I've spent the last two days lopping snow-laden hedges with long pruning cutters. It's quite the arm and shoulder workout. Thanksgiving was a feast at my brother's house in NJ but we're home now, and I've got leftover smoked ham shank to sautée with asparagus and sweet potato. Tomorrow I have to take my show down. Then we get to pack. Because we are leaving to visit my in-laws in the wee hours. And I will be away for a week. So no posts, no blogging, and I doubt if I'll work out.
Have fun and enjoy the first week of December. :)
Friday, November 28, 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Big Girls Don't Cry
I'm not a laid-back easy-going person so I woke up this morning knowing that my stress levels are only going to increase until my show is down, and we're back from our trip to visit my In-Laws. After I worked out, I texted my husband to tell him I was stopping by Home Depot to pick up a new tarp for the wood pile, and pies from Salinger's Bakery. I was suppose to get them tomorrow but heeding all the storm warnings, I called them and asked for an earlier pick up. When I got there, the pies were literally flying off the shelves. They make dang good pies. Then my hubs texted me to ask if I knew why there was no hot water this morning. No clue.
I get home and trot around back to the basement, figuring the boiler needs servicing. I'll say. As soon as I figure out where all the water is coming from. There's a foot of water in the basement that appears to be leaking out of the sump pump. What!? I bump it as I'm trying to adjust it and the whole thing breaks apart like a possessed fire hose. Just great. What now? I almost feel like crying. Almost. I call my husband but all I get is his voice mail. Figures.
Then I call my neighbor up the road who's a builder. There's a chance he's around, or he could be in NJ or CT. I'm so lucky because he actually answers his cell. He's at the local Kmart and can be by in a few. He's in the midst of putting up a roof so he can't linger but he tells me it looks like the sump pump check valve failed. I live on a big steep hill but in a pocket that's surrounded by ground water, hence the swamp behind my yard. He retrieves a small oil pump from his house and we hook it up to trickle water out of the basement. This is going to take a long time. Meanwhile, I can't turn the oil burner on, so no hot water or heat either. Just great. Suppose to be a snow storm tomorrow dumping 12 inches on us. And we're suppose to drive to my brother's in NJ on Thanksgiving. I'm bringing pies.
Knowing that school will most likely be cancelled and I'm not getting to the gym for a few days (although I'll probably be shoveling a lot) means that I decide to do a Back Workout with some cardio variants. Today I do Interval programs so my mileage is considerably less, but it's still a good workout. It's my standard Back Workout, with alternating DB bicep curls tossed in at the end. Not much stretching today, but a few sets for the much neglected abs.
Tuesday Workout
PulseUps : 50 Lap/Rep
Bicycles : 50 Lap/Rep
I get home and trot around back to the basement, figuring the boiler needs servicing. I'll say. As soon as I figure out where all the water is coming from. There's a foot of water in the basement that appears to be leaking out of the sump pump. What!? I bump it as I'm trying to adjust it and the whole thing breaks apart like a possessed fire hose. Just great. What now? I almost feel like crying. Almost. I call my husband but all I get is his voice mail. Figures.
Then I call my neighbor up the road who's a builder. There's a chance he's around, or he could be in NJ or CT. I'm so lucky because he actually answers his cell. He's at the local Kmart and can be by in a few. He's in the midst of putting up a roof so he can't linger but he tells me it looks like the sump pump check valve failed. I live on a big steep hill but in a pocket that's surrounded by ground water, hence the swamp behind my yard. He retrieves a small oil pump from his house and we hook it up to trickle water out of the basement. This is going to take a long time. Meanwhile, I can't turn the oil burner on, so no hot water or heat either. Just great. Suppose to be a snow storm tomorrow dumping 12 inches on us. And we're suppose to drive to my brother's in NJ on Thanksgiving. I'm bringing pies.
Knowing that school will most likely be cancelled and I'm not getting to the gym for a few days (although I'll probably be shoveling a lot) means that I decide to do a Back Workout with some cardio variants. Today I do Interval programs so my mileage is considerably less, but it's still a good workout. It's my standard Back Workout, with alternating DB bicep curls tossed in at the end. Not much stretching today, but a few sets for the much neglected abs.
Tuesday Workout
232.5
Set 1 : 45x12
Set 2 : 135x15
Set 3 : 155x15
Set 4 : 155x15
Set 5 : 155x15
Set 6 : 135x20
Set 2 : 135x15
Set 3 : 155x15
Set 4 : 155x15
Set 5 : 155x15
Set 6 : 135x20
50
Crunches : 50 Lap/RepPulseUps : 50 Lap/Rep
Bicycles : 50 Lap/Rep
Monday, November 24, 2014
Dosage Adjustment
I told my husband about what I'd read about ZMA and we decided to give it a try. ZMA is a zinc, magnesium and B6 mix that's suppose to aid recovery and promote deep sleep. There aren't any side-effects. Unless you're a small person, and sensitive to the magnesium. Think milk of magnesia. Remember those commercials? The recommended dosage is 2 tablets at bedtime. I'm thinking I ought to try taking just one.
