did the 50 so I shouldn't be worried. Yet, I am. I do 3 sets of 12 reps and my elbows don't say a thing. They're silent when I grab the 40 lb BB again to do Reverse Grip BB Curls as well. Yay!
My lower back feels really stiff when I hook my feet into the Sit Up board but I'm stubborn. Doing twisting sit ups doesn't really hurt and eventually my back loosens up a bit. By this time I've done 200 sit ups. Time to move on. After the Torso Twist machine, I'm game for the Mat Stretch. I place my water bottle, towel and cell at the edge of the mat and scan for pebbles (I've gotten some nasty wounds sliding across a mat that had tiny gravel bits on it). A few Dive Bomber Push Ups and splits and other assorted stretches later and I'm good to go. A hot shower, no skin cream mishaps, various errands still to run.

Push Through Your Soreness Arm Day Workout:
35 min cardio Interval 8 = 4.63 miles Wahoo!
Olympic Free Weight Close Grip Bench Press: 25 @ 45 lbs (just the bar)
Smith CGBP: 4 x 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch with Heel dips, Tip toes and Side Kicks
Alternating Seated Bicep Curls: 20 @ 25 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 27.5 lbs
One-Arm Tricep Extension: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Concentration Curl: 6-12 @ 25 lbs
Tricep Kick Back: 20 @ 20 lbs / 15 @ 22.5 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
BB Curl: 20 @ 45 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
RGBBC: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 200
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with Dive Bomber Push Ups (10 hands under shoulders and 3 hands under waist) and splits.

It's Arm Day so I tried to get a few quick cell pix in my bathroom. I've concluded that my hands are too small to hold and press the camera button accurately while trying to focus the phone...

This is two pics cobbled together, hence the "seam" in my chest. LOL!

Doing Less to Do More

Yesterday's adventure with the Cybex Arc Trainer left me with a blister. I'd felt discomfort when I was "pedaling" but it hadn't occurred to me there was actual damage until I looked at my foot last night. Luckily, I have a ready supply of self-adhesive moleskin, and an applied patch tends to last through several showers, unlike a band-aid. I purposely dawdled a bit this morning because I wanted Precor #1 and I knew that Wednesday mornings tend to be crowded. By 10 am however, all the ellipticals are free!

With my iPod turned up, I don't even hear the clink the Precor makes at each rotation. It feels smooth and that's all that matters. Interval 7 feels hard compared to yesterday's Cybex glide ride and I struggle to keep my pace up above 200 Strides Per Minute. When I'm done, I've logged in slightly more than four and a half miles and this makes me very happy. But I'm tired so I decide to take it easy by punching in the Manual mode program 1, dropping the default Incline from 10 to 9 because this engages the hamstrings now, instead of just glutes and quads. (If I dropped the incline to 7, the calves would become involved but I don't care about calves.) I still manage to keep my pace up to 195 SPM although I feel a little tired. The outside of my right knee-lower thigh, probably the ITB (iliotibial band), is starting to ache. I finish with more total steps than Intervals 7, but less mileage. I'm still pleasantly surprised. Perhaps yesterday's break from the Precor grind enabled me to do better today? Or maybe it was mere coincidence because every now and then, my 3rd day is my best cardio day.

Many people do less to do more. Do less reps, move heavier weights, extending that analogy to 1 rep maximums. It's tempting but it's not me. I'm more of a repetitive drone, trying to build endurance and strength without a big increase in size. I think of old Shaw Brothers kung fu movies where the hero must train at a bleak monastery. He does strength and flexibility drills for months if not years. He never gets big, just fast and very strong. He's always calm, agile and graceful. I keep that in mind when I work out. In my own way I do less to gain more. My exercises are limited. I don't do the latest variety of cable pulls. I may tire but I don't get bored because everything I do has a purpose, and that purpose keeps me focused.

My big surprise is being a little sore today. Not painfully so, just enough to make me appreciate the new back routine. I think even my chest might be slightly sore. Perhaps from going deep and nearly failing at the bench on Monday? ZZ is on the Smith when I get done with cardio. He has an unexpectedly deep voice as he tells me that he just got on. I nod and leave, having no choice but to head to the Cage Stretch. Afterwards, I see another big dude squatting at the Smith. Nixon is at the free standing Squat rack. I kill a few minutes chatting with Mo about her new job until the Smith frees up. Luckily the teenage boys are nowhere to be seen. It's probably too early for them.

