Autumn Weather

Since I didn't have to wait for the plumber (yaaaay!), I went to the gym. It was as cold inside as it was outside. The heavy fog had frosted my car windows but by midday, the sun warmed everything to a balmy 62F. Welcome to Autumn in New England. I'm so cold that I don't take my hoodie off until more than halfway through my cardio workout while waiting for the numbness to leave my fingers as I hold the elliptical handlebars.

I'm pleased with the stats today, and I can't say enough good things about not getting up in the pitch black dark, although I know this is short-lived. As winter encroaches, the days continue to shorten. And although I'm not a morning person, I feel better waking up in the light...

It's freezing in the Aerobics Room and I cool down quickly. There's a fellow doing some sort of stretch and DB routine in the spot I usually occupy. I've seen him before and he's memorable only because he ties his long reddish hair up in a top knot. I imagine he looks a bit like a Viking when it's down, with the full beard and mustache. Later, I see him in the Squat Rack so he also lifts. Cool. I skip the Anti-Rotation Plank but still do over a dozen Knee-Tap Planks. Rolling forward is hard on the toes, for both the shoes and the feet!

Abandoned Benches

Today I'm doing shoulders. The DB area is almost empty except for a few folks traveling between benches and exercises. Unfortunately, a few dunderheads or maybe just one asshat has left big plates on both the decline and incline breaker benches, and then just walked away. Ugh. Re-rack your damn plates!

My hardest set is always the first one, a light 10 lb warm up with high reps. But yes, all they're all high rep sets. My funky elbows, shoulders and wrists won't allow me to go any heavier without serious tendon and joint issues. I might be able to go up another 5 lbs but my tiny hands don't elicit any confidence in their ability to actually hold 25 lb DBs over my head for any length of time.

Interestingly, an article in T-Nation discusses the differences between men and women workout routines, and high reps due to better endurance/stamina appears to be key. Yes, the warm up is the most strenuous set, and afterwards, all the other sets are heavier but a lot less painful. Go figure...

10 November 2022
Frigid Thursday


Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5782)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 324
Avg Hr: 152, 194-80

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
Knee-tap plank 15 (rough on toes)
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga x 3

DB Incl Press s/s Lat Raise s/s Rev Inc Fly
10 lbs x 25/15/25 reps warmup
15 lbs x 20/15/25
20/15/20 lbs x 20/15/25 reps x 3 sets