Wicked Friday

Temps have dropped and it's been raining for two days now. No park for the puppers. I didn't feel rested enough to even attempt to go to the gym yesterday... my eyes were burning from fatigue and I wound up taking a nap in the afternoon just so I'd be refreshed enough to drive my son to his kung fu class. In-person classes have resumed but students have the option to stay home and attend via Zoom. My son says that in-person is always much better, at least where martial arts are concerned. 

Academically, he'd rather stay home because, on those days, we don't waste precious sleeping time getting ready to meet the school bus. Since there are no actual in-person science labs, there's no difference between being in school watching a video of a lab and staying home to watch a video of a lab. However, the gym teacher does try to get everyone outside to play tennis or soccer, at least for 40 minutes. At home, my son curls up with a blanket, works on homework assignments, and waits for the next class to start. 

I run a bunch of errands before heading to the gym. The ellipticals are occupied but I don't mind using the LifeFitness cross-trainer for 20 minutes. I still get good and sweaty. I'm not alone in the Aerobic Room as there's a young man doing planks and side-stepping. He's probably the only dude I've ever seen do Bird Dogs as well, but he only does them for 20 seconds at a time alternating sides several times. Bird Dogs aggravate my sciatica. I don't know why but I still do them. Maybe I shouldn't?

My doctor called me yesterday to discuss my X-rays. Yes, there's arthritis at L4 and 5 and S1. L for lumbar. S for sacral. That area is susceptible to all sorts of indignities like disc herniation, fractures, inflammation. I have two of three symptoms: pain and numbness. Luckily, I don't seem to suffer from muscle weakness. I'll need to do either physical therapy or see my chiropractor for at least 6 weeks before moving forward with an MRI if nothing improves. Unless, of course, this now-chronic condition resolves itself. Ugh. 

Well, at least I got some cardio in, some ab exercises, and a couple of pushups. Fifty is probably as many as I'll push myself to do in one set. The ClimbMill continues to baffle me as the first 5 minutes were paced at 52 steps per minute. Then it sped up to 57 for a few minutes and then dropped down to 55. I have no idea why. 

13Nov2020
Friday the 13th

LF x-trainer
20 min + 5 cool down
Program: Manual
HR 121-147
Cal 199
Distance 2.7

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

Matrix ClimbMill
Speed 6
Min 15
HR 130
Cal 119
Steps 814
Floors 50