Rethinking the Goals

Today

I've been cutting back on cardio just because I've been feeling a bit stressed lately and I thought that my ever-increasing mileage was depleting my immune system. It's Spring, which also translates into Mud Season, and taxes, and Spring housecleaning, and oh yes, my birthday is just around the corner. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around that number, even though one number is not much different from the last, save a year. It's the mental and sociological baggage affixed to that number, 55, that's giving me pause. I'm sure we all look at ourselves in the mirror and wonder, when did I get old? Not that I feel old. Or really look old. But if I say the number aloud, it makes me wonder who I'm talking about. Watching my in-laws decline so dramatically and knowing that my parents did not live as long as my grandparents scares me silly. I'd rather up my mileage than take it easy.

I'm at the gym early today but I didn't have time for breakfast. I'm not hungry so that's okay. 30 minutes on the Cross-trainer warms me up. I'm not pushing as hard so I only log 3.89 miles. Because I've cut my time on the elliptical down to 20 minutes, I know my total today will probably be 5+ miles. I feel a sense of disappointment that is hard to shake. Today is Arm Day so I warm up with a few DB Overhead Presses. My right shoulder clicks painfully. Maybe next time I'll try using a light barbell instead. I see B and chat with her briefly. She's sporting a big square bandage on her upper back where her doc removed the cancerous mole. I ask her if she's seen The Mayor lately and she has no idea who I'm talking about. Because if the conversation doesn't revolve around her and her ailments, she doesn't really pay much attention.

Arm Day Selfie

I do my standard Arm Day routine, super-setting DB curls with One-Arm DB extensions and then BB EZ bar curls with Rip Skulls. My arms get hugely pumped and I surreptitiously snap a few selfies. Even I'm surprised at how big my arms are. There are a few women in the gym, bigger and younger than I am. But I'm pushing a lot more weight. The gym isn't very crowded, probably because the sun is out and it's warm. Or warmer than it's been. The BB curl is starting to bother my left elbow so I don't even consider upping the weight. Maybe I'll just change the order next time and start with the BB movements first.

I head to the Cable Tricep Press Down and get intercepted by a tall old guy. So I kill time by knocking out some ab exercises. When I look over at the Cable station, he's moved to the other end because the resistance at that station is easier. Unfortunately, he's taken the V-grip handle with him. Sigh. I grab a 40 lb BB for RG BB Curls and check my logs. Yep, I had sets at 21 reps last time, but I worry that maybe I'm weaker today? So I knock out 25 reps and realize I'm being silly, grab the 2.5 lb magnets and do two more sets at 45 lbs. I definitely have to work for those! I feel weak on the Cable Tricep Push Downs because I have a distinct memory of doing sets at 50 lbs. But of course, it wasn't after doing super-sets of Rip Skulls either. I can barely squeak out the 2nd set at 50 lbs so I decide on the fly to do drop sets as fast as I can handle them. Yeah, no wonder I have big arms.

After 20 minutes on the elliptical and a quick Mat stretch for the lower back and shoulders, I'm ready for a long hot shower. I need to do a bit of grocery shopping and Thursday is usually when everything's been restocked. A lot of people from the gym shop at this supermarket because it's convenient. It's also has the best prices for most items. There's a lot of shopping carts outside so it shouldn't be too crowded inside. I'm having trouble finding a particular sale item so I head back to the Courtesy Desk when I see someone who looks like The Mayor chatting by the poultry section. He looks grayer and a tad thinner though. I keep walking. There's a line at Courtesy so as I'm waiting, I realize that The Mayor is hovering just to the right of me. Odd. Eventually, I find out where the errant item is located, not in the usual locations, and head that way. The Mayor seems to be anticipating my movements and heads in that direction as well. It's unnerving. Traffic is building in the checkout lanes, making efficient navigation difficult so I dodge into a different aisle. The Mayor slips into an Express Lane but doesn't seem to have any items. Whatever. It's just too weird.

What's not weird, but rather predictable is that my jeans and candy-colored khakis are skin-tight and unpleasant to wear. Yep, those One-Leg Split Squats have done their work. Now I'm reconsidering Leg Day. Maybe I'll just resort back to an all cardio day, because damn it, I don't want to spend the rest of my life in stretchy pants like the grossly obese shoppers at Kmart. Since I'm so short, it's really hard for me to find nice clothes that fit. It's even harder now. It'll be Summer soon, and I'd like my shorts to fit.

Thursday Arm Day Workout
total mileage = 5.57 miles; 12,750 lbs moved

CrossTrainer

Calorie :   150 CAL
Distance: 3.89 mile
Speed :    7.74 mph
Duration : 00:30:10

Dumbbell Standing Press

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12 SuperSet with

Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12

Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

52.5

Set 1 : 15x12
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12 SuperSet w

Barbell Curl

52.5

Set 1 : 15x12
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12

TorsoTwistMachine

91.67

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull In

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Barbell Reverse Curl

75

Set 1 : 40x25
Set 2 : 45x20
Set 3 : 45x20

Cable Triceps Pushdown

66.67

Set 1 : 40x12
Set 2 : 50x10
Set 3 : 50x8
Set 4 : 40x10
Set 5 : 30x15

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   188 CAL
Distance: 1.68 mile
Duration : 00:20:12