Springtime Renewal

I can tell that Spring is finally here, not just because the tiny peepers are screaming their tiny throats out, but because the Snow Birds have returned from the South. Being away has not improved their driving abilities. There's a new tick-borne viral disease afoot that appears to be alarmingly lethal and tiny insects perpetually buzz about ears and eyes. Yep, it's Spring.

Because today is Arm Day, I decide to only do one cardio session. But I feel much better, and so I don't actually carry through with my planned de-escalation. My new Ryka Dash Walking Shoe are lightweight and reasonably comfortable, except when I first start pedaling on the LifeFitness Cross-trainer. I can feel the inside seams of the top of the shoe as my foot flexes and it's distracting. Eventually it becomes unnoticeable so I'm fairly happy with them. Tomorrow I'm going to test out the Ryka Intent XT 2 cross-trainers with the Nexersys kickboxing machine.

I almost walk past the breaker benches before remembering that I warm up with Close Grip Bench Presses. These are always fun! I start with just the Oly bar and knock out 25 reps so quick I almost lose count. Then add a pair of 10s. The reps come a little slower. Two weeks ago I got two sets at 65 lbs. so it's time to up the weight just a tad. I'm still going for reps because this is a warm-up after all. So I only add 10 lbs total to make it 75 lbs. I still get 25 reps, but it takes me longer with a pause at 15 and a pause at 20. I've forgotten my towel (first time ever!) so I drape my hoodie over the bench.

Everything else is fairly routine. I haven't upped my weight or reps in several weeks. Perhaps it's time to change it up? I'm not looking for growth or size. But I enjoy being strong. And fast. That's why I enjoy whacking the Nexersys so much. It's where I get to indulge my I see a lot of regulars but the gym isn't crowded. The Mayor appears briefly. M does a few minutes on the elliptical and then the treadmill before leaving. Jude, DanielRyanFan and Crippled Girl, creepy PJ Pants, Big Glasses Dude, Tattoo Tank, Frankenstein... they all come and go. I know I'm spending too much time here: an hour of cardio and today 90 minutes lifting. Plus another 15 minutes stretching. Yep, I've got to cut back somehow.

Venus moves from the treadmill where she's doing a version of Intervals to the Step Mill. I think it's Intervals only because she doesn't seem particularly flustered during the "run" phase, so it can't be HIIT. I move from cardio to an abbreviated Mat Stretch. When I drop into a split, I look up to check my form and see that Venus is staring from across the gym. I haven't seen Chatty Guy lately, but people's schedules change. It's Spring, and no one wants to be inside these days.

Wednesday Cardio and Arm Workout
(6.74 miles and 15,520 lbs moved)

CrossTrainer

Calorie :   148 CAL
Distance: 3.88 mile
Speed :    7.73 mph
Duration : 00:30:10

Barbell Close Grip Bench Press

137.5

Set 1 : 45x25
Set 2 : 65x25
Set 3 : 75x25

Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12 SuperSet with

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12

Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

52.5

Set 1 : 17.5x15
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12
Set 5 : 37.5x12 SuperSet w

Barbell Curl

52.5

Set 1 : 17.5x15
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12
Set 5 : 37.5x12

Barbell Reverse Curl

75

Set 1 : 40x25
Set 2 : 45x20
Set 3 : 45x20
Set 4 : 45x20

Cable Triceps Pushdown

65

Set 1 : 40x12
Set 2 : 50x9
Set 3 : 50x7
Set 4 : 50x7

Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull In

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   260 CAL
Distance: 2.88 mile
Duration : 00:30:02

It's Always Something

The late Gilda Radner's irreverent character, Roseanne Rosannadanna, always ended her rant with the infamous line, "It's always something." That's how I feel lately. I woke up, still with a stiff neck and a bruise on my trap, to the disconcerting sound of wind. Coming from the house. Wind but not wind. Not coming from the house but the basement. Uh oh. After feeding and walking the dog (there are priorities in a set order in my house), I pull away the black garbage bag from the basement doors. Well, it's dry so that's a relief. But what's that noise? The furnace seems okay. Ah, the sump is running. But there's no water for it to pump. The float has gotten caught on the edge of the drain pipe and can't turn off. I nudge it a little and all is quiet. Whew. I don't know how long it's been running like this but I didn't hear it last night. I'm pretty sure my electric bill is going to be ridiculous.

