Better Later

I got to the gym before 7 and the sun was already up. But it was still really cold outside. It takes me a long time to warm up enough to even get started on the elliptical, but at least I was able to use one that didn't clunk. Normally, out of four Precor ellipticals, numbers 2 and 4 are slated for use, with signs telling you the other two are off limits. For your safety, of course. Today, the signs were on 2 and 4, which meant 1 and 3 were open. It's about time. Never mind that machine no. 1 is less than a foot away from the one Erg rower (there are two but "social distancing" guidelines says one is out of commission). Besides, there's no one on the rower at the moment... In fact, the gym is much less crowded than expected. 

I spot a few regulars but Lazy Pedals and one of his pals is MIA, although big Tank is there. He has an impressively-sized upper body/arms but of course, I've never seen him do legs or cardio, never seen him wear shorts. Just work those "mirror muscles!"

I haven't worked out in 3 days, unless you count shoveling the heavy, wet-sand-like snow and ice that coated the driveway, car, walkway, front steps on Friday. The dogs were very disappointed to see me defrosting the car but not inviting them in. I did take them to the park later that day, and had to shovel a path to the shed once the ground leveled out. 

This morning, I'm tired and stiff and my cardio results (mileage/steps) aren't as productive as when I do cardio closer to 1 pm. There's definitely a difference in my workout completely dependent on the time of day and how long I've actually been awake! (I am not a morning person and never have been.) I haven't had enough sleep and that sets me up for bad meal decisions later... when I'm tired I snack a lot more and now there are studies to examine why. Click here to read about it.

Today, once again standing in front of the Stretch Cage, I worry about how many pull-ups I can do. I start counting, get to 12 and then start from 1 again until I hit 9. Wait. Is that right? But it is, and no one is more surprised than me. Of course, then I worry about my second set even though that will occur after I do all my routine stretches and core exercises. But that turns out not to be an issue either. I am my own worse critic.

Surprisingly, my sciatica hasn't bothered me lately, except when I arch my back standing and flex all the posterior muscles, then I feel that unpleasant "the cord is too tight" sensation running through my glute, calf, side of my foot and into my toes. My lower back, however, remains slightly sore, like a low-grade fever that one just learns to live with. The spot above the left hip twinges sporadically too, just to remind me not to twist or move too suddenly. Shoveling snow was challenging and once or twice sloppy technique sent electric shocks through my spine. But after I'd warmed up, I was fine albeit too hot and sweaty to keep a hoodie on under my winter coat. 

I read an article over the weekend that suggests the best way to save your back is to strengthen your core. Well, duh. I'm gratified though to read that the list of recommended exercises includes many of the ones I already do: body weight movements such as push-ups, squats, planks, pull-ups... Common sense prevails though. I've deleted exercises that seem to make my back and sciatica worse, naturally, because even if everyone says Cobra pose is great for your back, if you do it and your back feels worse, well then, Stop Doing It. So I do the Cat but skip the complimentary Cow pose because the latter makes my back ache. The Cat Pose and Bird Dogs offer the most relief for me. But everyone is different. 

I don't really have time but I do Rip Skulls anyway. Then I put in my 10 minutes on the Step Mill. There's an older fellow I've never seen before on the machine closest to the railing. He plods up the never-ending stairs like most, but then surprises me by spending about a minute taking big long multiple steps as if he were practicing hurdling up the stairs. Well, at least I'm not the only one mixing it up on the boring machines.

28 February 2021
Frigid Morning Monday

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5710)
Distance: 2.88
Cal: 321
HR: 147-209

HGPU 21

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 19

Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 15
35 x 12, 11, 10

Matrix Step Mill
Manual 10:03 min
Speed 6 (52-57)
Step 546
Floors 34
Calories 80
HR: 149