Post-Holiday

I haven't worked out for the past 4 days even though the gym was open. I try to sleep in when I don't have to drive my son to the school bus stop. While the drive to see family on TurkeyDay wasn't horrendous (light traffic), the 2+ hours each way and standing in my stocking feet for most of the visit really aggravated the dormant sciatic nerve on the right side. It feels as if my bony feet don't have enough padding to protect them from the floor. Sitting in a car wreaked equal havoc on my middle back. 

Yesterday I got even less sleep when my son woke me up at 6:20AM because the shower handle broke and he couldn't turn the water off. Ugh. Eventually, I figured out how to shut the water down for the entire house and made several phone calls. Try getting a plumber on the Sunday of a Holiday weekend!

The plumber is coming this afternoon whenever he can squeeze me into his schedule. So this morning's jaunt to the gym wasn't just for the drudgery of exercise, but also the pleasure of using a working bathroom and having a hot shower afterward. 

The gym is crowded today and I do my cardio on the cross-trainer which leaves me with numb toes. I knock out a few pull-ups, do my basic core exercises and try to loosen and soothe my hips and back. Shoulders feel fine with the DB routine. It's cold and humid enough for the air to feel raw with flurries when I get to the Bark Park. Dogs don't care though. They're happy to race through the fallen leaves.

29 Nov 2021
Frosty Monday with Sciatica

LifeFitness cross trainer
Program Manual
Time: 25 min + 5 min cd
Distance: 3.28
Cal: 238
HR: 115-125

HGPU 13

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incl Flys
  10 lbs x 15/20 reps x 1
  15 lbs x 15/20 reps x 3

TurkeyDay Eve

Lately I've been waking up with my heart racing and a horrible sense of dread. The massive anxiety is new and inexplicable. I can understand why heart attacks happen predominantly in the morning. It might be the stress hormones our bodies produce that gets us up and maybe, for those of us who are not naturally morning larks, the stress is much greater because we need all that much more kick to get us out of bed. 

Chronic sleep deprivation is making is harder to get up at 5:45 on school days. Thank goodness we have a 4-day holiday! I'll just have to get up in time to get the puppers to the park (at a more reasonable hour) instead.

It's also bitterly cold outside with temps in the low 20s and the wind making it feel like mid-teens. My car's tire pressure sensor has lit up so after I work out, my next stop will be the local Valvoline to get my tires checked and re-pressurized. Because that will take extra time, I end my work out a bit early: no shoulders today. I'm also still sore from the past two days, and the Intervals program had me reconsidering my expectations for pull-ups. I'm very surprised when I'm able to get most of 15 reps. Yeah, that last rep was a struggle!

It's winter cold and the dogs don't care. We go to the park and are literally the only ones -- there's not another car in any of the visitor lots. An inch of ice floats in the water bowls but we have a heater in the equipment shed with big jugs of slushy water. I turn the heater on and periodically warm my toes. I'm also layered up in fleece and down, with alpaca wool socks and hat. It's still only November.

24 Nov 2021
Short Week Wednesday

Precor elliptical
Program Intervals
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5156)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 311
HR: 142-200, 90

HGPU 15

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Just Keep Moving

Ah, so science can now tell us once again that exercise is good for us. Not just good for us but might actually be the key to aging well. It feels like an "Uh, Duh" moment but at least now there might be reasonable explanation behind this belief. A long healthy life isn't one that's confined to a sedentary lifestyle. It's difficult though, when your docs tell you all the things you shouldn't be doing. Of course, a lot of the cures have been proven to be faulty. A prime example is the belief that running will wear out your knees. Studies now show that the weight-bearing movement actually nourishes the knee joint. Mind blown!

I'm walking that fine line between doing too much (and re-aggravating old injuries) and not pushing hard enough to benefit. Yes, walking is great but it's not conditioning. It's barely aerobic, unless you're walking so fast you can barely speak and risk getting shin splints. Thirty minutes walking the treadmill is better than 30 minutes sitting, but it's not what I'd call doing cardio. There are a lot of people walking the treadmill today. Probably getting in anticipation of the big feast day to come. I'm concerned that I've put on weight even before the actual event, so it's not looking good.

