Friday, October 4, 2024

A Bunion Benefit?

Yesterday I woke up totally exhausted, probably because I couldn't get to sleep at a reasonable hour and I'd had a really good exercise session that day. So, I skipped the gym, but I went today. Fridays appear to be less crowded than Thursdays lately. Might it be that Senior exercise class that everyone else wants to avoid?

I was dragging a bit on cardio so the numbers weren't great, but pull-ups were decent. I could do more cardio and pull-ups, or I could push some weights. I chose the latter and found one of the Nautilus benches. The new set up is definitely more crowded around the DB racks and there were a lot of regulars, both kids and adults. Wind Breaker was on the elliptical when I arrived, and still pedaling when I left, a few hours later.

My sciatica didn't bother me until I planted myself face-first on the inclined bench for Reverse Inclined Flys. The angle and the width of the bench, narrow as it is, puts some strain on that inflamed nerve bundle. It was fine for everything else, but it'll still be a while before I go back to Seated Cable Rows, or Rip Skulls. Or even Skull Crushers. Maybe I'll test out V-bar Tricep Press-Downs in the future? Will that be sciatica aggravating? 

In the Aerobics Room, it's still push-ups and hip bridges that make my foot go numb. Still skipping Bird Dog planks as well since I'm sure that doing 100 reps of Dead Bugs is adequate for abs. No need to inflame the dorsal portion of the body. The room is warm and humid. And I can't help but notice that after every Senior class, there's clumps of hair balled in the corner, like Seniors are combing their knots out during their chair sessions. Ewww.

The only thing that really bothered me today was the big toe on my left foot being squished up against my sport shoe while I was pedaling the elliptical. Oddly, my right foot, the foot with the bunion, loose ankle and sciatic tendencies, was fine. 

Maybe because the bunion makes the widest part of my foot (base of the first metatarsal) snag the sneaker and keeps my low-arch, flat foot from sliding forward? The "normal" foot doesn't have this impediment and my big toe smushes against the front of the shoe when my foot angles down during a portion of the fitness program. Toes are totally fine on the bunion side.

I'm a bit dismayed that I have a few really old, black plastic utensils for stirring and flipping food items in the non-stick cookware. Most of my pots and pans are stainless but there's a few smaller fry pans with non-stick surfaces. The utensils are over 25 years old and I wonder if they're too old to be contaminated with the fire-retardants from e-waste that's been reported in the news lately. Ugh. Of course, the news articles are light on important details, like when the contamination likely started, and what utensils should be used with non-stick cookware. Obviously not the stainless that the rest of my utensils are made of... 

This weekend is my wedding anniversary, but the husband is out of town at work for several weeks. My plan is to go see the new Joker movie, and then treat myself to a clam pizza with spinach, garlic and bacon. The movie has not garnished great reviews, but the NYTimes tends to write odd pieces that make me wonder if we've watched the same movie. Of course, I'm the person who fell asleep watching the first scene to La La Land. Twice!

I am enjoying streaming shows like HIP (the French version dubbed in English) that is running simultaneously with High Potential (the American version based on the French version). And of course, The Boys, season 3 with SuperNatural's Dean Winchester playing the not-at-all-heroic Soldier Boy. Disappointed that Dead Boy Detectives did not get renewed. Same for Lockwood & Co

Maybe I'll get to catch the comet as it streaks across the sky next week? It's usually so overcast that nothing is visible, but I can always hope...

4 Oct 2024 11:55-1:46
Friday — Combo Day
Brilliant Day — Timolol / sciatica

Precor elliptical #2
Program 1
Time: 30 + 5 (5466)
Distance: 2.80
Cal: 309
Avg Hr: 153, 183-115
New FB: 51-130

HGPU 15

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

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5
Piriformis stretches
Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Child’s Pose
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)
Arm rotations 20
Air Squats 25
Neck stretch / Eye yoga

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