This morning I felt drained, my eyes burning as if the flu was imminent. The first leg of cardio was an absolute chore and it showed in my mileage. I also felt dehydrated and sucked down nearly half my water before long. By the time I got to the Smith, I was ready to call it a deload week. But something odd happened. The more I lifted, the better I felt. The burning in my eyes disappeared. I did cut back on the sets and the weight on Smith Inclined Presses. I was surprised at how little I felt my triceps in this movement, and how much I could feel the upper pecs just under my collar bone.
Suddenly the free weight area is Black Friday crowded. The Mayor and his posse glomming benches and a whole different group of big guys, glomming benches and DBs. I toss my towel on an adjustable Inclined Bench just to claim it while I retrieve a pair of 20 lb DBs. I don't scare easily. Maybe I'm dumb like that. I like super-setting DB lateral raises with DB reverse incline flyes so that's what I do today, only I add two more sets. Once I get to six sets for each movement, I guess it'll be time to up the weights a tad, maybe retrieve those magnetic 1.25 lb discs from the front desk.
It's so dang crowded that I take a break and do two sets on the Torso Twist machine before coming back to find an empty flat bench for Rip Skulls. Only 375. lbs. Only 3 sets. But I get the full stretch and I can't really complain about my arms. I leave my gear on the elliptical when I spy the woman who is interested in buying one of my prints. I realize she might be done with her workout and leaving, so I make an uncharacteristic detour in my routine just to chat with her. After 2+ miles on the elliptical, I do a full Mat Stretch. At the end of this routine, D waves at me, so again, another detour and more chatting. I give her one of my postcard invitations. She might actually make it to the library before I have to take it down this Saturday. Right before we leave for Florida.
Monday Workout
Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
This morning I felt drained, my eyes burning as if the flu was imminent. The first leg of cardio was an absolute chore and it showed in my mileage. I also felt dehydrated and sucked down nearly half my water before long. By the time I got to the Smith, I was ready to call it a deload week. But something odd happened. The more I lifted, the better I felt. The burning in my eyes disappeared. I did cut back on the sets and the weight on Smith Inclined Presses. I was surprised at how little I felt my triceps in this movement, and how much I could feel the upper pecs just under my collar bone.
Suddenly the free weight area is Black Friday crowded. The Mayor and his posse glomming benches and a whole different group of big guys, glomming benches and DBs. I toss my towel on an adjustable Inclined Bench just to claim it while I retrieve a pair of 20 lb DBs. I don't scare easily. Maybe I'm dumb like that. I like super-setting DB lateral raises with DB reverse incline flyes so that's what I do today, only I add two more sets. Once I get to six sets for each movement, I guess it'll be time to up the weights a tad, maybe retrieve those magnetic 1.25 lb discs from the front desk.
It's so dang crowded that I take a break and do two sets on the Torso Twist machine before coming back to find an empty flat bench for Rip Skulls. Only 375. lbs. Only 3 sets. But I get the full stretch and I can't really complain about my arms. I leave my gear on the elliptical when I spy the woman who is interested in buying one of my prints. I realize she might be done with her workout and leaving, so I make an uncharacteristic detour in my routine just to chat with her. After 2+ miles on the elliptical, I do a full Mat Stretch. At the end of this routine, D waves at me, so again, another detour and more chatting. I give her one of my postcard invitations. She might actually make it to the library before I have to take it down this Saturday. Right before we leave for Florida.
Monday Workout
130.67
Set 1 : 112x5Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
Friday, November 21, 2014
Leg Workout Cardio AND Weights
There's a program on the elliptical that's suppose to be geared toward athletic goals. It looks like a series of peaks and valleys much like the Intervals program, but the last peak rises dramatically, supposedly akin to the burst of effort you need to cross the finish line. Or whatever the goal is. I'm not sure if it really helps you train your body to maintain a certain performance level and then pull out 110% at the end. I think most of that comes from you as a person, from your personality, and not necessarily any program. But that's just my opinion.
I have a hard time doing moderate exercise, unless it's labeled as a chore instead of exercise. But if I'm working out, then I'm usually going all out. Today is the last day and I feel a little beat-up, but mostly in my right shoulder blade. My lower back is always a tad stiff as well. But by the time I get my gym gear into a locker and myself onto a cardio machine, I'm feeling antsy, like a racehorse prancing at the gate. I'm still eating the same breakfast: a cup of instant espresso with sugar and cream, and a bowl of oatmeal with an egg, sugar and pomegranate arils. This doesn't explain why 30 minutes on the Cross-trainer gets me 3.87 miles. A quick hamstring stretch and I'm very happy to see that the Smith machine is empty.