Cardio feels good today even though I'm sore. I position my hands close to my body during push-ups and try to ignore the left elbow's clicking while remembering to keep my head up. The entire effort makes my right side unhappy: right ear plugs up and shoulder twinges. Tomorrow I'll go back to the wide angle arms. No issue with Seated Cable Rows but the right elbow starts to complain so I cut back a few reps during Rip Skulls. It's really cold today so while I might not be happy at the dog park, the puppers will be joyously frisky because they're closer to sled dogs and wolves than most domesticated breeds.

23 Nov 2021
Frosty Tuesday

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5654)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
HR: 80, 142-188

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat Pose x 10
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Seated Cable Rows
50 lbs x 15 reps
70 x 15, 15, 15

Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 15, 12, 12

Inspite of Soreness

I woke up sore from the weekend where I spent a few hours using hedge trimmers and parrot beak loppers to clear a path to our ancient wood racks. There are still two full racks although the wood has been there for a few years, and not all of it is worth burning anymore. But we also have an empty rack that can be filled once we finish splitting wood left to us by neighbors who needed to take down some trees a few years ago. Those logs have been sitting under a tarp, just waiting for a powerful hydraulic splitter. Luckily, a friend from the dog park offered to let us borrow his 34-ton gas-powered splitter for the week. 

Loppers and hedge trimmers are tough on the forearms and mine are sore but they're not the only discomfort I'm feeling. Shoulders, perhaps from Friday, knees and middle back as well... But it's the forearms that has me the most concerned: how badly will this affect pull-ups today? I'm glad that the "trail blazing" hasn't aggravated my sciatica the way it did back in August. My mid-back has been mildly sore for weeks and all the bending and reaching that whacking weeds, even dead ones or perhaps especially dead ones, is stressful on what is most likely disc issues.

The gym is populated with regulars I haven't seen in a while. The morning crowd eerily absent. Perhaps because this is a short week with Thanksgiving on Thursday and Black Friday immediately after. I'm a bit breathless after cardio and the little voice in my head wants me to bail on the pull-ups. But I don't and am rewarded with 15 reps, which honestly, surprises the heck out of me because damn it, pull-ups are hard. I don't even feel my forearms when I do them. 

After core and stretches, I have just enough time to do a few sets of DB lateral raises superset with Reverse Incline Flys. In spite of my soreness, these aren't terribly hard. If I didn't have to rush home and take the pups to the park, I'd stay and do another few sets. There's no one in the DB area and that makes me happy. What makes me unhappy is how easy it's been to put on a few more pounds. It's getting ridiculous and my clothes are getting tighter. Ugh.

22 Nov 2021
Rainy Monday of a Short Week

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5504)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 312
HR: 148-188, 115

HGPU 15

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incl Flys
   10 lbs x 15/20 reps x 1
   15 lbs x 15/20 reps x 3

Cautious Maintenance

I'm still sore from Wednesday's workout so I'm cautious. Program 1 is difficult because of all the flat pedaling (incline 1-2) although there are a few peaks at incline 12-13. I'm glad to get the cardio over and done with. While I'm pedaling I see Snow Bird at the Back Extension machine next to the Stretch Cage and immediately I think I've got to get a set of pull-ups in right after I'm done with the elliptical. 

I'm surprised to get one more rep today than yesterday and truthfully, I'd forgotten that I'd done HGPUs yesterday. Normally I don't do them two days in a row because the movement puts a lot of strain on my elbow tendons. My forearm is just ever so slightly sore today. At least I'm getting my exercise in and potentially subverting common cancer risks, according to The New York Times. Apparently, inactivity is killing us (well, duh). Even if I'm only going 3-4 days a week, it counts more than walking 45 minutes daily.