I get to the gym with the intention of whacking the kickboxing machine. I even have scissors to cut strips of moleskin for my knuckles. But I've forgotten to pack gloves. I have three different sets of gloves and none of them are in my gym bag. Ugh. Okay, I guess it's Arm Day. My neck is still stiff and sore though. Worse, my left index finger is sporadically painful, as if I've got a blister coming up on the meaty side of my hand. But there's no blister. Just sporadic tenderness. Maybe I've inflamed a tendon inside my finger? It looks okay though. Hmmmm.

I'm having trouble getting into "gear" for my warm up and part of me says if I just do cardio it'll be enough. Of course, once I finish 30 minutes and do a quick stretch, I feel good and wander back to the free weight area. I've decided that Close Grip Bench Presses are my new arm warm up and I do 3 sets of 25 reps easily with just the Oly bar. I really should put some weight on the bar! Maybe next week. My only problem is the sporadic sharp pain in my index finger when I grip the DB or BB with my left hand. I have to adjust my grip so that the surrounding fingers take the weight. It's hard to do with a "thumbless grip" on sets of Rip Skulls.

I also use a thumbless grip on the RG BB Curls. I'm a bit worried about the Cable Tricep Press Downs but really what fails are my arms, not my hands. Back for 30 more minutes of cardio on the elliptical. Lately I've been punching in the additional option information: weight and age. I'm not sure if I'm pedaling faster but lately the elliptical has been registering more than 2.5 miles for these Performance Programs. I don't think entering 113 lbs and 55 yrs should have any effect on the mileage outcome, but I could be wrong.

Regulars are popping out of the woodwork, as if the warmer weather has suddenly spurred everyone into self-conscious awareness of the summer months to come. There are some new faces, most noticeably a young man with a prosthetic leg. I see a lot of familiar faces. Cripple Girl and her Daniel Ryan fan boyfriend stand around a lot. Or rather, she sits around looking unhappy unless he's standing right next to her. He gets a much better workout when he comes solo. I see Venus briefly and barely recognize her in her navy sweats as she exits the treadmill. Wearing weighted vests for all sorts of exercises has become very popular in the past two months, but it's usually guys sporting them. Now I see a woman with one of the trainers wearing a bright blue blue and gold weighted vest, brand new and shorter in length.

The music instructor who bought two of my prints says Hi to me while we are both stretching out on the Mats. She's been ill with the flu and bronchitis and is just coming back. Even though she's over her ailment, she's exhausted. The body is like that: just because you don't have symptoms doesn't mean you're well. Country western love songs are blaring over the gym sound system. Apparently it's Country Wednesday. Disco Friday is also very popular. I thought I heard the Bee Gees in the locker room yesterday. I can't wait until those new noise-cancelling earplug ear buds arrive!

Wednesday Workout and Cardio
(6.72 miles; 15,985 lbs moved)

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   149 CAL
Distance: 3.83 mile
Speed :    7.6 mph
Duration : 00:30:15

Barbell Close Grip Bench Press

82.5

Set 1 : 45x25
Set 2 : 45x25
Set 3 : 45x25

Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12 SuperSet with

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12

Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

52.5

Set 1 : 15x12
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12 SuperSet w

Barbell Curl

52.5

Set 1 : 15x12
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 37.5x12
Set 4 : 37.5x12

Barbell Reverse Curl

75

Set 1 : 40x25
Set 2 : 45x20
Set 3 : 45x20
Set 4 : 45x20

Cable Triceps Pushdown

66.67

Set 1 : 40x12
Set 2 : 50x10
Set 3 : 50x9
Set 4 : 40x12

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   258 CAL
Distance: 2.89 mile
Duration : 00:30:10

TorsoTwistMachine

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Diminishing Returns? Maybe Not.

Because last week I had three fairly satisfying double cardio sessions, I'd expected the same or better this week. Alas, it's been a real grind to get through cardio lately. I'm not sure what the issue is, although I've had a sweets craving lately, and if I was still getting those nasty monthly messes, I'd attribute it to my hormone cycle. Which it might be anyway. My lower back doesn't hurt but is stiffer than usual. I should be thankful that I did over 8 miles today. Instead, I'm disappointed that I didn't get close to 8 and 1/2. That's the problem with keeping tract of personal bests -- you're always trying to top yourself.

