Mixing Up the Cardio

It poured buckets last night into the morning. Reports of localized flooding and power outages peppered the news. My neighbors across the street have the same type of peat moss septic system that we have. We had our alarm disconnected because during a storm, the alarm will sound every 15 minutes no matter how often you "turn it off" and there's nothing you can do to ameliorate the situation. The alarm is rather pointless, only serving to annoy your neighbors and keep you sleepless. We have the system pumped and checked every 2 years and everything is working fine. We live in a pocket that backs onto wetlands on the side of a big hill. The water eventually drains. We don't need an alarm to tell us the ground is soppy. Besides, what could we possibly do about it?

So I'm wondering how the neighbors manage to sleep through the septic system alarm that the entire fork can hear. And they have their windows open. It's after 9 am when the father staggers out of the house to finally flip the switch. I'm thinking they either have great soundproofing, or they've got great drugs in spite of the fact they have a young child. Or maybe because they have a young child. I can hear her screaming a tantrum when she's inside her house and I'm inside my house. And they live across the street and down a bit. Oh dear.  

Today is Wednesday and Hump Days are for Cardio. Because I'm too tired to do anything else. It's also a tad crowded. More and more senior members are returning. I let my husband warm up on the elliptical while I climb the StepMill for 30 minutes. I wasn't sure if I'd get really bored, but by mixing up my steps in 1- and 2-minute blocks of time, I was able to keep it fresh. Sweat runs down my face and into my mask, yet the mask is still comfortable enough to wear throughout the entire workout. The inner layer wicks moisture away from your face and that makes such a difference! 

After abs and some slight stretching, I got on the elliptical for 20 minutes. I'm saving Program 3 for a full 30-minute session so today I did Intervals: 10 minutes pedaling forward followed by 10 minutes backpedaling. Troughs are harder than peaks when you're pedaling backward! Tomorrow I might try doing a few minutes on the Expresso Bike. It's been a super long time since I played Dragon Island.

30Sept2020
Cardio Wednesday Again

Matrix Step
Speed 5
Min 30
HR 136
Cal 206
Steps 1374
Floors 85

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Pushups 25
Piriformis Stretches
Quick Mat Stretch

Precor elliptical
20 min
Program Intervals
HR 90, 142, 171
Cal 190
Distance 1.69

Sweat or Snot?

It's slated to rain all day, but at least not continuously. That'd be worrisome. With the rain comes humidity, and a welcomed drop in temps. I like it cooler. It's also prime "leaf-peeping season" for the northeast. Unfortunately, humidity also means mold. Too late, I realize that the laundered Jaanuu mask in my bag smells faintly sweet and not in a good way. Ugh. Mildew! Mildew is a type of mold. I have a sensitive nose and I can't bear the idea of inhaling potential fungal spores while I exercise. 

Luckily, I've got a few paper masks in my gym bag. They aren't brand new though, but they are dry and they don't have any noticeable odor. They've been in the bag for several days, so I don't know if there were virus particles on the outside of the masks that they'd still be viable. But they don't smell so I put one on to pedal on the elliptical. Between the humidity, my sweat, runny nose, and drool, I can't actually tell what that briny fluid leaking into my open mouth is. I pedal hard enough to pant for most of the cardio duration. Otherwise, in my mind, it's not actually cardio. I don't trust the HR readings on the machines and if they are accurate, then I have the most erratic HR ever. 

Once I get into the Aerobic Room for Core, I exchange the wet mask for a different one. Yes, I keep several paper masks in my gear bag, just in case. This mask is also used but dry. Good enough. Colored Sharpie markers put tiny dots on a corner of the masks so I know which masks are which (other markers might wash off with the sweat). My sciatica is a lot better, mostly because I got a new "student chair" to use at my desk. Most chairs are too tall for my short legs to comfortably reach the floor so I've been sitting on the footstool but it's actually too soft and unstructured to offer proper hip and back support. I still do the piriformis stretches though. 

Regular members are starting to return to the gym. But it's still not crazy crowded so I'm able to do my DB shoulder workout in relative peace. However, the StepMill is occupied so I opt to do my ending 15 minutes of cardio on the elliptical again. This time I do the Interval program and adjust the Resistance at the peaks to 4, down from 8. I also decide to pedal backward on the peaks and forward in the trough just to mix things up. Because routines make you complacent. I wish I could say that all this activity resulted in a remarkable physical transformation, but it hasn't. I've lost maybe a pound, but at least I'm not gaining. It's a lot of hard work just to stand still, especially as you age. Making progress might take something more drastic.  