I'm not ready to do sets at my max weight yet so 150 lbs is good. The only slight discomfort I feel are in my lower quads just above my knees. I've pulled back on my SLDLs as well. They feel okay and I'm satisfied with the 6 sets I get for reps. New lights in the gym make the free weight area too bright. Like a supermarket. It's not crowded although The Mayor and his posse are present. The Mayor is wearing an uncharacteristic T-shirt instead of his usual polo shirt. There are a few guys who work out in collared shirts. It's weird. But no weirder than the old women who exercise in knit cardigans.
Glute Ham Raises at the Lat Pull Down machine are much easier today than they've ever been. Weird. I add reps. Next time I'll add sets instead. I'm the only person who does them. I probably weird other people out. But at least I'm effective. Unlike the middle-aged couple who persist in doing their quarter movement bench press. I do another 25 minutes on the Precor elliptical just to get my total mileage as close to 6 as I can. I just miss.
There are people splayed out on the Mats so I wander into the hall area past the classroom. There's already a mat on the floor there, although it's well-worn and ripped up in several areas. It's still better than stretching out on the hard floor. I'm barely in the shower when I realize how hungry I am. Crazy. I suck down a protein drink in the car, and once I get home and the car unloaded, I make myself a sandwich.
My son has discovered rye bread sandwiches. He sees that the bread is labeled Jewish Rye and wants to know why he likes Jewish food. "What are you talking about?" I ask him. "Well, I like matzoh. And bagels." Well, yes. But I think he'd hate matzoh ball soup, or chopped chicken livers. We eat matzoh with butter because my grandmother and mother liked matzoh with butter. Not because we're Jewish. Although I was born in Manhattan and grew up in NYC. But he's definitely my son. He's Year of the Monkey, even though he was born in 2005, it was before the change in the Lunar Year. And I'm Year of the Rat. I'm not suppose to get along with my husband, Year of the Goat/Ram. But my son and I are like two peas in a pod. Oh well. It could be worse.
Friday Workout
Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
I have a hard time doing moderate exercise, unless it's labeled as a chore instead of exercise. But if I'm working out, then I'm usually going all out. Today is the last day and I feel a little beat-up, but mostly in my right shoulder blade. My lower back is always a tad stiff as well. But by the time I get my gym gear into a locker and myself onto a cardio machine, I'm feeling antsy, like a racehorse prancing at the gate. I'm still eating the same breakfast: a cup of instant espresso with sugar and cream, and a bowl of oatmeal with an egg, sugar and pomegranate arils. This doesn't explain why 30 minutes on the Cross-trainer gets me 3.87 miles. A quick hamstring stretch and I'm very happy to see that the Smith machine is empty.
I'm not ready to do sets at my max weight yet so 150 lbs is good. The only slight discomfort I feel are in my lower quads just above my knees. I've pulled back on my SLDLs as well. They feel okay and I'm satisfied with the 6 sets I get for reps. New lights in the gym make the free weight area too bright. Like a supermarket. It's not crowded although The Mayor and his posse are present. The Mayor is wearing an uncharacteristic T-shirt instead of his usual polo shirt. There are a few guys who work out in collared shirts. It's weird. But no weirder than the old women who exercise in knit cardigans.
Glute Ham Raises at the Lat Pull Down machine are much easier today than they've ever been. Weird. I add reps. Next time I'll add sets instead. I'm the only person who does them. I probably weird other people out. But at least I'm effective. Unlike the middle-aged couple who persist in doing their quarter movement bench press. I do another 25 minutes on the Precor elliptical just to get my total mileage as close to 6 as I can. I just miss.
There are people splayed out on the Mats so I wander into the hall area past the classroom. There's already a mat on the floor there, although it's well-worn and ripped up in several areas. It's still better than stretching out on the hard floor. I'm barely in the shower when I realize how hungry I am. Crazy. I suck down a protein drink in the car, and once I get home and the car unloaded, I make myself a sandwich.
My son has discovered rye bread sandwiches. He sees that the bread is labeled Jewish Rye and wants to know why he likes Jewish food. "What are you talking about?" I ask him. "Well, I like matzoh. And bagels." Well, yes. But I think he'd hate matzoh ball soup, or chopped chicken livers. We eat matzoh with butter because my grandmother and mother liked matzoh with butter. Not because we're Jewish. Although I was born in Manhattan and grew up in NYC. But he's definitely my son. He's Year of the Monkey, even though he was born in 2005, it was before the change in the Lunar Year. And I'm Year of the Rat. I'm not suppose to get along with my husband, Year of the Goat/Ram. But my son and I are like two peas in a pod. Oh well. It could be worse.