Smith Squats and SLDLs are still iffy movements for me. My back doesn't actually hurt. It's just stiff and sensitive. With just the bar, I can drop my butt to my heels and pop back up quickly for a speed set. As I add weight to the bar, I feel crunchy bubbles in my spine, which is unnerving. I manage to work up to 155 lbs, do two sets and then start drop sets. At 95 lbs, I don't feel the "bubbles" anymore. (Medical theory suggests that joint popping is caused by nitrogen gas coming out of solution. Why that would happen is not explained.) With the just the bar again, I do another 25 speed squats. I eye the bar dubiously while setting up a step platform for SLDLs. I'm so short that the bar will rest at my shins if I don't step up a few inches. I only do a few sets, just enough to feel my hamstrings and lower back.

R is sitting at the next station and we exchange a quick wave. I hate talking to people when I'm working out because most of the time I'm panting and pacing as I compose myself for the next set. I have a hard time making conversation because my brain isn't in that mode, and I find that I really don't have anything to say anyway.

Seated Leg Extensions and Seated Leg Curls are next. Bt walks by and mouths a few words at me while I'm in the middle of a set. I almost drop the weight as I look up to say Hi. This is exactly why I prefer not to acknowledge anyone when I'm working out. I don't have this problem at the Leg Curl because it's situated across the room. I do a few crunches and torso twists to relax before heading over to the Mat. There are three mats: two regulars and an oversized. Two girls are splayed out on the oversized one with plates on their stomachs and their legs in the air. A guy is doing planks on one of the regular mats. Which leaves me one regular mat to do my routine. Which I do. Never mind that that has me doing splits inches from the dude's face. My feet are also mere inches from the girls as well, but they're not optimally positioned on their mat. One girl appears to be showing the other girl how to perform certain stretches and movements.

I tune out because my focus is on remembering and performing my entire routine. My stomach is growling when I'm done and I'm happy to head to the showers. This time I remember to weigh myself: 108.4 lbs. I'm so spacey that after I get out of the shower, instead of smoothing cream on my legs, I inadvertently squeeze shampoo into my hand. For a few moments I wonder why the white viscose liquid isn't behaving properly. Then I realize that I'm holding a green bottle with white letters instead of a white bottle with green letters. I hurry to shower again, glad that the locker room is completely vacant except for ditzy me.

Leg Day Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.59  + 35 min Manual Mode 1 = 4.12  Grand Total = 8.71 miles YeeHaw!
Cage Stretch with Dips & Raises and Side Kicks
Smith Rack Squats: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 2 x 12 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 95 / 25 @ bar
Smith SLDL: 12 @ bar / 3 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
Seated Leg Curls: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 lbs / 3 x 8 @ 112.5 lbs
Ab Crunch Bench: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups + 3 hands under waist, horizontal and vertical splits.

Do You Have Your Plan B?

Back Day and all
I see are biceps.

One of the most difficult things to teach young children is adaptability. Too often when expectations are not met, there are tears, frustration and incomprehension that all is not lost. Resiliency is not a standardized skill that can be taught in school although we'd all benefit if it was. We should always have a Back Up, a Plan B just in case things aren't what we were expecting. Today, I remembered my iPod and the rest of my gear but I had no Precor machine to board because Tuesdays is the day that everyone does morning cardio. Even the sludgy Life Fitness machines were all occupied! That left only the Cybex Arc trainer because my knees can't handle the impact of running on a treadmill. Luckily, I'm vaguely familiar with the machine, familiar enough at least to make it go. It (the TV screen AND the Cybex display panel) doesn't actually power up until you start peddling so it appears non-functional to most people.

Calories on top; Time on bottom.

Because I'm slightly too short for this machine, I break my time into smaller segments to minimize my lower back discomfort from reaching for handles a tad too far. After 10 minutes of gliding with my hands holding the side rail, I punch in 15 minutes and place my hands on the alternating handles which sometimes manages to measure my heart rate, but more often does not. Then a final 10 minutes with my hands down by the side rails again. I have no idea what the total mileage is as I snap quick photos with my cell phone, but I know how many calories it thinks I burned. (When I get home I compare it to the Precor and find that the Cybex claims to have burned more in equal time.) Sweat is dripping from my hoodie and I'm satisfactorily warm-up. Ugh, I've broken the zipper pull on this hoodie yet again and it's not worth paying to replace it more than once. I guess it's become a pullover until it's too frayed to wear. That shouldn't take long with daily use.