29Sept2020
Rainy Tuesday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 2
HR 84, 194, 149
Cal 314
Distance 2.83

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Pushups 25
Piriformis Stretch
Quick Mat Stretch

DB raises supersets
lateral standing 15 lbs x 15 x 4
reverse inclined flys 15 lbs x 20
20lbs x 20 x 3

Rip Skulls s/s Bicep Curls
30 lbs x 15 reps

Precor elliptical
15 min
Program intervals F/R
HR 148, 171
Cal 141
Distance 1.26

117.6 vs 119.4

It's Autumn

The trees are splashed with brilliant reds and golds. If the leaves manage to hang on, the landscape will be brilliant with "fall foliage" in a matter of days. It's unseasonably warm for this time of year, but the end of the week promises a temperature dip into the 30s. It will also be October. Not sure if there will be "trick or treating" but that hasn't stopped folks from decorating their yards and windows. We never get any trick or treaters but we'll still put up a small display, and have candy on hand. Just in case. Because you never know and you don't want to disappoint. 

My hubs and I get to the gym later than usual. There's no school today and we've slept in a bit. It's also unseasonably warm and damp. The gym is slightly more crowded than we're used to but I don't have any problems getting to the machines and stations I use for my routine. My hubs, on the other hand, does more cardio than usual because the DB Area is too crowded for his comfort level. Half the guys are walking around with their masks under their noses. Do you wonder why gyms are considered vectors of respiratory illnesses? I guess everyone feels invincible. 

Temps are supposed to drop into the 30s by the end of the week. It will feel more like Autumn. I'm a tad disappointed in myself that the Smith Inclined Press felt easier last week. Today, the plus 50 lbs (50 plus whatever the counterweighted Olympic bar actually weighs) feels a lot heavier than it did on Thursday. Of course, conversely, the Seated Cable Rows didn't feel all that strenuous. I might up the weight next time for that one. 

I wish I had more time to push weights but I'm not willing to shorten my cardio duration. I probably need to do even more cardio if I hope to drop this quarantine weight. It's only 7-8 lbs but on a small person, that's quite a lot. Last week I got to the gym 5 days in a row. I confess it did feel a tad exhausting. The 5-mile hike we took with our Scout Troop this weekend wasn't bad at all though. And in-person schooling starts next week for 2 days out of 5. This should be interesting. 

28Sept2020
Yom Kippur Monday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 3
HR 84, 145, 198
Cal 316
Distance 2.85

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Pushups 25
Quick Mat Stretch

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 20
+20 x 15
+40 x 21
+50 x 15 (heavy!), 15, 15

Seated Cable Row (light)
70 lbs x 15 x 3

Matrix Step
Speed 5
Min 15
HR 146
Cal 108
Steps 729
Floors 45

Workout Interruptus

I get to the gym a bit later in the morning as I had to wait for my husband to be done with a group call. The gym is crowded! Well, not really. But both Precors are occupied. Ugh. My husband has no problem using the LifeFitness cross-trainer even though he doesn't like the shortened arc of the pedal track. I find it makes my right foot toes go numb and it's got more resistance than I care to subject my knees to. Instead, I use the StepMill for 20 minutes to warm up. And then, because suddenly both Precors are available, I get on one for 25 minutes. Except the machine is a bit wonky today: it can't keep proper time and keeps flashing between time elapsed and arbitrary numbers like 5 or 7. The StepMill also didn't record a heart rate so everything is a bit off today. 

At one point, I see 5 different people, all men, wearing their masks under their noses as they walk around the equipment or push a few weights. Sigh. Who I don't see is the elderly lady who had pulled her mask down past her face to speak with a friend just a foot away. I'm hoping she didn't take ill, but behavior like that is troubling. The rate of infection (still very low) for our county is creeping up with the start of in-person schooling. That, and the pandemic fatigue that leads to careless actions. Our school district has forced parents to download an app called ezSCRN to monitor student health. It's not at all reassuring that it has a low rating of 2 stars out of 5 from just 23 users. 

While I'm on the elliptical, my son texts me about school. I have to respond but there's no way to really pause the program so I just pedal slower. Just as well since I'm actually really tired. This texting continues while I'm in the Aerobic Room doing crunches and planks. I have to sporadically answer him between sets of DB lateral raises and reverse flys on the Inclined Bench. At least I can maintain the weight and reps for the supersets. Hopefully, next week will be better. 

