Progress is Sweet

A light I don't recognize comes on the dashboard of the car I've barely had for two months. It doesn't seem critical so I wait until I'm parked at the gym before consulting the manual. I've had to reference this tome more than with any other vehicle I've ever owned. Ah, it's a "tired pressure" indicator. I wish it would tell me which tire because when I step out of the car, they all look the same. I've packed a strappy summer dress to wear out of the gym, and that means I'm not going to be checking my own tire pressure. Instead, I'll take it to the local Valvoline because they've got machines to gauge tire pressure. And being guys, they're also willing to help someone like me, not that I play damsel in distress much. But automotive stuff is something I don't mind letting guys do for me.

It's different once I'm inside the gym. I do my 30 minute "warm up" on the cross-trainer, the good one that allows me to set the level to zero. My ponytail is getting too long, swinging wet and annoying. When I get to the Smith machine, I use barrettes to pin my hair up. Much better now. I know my legs and glutes are getting thicker, but my clothes still fit okay. Which means I can up the weight again for Split Leg Squats. I do 3 sets, because I can. Although my right knee starts to complain a little toward the end. I also add a few sets to the Smith SLDLs, but they're light. I'm less interested in pulling heavy here than in engaging the glutes and lower back in a different manner than split squats. The GHRs feel the same. I do all three sets and don't land on my face so I consider this a Win! Then back for cardio: 30 min of Intervals. I'm feeling pretty good even though I'm drenched. What makes me happy is that I've broken 7 miles today. Yaaaay!

Thick!

I do a few Pistol Squats at the beginning of my Mat Stretch. My towel is damp and smells vaguely like cheese. Eewe yuck! I always bring a fresh towel, so this is just me and common bacterial activity. Maroon is sporting huge arms today. He's a beefy guy but he seems to have gotten bigger. Ponytail isn't tossing his loaded bars around too much, probably because he's here with a girlfriend or sister, a very plump, kidney-bean-shaped woman who is pedaling on the elliptical next to me. The Mayor shows up late with a young skinny boy, maybe 15 yrs old, tall and blonde. His son? They go straight to DB OHPs. I don't understand why people don't warm up properly. At least he's not loud when he's "coaching" (t)his kid. I'm outta here until next week.Yaaaay!

Friday Cardio and Leg Day
(7.5 miles total Wahoo! 14,290 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   142 CAL
Distance: 4.23 mile
Speed :    8.44 mph
Duration : 00:30:04

Smith Machine Single Leg Split Squat

168

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 110x12
Set 5 : 120x12 PR! Yaay!
Set 6 : 120x12
Set 7 : 120x12

Smith Machine Stiff Legged Deadlift

168

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

GHRs

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

Elliptical Training

Intervals

Calorie :   284 CAL
Distance: 3.27 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

One Leg Bodyweight Squat

139.33

Set 1 : 110x8

Are They Really That Stupid?

Today was whack the machine day and I got myself prepped by affixing little squares of moleskin to my knuckles before I drove to the gym. I only have enough time for a 10 minute warm up and then 14 rounds, a quick stretch and then shower and change. As an extra precaution, I take my wedding band off and put that in my purse along with my diamond engagement ring. Both are fairly small as far as rings are concerned (I wear a tiny size 3.25), but both are made of platinum, which means they're heavy and dense. I've been having trouble with the last two knuckles of my left hand lately. I tape my hands and then entwine them in cotton wraps before stuffing them into my old pink Everlast kickboxing gloves.

Lighting is everything

My left hand still hurts intermittently, especially the index proximal phalanx and the ring and pinky knuckles. The tighter I clench my fist, the better my hand feels though. Unfortunately, I find myself grimacing from a sharp pain on the the front of the index distal phalanx. I've managed to slice the skin open with my thumbnail, and I can't figure out why my thumb is so far out of position when I clench. Between rounds, I grab the roll of white tape I keep with my gloves and tear off a piece to wrap around my finger tip. Problem solved. Now I can punch again. Except an old man has decided to ride the mountain bike simulator closest to the kickboxing machines. He has to walk around me to get there. There are three bikes and he could easily use a bike further away. Instead, he gets on the one closest to the machines. He pedals so slowly I'm not really sure why he isn't on one of the recumbent bikes on the cardio platform.