In the Aerobics Room, I skip the Camel (dip down) portion of the stretch and feel how the tension in my middle back dissipates with each Cat (arch upward) stretch repetition. Push-ups are harder today. Air Squats are fine. I'm developing a rash on my legs again, same as last winter with no known reason why. I know I went to see the dermatologist about it but I can't remember what the outcome was, or if there was any resolution whatsoever. A lot of skin stuff gets symptomatic treatment, like a steroid cream and nothing else. And my skin is ridiculously sensitive and fragile. 

My wired earbuds announce ominously that the battery power is low so I swap them for the AirPods I keep in my gear bag. Truthfully, I hardly ever use them so it'll be interesting to see just how long one charge will last. And I don't use them unless I have to because I can't get the volume high enough to drown out all the surrounding chatter; sometimes it seems like the only exercise folks are getting is with their jaws. The AirPods are more convenient though when I have to lay down because there's no wire to stick to the back of my sweaty neck or get tangled in my hair. 

The Seated Cable Rows make me apprehensive because I can feel the shadow of my sciatica lurking in the right glute and foot. After a warm up set, I proceed slowly with the first 70 lb set. There are weird contractions in the center of my middle to lower back and I'm prepared to stop but everything settles down. The next two sets, with slightly fewer reps, feel good. I'll find out tomorrow whether my optimism was premature.

At the Breaker Bench, I can drape my hoodie on the end to lay my head, and hook my feet on the support under the front end of the bench between the bar rests. This is my preferred position for doing Rip Skulls as I don't have to worry about balancing since my feet are anchored. Rip Skulls are hard on my elbows but today they're okay with a dozen reps for 3 sets. Yaaay me!

19 Nov 2021
Frosty Friday

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5508)
Distance: 2.81
Cal: 311
HR: 139-194, 85

HGPU 13

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat Pose x 10
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Seated Cable Rows
50 lbs x 15 reps
70 x 15, 12, 12

Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 12, 12, 12

Cautiously Sore

I skipped yesterday's workout with the thought of catching up on my sleep but that didn't happen. The lure of fresh coffee was too great and then I was awake. Exhausted but awake. Can't sleep like that. My whole left side was out of kilter as well, with an odd sensation in my neck that also felt like a tightness in my collarbone, a knot under my left shoulder blade and a twinge in the hip. A visit to the chiropractor helped a little. I'm concerned this is all because I started lifting weights again.

Today, in spite of even less sleep, I drive to the gym. There's a fog warning and the headlamps of oncoming traffic is blinding. I'm annoyed more with the drivers who don't put their lights on so they're all but invisible on the road. Ugh. Maybe that's by design as the sheriff's department is guilty of that as well, but I think it's laziness and ignorance.

My middle back is slightly sore. My left hip still twinges every now and then. The labral tear in my right shoulder seems better today: tossing a ball for one of the puppers at the Bark Park can aggravate it a lot. But at least I don't feel the knot under my shoulder today. Doing Intervals might not've been the smartest or easiest cardio for today, but it's done. I'm lucky I get the mileage I do, since normally I get more. But I'm tired and so the "rest" intervals see me pedaling between 110-130 SPMs, and "active" means anything over 150. Towards the end of the session, I'm able to sprint pedal to 200 for a few seconds for each active interval. And I'm still tired when I reach up to the bar for pull-ups.

As much as my chiropractor and others like the Cat/Camel stretch for back and sciatic issues, I find that since starting this stretch, my middle back always feels sore. Not so much the rounded back (Cat) but in the deep arch (Camel). The rounded back though still makes the inside of my left foot ache. I don't think that's supposed to happen. Air Squats don't bother my knees as long as I'm careful to adjust my footing and make sure to stand up fully at the end of each rep. My left arm is skewed far from my body during push-ups: it's the only way that elbow and wrist don't click and hurt, so not ideal positioning but at least I'm able to do them. Yes, the best exercises are the ones you can do on a consistent basis without injuring yourself!

