Inching Forward

My thighs feel leaden when I get on the cross-trainer this morning. It's probably because I did over six miles yesterday and I normally don't do cardio like this back-to-back. But I have a plan. Today I'm going to do all the movements I didn't do yesterday, even if they do encompass the same body parts. So I did chest, delts and biceps yesterday. Today I can do BB rows and Rip Skulls (triceps). I also plan to gingerly test the waters with the Torso Twist machine since I haven't done that machine in months and my waist seems wider to me these days.

But of course, I still need to knock out a few sets of pull ups. I bring my knees up to relieve the sciatic pain in my hamstring and foot. There's some discomfort just under my sternum. Ugh. On the Mat, I knock out a hundred push ups and then some crunches. Warm up. Really. The MaxRack is vacant so that's where I go to do RG BB Rows. I used to do them with just the Oly bar, but there's literally no space in the gym where anyone can do that, except in the CF area on the other side, by the Nexersys machines. They have those colorful plates in a rack, and several large taped-over cracks in the mirror wall from careless lifters. No thanks!

My back and hamstrings feel fine as I ease into the movement, starting with just the 55 lb bar at first. I only do a few sets because I don't know how my sciatica is going to react, but it seems promising. I can inch forward on this movement! Yaaay! My triceps aren't as happy. The left elbow is twingey and maybe those push ups have taken it's toll on my arms because I feel weak doing just three sets of Rip Skulls at 40 lbs. I remember handling 45 lbs not that long ago.

More pull ups. Then Intervals on the elliptical. I'm slogging although I don't quite feel so thick and stiff anymore. Another set of pull ups. And stretching. I do most of my Mat Stretch and finish with a piriformis stretch just to be safe. The gym scale reads 109.6 lbs. It's okay, but I'd like to drop another 2 lbs before the big banquet weekend next month. Just so I can look stellar.

Friday Workout
(6.39 miles cardio)

Cross-Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   137 CAL
Distance: 3.86 mile
Speed :    7.69 mph
Lap/Rep :  --
Duration : 00:30:04

Hammer Grip Pull Up

188.7

Set 1 : 111x21

Torso Twist Machine

Left : 50x25
Right : 50x25

Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull In

50

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Crunches

50

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

Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

165

Set 1 : 55x20
Set 2 : 75x15
Set 3 : 95x15
Set 4 : 115x12 Yaaay!
Set 5 : 90x25

Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

56

Set 1 : 40x12
Set 2 : 40x12
Set 3 : 40x12

Hammer Grip Pull Up

188.7

Set 1 : 111x21

Elliptical Training

Intervals

Calorie :   2885 CAL
Distance: 2.53 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

188.7

Set 1 : 111x21