Getting My Confidence Back

My son was too tired after kung fu (and an excursion to Hmart) to go to the gym on Saturday. Besides, the next day we'd be marching in the St Pat's parade, carrying our den banner. It's about a 2-mile walk down the main road, the weather sunny and a tad brisk. My son grumbled about his pants chafing his legs, about how boring the march was, about how his hands were tired from holding the banner (nevermind he had two other cubs helping hold it), about how hopelessly landlocked our car would be, about how he wasn't going to get anything special for all this effort. Grumble grumble grumble. Until the march ended at the shopping plaza, and he saw the three llamas parked behind the oil change place, politely snagging carrot slices from outstretched palms. Then he was all smiles, feeding and petting one of the woolly creatures. "No upper teeth, just a hard palate and very flexible lips," their keeper explained to us. But they did have funny irregular bottom teeth, filthy soft fleece and would stand stock-still for a picture if you yelled out "Camera!"

"I need to wash my hands at the pizzeria," my son said to me all smiles. Okay now. The pizza was an exorbitant $2.50 a slice, but each slice was the size of two regular slices so I didn't mind too much. By the time we found our car, the ones parked directly in front and behind us had gone, allowing us to wriggle out from between all the other vehicles still there. It took 30 minutes to leave the lot, but it was just as I had expected, and we didn't really have to be anywhere. I just turned on the radio and rolled down my windows while we inched towards the exit.

Imagine my surprise today when we walked to the school bus stop and there were flurries! At least it's not sticking although my car needs a good wash. The dog's been sick as well and I've been spending a lot of time mopping the kitchen with bleach. Digging around the "dog cabinet" I found an old bottle of Tylan powder, an antibiotic good for canine digestive ailments. The dog's a little better today but I'm worried that this is something a lot worse than the usual "dog ate something spicy but it'll pass and he'll be fine". I look up ruptured anal glands but even though he's scooting a lot, he doesn't have the right symptoms. I make an appointment for him to see the vet next Monday. Hopefully he won't poop in my car. I really hate that.

Today is Chest and Delts and I was nervous about not being able to bench heavy. Luckily, after my 20 minute cardio warm up (steady-state elliptical), I see the woman who helped me out last week. And after my warm up sets, I ask her if she'll spot me even though M, The Mayor, Tall Pace and a bunch of the Regular Guys are closer. But they're all chatting and hanging off the lat and rowing stations. The woman, K, is at first a terrible spot. I need to tell her that I've got the lift myself. I've got the entire set myself. Just help me if I start to fail. She's got her hands nearly under the bar but I still get my sets myself. All three sets. I have my confidence back. Yay! She whispers to me afterwards, "Next time, just add two and a half pounds. You know, a pair of one and a quarter plates." I look at her skeptically, "And why would I do that?" Nevermind that I think the smallest plates are two and a half. "To get stronger," she says and I laugh. "Yeah, okay."

I only have five exercises today: Flat Bench BB Press, Inclined Bench BB Press, Inclined DB flyes, DB Lateral Raises, Bent-Over DB Raises. I'm able to up the weights on three of those exercises so I'm happy. I grab four of the small magnets that are only 1.25 lbs each. The gym owner looks surprised but I tell him that I'm using DBs and don't need to jump 5 lbs, just two and a half. Then I ask him if the Nexersys are fixed and he says mostly. The side Dig sensor is not working but everything else seems okay. I hope it's still okay on Thursday when I plan to whack one of them senseless.

The steps are free and I spend 20 minutes reading email and the online forums while sweat drips off my nose. I make a mental note to do crunches while I'm down on the Mat for stretches. As I get ready to leave, I see R and chat with him briefly about his new baby. He says the baby is so good that he and his wife would gladly have ten of them if they're all like this. I laugh. The baby's getting big and he hopes that his son won't be quite as tall as he is. I'm surprised. "It gets awkward fitting into things," he explains to me. I guess as awkward as being really small.

Chest and Delt Monday Workout

20 min elliptical = 1.97 miles

Flat BB Bench Press
12x45 lbs (bar)
10x95 lbs
8x115 lbs
3x6x125 lbs (Yay! had K spot me but I got them all myself)
20x95 lbs

Inclined BB Press
12x45 lbs (bar)
12x65 lbs
10x85 lbs
6, 7, 8x95 lbs (can probably do more but wanted to save energy for delts)

Inclined DB Flyes
12x20 lbs (warm up)
2x12x25 lbs
12x27.5 lbs (got braver here)
2x12x30 lbs PR Yay! +5 lbs

Standing DB Lateral Raises
12x27.5 lbs (warm up)
4x12x30 lbs (+1 set Yay! trying to work my way up to 6 sets of 12)

Bent-Over DB Reverse Flyes
4x12x30 lbs (got braver after 4th set)
2x12x32.5 lbs (will probably be a while before I attempt 35 lbs)

20:24 min:sec Matrix Step Mill = 910 steps

3x50 crunches
2x12 Dive Bomber Push Ups
60-second plank
Mat Stretch