Mixing It Up for Results

Thursdays are a good day to push weights if you get to the gym before the HS lets out (that's true of most of the week). The morning class is done by 10:30 and a lot of folks only come on the traditional MWF rotation. I spent the morning researching how to transfer music onto my phone and discover that I'll have to download a 3rd party app to download MP3s from cloud storage. Okay, that's a project that I don't have time to do this morning. I shut the Bluetooth off on my phone so it doesn't hijack the AirPods when I connect to my ancient iPod Nano. That means my phone won't update the FitBit app either, but that's not critical. I can always sync the wearable later.

The gym is relatively quiet and there are a few members scattered throughout. Elliptical #1 is occupied so I hop on #2. My right thumb has been sore from the palm up, probably from trying to rip apart sections of chicken jerky canine treats. I really should use kitchen shears with their thick serrated blades. Thank goodness I remembered to use the Penetrex cream and that alleviated the discomfort because I was planning to hoist a few DBs later. Thumbs are kind of critical for gripping.

I'm really surprised I got past 2.9 today, especially since cardio has been so abysmal lately. Maybe it was because I was singing at full speed? Or maybe it was because I tend to get better at cardio if I do it on consecutive days? Or that I wasn't worried about my phone hijacking my earbuds? Or that my sciatica has receded enough so that I only notice it first thing in the morning when I get out of bed, and when I sit too long? 

While the Precor thinks my HR has peaked at 200 (ridiculous), the FitBit tells me 156 although I'm having trouble reconciling the difference between the daily chart and the digits: chart tells me resting HR is as low as 44 bpm but the digital reading says 56. Could be a glitch since it's a wrist wearable; not nearly as accurate as the ones that go around your chest. Which is something I'd never wear 'cuz it seems it'd be even more unbearable than wearing an ill-fitting bra, and there wouldn't be shoulder straps to hold it up, so how tight would it have to be? Probably leave a mark, just like the FitBit is right now and that's not even "tight." 

There's a few members in the DB area but I have access to an inclined bench and the DBs I need. I take my time, my shoulder isn't twinging and my thumb doesn't hurt. Everything works and I get my three sets done. Yaaay! Of course, that makes me tired and so much less inclined to do a complete core routine. What concerns me is my sciatica which means I'm done after Bird Dog planks. No Walking Lunges, no Wall Squats or push-ups or air squats. I'll do all those things tomorrow.

8 February 2024 11:36-1:14
Sunny Thursday w/ Sciatica Hints
(Turned off Bluetooth )

Precor elliptical #2
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5896)
Distance: 2.94
Cal: 331
Avg Hr: NA 162, 200?
Fitbit: 56-156?

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys
10 lbs x 25/15/25 warm up
15 lbs x 25/15/25
20/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 3 sets

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5? Lost count
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Fire Hydrants 20 x 2
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Neck stretch / Eye yoga