After 10 minutes he's done. And dismounts on the side closest to my machine. Some people live on auto-pilot. I'm in the middle of a round and go to jab. The pad just barely misses his face because he's pretty much walked right into the side of the machine, and I pull my punch at the last minute, as soon as I saw that I might actually hit something not machine. I also let out a rather nasty expletive, because Goddamnit, are you really a f*cking moron?!

The rounds go much better after he's left the vicinity. I'm not a mean person, but if you're at a gym and clearly someone is punching and kicking a target, you need to walk around them. I'm always aware of people walking behind me or around me because I don't want to step back and land on someone. Today I'm not wearing my hoodie so sweat just pours off my ponytail like I've been caught in a rainstorm. I feel pretty good, except for the cut finger and those knuckles. The pinky proximal phalanx is feeling a bit bruised as well. That part of the hand shouldn't even be making impact but force gets dissipated through the bones. Taking the wedding band off didn't help. I'll keep it on next time. I'm going to try binding the left hand tighter and see if that helps. And maybe trim my already short nails a little shorter.

Whack the Machine Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   95 CAL
Distance: 0.84 mile
Duration : 00:10:00

Nexersys Kickboxing

Lap/Rep :  14 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:56:00

photos posted for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner Follow Me

9 rounds Intermediate Follow Me
round 3 is where I have to tape my finger
round 6 is where I almost knock an old man out

Sometimes the Order Really Doesn't Matter

It's hot today but the gym is air-conditioned so I'm not concerned. After 15 minutes on the LifeFitness cross-trainer I do a quick stretch. It's more abbreviated than usual because Heckel, a short beefy bearded dude who comes armpit high to his lifting pal, Jeckel, a big bald behemoth, is hanging off the cable machine. He's looking at his phone but he's positioned in such a way that there's no way for me to do a good stretch without my butt in his face. Or his phone. And this makes me uncomfortable enough to just walk away.

Split Squats showing results!

As I approach the free weight area, I see that both the Smith and the Max Rack are occupied. It's awfully crowded with dudes in that part of the floor so I plant myself at the Seated Cable station. I try to do big, compound movements first but it's not always possible. It's not good that the Cable Rows feel heavy so early in my workout. But as I warm up, the movements get easier. I even up the weight on the last set of the One-Arm Seated Row. Then onto the Lower Back Extension machine. It's not quite sitting where it was last week and it takes me a moment to realize that the Stretch Cage has been rescued, repainted, and is sitting along that aisle of equipment. Oooh, I'll have to play with that a bit later! The fact that I can move 2/3 the stack of the Back Extension machine makes a few guys pause. I'm amused even if I don't let on.

I look over at the Max Rack and all the guys hanging around it aren't actually using it. That annoys me. Heckel is standing inside the Max Rack cage, talking on his phone. Okay, enough is enough. I drop all my gear inside the cage and he slinks off to a corner of the hallway.The Cable Rows have been good for the biceps, and the BB Row is more for the back proper. For me, the initial movement is akin to a dead lift. My elbows have been sporadically achy (especially the left one) so I'm not touching DB Rows, or even attempting Pull Ups. The latter always screw up my elbows, even the neutral hammer-grip variety.

I strip the bar and do a set of partial Drag Curls with it, trying to assess whether it really is 55 lbs or not. I can't really tell, and other people probably want to use the Max Rack so I grab a solid 50 lb BB and stick 2.5 lb magnets to the ends for the rest of my sets. I wish I could take a photo of my biceps when I do this movement: they look so cool. RG BB Curls has me grimacing, as always. But I can knock out 25 reps so does that mean I should up the weight again? Hhhmmmm...

I do my 10 min of HIIT cardio, again reaching 290 SPMs for a few seconds. I'm 5 minutes into the LISS portion when all the lights go out. I'm still trotting along and the display panel on my machine stays lit. But everyone else (treadmills, cross-trainers, recumbent bikes) has come to a standstill. I'm not sure why, but I figure maybe I'm generating enough power to keep the machine on until everything normalizes? Perhaps it's because all the TVs went blank? I turn mine off when I'm pedaling because it's too distracting. After another minute, the power comes back on but it takes 10 minutes before the lights are fully functional. Afterwards I check out the Stretch Cage. It feels a little weird, probably because of the matte rust-proofing finish on it. Whatever.

I do my Mat Stretch, minus Dive Bomber Push Ups and Pistol Squats. I see a young woman doing a few pistol squats atop the seat of the Seated Calf Raise. It's because she can't raise her extended leg up high enough, so when she squats down her leg descends below her foot. That's all in the quads. I don't have that issue but I don't do pistol squats until Leg Day, which is Friday. Done! Yaaaay!