Friday Workout
210
Set 1 : 30x20
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 140x12
Set 6 : 150x12
Set 7 : 120x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 140x12
Set 6 : 150x12
Set 7 : 120x15
196
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 140x12
Set 6 : 110x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 140x12
Set 6 : 110x12
130.67
Set 1 : 112x5Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Attittude
My right shoulder is a bit twingey so I'm glad I'm not really going to abuse it today. No pushing heavy weights. No smacking the machine. Instead I get on the LifeFitness Cross-trainer for 30 minutes. Yeah, I did this yesterday too, but I figure I've been too predictable with my cardio lately, so I'm mixing it up a bit. This way even I don't know what I'll be doing until I actually step foot on the elliptical. I'm cold when I start since these cardio machines are right by the front door, but I'm pleasantly sweaty when I get my 3.5+ miles.
While I stretch my hamstrings at the Cage, I muse over the postings of people who go to the gym to be with like-minded individuals. They've found their "Fit Family". I'm happy for them, but I don't feel any sense of camaraderie here. Perhaps it's because it's morning and the gym is populated with seniors, stay-at-home-moms, the occasional student and shift-work people, like nurses. I don't come to chat. I come to work out. If you want to chat, well, that's fine after the workout, not during.
Push ups are getting easier. Odd. Usually I have to pause between rep 40 and 45 during the last set, but today I didn't, although I did slow down. Hammer grip pull ups are still hard. I still feel my abdominals tweak when I pull myself up to the bar. Maybe I should learn to relax? There's a woman doing squats at the Smith machine. I've seen her before with her daughter when I've brought my son to the gym on the rare weekend. I'm pleased to see that she's got a 25 and a 5 lb plate on the bar. I don't like to pressure people so I just wander away until the Smith is free.
I only need to do Inverted Rows and the Smith is the only place I can do them. The pull-away breaker bars on the Flat Benches make it impossible to do Inverted Rows there. And I'm not going to use the Squat rack for that. Bad enough to see people doing kettle bell swings there. When I come back The Mayor is using the Smith for Over Head Presses. Sigh. I clamber onto the elliptical and knock out 2 more miles doing the Interval Program. When I'm done, The Mayor is busy gabbing with people at the other end of the gym. The Smith bar has a pair of 45s on it. There are only two other people in the free weight area and neither of them is using the Smith. After a minute, I unload the plates and drop the bar so I can knock out my Inverted Rows. I know from experience that I can complete 6 sets before The Mayor comes up for air, and I only need to do 3 sets today.
I don't care that he wanders back looking a bit disconsolate. I have to jockey some of the benches away from each other so I can use one of them to do Seated Alternating Bicep Curls. If I stand, I tend to use too much body english. If I'm sitting, there's no cheating. I have no doubt that The Mayor and his Cronies arranged all the benches so they could have a free weight party earlier. But they're as bad as the kids with putting things back. I do a quick lower back and shoulder blade stretch before calling it Done. And I'm starving again. And putting on weight. Must be winter. Sigh.
Thursday Workout
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12
Set 4 : 20x12
While I stretch my hamstrings at the Cage, I muse over the postings of people who go to the gym to be with like-minded individuals. They've found their "Fit Family". I'm happy for them, but I don't feel any sense of camaraderie here. Perhaps it's because it's morning and the gym is populated with seniors, stay-at-home-moms, the occasional student and shift-work people, like nurses. I don't come to chat. I come to work out. If you want to chat, well, that's fine after the workout, not during.
Push ups are getting easier. Odd. Usually I have to pause between rep 40 and 45 during the last set, but today I didn't, although I did slow down. Hammer grip pull ups are still hard. I still feel my abdominals tweak when I pull myself up to the bar. Maybe I should learn to relax? There's a woman doing squats at the Smith machine. I've seen her before with her daughter when I've brought my son to the gym on the rare weekend. I'm pleased to see that she's got a 25 and a 5 lb plate on the bar. I don't like to pressure people so I just wander away until the Smith is free.
I only need to do Inverted Rows and the Smith is the only place I can do them. The pull-away breaker bars on the Flat Benches make it impossible to do Inverted Rows there. And I'm not going to use the Squat rack for that. Bad enough to see people doing kettle bell swings there. When I come back The Mayor is using the Smith for Over Head Presses. Sigh. I clamber onto the elliptical and knock out 2 more miles doing the Interval Program. When I'm done, The Mayor is busy gabbing with people at the other end of the gym. The Smith bar has a pair of 45s on it. There are only two other people in the free weight area and neither of them is using the Smith. After a minute, I unload the plates and drop the bar so I can knock out my Inverted Rows. I know from experience that I can complete 6 sets before The Mayor comes up for air, and I only need to do 3 sets today.