I've given up Seated Cable Rows for now because although my lower back doesn't hurt, it still feels stiff and unwieldy. And I certainly don't want another bout of sciatica. I might be stubborn, but I'm not stupid. Instead, I do a few sets of Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs and hang at the end of each set just for the stretch. This constitutes my first "big" muscle movement so I do Cage Stretches then return to the cable station with the handle I usually reserve for Seated Cable Rows. I figure I can do rows without involving my lower back by doing Close Grip Pull Downs. By the last three sets, I'm just able to wrestle myself down under the thigh pads to anchor me to the seat. No Bent Over BB Rows either unless I want to pick up the 60 lb BB and do a million reps. No thanks.

Inclined DB Rows

One-Arm DB Row
muscles involvement

There aren't many people in the free weight area so I position myself on an inclined bench and perform a few sets of dumbbell rows. The 20 lbs are too light, the 25s are better, and the 30s are just too big. I do sets with them but I risk smacking my hands or the DBs because they're so wide and I have small hands, small arms, not a lot of radius. I feel my middle back but want more lat involvement so I move to a flat bench and do a set of One Arm DB Rows, upping the DBs after each set until I reach the 45s. I can get 3 sets of 8 hard reps with these. It's not Arm Day, but my biceps are pumped. I'm so toasted that I'm looking forward to a few sit ups for relaxation. Instead I do two sets of Lower Back Extensions first. My lower back is definitely stiff, but at least it doesn't hurt. Plan B seems actionable. At least until my elbows start to complain. Ssshhh.

When I finish sit ups, Mo is standing next to me with an acrid cup of coffee in a styrofoam cup. She's teasing me, "Boy I can really feel that burn," "Oh, you can feel MY burn?" I ask, "Sure it's not the coffee?" Her workouts are only an hour so she's off to run errands. I'd barely be done with cardio if I limited my time to just an hour. Instead, I dance over to the Mats and do my mat routine. I even manage a few seconds rolling forward in the horizontal split. It's the stretch that needs the most work. The Dive Bomber Push Ups feel good and I knock out 10 with shoulder width hands, and another 3 with hands under my waist. Maybe I'll remember to see how many actual push ups I can do on Thursday, Arm Day... What I don't remember to do is weigh myself at the gym. My home scale tells me 107.6 lbs and I'm good with that. It's my back up.

Alternate Back Workout:
35 min Cybex machine... no idea how many miles! 450 calories
Wide Grip Lat Pull Down: 12 @ 60 (warm up) / 2 x 12 @ 90 / 3 x 10 @ 105 lbs
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips (it's a full flex from standing tip-toe to dipping heel 2") and side kicks
Close Grip Pull Downs: 12 @ 60 / 12 @ 75 / 12 @ 90 / 2 x 10 @ 105 / 3 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Inclined DB Rows: 12 @ 20 lbs / 12 @ 25 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 30 lbs
One-Arm DB Rows: 12 @ 30 lbs / 12 @ 35 lbs / 12 @ 40 lbs / 3 x 8 @ 45 lbs
Lower Back Extension: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 150
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups (hands under shoulders) + 3 (hands under waist) with vertical and horizontal splits

Fear of Failure

We are creatures of habit, rudimentarily shaped by Nature's Fight or Flight response. Sometimes our heads get the better of us, sowing seeds of doubt which sprouts a different type of fear. It's not the imminent fear of danger but the fear of failure, and if we behave as if it didn't matter, well then, we've saved our pride if nothing else. It's even easier not to try (that hard) than to risk failing. We have a million convenient excuses. "Oh, who can possibly look like a superhero at THAT age," some might sneer. To which I ask, "Have you tried?" And I mean, have you really really deep-in-your-heart tried? Perhaps it's not what you really want then? Or are you afraid?

Today's is Monday and a Heavy Bench day probably all over the civilized world. The gym feels humid and warm, but I still have my hoodie zipped up and my iPod blaring. A young woman is peddling the "tractor" again and I have to assume that she prefers it because the other two ellipticals are free. I hop on my favorite Precor and punch in program Hill #5. I've been a complete slug the entire weekend, not even venturing out of my pajamas on Saturday. Sunday was my husband's birthday and we got cups of gelato, followed by groceries so I could make him a birthday dinner of Chinese-style beef with tomatoes (with oyster sauce and beef broth over noodles). Now I'm stiff and slightly breathless as I peddle furiously just to maintain a 195 Strides Per Minute pace. I didn't drink or eat all that much this weekend, although I've become pleasantly acquainted with the Stella Artois version of hard cider. At 170 calories, it's less damaging than Angry Orchard (200 per bottle). An online search informs me that Red's Apple Ale is even less, at 165 calories. But the difference between a brewed ale and fermented hard cider is lost on me. What's not lost on me is how much I'm enjoying my revised Short Cardio Playlist and I manage to log in a tad over 4 miles. Yay!

