The Pan in Pandemic is for Panic

Now that temps are warming up, the hope is that the coronavirus panic will dissipate. Statistically, flu and cold viruses tend not to do well during the summer months because they thrive and are more transmissible in cold, dry air. There's a chance the coronavirus will also succumb to heat and moisture. Meanwhile, stores have begun to announce a quantity limit to consumer purchases of hand sanitizer, bleach disinfectant, rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel, and toilet paper. I wished they'd thought of that earlier, before their shelves were laid bare by panicked shoppers.

The gym has big tubs of disinfectant wipes at either end of the cardio platform. They're more convenient and seem to last longer than the paper towel dispensers and spray bottles of bleach solution. Of course, if you try to order one online, you'll find that they're on backorder until next month. That means by the time you get your doomsday supplies, the pandemic will be over. Or so we all hope.

Out of an abundance of caution, our Scout district closed the two local Scout camps, which makes no sense. Now we have to reschedule our tent camping event, necessary for rank advancement for some of the boys. Rumors of our school closing tomorrow have been found wanting. A local student rock band is still slated to perform at the HS for the next three nights. Ten dollars at the door. The gym not as crowded as it would be normally mid-week, but then again, it's sunny outside and runners will hit the bike trails instead. Or everyone's in a panic and plan to shelter in place until it all blows over. Whenever that will be...

While I'm on the elliptical, I watch a senior regular wipe down his stationary bike. That's probably the first time I've ever seen him do that. It also seems as if he's never cleaned anything before because he only brushes the wet towel against the top of everything. Handlebars are circular: you have to wipe all the way around, not just the top. Jeeze, I'll bet his wife does the dishes and the laundry in his house. 

There are already two women in the Aerobic Room by the time I walk in to do my Core exercises: Floppy Girl with her 5 lb plates, and a different woman doing an assortment of exercises she's written down on a notepad. The only time I pay any attention to the latter is when she crouches down on her knees to do pushups. She manages to drop maybe an inch, which is to say, not very far. She does three. I want to tell her to try wall pushups, and to lean all the way into it for the stretch. Because I don't think what she's doing is going to help with anything. But I don't say anything. Because maybe she's got injuries or joint issues? I'm not a trainer, and I'm not going to pretend to play one on TV. Then, I drop and knock out 26 pushups before I leave the room.

My right forearm is a bit sore after pullups so I nix the idea of doing another set later. I find myself massaging the tendons between sets at the Seated Cable Row. Not good. I also realize that I really need two days to recover from my DB superset workout. That means not doing them until tomorrow. Today I'll focus on just pulling motions (Back & Bi's) although I don't do any specific bicep work. Because biceps get worked in every pulling exercise!

Too close to the mirror!

In the end, I give in and do Smith RDLs but so much lighter at 100 lbs that I manage 20 reps per set. It's virtually aerobic at this point. The backs of my thighs are surprisingly stiff from yesterday's Intervals session. I guess I'll do that again. I look over at the MaxRack, wondering why there are no plates on the rack itself. Then I realize that the dodos who moved the rack (to put up the aluminum sheeting along the base of the wall) pushed the rack back too far. There's no room for the diameter of plates! Yep, dodos.

Wednesday Pull Day

30 + 5 cd elliptical
Program 3
Miles 2.92
Calories 328
HR 152-198 (100, 96, 86)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 23

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
PushUps 25

Seated Cable Rows
70 x 12
77.5 x 12
85 x 12
92.5 x 12

Smith RG BB Row
Bar (30) x 15
80 lbs x 25 reps x 3 sets

Smith RDLs (light)
80 x 20, 20, 20

Mat Stretch