25Sept2020
Friday

Matrix Step
Speed 5
Min 20
HR n/a
Cal 141
Steps 944
Floors 59

Precor elliptical
30 min interrupted
Program 2
HR 148, 198, 124
Cal 239
Distance 2.27

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Pushups 25

DB raises supersets
lateral standing 15 lbs x 15 x 4
reverse inclined flys 15 lbs x 20
20lbs x 20 x 3

Washable Masks Means Pet Hair in the Mouth

Sweating from the top

My husband was impressed with the washable, reusable Jaanuu face masks but they were a tad small on him so he ordered ones more suitable for a man's face. That means they're bigger. These masks also come in a kid's size because hybrid learning means kids go to school a few days a week and have to wear a mask the entire time. That's at least 6 hours and the mask has to be comfortable. Hybrid classes start in two weeks in my school district. But my son is bummed that lab classes for Chemistry will be pre-recorded videos with little to no actual lab work. 

In general, I'm satisfied with the Jaanuu masks. Yes, they are hot when you're breathing hard doing cardio, but they also keep you warm when you're standing around outside chatting with other parents, like at a Scout Troop meeting. At the gym today, sweat rolls down my face and is absorbed by the mask fabric. Because there is an internal liner, the mask doesn't stick to my skin. Yes, the mask is wet to the touch when I pull it off to blow my nose or sip some water. The black ones don't show the sweat stains. The gray mask is mottled with sweat but it's not too noticeable. 

Another consideration is for pet owners. I'm the type of person who absolutely can't stand having hair in my mouth. It doesn't matter whose hair it is. So, if you have ever-shedding dogs (or cats, or dogs who shed like cats) you'll want to take extra care to keep freshly laundered masks away from the rest of your clothes. It's nearly impossible to fish dog hair out of your mouth when you're masked and pedaling hard. 

Inside liner

I'm literally the only person on the entire cardio platform this morning. I'm really tired though. Is it because I added just one more cardio session yesterday? More people trickle in around lunchtime. Most people have no trouble keeping their masks up over their nose for the entire duration of their workout, except when they need to rehydrate. 

Later, I'm able to increase the weight slightly on the Smith Inclined Press and do it for reps. Being tired is an illusion. But that pesky right sciatic nerve is extremely unhappy with the big adjustable bench today. I have my feet placed on a footrest under the seat but the action of pressing the bar up causes a surprising amount of discomfort in the right glute. I'm still seeing the chiropractor. He still thinks it's a disk problem. I hope not.

Seated Cable Rows are only hard on the elbows at the end of the last set, but I don't feel confident in my back health to increase the weight. Maybe I'll sneak a few Hammer Grip Pull-ups tomorrow at the Stretch Cage. While I'm on the StepMill, I see the new guy who always wears his mask under his nose. He's on a Cybex pseudo-elliptical and now his mask is under his lower lip. Seriously? I flip through my phone and find the screengrab of Dude With A Sign. Then, as I walk past the new guy, I hold my phone at him. He looks and shakes his head embarrassed, then pulls his mask up. Yeah, I'm that kid in grade school that nobody liked. 

After changing and showering, I put on an Old Navy reusable cloth mask. No, I didn't iron it after laundering either and it shows. I'd never work out in it, but it's good enough to walk the aisles of the grocery. 

24Sep2020
Thursday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 1
HR 122, 148, 175
Cal 311
Distance 2.82

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Pushups 25
Quick Mat Stretch

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 20
+20 x 15
+40 x 20
+50 x 20, 20

Seated Cable Row (light)
70 lbs x 15 x 3 sets

Matrix Step
Speed 5
Min 15
HR 136
Cal 103
Steps 688
Floors 43

If I Have To Iron This...

Last night's deeply orange-hued moon looked like a peach slice hanging large in the sky. It was quite breathtaking. Temps are warmer and we're enjoying our "Indian summer" or if we want to be PC about it, "second summer." Which just reminds me of second breakfasts and Hobbits. 

I had machine-washed the Old Navy cloth face masks but unfortunately, they sat in the dryer for several hours after the cycle was done. When I got around to them, they were all crumpled and wrinkled. Yes, cotton does that, but all the crumpling distorts the pleats and makes me wonder if I'll have to iron these masks before they can be used. Uh, nope. I smooth them out and fold them once over. Will I be judged for my disheveled face masks? They are more comfortable than the Jaanuu masks but less trustworthy. I can wear them grocery shopping, but not to the gym. 