I'm not seeing much
obvious change.

The Smith is free and the gym is sparsely populated. It's that time during the summer when everyone's on vacation. The bar feels heavy, the tract gunked and sticky. It's not promising, but I tell myself that this'll feel more like the real thing, more like an unassisted bench. I've been telling myself that for weeks now instead of nagging the folks at the front desk to service the machine. I pyramid my weights up but even now, 135 lbs feels awfully heavy. It makes me hesitate to add the last two plates to the bar. I wrap my wrists before putting my gloves back on, reassuring myself that I've been pushing this weight for weeks, nay, months so I can do this now. Normally, I don't bench as deeply on the heavy set because it's godawful heavy, and I don't have a spotter. But today I get 5 good deep reps and then I panic because I seem to be stuck on the 6th rep. Are my arms failing?!

I know I can just turn my wrists and the bar will set on the rack but I really want to push the bar back to its start point. I finish the set but I'm unnerved enough to consider doing drop sets now, or maybe even asking someone for a spot. Nixon is alternating with another fellow using a bench the next station over. But I resist the urge to ask him. And I resist the urge to pull plates off the bar. Instead, I consider doing the next set quicker, and not quite so deep. I do this to regain my confidence that I can actually handle the weight. Doubt is corrosive and needs to be neutralized ASAP! The 2nd set felt more like a normal set. And the 3rd set wasn't quite as quick and not quite as deep as the 1st, but it still felt controlled. The drop sets come easily now and I leave the bench feeling better. Perhaps because there's nothing worse than fear. Except doubt.

After Cage Stretch I grab a pair of 2.5 lb magnetic discs to use on the 25 lb dumbbells. I've been meaning to up my weights and drop my reps. Small delicate joints like shoulders and elbows require small, patient increases. I baby my lower back by using the Inclined Bench for Rear Delt Raises. After a warm up set of 15 reps, I gingerly add the discs and knock out 5 more sets at 8 reps. It's the amount of reps I can do comfortably so I wonder if I can handle 30 lb dumbbells in the 4-6 rep range. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. My joints have always been my weak points. For my last set, I do as many reps until I can't. It's 12. Maybe I should up the weight again. Next week. I can do this next week.

I'm less confident with the standing Lateral DB Raises. My arms and shoulders are already tired so I compromise by doing 3 sets of 12 with just the DB, and then another 3 sets of 8 with the added weight. I'm thinking about how relaxing sit ups will be when I grab the 40 lb BB for Upright Rows. Then I add the discs and do another 3 sets. I feel toasted. Sit ups are such a relief that I knock out 200 on the flat bench, and do another 100 crunches on the "ABench" station. Finally it's time for Mat Stretch! Yay! There's two old guys on the Mats but I don't care and position myself on the front mat. As long as I'm plugged in, I'm oblivious to everyone around me. I know that they're there, but I just don't care. The Mayor, Nixon, M, B, Mo, Hoodie Tattoo, Ranger Rick, Skinny Blonde, R. I don't see anything but the mat and where I need my feet to be.

The gym scale reads 110.2 lbs. Not awful considering I'd just sucked down the entire 1.5 liters of water. The hot shower feels so good that it's with great difficulty that I start tuning the hot down and the cold water up. When I go to leave, I see R at the cables by the Cage Stretch so I stop to say Hi and Bye to him. He's grimacing as I approach but smiles when I get his attention. I'm probably smiling too because I'm showered and dressed and got the rest of my day to run errands and stuf. It's a nice way to end the workout.

