Thoughts on Things

My son woke up when I took the dog out this morning. I guess he's starting the slow painful process of adapting to school hours. His bus is suppose to arrive at 7:13 am next Tuesday. Which means I'll have to rouse him around 6:30 or so. That's going to be painful, especially come winter when it'll still be dark out. I think he's trying to assure himself of undisturbed gaming time because he knows I'll be gone for a few hours.

I'm tired and slow when I get on the cross-trainer. Today I only make a total of 6 miles even. Well, it's not the worst I've done. My right foot is still acting oddly whenever I pedal for prolonged periods of time. My left foot is also starting to go numb on the cross-trainer. I guess age is catching up with the body parts. Oh well...

My first set of pull ups surprises me, because the last rep sends my chin up past the bar unexpectedly. So even though I'm not getting the same mileage, I am actually stronger differently. I do have to pause at rep 90 during push ups, but I still get 100 reps. Crunches are the same, as are planks. The Mayor has his son on the Inclined Bench and they are taking turns spotting each other. The Mayor benches more of course, but he's got several inches and 100 lbs on the kid.

I grab a pair of 5 lb DBs and position myself for Cuban DB Presses. I feel awkward. It's actually better when I move up to a slightly heavier weight, 8 lbs. And the 10 lb DBs feel even better. Three sets is enough for a novice to the movement. Maybe I'll feel something tomorrow. But at least my right ear didn't congest, which is what happens when I do OHP using heavier weights.

Then another 30 minutes on the elliptical, and another set of pull ups. Today, I can actually do 41 reps. Yaaaay for me! I also do a full Mat Stretch and pay attention to my hips and lower back. I feel pretty good. Tomorrow I'm going to whack the kickboxing machine.

Yesterday, my husband drove to the airport because he had a flight to Tallahassee Florida. While at the airport, he got told that he should go to Houston instead. He was originally scheduled to go to Boston and then Houston this week. Tallahassee got cancelled because they're don't know what they're doing down there. Finally, he just came home and said he'd travel next week. Which meant he was home in time to come with us to see Kubo And The Two Strings.

This was a phenomenal movie! We would all see it again! It's everything that Sausage Party was not. It was mesmerizingly beautiful, had a coherent story, humor and sadness, and most importantly, a surprising lesson at the end. It stressed the importance of family, love and honor. And the "origami" was just plain magical.

I might be too cynical, having been raised in NYC. But the Villagers' reaction to an old man in their midst after a terrible battle is one that really surprised me in a most heartfelt way. I won't spoil the movie by revealing specifics. I can only extort you to go see this wonderfully creative movie. Stay for the ending credits and listen to Regina Spektor sing George Harrison's While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I'm not a Beatles fan, but this was great. And there's a tiny bonus clip regarding the stop-action set that's entertaining to watch.



Wednesday Workout

30 min X trainer
143 cal
3.44 miles
6.86 average speed

HGPU 31
Knee Ins 50
Push ups 100
Crunches 3 X 50
Planks 2 X 60 sec

Cuban DB Press
5 lbs X 12
8 lbs X 12
10 lbs X 12

30 min elliptical
Prgrm 2
290 cal
2.56 miles

6.0  miles total cardio

HGPU 41

Letting Go

My son and I are cut from the same cloth: we're both night owls, which means we're both going to have a terrible time adjusting to the new Middle School schedule. Classes start at 7:38!  Good grief! The local librarian tells me that this was set up so kids could get back in time to help their families with crop harvesting. Uh, news flash! Not many agro families around here that require the help of their school-age kids! I'd rather he sleep in later and get home later. Now I have to figure out a schedule for his afternoons. Busy kids are kids not getting into trouble.

Today I leave the house a bit late. It's 10:20 but my son is still asleep. I leave a note on the bathroom mirror telling him I'll be home around 1:30 pm. Yes, with time for travel, changing clothes and showering, it's about 3 hours.

I get on a totally different LifeFitness cross-trainer today. My right foot starts to tingle a little more than halfway through the 30 minute session. Before it's over, my left foot also starts to get numb. Ugh. I think I had a dream about buying those toe-spreading cushions just to see if they'll sort things out with my feet. My two pull up sets were bears. But I decided to add a few more push ups at the end. I didn't really have time for a full Mat Stretch, or to play with any iron. For now, doing enough cardio, core and body weight exercises are my priorities.

The Mat area is full and I keep on walking to the back of the gym where there's one large classroom. Luckily, it's empty and I can grab a small personal mat for crunches. I snap a few quick selfies in the mirrored room. The lighting is weird, and my image is distorted. I put on a few pounds this weekend, having drank too much at our lake association BBQ Saturday night, and subsequent foray to the awesome Big W's Roadside BBQ joint on Sunday. Followed by dessert at PeachWave. Yes, I'm pretty relieved that the scale only reads 111.6 lbs this afternoon! But I'd be happier if it was back at 108.

At some point I'll be strong enough to actually complete rep 41 on Hammer Grip Pull Ups. 31 reps is now my new minimum. I add a few push up variations that I suddenly remember: T-push ups, and Dand (Hindu) push ups. When I walk by the mirror, my triceps have a great pump. Guys are jealous. No, I'm kidding. Or not.

I see other middle-age women and I want to drag them off the machines where they're mindlessly flailing their limbs. I feel this way especially with women with such poor muscle tone that their arms are mere bones poking through flabby hanging flesh. And what would I do with them? I'd make them do push ups. Unless they had serious shoulder issues, I'd have them start with kneeling push ups. What's nice about push ups is that by changing the position of your hands, you can change the angle of the exercise, adjusting it to bypass shoulder, elbow and sometimes wrist issues.

Ladies don't seem to understand that shoulders and arms take work. Serious work, not just reps on a machine while staring into space. That's probably as effective as pushing a door close a few dozen times. Personally, I've been looking at a movement called the Cuban Press for shoulder work, but I haven't tried it out yet. Obviously, I'd have to use super-light DBs since I have a wonky right shoulder, but that's not a problem. Unless I'm forced to use those plastic pink Beauty Bells. Ugh.



