Finally It's Whack the Damn Machine Day

There's something a tad unsettling about having 70+ degree weather in October up in the Northeast. Because you at least expect some chill in the air. The leaves are doing their color show, going from greens to orange, yellow and reds. And then falling onto the roadways, wet and slippery from Storm Nate's downpour. We lost power for two hours yesterday, and the tree tops waved about quite a lot. That's the extent of our hurricane season so far, and I like that. Nothing dramatic up here. But it IS weirdly warm. And we're all tempted to turn on the A/C even though it's October...

I've been a bit disappointed that I've only caught 3 moths in 2 Meal Moth traps. Granted, these traps only attract male moths and in the first two days I installed these glorified glue traps, I did clap 3 moths out of the air because they were acting crazy. And I did smote another 6 moths outside the cabinet doors. But that's not unusual. I'll smush a good half dozen moths and think I'm done. Then three days later, a whole new crop of moths usually flutters out of a box or bag of something. That hasn't happened so far. I have found a few tiny larva on the lid of a container that holds bags of rice though... I'm still holding my breath to see if maybe I've finally eradicated my Indian Meal Moth problem. Fingers crossed.

The gym is crowded when I arrive, but that's because I'm here earlier than usual. I'm also here on a Tuesday, and so it empties out fairly quickly. After my 10 minute warm up on the elliptical, and shoulder exercises, I'm ready to whack the machine. But my right hand isn't quite right along the ring and pinky fingers. I'm having a hard time clenching my fist properly. But it's not nearly as bad as when I use my left fist for a Lead Body and watch as my wrist crumples down. Luckily I manage to pull the punch so I don't actually destroy my joint. OMG! WTF was that about? I need to be more focused when I'm tossing jabs and kicks or I run the risk of hurting myself. Ugh.

I have the best time during round 5 Intermediate because everything seems to flow. I'm in sync with both the music (which happens to be Billy Idol's Sherri) and all the blows being called by the program. It's like a wonderfully executed dance routine!


There are only a few songs that match tempo with movement so perfectly. I wish they were all like this one, but of course, that'd be quite a feat to achieve such a playlist...

The gym is virtually empty when I'm done. Not sure if I'm going to work out tomorrow though... 

Tuesday

10 warmup
Calories 94
Miles 0.83

T, Y & I Raises
3lbs x 15
5lbs x 15

Band Pulls
Mid 15
High 15

Nexersys Follow Me
7r Beginner
8r Intermediate

HGPU 26

Running on Empty

My swim class probably takes more out of me than I anticipate. I'm not sore the next day, but I am tired in a very non-descript fashion, best described as "empty". I can deal with muscle fatigue which is easily recognizable from the burning inside your muscles. Lack of sleep gives me a headache, and my eyes will burn at the rims. I hope I'm not getting sick, because I'm attributing the morning sore throat to post-nasal drip due to allergies. I'm starting to develop some hoarseness, the irritating sensation of dust or feathers in my throat, and a weird cough. Ugh!

Once I have my morning coffee, I'm off to the gym. Next week I'll most likely only be able to work out on Monday and Tuesday, unless I can get to the gym super early on the two days I'm working. Friday is out because I'm doing a repeat SLT for my right eye. I'll also just be finishing up the 22 day Challenge, although I'm quickly running out of suitable candidates to tag.

I feel really cold this morning and 10 min on the elliptical doesn't do much to warm me up. I don't really get warm until the end of the first 5 rounds of Beginner at the Nexersys. The right top pad is loose from last week. The lower pads arbitrarily register my kicks. The Beginner rounds are good. The machine even behaves itself during the Intermediate rounds. It's only during the Advanced Rounds that the machine loses its mind, and starts flashing random combinations in quick succession. It's impossible to score this way. I'm not that concerned. It's only wonky for 2 rounds, and even though the screen blanks for a second or two, the machine doesn't stop and reboot. So that's good.

