Born Again Gym Rat: February 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

Winter Bulk

I am not at all happy that I continue to put on weight as the weeks go by. I've been using my hubs bag of strawberry-flavored GNC brand Whey protein. But it's more than just protein powder, and that might be the problem. It's suppose to formulated to increase strength and has BCAAs (branch-chain amino acids) and other goodies like creatine. And although I feel as strong as an ox, I don't really want to look like one. The gym scale reads 112.0 lbs today. Ugh. I'm going back to my Optimum Nutrition (ON) 100% Whey Protein powder.

I didn't do max weight today. The sciatica still threatens to hamstring me with a leg bicep seizure. Leg cramps suck, but are exponentially worse when you're pushing weight when it happens. This alone has kept me from adding more weight to the bench, or even adding more sets. Because I should be able to get three sets if I can get 8 reps. I should be able to add another 10 lbs and get 6 reps. But the hamstring aches and threatens to spasm as I plant my feet and push the bar up. So I do whatever doesn't elicit this reaction. Push ups? Good to go! I knock out 100 reps per set today. I won't lie. The last set was hard. 21 reps has become standard for pull ups. I add crunches after planks for ab work because the Bird Dog plank variation is not sciatic-friendly. So after 300 push ups, I can still bench without any issues. Except for the sciatica.

I do RG BB Rows today too. Because I'm not all that tired. Even after push ups, 30 min of cardio and abs. I do space out my pull ups throughout my routine because my hands and elbows need recovery time. By this time I'm questioning whether I'll be able to do the heavy routine for delts today, but there's no way to tell until I try. And it's fine. I do 3 sets at 20 lbs and then 3 sets at 25 lbs, maintaining the 12/20 rep ratio between DB Laterals and Reverse Incline Flyes. My shoulders seem a tad tired afterwards, but I'd be disappointed if they weren't. I can move a lot of weight. The JeFit app, where I record all my workouts, tells me that I've moved 31,606 lbs today. Cool. Still, I wish I was a leaner and had better definition.

Today I do Program #3 on the elliptical for my 2nd cardio session. I need to mix this up more, but I can't bring myself to do Takata HIIT cardio these days. When I'm done, I finally remember to try doing Tiger Push Ups. I read about them on the social site of Bodybuilding.com. I like the people there better than on MuscleAndStrength.com. Tiger Push Ups are suppose to be a tricep-heavy variation. I stopped doing Diamond Push Ups because the clicking in my left elbow got more intense and I'm always cautious about my joints. Well, I managed to do about 5 of them before nearly falling on my face. I didn't even count them in my workout app. They are really difficult to do, and doing them at the very end of my workout didn't really give me a fair taste. Perhaps I'll try them again tomorrow. After I whack the machine.

Monday Workout
(6.33 miles; 31,606 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie : 138 CAL
Distance: 3.76 mile
Speed : 7.46 mph
Duration : 00:30:17

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull In

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Plank

Straight/Elbow

Set 1 : 00:00:30
Set 2 : 00:00:30
Set 3 : 00:00:30
Set 4 : 00:00:30

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Plank

Side

Set 1 : 00:00:30
Set 2 : 00:00:30
Set 3 : 00:00:30
Set 4 : 00:00:30

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Crunches

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Smith Machine Bench Press

165

Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x10
Set 4 : 120x8
Set 5 : 90x25

Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

207

Set 1 : 55x25
Set 2 : 75x20
Set 3 : 95x15
Set 4 : 115x15
Set 5 : 135x15
Set 6 : 135x15
Set 7 : 135x16
Set 8 : 95x25

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

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

Dumbbell Reverse Flyes

41.67

Set 1 : 20x20
Set 2 : 20x20
Set 3 : 20x20
Set 4 : 25x20
Set 5 : 25x20
Set 6 : 25x20

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Elliptical Training

Prgm#3

Calorie : 292 CAL
Distance: 2.57 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Friday, February 26, 2016

Working Through and Not Around

Even though Winter Storm Petros has passed, we're still reeling from the aftermath. There are downed trees everywhere, and several neighborhoods are still without power. Convoys of utility bucket trucks cruise the main roads. Our road was mostly spared, until late last night when I heard my generator kick on and all the clocks went dark. The power was still out this morning so no microwaving my hot water for instant coffee. No oatmeal and egg for breakfast. Because I try to keep the fridge closed during outtages, I don't even root around for my yogurt and maple syrup. I can light my propane gas stove with a match to get a kettle of water going. My son is bummed but because he's not distracted by his phone or the TV, he's actually dressed and ready for the school bus before the alarm goes off. Yes, I have timers on my cell phone for everything, from administering my eye drops, to getting my son up, to meeting the school bus later in the afternoon.

The itchiness on my neck has returned with a vengeance after I almost thought it was all clear. At some point I'll be forced to contact a dermatologist who will prescribe a cream that probably won't do anything. I'm always worried that it's something much much worse, like throat cancer that's manifesting itself as itchy skin. Well, at least my dog's not sniffing me nervously. My sciatica is a bit worse since Tuesday's kickboxing session. Moves like Knee-Ins are especially bad when you have an inflamed sciatic nerve.

I skipped yesterday's workout in favor of resting the sciatic nerve, and finalizing the Cub Scout program for my son's Blue & Gold Banquet. I also had an eye doc appointment where my pressures checked out phenomenally well at 12 and 14. The laser procedures are apparently working, which is good, because lately I've noticed a disturbing grayness in the center of my visual field. It's not noticeable all the time, but when I do notice it, well... I'm freaked out about already losing some of my vision, and there's nothing I can do about it except what I'm already doing, which is exercising and administering my eye drops religiously.