I don't care that he wanders back looking a bit disconsolate. I have to jockey some of the benches away from each other so I can use one of them to do Seated Alternating Bicep Curls. If I stand, I tend to use too much body english. If I'm sitting, there's no cheating. I have no doubt that The Mayor and his Cronies arranged all the benches so they could have a free weight party earlier. But they're as bad as the kids with putting things back. I do a quick lower back and shoulder blade stretch before calling it Done. And I'm starving again. And putting on weight. Must be winter. Sigh.
Thursday Workout
28
Set 1 : 20x12Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12
Set 4 : 20x12
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Setting Priorities
16°F wasn't as bad as I feared this morning, mostly because there wasn't any wind. The dog gets frisky whenever it drops below 55, probably because he's got chow and some sort of retriever mix in him. Although you'd never know it because he doesn't fetch. Or play ball. Nope, not at all like the Lab Shepherd mix I had who could spend hours chasing and retrieving, while running circles around you in a good herding pattern. My son and I walk down to the school bus stop and discuss Minecraft and Harry Potter. We've made a point of watching a Harry Potter movie every other night since we own them all, and we've read all 8 books. Plus we intend to visit Harry Potter world when we go to Florida in a few weeks.
I would've liked to have gone when school wasn't in session, but my husband was adamant about not spending time in line in the Florida heat this summer. Now I fear it might be too late. Because the actual reason we're going to Florida is to visit his parents. They moved a few years ago and we've never visited. My mother-in-law has just recently been placed in a nursing home, having developed a devastatingly fast dementia. This summer she could still walk around and hold conversations. In September she fell in the kitchen and needed stitches. The hospital decided they couldn't release her to my father-in-law because he couldn't provide 24-hr care. Now she doesn't even know who my father-in-law is, and she forgets to eat. I don't think she'll see the New Year. We're going to visit but she won't know who we are.
I get to the gym a bit late because it takes a while for my old car to warm up. The gym look different. Probably because all the lights are on, which isn't normally the case. I do my 30 minutes on the LifeFitness Cross-trainer, stretch at the Cage and then wander to the other end of the gym where all the free weights are. The Mayor and his Cronies are gabbing and hanging off the Decline Bench. There are two or three women in the area too, and The Mayor is giving some advice to a girl who is alternating between swinging a kettle bell between her legs in the Squat Rack, and using one of the solid weighted bars to do dead lifts. I used to use those to do RG BB Rows but they only go to 110 lbs.
After a quick set with just the bar, I pull off my hoodie and wrestle on 45 lb plates. I'm so happy to have my VGs. I go for reps, like always, and can't resist upping the weight. I know I don't have the best form but since I can feel it where I want, and my back doesn't hurt, I'm okay with it. I also know that if I go any heavier, my rows start to look like shrugs. I should probably take this initial movement into dead lifts but I'll have to talk myself into it first.
I already know that between the cardio and the rows, my DB Rows aren't going to be worth much. So I'm not too upset when I decide to stay with the 55 lb DB and only do 3 sets. I'm a little more recovered when I wander over to the Lower Back Extension machine. Someone has the pin set for the entire stack (300 lbs) but they're much bigger than I am. After I pull the leg and head rests to their shortest possible positions, I put the pin at 195 lbs. I've been at this weight forever. The next set I add a 7.5 lb brick to the stack. Not that bad. WTH, I pull off the brick and up the pin to 210 lbs. It's actually not as hard as I thought, although oddly I do seem to feel it in my calves. Yay! PB for me!
I get on the Precor elliptical for 20 more minutes of cardio. Normally I do 25 minutes of roughly steady-state. Roughly because I get bored so I'm always playing with the Incline. Today I punch in the Intervals Program and I'm satisfied with my total mileage (5.4) although it's not my best. Some days you just got to have different priorities. After a standard full Mat Stretch, I can feel my stomach growling. Dang! I had breakfast too but I'm so hungry that I feel queasy by the time I get home. I toss the dog some stale ciabatta bread (his favorite) and cook up scrambled eggs with rooster sauce and an apple. I'm planning on doing the Body Weight workout tomorrow and Legs on Friday. Maybe I'll just do cardio next week as it's a short week because of the holiday. I do qualify for a free turkey or ham at my super market. I'm opting for the ham because leftover ham with beans and molasses in the slow cooker worked out well.
Wednesday Workout
Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
I would've liked to have gone when school wasn't in session, but my husband was adamant about not spending time in line in the Florida heat this summer. Now I fear it might be too late. Because the actual reason we're going to Florida is to visit his parents. They moved a few years ago and we've never visited. My mother-in-law has just recently been placed in a nursing home, having developed a devastatingly fast dementia. This summer she could still walk around and hold conversations. In September she fell in the kitchen and needed stitches. The hospital decided they couldn't release her to my father-in-law because he couldn't provide 24-hr care. Now she doesn't even know who my father-in-law is, and she forgets to eat. I don't think she'll see the New Year. We're going to visit but she won't know who we are.