My left pointer feels fragile today, like I've taped it too tight. My nails are short, but not short enough and I find my pointer getting irritated by the slice of my own fingernails. Ugh. Afterwards, I knock out my 22 push ups, and then do 30 minutes on the elliptical. I had every intention of going slow and doing LISS, but once I recover, the beat of tunes on my iPod carry me away and I'm back to moving as quickly as I can. Pull ups seem really hard today. Even my partial Mat Stretch seems hard. Jeeze, take a day off and all hell breaks loose.

Friday Workout

10 min elliptical
0.82 miles
91.4 cal

5 r Bgn
5r Intmd
5rAdv

Day 16  22 push ups

30 min elliptical
Program 3
2.44 miles
270 cal

HGPU 31

Photos posted for actual stats:

5 Rounds Beginner
Good warm up!

5 Rounds Intermediate
No weird combinations today!

5 Rounds Advanced
Rounds 1, 2 and 5 were almost pointless

Sleep Deprivation as the Norm

It's suppose to take 21 days to make a new habit stick. I don't think I'll live that long if I can't get to sleep earlier than midnight. While I'm getting up around 6:30 to tend to the dog before rousing my son for the school bus, that's barely 6 hours of sleep each night. And it's not enough. The problem is that I'm a night owl by nature and always have been. Apparently my son is too, so I suppose this predisposition is genetic. At some point maybe it'll become easier to fall into bed at 10 pm, but so far this has been an exercise in torture where I lie awake for hours at a time. So does my son. I'm hoping that we'll both become so tired that falling asleep at 10 pm will become "natural" but I'm not holding my breath.

I plan to whack the machine for 15 rounds today. But there are suddenly two more "Espresso Bikes" sitting behind the row of 3 aligned with the 2 Nexersys kickboxing machines. It's really crowded in here now as Hannibal BaggyKnees dismounts his bike from the left side and nearly bumps into me. Old men can't navigate very well. The front desk tells me that those two bikes will be gone by October 6. Ugh, that's nearly an entire month away! Luckily I only whack the machine once weekly, so that means I only have to deal with this nonsense for a few sessions.

What's infinitely more aggravating is that the Nexersys freezes in mid-blow during Round 1 of the Intermediate session. There's nothing I can do but reboot the system. All data from that session is lost. Well, that was only half a round. And then the machine blanks totally and finally reboots itself at the end of Round 3 of the Intermediate session. Ugh! All data lost! I try the machine to the left but it won't let me change the parameters that tell it I'm female, and that I don't want to practice in my opposite stance. As in, No, do not pretend I'm a South Paw. It won't let me disable the Tilt Buzzer either. I'm vexed and go back to the original machine. It behaves itself for 5 rounds of Advanced, but I snap pics of each round just in case the machine gets wonky. I've cooled down quite a bit between the Intermediate and Advance rounds, but it was still a decent workout.

I skip the elliptical today because I have my first Intermediate Adult Swim class this evening, and I'm still sore from pushing weights. However, I do remember that I've been tagged by my college best friend for a Face Book challenge:

"Every day, 22 of our veterans take their own lives due to PTSD. This is simply unacceptable. So to raise awareness, I will do 22 push-ups every day for 22 days".
Today is Day 6. I nominate Linde W Liu, my lifting partner and bestie from the old days.
ptsdusa.org 22kill.com operationwearehere.com/MilitaryServiceDogs.html
Challenge Rules:
- Once you are nominated, your 22 days start the following day.
- Every day you record yourself doing 22 push-ups.
- Every day you nominate a different person.
This is a simple way to get the word out about a matter that more people need to be aware about. These brave men and women put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and it's sad that so many veterans feel that suicide is the only way out.
#FreedomIsNotFree
#awarenessiskey

Which means I have to film myself doing 22 push ups for 22 days, and tag an additional person each day as well. The push ups are the easy part. The gym is dark and noisy, but the class room is brightly lit and mirrored on two sides. Luckily there's no class in it when I peek in and I can set my phone up against the wall. I've never posted my own video to Blogger before... here goes nothing.

Tomorrow I'll have to speak a bit louder though. And I'll have to film somewhere in my house over the weekend... My biggest concern is that I don't actually know 22 people who I think can do actual push ups. I know, that's sad, right? My friend tells me that it doesn't matter what kind they do (kneeling, wall, it's all good) and that they can take breathers in between. It's the message that's important. I'm not quite sure what this will actually do... maybe spread awareness a bit farther. My husband is supremely skeptical so I probably won't tag him. Besides, he's in transit at the moment, and won't be back until next week.

