Ho Hum Monday

I find it harder and harder to get excited about going to the gym, but at least my son is good company. Meaning, he's a good sport and willing to do what I ask of him. Every now and then he'll timidly ask to do something. He never usually asks for anything. We do the recumbent bike and then the treadmill because it's Monday and neither of us is feeling too energetic. "Why is it so crowded?" he asks me. "Probably because it's Monday and every feels guilty about the weekend." "Ah," he says with a knowing look.

Part of my personal frustration is knowing that I've lost strength in the 8 weeks I've been limited to non-strenuous exercise. Part of it is that being 58 years old, it's a lot harder to regain what's been lost, especially since I felt I was barely maintaining what I had to begin with! The only positive thing to have happened is due to changed parameters: instead of doing one long set of pull ups, I break it down into multiple smaller sets. So in total, I've actually done twice the amount I used to do. Yaaay for tiny victories!

Today I get my son to do a few more pull ups than he did on Friday. His form isn't great, but neither is mine. He's not dropping into a full extension. Instead, he's pulling up from bent arms. He kips the last two reps. Still, he's is pulling his entire body weight and that counts. When he's older, stronger and more confident, I might ask him to do a few full reps. But not right now. He's working the proper muscles and not straining his elbows and forearms so I'm good with that. Today I also manage to get a few more pull ups. But unlike my son, I'm panting at the end of each set. My son is not. He complains about being tired, but he's doesn't appear winded. I suspect he doesn't really know what tired is, but maybe I'm biased?

Push ups and core follow. Some people might be done by now, but I'm just feeling warmed up. We see a woman at the Smith with 45s on the bar. However, she's stripping the plates off and looks like she's done! Yaaay. I like the Smith for the safety factor. Because I'm not tall or big, I worry about being able to properly spot my son should he start to falter during a set. He's not moving all that much weight, but since I'm his mom, I do worry. He tells me that 90 lbs is heavy and only gets 6 reps. When I ask, he tells me that he feels it not only in his arms and shoulders, but across his chest as well. Finally! I get 12 and add another 10 lbs. Next week I'll try 110 lbs since that's close enough to my body weight, but I may have him try sets of 5-6 reps at 90. We both finish with 25 reps at 50 lbs. That seemed awfully easy. How about 25 reps at 60 lbs next time? He looks slightly worried, but I assure him he'll be fine. I'm pushing, but just a little at a time. It's hard to know just where the edge is until you shove up against it.

My son likes the Lateral Raise Machine and does 3 sets there, and then asks if he can do something with legs. "Like the Leg Press?" While I don't do them, I let him do a few sets at a fairly light weight. He's a thick boy with large thighs, which makes buying him pants a challenge as he's only average height for his age. I've known men with big ill-proportioned thighs and they had terrible self-esteem issues. While I don't discourage my son from Leg exercises, my feeling is that all the different cardio movements we do are enough for the summer. He's already struggling with stiffness in his hips and getting thicker won't help that at all.

I do my DB supersets with a pair of 15 pounders. At some point I hope to feel strong enough to up the weights back to 20 and 25s, but that's probably not going to be anytime soon. Especially since I'm thinking I'm having cataract-stent surgery for my right eye in September. I see the eye doc tomorrow to check my pressures and discuss options and schedules. I ask my son if he wants to wait around until I finish or do something. He's content to stare at his phone.

I give him the choice of Bench Dips or Skull Crushers. He winces and says Skull Crushers. Because he's new at this, and considerably weaker, I tell him to grab the 20 lb solid BB. I grab the 30. Next week I'll also grab the magnetic discs. He has a little trouble getting coordinated with the 3-part move. I tell him that if his hands go numb or he feels he can't hold onto the bar any longer, to just drop the bar past his head as it'll only be a few inches off the matted floor. He's fine. At no point during any of our exercises does he look tired. He's probably a lot stronger than he thinks, so I'm constantly testing and pushing, but just a little.

Wednesday we'll be more focused on Pulling, so that's back and biceps. I won't give him any bicep exercises until he stops telling me that his arms are tired. What would be the point? Last night my husband noticed how much bigger my son seems when he's standing next to me. I notice it when I hug him goodnight, because my chin has slowly slid from the top of his head to his ear, his shoulder, and now, just below. Sigh. I hope he'll at least be average height. Short guys have a harder time and life is already difficult.

Monday Blahs
(M=my son; L=me)

15 recumbent bike
Level 1
Calories 60
Miles 1.45
Average Heart Rate 98 (WTH?)

30 treadmill
Incline 10% Speed 3
Calories 268
Miles 1.51
Average Heart Rate 117 / maximum HR 137
HGPU 20, 15, 15, 8 (58)
M pull ups 10, 7, 6 (23)
L Push Ups 20 + 10 + 10
M 20 + 10
Bicycles 50
Crunches 30/20
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Smith Flat Bench
Bar (30) x 15
50 x 12
70 x 12 

90 x 6M, L12
M 80 x 8
L100 x 12
50 x 25

M Lateral Machine
35lbs x 12 reps x 3
Leg Press Machine
90lbs x 12 x 3

L DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
15lbs x 12/15 x 3 sets

L Rip Skulls
30 x 12 x 3
M Rip Skulls
20 x 12 x 3

Stretch