Legs Are a Dragging

I really wasn't expecting the snow and ice that transformed my yard into a lovely snowy wonderland, and my car into frozen icebox. It took over 20 minutes to defrost it and get everything clear: I absolutely hate those drivers who feel that they only need to clear a tiny space in their windshield before hitting the road, and then all their snow and ice flies off their roof and causes road safety issues. I even had to salt my icy driveway so I could get my recycling bin out onto the road where the big mechanized truck comes by to empty it.

I'm still not recovered from staying up late, mainly because I don't go to bed when I should. I'm a night owl. Staying up is easy for me. Getting up is hard, except when the sun pokes you in the eye as you're laying in bed. I got my son to TKD camp and myself to the gym. 20 minutes on the Precor and then down to the free weight area. Two big guys are using the Smith machine. Bleah. I do unloaded sets on the Icarian Hack/Power Squat machine but I don't like it. No matter how I position myself, my knees and lower back complain. Finally the Smith bar is clear and I saunter up to one of the mountain-width dudes and ask him if he's using the Smith. There are DBs lying all over the floor there. He says No so I toe the DBs away from the Smith and jockey the over-sized adjustable inclined bench out of the way. Mountain-width dude is actually using those DBs. He looks like he wants to say something to me but doesn't. I give him a curious look and then set up to do my Smith Squats.

I have to check my log because I just don't remember how much I should be lifting. Eventually I pile on four 10s next to the 25 lb plate on each side. My back feels a little crunchy, which I hate, but I still get my 12 reps. Drop down 40 lbs. Another 12 reps. I strip the bar, grab the Step Platform and set up for Smith Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts. I've tried the combo grip and it's too confusing when using the Smith machine because the bar has to roll toward you otherwise it gets caught on the upright stays. So I stick with the Overhand grip and the VGs. Today I can only get 8 reps at 160 lbs. Last week I got 12. So I go for two more sets. What I lack in reps, I make up in sets. I can only get 6 reps for each additional set, but I'm okay with that. I think I can actually feel my glutes and hams today.

A quick Cage Stretch, then Seated Leg Extensions, then Seated Leg Curls. I actually drop sets for Leg Curls because the SLDLs really wore me out. I'm thinking of dropping the Leg Curls in general because I don't think they're doing anything for me and my right foot is feeling that odd curl in the arch again. I don't want to screw up my hamstrings or achilles tendon. A quick turn on the Torso Twist machine, and then  20 minutes on the Step Mill. I saw R come in with his wife while I was at the Cage Stretch. I can always tell when he's with her because he hovers protectively like a mother hen. Later, I catch a glimpse of him kissing her on the forehead as she leaves. I don't believe in coincidences. Yesterday, when he told me how big his son was getting, I mentioned that one reason I started working out was because I was worried that I wouldn't be able to pick up and carry my son to bed when he fell asleep and my husband wasn't around.

The gym scale reads 112.8 lbs. I really need to lose some of this fat. Come May, I'm going to change up my routine again. My lats, traps and triceps are all a bit sore today. From those BB rows I'm sure. I'm looking forward to getting a bit leaner.

Leg Day

20 min Precor = 1.97 miles

Icarian Hack/Power Squat
Forward 3x15x50 lbs
Backward 3x15x50 lbs

Smith Machine Squat
12x30 lbs (bar)
12x80 lbs
12x120 lbs
12x160 lbs
12x120 lbs

Smith Machine SLDLs
15x30 lbs (bar)
12x80 lbs
12x120 lbs
12x140 lbs
8, 6, 6 x 160 lbs

Cage Stretch

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

Seated Leg Curl
12x75 lbs
12x90 lbs
12x105 lbs

Torso Twist Machine
2x25x50 lbs

20 min Matrix Step Mill = 1155 steps