Monday's Abbreviated Workout
6.1 miles total cardio

30 min X trainer
144 cal
3.55 miles
7.09 average speed

HGPU 36
Knee Ins 50
Push ups 100
Crunches 3 X 50
Bird Dog Planks 2 X 60 sec

30 min elliptical
Prgrm 1
288 cal
2.55 miles

Knee-ins 50
HGPU 40.5
T-push ups 25
Dand push ups 25

Getting It Done

I let my son sleep in as long as possible before rousing him so I could get to the gym before 11 am. With only a 2-hr window for child care that ends at 1 pm, I didn't have much choice. I suggested to him that next time I might let him sleep in while I go to the gym. I'm just worried he'd freak out, but he told me that I could tape a note to the bathroom mirror. "What about on your phone?" I suggested. "No, I'll see the bathroom note first, and then I won't be looking all over the house for you. If I'm wondering where you are, I might not see the note on the phone." Okay, fair enough. Chances are good that he'll still be asleep by the time I get back anyway...

Two hours would be enough time if little things like stashing my gear in the locker, using the restroom, undressing and putting all my stuff away in the plastic bags I've designated specifically for gym shoes and dirty gym clothes didn't actually eat up time. I'm on the only LifeFitness cross-trainer that goes to Zero; all the rest start at One, which slows me down and doesn't actually feel like a better workout. My right foot has been acting up, most noticeably when I'm doing cardio. For the past few months my hammer toes have had intermittent spasms, and sometimes I feel as if my heels have lost any semblance of cushioning that makes walking bearable.

This looks really comfy!

Today, toes on my right foot seem to lean left, toward the errant bunion big toe, causing a sensation of crowding inside my trainer. Ugh, don't you hate it when your ligaments and nerves have their own agendas? I'm fearful of the second toe crossing over the big toe due to tendon and soft tissue issues. But I'm not sure what I can do about it. Don't even mention doctors because most of them don't know anything except what they've been programmed to do: charge a lot of money and suggest surgery. Uh, no thanks.


Worse, my "good foot", the left one, starts to develop a slight numbness as well. Maybe it's that blasted aging process where you lose the fat padding on various places in your body. I'm hoping they're not all migrating to my belly and hips. That would really suck.

My first set of pull ups is passable. I've gotten 31 without any issues, and I probably could've gotten more, but I'm in a hurry. I knock out push ups, crunches and planks, then a knee-in. I don't even have time to consider any alterations to the routine, like maybe doing smaller sets of different push ups instead of one giant set of plain ol' wide hand push ups.

I don't even consider doing a set of push ups before getting on the elliptical because that would add time. I'm sandwiched between two old men. I think we're all doing versions of one of the Performance Programs because those are the only programs that ask you pedal backwards occasionally. I had to skip doing this yesterday after kickboxing the machine, and my hips felt off this morning when I woke up. Pedaling backwards remedies a lot of the sciatic problems I have so I do this instead of Intervals if I have to make a choice.

My last set of pull ups is a bear, although not at first. But now that I've set the "bar" higher, completing a full set is harder. Of course, because that's how goals work, right? My hands and arms are starting to really tired as I approach 40 reps. From a full extension, I can just get my forehead to the bar. Okay, that's not quite a rep. Maybe half a rep? I've stopped using the FitNotes app for the time being because I don't have a routine set up for the Super Abbreviated Workout AND I have to enter my stats into my phone's notepad no matter what. It's a duplication of effort, and it's not really netting any benefits. The only thing I appreciate about the FitNotes is that it does remind me of exercises I might forget. Not doing those movements is then a conscious determination, and not an accidental moment of distraction.

It didn't occur to me until I read an article in Men's Health that doing push ups and pull ups was considered a test of manly abilities. Is that why the younger guys give me such an odd look? But now that I think about it, I rarely see women (or girls) doing push ups or pull ups on a regular basis. Because usually they can't. No perseverance, I guess. I do it because it's obvious: push ups and pull ups are the most efficient body weight exercises for the upper body and core muscles. Cardio (pedaling on the elliptical and/or cross-trainer) works the rest. Friends advocate rowing as a full body cardio exercise, but I don't think my hands would put up with it since I have to change my grip every few minutes to prevent my hands from developing stress and pressure injuries when I do cardio. As blessed as I am genetically (I'm strong, flexible and maintain muscle mass easily), I have many athletic deficiencies (tiny hands, overly flexible & shallow joints, and sensitivity to pressure). But at least I'm having fun.

Friday Workout
(6.24 miles total cardio — Yaaaay!)

30 min X trainer
137 cal
3.74 miles
7.46 average speed

HGPU 31

Push ups 100

Crunches 3 X 50
Planks 2 X 60 sec
Knee Ins 50

30 min elliptical
Prgrm3
280 cal
2.50 miles

HGPU 40.5

Priorities

I took my son to Sausage Party on Tuesday, and was pleasantly surprised that the clerk only charged me $5 per ticket even though it appeared to be a Sony Pictures film. I'd been warned by various friends that the movie was extremely and perhaps uncomfortably sexual in nature. My son assured me that he was mature enough to view such matters. I'll admit there were moments when I cringed in my seat, mostly in scenes depicting same-sex shenanigans. And even though I consider myself fairly open-minded and tolerant, I wasn't really thrilled about the idea that orgies are the answers to everything, including questions about a just and loving god, and the meaning of life. Seriously.

My son's main concern was that the foods were stereotypical depictions ("Mom, isn't this racist?"), and that the movie was being disrespectful of various religions. I guess if you poke fun at everyone, it's okay and no one will call for a jihad on your ass. Still, I was glad to see that my son was able to see past the flailing arms and legs. The theater itself was fairly empty save for a row of teenage boys, and a pair of fat middle-aged men with a teen and his kid brother in tow. And that kid was younger than my son.

