Step Back and Breathe

Today is Leg Day and I'm concerned enough about not fitting into my Spring and Summer clothes that I cut my routine in half. Still doing cardio though. I'm probably genetically predisposed to have big legs. My niece runs 6 miles a day and her mom tells me that she's got those proverbial "thunder thighs" as well. Poor kid. Today I log in just shy of 7 miles. Wahoo! I've also been changing my meals although I'm not sure how long I can keep this up. Because I miss my oatmeal, I made my usual half serving (1/4 cup dry) but left out the egg. Instead, I mixed a scoop of protein powder with a 1/2 cup of water and tossed that into my oatmeal after it had cooled. I'm not used to eating that much protein before working out, so I did have a stitch just under my rib for part of my 30 minute warm up. And I felt like I was dragging a bit as well.

I only do Smith Squats, skipping the SLDL and Split Squat. The SLDL seems to affect my back more than my hamstrings, and the Split Squat works all too well with pumping my glutes and quads. But I'm stoked to do 30 minutes on the elliptical and choose Intervals. Maybe because I started doing HIIT again yesterday, but I was able to reach much higher speeds on the valleys than usual. Yeah, I admit it: I do my intervals backwards, pedaling as fast as I can in the valleys and then jogging to catch my breath and lower my heart rate during the peaks when both Incline and Resistance increase. I feel totally awesome afterwards, although I'm sure some will say that it's just the endorphins kicking in and Oh no, that's a sure sign of over-exertion.

I do a few of my isometric GHRs. I think I can see a difference in my legs although it's easier to feel muscle than see it, unless you're bone thin. And as you can tell, I'm not even close to bone thin. My left index finger still hurts when I'm not paying attention. I suspect an inflamed tendon as I run a finger methodically over the sore digit but tendons appear to be on the outside of the hand, and my sensitivity is on the inside. Puzzling. My stiff neck is going away, slowly. I've been rubbing Penetrex cream into it and my tender joints. It helps.

The noise-cancelling earplug earbuds showed up today. I have to say that I'm disappointed because my $6 Kmart-purchased Sony clip-over-the-ear headphones deliver better music quality. But maybe the new earbuds will actually block loud conversations while I'm working out? I didn't hear any disco music at the gym today. So much for Disco Fridays. Meanwhile I'm trying to process all the evil in the world and it seems overwhelming. Just like all the little things building up until life seems insurmountable. Is that what happens to people? They just crack, they give up and demons slip in, whispering terrible thoughts. Is this what drives our need for religion? Once I had thought it was to offer solace for natural disasters and other calamities, never taking into account that people themselves are a source of such terrible things. Ancients blamed feuding and fickle gods. I used to think demons were just romantic mythology. I'm not so sure anymore because I can't explain what people do to each other. I don't understand it, and I have to step back. And breathe.

Friday Leg Workout
(6.95 miles cardio; 11,160 lbs moved)

 Exercise Name

1RM

Lifting Logs

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   145 CAL
Distance: 3.78 mile
Speed :    7.54 mph
Duration : 00:30:06

Smith Machine Squat

210

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 140x12
Set 5 : 150x12
Set 6 : 100x15

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   279 CAL
Distance: 3.17 mile
Duration : 00:30:05

GHRs

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep

TorsoTwistMachine

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Plank

Set 1 : 00:01:01

Dive Bomber Pushup

20

Set 1 : 20 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 20 Lap/Rep

One Leg Bodyweight Squat

145.67

Set 1 : 115x8