I actually got 3 minutes into Interval 7 on the Tractor when Precor #1 suddenly became available and I hopped on it before anyone else could claim it. Not that anyone was. But even on my favorite elliptical, with my favorite tunes blaring, I still had trouble, feeling every sore spot and ache in my glutes, intermittent numbness in my fingers and toes, the old iliotibial band injury outside my right knee, a pebble-sized knot under my left shoulder blade that seems to be migrating down towards my lower back. Today my Intervals got worse but the Hill got better. Still, there's a satisfaction I relish having done at least 8 miles.

Today is Arm Day so I head over to the Smith Rack to do Close Grip Benching for Reps. I tuck my elbows in against my chest with my hands and wrists tilted slightly inward on the bar. I don't count the first set of just the bar. It's not really a warm up -- more of a way for me to determine whether the bench and my placement on it is correct. I toss on a pair of 25 lb plates and do 4 sets. The sets go smoothly and considering each set was 25 reps, I feel pumped and warmed up. I spy Mo across the gym because she's wearing a bright green T-shirt, but she's on her way out the door and I'm sure she hasn't seen me. I'll probably see her tomorrow anyway.

Cage stretch is uneventful. Good. Boring is good. I wander back to the free weight area, trying to figure out what I'm doing next. I'm on autopilot when I grab a pair of 25 lb dumbbells and plop myself on a flat bench. Well, they're too heavy for one-arm tricep extensions so I guess I'll be curling these. And I do. Taking a page from everyone who's lifting for strength, I cut my reps. I'm not sure what I'm comfortable with so I go to 6 reps, then realize I can do more and go to 8 reps. I get 6 sets and realize that my elbows don't hurt. Hurray! And if I were to cut my reps down to 5 or 6, I might be able to up my weights again, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. Maybe I'll do these for a couple of weeks. I want to alternate triceps and biceps so I go to the cables. I haven't done these in weeks so this'll be fun. I manage to get three sets at 50 lbs before moving back to biceps.

The 40 lb barbell is missing and I eye the 50 lb barbell warily, reasoning that since I just curled 25 lb DBs I should be able to curl a 50 lb BB. The mirrored wall is crowded and I squeeze myself into a spot between the Squat rack and a really big guy doing SLDLs. I had wanted to do 21s but I can't do them with 50 lbs so I settled for doing regular old-fashion BB curls. Again, my elbows are silent. I'm really surprised and extremely pleased. I move back to the DB area to do Tricep Kickbacks.

R glides by and I almost miss his quick wave Hi. I wave back. Then I pull off my headphones and ask him about wrist wraps because he's the only one I see here with them. He's told me before that he wears them for support because he's got weak wrists from injuries from catching the ball and getting tackled. I ask him if they're wrapped over the thumb like in boxing, or loop over the thumb like in power lifting, or just around the wrist. He tells me just around the wrists. We chat briefly before moving on with our own workouts.

The 20 DB feel heavy in my hand and I wonder if I've made a mistake. But when I kick the DB back, I see my triceps flex in the mirror and I get 15 reps so it's not a mistake. After 3 sets I feel pretty toasted, and then remember that I still have to do Reverse Grip Curls for my forearms. The 40 lb BB is still missing. Someone's using it in a vacant class space. Oh well. The obvious workaround is just to do more at a lesser weight so I grab the 30 lb BB and do 6 sets instead of 3. (I'm too bloody tired to go to the front desk to grab magnetic discs to make the 30 a 40.) After doing some abs, I drain my water bottle and head for the Mat. My glutes and lower back still feel stiff but as long as I move slowly and deliberately, I can do this. A long limbed girl plops herself on the mat across from me. She's doing the hurdler stretch which I think is awful for the knees but I hesitate to council her against it. After all, I'm not a personal trainer by any means. Later, I see her with legs apart, leaning forward. She can sort of get her elbows on the mat. She has time -- she's young.

