Showing posts with label GHRs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GHRs. Show all posts

Friday, November 20, 2015

Constructive Uses for Destructive Forces

Post-push-up Selfie
I used to have a much worse temper than I do now, but it does flare up every now and then. I get it from my father. Working out has helped to keep me more or less on an even keel. But sometimes I just can't let things go. Last night, for example. I took my son to his Cub Scout Pack meeting. Badges are awarded once in the Fall and once again in the Spring. My son's Den was going to receive a slew of badges plus Compass Emblems for having completed the entire 20 badge program. Except for one child whose parents just can't seem to get themselves organized. I've spent the past few weeks sending them text messages and emails regarding the status of their son's Webelos rank, to no avail. Meanwhile, I'm still wrestling with another Den leader over the direction of the Blue & Gold banquet this Spring, when our Cub Scouts transition to Boy Scouts. In the middle of all this, I text my hubs some photos of the event, figuring he could enjoy without being actually there.

Instead, he questions me about the guest speaker, a former Army Medic who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. (November is a Veteran's themed meeting.) This fellow was invited by one of the parent's who also serves on the Planning Committee and it's great that someone is willing to take the time to speak to our kids about their experiences. My husband goes on a rant about politics, and all I want to text him back is "Shut up! WTF?!" But I don't. I should've ignored him, but instead I type "Whatever" because it's nicer than what I want to say. And it has the desired effect, but I know he's mad now. Which makes me even more mad.
These handles rotate.
But they're comfortable.

I'm still mad when I wake up this morning. After I get my son off to school, I drive the rental to the gym. I'm stuck with this car until at least next Tuesday because they're waiting for a part. That seems to be standard with Subies. No one ever has what you need in stock. I haven't worked out in two days so I feel a bit stiff. But because I'm still mad, I have a lot more energy. Today I actually make over 7 miles in cardio, and that feels pretty good. My gym has three different types of push up handles and I take the ones that look the most hand-friendly. I'm weirded out by the fact that they rotate but use them anyway. The other handles look like someone wrapped them in tape to make them easier to grip. And I haven't been able to figure out what the ones that look like over-sized picture hanger hooks are for. At least my knuckles have been saved. I'm able to knock out the rest of the routine (push ups and planks) without issue.
Not sure about these handles.

I catch glimpse of myself in the mirrored wall by the Max Rack. My arms are huge! Cool! I stay with a light weight for reps because I notice a very slight twinge in my lower back, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. Perhaps because I'm not worn out from RG BB Rows, the DB Laterals seem easier today even though I'm doing supersets with DB Reverse Flyes. But instead of upping the weight, I add two more sets. Next time I'll consider upping the weights a hair, and will need to grab those magnetic discs from the front desk. One-Arm Seated Cable Rows are a tad harder than I expect but just that means my arms are tired. However, I can still knock out three sets of Drag Curls and RG Curls.

I always do Intervals on Friday, figuring that I should end the week with intense cardio. I've forgotten to charge my iPod but even a sliver of battery life is enough to power my entire workout. I've been eyeing the stretch Cage, and today, after loosening up my hamstrings and quads, I grab hold of the bars in the roof of the Cage and pull myself up. The first dozen feel pretty good. The last two are a little hard, considering I haven't done them in several weeks, and the last time I did, I got horrible pain in abdominals from under the sternum down past my navel. I'm really happy now. What the hell, I'll go for broke! I grab a bosu ball and plant it in front of a Lat Pull Down station. It's been a really long time since I've done these. But it's not an issue. At least I can do one complete set. I don't push my luck though. One set is good for just getting back to it! I'm even able to knock out Pistol Squats on the Mat. It's easier on the flat hard floor but balance is one of the things I like to work on simultaneously with flexibility. It's kind of critical as you age.

The sit up board has a big gouge in the foam under the cracked vinyl. I wonder when the gym will have the benches all re-upholstered? Meanwhile, I'll contemplate doing Lower Ab Knee-Ins, but not today. I have errands to run! The gym scale reads 107.6 lbs which actually surprises me since I've been snacking on chips before bed lately. Chips, cheese, hard cider. I'm probably fat and don't realize it yet, so I've been avoiding my own home scale. I don't want to read the BF measurement. Yet. I text my hubs and we make up over the phone without either of us actually apologizing. Marriage is a series of compromises. And I'm not mad anymore.