Today's Fear of Failure Workout:
35 min hill #5 = 4.05 miles Yay!
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
Inclined Rear DB Raises: 15 @ 25 lbs / 5 x 8 @ 27.5 lbs / 12 @ 27.5 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs / 3 x 8 @ 27.5 lbs
BB Upright Rows: 15 @ 40 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 45 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 200
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with splits and Dive Bomber Push Ups (5 hands under shoulders + 3 hands under waist)

Making Laziness Work

Dayglo shorts

I thought I was off to a good start, having gotten my son to his TKD camp just as they were heading outdoors to play. Then I called a local department store to make sure they were open and accepted credit card payments because I'd forgotten to mail the bill in time and didn't want to be saddled with a $35 late fee. So I was pretty upset when I got to the gym, fished through all my gear and discovered to my horror that the iPod was still on the charger at home. I'd spent a few minutes revising the short playlist to include a few more songs, and I was really anticipating having a great Double Cardio day because of it. And I didn't have any good headphones with me, except for the new pair of Phillips I bought at CVS yesterday. They promised a better quality ("Enhanced Bass") of music than the "last resort" JVC pair that sound tinny and leak background noise no matter how high you've got the volume setting. Unfortunately, they also tend to hurt my rather tender ear canals. They are truly last resort headphones.

Time / Calories / Miles
for Interval 7 and Manual Mode 1

I had half a mind to just go home. Or go home and retrieve my iPod and Sony headphones. But once I was home I'd surely be tempted to stretch out on my bed, or do the dishes, or the laundry. Or watch TV, or play with the dog. Or I could just trudge out to the cardio area with the songs on my cell, and the tinny JVC headphones. Which is what I did. Surprisingly, there was only one person on the Precor and she was peddling the tractor. Okay, I can at least do 35 minutes for Interval 7 and see how I feel afterwards. It was a bit of a struggle to stay at 200 Strides Per Minute, especially toward the last 10 minutes when again, I noticed an ache outside my right knee and thigh. But 35 minutes went very quickly and I wondered whether I was so tired that time seemed to speed up. Out of curiosity and sheer laziness, I decided to see what 35 minutes at the Manual setting would bring. It automatically sets the incline at 10 and for Level 1 there is little resistance. Still, I did have to pay attention and make sure that I didn't just drift down to a leisurely 170 SPM. What I really wanted to know was whether 6600 strides translated into the same mileage on Manual as it did with programs like Hill #5. Because for some reason, doing the same amount of strides in Intervals clocks more mileage. I'm not sure why. But I'll take any sort of delusion as long as it benefits me. If it encourages me to do more, to go faster, and make it more challenging (oh, let's say, by singing while doing 220 SPM), well, then I'm all for a bit of fun and head games.

I do a brief Cage Stretch afterwards because I am once again wearing running shorts and a sopping wet zip-up hoodie. I try to keep my cell in the pocket while I stretch but it keeps falling out with a soft thud. At one point I have my leg against the cage, up over my head and I briefly look around. Checking the mirror, I don't think I'm showing anything indecent but I make my stretches very quick. I'm surprised to see Nixon standing with M near the Cybex machines just a few yards away. He looks away uncomfortably, as if he's been caught peeking.

The Mat Stretch is going to be quick and abbreviated as well, not just because I'm wearing running shorts, but also because I don't really know where to put my cell. It moves from the Mat when I'm doing lunges and Dive Bomber Push Ups to being wedged into my waistband against my back. But it keeps sliding down and I keep having to fish it out while I stretch. While I'm stretching, a chubby kid clambers up the steps behind me to do wrist rolls. Then he pulls out his cell. Then I leave because I'm not entirely certain that he's not snapping photos. In the locker room, I stash my hoodie, gloves and headphones and grab tape, band-aids and my pink kickboxing gloves. I'm game to go a few rounds with the Nexersys.

The Lazy Day Workout:
35 min Interval #7 = 4.5  + 35 min Manual mode #1 = 4.13  Grand Total = 8.63 miles YeeHaw!
Cage Stretch
Mat Stretch with Dive Bomber Push Ups and splits
Nexersys Boxing System: 3 rounds Follow Me Avatar, Beginner Female
3 rounds Sparring Avatar, Beginner Female

Making the Avatar
turn from Green to Red
is completely thrilling

3rd round Sparring

I see R glide behind me to the Cable station near the Cage while I'm whacking the Nexersys. I haven't seen him in a few days and thought perhaps he'd taken some time off. He doesn't look good and I suspect he's in a lot of pain. When he leaves, I give him a quick wave but he barely acknowledges my presence. Then a large middle-aged lady steps up to the Nexersys next to mine with her fully padded boxing gloves. She's learning the moves, waiting for direction from the system. I don't know how she can hear anything but she's concentrating very hard. I'm quite pleased not to be the only woman whacking these machines, although when I throw a right cross, the pads move and the warning buzzer sounds. I like that. I'm still awful at the Follow Me program. My accuracy is abysmal (still get confused as to whether I should be throwing a right or left cross when the avatar lights up) but I do land a lot of punches. And in spite of doing 3 rounds of Follow Me first, my sparring seems to be improving. I don't really understand the point system but I've managed to block all but one blow, and again, I've landed a helluva lot of punches and kicks. And I've managed to maintain power (in spite of countless warning buzzers). So I'm guessing my pacing and my stamina is better. Yay!