When I'm done, I brace myself for the hard part: pull ups. I manage to get my 31 reps and that makes me happy. Time to go shower!

Thursday Workout
10 min warm up
Elliptical
0.84 miles
95 cal

15 rounds Nexersys

22 push ups Vet Challenge

HGPU 31

Photos for actual stats

5 rounds Beginner (great warm up rounds)

5 rounds Intermediate (but the machine lost the 1st round, and then crashed during the 3 rounds, so I only managed to capture data for the last two rounds... yes, I had to start again)

5 rounds Advance (machine seemed normal again)

The Killer Heat

The pool last night was eerily quiet. Our swim class was minus one member, and the air conditioning unit wasn't quite working properly. The water seemed fine though. Which is good, considering how much of it I drank. Unintentionally, I assure you. I'm having trouble coordinating my stroke with taking a breath in freestyle. Well, that's one of the reasons I'm in an Adult Beginner class! Being in the pool for 45 minutes is having a softening effect on my skin. Or maybe it's the ungodly high humidity and tropical temps. My skin, unlike the rest of me, loves this weather. It's not dry, flaky or feeling two-sizes-too-tight. Somewhere in my genetics, I have ancestors from equatorial climates. Ugh. The rest of me hates it. I'd much rather be shoveling snow. Seriously. Although the mosquitoes haven't been horrible lately, but that might be because I slather myself with tea tree oil products, or lemon eucalyptus oil when I go out.

The gym is crowded this morning but quickly empties out as the day moves on. I get my warm up done and then brace myself for whacking the machine. I'm drenched by the Intermediate rounds. My determination to push through is fueled by the thought that I'm improving my cardio endurance. Yep, gotta run long and fast to outpace the zombies.

My left inside elbow is feeling strained. The knuckles of that hand sting a little. I've got to tape my pointer fingers better because some how they're getting bruised, either by my own hands, or the edges of the punch pads on the machine. I'm exhausted when I'm done, but I know better. I'm not really done yet. There's still 30 min on the elliptical, and then, as many hammer grip pull ups as I can muster. Oh boy!

I finally remember that I don't like the leather Asics I have on because they really suck when I do cardio, rubbing and pinching the sides of my feet. The Rykas are better. I take a long time at the Stretch Cage because I'm actually a bit stiff, and I don't want to injure myself. While I'm standing there, a guy I've seen around asks me if he can get a stretch in. I'm not even sure if I said okay. I just stepped aside and looked at the torso twist machine. He hangs from the roof cage rungs and that's it. Earlier I'd seen him on the Assisted Pull Up machine so I'm not impressed. But I'm hard to impress. Seriously, I don't know what this guy was thinking... but now I think even less of him. Yep.

My son has a sleep-over play date later. I'm not sure when I have to stop calling these things "play dates" but I suspect it'll be soon. Meanwhile, I'm debating whether we'll see The Suicide Squad or Sausage Party next Tuesday for our movie day. The latter got a surprisingly good review from the NY Times. Click here for the link to read the review. The only bummer is that it's a Sony Pictures release, and Sony doesn't allow theaters to provide discount tickets... but it might be worth the matinee price.



Friday Workout

10 min warm up Elliptical
97 cal
0.86 miles

15 rounds Nexersys

30 min Precor
283 cal
2.52 miles

HGPU 33! Wahoo! 

5 rounds Beginner (warm up) 

5 rounds Intermediate (crazy rounds) 

5 rounds Advance (better than I expected) 

Wardrobe Malfunctions

I skipped yesterday, thinking I'd actually get more work done at home. I also had the septic tank folks coming over to pump the tank and inspect the peat moss system installed by the East of Hudson Septic Repair Program some years ago. Achy joints in my hands and elbows sealed the deal. I dropped my son off at camp and returned home. I did get some work done, but lately it feels as if it takes me twice as long to do something as it used to. Maybe my computer used to be faster. Maybe I moved quicker. Or thought quicker. I'm not sure how to explain this discrepancy except that time seems to pass exponentially faster because I seem to move slower. I guess this is the theory of relativity in action for middle-age people.