My son developed the sniffles so I let him sleep in on Wednesday, thereby missing the only time I could take him to the gym with me and park him in Child Care. They also have Child Care at 4pm but I'm told it's extremely crowded, and a rowdier crew in the gym. I'll pass.

Today I cut my rounds for kickboxing the machine and skip the post-boxing cardio. Because I just don't have time. Two hours is not enough time to stash my gear, do a 10-min warm up, 15 rounds of kickboxing, 20 min of cardio, pull ups, change and shower and dress. 15 rounds alone is 60 minutes. Today, I only do 11 rounds. And my brother calls between rounds so there's that. His father-in-law has passed away and he'd like us to check out the cemetery plot because he's heard that sometimes plots bought long ago are rendered unusable by acts of nature. Like trees.

My arms are still tired when I attempt my first and only set of pull ups. I actually get 36, but there is such a difference (to me, at least) between the first rep where my face is clearly above the bar, and the last rep where I'm struggling to get my nose to the bar. Tomorrow will just be a cardio and body weight day. Because that's all I can do in two hours.

Thursday's Workout

10 min elliptical
95 cal
0.84 miles

Nexersys
5 r beginner
3 r intermediate
3 r advance

HGPU 36

Photos posted for actual stats

5 rounds Beginner (always a great warm up)

3 rounds Intermediate (these rounds are so unpredictable!)

3 rounds Advance (the 2nd round was really hard because it was mostly sweep-combinations like Cross-Power Sweep, which tends to throw you off-balance)

Abbreviated Workout Day One

I was pedaling on an unfamiliar LifeFitness cross-trainer today. That's my excuse for not quite making 6 miles. That, and the fact I really hate it when my right foot goes numb so I was taking it easy. I had my son in the Child Care room with a lot of toddlers. He found himself a corner, put his headphones on and fired up his laptop. He's such a good kid.

Because I only have two hours to get everything done, and change and shower, I'm in a mad rush. Again, the first set of Hammer Grip Pull Ups is hard, but I've been raising the bar ever so slightly. Now my standard set is 31 pull ups. I'm not really happy with my push ups, but I knock out a hundred reps straight through without having to pause for rest or breath. Crunches and planks are for resting. Knee-Ins are for resting, and a sore tail bone. I have to be careful not to do that last exercise too often or I'll develop an abrasion. It's painful, and not in a good way.

I'm back on the cardio platform, but this time it's 30 minutes on the Precor elliptical. I punch in Program #1 and start pedaling. I'm actually kind of tired, and sore even though we didn't do much this weekend except walk around the 16th Annual Daniel Nimham Intertribal Pow Wow at Veteran's Memorial Park. Bought some cool things, and tried "fry bread" for the first time. Also ate some of the best corn bread ever, freshly poured into a pan and fried up like a pancake. Absolutely yummy!

I just have time for a quick hamstring stretch, and then onto the last set of pull ups. It's always easier once I warm up, and I'm absolutely drenched. I make it all the way to 40 before dropping into a full extension, and then one more pull. 41. Done! A quick shower and my son is NOT the last child in the child care room today. Yaaay!

Tomorrow we have orientation at the middle school, and then I promised to take my son to see Sausage Party. He's very mature for 11. I think he can handle it.

Monday Workout
(5.92 miles total cardio)

 30 min X trainer
130 cal
3.44 miles
6.85 average spd

HGPU 31

Knee-In 50
Push Ups 100
Crunches 3 X 50

Bird Dog Plank
2 X 60 sec

30 min elliptical
Prgm 1
277 cal
2.48 miles

HGPU 41

Cardio Workout Cure to Fatigue

Biceps without curls

I'm tired and sore so I don't really plan to lift any weights, unless it's body weight. For the next two weeks, I will have my son in tow so I'll have to do abbreviated workouts. Why wait until next week? I figure I can just do a cardio type "Leftovers" workout today, and not kill myself. But because I'm not moving weights (except for my own), I decide to up my X-trainer session back to a full 30 minutes. And of course, my right foot starts to go numb exactly 17 minutes into the run. By the time I'm done, the whole front of my foot is uncomfortably tingly. Luckily, it doesn't last and I can walk it off.

I stretch a little and then do pull ups. I get 31 reps and feel a sense of relief that that first set is done. The first set is always the hardest. Since temps are in the 70s, the gym is relatively empty. Anyone who prefers to run or exercise outside is doing so. It'll get more crowded as the day heats up. I spend most of my time on the Mat, doing push ups and core work. After the routine 100 push ups, I knock out the standard crunches and planks. And then I add a set of Dand (Hindu) push ups, an elbow plank and then two sets of one-leg push ups (one set per leg). I'm not even tempted to do any more pull ups until after my 2nd cardio session.

Doing Intervals is always hard, but of course, it's as hard as you make it. I'm slower today on the uphill. Normally I can do 2 minutes anywhere from 120-140 SPM (strides per minute). Today I'm coasting along between 90-110. But then again, I'm hitting and maintaining over 200 SPMs for a minute, and then dropping to 180-170 for the 2nd minute in the valleys. I'm actually able to increase my speed as the session progresses, so that for the last valley, I'm able to hit 240 SPM and maintain it for at least 30 seconds. Not as fast as I've been in the past, but faster than I expected. Yaaay for me!

Hair is perpetually disheveled

I'm drenched and winded when I head back to the Stretch Cage. Hips, hammies and lower back all need extra special gentle attention when stretching. And then I stare up at the bars, grab them and start doing pull ups. As I've said before, I do "partials", keeping my elbows bent the entire time to spare my joints, forcing my back and shoulders to do all the work. I also have to keep myself from swinging or kipping with momentum so I've learned to cross my ankles and bend my legs behind me. Having a long straight body just means I sway more, and that makes pull ups a lot harder. I keep going until I think I'm going to fail, drop to a full extension, and pull myself up just one more time. 41. Double Yaaaay!