Friday Workout
(7.04 miles cardio!)

Steady State
Calorie :   144 CAL
Distance: 4.28 mile
Speed :    8.55 mph
Duration : 00:30:05
Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep
Elbow : 00:00:30
Straight : 00:00:30
Elbow : 00:00:30
Straight : 00:00:30
Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep
Bent Knee Left : 00:00:30
Bent Knee Right : 00:00:30
Straight Leg Left : 00:00:30
Straight Leg Right : 00:00:30
Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep
Elbow Right : 00:00:30
Elbow Left : 00:00:30
Straight Arm Rt : 00:00:30
Straight Arm Lft : 00:00:30
Left Leg : 50 Lap/Rep
Right Leg : 50 Lap/Rep
@ MaxRack
Set 1 : 55x25
Set 2 : 75x25
Set 3 : 95x25
Set 4 : 95x25
Set 5 : 95x25
Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12
Set 4 : 20x12
Set 5 : 20x12 SuperSet with
Set 1 : 20x15
Set 2 : 20x15
Set 3 : 20x15
Set 4 : 20x15
Set 5 : 20x15

Set 1 : 45x12
Set 2 : 45x12
Set 3 : 45x12
Set 1 : 50x15
Set 2 : 50x15
Set 3 : 50x15
Set 1 : 50x23
Set 2 : 50x22
Set 3 : 50x22
Intervals
Calorie :   322 CAL
Distance: 2.78 mile
Duration : 00:30:02
Set 1 : 110x15

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 1 : 110x10

Friday, August 21, 2015

Acknowledging Fatigue

I didn't sleep all that well last night. Perhaps it was the rainstorm. I'm a light sleeper and despite the soothing white noise from the floor fan, I still managed to wake several hours before dawn. Perhaps it's a good thing that this is the last day of summer camp, and I'll be doing abbreviated workouts for the next two weeks. I suspect I'm over-tired, or even, over-trained in spite of working each body part only once weekly. Except for legs. Because I do some semblance of cardio nearly every day, even if it's just 10 minutes of HIIT followed by 20 minutes of leisurely LISS. The body is adaptive, but there are limits!

It seems counter-intuitive to plan more cardio and less lifting for the next two weeks. But what I'm planning is a sustainable program change: something I can do that won't make me unhappy. Cardio makes me happy. We'll see if I lose any size, but I doubt it. I have the type of body that retains mass and strength very efficiently. Being scrawny just isn't in my genetics.

I'm in a rush this morning so I neglect to put a patch of moleskin over the bunion bump on my right foot. The leather trainers I wear for whacking the Nexersys, and for Leg Day (I own two pairs), seem to chafe at that spot. Worse, I have a rectangular birthmark (shaped like a flag) very close to the bunion, and I'm leery of inflicting any damage to such delicate tissue. No one wants to effect changes to a black birthmark (melanocytic nevus) because of the potential for it to degenerate into melanoma. Pedaling on the elliptical and cross-trainer aggravate the chafing. I don't have this issue with my mesh shoes, but they don't provide enough foot support when I'm shouldering weight for Split Squats. Next time I have to build time into the schedule to apply that patch!

The Smith Split Squats are heavier than I remember. Worse, my lower back seems a bit sore but only when I do the movement. I keep adjusting my stance, but the soreness persists. I only do one heavy set today. I don't want to chance an injury. I think my back is just tired. I do three heavy sets of Smith SLDLs, which means GHRs are going to be super hard. The gym isn't as crowded today. I see Venus, trailed by Chatty Guy. I guess they are dating after all. She's got her long wavy blonde hair loose, with dark roots showing. That seems to be a valid look these days. She has a stunning figure, big bust, tiny waist and high round butt. The college guys can't help but give her a second stare.

The gym staff is busy today with several new members being introduced to various machines. Most of them are middle-age women who seem very timid. I hope they find their comfort zone and discover how much fun this all is. GHRs just get harder each week. But of course, I'm not helping myself by increasing the workload my hamstrings have to contend with prior to doing GHRs. It's a case of pre-fatiguing the muscle group to make them work harder. I'm such a sadist.