The Left Side got clipped off. It reads:
Accuracy, Total Strikes, Power, Points

The gym scale reads 108.2 lbs which is surprising because one doesn't normally drop 2 lbs in a day. Unless it's water. Which it probably was. My home scale tells me 107.0 lbs and that my body fat is back to 19.3, down from that awful 19.9 on Monday. I still find it hard to believe that body fat fluctuates that much.

But there's a lot of things I don't believe. Like not having a good workout on a sunny Friday.

Don't Beat a Dead Horse

Knowing when to switch gears is paramount in driving a manual transmission. Now that most vehicles are automatic transmission, it's much easier to just step on the gas and go. As long as you know when to brake, and when to coast. Covering the brake doesn't mean resting your foot on the brake pedal, but hovering it above, just in case you need to use it. Too many people ride their brakes, driving in a stop and go fashion with their foot either on the brake or the gas. Too many people don't know their vehicles well enough to execute a tight turn even though their cars are front-wheel drive, or better yet, like all Subarus, all-wheel drive. I'm not sure whether it's mental laziness, or plain ineptitude. The body is a lot like a vehicle, except that it's harder to get replacement parts for it. Some days you're better off in low gear, especially if there's a steep incline, or decline in your trajectory.

Although I thought about doing Double Cardio today, I decided to save that for tomorrow when all I had was abs and the Nexersys on the agenda. Today is Arm Day and I'd like to power through the program so I cut back to one cardio session today. Even though I did almost as well as yesterday on the Intervals course, it was a much harder struggle. Nevermind that I started on Precor #2 (the Tractor) because #1 and #3 were occupied. Three and a half minutes into Interval 7 and the 7-foot tall dude to my left on Precor #1 is done. He just hops off and walks away. Doesn't wipe down the machine, doesn't reset the program. I hate people like that. I check to make sure that he's not coming back, then reset my elliptical before hopping on #1. I don't care that I have to start from scratch because it's elliptical #1 and it rides so much easier than the other machines.

When I'm done I head to the free weights. Someone has left a pair of 45 lb plates on the bar. I pull off one ear-piece and ask The Mayor (who's on the next bench over) if anyone's using the Smith. He shrugs while looking around, so I proceed to strip the bar. The Mayor asks me if I'd prefer a regular bench and I shrug because it doesn't matter to me but if he wants the incline I'll grab a flat bench. He rolls the incline away and graciously replaces it with a flat bench, saying, "You like it with the stable end here, right?" as he places the U-shape legs under the bar. I nod and thank him, because I'm not going to tell him that I put the U-shape there because otherwise it gets in the way of my feet when I'm positioning myself on the bench. I'm small with short legs so my feet land right where the bench feet would be and it's hard for me to get into a stable bridge position. I have to admit that the regulars sometimes do seem to fall all over themselves. I should probably be nicer. But that would require being sociable. And I'm not.

Today is Arm Day and I start off with several sets of close grip bench presses. I have my hands placed about 4 inches apart on the bar. Normally my wrists would complain but today I've wrapped them with my new wrist wraps. It would've been nice it there were left and right wraps but sadly, both wraps seem more suitable for the left hand (thumb loop is on upper right corner of wrap and there's a definite inside and outside to the wrap for the velcro tab). The thumb loop causes the wrap to cross my palm on the right hand, but it's not uncomfortable. The presses feel good with the exception of a slight twinge in my right front delt. It's another old chronic injury that flares up every now and then. Well, at least I'm not doing shoulders today so it's got a reprieve.