At the Mat I do a full stretch because I know my muscles are going to stiffen up as soon as I cool off. Stretching helps, at least if I do it while I'm still warm. I can tell guys are staring. Don't they realize that staring is rude? Old guys are absolutely the worst. One old guy (with sunglasses on no less!) keeps walking towards the Mat and then stops to get a drink from the fountain, or something. He does it three or four times, as if no one has noticed. Uh huh. I pretend I don't notice any of them. It's better that way. Thank goodness for iPods and headphones!

Friday's LeftOvers Workout
(6.34 miles total cardio)

30 min X trainer
3.74 miles
135 cal
7.47 average spd

HGPU 31
Knee in 50

PU 100

Crunches 3 X 50

Hindu PU 25

Bird dog planks 2 X 60 sec

One leg PU
2 X 50 (once ea leg)

Elbow plank 60 sec

30 min elliptical
Intervals
290 cal
2.58 miles

HGPU 41

Fatigue as Stimulant

Haven't given up
on this tank top yet.

I went to the gym yesterday even though I was going to my last Beginner Swim class later in the evening. 15 rounds of whack the machine had me panting hard and sweaty. But that's always just a temporary condition. I only did 20 min on the elliptical to save some energy for later. But I remembered to see how far I could get after doing 30 reps. That meant rep 31 was from a full extension. And so on. I made it to 35. Rep 36, I at least got my nose to the bar. I'm counting it.

At swim, I actually learned how to tread water for the first time. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be! I also worked on trying to coordinate my stroke with breathing during freestyle, aka, the American crawl. I guess I'm a lot more serious than other people who take this class. Yesterday there was only one other lady, a perfectly nice retired woman. But I wish she'd stop talking long enough to pay attention. She's so caught up in her head that she can't follow instructions correctly. We all have this problem to a degree, but I'm losing patience with her because I'm afraid she'll accidentally drown me in her confusion and panic. I'm best when I'm not thinking too hard about what I'm suppose to be doing. And I'm best when I'm practicing on my own. Yeah, just reinforces the idea that I'm not truly a "class person". But we all knew that. I'm quite pleased, but worried that Friday's workout is going to suck...

Thursday Workout

10 min warm up
0.84 miles
95 calories

15 rounds Nexersys

20 min elliptical
1.65 miles
183 cal

HGPU 36!

5 rounds Beginner (totally awesome!)

5 rounds Intermediate (some glitches)
 

5 rounds Advance (eventually I found my rhthym)

Pulling Things Up

My son and I saw and enjoyed Suicide Squad yesterday. I had no idea that it was a sequel of sorts to the Superman Vs Batman movie out earlier this year. I was wondering why the Bat looked a little fat in the jowls, and unshaven. Christian Bale never looked unkempt. But Ben Affleck is another story. I also had no idea that everything and everyone is tied to favored superheroes and villains in Gotham, Arrow and The Flash. Imagine my surprise when Viola Davis emerges as Amanda Waller, who I'm pretty sure, was killed off in last season's Arrow. But no one ever stays dead in superhero land. Just like in SuperNatural!

Today is a Pull Day, and even though I got enough sleep, I'm still tired. I see a friend when I dismount the X-trainer and I excitedly tell her that I've got two photo shows back to back next summer. She's happy for me as I promise to give her postcard invitations to the receptions! Meanwhile, creepy PJPants is on the treadmill, peering over his shoulder while straining to hear what we're talking about. Well, certainly not him.

The first set of pull ups is always the hardest, but that's psychological. It's doubt that makes me linger before I grab the roof bars of the Stretch Cage. I shouldn't have doubts anymore, but I do. My right knee is off today. My left hip is also a tad iffy. After push ups, crunches and planks, I head off to the racks. There's a fellow in the Smith doing seated OHPs so I drop my gear in the MaxRack station. I don't like the MaxRack. It's much heavier than the Smith and has odd limitations. When I start doing SLDLs there, my knee and lower back feel wrong. I try adjusting my stance but nothing really helps. Which means, as soon as the Smith is free, I move all my gear over and pick up where I left off. SLDLs, followed by RG BB Rows. This pulling motion is exhausting, and I worry that I'll be too tired to do any sets of pull ups later. Of course, I'm being silly.

My braided ponytail keep flopping down my shoulder in a distracting way. I'm half tempted to secure it to my head in a sloppy bun just to keep it out of my face. I so miss having short hair! Other than constantly pulling at my sports bra straps because the hardware is biting into my shoulder and upper pecs, I don't pay much attention to my clothes. But I'm reminded of a post on a muscle site of a gal who complains that guys stare at her when she's trying to do leg raises so she doesn't do them. I suggested that she face a wall, and wear longer shorts. She'll consider finding a wall but doesn't think she'll ever wear long shorts. Okaaaaay now. Because why? They're not cute? They're not sexy? Uh, what was the complaint again?

No curl biceps

I'm back to doing RG BB Rows after SLDLs. It feels pretty good. Using the Smith actually mitigates the issues I'm having with my right knee and lower back. But I'm tired and I do a set of pull ups before starting the Seated One-Arm Cable Rows. The latter are more biceps work than anything else I do, and I think my biceps are doing okay in spite of not doing any curls. I see some old faces again. Tattoo Braid is back. Blondie is back, wearing the oddest patterned tights under gym shorts and a hoodie. The Mayor minus his son. Several ancient guys. But I love seeing Goldilocks on the treadmill. She is the cutest little girl — all business and no-nonsense, although I'm tempted to call her Alice because truly, she's the living embodiment of Alice from Wonderland with her straight blonde hair, pale skin and upturned nose.

I do an extra set of Knee-Ins when the Stretch Cage is in use. The Hindu-looking, bespectacled "Accountant" sits across from me staring, and I ignore him. He's just as creepy as the other old guys. Except this guy never wipes down anything he uses. Blech! He never busts a sweat either, so I'm not really sure why he even attempts the assisted pull up machine. I'm fairly oblivious to most people, but today I notice an old lady watching me do pull ups. She seems absolutely ecstatic when I drop down at rep 30 and pull back up for rep 31. I don't really push myself today, so I stop every time I reach 31. Maybe tomorrow I'll try to max out my reps. Honestly, pulling myself up is easier than pulling up weighted bars. I know it's not quite the same thing, but it's always useful.

