Cutting Back is Harder Than it Looks

I didn't really have a solid game plan this morning so I wasn't really sure what I was going to do once I got to the gym. Although it was 66°F and humid outside, the A/C was on full blast inside. Probably to dissipate all the moisture. Zipped up, with my hands ensconced inside my hoodie sleeves, I mount my favorite elliptical Precor #1 and punch in Hill 5. I'm thinking perhaps I'll just do 2 miles in my allotted 35 minutes, but I'm too cold and I can't get warm until I step up the pace. My skin hovers at that unpleasant point between dry but hot and sweating, making me itch at all the major joints in my hips and legs. Once I break the "sweat threshold", I feel much better. I just miss making my completely arbitrary 4-mile quota, but it's not important. Mondays are always my worst cardio days.

I do the Cage Stretch with my hoodie on because I don't want to cool down too quickly. My hips and hamstrings are stiff from inactivity all weekend. I'm still debating whether to go a few rounds at the Nexersys today when I find myself wandering over to the free weight area. There are very few people there today. And then I give in to temptation and set up on the Bench Press. First just the bar. Then a few tiny plates to do a set at 75 lbs. Then just a set at 95 lbs. Okay, maybe another two sets at 95 lbs. I don't know what my 1RM (rep max) is but I can get 6 reps (with a good spot) at 125 so that's about 76%. So I figure 95 lbs is not too heavy, not too light. Then, trying to be mindful that this is a low intensity day, I drop the weights down to 75 lbs again. And then just the bar. I knock out 50 reps and pause for a moment to consider doing another 25 reps. I could do it. But I don't want to be here all day! Instead, I wipe down the bench and do the Mat Stretch, completely skipping abs and everything else I'd normally do on a Monday. Like delts.

I worry that I'll lose all the gains I've made recently, but it's only a week. Tomorrow should be Back Day but it's nearly impossible to do Back without involving elbows or grip. A voice in the back of my mind tells me I could probably get a dozen pull ups since I haven't done them in a long time. But they ultimately always stress my elbows. I should probably stick to my half-baked plan to do cardio, abs and then go a few rounds on the Nexersys. If nothing else, it'll make me warm and sweaty.

Low Intensity Monday Work Out:
35 min cardio Hill 5 = 3.98 miles
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips & Calf Raises and Side Kicks
Bench Press: 25 @ bar (45 lbs) / 15 @ 75 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 95 lbs / 15 @ 75 lbs / 50 @ 45 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 wide-legged DBPUs, 3 rolling, 10 regular-stance DBPUs, splits, back, hamstring and neck stretches, etc