After I grab my sopping wet hoodie and the rest of my gear, I stoop down to say Bye to R who's sitting on a bench between sets. He's been massaging and rotating his neck and shoulders throughout his entire workout. I know it's the humidity. Broken bones, no matter how well healed, always seem to be affected by the dampness. The weather's screwing up my sinuses so I'm intermittently dizzy but it passes. It's amazing what one can get used to. The one thing I really enjoy about the gym is taking a hot shower afterwards because of the great water pressure. The gym scale again reads 109.6 lbs and I wonder what's up with me. Damn, well, I am stronger. I just don't really want to get bigger. When I get home, my scale tells me 107.8 lbs and my BF is back to 19.5%.

Tomorrow I might have a go at the Nexersys again. It'd be a fun way to end the week.

Arm Day with a Double Dose of Cardio
35 min Interval 7 = 4.24 miles + 35 min Hill 5 = 4.02  Grand Total = 8.26 miles Yay!
Smith Close Grip Bench Press: 4 x 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Side Kicks
DB Curls: 6 x 8 @ 25 lbs
Tricep Press Downs: 12, 11, 10 reps @ 50 lbs
BB Curls: 6 x 12 @ 50 lbs
DB Kickbacks: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
RGBB Curls: 6 x 20 @ 30 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 125
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with splits

Dissatisfaction

Wednesday has been Leg Day for a good year now or at least since April 2012. It feels odd not doing legs today but my gym sessions tend to run long on those days and I have my son with me. My double session of cardio is disappointing although I do make my quota, but not by much. I'm such a hardass when it comes to my expectations. Cage stretch and kicks feel stiff even though I'm drenched with sweat, so much so that I uncharacteristically pulled my hood down during my second cardio session, letting sweat fly everywhere but mostly down my face and off my chin and nose.

As sweaty as I am, I still feel the need to warm up my arms so I do three sets of dumbbell tricep extensions, followed by three sets of standing dumbbell bicep curls, twisting my forearms as I raise them up in front of me. My elbows don't mind but my wrists seem tenuous. I don't play well with others so when I find that someone has laid claim to the tricep push down station, I immediately return back to the DB area and do tricep kick backs. They're not as satisfying as Press Downs but easier on my elbows. Barbell bicep curls aren't as gentle even though I'm only using 45 lbs for sets of 20 reps. The Reverse Grip curls at 40 lbs don't hurt too much and I'd do more if I wasn't worried about getting a Mat Stretch in before a shower and change of clothes. I'm waaay too stinky to ever consider not showering before leaving the gym. Years ago, I used to get in quick workouts and not shower but I never discerned the same odors that now emanate from modern synthetic athletic gear.

Day Three Workout: Cardio and Arms
35 min hill #5 = 4.04 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.06 miles (disappointing)
Grand Total = 8.10 miles Yay!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Tricep DB Extensions: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Tricep Kick Backs: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 45 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch: splits are stiff but serviceable.

There is too much drama in the locker room which it throws me out of kilter and I forget to weight myself on the way to the showers. A small, thin woman whom I've seen watching me work out has inadvertently locked the key to her lock inside her locker. Several attempts with a bolt cutter by various female staff members standing atop the adjacent bench have failed to do anything but put a dent in the metal loop. The lady says to me, "I enjoy watching you work out" and like a moron, I don't say anything because I don't really know what to say. I probably should've said something, like Thanks, but that didn't really seem to make any sense to me. I feel like Temperance Brennan in the TV show Bones, because I'm so socially inept that I'm at a loss for words. I do joke with her about how these new locks are probably bolt cutter proof but I've missed my moment to encourage her to add a weight routine to her exercises. Oh well. Eventually a male staff member comes to the rescue and snips the lock off while I'm in the shower.

I see Mo and bring my son back into the free weight area afterwards. It's a two-fold move. One, my son wanted to see all the equipment and Mo wanted to say Hi to him. She has grandkids his age even though she's a mere 4 years older than me. I'm the proverbial late bloomer. Second, I wanted to reinforce my no-nonsense approach to the rest of the gym which is peopled with HS girls, and men like The Mayor, Ranger Rick, Hoodie Tattoo, Hairy Tattoo, and Nixon. Only Nixon seems particularly appreciative of the situation as my son clings to my arm and hides his face in my shoulder. A cold pack is waiting for us in the car with high protein Ensure for me, and juice boxes for my son. It wasn't the best work out, not horribly satisfying, but it'll do. Tomorrow's Leg Day and I'm curious to see how that'll go.