I put on an odd assortment of workout clothes: lightweight mesh sports pants, an Avia tank, and an old Avia sports bra. It's a bit chilly in the gym until I warm up. I wanted to wear something that would dry quickly since kickboxing and elliptical cardio both elicit a strong sweat response, i.e., I'm drenched afterwards. The workout was great. My clothes, not so much. The sports bra needed to be readjusted and pulled down at the end of every round. That's 15 rounds of adjustment. The tank seems to look lopsided no mater what I do. Maybe it's me because humans are rarely symmetrical, and I know my left side is bigger than my right. Left trap, left bicep, left pectoral. That'll make anything look askew, but some things more than others. This tank is one of them. Sigh. I'm thinking this is going to wind up in the donation bag along with the sports bra once I wash them.

I used to love my mesh sports pants because they had pockets, and were loose and airy. Now they're a bit too loose and I have to hike them up over my hips at the end of every round. Because I've positioned the wires to my earphones behind my head (to keep them out of the way while I punch and jab), they stick to my back and either get caught there, or hang loosely down the inside of my pant leg. Ugh! What I really need are small, comfortable bluetooth earphones. No wires! But that also means I need a bluetooth iPod. Ugh! I'm not ready for that yet!

I'm actually sweaty from my 5 round Beginner warm up. Or I'm really out of shape! I did have a swim class last night and we "swam" the length of the pool learning the backstroke. I still can't tread water though. And that's the reason I signed up. Now they've emailed me to tell me I should take their new Intermediate Swim for Adults. Uh... Will they teach me to tread water? I enjoy the pool time. The teacher is great. But really, I need to learn how to tread water. I have discovered that it is much easier to swim once you relax and let the water do half the work. Tensing up makes me sink right to the bottom of the pool!

The Intermediate Rounds are okay mostly, except for the few times when the machine goes crazy and flashes commands that don't sync with the lit body map that indicate what you're suppose to do. I only blank the machine a few times today, and do better during the Advance rounds. Second wind? Perhaps. I'm torn between doing the Intervals or Performance program on the elliptical. Twinges in my glute and hamstring strongly suggest the latter because that always helps with my sciatic issues.

I have a lot of moleskin on my feet from last weekend's urban hiking. They help a lot with today's cardio, as I have yet to find the perfect "running shoe", the shoe that makes me say Aaah! when I put my foot in. I check out runningwarehouse.com upon the recommendation of a friend, but can't find any shoes in my size. I have those hard to fit "wide, small foot with tiny heel". She raved about the Saucony's her son got her. He's a track coach. She claims to have wide feet. Or as she puts it, she carries all her fat in her feet. She's a long stringy woman, the epitome of a crunchy-granola runner. Beg to differ, but if she's wearing "wide" shoes, then I have absolutely no hope.

Afterwards, I do a slow, cautious stretch. I feel a twinge in my left hip, right where I imagine the TFL lives. Stretching can do more damage than good if rushed or done haphazardly. I brace myself for hammer grip pull ups because I always expect that these are going to suck painfully. That I won't be able to pull myself up at all. But they don't. And I'm always surprised. Because although I'm tired, that part of my body that actually performs this movement isn't. I count 10 reps, then 20 reps, then 26, finally 30. Then the full extension and 31! It feels fine. I could probably've done a few more. I should've done a few more. But I was so focused on accomplishing 31 that that's all I did. Next time I have to step out of my head for a moment, and see just how many I can actually do. But only on a day like today, where there is only this one set of pull ups. Seriously.

I do most of my Mat Stretch, and then wonder if my right boob is going to fall out of the top of my sports bra when I bend over. The tank is too big. The sports bra is probably too big, but the next size down is too small, and the straps too short. Ugh! But the Mats are offset from the rest of the equipment so it'd be impossible for anyone to actually see anything unless they were standing right in front of me. When I'm done, I notice Frankenstein in the Cybex Pec-Deck staring intently. Yep, creepy. I wonder if guys even realize how creepy they can be? I'll have to ask my husband.

