Crowds on an Off Day

I had planned to use a cardio machine different from one of the four Precor ellipticals, but there were people on the cross-trainer and the recumbent bike. Oddly, the treadmills were empty. But I don't care for treadmills because there's too much impact on my knees if I move faster than race-walking. I can't qualify it as cardio because I can't work up a good breathless sweat. And I'm quite surprised at how crowded the gym is, considering that it's Thursday. But classes have also resumed and a lot of people like to warm up doing other things before attending. Very few people linger after class to do weights or cardio. I guess class is just that exhausting!

After cardio and my basic core exercises, I wander into the DB area and claim an adjustable incline bench. There are two sets of DBs for each weight category in 5 lb increments until you get to 30 lbs. Then there's only one set. I use super light DBs for the Shoulder Press and Front Raises because my anterior delts hate these movements. My right shoulder twinges even at this light weight! I consider this a warmup for the exercises to come.

Unfortunately, there's only one 20 lb DB in the rack. I have no idea where the other three are. I use a pair of 15s for a warmup set, then hunt for the 2.5 lb magnetic disc weights. Again, I find three of the four I know to exist. While I'm searching for the last disc, a lot of the regular guys have hopeful looks on their faces. Like I'm going to actually speak to them? Dream on, losers. I see B working out. She chatted me up in the locker room yesterday, commenting on the length of my hair. Mostly she talked about her hair and not using highlights anymore and how now she looks just like her cousin. I mostly nodded and told her her hair looks nice.

Silently, I motion to B to ask her if she's seen the last disc. She locates it on the floor under the seated cable row. Ugh. I wish people would put things back where they belong, but that's asking too much. Like asking them to rerack their weights! Or maybe the DBs? Slapping two discs on per DB creates the equivalent 20 lbs I'm looking for and that's how I perform my remaining sets, although I have to be careful during Reverse Inclined Flys not to knock the discs off when I bring my hands in close to the bottom of the bench.

There are a lot of women in the weight area today. I recognize most of them, but not all. One of them is particularly stunning since she's tall and slender with nicely defined arms and legs. Of course, she's probably still in her 20s. At least the guys are well-mannered enough not to actually stare. She's gone before creepy PJ Pants arrives. He'd just drool.


Thursday Mild Shoulders Plus

30 + 5 cd elliptical
Program 1
Miles 2.88
Calories 321
HR 144-198 (85)

Cage Stretch

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Horizontal Scissors 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

DB Shoulder Press s/s Front Raises
10 lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets

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

20 Step Mill
Level 3
Calories 116
Total steps 738
Floors 46
HR 116

Mat Stretch