I always like to do Cage Stretch after a big movement like presses. Enough time has passed for my legs to loosen up from the cardio, but not enough time so that I've cooled down or started to stiffen. After the stretch I head back to the free weight area. Alternating Dumbbell Curls for biceps, then to the cable station to do Tricep Press Downs. I can only reach the handles by standing on my tip-toes but this seems ridiculously easy today, as if I've developed new platforms on the balls of my feet. Maybe it's all the Heel Dips I do at the Cage? I'm shooting to do 3 sets of 12 reps at 50 lbs but I fall short on the 3rd set. So I grit my teeth and impetuously knock out several drop sets. M is on the mat stretching and doing abs. Even though I haven't really spoken to him since he forgot to spot me some weeks ago, I know he's been watching everything I do. When I'm done, I stalk over to the barbell rack and grab the 50 pounder.

A tall thin woman is using the 30 lb and the 70 lb barbells but is lately nowhere in sight. I hate tripping over equipment left haphazardly. Eventually she returns but I'm already knocking out my sets of barbell curls. At least she puts the barbells away when she's done doing side lunges with the 30 lbs and deadlifts with the 70 lb. But they're not in the right positions in the rack. The 70 is where the 50 should be, and the 30 is wehre the 70 should be. I shake my head and put my barbell away in the only remaining slot. I don't work there so I'm not going to rearrange all the barbells, although sometimes I do that to the dumbbells. I only have two exercises left although I feel guilty about not doing abs yesterday. Tricep Kick Backs kick my butt. I only do three sets but I can feel myself flagging a bit between sets. Still, seeing my triceps flex in the mirror cheers me up. Then, cursing to myself, I grab the 40 lb barbell and do three sets of Reverse Grip Barbell Curls.

Top left clockwise: Grips, gloves,
gloves with wrist wraps, wrist wraps
with thumb loops, elbow braces

Okay, I'm toast. Yet the sit up board is vacant. Okay, I'll just knock out a quick hundred. Or hundred and twenty-five. My lower back feels stiff. Maybe I should do some crunches. After a hundred I decide it's time to check the mat and stretch. First I have to wipe it down because there's water or drool or something wet on the big mat, and there's nothing worse than sliding down into a split and smearing up against a wet spot. Yuck. I manage a few Dive Bomber Pushups, and then adjust my hands so they're under my mid-torso and do a few more. This second position is a bit harder but adds more of a back stretch to the movement. I'm actually surprised that I don't fall on my face doing these because it's a lot of tricep involvement here. I probably couldn't do 50 push ups, so next time I might try that. Last time I did push ups at the gym (what, was that last year?) I could manage 50. Now I'm not so sure. I've also acquired so much gear that I'm in danger of dropping bits and pieces all throughout the gym so now I'm looking for a small "stuff sack". I used to have a few of them, but it's been years and now I don't know where any of them are. Sigh.

The gym scale reads an unfriendly 110.4 lbs but my home scale tells me to relax. I'm only 107.8 lbs. I'm not really worried. My clothes fit the same. Still I'd like to see better definition and I know that means cutting back on things I love, like weekend beer and sangria, and ice cream desserts. Yellow freestone peaches are in season and we eat several each day, a slight astringency countering the juicy sweet succulence of perfectly ripe fruit. The only thing that could make it better would be vanilla ice cream with a sprinkle of sea salt.

I don't know if slightly better definition is worth giving these things up. I'm already juggling cardio with weights, trying to find balance, especially now that old injuries seem to be rising from long-slumbering dormancy. Tomorrow I'm aiming for a Double Cardio day and perhaps the Nexersys just for fun. My backs seems neither better nor worse, and until I get it looked at, I guess I won't really know. But I'm a bit done with doctors for now, primarily because I haven't had any word about my kidneys (jeez, how long does the 24-hr urine test take to process?), and I have an impending consultation for my glaucoma. I'm really rather hoping that this other doctor will tell me that I don't need actual surgery, that a laser trabeculoplasty will be sufficient. The thought of a trabulectomy, which will leave a bleb on each of my eyeballs for fluid drainage, is disturbing enough. The idea that it might interfere with my work outs has me completely freaked out. But let's not beat a dead horse. It's not going to get us anywhere. Time to move on and deal with the things we know.

Today's Arm Day Workout:
35 min Interval #7 = 4.66 miles Yay!
Smith Rack Close Grip Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 4 x 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Alternating DB Curls: 6 x 8 @ 25 lbs
Tricep Press Downs: 12, 12, 10 @ 50 lbs / 10 @ 40 lbs / 12 @ 30 lbs
BB Curls: 6 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Tricep DB Kick Backs: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
RGBBCurls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch with Dive Bomber Push Ups (5 + 3) and splits