Exercise Wakes You Up

We watched the ill-fated Welcome To Marwen last night on Hulu. Based on the true story of Mark Hogancamp, the film apparently lost $60 million dollars because it cost $40 million to make, not including marketing costs, and then only grossed a little over $12 million worldwide. That's pretty dismal, especially during the 2018 holiday season when it was released. We still enjoyed it though, with all the special-effects and weird storylines. Critics fault it for being flat, two-dimensional and tone-deaf. Yes, it was but I attributed that, perhaps too generously, to the protagonist's emotional and physical trauma. Steve Carrell's a pretty good actor--I've liked most of his movies.



The alarm shocks me out of a deep sleep this morning. I'm glad I packed my gym bag last night. My son is sleepier than I am and neither of us is particularly chatty in the morning. I run into B at the gym and she's nothing but chatter. Which is fine as long as I don't have to respond with anything more than a nod. I can't even bring myself to do the Norwegian 4 x 4 either. I'm just too tired. But I know I'll feel better if I do some sort of cardio, so I select the Precor Fitness Program 3 for 30 minutes, plus 5 more minutes for a cool down that's just an excuse to pedal forward for the last segment.

The Fitness programs are all structured the same way: 4 sections of equal duration but with differing elevations, starting with pedal forward, then pedal backward. Pedal forward, pedal backward. I can't do that on the Life Fitness Cross-trainer because the machine itself has a different glide motion. While I'm pedaling, M shows up at the stationary bikes on a pair of crutches. Whatever his injury is, he's still able to pedal while chatting with the fellow beside him. He and Lazy Pedals, Big Train Tank, and a bunch of other guys comprise the morning regulars. I'm impressed with PO Goatee because he's the only one I can't hear over my tunes--everyone else must be deaf.

The pullups feel okay. Core feels okay although I still haven't gotten used to those beginning elbow planks yet. Back in the weight area, B is on the Smith but she's chatting with Big Train Tank. I ask her how many sets, hoping she'll say she's done, so I'm disappointed when she says "Oh just two more" because like all the others, she spends a lot of time talking between sets. I probably look annoyed and stalk off to the breaker inclined benches. I knock out three quick sets as a warmup, and I'm surprised when B is off the Smith.

I drop my hoodie on the bench in the Smith and tell B that I didn't want to rush her because I know she likes to chat. She seems offended and claims that she was just resting. Oh, she never chats during workouts. Uh-huh. I tell her I see "the guys" standing around chatting all the time. She rushes off to look busy. I get my sets of Inclined Benching done and wander into the DB area for supersets.

Big Train Tank seems to be doing a circuit between flat benching, DB pullovers and something else. I don't really care except he never wipes the bench down and even though I'm just putting my feet there, I don't want my sneakers sliding on someone else's sweat puddle. Men are gross. The young bearded fellow the next bench over witnesses me swiping the wet spot with bleach and paper towels. When he's done with his DBs, he carefully wipes down his bench. Good boy!

I even do a few sets of Rip Skulls. All the breaker benches have loaded bars without obvious occupants in sight. There are spring clips at the ends to hold the plates on. My hands aren't big enough to use spring clips: I can't get my fingers around the handles or generate enough force to squeeze them open. (I used to bring my own Rogue collars when I moved heavier weights.) The flat bench in the DB area will have to suffice. Because I have short legs, I can't place my feet flat on the floor during this movement, so I have to keep my knees bent and my feet flat on the bench. It's not as stable as using the breaker bench where I can place my feet on the spotting platform just behind the support bars. My right elbow twinges a little so I drop a rep with each set.

After another round on the elliptical, I'm totally awake. Walking by the Nexersys machines, I see that one of the screens is lit. It's still alive! I ask the front desk and someone mentions that they've seen it in use as of yesterday. The gym owner tells me to whack it out because once it's truly dead, he's putting it out with the trash. I guess I'd better get my gloves and moleskin ready for tomorrow!

Dreary Monday Push

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 292
Miles 2.
Calories 327
HR 141-188 (86, 93, 96)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 21

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

Breaker Inclined Bench
Bar (45) x 15
55 x 15
65 x 15

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 12 reps
50 x 12
70 x 25 x 3

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flys
20 lbs x 12/15 reps x 4 sets

Rip Skulls
40lbs x 12, 11, 10

20 elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.05
Calories 229
HR 143-180 (87, 90)

Mat Stretch