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.