Today I get to the gym and again feel sluggish to start. Once I warm up though, I'm a different person. The pull ups have been hard on my hands lately. I only do 3 sets today, but they're sets of 21 reps. I'm not planning to bench, and put all my energy into push up reps. I knock out 3 sets of 100 rep sets, and I have to admit that that makes me happy. Planks are still a bit shaky since my right wrist and shoulder have been bothering me. I do crunches as well, and notice for the first time that the inside of my thighs flex when I curl up. I am wearing workout pants, but not my usual ones.

Because I'm not going to kill myself doing massive amounts of pull ups, I decide that a few RG BB Rows will be good for my back. I can tell that different muscles are in play with this movement. But today I stop short of going "heavy" because I want to put more energy into the DB Lateral Raises superset with DB Reverse Incline Flyes. I see Shaggy today, and he's got a new girl friend. Finally. I almost laugh out loud, but manage to just smile to myself.

I do Drag Curls and then another set of pull ups. You'd think this would make it much harder, but it doesn't because it's not biceps pulling up, but lats. It's hard to explain, or even teach. I'd like to teach my son how to do this, but he's not quite there yet. For my last 30 minutes of cardio, I do Intervals on the Precor. No backward pedaling, but I like the pacing. I also do most of my Mat Stretch even though there are parts that really aggravate my sciatica. The piriformis stretch at the end helps to remedy some of that discomfort. The scale hasn't budged from 111.2 lbs. Maybe it's the protein powder I'm drinking for lunch? It's a strength-building blend, so it's probably formulated to increase size and bulk. Not ideal for trying to drop some fluff. Oh well...

Friday Workout
(6.49 miles total cardio; 26,426 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie : 138 CAL
Distance: 3.81 mile
Speed : 7.61 mph
Duration : 00:30:00

Torso Twist Machine

91.67

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull In

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Plank

Regular

Set 1 : 00:00:30
Set 2 : 00:00:30
Set 3 : 00:00:30
Set 4 : 00:00:30

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Plank

Side

Set 1 : 00:00:30
Set 2 : 00:00:30
Set 3 : 00:00:30
Set 4 : 00:00:30

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Crunches

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

Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

202.5

Set 1 : 55x25
Set 2 : 95x15
Set 3 : 115x15
Set 4 : 125x15
Set 5 : 135x15
Set 6 : 75x25

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

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

Dumbbell Reverse Flyes

41.67

Set 1 : 20x20
Set 2 : 20x20
Set 3 : 20x20
Set 4 : 25x20
Set 5 : 25x20
Set 6 : 25x20

Barbell Drag Curl

Set 1 : 50x15
Set 2 : 50x15
Set 3 : 50x15

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Elliptical Training

Intervals

Calorie : 306 CAL
Distance: 2.67 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Take Progress Where You Can

My sciatica is acting up today, perhaps from the kickboxing yesterday, or maybe from not doing a "cool down" with cardio. It's raining and is forecast to rain until tomorrow afternoon. Good grief. At least it's not snow. I can't use the cross-trainer that I favor, the one with the lowest resistance setting so I get on the one next to it. It's harder to pedal so my mileage isn't as good. It also, eventually, makes half my right foot go numb. Oh well.

I do a set of pull ups afterwards, and use the Torso Twist machine just to loosen my hips. I have some stiffness in my left lower back, but it doesn't bother me as much as the sciatica today. There are a lot of guys at the Smith and MaxRack stations so I keep busy on the Mat. Just for fun, I decide to see how many push ups I can do. My first set is a warm up set because I know I can do more, but I don't want to burn myself out just yet. Then planks. Then push ups. More planks. More push ups. Oh, let's do some crunches! Then push ups to finish. Except I'm not really finished. This feels more like a warm up. Seriously. There's something very satisfying about being able to knock out 50 push ups and get up without even breathing hard. It's badass! Okay, I'm kidding.

The MaxRack is clear, although the last users leave things behind, like a cup of coffee (which is eventually retrieved) and portable mats (also later retrieved). Today I'm going to test how much I can pull while doing RG BB Rows. At light weights I just move the bar off the floor into the RG BB Row position. But at heavier weights, I do a Romanian Dead Lift and pull the bar straight up, then cautiously bend forward until I'm in a position to row. I can't row parallel to the ground... it's too hard on my lower back because I have a long torso and short limbs. My angle is probably closer to 60 degrees instead. Once I get past 100 lbs, I have to use my Versa Grips because my hands ache from holding the bar. I have tiny hands with bony little fingers. It wasn't that long ago that I was pulling 155 to 165 lbs on a free Oly bar, but there's no room to do that any more unless I go to the other end of the gym to the CF station. No thanks.

Because I went heavy on Monday, I only do 3 quick light sets of DB Lateral Raises super set with Bent Over Reverse Flyes. All the Inclined Benches have DBs on them as place holders. I'm not interested in getting into a conversation with whoever so I just do a slightly different exercise than the one I had planned. My training philosophy is to not ever do the same routine two days in a row. And if I've benched heavy on Monday, then I'll go for reps instead. I might see how I feel about benching heavy on Friday, but that's not set in stone.

Looking very soft these days

I do another two sets of pull ups and 30 more minutes of cardio. I'm not happy that my weight is inching upwards, but I suspect that's because I've not been as strict with my food as I should be. The gym scale reads 111.2 lbs today. I'd like it to be back down to 107-8. I still have a few weeks before the banquet weekend. And I've tried several of my dresses on. Even at this weight, they fit fine. I just need to learn how to walk in something other than boots...

Wednesday Workout
(6.13 miles total cardio; 26,691 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie : 130 CAL
Distance: 3.57 mile
Speed : 7.11 mph
Duration : 00:30:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

TorsoTwistMachine

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Wide Hand Pushup

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Plank

Elbow/Straight