Prodded by a bi-monthly reminder to take some progress photos, I set up my tripod and snapped a few in my hallway. The lighting is terrible there, but it's the only place with a blank wall for background. I probably shouldn't be taking upper body photos on Leg Day but I did. And it was a bit depressing. Although today's home scale measurements show that I haven't changed much body composition-wise for the past several weeks, the photos say different. I've lost the three-fingers of delts I used to see when I raised my arms over my shoulders. I can barely make out the horseshoe of my triceps. I'm bigger, but I'm also smoother and I don't like it. It's surface body fat and it makes me feel coarse and ungainly. Traps are bigger though, and my back is fuller, with the diamond shape in the top center. So that's nice. I'm crabby when I get up this morning and I feel a bit guilty when my son dawdles at breakfast and I want to leave the house already. Spring break is already half over and I still have stuff yet to do. Like sort through and either donate or toss piles of outgrown clothes and toys. That in itself is a two-day event. The gym parking lot is horrendously crowded and I wonder if everyone is going to the movies. I'm not psyched but I do 20 minutes of HIIT cardio anyway, because I know I should. My legs feel thick and heavy and might actually be a tiny bit sore from yesterday's Leg Workout. Still, I manage to hit 256 Strides Per Minute for a second or two during the 30 second phase, and drop down to between 120-150 for the 90 second "resting" phase.
After a quick Cage Stretch, I wrap my hands and stuff them into my gloves. I've forgotten the moleskin today, and I can tell that I haven't wrapped my knuckles as well as I'd like because my right hand stings a little when I punch. The Nexersys is working mostly, but doesn't register my Lead Sweeps so that negatively impacts my Accuracy rating. I'm also having trouble with the Lead Hook and Lead Elbow (which to me are the same thing because I'm too short to elbow the top pads). My Power Hook (right hand) stops the machine with the Warning: You Are Punching Too Hard. More than once. As well as my Cross. And Power Dig (side pad). My scores are only minimally better than last weeks. But at least they're not worse. And I feel good when I'm done.
After I strip off my gloves and wraps, I clamber up the Step Mill. I don't know why it's so hard because it's really just walking up a fast escalator, but after 20 minutes I'm soaked. I toss my hoodie back on so I can do crunches. I don't want to lay on the Mat as soppy as I am and the hoodie will keep my hair from completely drenching everything. I still hate these Knee-to-Elbow crunches, but I do them. I can't say that I'm getting better at it, only that I do them.
The gym scale reads 112.8 lbs. My home scale reads 110.6 lbs and 20.7 % BF which is okay number-wise, but not how I look. Most people get heavier but look leaner when they gain muscle. The Zumba teacher, AM looks even skinnier lately. She claims she's put on 2-3 lbs but since it's muscle, she just looks skinnier. I feel just the opposite. I'm getting noticeably bigger but I don't look leaner. I've put on about 4-5 lbs but it looks like so much more. I compare photos of me at 113 lbs (from when I first met my husband) and photos of me now. I look much bigger now. That's not how it's suppose to work. But I've never been one to follow the rules.
Boxing Thursday
20 min HIIT cardio Precor elliptical (30 sec On / 90 sec Off) = 1.90 miles
Cage Stretch
Nexersys: 5 rounds Beginner Follow Me Avatar
Accuracy 90% / Strikes 100% / Average Power 142%
Nexersys: 9 rounds Intermediate Follow Me Avatar
Accuracy 86% / Strikes 101% / Average Power 120%
20 min Matrix Step Mill = 1197 Steps
50 Crunches / 50 Knee-to-Elbow Crunches / 100 Crunches / 50 Knee-to-Elbow Crunches
photos posted for actual stats:
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