Fat Burn It Isn't

Today is Leg Day but I've already got my mind set on doing at least 30 min of cardio this morning. It's harder than I'd like it to be even though I'm loping along in Steady State mode. I do get 3 miles so that makes me happy. The Smith machine appears to be abandoned mid-exercise, with a neck pad on the bar, and a 10 lb plate on each side. I ask several people including B, The Mayor and whoever, if any of them is using the Smith. No one. Okay, it's mine now.

I use a different neck pad, one that is thicker neoprene, but I still keep my hoodie on because I don't want my bare skin touching the communal stuff. My hair is at that annoying length where it gets caught in everything, like the wires to my earphones, and just under the Squat bar. But I'm waiting until the summer heat makes my old Pixie haircut feel like air-conditioning. My back sounds/feels crunchy at a relatively light weight and that's perplexing. It's the weird popping sensation of cracking your knuckles, but in your spine. Well, nothing hurts. Yet.

There are a ridiculous number of 45 lb plates on the Smith plate racks, and a dearth of smaller plates. I'm forced to use a pair of 25s on each side (I'm going to avoid lifting 45 lb plates face height if I can help it). and then add a single 10 and 5 lb plate. 160 lbs total if the bar equals 30 lbs. I get my three sets, strip the bar and set up for Smith machine SLDLs. I also work up to 160 lbs on those. Also three sets but not 12 reps. I'm not quite sure if it's my iffy grip (even with VGs on) or my lower back, but I can only get 8 reps per set. Still, that's 2 reps more than last week.

After a quick Cage Stretch (I probably shouldn't do this wearing shorts, even with a liner), I knock out sets on the Seated Leg Extension, and then the Cybex Prone Leg Curl. I proceed cautiously, starting with 30 lbs. Then moving up to 50 lbs. At 70 lbs I have to pause at rep 8, and then rep 10. But I can't say that I feel it in my hamstrings. At the heavier weight I still feel an odd curling sensation in the arch of my right foot, which I don't like. I may skip Leg Curls altogether as long as I'm doing SLDLs. I have a choice between the Step Mill and the ellipticals. I choose to play on the elliptical, exploring the various pre-set programs. I punch in Fat Burn and it automatically sets up for 30 minutes of what appears to be a variation of Interval training. I have to move the resistance down because too high a setting bothers my knees and ankles. After 30 minutes I compare it to the Steady-State manual program I "ran" as a warm up. Steady-State wins with greater distance covered, and, according to the Precor program, more calories burned. Still, I feel pretty good. Good enough to clamber down to the Mat for 100 crunches and a quick lower back stretch.

The gym scale reads 113.8 lbs. I take a few selfies. It's Leg Day and my legs don't really look any different, maybe a bit smoother than last summer. My arms, however, look huge. Not as defined either. Just big.

Leg Day Workout

30 min Precor elliptical = 3.03 miles

Smith Machine Squats
25x30 lbs (bar)
12x80 lbs
12x120 lbs
12x140 lbs
3x12x160 lbs

Smith Machine SLDLs
12x30 lbs (bar)
12x80 lbs
12x120 lbs
12x140 lbs
3x8x160 lbs +2, +2 reps Yay!

Cage Stretch

Seated Leg Extension
12x75 lbs
12x90 lbs
12x105 lbs
12x120 lbs
12x135 lbs

Cybex Prone Leg Curl
12x30 lbs
12x50 lbs
12x70 lbs (paused at rep 8 and 10) don't like the way this feels

Torso Twist Machine
2x25x50 lbs

30 min Precor "fat burn program" = 2.86 miles

100 Crunches