Back, Biceps and Cardio Day
(4.33 miles total; 37,740 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Warm Up

Calorie :   72 CAL
Distance: 1.92 mile
Speed :    7.64 mph
Duration : 00:15:06

Cable Seated Row

Set 1 : 90x12
Set 2 : 105x10
Set 3 : 120x8
Set 4 : 120x8
Set 5 : 120x8

Cable One Arm Seated Row

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 45x12
Set 3 : 52.5x8
Set 4 : 52.5x12
Set 5 : 60x8 Yaaay!

Back Extension Machine

Set 1 : 210x15
Set 2 : 210x15
Set 3 : 210x15

MaxRack BB RG
Bent Over Row

Set 1 : 55x15
Set 2 : 105x15
Set 3 : 125x15
Set 4 : 145x15
Set 5 : 145x15
Set 6 : 145x15
Set 7 : 105x25

Barbell Drag Curl

Partial

Set 1 : 55x15 MaxRack
Set 2 : 50x15 BB
Set 3 : 55x15
Set 4 : 55x15
Set 5 : 55x15

Barbell Reverse Curl

Set 1 : 45x25
Set 2 : 45x25
Set 3 : 45x25

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   260 CAL
Distance: 2.41 mile
10 min HIIT
20 min LISS
Duration : 00:30:00

Lying By Omission

Well, we did NOT see the movie Pixels today, much as my son wanted to, because the theater is selling those tickets full price even though it's "$5 Tuesday". Sony Pictures doesn't allow them to sell discounted tickets to any of their films! It would've been nice if we'd learned that on the web site, but I guess the owner was counting on besieged parents and grandparents giving in to their whining brood and purchasing a slew of full price tickets regardless.

One woman told me she had been planning to spend $15 for her 3 grandchildren and didn't want to disappoint them. So, she wound up spending $24, and not seeing the movie herself. Instead, she got to sit in the concession stand area to wait for them. Sure, it's only $3 more per ticket, but I didn't want to reward them for bad behavior. I'm a mom! Worse, the theater had no showtimes listed, except for a flimsy 8.5x11 sheet of paper taped to a window. And no mention of Sony's policies. By the time you're in line to purchase tickets, you have expectations. It's hard to walk away. But some of us, actually a lot of us, do.

I was hoping to hit the 7 mile mark again, but fell short on the 2nd leg, the Precor elliptical. I did get a good cardio workout, though things need to change for the Core portion. I folded the foam mat in half but I still rubbed my tailbone raw doing sit ups. Of course, I'm wearing different shorts today. It's the seams that are killing me. I'm bored with the Torso Twist machine, and I changed my planks to do them with fully-straight arms, like the top portion of a push-up. It's much easier on the shoulders, but I might add some variations, like lifting opposing arms and legs. It'll break up the monotony of watching the stopwatch.

I see regulars like Shaggy, Tall Mustache, Shazam, PonyTail. I even see someone who looks vaguely like Venus. There are a lot of new people, and a lot of people who come faithfully but never seem to progress. Of course, there are people like the obese woman on the cross-trainer next to me. She would pedal three steps and then stop. Pedal three steps then stop. But her mouth never stopped moving. It wasn't that she was out of breath. She just never stopped talking. And the woman she was talking too was pedaling with good consistency. I'm sure this woman tells her friends that she's at the gym pedaling away but nothing's working for her.

Cardio and Core Workout
(6.87 miles total)

Cross-Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   145 CAL
Distance: 4.23 mile
Speed :    8.45 mph
Duration : 00:30:04

Sit Up

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 60 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 80 Lap/Rep

TorsoTwistMachine

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Plank

Set 1 : 00:01:31
Set 2 : 00:01:30
Set 3 : 00:01:31

Elliptical Training

Perf Prgm #1

Calorie :   302 CAL
Distance: 2.64 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Fixing What Ain't Broke

I know I partied too much this weekend, drinking too much wine and eating too much salty foods. Still, although I didn't make any Personal Records today, I was fairly satisfied with my workout. My problem with Smith Bench Pressing is my right shoulder. Actually, it's a problem with any sort of benching movement. Today, The Manchurian is one the Smith. I ask him how many sets and he asks if I can perhaps work in. I decline. I'd have to shift the bench and readjust all the weights. It's not productive. I tell him not to rush because I hate pressuring people. He's an older man who was out all winter. When he returned in the Spring, he looked very frail and used a walker. But he's since recovered and built himself up. When he benches, he uses the foam neck pad for Squats to cushion the bar as it touches his chest. That's a new technique I'd not seen before.