I get to the gym a bit late because it takes a while for my old car to warm up. The gym look different. Probably because all the lights are on, which isn't normally the case. I do my 30 minutes on the LifeFitness Cross-trainer, stretch at the Cage and then wander to the other end of the gym where all the free weights are. The Mayor and his Cronies are gabbing and hanging off the Decline Bench. There are two or three women in the area too, and The Mayor is giving some advice to a girl who is alternating between swinging a kettle bell between her legs in the Squat Rack, and using one of the solid weighted bars to do dead lifts. I used to use those to do RG BB Rows but they only go to 110 lbs.
After a quick set with just the bar, I pull off my hoodie and wrestle on 45 lb plates. I'm so happy to have my VGs. I go for reps, like always, and can't resist upping the weight. I know I don't have the best form but since I can feel it where I want, and my back doesn't hurt, I'm okay with it. I also know that if I go any heavier, my rows start to look like shrugs. I should probably take this initial movement into dead lifts but I'll have to talk myself into it first.
I already know that between the cardio and the rows, my DB Rows aren't going to be worth much. So I'm not too upset when I decide to stay with the 55 lb DB and only do 3 sets. I'm a little more recovered when I wander over to the Lower Back Extension machine. Someone has the pin set for the entire stack (300 lbs) but they're much bigger than I am. After I pull the leg and head rests to their shortest possible positions, I put the pin at 195 lbs. I've been at this weight forever. The next set I add a 7.5 lb brick to the stack. Not that bad. WTH, I pull off the brick and up the pin to 210 lbs. It's actually not as hard as I thought, although oddly I do seem to feel it in my calves. Yay! PB for me!
I get on the Precor elliptical for 20 more minutes of cardio. Normally I do 25 minutes of roughly steady-state. Roughly because I get bored so I'm always playing with the Incline. Today I punch in the Intervals Program and I'm satisfied with my total mileage (5.4) although it's not my best. Some days you just got to have different priorities. After a standard full Mat Stretch, I can feel my stomach growling. Dang! I had breakfast too but I'm so hungry that I feel queasy by the time I get home. I toss the dog some stale ciabatta bread (his favorite) and cook up scrambled eggs with rooster sauce and an apple. I'm planning on doing the Body Weight workout tomorrow and Legs on Friday. Maybe I'll just do cardio next week as it's a short week because of the holiday. I do qualify for a free turkey or ham at my super market. I'm opting for the ham because leftover ham with beans and molasses in the slow cooker worked out well.
Wednesday Workout
232.5
Set 1 : 45x20
Set 2 : 135x15
Set 3 : 145x15
Set 4 : 155x15
Set 5 : 165x12
Set 6 : 135x20
Set 2 : 135x15
Set 3 : 145x15
Set 4 : 155x15
Set 5 : 165x12
Set 6 : 135x20
130.67
Set 1 : 112x5Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Weakest Link is A Pinky
I can tell it's Winter regardless of what the calendar says because I've had to reset the mouse traps a few times already. When I say reset, I mean toss the little rodent body in the outdoor trash, wash off the old peanut butter because there's usually traces of blood in it, put new peanut butter in it and stick it in a slightly different spot. I really love these new plastic snap traps. They're so much easier to use and re-use than the old-fashion metal bar traps, and infinitely more humane than glue traps or warfarin. I've experienced the agony of a tiny critter screaming while its insides dissolved and I'm never doing that again.
I also keep refilling the bird feeder with sunflower seeds, figuring that's the most calorie-dense food I can provide other than suet. The squirrels aren't making this easy. I'd buy suet except the animal feed store burned down a few weeks ago and I always forget to look in the super market. The cold is making my dry skin positively cranky: fissures have formed on my thumb and index fingers. Sometimes I take a callous file to the sides of my fingers just to keep them feeling human. Lanolin and petroleum jelly are my friends in the winter.
Today is a rest day between lifting days so I can either whack the kickboxing machine, or do a full body workout. Since tomorrow's a Back Day, I figure it'd be best to spare my arms and elbows by not doing pull ups or inverted rows. 10 min cardio warm up, a quick stretch and then I'm wrapping my taped hands and stuffing them into my kickboxing gloves. But I can already tell that something's not quite right, as if the stiff padding atop my knuckles is actually part of the problem. My pinky knuckle is bruised by round 3 but since I doubt if anything's broken, and there's no sting (so I didn't rip any skin) I keep going until I've finished all my rounds. I'm not sure what else I can try.
A guy shows up to spar the machine next to me, He goes two rounds and then he's done. I guess that's kind of a work out. I'm not even really warm until round 4 or 5. When I'm done, I grab all my gear and sit by the Mats to unwrap my hands and put my hoodie back on. While I'm doing this, the same guy drops onto the Mat and tosses a small weighted ball into the air while he's laying on his back. He does this three or four times and then he's back to whatever he was doing before.