Friday Workout

10 min elliptical
0.83 miles

15 rounds Follow Me
Nexersys

30 min elliptical
Program 3
285 cal
2.53 miles

HGPU 31

Photos for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner
(great warm up today!)

5 rounds Intermediate
(blanked the screen twice today; this program continues to be erratic and unpredictable — not always a bad thing)

5 rounds Advance
(always a good way to end the session!)

It's a Heat Wave

ON boy shorts

I'm not a happy person when it's blazing hot outside. Neither is the dog. At least I don't have tons of fur that blow around the house like tumbleweeds. I poured water on his ramp and the walkway to cool his feet, but he got all freaked out and walked around the wet spots. Silly old dog. My son went to camp today, and I went to the gym wearing my new silver Old Navy boy shorts. I like how lightweight and silky they feel. The waist is a bit high, but in general I have no complaints. Because I'm whacking the machine today, I clip my iPod to the back of my waistband and thread the headphone wires up the back of my tank top. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this tank: I don't usually wear anything with white in it because I sweat so profusely, I'm worried that the white just under my armpits will become tea-colored. Not at all attractive. (After kickboxing, the white tape around my knuckles are all sweat-stained!)

Either I slept funny or doing a modified side-stroke kick in yesterday's Adult Swim class did a minor number on my left hip. It twinged all morning, and then it didn't. Actually, it felt like it got fixed during the 30 min elliptical session I did after kickboxing. Normally I do 20 minutes, but since I'm down to three days of working out, and I'm skipping my usual Friday Intervals, I figure an additional 10 minutes would be good. Performance Program 3 has a series of hills and valleys that's more interesting than Program 2 (which I call the Grand Tetons for reasons made obvious once you view the course). Pedaling forward for 7.5 minutes, then backwards for another 7.5, then forward, then back, as the course changes elevation, sometimes dramatically, feels really good. At first my hip twinges going forward, then settles down. Then it twinges going backwards, and then it settles again. And then, it doesn't hurt anymore! Fixed!

I'm exhausted from my workout, but there's still pull ups to do. If I were doing more than one set I wouldn't be so worried, but I'm not. My arms are tired from whacking the machine and I barely get my nose to the bar for the last few reps. But I'm not tired from yesterday's swim class, which I'm enjoying greatly. Now it's just the instructor and three middle-age women. Of course, the instructor tells me that my muscularity makes buoyancy a bigger issue for me than the other two. I struggle to stay afloat. The instructor tells me not to worry, that you don't need to be on the surface, just close to it. On the other hand, I seem to be picking up the instructions a lot quicker. Rolling from face down torpedo-shape to face up is actually kind of fun! We've added arm motions so next week we'll be doing actual backstrokes. I've only ever done a backward "breaststroke" so this should be interesting.

Even sold in supermarkets

I've got to put more cushioning on the bunion though. I have two pairs of black leather trainers for kickboxing: Rykas and Asics. The Asics actually fit too well. They're comfortable, but there's not enough room to cushion my toes when I front kick the pad. My toes are bruised afterwards, but the shoes are comfortable enough to wear during cardio. The Rykas are a tad bigger so my toes don't get quite so beat-up. But my bunion chafes painfully against the side-seam of the shoe during cardio, forcing me to change my gait as I pedal. I do own a "bunion sleeve" but felt as if it was strangling my toe. Maybe I'll try it one more time, because using moleskin isn't quite enough protection and I'm unsure about the double-thick moleskin. I'm starting to develop a callous there! Uh oh.

I'm surprised by how salty the sweat is trickling down my face. On the elliptical, I suddenly sense an ocean breeze and realize that the briny odor is probably coming from me! Yikes!

Friday Workout

10 min elliptical
0.85 miles

15 rounds Nexersys

30 min elliptical
Prgm 3
278 cal
2.48 mi

Hammer Grip Pull UPs
31

Photos for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner
(totally awesome warm up)

5 rounds Intermediate
(only blanked the screen once today!)