Wednesday Pull Day Workout
(4.37 total cardio miles)

15 min X trainer
1.73 miles
72 cal
6.91 average spd

HGPU 31
Knee In 50
PU 100
CR 3 X 50
Bird Dog 2 X 60 sec

MaxRack SLDL
55 lbs X 15
75 X 12
95 X 12

Smith SLDL
12 X 80 lbs, 100, 120, 130

Smith RG Bob row
15 X 30 lb
12 X  80, 100
15 X 120, 130

Knee ins 50
HGPU 31

Seated one arm cable row
3 X 12 X 45 lbs

30 min elliptical
Prgm1
302 cal
2.64 miles

HGPU 31

Bench Hogs

This is not a storage table

I wrote a post here about Bench Hogs, i.e., people who leave all their junk on a bench and then go use other equipment.

 I went to paste in the HTML trailer link to Suicide Squad which my son and I will be seeing tomorrow, and everything just deleted. I"m so pissed off... It took me about two hours to write this post and now it's suddenly gone. Aaarg!

Now I'm going to make dinner.


Here's my Push Day workout:

15 min warm up
Elliptical
1.72 miles
72 cal
6.84 avg spd

HGPU 31
PU 100
CR 3 X 50
Bird Dog planks
2 X 60 sec

Smith Flat Bench
15 X 30 lbs (bar)
12 X 80, 100, 120
25 X 90 lbs

Smith Inclined Bench
15 X 30 lbs (bar)
12 X 50, 70
12 X 80 X 3
25 X 50 lbs

DB Lat S/S w Rev Inc Fly
3 X 20 X 12/20 reps

Rip skulls
12 X 30, 35, 40,
10 X 45
12 X 40 barely

30 min Precor
Prgm3
298 cal
2.62 miles

HGPU 31

Knee-Ins 50

DB Flyes
12 X 10, 15, 20

The Killer Heat

The pool last night was eerily quiet. Our swim class was minus one member, and the air conditioning unit wasn't quite working properly. The water seemed fine though. Which is good, considering how much of it I drank. Unintentionally, I assure you. I'm having trouble coordinating my stroke with taking a breath in freestyle. Well, that's one of the reasons I'm in an Adult Beginner class! Being in the pool for 45 minutes is having a softening effect on my skin. Or maybe it's the ungodly high humidity and tropical temps. My skin, unlike the rest of me, loves this weather. It's not dry, flaky or feeling two-sizes-too-tight. Somewhere in my genetics, I have ancestors from equatorial climates. Ugh. The rest of me hates it. I'd much rather be shoveling snow. Seriously. Although the mosquitoes haven't been horrible lately, but that might be because I slather myself with tea tree oil products, or lemon eucalyptus oil when I go out.

The gym is crowded this morning but quickly empties out as the day moves on. I get my warm up done and then brace myself for whacking the machine. I'm drenched by the Intermediate rounds. My determination to push through is fueled by the thought that I'm improving my cardio endurance. Yep, gotta run long and fast to outpace the zombies.

My left inside elbow is feeling strained. The knuckles of that hand sting a little. I've got to tape my pointer fingers better because some how they're getting bruised, either by my own hands, or the edges of the punch pads on the machine. I'm exhausted when I'm done, but I know better. I'm not really done yet. There's still 30 min on the elliptical, and then, as many hammer grip pull ups as I can muster. Oh boy!

I finally remember that I don't like the leather Asics I have on because they really suck when I do cardio, rubbing and pinching the sides of my feet. The Rykas are better. I take a long time at the Stretch Cage because I'm actually a bit stiff, and I don't want to injure myself. While I'm standing there, a guy I've seen around asks me if he can get a stretch in. I'm not even sure if I said okay. I just stepped aside and looked at the torso twist machine. He hangs from the roof cage rungs and that's it. Earlier I'd seen him on the Assisted Pull Up machine so I'm not impressed. But I'm hard to impress. Seriously, I don't know what this guy was thinking... but now I think even less of him. Yep.

My son has a sleep-over play date later. I'm not sure when I have to stop calling these things "play dates" but I suspect it'll be soon. Meanwhile, I'm debating whether we'll see The Suicide Squad or Sausage Party next Tuesday for our movie day. The latter got a surprisingly good review from the NY Times. Click here for the link to read the review. The only bummer is that it's a Sony Pictures release, and Sony doesn't allow theaters to provide discount tickets... but it might be worth the matinee price.



Friday Workout

10 min warm up Elliptical
97 cal
0.86 miles

15 rounds Nexersys

30 min Precor
283 cal
2.52 miles

HGPU 33! Wahoo! 

5 rounds Beginner (warm up) 

5 rounds Intermediate (crazy rounds) 

5 rounds Advance (better than I expected) 

Functional Muscle

While I'm doing my 15 minute warm up on the Cross-trainer, I watch a smattering of people moving lifelessly through endless reps and sets on Cybex machines. I call that section of the gym "machine city" because that's what it is. I don't do anything there anymore with the exception of hammer grip pull ups because the Stretch Cage is next to the new Torso rotation machine. I don't understand why people perform exercises they don't understand, and without any hope of achieving any semblance of reasonable goals. But that's me. I'm notorious for not following directions. Not that I can't. I'll do it once. And then figure out whether it's working for me, and how I can improve my experience by making a few "adjustments". (I confess have this same "problem" with recipes. I'm always tweaking them based on what ingredients I have, and how I happen to feel at the moment.) So you might think consistency would be a major problem. And no one progresses if they're inconsistent, right?