While I'm waiting for the Smith, I bench light sets on the Matrix Breaker Bench. I'm too short: my feet don't sit flat on the floor so I'm anchored with the balls of my feet only. I do four sets, which is probably too many for a warm up. My right shoulder feels odd. It doesn't hurt but it feels as if it could shift out of position and become very painful. I only do sets up to 130 lbs even though I've managed to squeak out a few reps at 135 lbs. But not today. I always skip Inclined Benching when my shoulder feels odd. It's better to live to fight another day.

I make it all up in the DB Lateral Raises superset with DB Inclined Reverse Flyes. Warm up with two sets of 20 lbs and move on to 25 lb DBs. Start off with 8 reps Lateral Raises and 12 reps Reverse Flyes, and up the reps to 12 and 15 respectively. Not only do they grow nice shoulders (and who doesn't love nice shoulders?) but they also help with the endurance aspect of jabbing and punching. Having a powerful punch doesn't do you any good if you're too tired to keep your arms up round after round. And I have to admit that after 14 rounds, my arms and shoulders aren't tired. My hands are just a bit sore. Maybe I'll use the new cotton wraps I bought last year. And remember to keep my thumbs tucked and my fists tight.

Working from the body outward, the last body part is triceps. Rip Skulls and then Cable Push Downs. I like the Rip Skulls because they're a full muscle movement, working all three heads of the tricep muscle. The Cable Push Downs are move of a finishing movement. I know I'm going to struggle with the last set at 40 lbs so I use that as an opportunity to do a Burn-Out Drop Set: dropping the weight 10 lbs and adding reps. It's a lot harder than it sounds.

And then, finally, there's the 10 min of HIIT cardio followed by 20 min of LISS. I can't even think about it because I'd talk myself out of it. I'm rewarded by actually hitting 290 Strides Per Minute for a few seconds for three out of the ten minute-sessions. Yaaay! I'm also seeing results from the Smith Split Squats. Workout shorts I'd purchased from Athleta a few years ago, and then regretted buying because they didn't seem complimentary, now fit better. Now that my butt and thighs are bigger, or maybe just firmer? Or maybe just a different shape? I'm not going to argue with results.

Tomorrow is a Cardio and Core Day. And then my son and I are going to see that new Pixels movie.



Monday Push Day Workout
(3.98 miles total cardio; 17,345 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Warm Up

Calorie :   71 CAL
Distance: 1.83 mile
Speed :    7.31 mph
Duration : 00:15:04

Barbell Bench Press

133

Set 1 : 45x20
Set 2 : 65x12
Set 3 : 85x12
Set 4 : 95x12

Smith Machine Bench Press

164.67

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x10
Set 4 : 130x8
Set 5 : 80x25

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

35

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 25x8
Set 4 : 25x12
Set 5 : 25x12
Set 6 : 25x12 SuperSet with

Dumbbell Reverse Flyes

37.5

Set 1 : 20x15
Set 2 : 20x15
Set 3 : 25x12
Set 4 : 25x15
Set 5 : 25x15
Set 6 : 25x15

Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

52.5

Set 1 : 15x12
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12
Set 5 : 37.5x12

Cable Triceps Pushdown

56

Set 1 : 40x12
Set 2 : 40x12
Set 3 : 40x12
Set 4 : 30x14
Set 5 : 20x25

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   211 CAL
Distance: 2.15 mile
10 min HIIT
20 min LISS
Duration : 00:30:00

Breaking the 7-mile Mark

Seven miles might not mean much to the average distance runner. Heck, it's kind of paltry. But I'm not a distance runner. I'm not even a runner. Jumping jacks is too much impact on my knees so forget about running or jogging, whether on pavement or a bouncy treadmill. I'm a low-impact kind of gal so it's always going to be a cross-trainer or elliptical. On Fridays, which is Leg Day, it's both. I wear the Asics leather trainers because I wore the Saucony leather ones yesterday for kickboxing. I need the protection for my toes. On Leg Day, I need the support because Smith Split Squats puts a lot of pressure on your feet, and it's important to have a stable stance.