5 rounds Advance
(I don't know why it insists I'm over power for my level, but I'm making good use of the session. I guess they have to say something.)

Warm and Dry Equals Clean

Every time I stumble across sweaty women in the locker room blow drying their hair before they scamper out to their cars, I'm reminded of the Jeff Foxworthy routine about the differences between men and women. Specifically, cleanliness. I'll paraphrase: "A guy will take his dirty shirt and toss it in the dryer. Because warm and dry equals clean." But I can't do it. I'm so sweaty that puddles can be wrung out of my clothes. I'm not entirely sure what type of work out only leaves your head damp, and the rest of you not stinky. It certainly wasn't kickboxing the machine.

I haven't whacked the machine in over a week, so I'm due. I've finally figured out how to twist my braid into a coil and secure it with just another scrunchy. It's not pretty, but it works well enough to keep my hair out of my face and from getting tangled in my headphone wires. Looping the wires down my back also helps so I don't accidentally snag them with my gloves and rip them out of my ears. Yep, I've already done that. More than once! Of course, wires going down the back of your shirt presents totally different problems, mostly when trying to disrobe.

I also have a new pair of training gloves to test out at the Cage for pull ups. The issue has been not enough palm padding. These new gloves are snug, oddly patterned, but maybe what I'm looking for. So far, I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement for my old leather FlexSport gloves. The Meister gloves I'm currently using are okay, but not not as good as my old gloves. At least they haven't ripped apart yet. The new MRX gloves are so snug I'm worried that they'll split at the seams. Oh well... gloves aren't any good if you don't use them.

At the Nexersys, I probably expended too much energy on the 5 warm up Beginner Rounds. I don't usually see Power numbers this high. One of my blows was 2 points shy of 300. Of course, the machine gets its revenge during Intermediate and Advance rounds when I occasionally blank the machine, or it fails to register a Lead Kick. I'm still looking to replace my headphones as well because I find the earplug aspect of these a bit disconcerting. Disconcerting that the best sound quality occurs when my head is tilted down and I'm staring at my feet. Disconcerting that my heartbeat and swallowing are almost as loud as the backbeat. Disconcerting that occasionally, an earbud will just fall or pop out of my ear.

MRX gloves

My left leg sciatica is going to flare up. I already know this, so after whacking the machine, I unwrap and clamber onto the elliptical for 20 minutes of pedaling, backward and forward. I start sweating profusely again and I can't help but liken it to rain dripping off my eye lashes and nose. The new gloves are very snug but that's because I'm a skosh bigger than size Small (7" circling the palm) since my hands measure 7.125". The mediums would be too loose at 8". I'm actually surprised at how easy it is to pull myself up at the Stretch Cage, but of course, it gets harder with each additional rep. And I'll repeat myself here: I don't drop into a full extension to spare my elbows and forearms. I'm primarily interested in this as a lat (back) movement. Except for the last rep. That one I'll do from a full drop. Just to prove to myself that it's a real pull up.

At the Mats, two boys have two solid barbells on the Mats. I don't know why anyone chooses to stand on soft squishy 2" foam mats to do BB curls. There are three Mats and they're standing right in the middle of all of them, so I pull out an earbud and ask them if they are on all the mats. Except I'm not smiling. The Mats are for doing floor exercises. The only reason to have BBs on them is to anchor your feet if you're attempting old-fashion sit ups. They retreat and do their curls on the strip of floor between all the mats. I don't know why they're not in the middle of the gym where the BB racks are. There's plenty of room there, and mirrors for them to check their form. Good grief.

Afterwards, I do some grocery shopping and finally notice that regular milk purveyors are also trying to cash in on the "more protein" bandwagon. Being hungry probably had something to do with my tossing the FairLife high protein (19 gms) chocolate milk into my cart. I find that in the organic dairy section (which also contains non-dairy items like almond milk, etc.). Being curious made me purchase the high protein (30 gms) chocolate milk Rockin' Refuel (from Shamrock Farms) I find in the regular dairy section at the other end of the store. It has much less sugar and labels itself a "recovery" drink. It has less sugar because it also has sucralose, and a bunch of stuff I don't quite understand. When I get home, I do a taste test. RR is definitely not as sweet, but mildly sweet chocolate milk is actually kind of weird. It also gives me a mild upset stomach. I don't think I'll be buying this again.