I feel that I put in 110% every time I go. Even if I don't "feel like" it, because to do otherwise is just a waste of gym time. I absolutely can't say that for the majority of people I see at my gym. The results are that I look like I work out. To the point where people I know just assume that I must be doing a lot more than I actually do. I run into B today and she asks me whether I'm still doing martial arts, and I look at her like What? Because I don't do anything except whack that Nexersys machine in the corner. But she's so certain that I must be doing something else that she asks me if I'm sure. If I'm sure? Seriously? I'm middle-aged, but I'm not mentally impaired.

I love watching the Olympic athletes compete. I love watching their perfect functional muscles. I doubt if they have the time or vanity to work out just to look like they work out. There aren't too many guys here who just work their mirror muscles, but there seem to be a lot of people who flop onto the machines and think that the paltry effort they put forth is going to have an effect. I'm not really sure what they're expecting to happen. I do see one older fellow who's been MIA for several months. He seems to have dropped at least 100 lbs if not more, and I'm not exaggerating. I'm thinking he's had gastric bypass surgery. He chats happily while pedaling the elliptical. I don't think his exercise endurance has increased by any great means, hence my conclusion that he's had to rely on a surgical intervention. But I'm not criticizing because for some people, that's what it takes.

So, am I progressing? Or am I stagnating? Sometimes, especially as we age, the best we can do is to not get worse. So, while I'm not hugely strong, I'm strong enough, and I'm happy with my cardio endurance. I haven't suffered from any major injuries either. And although I'm not as light or lean as I'd like to be, I'm not unhappy with my size, weight or shape right now. It's damn good for 56. It's damn good for 46! But if I was 36, I'd be a lot more critical. Seriously. I'm happy I can pull myself up. Several times if need be. I can push more than my own body weight. And I can draw on energy reserves to power myself in spite of how I feel. Now I just have to teach my son, because he's now bigger than I am. But not stronger. Of course, he's only 11. 

Doing SLDLs at 130 lbs is still really heavy. I only get 10 reps before my form totally falls apart. But I can get reps at 130 for RG BB Rows. Different movement, different stress. Between those two movements, three sets of pull ups, and 30 minutes of Intervals on the Precor, I'm pretty wiped when I'm done. But I don't feel bad right away. I'm just hungry. I don't actually start to feel tired until hours later, when I have to get dinner on the table.  I'll probably stay up late watching the Olympics anyway. Oh well...

Wednesday Workout
(4.61 miles total cardio)

15 min X trainer
warm up
1.85 miles

HGPU 31

Knee Ins 50

Push Ups 100

Crunches 3 X 50

Bird Dog Plank 2 X 60 sec

Smith SLDL
15 X 30 lbs (bar)
12 X 80, 100, 120
10 X 130

Smith RG BB row
15 X 30 lbs (bar)
12 X 80,
15 X 100, 120, 130

HGPU 31

Seated one arm cable row
12 X 37.5
45 lbs X 12 X 3

30 min Precor elliptical
Intervals
318 cal
2.76 miles

HGPU 31

Applied Knowledge

My shoulders and upper back are the tiniest bit sore and stiff when I get to the gym this morning. Probably from sitting in front of my computer all weekend when not sitting in front of the TV watching the Olympics. I can't resist Ooohing and Aaaahing at all the super-powerful tiny gymnasts. My husband likes to watch Beach Volleyball ever since he witnessed actual games during a business trip to Canada last year. And now that I'm taking a swim class, I'm even more excited by the perfect Olympic forms in the water. I can't even come close to replicating any of this, but at least I understand "rock 'n roll" during the backstroke. Yes, I've finally learned how to do the backstroke. And now I understand "look down and keep your neck long for speed" as cameras catch the swimmers from below. It's very exciting, and my husband confesses to me that he's thinking of taking a swim class. Even though he can swim, he says he can't keep up with our son. I think he might get bored though, because I'm pretty sure he can tread water.

I'm maintaining my 15 minute warm up on the LifeFitness Cross-trainer, even though I'm paranoid that this will make me fat. At least my feet aren't numb anymore when I walk to the Stretch Cage. I've cut my mileage by approximately 2 miles per session and I wonder how my body will adapt. I'm making up those 15 minutes by adding sets to my Push routine. Now instead of an "either or" approach to flat bench and inclined bench, I do both. I only do 3 super sets for shoulders though, but Rip Skulls are a staple now. My only concern is whether to add DB Flyes or not. I'm not sure they'd really benefit me. Online sources suggest that DB Flyes increase chest volume and width, and potentially lung capacity. Hmmm. Who doesn't want a bigger chest with more room to inhale? I'll still need to think about it a bit longer though.

I'm vexed that I can't amend my workout on the fly in the FitNotes app. The gym is crowded momentarily, with all the inclined benches in use by the time I'm ready for Inclined Presses. So I move my gear over to the Breaker Inclined Benches. This means I'm using a free 45-lb Olympic bar instead of an attached 30-lb Smith bar. My routine is mostly the same, but there are differences. The bench is at a set angle and distance from the stays so it's harder. In the Smith, I can adjust the angle of the bench and move it closer or further to suit my arm length. Still, I get my sets done.

3/4 angle is usually
the most flattering

I see an older guy moving some hefty DBs. His form seems pretty decent so I wouldn't exactly call him a newbie. Just a new face. He seems perplexed by me though, because unlike the smattering of other women in the weight area, not only am I not chatty and just coming from a class, I actually have muscles. That's probably why people get out of my way, not that I'm pushy or anything. But I might actually look like I know what I'm doing. Surprise! Doing hammer grip pull ups is always what really gets them. I've seen a bunch of middle-aged guys at this gym for over 5 years who still can't do a single actual pull up. They do spend time at the assisted pull up machine, but I don't think that's doing them any favors. And I have serious doubts that they know what they're doing.

Monday Workout
(4.42 miles total cardio)

15 min X trainer
65 cal 7.32 av spd
1.83 miles

Hammer Grip Pull Ups 31

Knee ins 50

Push Ups 100

Crunches 3 X 50

Bird Dog planks
2 X 60 sec

Smith flat bench
15 X 30 lbs, 80
12 X 100, 120
25 X 90

DB Lat S/S w Bent Over Flyes
3 X 20 X 12/20 reps

Breaker Inclined Bench
45 lbs (bar only) X 20
65 X 12
75 X 12 X 3
55 X 25 reps

Rip Skulls
12 X 30, 35, 40
8 X 45 lbs (elbows!)