Today I can use the only cross-trainer I really like. There's only one of these in the entire gym, and although it's a LifeFitness like the 8 other cross-trainers, it's a bit different. Its TV monitor is built into the large function panel, so there's no additonal mounted screen blocking my view of the gym and I can see all the other TVs if I want. There are monitors on all the treadmills in front of the cross-trainers, and a few mounted from the ceiling. This machine doesn't have a functioning CC so viewing the built-in TV is a bit boring. I find that if I watch the screen, my speed starts to deteriorate and mileage suffers. I don't even know how people can read books and magazines while on these things, but I see people doing just that. Like most of my college-peers, I tend to be intensely focused on the task at hand. (I was told that by a doc at the Student Health Services when she tried to get a knee reflex response from me.)

I've adjusted to not having the Stretch Cage by doing a few lunge-like stretches after my first 30 minutes. I don't believe in stretching before a workout because muscles and tendons need proper warming up before being stressed like that. I also don't believe in the 5 minute warm-up walk, or the 5 min cool-down walk. "Cool downs" are the best time to do those stretches. Muscles and tendons are warm and flexible, and much less injury-prone. The Mat Stretching that I do is a combination of static and dynamic movements, and it's not uncommon for me to actually bust a sweat during it all.

from 101marathoners.com

My Leg Day routine was fairly standard. Because I could get 12 reps last week at 110 lbs on the Smith Split Squat, I decided to repeat it today. And then added two more sets. It leaves me a bit breathless. I might up the weight a little more. Or not. My shorts are getting waaaay too snug. I debate whether to do more than a few sets of Smith SLDLs and decide not to because I'd rather focus my energy on the GHRs. Those suckers are still hard! However, I was quite tickled to see actually leg biceps. They're nothing spectacular, with thin muscle bellies. But to someone who's never had visible leg biceps, well, they're a welcomed surprise.

None of this seems to impact my ability to do the Interval program on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I keep half an eye on my heart rate, but mostly I do the Interval program in reverse: run as fast as I can when the level and resistance is low, and then slow to a brisk jog as the level and resistance increases. And then, as an afterthought, and because the opportunity arose, I got on the Step Mill for 15 minutes to do a little LISS. Even at a leisurely level 4 pace, sweat is running off my nose as I trudge. I'm happy. I don't even feel all that tired. But my stomach has been rumbling intermittently all throughout my workout, especially during cardio. Maybe I should try and eat breakfast again before my workouts?

Friday Leg and Cardio Day Workout
(7.17 total miles; 10,128 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   138 CAL
Distance: 4.01 mile
Speed :    8 mph
Duration : 00:30:05

Smith Machine Single Leg Split Squat

154

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 110x12
Set 5 : 110x12
Set 6 : 110x12 Yaaaay!

Smith Machine Stiff Legged Deadlift

168

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

GluteHamRaises

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

Elliptical Training

IntervalsPrgm

Calorie :   274 CAL
Distance: 3.16 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Step Machine

LISS

Calorie :   88 CAL
Lap/Rep :  34 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:15:00

One Leg Bodyweight Squat

140.6

Set 1 : 111x8

Whacking the Machine

I love whacking this thing. It's the one thing I can honestly say I haven't gotten tired of, and always look forward to. Today is the day I've decided to drop another round from the Beginner Follow Me program and add it to the Intermediate session. So few people use these machines that I'm not particularly worried about the 7-round restriction that my gym has imposed. No one ever does more than a round or two and I suspect that they don't really have the stamina to do more. But I could be wrong. I'm not here in the evenings when most of the riff-raff shows up. I'm here with the stay-at-home moms, seniors, students on summer break and shift workers.

As I've mentioned before, what I most enjoy about the Intermediate rounds is that the pace is quicker and the machine allows harder blows before freaking out. I still get the warning message "You are punching too hard. Change your stance or power to prevent damaging the machine." Really? I'm going to outpunch a 200 lb dude? I don't think so. I'm getting better at my Lead Sweep. That's a relief. But my left hand is starting to throb between the last two knuckles. Uh oh.

I have not been able to keep my left hand tight when I punch and I suspect that the force of impact is damaging my hand. Oddly, I don't have this issue with my right hand: I'm able to keep my thumb tucked in spite of the grip bar in the palm of the glove. I clench my left hand when jabbing and the pain in my hand dissipates so at least I know what I need to do to continue. I'd briefly considered quitting the program because of the pain, but I'm glad I figured it out and stuck it out. It's weird to consciously clench your fist. Normally I keep my hands fairly loose until I punch. My right hand automatically forms a correct fist with the tucked thumb. But my left does not. I've worried about really hurting my thumb, accidentally catching it on the pad or stubbing it. I've never considered how the open thumb position weakens the structure of the punching hand. Until now. Lesson learned!

