Rethinking the Remix

Today is probably the hardest day of my 4 day routine because Back Workouts are brutal enough as it is, and then I have to remember Biceps. Granted it's just a few curls, but still, I'd like to have a bit more energy when I perform them. It's probably just a matter of proper rest between sets, but honestly, I spend too much time at the gym as it is. The only thing that made today worthwhile, besides hitting a few Personal Bests, is the fact that I actually don't feel compelled to go work out tomorrow (although I probably should) and I can do fun things, like clean the gutter on the low part of the roof and shovel out the matted dead leaves clogging the road drain at the end of our property. Yep, fun fun fun.

I punch in Interval 7 again today and I'm happy to notch my mileage up a tiny bit. I've still got the sniffles but I suspect I'll have that for the rest of the week even though I don't feel sick anymore. The Close Grip Pull Downs starts out hard at a mere 75 lbs. My elbows complain. I keep upping the weight and dropping the reps after each set, until finally I feel warmed up. By 120 lbs, I say WTH and go for a full 12-rep set. It actually feels pretty good. Even the Cage Stretch feels pretty good today. There seems to be an awful lot of guys in the free weight area debating the merits of the new benches. I grab the 110 lb BB and find a spot by the mirrored wall. It's a bit claustrophobic because everything is moved forward for the new equipment. Just as I start my second set, a guy plops himself down on the Inclined Bench literally right behind me. I'm not at all pleased at shoving my butt out stiff-legged dead lift style in order to get the BB in position.

I think he keeps trying to catch my eye, but I'm really good at ignoring people. He's not really cute anyway. My hands are inordinately tired so I grab the VGs out of my bag and use them for the first time on RGBB Rows. But since I"m not used to using them with BBs, I get flustered and one of my sets is actually a regular grip BB Row. I'm happy because I get 6 sets of 12 reps at 115 lbs, but I know I'm going to be paying for this later.

Next are Lower Back Extensions. I got a few sets at 195 lbs last week so that's what I'm aiming for today. I get 3 full sets of 12 reps and I'm happy. But I notice a slight pulling sensation down the inner right thigh, and egads, it culminates with a weird sensation in the right arch of my foot. This is a lot like the Seated Leg Curl in many ways as it works lower glutes and hamstrings. Maybe my body can't really handle the higher weight? I think muscles are only adaptive to a point, and I am a bit older, in that fluctuating hormone mode. Who knows what havoc those pesky hormones are wreaking!

I'm worried that six plus sets of BB rows have drained the tank and I don't have the energy to do DB rows. Well, might as well find out for sure. I start with a 55, then affix a pair of 1.25 lb magnets to it. I can get a set but I feel a bit worn. I swap the smaller magnets for the pair of 2.5s, making the 55 a 60 for the next two sets. I could probably get one more set, but I remember that I still have biceps to do. I don't even think I can do a pull up at this point. I look over and the Smith is occupied by a big dude who was doing BB rows in the Squat rack. I give a brief wave to R who's chatting with Big Mustache. RR and the Latino Baseball guy are sharing a bench because RR needs a spot for the 95 lb DBs he's trying to press. The occasional woman flits into the DB area for a round with the plastic beauty bells.

DB curls are harder than they should be and I start with 20s but only move up to 25s. My elbows and wrists are complaining. Only 3 sets. I grab the 40 lb BB and move to the mirrored wall to do BB curls. My left wrist has been achy since the elliptical this morning and even wrist wraps aren't enough. The BB curls really don't help. After my elbows warm-up to the movement, I toss on magnets. I normally do 45 lbs for all my sets, but since I'm only going to do three sets, I move up a tad for the last set. 47.5 lbs feels okay. I've done 50 lbs before but my elbows always scream at me so I've been very skittish about approaching that weight. However, 45 lb Reverse Grip BB Curls are doable with just a bit of work. I get a quick set of sit ups in before heading to the Mat. As I set up for Dive Bomber Push Ups, I remember to open the Timer app on my cell and leave it where I can reach it when I drop into a plank. Boy am I surprised when I open my eyes (yeah, I do planks with my eyes closed, my face on my thumbs) after counting to twenty. The timer reads 39 seconds. Forty by the time I hit the Stop button. Shoot, next time I'll go for the whole minute.

The gym scale reads 112.4 lbs and that makes me feel a tad better. I'm hoping that drops to 110 by Friday. Overall, I'm about two pounds heavier than last year, but I'm stronger. I don't make monumental gains. I just creep along slow and steady. I'm regretting getting the size S "equator tank" because it's tight in the shoulders already, although it has a very nice feminine cut, something I'm not used to in workout gear. The only issue I have with the Medium tanks is that they're too lose and floppy in the body, and tend to fold up when I bend down.

I'll have to see how much I get done at home tomorrow to gauge whether this new workout is worth it. I don't like being this tired at the end of a routine. Perhaps I should alternate between BB Rows and DB Rows on different weeks. That might be enough to make the additional bicep work worthwhile. I'm also probably going to kill those seated Leg Curls unless I can be satisfied with using a lower weight. I'm thinking it's because I'm still too short to fit properly in the machines, even with the  lowest settings, so I'm actually sitting with my hips pushed forward and only my upper back against the seat. The old Nautilus equipment at my college gym at least had extra seat pads I could pile up behind me so I fit properly. Not here. Well, this'll certainly give me fodder for a New Year's resolution... haven't made one of those in some time!

Tuesday Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.54 miles Yay!

Neutral Grip Pull Down: 12 @ 75 lbs / 10 @ 90 lbs / 8 @ 105 lbs / 12 @ 120 lbs Yay!

Cage Stretch

Reverse Grip BB Rows: 12 @ 110 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 115 lbs PB Yay!
Used VGs for all rows; will add 2.5 lbs to see how many I can get at 117.5 next week

Lower Back Extensions: 12 @ 180 lbs / 3 x12 @ 195 lbs PB Yay!
I might be better off doing 6 sets at 187.5 lbs instead

One-Arm DB Rows: 12 @ 55 lbs / 12 @ 57.5 lbs / 12, 10 @ 60 lbs
I think the RGBB Rows really took it out of me today

Alternating DB Curls: 12 @ 20 lbs / 10, 12 @ 25 lbs
My left wrist and right elbow were complaining the whole time

BB Curl: 12 @ 40 lbs / 12 @ 45 lbs / 12 @ 47.5 lbs
Again, my left wrist is complaining and VGs can't help with this movement

RGBB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 45 lbs PB Yay!
These actually weren't as hard as I thought they were going to be

Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Mat Stretch with 2 x 12 DBPUs and 39 second plank (this time I actually used the timer to check my count, and I guess I count slow). Yay! Stretches, splits, etc.