There are several packages at the front door when I get home. One of them is the Sony earphones I ordered from Amazon. They look like my old earphones except these are pale pink. I don't really care about the color, just that they hook over my ears and have great sound quality. I'll keep the earplug earbuds as backups. Through trial and error, I've decided that Sony makes the best "low-end"workout earphones. I'm not willing to spend $100+ on headphones, and that popular over-the-head style seems really uncomfortable and impractical. (I don't even like ear muffs!) I'm not planning to take my son to the gym tomorrow so I'll be back on Friday. Probably anther cardio and Smith machine day.

Here's a Jeff Foxworthy routine for your amusement: 



HumpDay Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   93 CAL
Distance: 0.83 mile
Duration : 00:10:00

Nexersys KickBoxing

Follow Me

Lap/Rep :  15 Lap/Rep
Duration : 01:00:00

Elliptical Training

Prgm#3

Calorie :   184 CAL
Distance: 1.65 mile
Duration : 00:20:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

227.73

Set 1 : 112x31

Photos posted for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner

5 rounds Intermediate

5 rounds Advance

The Machine is Cheating

Not only did I get my car inspected, but I also got it washed. Not sure I want to return to this particular car wash though as the lead guy, the guy who comes up to your window and collects your money, was totally creepy. I hate it when guys lean into your car window. It's like they're staring into your crotch! Thank goodness I thought to do this before going to the gym, instead of afterwards when I'd be wearing shorts. His bug eyes and over-aggressive
demeanor made me want to say "Back away from the car! Keep your hands in your pockets!" Ugh!

It's so chilly in the mornings that the heat kicks on, but of course, I can't close my bedroom window because there's a robin sleeping in the nest perched on the top edge. Of course. I manage to affix my hair so that it doesn't fall down or get too much in my way. I've already heard the terrible news about the child snatched by a gator at a Disney resort. Orlando is the epicenter of death right now. We've always been extremely cautious about Southern waterways because we've seen enough nature shows to know that gators account for a lot of small dog deaths in Florida. I'm sure the parents are in total shock because Disney, the Happiest Place on Earth, has always been seen as one of the safest as well.
I can't dwell on this. Instead, I tape and wrap my hands so I can whack and kick the Nexersys. The Beginner and Intermediate rounds go well except for the occasional blank screen. The machine gets belligerent during the Advance rounds, refusing to score obvious kicks and blows. I think the software is messed up, but there's nothing to be done. I can't put much stock into the stats because the machine has proven unreliable. At least I got a good workout. I've given up trying to present a "neutral" face because I'm one of those gals blessed with the Resting Bitch Face. Now I snarl during my workouts, and it feels good.

I run into B in the locker room. She hasn't been around for a few weeks. I figure she either went on vacation, or had some medical issues to deal with. Instead, she whispers to me that she had her boobs done. And she has. They're not huge, but for a skinny old chick (she's in her mid-60s), she's now got a cute figure. But of course, there are restrictions on her workouts because she doesn't want to undo the work. I tell her she looks good, because she does. But I laugh to myself because the last thing I'd ever want would be bigger boobs. Seriously. And I have tiny ones that barely fit a 36AAA (yes, triple-A).

Afterwards, I pedal the Precor for 20 minutes, and then don gloves for a set of pull ups. I'm tired, but I still manage to muscle through a full set. Yaaay! Speaking of muslces -- I finally watched the latest episode of American Ninja Warrior off my DVR and saw a 5 ft tall woman who had an upper bod to envy! She's got 10 lbs on me, and the best shoulders and arms I've ever seen. Not bodybuilding freaky, but thick, athletic useful muscle. Totally awesome!