I always do the Interval program on Fridays. Maybe I should change that next week. Even though I'm pedaling at a pretty good pace, I'm only able to log 2.81 miles which isn't enough to break the 7-mile total. I'm also trying to keep my heart rate reasonable. Venus is on the treadmill for 10 minutes then switches to the rowing machine. After 10 minutes she's on the Step Mill. I had thought about doing a few minutes on the Step Mill as well, but there's only two machines and a tall thin woman with lavender highlights in her bleached white hair is on the other Step Mill. (I know it's bleached because I can see the dark roots near her scalp and neck.)

At the Stretch Cage, an older woman (maybe she's my age -- I can't really tell) gets off the Cybex Glute Machine and puts her leg up on the platform next to me. I guess she's stretching her hamstrings. I do my own hamstring stretch and then, as usual, stick my leg out 90° to the side and rest my foot on the side bar of the Cage. Then I move it up so that it's about 135° from the floor. I change positions so I can bring my foot up the next rung, until I'm at the top side rung and my foot is over my head. Then I rise up on tip-toes and stretch the calf of the supporting leg. I do this with the other leg as well. The woman seems taken a back. Her rolled up mat tells me that she's taking the Yoga class. I hope she's not discouraged. Shaggy is giving me a wide berth today. I think I prefer it to his past behavior where he seemed to be hovering.

At the big Mats, I do my routine stretch but add a few pistol squats. They're actually pretty easy but I only do 10 in total, which is 5 per leg. I could do more but it takes a bit of time, and I'm impatient to change and shower. I'm tired. And hungry. And I have errands to do. I'm so outta here!

My son wants to see Hitman: Agent 47, the movie based on the game he just talked me into buying him. Granted it's a pre-owned game so for $7 it's okay although I blanched at the Sales Clerks warnings about it's M rating, violence and sexual situations. The movie got horrid reviews, and although I think I'd have a vaguely better time at American Ultra, my son has his heart set on Hitman. So I guess we're going to see Hitman on Tuesday. 

Friday Leg and Cardio Day
(6.93 miles total, 11,385 lbs moved)


Steady State
Calorie :   141 CAL
Distance: 4.12 mile
Speed :    8.24 mph
Duration : 00:30:04
196
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 140x12
168
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 120x12

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep
Interval Prgm
Calorie :   325 CAL
Distance: 2.81 mile
Duration : 00:30:15
129.5
Set 1 : 111x5

Friday, July 31, 2015

Progress is Sweet

A light I don't recognize comes on the dashboard of the car I've barely had for two months. It doesn't seem critical so I wait until I'm parked at the gym before consulting the manual. I've had to reference this tome more than with any other vehicle I've ever owned. Ah, it's a "tired pressure" indicator. I wish it would tell me which tire because when I step out of the car, they all look the same. I've packed a strappy summer dress to wear out of the gym, and that means I'm not going to be checking my own tire pressure. Instead, I'll take it to the local Valvoline because they've got machines to gauge tire pressure. And being guys, they're also willing to help someone like me, not that I play damsel in distress much. But automotive stuff is something I don't mind letting guys do for me.

It's different once I'm inside the gym. I do my 30 minute "warm up" on the cross-trainer, the good one that allows me to set the level to zero. My ponytail is getting too long, swinging wet and annoying. When I get to the Smith machine, I use barrettes to pin my hair up. Much better now. I know my legs and glutes are getting thicker, but my clothes still fit okay. Which means I can up the weight again for Split Leg Squats. I do 3 sets, because I can. Although my right knee starts to complain a little toward the end. I also add a few sets to the Smith SLDLs, but they're light. I'm less interested in pulling heavy here than in engaging the glutes and lower back in a different manner than split squats. The GHRs feel the same. I do all three sets and don't land on my face so I consider this a Win! Then back for cardio: 30 min of Intervals. I'm feeling pretty good even though I'm drenched. What makes me happy is that I've broken 7 miles today. Yaaaay!
Thick!

