I am totally exhausted when I drive my son to the school bus stop this morning and part of me is extremely happy not to even consider HIIT cardio. Instead, I start off slowly with a warm-up pace for the first 7.5 minutes. That's how long each section is in the Precor elliptical's 30-minute fitness program. It's telling that my HR appears to be ridiculously high when I start, somewhere around 155, if you can trust this machine (which I don't).
By my second cardio workout, my start HR is closer to 135. But in both cases, I do ramp up the effort and watch my HR at first dip to ridiculously low numbers (85, 88) and then blip up 100 points or more. I think it's wonky software in the HR monitors as I don't get these types of readings on other cardio machines. In all fairness though, I also don't push as hard on those other machines either, because I can't. The elliptical is the closest in mimicking my natural running movement. None of the other machines feel as in sync.
Even after my warm-up cardio, I still feel a bit sluggish and grind my way through elbow planks, crunches, and other core exercises. At least I felt strong during pullups. I get a warning twinge in my left forearm at the 20th rep, one of the reasons I only go to 21 these days. It's a Pull Day, which to a lot of folks means Back and Biceps. I've dropped a lot of exercises because they're too strenuous for my glaucoma.
Now I'm down to Lat Pull Downs (with a neutral, close-grip handle), Seated Cable Rows and RG BB Curls. If I get desperately bored, I might return to Smith RDLs for high reps at a really low weight. And while I'm in the Smith, I'd probably add RG BB Rows, again with high reps and low weight.
Mostly what I do is cardio. I've gotten a bit antsy by the RG BB Curls, which is weird considering that all I've had is a half cup of day-old coffee and a lot of water. I'm a bit wrecked and maybe it's that I'm over-tired. I know that happens with little kids. Not sure this is applicable to adults in their late 50s. I can't wait to get on the elliptical again. Actually, I looked at the cross-trainers but they were occupied, and the recumbent bikes are usually reserved for the really frail or super lazy. The ellipticals are all empty. Yaaay me!
Program 1 is my least favorite because of how much time is spent at Incline 1 (which is flat). I'm much happier with higher incline levels. I'm only on for 25 minutes and I should be fairly tired. With only 5 minutes left in the program, I find myself really pushing hard. It feels awesome. Somewhere, some part of me is missing the exertion from HIIT cardio and interval training.I'm not tired anymore. But I'd better get a decent amount of sleep tonight. A new study indicates (at least among healthy young white men) that 4 straight nights of less than optimal sleep causes metabolic slowdowns, leading to overeating and weight gain. A weekend of catch-up sleep helped but didn't totally mitigate the problems initiated by higher levels of blood insulin. I always knew that being tired made me inexplicably hungrier. And colder. And like a recalcitrant 5-year old, I have trouble going to be on time. Some things are hard to change.
Another Exhausted Wednesday Pull
(5.01 miles)
30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.93
Calories 330
HR 159-202 (88, 94, 87)
Cage Stretch
HGPU 21
Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches Legs Up 60
Horizontal Scissors 60
Crunches knees bent 60
Bicycles 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Lat Pull Downs Close Neutral
70 x 15 warm-up
85 x 12
100 x 10
115 x 10
Seated Cable Rows
70 x 12
85 x 12, 12, 12
RG BB Curls
40 lbs x 25 reps x 3 sets
20 elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Calories 233
Miles 2.08
HR 139-190 (96)
Mat Stretch
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