Born Again Gym Rat: Chhhanges...

Friday, October 9, 2015

Chhhanges...

It's an old Bowie song that I doubt anyone remembers. It doesn't get much air time on the radio these days, and yes, I listen to an "oldies" station that plays a lot of 1st wave. I've tried listening to the pop stations, but gave up after that idiotic Kanye-Kardashian crap kept hitting the charts. I'm looking to update my tunes though, swayed by the popularity of the X Ambassador's Renegade song, and a few others like Elle King's Exes and Ohs, and Fenech-Soler's Last Forever. Yeah, I know... I only know these tunes through commercials. Don't necessarily remember the product they're suppose to sell, but when I like a tune, I want to listen to it a lot. Reminds me of Wreckless Eric's A Pop Song from his album Big Smash Hit. Yeah, I own the vinyl to that too.

I spent a few hours yesterday working with a friend who owns a gourmet candy business. It's labor-intensive but ultimately very rewarding. I've agreed to help out twice a week during her busy season, which means I won't be going to the gym on those days. I've been meaning to modify my workouts anyway, especially since pull ups are out lately. At least until I figure out this abdominal issue. I'm still taking apple cider vinegar twice daily, and sipping lemon water, but my stomach isn't cured. It's not horrible either, but I've been avoiding spicy foods, alcohol and chocolate. Sigh.

I think kickboxing is out as well. Not that I don't love it. I'm actually starting to get better at the Advance level. I whacked the machine today for 14 rounds and had a great workout. But the gym owner took apart the machine and found that the 3/8" steel pin that holds the Right Cross Pad was sheared right off. Oops! So he has to order a new part now and the machine is officially broken.

Fig. 1 Total Strikes

I could use the other machine, the one that doesn't register any blows at all to the Right Cross Pad. But maybe I'll just wait until this one is fixed. I don't really want to go back to benching so I won't. Instead, I'll stick with push up variations, lots of cardio and perhaps split my whole body routine into 3 days. By adding weights back into the equation, I've added more gym time, which I didn't really want. It's hard to find something to replace pull ups. Because I'll be at the gym Monday and Tuesday and then not again until Friday, I won't do back to back full body routines. I have to split things up. So it's back to basics: Mondays will be Cardio and Push Ups and Planks, and maybe Triceps and Delts; Tuesday is Cardio, Back and Biceps; Friday is Cardio Leg Day, but maybe I'll do some Push Ups and Planks anyway.

My big concern is getting up early enough to get eat breakfast, which lately is a cup of high protein yogurt with maple syrup and instant espresso. And maybe I'll bring yogurt for lunch, or at least a Quest bar, because 20 gms of protein satiates hunger without making you drowsy. Breakfast and coffee keep my bowels happy and regular. It's important to have a routine. Yes, lessons from having had several canine companions.

Fig.2 Power Knee?

I definitely tried not to punch too hard today. The Beginner and Intermediate rounds are registering any Right Cross blow as two blows instead of one because the arm pad bounces backward after each impact. The sensor can't tell the difference. I can see the disparity in strikes at the end of each round (see Fig. 1) The Intermediate round went a little crazy once or twice. But I'm definitely getting better at the Advance program. The system previews the strikes involved in the upcoming round so I try to practice the sequences before it starts. It's a sort of muscle-memory training to go through the combinations quickly beforehand. But there's one round (Fig.2) where I score a 0% for a strike that the machine never actually called. Unless it was one of those phantom calls where the machine blinks and everything lights up and you're not quite sure which pad you're suppose to whack. I am, however, really happy with making actual scores (see Fig.3) for combos such as Jab / Cross / Lead Kick / Lead Kick. Last week the machine didn't register anything for my efforts on that one.

Fig.3 Note scores for all combos!

Between rounds, Shazam, a bald, muscular guy with a mustache and goatee, gets on the mountain bike simulator closest to the Nexersys. He motions to me so I have to pull out an earpiece. What? He says, "Don't kick me." I probably frowned, because I replied, "Well, it's your choice to use that machine. You can use a different one." Because there are two other bikes further away. If he had said, "I hope I'm not in your way," I probably would've smiled. But guys are such dorks, especially when they're trying to make conversation. I don't want to make conversation in the middle of a kickboxing session. I want to whack the machine and beat it into submission. Jeeze. Men are such dorks.

I get on the Step Mill for 15 minutes and watch The Mayor and Shazam chat and chat and chat. I see a few more regulars like Maroon, Tall Mustache, Wraith King. I have time today so I stretch and do a few pistol squats before a full Mat Stretch. That's when the gym owner walks up to me and shows me the broken metal pin from the Nexersys. He doesn't seem mad or anything. After all, I'm just this tiny little woman, who happens to punch too hard.

Friday Workout