Limitations

I hate it when your doc gives you horrible news, an ultimatum of sorts, sets up a course of action, and then, after you've had a moment to digest and adapt to the news, backs off three steps, leaving you to wonder just how dire your situation is. The glaucoma specialist I saw yesterday said that my optic nerves were damaged so badly by the IOP that she estimated I only had 20% left for vision. Considering I'm only in my 50s and plan to live a good long life, she worried that 20% wouldn't be enough to ensure a long sighted life. She tells me that she'll consult with my regular ophthalmologist and recommend I start using two different eye drops to bring my eye pressure down. 

The specialist agrees with my brother that the name-brand drops are significantly more effective than the generics that health insurers press upon everyone. It's back to Xalantan® instead of generic latanoprost. And lets try Azopt again. I might only be mildly allergic to the preservatives in them. She says that I ought to schedule pressure checks every two to three weeks to determine if the drops are working. But after a phone consultation with my original doc (who happens to be a corneal specialist) she recommends that I just move up my appointment by a month, so I'll see him in May instead of June. What happened to getting a pressure check every 3 weeks? Her office is too hectic to provide an answer. I have a discount card that will provide a significant subsidy for the prescription, but the health insurers don't care about efficacy. They'll cover generics, but not name brands. I know it's gonna cost a lot out of pocket. Sigh. But I don't want to go blind either. Double sigh.

I can't believe that I still feel tired but my workouts have been pushing the limits. I'm a little sore, but not enough to really bother me. I don't do HIIT cardio today because I want to be able to move that 165 lb BB. More than once. I toy with the idea of pulling the 25 and 10 lb plates off and replacing them with a 45 lb. That would certainly get people's attention. It would also raise the bar off the floor to about mid-shin. With the 25 lb plates, the bar is just over my ankles. Today I leave the 25s on and just slap on 10s. But I'm giving serious thought to the 45s just to see if it'll be easier. Because 165 lbs is hard. It takes me significantly longer to pull upright than with 155 lbs and that's only a 10 lb difference. I get three sets but not all 12 reppers, leaving something to work towards. On the other hand, doing a 20-repper at 115 lbs is cake afterwards.

I probably should pick either BB Rows or One-Arm DB Rows to do per workout. But I don't and so I'm pretty tired by the time I get to a bench and haul a 60 lb DB over to it. Warm up. Some short Latino dude is doing jumping jacks in front of the DB rack, trying to impress a cute little Latina gal. Which is fine, but they're not even using DBs so go play somewhere else! I feel exasperated. People constantly leaving their weights all over the place as if the maid or their mom was going to happen by and tidy it all up for them. The 65s absolutely do not feel any lighter than last week. Maybe even a tad heavier. I get my 8-rep sets but find myself laying down on the bench in between sets. The Lower Back Extension machine is busy so I grab Neutral Handles and set up at the Lat Pull Down station. I skip the 90 lb warm up and move directly to 105 lbs. No point in wasting energy.

My elbows don't complain and I'm mildly surprised. I get myself anchored and then pull back with my elbows tight to my sides. I figure this is as close to Seated Machine Rows as I'm going to get without actually risking my lower back. Then the Lower Back Extension machine where I do three sets of 15 reps at 180 lbs. I can feel it in my glutes and hamstrings at this weight. I have time to do abs so I drop onto the mat to alternate crunches with those weird knee to elbow crunches that's all lower abs and lower back. It's a small weird, difficult movement. I almost forget the LISS as I grab my hooie. Step Mill busy, so it's either the elliptical or the recumbent bike. Bike it is! I catch up on my email and the forum postings. Done! The gym scale reads 112.8 lbs and my face is all pink and puffy. I'm seriously considering doing Legs tomorrow so I can box on Thursday, and give my lower back a rest before Friday, when I'll have to figure out what I'm doing with that BB Row. I may have reached my limits.

Tuesday's Back Workout

20 min Precor elliptical = 2.03 miles

BB Row (overhand grip for warm ups)
12x45 lbs (bar)
12x95 lbs

RG BB Row (use VGs with underhand grip)
12x115 lbs
12x135 lbs
12x155 lbs
12, 10, 12 x 165 lbs +10 reps, +12 reps Yay! PR
20x115 lbs (for fun)

One-Arm DB Rows
10x60 lbs (each arm)
3x8x65 lbs

Close-Grip (Neutral) Lat Pull Down
12x105 lbs
10x120 lbs
8, 7, 8 x 135 lbs

Lower Back Extension Machine
3x15x180 lbs

Torso Twist Machine
2x25x50 lbs

Crunches alternating with Knee to Elbow Crunch
50 / 50 / 80 / 50

Mat Stretch with 2 x12 DBPUs and 60-second plank, splits, stretches

20 min LifeFitness recumbent bike = 2.46 miles