Leg Day is More Than Lifting Weights

Timing is everything. I couldn't quite get my act together this morning for no apparent good reason. I did add chopped dates and walnuts to my oatmeal today to forestall mid-workout hunger pangs and it took me a while to eat it. I was wondering when I'd be rid of my old subie. I don't like it hanging out in my yard, plateless and bereft. While I was loading my gym gear into the new Subie, the phone rang but the caller didn't leave a message. I'm glad I have Caller ID so I could just hit redial and connect with the caller. It was the junk car towing service wanting to set up a pickup time for tomorrow. I don't know why they don't leave messages on answering machines. Of course, this is time for between 8 and 10 am. Right before I have to take my son to his camp for the Meet & Greet, and then off to his dentist. Later I have the NYS car inspection. And then finally, Rocket Night with the Cub Scouts. Where I get to hand off a baby robin that I've had in my freezer for the past week. Yep, this is going to be a busy weekend.

I don't push a lot of weight. Especially with my wonky joints. I'd rather do cardio even though I look nothing like an avid cardio enthusiast. I've just discovered that one of the LifeFitness Cross-trainers actually has a Zero setting in Levels. It seems to help take the pressure off my ankles and knees. Inevitably though, after 17-18 minutes, half the toes of my right foot, and part of the sole just under the ball joint are numb. My body doesn't handle repetitive pressure very well and I attribute that to collagen issues. Luckily, walking about restores normal sensation.

My knees and lower back complain until I get my position right in the Smith for Squats. It's the same deal with Smith SLDLs. Even with VGs, I'm having trouble hanging onto the bar at 120 lbs for reps. It's frustrating. My fingers start to go numb. My left hand never fully recovered from the pressure damage from a few months ago, and now I think it's spreading. Parts of my palm are sporadically painful. Not a stress fracture. More like soft-tissue damage. Hopefully it'll heal on its own if I'm careful not to be too abusive. Summer is here and I'll have to do abbreviated workouts anyway. It's all in the timing.

The gym is always quieter on Fridays even though I spot a few regulars. The Mayor does a quick workout on the Cables before exiting. I notice Shazam and Maroon, but mostly it's HS kids. Especially after 11 am. There's a tall blonde boy who reminds me of Johnny Quest. He's always hovering, the way HS boys do. The HS girls are much more business-oriented in their demeanor. The emotional maturity gap is still vast at this age.

I'm finally getting this Smith One-Leg Split Squat right, now that I've dismissed the notion of elevating my rear foot. I'm short. I got short legs. I can feel my hamstrings now when I push up. Maybe my glutes and quads will be sore? Maybe not. The body is amazingly adaptable so it's good to mix up your workout every few weeks. I do grab a bosu for the dreaded GHRs. They're actually feeling a tad easier today even though I was completely expecting to fall on my face.

I get on the elliptical for 30 min of Intervals and make it to minutes 17 when there's a low growl. Dang, I'm hungry! Water helps. Cardio helps. But I can still feel my stomach gnawing on itself. Then I decide to do just 15 minutes of LISS on the Step Mill. I drop my heels down past the step and rise up on tiptoes before stepping onto the next one. It's a way to stretch out calves and give them a vague body weight workout. But really, I don't need bigger calves. Or bigger quads. Maybe bigger hammies would be nice.

I'm drenched. Almost done. Just need to stretch for a bit. And WTF? I haven't done pistols in a long time. Normally my knees and quads are shot by now, but today I feel limber and fairly fresh. So I walk up and down the mat, doing Pistol Squats with each step. When I stop, it's because I'm bored and want to take a shower, not because I can't do them anymore.

Leg Day Workout
(6.82 miles cardio not including Step Mill; 17,880 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   138 CAL
Distance: 3.82 mile
Speed :    7.63 mph
Duration : 00:30:04

Smith Machine Squat

210

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

Smith Machine Stiff Legged Deadlift

168

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 120x12

Smith Machine Single Leg Split Squat

112

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 80x12
Set 4 : 80x12
Set 5 : 80x12

Glute Kickback

12

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

Elliptical Training

Interval Prgm

Calorie :   262 CAL
Distance: 3.02 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Step Machine

Calorie :   87 CAL
LISS
Lap/Rep :  34 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:15:00

One Leg Bodyweight Squat

Set 1 : 110x6
Set 2 : 110x5
Set 3 : 110x4