Today will be the first time I've gone to exercise three days in a row! WooHoo! The parking lot seems crowded but the gym itself isn't. I guess everyone else is at the laundromat next door. What I really need is more cardio in my program, so I do a double set with some core in between. And because I watched an old lady brazenly use the Stretch Cage to stretch, and no one said Boo to her, I decide that if there's no one on the adjacent stations, then I'll sneak in a few Hammer Grip Pull-ups. 

Sadly, my right elbow is chronically inflamed by the constant jerking and pulling of my neurotic rescue dog when we go for a walk twice a day. I'm not only out of practice (it's been months since I did pull-ups in my garage) but I'm also heavier. None of these things are good things. I only manage 6 reps each time I sneak into the Stretch Cage. I got 12 reps today, just not all at once. 

23Sept2020
Cardio Wednesday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 3
HR 86, 146, 194
Cal 315
Distance 2.84

HGPU sneaky 6

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Pushups 25
Quick Mat Stretch

HGPU sneaky 6

Precor elliptical
25 min
Program Intervals
HR n/a
Cal 227
Distance 2.04

When the Breath in Your Ear Is Your Own

The gym seems more crowded on Tuesday than on Monday. Perhaps members feel they are all avoiding the crowd by doing so, but of course, that means they've just moved the crowd to another day of the week. I see a lot of regulars, but the gym is by no means "crowded." The ellipticals are both free and I pedal furiously while breathing heavily. I have on a gray Jaanuu mask and it fits well, allows me to pant, and doesn't cause my breath or sweat to condensate against my face. 

I'm getting better at this, as measured by the tiny incremental increase in my distance while using Program 2. Or maybe I'm just having a better day. After stretches and ab exercises in the Aerobic Room, I do a few sets of DB shoulder movements. Reverse Inclined Flys were boring last week so I increase the DBs for that. While I don't feel as if I'm suffocating as I lay on the Inclined Bench with my face against my hoody, it's still difficult to breathe properly because of the mask. The double layer of fabric (mask and hoodie) really seems to impede airflow. However, using 20s instead of 15s didn't cause the rear delts much stress. Figures. It's not the medial delts but the wonky elbow joints that keep the Lateral Raises at 15 lbs. Joints are the weak link.

While I'm on the StepMill, I resist the urge to sing along to my tunes. I'm breathing too hard anyway. The mask gives me some assurance that I'm not breathing in someone else's aerosolized exhalation. Meanwhile, I see at least 4 people walking around with their masks either under their nose or worse, under their chin. No, they're not in a crowd but they are walking around the inside of a closed environment with no guarantee that the air is circulating through HEPA filters. Doors are closed because it's chilly out so there's also no guarantee of fresh air circulating either. This is why the gym is listed as one of the 3 most dangerous places to contract Covid. Honestly, I don't know why hospitals or doctor offices aren't on that list, but I guess that now that they take temperature checks and ask a bunch of questions, well, they're safe now. We can disregard the CDC since they can't keep a position without political pressure, but even Dr. Fauci?! 

Already, our area has seen an uptick of Covid cases. There were 4 new cases last week. There are over a dozen new cases this week. And local news warns us that a person who tested positive had been to the local grocery last Wednesday between 7-8 pm. I breathe a sigh of relief because although I shop there frequently, never at that time. People are getting complacent because there haven't been dramatic deaths in our town. People have pandemic fatigue, which is the worst time to get lax about the basics like hand-washing, social distancing, and wearing a mask.

My mask isn't horribly inconvenient or cumbersome. These Jaanuu masks are shaped better so they're not infringing on my lower peripheral vision the way the blue "paper" masks do. But, when I'm breathing hard, I do notice the sound of air whooshing over the tunes in my earbuds. Like someone panting in my ear. Yeah, it's me. The mask is forcing my breath back along my cheeks and into my ears! Still, not quite as annoying as having your ear canals filled with sweat as it drips off your head. Earbuds mostly prevent that. 

I get home to a box of Old Navy masks. They are somewhat larger and looser and I don't trust them as much as the Jaanuu masks because of the loose fit. But I pop them into the wash as one does with all new garments. Maybe they'll shrink a little? I'd wear them outdoors when masking isn't that critical. At least I have choices. 

22Sept2020
Autumnal Equinox Tuesday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 2
HR 152, 183, 82, 93
Cal 317
Distance 2.85

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Pushups 25
Quick Mat Stretch

Walking Lunges
20, 21

DB raises supersets
lateral standing 15 lbs x 12, 15,
reverse inclined flys 15 lbs x 20, 20
20lbs x 20, 20, 20

15 lbs Alt DB Curls x 12

Matrix Step
Speed 5
Min 15
HR 123
Cal 105
Steps 705
Floors 44