There's only one Precor elliptical free. All the others are occupied by women dutifully steady-state pedaling in a trance. I make a point of turning the TV off on my station because I need to focus on the timer. One minute of steady state to get started, then 15 seconds all out, as fast as I can, then 45 seconds of gasping for air and catching my breath before the next 15 second round. Repeat for 10 minutes. Done. The women on either side of me seems a bit befuddled. Whatever. Another quick stretch followed by some ab work and I'm done. Yaaaay!
Tuesday Workout
10 min elliptical = 3 min steady state + 4 min Tabata + 3 min steady state = 0.75 miles (74 calories)
I'm amused that I seem to burn fewer calories but cover more distance below.
Nexersys 12 rounds Beginner Follow Me (48 min)
Accuracy 97% / Strikes 99% / Average Power 136%
11 min elliptical = 1 min steady state + 10 min Tabata = 0.84 miles (82 calories)
50 crunches / 50 Pulse-ups / 50 alternating bicycles
photo posted for actual stats:
I also keep refilling the bird feeder with sunflower seeds, figuring that's the most calorie-dense food I can provide other than suet. The squirrels aren't making this easy. I'd buy suet except the animal feed store burned down a few weeks ago and I always forget to look in the super market. The cold is making my dry skin positively cranky: fissures have formed on my thumb and index fingers. Sometimes I take a callous file to the sides of my fingers just to keep them feeling human. Lanolin and petroleum jelly are my friends in the winter.
Today is a rest day between lifting days so I can either whack the kickboxing machine, or do a full body workout. Since tomorrow's a Back Day, I figure it'd be best to spare my arms and elbows by not doing pull ups or inverted rows. 10 min cardio warm up, a quick stretch and then I'm wrapping my taped hands and stuffing them into my kickboxing gloves. But I can already tell that something's not quite right, as if the stiff padding atop my knuckles is actually part of the problem. My pinky knuckle is bruised by round 3 but since I doubt if anything's broken, and there's no sting (so I didn't rip any skin) I keep going until I've finished all my rounds. I'm not sure what else I can try.
A guy shows up to spar the machine next to me, He goes two rounds and then he's done. I guess that's kind of a work out. I'm not even really warm until round 4 or 5. When I'm done, I grab all my gear and sit by the Mats to unwrap my hands and put my hoodie back on. While I'm doing this, the same guy drops onto the Mat and tosses a small weighted ball into the air while he's laying on his back. He does this three or four times and then he's back to whatever he was doing before.
There's only one Precor elliptical free. All the others are occupied by women dutifully steady-state pedaling in a trance. I make a point of turning the TV off on my station because I need to focus on the timer. One minute of steady state to get started, then 15 seconds all out, as fast as I can, then 45 seconds of gasping for air and catching my breath before the next 15 second round. Repeat for 10 minutes. Done. The women on either side of me seems a bit befuddled. Whatever. Another quick stretch followed by some ab work and I'm done. Yaaaay!
Tuesday Workout
10 min elliptical = 3 min steady state + 4 min Tabata + 3 min steady state = 0.75 miles (74 calories)
I'm amused that I seem to burn fewer calories but cover more distance below.
Nexersys 12 rounds Beginner Follow Me (48 min)
Accuracy 97% / Strikes 99% / Average Power 136%
11 min elliptical = 1 min steady state + 10 min Tabata = 0.84 miles (82 calories)
50 crunches / 50 Pulse-ups / 50 alternating bicycles
photo posted for actual stats:
Monday, November 17, 2014
Push Day
It took me a while to get to the gym today because I had to jockey my husband's car out of the driveway and down the road, move my car to a neighbor's yard, and then back my hub's car back in. I hate his car. It's the same model as mine, but 3 years younger and drives completely differently. Plus he's so much bigger than I am that everything is wrong, the seat position forward, the headrest, the mirrors, the radio. He packed his car last night for his trip to Boston this afternoon so it's also full of shop drawings and things he needs for work and play. Since he's working all night, I didn't want to wake him up just to move his car. So I did it, but I'm sure he's noticed that the seat's completely in the wrong position. Oh well.
I'm actually tired before I get to the gym. I was tired yesterday too, and we didn't really do anything at home other than take my son to swim class, eat lunch and unpack everything from their Cub Scout camp-over. Which meant a lot of laundry. Thankfully the repairman fixed the dryer with a new motor, and belt, and power cord. It's a totally rebuilt 40+ year old electric dryer. And loads cheaper than the new ones I priced out online. He also fixed my over. Yaaaay! Just in time for the Holidays! Apparently gas ovens have ignition switches that wear out. The oven still turns on but doesn't really stay on. Easy fix. I'm so relieved.
