Winter Solstice Eve

It was 17F when I got up and it hasn't warmed up much since. I've gotten into the habit of putting my hoodie back on during the core and stretch portion of my routine. I fared better today during cardio compared to all of last week. Maybe doubling up on my B12 dose is helping (from 250 to 500 mcg), or the fact I actually got closer to seven and a half hours of sleep.

I get decent pull-up reps (yaaay me) and briefly wonder if I should do triceps or shoulders. It is Monday after all, the start of a brand new week and all routines are valid. It is also crowded with regulars and kids, and people I haven't seen in the past two years. I decide to spare my rotator cuffs and stress the elbows. I'm not sure if I'll go past 30 lbs even though I'm doing more than a dozen reps per set. My usual alternate exercise is V-bar Press Downs but I'm not sure how or if this might impact my sciatica which is still annoyingly present. 

My chiropractor hasn't been very helpful when I ask about what I should or shouldn't do exercise-wise. I'm leaning toward scheduling an appointment with a spine specialist but I'm leery of surgeons, because all they know and recommend is surgery. However, I would like to know exactly what and where the problem is. I might resort to taking the rest of the prednisone and more ibuprofen, but I'll skip the cyclobenzaprine (contraindicated for glaucoma more than prednisone). Getting an MRI is probably the first step.

Tomorrow will be the shortest day of the year: the Winter Solstice. I feel as if it merits some special treatment. Hopefully it won't be quite as cold... 

20 December 2021

Arctic Monday & Sciatica

Precor elliptical

Program 1

Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5578)

Distance: 2.83

Cal: 313

HR: n/a

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

HGPU 13

RipSkulls

30 lbs x 15, 13, 15