Doing Less Is Working Better

My glutes weren't sore yesterday, but after a badly needed, late afternoon nap, I woke up with definite gluteal tenderness. Yep, it was those lunges -- the walking lunges would've been worse. Not sure why but standing lunges are somehow less intense. I wasn't all that active yesterday yet both my shoulders were also sore today, and my right elbow. Weird, right? Is it all really DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)? I don't know. 

I got to the gym a tad late cuz I wanted to get there after the Senior class was gone. They take up a lot of parking spots, AND there's not enough hangers in the locker room for winter coats in the coat rack. I guess I should be thankful that there is a coat rack since Planet Fitness doesn't actually supply that (yes, yet another reason I don't like PF). 

The tall, middle-aged guy (who looks like Thanos) is on elliptical #1 and Wind Breaker is on #3, as usual. Luckily, both of the older Stair Machines are working so I decided to do 20 minutes there. I'm still not brave enough to tempt my sciatica with the Life Fitness cross-trainer. Remember, this is the machine that gives me shin splints if I'm on it for more than 20 minutes. Because I'm having some joint soreness, I'm not expecting much from pull-ups. I do manage not to embarrass myself and score 15 reps. Not pretty but I can count them. 

Then, instead of hitting the elliptical #1 which is finally vacant, I decide to just do the rest of my core movements in the Aerobics Room. (I wanted time to take a long hot shower because this cold dry weather has been wreaking havoc with my super dry & sensitive skin.) My sciatica isn't bothering me as much lately. I'm thinking that doing less has been working better than the multiple times a week of physical therapy that just seemed to aggravate the inflamed nerve bundle. 

Maybe after a few more weeks of this half-ass workout routine, I'll be back to "normal" whatever that is. Of course, I'll also be older, and celebrating my 66th birthday. I'm definitely not seeing myself as old, but I did have to buy myself a new pair of readers since an arm broke off and I had to tape it together. But I need a second one for when I'm looking at my phone in bed. A 1.00  is the lowest power you can buy at a bricks & mortar store. Online, you can get 0.5 but those aren't strong enough. Most places carry 1.25-2.50 but those are for blind folks. Seriously. 

I renewed my driver's license online, and that was surprisingly quick and easy, but now the state requires an eye test. Too many blind people renewing their licenses?! Since I see my glaucoma doc quarterly and my vision gets tested each visit, I didn't have any issues. I'm not sure when the state started requiring vision tests for renewals, but they're not wrong. 

We have a lot of elderly people on the roads who shouldn't be operating heavy equipment. One of them T-boned my car several years ago: he literally didn't see me right in front of him. Eight-nine years old with thick glasses and a walker, destroyed the front end of his car (headlamp, fender, bumper) and didn't even realize he'd hit anything at all. 

27 February 2026 1:14-2:15

Late Mild Friday with Sore Shoulders & Glutes

Matrix StairMaster (R)

(1:15-1:35)

Manual timer 17 + 3:24 cool down

Speed 4 (40-49) / 2 (33-29) / 1 (21-24)

Steps 833

Floors 52

Cal 128

Hr 155

HGPU 15 (ugly / sore shoulders)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga