Better Than I Expected

I'm not surprised that I'm sore when I wake up this morning, but not sore enough to keep me from going to the gym. Although it was frosty at sunrise, temps start to warm up and I'm pleasantly surprised that gym is mostly empty. It'll be the first non-rainy weekend in over a month and there is a lot of road traffic. There's an old guy on the exercise bike in front of my elliptical, and once he's gone, I happily start to mouth the songs in my playlist. I'm pretty sure no one would be able to hear me even if they were on the adjacent machines, but I'm less self-conscious if there's no one immediately around me.

Other than some minor shoulder soreness, I feel pretty good and the cardio data backs me up. Just shy of 2.9! So close! Just like yesterday. It's rare that I'm good two days in a row though and I worry about whether I can hoist myself up for pull-ups. Pull-ups are actually good and I'm really happy. Core exercises feel routine but this time I manage to do all four sets of Dead Bugs without false starts. The only issue I have is with the 90-second Wall Squats and I find myself twitching and aching to stand up straight after 60. The next 30 seconds have me panting and perspiring! At least I don't limp away.

I head out to the Stretch Cage still wearing my zipped-up hoodie and wonder if I can make more than 12 reps. They're not pretty, but I do get to 15. Done! Meanwhile, I wonder why a package of kiln-dried firewood (.75 cu ft) seems so heavy. I got on the home scale last night and weighed myself with and without an armful of firewood. Twenty pounds exactly! Yet, carrying a 20 lb DB feels a lot lighter. Maybe it's carrying a larger volume in the arms vs. the concentrated weight in a single hand? I don't know. 

I also don't know why I seem to get better mileage when I'm singing along to my tunes. It's not as if I ever exercise without music, and it's the same playlist each time. The only difference might be that when I'm singing along, I'm better able to keep a more accurate pace with the rhythm? Singing while running is supposed to help clear the airways, not that I'm actually running. Or really singing. Again, I have no freakin' idea... I am one of those people who can't sit still at a concert or even a movie about a concert. I'm always bopping in my seat because the music just makes me want to dance all over. Yep.

3 November 2023 11:39-1:06

Late Friday & I’m a Tad Sore

Precor elliptical #1

Program 1

Time: 30+5 (5770)

Distance: 2.89

Cal: 323

Avg Hr: 147, 194-78

HGPU 17 yaaay!

20 Hip Bridges

Crunches 60

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80

20 Hip Bridges

Elbow Plank 60s

Quick Child’s Pose

Cat stretch 12

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Push-Ups 26

Air Squats 25

Upper body stretch

Eye yoga

Wall Squats 90s (last 30 face flush)

HGPU 17