Use It or Lose It Friday

I admit that I haven't been this sore in a long time. It's not debilitating soreness. It doesn't even really hurt. It's more a vague, nagging reminder that some muscles hadn't been worked to their fullest potential in quite a long time. I knew it would catch up with me eventually after going just about the entire year without much discomfort other than tendinitis in various joints, and a stiff lower back that briefly aggravated a touch of sciatica. Upper back, traps (didn't even work them but I suspect Upright Rows and Rear Delt work), mid-back, lower glutes (gluteus medialis), leg biceps. Yep, all a tad sore.

Which meant that Double Cardio today was going to be Oh So Much Fun. I was hoping not to embarrass myself when I punched in Interval 7. I got breathless and sweaty halfway into it and again considered only doing one session because I had workmen coming to the house around noon. But part of my brain is on auto-pilot and I hate giving in to my own weaknesses. So I punched in Interval 8 for Session Two. And ten minutes into it, I realize that the discomfort I'm feeling is hunger. I'm a bit bewildered. I swapped out raisins for the 1/4 cup of frozen blueberries I normally nuke with my oatmeal, but I figure that'd just give me more fuel, not less. I can't wait until Session Two is over so I can gulp some water and quench the hunger pangs. However, by the time I'm done, hunger has subsided and I feel great. Thoroughly drenched like a cat in a well, but happy.

I'm moving fairly quickly and I keep glancing up at the clock to make sure I'm on track. I hate having to reschedule plumbers. We've been without a working bathroom sink for some weeks now and I'm getting tired of brushing my teeth in the kitchen. I don't skimp on my stretches and do both Cage and Mat Stretch before running back to the locker room to dump my hoodie, wrap my hand and put on those bubble gum pink gloves. I even skip band-aids and hope that I won't regret that decision later.

When I get to the Follow Me Avatar, I realize that I've forgotten how to do the combination Jab-Cross properly and my Accuracy is abysmal. Ugh! Use it or lose it. I figure part of it out by Round Two, but not enough to get my scores up. Oh well. My punching is good although I feel my right knuckle sting every time I land a blow. Once I remember the Jab-Cross combination, I rain blows on the Nexersys pads as if I'm using a speed bag. I've always been too short to use the speed bags that've been available at various gyms throughout the years. This is fun!

I never totally dried off after cardio so by the time I'm done with 3 rounds of Sparring, I'm drenched again, hair plastered to my head and sweat pouring off my face. I haven't seen D all week, nor do I see the tall, thin girl today. There are regulars in the free weight area. I know because they registered briefly in my brain while I was doing Mat Stretch, but I get so focused on doing my routine correctly that mostly I don't see anyone. My score is up and I'm happy, although I must've been tiring because my power's down a bit. But still, it was a great workout! The gym scale reads 107.6 lbs. What's with that now?!

Friday Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.54 miles + 35 min Interval 8 = 4.40 miles  Grand Total = 8.94 miles Wahoo!
Cage Stretch
Mat Stretch
Nexersys Avatar Follow Me 3 rounds (strikes and power good, accuracy needs work)
Nexersys Avatar Sparring 3 rounds (908 points! most so far)

photos with stat details:

Follow Me 3 rounds

Sparring 3 rounds

Sparring recommendation