Feeling Norwegian

I never work out on weekends so Mondays I expect to be fresh. Today I decide I'm not only going to do the Norwegian 4 x 4 cardio workout, but I'm also going to do a regular Push Day workout, or as much as I can manage. It's surprisingly cold at 55F and raining when I wake up. The rest of the week should be warmer, but with Hurricane Florence advancing on the East Coast, it's hard to say what the weather will really be. I actually turned the heat on in my car as I drove to the gym today! It's still early September and the forecast is for mid to upper 70s later by next weekend. Crazy!

I have a lot of trouble leaving the house on time since I'm wrestling with computer issues from last night that haven't really resolved themselves. I manage to use a band-aid approach by slipping into my son's laptop while he's asleep. It's a PC and I'm a Mac person, so there's a steep learning curve. It's a right hand mouse, and I like to use my big track ball left-handed, so another frustration. Oh well.

I'm not sure if it's the 4 X 4, but lately I've felt more focused, and sharper. Which is a huge relief, because feeling fuzzy and stupid isn't at all pleasant. I stick to using the elliptical for the cardio, then do one lone set of pull ups. Although I don't feel thoroughly exhausted, I notice that the weights feel heavier today. I can still move them, but the 25 reps at 65 lbs was actually a grind. In past attempts, I've actually considered bumping the weight up to 70 because it had felt too easy! I only do one set of pull ups and I don't even feel guilty about it. That's different!

I'm only partially mindful of the erratic behavior that the heart rate monitor displays while I'm pedaling (dropping to 83 bpm as I hit 260 SPMs, then rising to 180 bpm as I drop to 160 SPMs). I've read about coaches who ignore the heart rate zones, and base the effort required on how breathless you are while exercising. Can you carry on a conversation? Then you're not pedaling hard enough for a cardio workout. I'm not exhausted, but by the end of the workout, I feel something I can only describe as hollow. Maybe because I didn't eat more than a few spoonfuls of yogurt to wash my vitamins down with? Or maybe, because this is a kick-ass cardio workout. 

I manage the DB super sets okay, and the Rip Skulls at 35 lbs were also okay. Not a walk in the park, but I'm not really thinking of jumping the weight up either. Of course, my eye surgery is next Wednesday, which will mean 6-8 weeks of dreary, boring walking or light pedaling. I'm trying to bank my cardio so that I won't feel totally out of shape when I finally get back to it. It's kind of depressing to think about, but at least I know I have the capacity to regain most of my conditioning. It still makes me upset to think of myself as approaching Senior Citizen status! I'm just middle-aged!

Tomorrow I plan to just do a bit of cardio in the morning before I have my blood drawn for the requisite tests needed by the hosting hospital. Well, at least I don't need to have another chest X-ray. And I'm soooo not looking forward to the catheter the anesthesiologist will snake into my arm next week, and the subsequently huge, nasty bruise afterwards. Or the clear plastic eye shield, or having to tape my eye shut just to shower. But I've done it all before, so hopefully there won't be any surprises.

Push w HIIT Monday

4 x 4 Norwegian:
5 min warmup
4 min 85-95% HR (143-159)
3 min rest
4 sets
(5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30, 33)
Miles 2.71
Calories 300
AHR 150 / max 195

HGPU 20

Smith Inclined Press
Bar x15
50 x 12
70 x 12
90 x 12
65 x 25 hard!

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
20lbs x 12/15reps x 3 sets

Rip Skulls
35lbs x 12reps x 3 sets

Crunches 30/20
Side Scissors 50
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Stretch