I exit the Aerobics Room through a side door that opens directly into the DB Area where most of the benches are vacant. More importantly, the adjustable inclined bench is vacant. I have to look up the last time I did this exercise set and copy it into today's log so I can replicate it. Because I'm so tired I don't remember. It's good to write things down and keep a record, just to make sure you know what you've already done and what you should be doing. I'm vaguely sore and it's because I'm pushing and pulling some weights again. Unfortunately, I also feel the slight discomfort of sciatica in my right glute. I'm at a crossroads: do I continue on this course or do I pull back? Ugh.

18 Nov 2021
Foggy Thursday

Precor elliptical
Program Intervals
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5162)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 311
HR: n/a

HGPU 12

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 10x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incl Flys
 10 lbs x 15/20 reps x 1
 15 lbs x 15/20 reps x 3

Unhappily Bigger

I must be stress eating or something because it's looking like those pesky 5 lbs I need to lose has grown into 8. I've got to nip this in the bud before that morphs into 10! It's bad when even your loose comfy clothes start to bind and pinch.

I'm at the gym a little past 7 and get on the elliptical for 35 minutes. When I'm done, the sweat is running down my face into my mask. Yes, I still wear a mask indoors in public places where not everyone is to be trusted with their hygienic practices. I don't wear one outside at the Bark Park or driving in my car. I don't understand why you'd wear one inside your own vehicle with no passengers.

Skipping Dead Bugs gives me the illusion of more time for pushing and pulling some weights after doing abs, push-ups and air squats. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that my knees aren't always happy with those squats even though I'm not shouldering any weight. Lately though, even my hips are unhappy, twinging on the outer edge where the femur inserts. I still blame sitting in HS classrooms with uncomfortable student chairs. 

I'm not brave enough to increase the weight on the Seated Cable Rows so I do my warm up at 50 lbs and 3 sets at 70 lbs, just like last week. Maybe next week I'll venture to 75 lbs. However, for the Rip Skulls I move up 5 lbs to the 30 lb solid bar. Several regulars are chatting but at least no one is draped over the bar rack. Twelve reps feels okay. Not easy, a little bit of stress in the shoulders, and hopefully nothing significant to the elbows. Tomorrow I'll just do a regular cardio and core day. It'll be relaxing before the next storm front hits us at week's end.

16 Nov 2021
Another Frosty Tuesday

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5502)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 311
HR: 93, 87, 138-189

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel x 12
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Seated Cable Rows
50 lbs x 15 reps
70 x 15, 15, 15

RipSkulls
30 lbs x 12, 12, 12

Sore Due to Inactivity

When you spend hours sitting in classrooms on chairs that are a skosh too tall, it tends to mess up your body in subtle but persistent ways. I missed 2 days at the gym last week, and went to an educational event for Scouts on Saturday which has tickled my sciatica and made me sore in weird spots like my hips, neck, upper shoulders. I made sure to hit the gym today. Lazy Pedals was draped over the elliptical so I hopped onto the closest cross-trainer. It's not the same movement and it's difficult to do any reverse pedaling so I don't even try. I get decent mileage but barely work up a sweat.

I get a few pull-ups in before heading into the Aerobics Room for abs and stretching. The DB free weight area is completely empty so I'm comfortable reprising the DB Lateral Raises superset with Reverse Inclined Flys. And I move up from the 10 lb DBs to the 15s. When I'm done, there are 2 other women in the DB area and a few beefy guys. Time to shower.

My 4-day holiday has me packing on a few more unintended pounds. Ugh. It's so much easier to put on weight than lose it, probably because snacking is pleasant and being hungry isn't. I just read that grapes have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol and 1.5 cups of fresh grapes is suggested. So what's that in raisins? Because, on top of dried tart cherries and walnuts in my oatmeal, I can also add raisins. A cup of grapes is approximately 100 calories, which is about 1/4 cup of raisins. No wonder I'm getting fat! Kidding. Or not.

I also haven't washed my hair in 4 days, which is always disconcerting because the amount of hair in the shower drain is always shocking. I don't have a lot of hair and mine is baby fine. Sorta like cat hair because it's everywhere and always seems to wind up in my nose or mouth. Yuck. That's one of the reasons I try to keep my hair clipped up and out of my face.

