Actual Pushing

I called my glaucoma doc this morning to tell her office I'm on the verge of cancelling my cataract surgeries. Twice I called last week and twice I was told someone would get back to me. No one ever has. I speak to a different gal this morning and explain my frustration. I'd like to discuss my latest Visual Field test and what type of lenses are suitable for my eyes BEFORE the surgery. Yet, no appointments have been scheduled. The gal tells me she's going to call me back after she speaks to the doc who is just on her way in. Okay, I tell her. Leave a message on my answering machine. Meanwhile, road crews show up on my road with the goal of transferring all the power lines from one pole to the new one they installed last week. A fellow at my door tells me, above the dog's frantic growling and barking, that power will be off for a few hours. The phone app alerts me, once I'm at the gym, that the generator has kicked on. Cool. But no one ever calls me back. Grrrrr...

There is a weird space-age unit parked in the front space of the gym. It's got 4 stations that seems completely different from each other: heavy bag, barbell rack, bounce pad, cable pulley system. I wander over with two fellows to have a better look. Not sure if I'll be visiting this unit any time soon. I get 30 plus minutes on the elliptical, knock out my pull ups and push ups and core, and head over to the Smith. The adjustable inclined bench is missing. Ugh. Okay, no Inclined Presses today. Instead, I drag an available flat bench to the Smith, and flat bench. It's something I haven't done in over a year, ever since I had that unfortunate labral tear in my shoulder.

I position the bench backwards so that my head is at the narrow end because 1) I'm a small person and I can clear my shoulders and elbows at the narrow end and 2) the wide end has an actual foot cross-bar that sits a good inch from the floor so I can plant my feet on that. When you're short, you put your feet where you can, because very often you are too short to reach the ground! Naturally, I start off really slow and easy. I only go to 110 lbs before I notice my right shoulder feeling a tiny bit tender. So I drop the weights down and add reps. The pump is awesome. As I recall, I could get to 120 lbs but my shoulder wouldn't be very happy. A few years ago I'd hit 135 for 4 reps, but damn I was so much younger then! 110 is good for me right now, and maybe forever. Of course, it'd be better if I weighed less than 110 lbs. I'm just a pound or two over...

I do my DB super sets on a newly vacant adjustable inclined bench. There used to be two of them and I'm not sure where the other one is. There are a lot of older guys here today. Weird. Not too many kids, and not a lot of regulars either. The gym has replaced the double cable stations with a newer version, but not all the components have been installed. I see a regular sitting on the floor doing Cable Rows because the rowing benches are still missing. Ugh. After I get Rip Skulls done, I test the new cable station for V-bar press downs. And, as always, getting the old rope handle off and the V-bar on is an exercise in patience and dexterity. Because the cable ends waaaay over my head. Still, I manage a decent set before a good Mat Stretch...

I plan to see the Georgia O'Keefe exhibit at the NY Botanic Gardens on Friday, so I'm trying to figure out how to compress my workout. If I do kickboxing tomorrow, Wednesday for Pull Day, and Thursday for Cardio/Legs? We'll see...

Push Monday

30 elliptical + 3cd
Program 1
Calories 307
Miles 2.74
Average Heart Rate 143/194

HGPU 30
Push Ups 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Elbow Plank 60s
Bicycles 50
Crunches 30/20

Smith Flat Bench (!)
Bar (30) x 15
50 x 12
70 x 12
90 x 12
100 x 10
110 x 8
80 x 25
70 x 25

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
25lbs x 8/15, 10/15, 10/15

Rip Skulls
40lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets

New V-bar Cable Press Down
20lbs x 12
30 x 12
40 x 12