I do a few Pistol Squats at the beginning of my Mat Stretch. My towel is damp and smells vaguely like cheese. Eewe yuck! I always bring a fresh towel, so this is just me and common bacterial activity. Maroon is sporting huge arms today. He's a beefy guy but he seems to have gotten bigger. Ponytail isn't tossing his loaded bars around too much, probably because he's here with a girlfriend or sister, a very plump, kidney-bean-shaped woman who is pedaling on the elliptical next to me. The Mayor shows up late with a young skinny boy, maybe 15 yrs old, tall and blonde. His son? They go straight to DB OHPs. I don't understand why people don't warm up properly. At least he's not loud when he's "coaching" (t)his kid. I'm outta here until next week.Yaaaay!

Friday Cardio and Leg Day
(7.5 miles total Wahoo! 14,290 lbs moved)

Steady State
Calorie :   142 CAL
Distance: 4.23 mile
Speed :    8.44 mph
Duration : 00:30:04
168
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x12
Set 4 : 110x12
Set 5 : 120x12 PR! Yaay!
Set 6 : 120x12
Set 7 : 120x12
168
Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 100x12
Set 5 : 80x15

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep
Intervals
Calorie :   284 CAL
Distance: 3.27 mile
Duration : 00:30:00
139.33
Set 1 : 110x8

Friday, July 10, 2015

Leg Day is Really Just Another Cardio Day

I have big legs and I don't want them to get bigger. Really. What I do want is for them to have better muscular balance because not only does that look good, but it's also prophylactic. Weak hamstrings and strong quads beg for hamstring injuries. I've had a few when I was younger. Not fun at all. As we age, our muscles lose their strength and flexibility unless we actively maintain and exercise them. I might be fighting a losing battle since I'm a woman in her mid-50s. Not only do I need to ramp up my metabolism to keep post-menopausal weight-gain at bay, but I'm also trying to gain muscle. Crazy, right? Or not. Because estrogen levels are falling, this might actually be an opportune time to concentrate on building muscle mass while I still can. Eventually my body won't be able to do it anymore. Eventually. But I don't know when that will be. So go for broke now!

I'm slow today and only log in a total of 6.22 miles. On good days I can hit close to 7 miles. I like the LifeFitness cross-trainer because I fit into it, AND it has stationery and moving handles. But the pedals are angled such that my right foot tends to tingle halfway through the session. That tingling is my foot falling asleep from the pressure of pedaling. Sometimes it's the ball of my foot, sometimes just the toes. It's unnerving and makes me think of diabetic nerve pain. But I'm not diabetic. Once I'm done with the cross-trainer, the tingling goes away and I forget how uncomfortable it was. I do a quick hamstring and hip stretch before wandering into the free weight area. Because I only stretch out a few times a week instead of every day, my stretches have become easily more limber. Very counter-intuitive.

I skip Smith Squats and focus on Smith One-Legged Split Squats since they're more productive. Today I add 10 lbs and do 4 sets of 12 reps. Not too bad. I do a quick 3 sets of Smith SLDLs just to loosen up my hips afterwards, and this time I use the VGs for the last set. My hands aren't going to get stronger. Just more injured. Already my left hand has sporadic tender spots (on the palm side) I can't explain. GHRs are super hard today. Probably because I upped the weight on the Split Squats. I still manage to do my 3 sets but I won't lie: I was grinding out the last 3-4 reps of every set.

Good lighting hides loose skin!
Back to cardio. I get on the Precor elliptical and punch in the Intervals Program because it's my compromise between doing HIIT cardio and a Performance session. Then 10 minutes on the Mat with a few Pistol Squats for fun. It's much harder doing them on the Mat than the solid floor as you balance on one leg while descending and then rising up. I don't see anyone doing these either. There are some regulars. They look the same as they have for years. There are some HS girls coaching each other through basic routines. And yoga people walking barefoot through the gym with their mats rolled up on their backs. The gym scale tells me I'm 109.6 lbs. My home scale tells me I'm 15.5% BF. Pretty good for a 55-yr old woman. Since I've no plans to ever compete (because the Master Class starts at age 35), there's no actual reason (except vanity) for me to get my body fat much lower. I'd like to see my abs one day, but that's not going to happen with all the loose baby skin that never shrank back after I had my son 10 years ago. Oh well...