15 Nov 2021
Frosty Monday

LifeFitness cross trainer
Program Manual
Time: 25 min + 5 min cd
Distance: 3.09
Cal: 235
HR: 119-151

HGPU 13

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incl Flys
10 lbs x 15/20 reps x 1
15 lbs x 15/20 reps x 3

Bailing on the Storm

I took the dogs to the park for a brief jaunt this morning with the intentions of getting to the gym later, but the storm has intensified. I don't like driving when there's no visibility due to the sheets of rain, the threat of downed trees, and the potential for hydroplaning. The skies will clear later this afternoon but that's too late for me. The gym will be crowded with HS kids and shift workers.

I'm actually still sore from Wednesday as I also skipped the gym yesterday (Veterans Day), preferring to ignore my alarm and catch up on sleep. Of course, all the media is atwitter with how getting more than 6.5 hours of shut eye has been linked to higher cognitive decline. (And all this time we've been told that 8 hrs is the optimal amount!) Not getting enough down time has been definitively associated with all sorts of ailments from poor judgement to an increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. But 7 hours seems to really be the sweet spot. It's a goal. I'm lucky if I make it to 6 whole hours a night...

I'm pleased to read about a study to dispel the myth that cardio before weight training is counterproductive. Actually, cardio before weights can help build muscles. Of course, I do cardio before weights for very different reasons: it's a good proper warm up; cardio is a priority, especially due to my glaucoma; I feel more awake and limber after cardio and less prone to injuries; if I left it to the end, I could run out of time or energy and just bail on it.

I also read an interesting article on the link between estrogen and exercise here. The "female" hormone increases activity levels and makes it easier to be motivated. I admit that I feel better applying a tiny dab of estriol cream on the inside of my wrist (a weak form of estrogen) every night: a small 2 ounce jar has lasted me for several years. 

When I say "feel better" I'm not talking about hot flashes or night sweats. I'm talking about sex, about everything is fine except there's no orgasm. Imagine no payoff whatsoever! Ugh. After a year I went to my ob/gyn who recommended a godawful cream that, when used as directed, was messy and made me feel like a water balloon ready to pop. Ugh. Ditched the Rx after telling my ob/gyn, got a recommendation from a friend for an OTC cream and never looked back.

I'm not a fan of the newer version of this product though because now it's sold in a pump bottle that pre-determines how much you use. That guarantees the manufacturer that you'll be re-ordering the product much sooner since it's hard to dispense less, or even wipe the inside of the container. (I pull apart pump dispensers just so I can use every last drop of a cream.) Luckily, I have another jar of the cream so I'm good for the next several years.

Gleefully Sore

This is the 3rd day in a row that I've managed to snag the elliptical. Not only do I consider Program 2 to be the hardest because of the steep double peaks, but I'm actually tired and sore before I even start. It's been a long time since I was sore and with not much weight being pushed.

I cut a set of crunches to buy a skosh more time later when I plan to do a few light sets of Reverse Incline Flys. Super setting saves time. I hadn't figured out how to do the Reverse Flys when I got driven out of the Aerobics Room by a staff member setting up for the Body Pump class that starts an hour later. He didn't drive me out; it was the club music pulsing the walls. My earbuds can't compete with a Zumba sound system.

The DB area is free so I drape my hoodie over the incline bench. I stick with the tiny 10 lb DBs for both lateral raises and the reverse inclines. The slight achy sourness in my shoulders tells me that starting light is perfect. No doubt I'll be upping the weights in the next few weeks.

10 Nov 2021
Mild Wednesday

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5514)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 312
HR: 147-188, 84

HGPU 12

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incl Flys
 10 lbs x 15 reps x 3 sets

Big Unexpectedly

Lazy Pedals is pedaling on the stationary bike when I get on the elliptical this morning. He's also chatting so he's not pedaling terribly fast but at least he's not draped over the console. After cardio, I do a slightly abbreviated core and stretch routine in the Aerobics Room because I want time to push a few weights. I increase the Seated Cable Rows to 70 lbs to see how sets of 15 reps feel. It's a bit challenging and I'm hoping that there will not be any painful repercussions tomorrow morning. 

