Best Possible Outcome

Today is a Push Day but I want to make sure I'm home before noon when a couple from Vermont are due to arrive. The dog I adopted some 6+ weeks ago has not been able to adapt to his new surroundings. He just looks depressed or scared all the time. His former owners reached out to the rescue and asked if they could retrieve him since they had rectified their situation and were able to bring him home now. I'm happy to let him go if that means he can be a normal dog again.

I feel like a slug on the elliptical. Program 1 is not my friend either. But, as much as I complain, I can still do pullups and core without any issues. Because I space out and lose count too easily during crunches (3 sets of 20, but wait, am I on set 2 or 3 now?), I've resorted to actually counting. Yes, as in 20, 21, 22 all the way to 60. I'm surprised at how quickly that goes!

There is a woman using the Smith machine for squats and it looks like she'll be there for a spell. I'm resigned to doing what I consider warm-up work on the Breaker Inclined Bench. I don't quite get to 25 on any of my sets. My boney little hands get sore from the weight because I have some connective tissue issues and not enough padding in my palms. Definitely don't have meaty paws.

I've never been able to do the pinky-up pour-the-pitcher movement for DB Lateral Raises. This is supposed to isolate the medial deltoid. Instead, I bend over slightly, keep my elbows bent (to take stress off them) and my hands in a thumbs-up position. I can feel the delts work and I'm not in danger of destroying my rotator cuff. Meanwhile, the Reverse Inclined Flys at 25 are just fine, even after 6 sets. Those muscles are stronger.

I'm afraid I've lost all respect for KickBoxer Gal today since she hogged two benches while rotating out of the area to do other things. She didn't return for a good 15 minutes with DBs in disarray at the foot of one bench and a gear bag on the adjustable inclined one. I'm shameless. I toss the gear bag onto another bench and do my sets. If she's upset, she can bitch at me because I don't actually care. It's annoying and disrespectful to everyone else to leave your stuff everywhere thinking you can "place hold" benches and DBs. But I'm old school and actually believe in gym etiquette.

The painters still aren't done with the gym and today they're in the Stretch Area. After Rip Skulls and 25 minutes on the elliptical, I drag two foam pads to the CF area and do my stretches there. I wonder if the gym will finally be painted by Thanksgiving. It's highly unlikely...

Pre-Turkey Monday Push

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Miles 2.83
Calories 313
HR 143-192 (125, 85)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 25

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 20
65 x 21, 21, 18

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flys
20 lbs x 12/20 reps
20/25 lbs x 12/20 reps x 3 sets

Rev Inclined Flys
25lbs x 20 reps x 3 sets

Rip Skulls
40 x 12, 12, 12

20 elliptical + 5 cd
Program 1
Calories 235
Miles 2.09
HR 145-186 (95, 91)

Mat Stretch