30 min Precor elliptical
Prgm 1
294 cal
2.59 miles

HGPU 31

Wardrobe Malfunctions

I skipped yesterday, thinking I'd actually get more work done at home. I also had the septic tank folks coming over to pump the tank and inspect the peat moss system installed by the East of Hudson Septic Repair Program some years ago. Achy joints in my hands and elbows sealed the deal. I dropped my son off at camp and returned home. I did get some work done, but lately it feels as if it takes me twice as long to do something as it used to. Maybe my computer used to be faster. Maybe I moved quicker. Or thought quicker. I'm not sure how to explain this discrepancy except that time seems to pass exponentially faster because I seem to move slower. I guess this is the theory of relativity in action for middle-age people.

I put on an odd assortment of workout clothes: lightweight mesh sports pants, an Avia tank, and an old Avia sports bra. It's a bit chilly in the gym until I warm up. I wanted to wear something that would dry quickly since kickboxing and elliptical cardio both elicit a strong sweat response, i.e., I'm drenched afterwards. The workout was great. My clothes, not so much. The sports bra needed to be readjusted and pulled down at the end of every round. That's 15 rounds of adjustment. The tank seems to look lopsided no mater what I do. Maybe it's me because humans are rarely symmetrical, and I know my left side is bigger than my right. Left trap, left bicep, left pectoral. That'll make anything look askew, but some things more than others. This tank is one of them. Sigh. I'm thinking this is going to wind up in the donation bag along with the sports bra once I wash them.

I used to love my mesh sports pants because they had pockets, and were loose and airy. Now they're a bit too loose and I have to hike them up over my hips at the end of every round. Because I've positioned the wires to my earphones behind my head (to keep them out of the way while I punch and jab), they stick to my back and either get caught there, or hang loosely down the inside of my pant leg. Ugh! What I really need are small, comfortable bluetooth earphones. No wires! But that also means I need a bluetooth iPod. Ugh! I'm not ready for that yet!

I'm actually sweaty from my 5 round Beginner warm up. Or I'm really out of shape! I did have a swim class last night and we "swam" the length of the pool learning the backstroke. I still can't tread water though. And that's the reason I signed up. Now they've emailed me to tell me I should take their new Intermediate Swim for Adults. Uh... Will they teach me to tread water? I enjoy the pool time. The teacher is great. But really, I need to learn how to tread water. I have discovered that it is much easier to swim once you relax and let the water do half the work. Tensing up makes me sink right to the bottom of the pool!

The Intermediate Rounds are okay mostly, except for the few times when the machine goes crazy and flashes commands that don't sync with the lit body map that indicate what you're suppose to do. I only blank the machine a few times today, and do better during the Advance rounds. Second wind? Perhaps. I'm torn between doing the Intervals or Performance program on the elliptical. Twinges in my glute and hamstring strongly suggest the latter because that always helps with my sciatic issues.

I have a lot of moleskin on my feet from last weekend's urban hiking. They help a lot with today's cardio, as I have yet to find the perfect "running shoe", the shoe that makes me say Aaah! when I put my foot in. I check out runningwarehouse.com upon the recommendation of a friend, but can't find any shoes in my size. I have those hard to fit "wide, small foot with tiny heel". She raved about the Saucony's her son got her. He's a track coach. She claims to have wide feet. Or as she puts it, she carries all her fat in her feet. She's a long stringy woman, the epitome of a crunchy-granola runner. Beg to differ, but if she's wearing "wide" shoes, then I have absolutely no hope.

Afterwards, I do a slow, cautious stretch. I feel a twinge in my left hip, right where I imagine the TFL lives. Stretching can do more damage than good if rushed or done haphazardly. I brace myself for hammer grip pull ups because I always expect that these are going to suck painfully. That I won't be able to pull myself up at all. But they don't. And I'm always surprised. Because although I'm tired, that part of my body that actually performs this movement isn't. I count 10 reps, then 20 reps, then 26, finally 30. Then the full extension and 31! It feels fine. I could probably've done a few more. I should've done a few more. But I was so focused on accomplishing 31 that that's all I did. Next time I have to step out of my head for a moment, and see just how many I can actually do. But only on a day like today, where there is only this one set of pull ups. Seriously.

I do most of my Mat Stretch, and then wonder if my right boob is going to fall out of the top of my sports bra when I bend over. The tank is too big. The sports bra is probably too big, but the next size down is too small, and the straps too short. Ugh! But the Mats are offset from the rest of the equipment so it'd be impossible for anyone to actually see anything unless they were standing right in front of me. When I'm done, I notice Frankenstein in the Cybex Pec-Deck staring intently. Yep, creepy. I wonder if guys even realize how creepy they can be? I'll have to ask my husband.

Friday Workout

10 min elliptical
0.83 miles

15 rounds Follow Me
Nexersys

30 min elliptical
Program 3
285 cal
2.53 miles

HGPU 31

Photos for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner
(great warm up today!)

5 rounds Intermediate
(blanked the screen twice today; this program continues to be erratic and unpredictable — not always a bad thing)

5 rounds Advance
(always a good way to end the session!)

Melting Away Before My Eyes

One of the reasons I take selfies is to have a record of how my body is changing. It's not always for the better, though, especially as I'm well past my physical peak. That would've been in my 30s... such a long time ago! I can see my arms are getting softer, so it's not a far reach to assume that this is also happening to rest of me. It's a toss-up between whether I've just increased my fat layer, or I'm actually losing muscle. The scale doesn't tell me anything useful other than I weight more than I used to. I guess I'll have to dig out the bodyfat scale, but I'm actually a little scared of what that'll say... I know, more silliness.