Humpty Dumpty Day Workout

Cross Trainer

warm up

Calorie :   46 CAL
Distance: 1.25 mile
Speed :    7.49 mph
Duration : 00:10:04

KickBoxing

Follow Me

Lap/Rep :  15 Lap/Rep
Duration : 01:00:00

Elliptical Training

Prgm#2

Calorie :   183 CAL
Distance: 1.64 mile
Duration : 00:20:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

227.73

Set 1 : 112x31

Photos posted for stats:

Cascade Effect

When I originally heard the name Cascade, it was in reference to a mountain range out west. Then there was (and is) the dish washing detergent. Now when I think of cascade, I think of a series of catastrophes, usually medical and often terminal. I used to be horrified when confronted with news of murder-suicides where a parent kills their own family out of desperation. Now I'm more sympathetic. I can understand being so overwhelmed by events, and everything seems hopeless. But I'm a stubborn SOB, and if there is only one true thing about me, it's that I know how to hang on. When the world is a dark, endless void, I just grit my teeth, and soldier on.

not my actual test but could be

My Visual Field test today showed an increasing deterioration of my vision. But I still have mostly 20/20 vision. Ironic. I can have the SLT surgery repeated. Or try different eye drops that maybe I'm not allergic to. My IOPs are actually good today at 11/12 but they were 14/15 last month. Everything fluctuates. My eye doc suggests that as an extreme measure, I can have cataract surgery because somehow the surgery leads to a substantial decrease in IOP. Not that I have cataracts. Well, I have the beginnings of it in my left eye, hence the slight yellow tinge to my vision when I look at the eye chart. But I'm literally doing everything I can to stave off blindness. Lose weight. Check. Exercise regularly. Check. Daily eye drops. Check. Iridotomy. Check. SLT. Check. No handstands or anything that increases pressure inside the head. Check. Ugh.

My hip twinges sporadically. My knuckles sting this morning even before I even think of going to the gym. Later, the three hammer toes on my right foot spasm and flex upward painfully. Shit, I tell myself, that's my driving foot. Is this what middle-age is all about? Body parts just sporadically fail, or act weirdly before something catastrophic happens? I think about skipping the gym today until I remember that the storm door is suppose to be installed on Friday. Which means I might not get to go then. So I'd better go today. I might still make it on Friday, but one can never tell how long an installation is going to take, especially when nothing in our house is straight or aligned.

At the gym, my hair refuses to stay tucked and I have to pause a round just to reclip the barrettes that won't hold my braid in place. But it's a fairly routine workout, except that I miss a complete combination because the screen blanks out for more than a second. Oh well. It's not like the scores really mean anything to anyone except me. I do 20 min on the elliptical because I can feel my hamstrings tightening and I want to forestall any sciatic issues. Then I talk myself into doing pull ups. Okay, who am I kidding? I always do pull ups as the last movement. But my hands hurt and I feel tired. It can't possibly be from hauling the dog up the ramp twice a day, can it? The palm-side of my knuckles have formed callouses that are already yellow and peeling. That and my thumbs are what's sore when I finish pull ups. I have such tiny, bony hands.

WalkAbout.com

The harness I bought at the local pet food shop is starting to come apart and I'm really annoyed by that. I place an online order from WalkAbout.com for a medium-large butt harness that should arrive in 2-3 days. I like the quality and simplicity. I've had it with all these straps and buckles and loops that are difficult to snap into position with one hand. Because I have my other hand under the dog, holding him up. I still haven't bitten the bullet about getting leg braces for the dog, but he's going to need them if he's going to have any sort of life. (PoshDogKneeBrace is the only one that doesn't require casts or additional vet fees so I'm leaning towards them.) The dog's mood is better with additional pain medication so he's actually gone for a regular walk down the road and then back around the house to "check the perimeter" for any unusual smells. At least as long as I'm supporting his back half as he walks. Life is good. Uh... Well, at least the weather's nice.

Wednesday Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   91 CAL
Distance: 0.82 mile
Duration : 00:10:00

KickBoxing

Follow Me

Lap/Rep :  15 Lap/Rep
Duration : 01:00:00

Elliptical Training

Prgm#2

Calorie :   181 CAL
Distance: 1.63 mile
Duration : 00:20:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

227.73

Set 1 : 112x31

Photos posted for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner

5 rounds Intermediate

5 rounds Advance