It takes me a while to find the magnetic discs because they are not where I'm used to seeing them. They're stuck to the DB racks along the mirrored wall instead of the solid state BB rack or behind the front desk counter. This is the only way I can do sets of Rip Skulls with 25 lbs, with discs stuck to the 20 pounder. I get 15 reps without issue but I'm cautious about my elbows. Yep, I'm prone to tendonitis everywhere. Still, I'm probably going to try 30 lbs next time.

I'm not happy that I'm having such a hard time losing these few extra pounds. At least I still have clothes that fit. When I strip down to shower, I happen to glance at my shoulder and am surprised to see my biceps looking thick and round. Actually, my whole upper arm looks thick and round from just a few sets. That takes the sting out of being bigger, but I'd still like to be lean enough to wear my old clothes. I wonder if I'll be sore tomorrow.

9 Nov 2021
Frosty Tuesday

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5536)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 312
HR: 145-194

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel x 12
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Seated Cable Rows
50 lbs x 15 reps
70 x 15, 15, 15

Rip Skulls
25 lbs x 15, 15, 15

Rare and Maybe Bad

There may be some truth in ancient wisdom that states different blood types leave you more or less susceptible to different ailments. I read an article over the weekend that suggests those with the AB type (one of the least populous type at 4% of the general population, with AB- accounting for less than 1%) have a greater likelihood of developing esophageal and stomach cancers, blood clots (due to a stickiness factor associated with type A), a higher risk of dementia and memory problems (increased levels of a protein called "factor VII"), but at least we're also less likely to have a bleeding disorder (that'd be type O). 

But most importantly for the current pandemic, type As have a greater risk of developing Covid, again, due to a stickiness factor that increases viral susceptibility. One of my old GPs used to complain that I had sticky blood when he tried to draw a sample. The Red Cross wasn't too thrilled with me either since it took three times as long for me to fill a pint bag. To the point where I was told not to bother donating anymore. I always assumed that was due to my tiny veins or "poor circulation."

I first discovered I was type AB back in HS bio lab when we got to prick our own fingers and place the blood on a glass grid where we used different reagents. Under a microscope, we were able to watch whether the blood clumped or not in reaction. Later, the Red Cross donation center confirmed my blood type. ABs are born from one type A parent and one type B. I know my dad was a B. Two ABs might produce the gamut of As, Bs, and ABs. It bothers me that I don't know what my son's blood type is because that's a special request and not a standard test, which I think is crazy. It doesn't help that my husband can't remember whether he's type A or O, nor does he care, and he's not about to donate blood because he doesn't like the fact that people are generating fees and revenue for something he's asked to give away for free. You can probably guess his feelings about recycling and global warming too.

The end of Daylight Savings means that the sun is already peeking over the horizon by the time I get my son in the car and it's fully morning when I park at the gym. I manage to beat Lazy Pedals to the good elliptical today. He drapes himself over the other one. I squeeze out 15 pull-ups before heading into the Aerobics Room for stretching and core exercises. At the last minute, I add a few hammer-grip curls with the 10 pounders already in hand. It doesn't feel like anything. The only thing that concerns me is some elbow tenderness from the super light Rip Skulls last week. I can't go heavy anymore but I seem to also be prone to RSI (repetitive stress injury) because of my shallow joints and tendons. Ugh. It's hard to find the sweet spot when the spot keeps moving.

8 Nov 2021
Morning Monday

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5518)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 312
HR: 150-186, 84, 89

HGPU 15

Crunches 60 x 2
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises
  10 lbs x 15 reps x 3
DB alt hammer curls
  10 lbs x 12

Just a Skosh

I spend 10 minutes in the car looking over email with my phone plugged in so as not to lose any battery power. (The old iPhone really needs a new battery but I'm sure the Apple store will want to sell me the latest one instead.) Then the coffee kicks in and I need a few more minutes in the restroom. It's science: coffee stimulates the colon and voila! By the time I get out to the exercise area, both ellipticals are in use. I didn't work up a great sweat on the stair climber yesterday so today I use the cross-trainer. It doesn't count steps but I got mileage. The gym is cold and the back door open to let fresh, 30F air inside. I keep my hoodie on until I get off the cross-trainer.