While I'm whacking the machine, I hear a loud raspy voice behind me. It sounds like The Mayor. He's not usually in this part of the gym but he's chatting with someone on one of the cross-trainers. He himself would never be caught dead on a cross-trainer or an elliptical. It's distracting, and annoying. I have a tendency to get more aggressive the further I am into the session. More aggressive means hitting harder, and faster. I don't doubt that I'm probably really intimidating at this point. I'm not particularly concerned with how people perceive me and maybe that's even scarier? As I walk back to the locker room after stripping off my gloves, I can see guys giving me a wary look.

I took a selfie before I got to the gym. Lighting is everything. I figure one of these days in the future I'll be whining about being old and weak. At least I'll have a few photos to remind myself of how lean and strong I was in my mid-50s. I"m no skinny-minny. You can see how thick my torso is. I might never see a 6-pack, but I'm not unhappy with how I look.

Morning Selfie

Thursday Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   94 CAL
Distance: 0.83 mile
Duration : 00:10:00

Nexersys

Lap/Rep :  14 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:56:00

photos posted for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner Follow Me

9 rounds Intermediate Follow Me

Stagnant and Yet Progressing

Monday's high reps really take a toll on the body as I'm still a tiny bit sore in the chest and triceps. But it's not really noticeable unless I concentrate. Today I'm finally able to get on the one LifeFitness machine that actually starts at Level 0 instead of Level 1. I'm only doing a 15 minute warm up but I'm very happy that my toes aren't numb. I am, however, hungry. I just don't have enough time to eat breakfast these days. Blame it on summer vacation because my son and I both stay up too late watching odd programs, like Through The Wormhole: Are Aliens Inside Us?

from MayoClinic.org

The online forums all compare notes on pre-workout stimulants, and post-workout recovery drinks. I can't be bothered, don't want to spend the money, think it's potentially dangerous for my health, and am macho enough to do my workouts "raw". Seriously. According to the Mayo Clinic, there's about as much caffeine in instant coffee as half a cup of brewed coffee. They don't have a listing for instant espresso so I have to make assumptions. I don't need a pre-workout. All I need is my headphones and adequate water. I drink about 3/4s of my 1.5 liter bottle, depending on the day and the routine.

Everything is standard today, except that I'm much happier with my partial drag curls. I'm standing just a foot away from the mirrored wall, between various squat cages and OHP stations. The left arm is definitely looking much better than the right arm during this movement. I'm happy that I can actually see the muscles working. I can't see anything during the subsequent RG BB Curls because most of the time I'm grimacing while staring at my forearms. HIIT cardio is still awful, and I'm still doing 10 minutes of it followed by 20 min of LISS, although my LISS is changing. I can now trot along at 130-140 SPM while keeping my heart rate in the proper zone, which is suppose to be 120 and below. Yaaaay!

Tomorrow I get to whack the machine. Double Yaaaay!

Wednesday Pull Day Workout
(4.04 miles total; 36,910 lbs moved)

CrossTrainer

Warm Up

Calorie :   67 CAL
Distance: 1.83 mile
Speed :    7.31 mph
Duration : 00:15:03

Max Rack BB RG
Bent Over Row

217.5

Set 1 : 55x15
Set 2 : 105x15
Set 3 : 125x15
Set 4 : 145x15
Set 5 : 145x15
Set 6 : 145x15
Set 7 : 105x25

Cable Seated Row

152

Set 1 : 90x12
Set 2 : 105x10
Set 3 : 120x8
Set 4 : 120x8
Set 5 : 120x8

Cable One Arm Seated Row

73.5

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 45x12
Set 3 : 52.5x6 changed handle grip from wide to normal -- big difference!
Set 4 : 52.5x12
Set 5 : 52.5x12

Back Extension Machine

315

Set 1 : 210x15
Set 2 : 210x15
Set 3 : 210x15

Barbell Drag Curl

77

Set 1 : 50x12
Set 2 : 55x12
Set 3 : 55x12
Set 4 : 55x12

Barbell Reverse Curl

78

Set 1 : 40x25
Set 2 : 45x22
Set 3 : 45x22
Set 4 : 45x22

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   222 CAL
Distance: 2.21 mile
10 min HIIT
20 min LISS
Duration : 00:30:00