Today I hop on the LifeFitness cross-trainer for 30 minutes, log my 3+ miles, stretch and then glom the Smith machine. There's already a flat bench nearby so I'm happy to use it instead of the huge adjustable Inclined Bench. I'll grab that later. My wrists are a bit tender today and my right shoulder is inexplicably troublesome. Maybe the cold damp weather? Or hauling out big black trash bags of junk Friday night when I sorted through an assorted mess of toys, books and boxes? To keep myself motivated, I turned on the TV and rifled through the channels until I found a Hoarders marathon.
There's an old beat up guy circling the Smith but I'm not done yet so I ignore everyone. They can fight over it after I get my Inclined Benches finished. The old guy gets in for a few sets. He gives me an odd look though. Maybe because I'm supersetting DB Lateral Raises with DB Inclined Reverse Flyes. I like the way my arms look when I do these and wish I could take a picture. Google glasses would come in handy for stuff like this. While I'm working delts, The Mayor and two of his cronies are draped over the Preacher Bench, gabbing. I actually finish all six sets before any of them even changes position.
I move to the hated Matrix Breaker Benches to do triceps with an EZ bar because, One) I can put my feet on the support bar at the bottom, and Two) there's no one in the benching area. Of course that's short lived. Island Jerk decides he's going to need a spot for Decline Benching and one of the Cronies needs to assist him. The Decline Bench is set up head to head with the Breaker Bench I'm using. I briefly consider switching benches but Island Jerk's set is over very quickly. And he leaves the bar totally loaded like always. He also can't help but make as much grunting noise as possible. Because he so badly wants the attention. I'm so glad I get my sets done quickly too, so I can hop back on the Precor elliptical to finish my cardio.
After a full Mat Stretch I'm done. All the creepy guys are out today. PJ Pants keeps wandering by the Mats as if he's lost a puppy. I'm so glad to be done and off to shower. I have to take my son to kung fu later this afternoon. I hope I don't fall asleep in the parent waiting area.
Monday Workout
Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
I'm actually tired before I get to the gym. I was tired yesterday too, and we didn't really do anything at home other than take my son to swim class, eat lunch and unpack everything from their Cub Scout camp-over. Which meant a lot of laundry. Thankfully the repairman fixed the dryer with a new motor, and belt, and power cord. It's a totally rebuilt 40+ year old electric dryer. And loads cheaper than the new ones I priced out online. He also fixed my over. Yaaaay! Just in time for the Holidays! Apparently gas ovens have ignition switches that wear out. The oven still turns on but doesn't really stay on. Easy fix. I'm so relieved.
Today I hop on the LifeFitness cross-trainer for 30 minutes, log my 3+ miles, stretch and then glom the Smith machine. There's already a flat bench nearby so I'm happy to use it instead of the huge adjustable Inclined Bench. I'll grab that later. My wrists are a bit tender today and my right shoulder is inexplicably troublesome. Maybe the cold damp weather? Or hauling out big black trash bags of junk Friday night when I sorted through an assorted mess of toys, books and boxes? To keep myself motivated, I turned on the TV and rifled through the channels until I found a Hoarders marathon.
There's an old beat up guy circling the Smith but I'm not done yet so I ignore everyone. They can fight over it after I get my Inclined Benches finished. The old guy gets in for a few sets. He gives me an odd look though. Maybe because I'm supersetting DB Lateral Raises with DB Inclined Reverse Flyes. I like the way my arms look when I do these and wish I could take a picture. Google glasses would come in handy for stuff like this. While I'm working delts, The Mayor and two of his cronies are draped over the Preacher Bench, gabbing. I actually finish all six sets before any of them even changes position.
I move to the hated Matrix Breaker Benches to do triceps with an EZ bar because, One) I can put my feet on the support bar at the bottom, and Two) there's no one in the benching area. Of course that's short lived. Island Jerk decides he's going to need a spot for Decline Benching and one of the Cronies needs to assist him. The Decline Bench is set up head to head with the Breaker Bench I'm using. I briefly consider switching benches but Island Jerk's set is over very quickly. And he leaves the bar totally loaded like always. He also can't help but make as much grunting noise as possible. Because he so badly wants the attention. I'm so glad I get my sets done quickly too, so I can hop back on the Precor elliptical to finish my cardio.
After a full Mat Stretch I'm done. All the creepy guys are out today. PJ Pants keeps wandering by the Mats as if he's lost a puppy. I'm so glad to be done and off to shower. I have to take my son to kung fu later this afternoon. I hope I don't fall asleep in the parent waiting area.
Monday Workout
168
Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 110x12
Set 6 : 90x20
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 110x12
Set 6 : 90x20
140
Set 1 : 30x20
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 90x12
Set 5 : 80x20
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 90x12
Set 5 : 80x20
52.5
Set 1 : 15x15
Set 2 : 27.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12
Set 5 : 37.5x12
Set 2 : 27.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12
Set 5 : 37.5x12
130.67
Set 1 : 112x5Set 2 : 112x5
Set 3 : 112x3
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