Wary of losing an opportunity to do pull-ups (who knows when or if Snow Bird will show up), I do a set before hitting the Aerobics Room. My arms are slightly sore but I only notice while stretching. It's probably those super light Rip Skulls that had me arc my arms overhead. It's not the rowing since only my traps and upper arms have just a skosh of discomfort. I look up the word skosh to check for spelling. All this time I thought it was Yiddish, like bupkis, so I'm suprised to learn that it is Japanese in origin and was used as a nickname in the Korean war by American servicemen.

5 Nov 2021
Finally Friday

LifeFitness cross trainer
Program Manual
Time: 25 min + 5 min cd
Distance: 3.34
Cal: 239
HR: 112-145

HGPU 14

Crunches 60 x 2
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises
10 lbs x 15 reps x 3

Lazy Is As Lazy Does

It's dark and frosty cold when the alarm goes off this morning. A wee voice in the back of my brain begs me to stay in bed but I ignore it because my son needs to be on his school bus by 6:35. I get the car warmed up enough to defrost the windshield without having to scrape it. I park near the grocery instead of outside the gym just to remind me to pick up the garlic powder I forgot to buy yesterday.

A woman I forgot about is on the elliptical I favor. She's constantly on her cell so I'm glad that Lazy Pedals is on the other elliptical. I can't hear her on the step climber and I spend 20 minutes there. Granted, walking up the stairs for 20 minutes doesn't even tally a thousand steps, but it is over 55 floors. Not sure how that compares to 5500+ steps pedaling. I warm up but not enough for me to remove my hoodie. Later, I see that same woman at the Lat Pull-down machine and she has her head cocked to the side with her cell wedged between her shoulder and cheek. It gives me a cramp just thinking of it.

I do an abbreviated core and stretch in the Aerobics Room. Push-ups and Air Squats are relatively easy today. I'm already bored doing 15 reps at the lighter weight so today I do a mild progression at Seated Cable Rows. Unfortunately, early morning means the chatty bros that Lazy Pedals hangs with are draped all over the free weights. Literally. Normally I'd plant myself on a breaker bench for Rip Skulls because I can put my feet on the support bench behind the bar holder. But it's too crowded there. 

I drop my gear on a regular flat bench in the DB area and retrieve a solid state bar. The bars are in 10 lb progressions but I can't locate any of the magnetic disc weights. Lazy Pedals is curling the 30 but standing right in front of the rack. (Blocking the rack is another pet peeve of mine.) The 20 is misplaced on the other side, with the heavier bars (60-90). But I'm okay with using the 20 today because it's been several months since I last did this movement. I doubt if I'll be sore tomorrow, but who knows? 

When I return the bar to its rightful position, Lazy Pedals is leaning on the rack with an arm draped over the other bars. I think I rolled my eyes. (Yep, he's the one who leans all over the elliptical console, hence my nickname for him. If he could lean on the treadmill while it was in motion, I'm sure he'd do it.)

And more good news: apparently one's metabolism doesn't crash and burn until you hit your 60s. Does that explain the 3 pounds I put on over Halloween weekend? Maybe. But eating out and snacking on candy is the more likely explanation.

4 Nov 2021
Frosty Thursday

Matrix StepMill
20 min
Speed 5 (45-48)
HR 180?
Cal 138
Steps 919
Floors 57

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel x 12
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Seated Cable Rows
50 lbs x 15 reps
60 x 15
70 x 15

RipSkulls
20 lbs x 15 reps x 3

Rethinking

I wasn't sure if Snow Bird was going to be using the Stretch Cage after I was done with the core exercises but since it's happened at least twice, I needed a new approach. I could work out faster and get to the Cage before his arrival. Or, I could do my pull-ups right after cardio, before I even head to the Aerobics Room. I'm still sweaty and breathing hard when I get off the elliptical, but my arms and hands aren't tired so it's all good.

