Push Ups First, Then Pull Ups

The log below is completely out of sequence because I can't figure out the Jefit App properly. However, I did do my standard Abbreviated Full Body workout today. The hip is still a bit wonky but not as bad as yesterday. I started with 3+ miles on the LifeFitness Cross-trainer, then a light Cage Stretch, foregoing the side kicks and stretch because of the hip issue. On Wednesday I suffered from a nearly unbearable soft palate throbbing akin to a brain freeze when I did pull ups and then push ups. I didn't have that problem on Monday, but Monday I had started with push ups first.

Today I do push ups first and knock out 50, pausing at rep 40 for 2 breaths, then at rep 45 for two breaths. I can feel a slight throbbing in my head but it's tolerable. Then I do close grip, neutral palm pull ups at the Cage. In the Jefit App, I find an exercise called Hammer Grip Pull Ups which sounds like what I'm doing except that Hammer probably refers to the brand name of a machine and not the hand position (unlike a hammer curl). I'm pulling only bodyweight (BW) so I punch in 112 because that's what it was yesterday. (Today, it actually reads 110.4 lbs but I don't know that until after my workout.)

On the way to the Smith machine to do Inverted Rows, I stop at the Cybex Torso Twist machine and do a set there. The Jefit App doesn't have this machine either so I plug in Weighted Torso Twist instead and edit it later. The Smith is free but the last doofus left the bench dripping wet where he put his head. So gross! I move the bench and curse under my breath. Since I'm plugged in, I have no idea how loud I'm muttering but there's not a lot of people around anyway. It takes me a while to get the proper feel for the movement even though this is the third time this week. It's hard on elbows too, but I figure between this and the pull ups, I haven't totally neglected my back or arms.

22 minutes on the Precor gets me enough mileage to push me over 5 miles so I'm happy. I knock out crunches and pulse-ups on the Mat before doing an abbreviated Mat Stretch. I'm short on time so I skip the Dive Bomber Push Ups and the plank. But I toss in a few Pistol Squats just for quads even though I think 5+ miles is plenty of exercise for legs. Haven't decided whether I'll go to the gym this Monday or not. My husband is home for the long weekend but off to Boston for the rest of the week. Oh well... Tomorrow we're going to an all-day seminar on fire-making skills. Should be fun!

Day Five Abbreviated Workout

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   143 CAL
Distance: 3.37 mile
Speed :    6.68 mph
Duration : 00:30:00

Push Up

50

Set 1 : 50 Laps/Reps
Set 2 : 40 Laps/Reps
Set 3 : 30 Laps/Reps

Pull Up

8

Set 1 : 8 Laps/Reps
Set 2 : 8 Laps/Reps
Set 3 : 8 Laps/Reps

Torso Twist Machine

91.67

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Elliptical Training

N/A

Calorie :   193 CAL
Distance: 1.76 mile
Speed :    --
Lap/Rep :  --
Duration : 00:22:00

Crunches

50

Set 1 : 50 Laps/Reps
Set 2 : 50 Laps/Reps
Pulse Ups : 50 Laps/Reps

  Pistol Squat

5

Set 1 : 5 Laps/Reps
Set 2 : 4 Laps/Reps

Inverted Row

154

Set 1 : 110x12
Set 2 : 110x12
Set 3 : 110x12

Day Five is a Wild Card

35 min hill 5 and 35 min interval 8

Day 5!

Since I didn't make it to kickboxing last night (my husband had to work late and I don't like to go without him), I figured I'd do cardio and then get some time in on the Nexersys machines. They usually stand abandoned next to the more popular, less scary cardio machines. On rare occasions I've spied a middle-aged woman or man tentatively poking the pads. I like to punch and jab. Punch hard enough to make the machine beep at me for punching too hard. But that's just me. I punch hard enough to make people look up from their elliptical daze, and when I'm done, sweat is pouring off me like I've just completed a run in the blazing sun. It's very satisfying.

Day Five Workout
35 min hill #5 = 3.93 miles (bleah) + 35 min interval #8 = 4.08 miles  Grand Total = 8.01 miles Whew! I just barely made my quota of 8 miles and I'm so relieved that it's over!
Cage Stretch & Kicks: this includes several sets of body weight heel dips (part of the stretch) and hamstring stretches (heel to face height bar) and side kicks to loosen the hips.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups because I feel guilty not doing any abs before a weekend where I'm basically a slug and don't do anything: 125
Mat Stretch: I'm tired from cardio but my splits still feel good although I don't push the horizontal because I want to save time to play with the Nexersys.
Nexersys: I do a 3 round set of avatar Follow Me (3 minutes per round), and then a 3 round set of avatar Sparring. The machine beeps me several times for punching too hard. Maybe next time I shouldn't tell it I'm female because it seems to be expecting softer punches. I land a lot of punches and my punching power (127%) is well above 100% but I don't really know what that means, nor do I really care. I land a lot more punches than the program calls for (200/150) and I have to be careful not to completely exhaust myself during the first round. Pacing myself is not something I'm used to doing but it seems like a good practical skill to have. 

Looks suspiciously like a blister!

I'd taped my knuckles under those stupid pink Everlast gloves but I've still managed to skin my knuckles, especially my right. I've also split the skin on the 2nd joint of my pointer finger just where the glove ends. When I get home I apply some Liquid Skin in spite of the extremely unpleasant burning sensation associated with antiseptics, and shiny plasticized sheen. The slight yellow glob on my pointer knuckle suggests pus but that's impossible so I'm forced to conclude that it's a blister. All from a few rounds of play boxing. Jeepers, I need better gloves, and it's not for lack of trying. I just haven't been able to find any that fit me. I like my husband's gloves but they're old (probably not available anymore) and waaay too big. Also, I have to learn how to tape my hands. Online, I read about cotton wraps vs elastic ones. I'm using tape. Perhaps I need to use something else?


The gym scale reads 108 lbs and I'm pleased. I've barely drank half my water but damn I'm hungry. My home scale reads 107 lbs and says my BF has dropped to 19.1 which could just be a statistical error considering it usually reads 19.4-.6, at least for the last several months. I haven't decided whether I'm going to work out next Thursday, July 4th. Traditionally I work out regardless of holidays unless it's a day the gym is closed. My son doesn't have camp so he can sleep in. But I'd feel guilty skipping the gym. I'll probably work out, but use the New Plan, leaving me wiggle room for two Wild Card days. As long as I get cardio in, then whatever else I do is cool. I like that.