I'm also not recuperating as quickly. I've never had hip soreness from walking through Manhattan, until now. I'm still sore! Rubbing Penetrex cream into the joint helps a little, and surprisingly, pedaling on the elliptical and cross-trainer don't hurt at all. Working out doesn't hurt. But walking the dog hurts as I hunch over and duck walk down the ramp, and I can't not walk the dog. I look at hip anatomy online and believe that this is a TFL injury (tensor fasciae latae) apparently common to runners. It's as good a guess as any... I'm just matching pain with a point on the anatomy chart, but it makes sense. This tiny muscle controls flexing and mild medial rotation of the thigh, something that happens as I walk and support the dog's weight. When I pedal on the elliptical, my thighs and feet are held straight and there is no pain. Apparently squats (with or without weight) are good for this. And a stretch known as sidelying clam shell. I'll have to try these and see if it brings some relief.

Still, I've cut down my cross-trainer time to just 15 minutes, and I'm worried that this alone will make me fat. Silly? Well, all fears are silly to someone else. I'm a good 3-4 lbs over the what I want to weigh. I suppose if I cut out snacks, and hard ciders, I'd be able to drop that weight in a week or two. I hope. Assuming that it's fat weight and not water weight. It's hard to tell just by looking. I feel tired today, probably because once again I'm going to sleep much too late. But unlike my son, I don't sleep in on the "off" days. The cooler temps have certainly helped me stay asleep at night so I'm not relishing the thought of a hotter, more humid weekend to come. My joints have also been achy so perhaps the constant threat of rain is affecting me? My right hand and wrist are slightly pressure-sensitive, and that affects my pull ups and push ups more than I'd like to admit. Eventually, as I warm up, the discomfort disappears. Exercise cures all!

It's a Pull Day so after my warm ups, I get to hog the Smith for SLDLs and RG BB Rows. I'm having mixed feelings about upping the weight on the latter movement. My lower back hurts if I keep my form "proper", that is with my body only slightly angled above perpendicular. It feels much better if I open the angle up. Now I can concentrate on my lats and other muscles. I think it's because I have a long body and short legs. Body proportion plays a surprisingly important role in exercise form, and safety. I've seen it detailed in photos illustrating proper squat forms so I assume the same holds true with other whole body movements. At least I got my pull ups done. At some point I'll add those 7 stray pull ups to make the count an even 100 for the day. That'll be cool.

I see a few regulars and some newbies. No one particularly interesting lately. Tomorrow I'll whack the machine because it's a shorter workout. I have to be home for the septic tank fellow to inspect and pump the tank. Yesterday, two of his compatriots came by to show me how to reset and/or turn off the alarm to the peat moss septic pump system. The ear-piercing air-raid siren kept going off during Sunday's torrential rainstorm and there was nothing we could do about it in spite of hitting the "reset" button a gazillion times. It turns out that the float that triggers the pump is too close to the float that triggers the alarm so they fixed that. Whew!

Wednesday Workout
(4.21 miles cardio)

15 min Xtrainer
1.67 miles
72 cal
6.59 av spd

HGPU 31

Knee ins 50

PU  100

CR 3 X 50.

Bird dog plank
2 X 60 sec

Smith SLDL
15 X 30 lbs
12 X 80, 100, 120
10 X 130

Smith RG BB row
15 X 30 lbs
12 X 80
15 X 100, 110, 120




HGPU 31

One-Arm Seated Cable Rows
12 X 37.5 lbs
12 X 45 X 3

Elliptical
30 min
Prgm 1
287 cal
2.54 miles

HGPU 31

Cardio Without Even Trying

We spent the weekend being tourists in NYC and had a great time, although we walked so much that I'm actually a bit sore today. Okay, so maybe averaging 6+ miles a day shouldn't really be so arduous, but my hips are stiff, and because we marched through the rain yesterday, I acquired a few bloody blisters from wet footwear. As much as I love my Keene sandals, they're not good for urban hiking in a downpour. We walked from Times Square up to the Met on Saturday, then took an uber back because weren't going to make it to the restaurant in time otherwise. Sunday was more leisurely. We walked down to the Village and back. Each trek was approximately 40 blocks, which translates into approximately 2 miles. Manhattan is the easiest place to do this type of urban hiking!

Neither my husband nor I have time to make coffee this morning before he has to leave for work and I have to drive my son to camp. My head hurts and my face feels oddly puffy. I need coffee. Starbucks has once again revamped their decor, and even with less than 3 customers, it takes an inordinately long time to get just a tall dark with room for milk. Then I pour out an inch of coffee because they never listen to you when you tell them you need room for milk.

I get to the gym feeling better now that I'm mildly caffeinated and hear some woman heaving her guts out in the bathroom. Eew! She is literally sprawled on the floor around the side of the toilet because I can see her hands and legs under the stall... There's only three stalls and luckily she's in the closest one, so I take the furthest one. I always need to use the bathroom after coffee!

I cut my time on the cross-trainer to just 15 minutes. It gets the job done — I feel sweaty enough. Today is a Push Day, and although I've been thinking about adding DB Flyes to the routine, I haven't actually done it. I'm not sure there's a benefit to this movement. I know that I can actually hurt my shoulders and where my biceps originate, so there's a downside. Instead, I stick to my standard Push Day exercises. I cut back on the weight for the Rip Skulls at the end because there's no reason to do a weight that's going to aggravate one's elbows.

Tomorrow I'm taking my son to the movies... I can use the rest.

Monday Workout
(4.45 miles cardio)

15 min Xtrainer
69 cal
1.87 miles
7.48 av spd

HGPU 31

Knee In 50

Push ups 100

Crunches 3x50

Bird Dog Planks
2 X 60 sec

Smith flat bench
15x30
12 X 80, 100, 120
25 X 90

Smith incline bench
15 X 30, 50
12 X 70
3 X 12 X 80

DB Lat s/s Rev Incl Flye
20 X 3 X 12/20

Rip Skulls
12 X 30
3 X 12 X 40
Elliptical
30 min
Prgm 3
292 cal
2.58 miles

HGPU 31