A lot of glaucoma specialists believe that primary glaucoma (unlike secondary glaucoma which is caused by medications or trauma) is a circulatory deficit issue, especially with normal eye pressures. The recommendation almost always includes exercise, especially cardio. Weightlifting not so much. I've cut back close to 90 percent of the weightlifting movements and I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss them. I'm toying with the idea of doing some light Rip Skulls sometime this week. Because I don't think the occasional push-up is doing much for the triceps. And my sciatica is much better although the Cat/Camel stretch still makes the arch of my left foot twang like a plucked cello string. That can't be good.

A friend in her late 70s has a type of macular degeneration, which causes central vision loss. It's frustrating to her, but not as much as her perpetually sore and stiff neck (MRI shows arthritis but we ALL have arthritis), and the fact that she'll need a hip replacement for the other side. If she gets the bad length of her "fixed" hip dealt with, she'll have to re-sole all the shoes she had a cobbler fixed to make up for the full half inch discrepancy that the first hip replacement caused. I know another woman who is recovering from breast cancer, was just diagnosed with emphysema in spite never having smoked in her life (she's blaming 2nd-hand smoke from an ex-husband), and is now looking at needing to have her knee replacement redone because it's failing after just a few years. I feel lucky to be in pretty good health but I'm still young. Or, at least I feel like I am.

I skipped the gym yesterday: too much to do! I made sure I had time to vote, took pups to the park to play with their friends, went grocery shopping, did the supremely uncomfortable mammogram (and ultrasound because even though I've got a tiny bust they're apparently very dense and fibrous), dropped off a defunct printer at Staples, took my son to his kung fu class, got back in time to go to his Troop's Open House & Halloween Party postponed from last week when we got that nor'easter and bomb cyclone, cooked him raviolis after we got home, walked the pups with my son, fed the dogs boiled chicken & kibble with beef broth. I know that for some folks, yesterday's routine is an everyday occurrence. Today, I feel downright lazy.

3 Nov 2021
Wednesday Hump

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5578)
Distance: 2.84
Cal: 315
HR: 151-198

HGPU 15

Crunches 60 x 2
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises
10 lbs x 15 reps x 3 sets

Not Quick Enough

I don't mind working out in the morning except that if I dawdle I miss out on the good elliptical, there are more folks in the Aerobics Room, and worse, I can't do any pull-ups because Snow Bird had begun his vigorous 20-minute routine in the Stretch Cage. Luckily, I did get the "good" elliptical, and there was only one other person in the Aerobics Room. But I missed out on the pull-ups. Next time I've got to be quicker!

The Halloween weekend was busy with changeable weather and several events happening simultaneously. Which meant very few kids actually went Trick or Treating Sunday night, although my son and one of his friends managed to wrangle two more friends into soliciting candy. They came home happy with a good haul of sugary treats.

I'm not sure if I'll get to the gym tomorrow since there are local elections (the polling place is in the opposite direction of how I normally travel), plus I have finally scheduled my mammogram (ugh) and since the radiologist is en route to Staples, I plan to offload my defunct Lexmark printer. Large electronic chain stores have to take back e-waste here in NYS and I'd feel too guilty putting this machine in the trash. It'd also be illegal to do so.

The Lexmark worked fabulously well when it worked, even when inks were no longer manufactured and I had to resort to 3rd party vendors. But now it needs a new drum and that's impossible to find for a decade-plus home printer. We bought a new Epson printer which is slower, the inks are more costly, the printing isn't as accurate (especially when using label templates), but it supports Apple printing so I can print emails from my ancient phone for the first time ever. At least that's something to cheer about.

1 Nov 2021
Monday the First

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5536)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 312
HR: 149-203

Crunches 60 x 2
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat/Camel stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25

Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises
10 lbs x 15 reps x 3