Friday Leg Day Workout
(6.22 miles cardio; 9,640 lbs moved)


Steady State
Calorie :   145 CAL
Distance: 3.54 mile
Speed :    7.07 mph
Duration : 00:30:04
140
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 70x12
Set 3 : 100x12 Yaaay!+10
Set 4 : 100x12
Set 5 : 100x12
Set 6 : 100x12
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep
Intervals
Calorie :   307 CAL
Distance: 2.68 mile
Duration : 00:30:00
139.33
Set 1 : 110x8

Friday, June 19, 2015

Leg Day is More Than Lifting Weights

Timing is everything. I couldn't quite get my act together this morning for no apparent good reason. I did add chopped dates and walnuts to my oatmeal today to forestall mid-workout hunger pangs and it took me a while to eat it. I was wondering when I'd be rid of my old subie. I don't like it hanging out in my yard, plateless and bereft. While I was loading my gym gear into the new Subie, the phone rang but the caller didn't leave a message. I'm glad I have Caller ID so I could just hit redial and connect with the caller. It was the junk car towing service wanting to set up a pickup time for tomorrow. I don't know why they don't leave messages on answering machines. Of course, this is time for between 8 and 10 am. Right before I have to take my son to his camp for the Meet & Greet, and then off to his dentist. Later I have the NYS car inspection. And then finally, Rocket Night with the Cub Scouts. Where I get to hand off a baby robin that I've had in my freezer for the past week. Yep, this is going to be a busy weekend.

I don't push a lot of weight. Especially with my wonky joints. I'd rather do cardio even though I look nothing like an avid cardio enthusiast. I've just discovered that one of the LifeFitness Cross-trainers actually has a Zero setting in Levels. It seems to help take the pressure off my ankles and knees. Inevitably though, after 17-18 minutes, half the toes of my right foot, and part of the sole just under the ball joint are numb. My body doesn't handle repetitive pressure very well and I attribute that to collagen issues. Luckily, walking about restores normal sensation.

My knees and lower back complain until I get my position right in the Smith for Squats. It's the same deal with Smith SLDLs. Even with VGs, I'm having trouble hanging onto the bar at 120 lbs for reps. It's frustrating. My fingers start to go numb. My left hand never fully recovered from the pressure damage from a few months ago, and now I think it's spreading. Parts of my palm are sporadically painful. Not a stress fracture. More like soft-tissue damage. Hopefully it'll heal on its own if I'm careful not to be too abusive. Summer is here and I'll have to do abbreviated workouts anyway. It's all in the timing.

The gym is always quieter on Fridays even though I spot a few regulars. The Mayor does a quick workout on the Cables before exiting. I notice Shazam and Maroon, but mostly it's HS kids. Especially after 11 am. There's a tall blonde boy who reminds me of Johnny Quest. He's always hovering, the way HS boys do. The HS girls are much more business-oriented in their demeanor. The emotional maturity gap is still vast at this age.

I'm finally getting this Smith One-Leg Split Squat right, now that I've dismissed the notion of elevating my rear foot. I'm short. I got short legs. I can feel my hamstrings now when I push up. Maybe my glutes and quads will be sore? Maybe not. The body is amazingly adaptable so it's good to mix up your workout every few weeks. I do grab a bosu for the dreaded GHRs. They're actually feeling a tad easier today even though I was completely expecting to fall on my face.

I get on the elliptical for 30 min of Intervals and make it to minutes 17 when there's a low growl. Dang, I'm hungry! Water helps. Cardio helps. But I can still feel my stomach gnawing on itself. Then I decide to do just 15 minutes of LISS on the Step Mill. I drop my heels down past the step and rise up on tiptoes before stepping onto the next one. It's a way to stretch out calves and give them a vague body weight workout. But really, I don't need bigger calves. Or bigger quads. Maybe bigger hammies would be nice.

I'm drenched. Almost done. Just need to stretch for a bit. And WTF? I haven't done pistols in a long time. Normally my knees and quads are shot by now, but today I feel limber and fairly fresh. So I walk up and down the mat, doing Pistol Squats with each step. When I stop, it's because I'm bored and want to take a shower, not because I can't do them anymore.

Leg Day Workout
(6.82 miles cardio not including Step Mill; 17,880 lbs moved)

Steady State
Calorie :   138 CAL
Distance: 3.82 mile
Speed :    7.63 mph
Duration : 00:30:04
210
Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 140x12
Set 5 : 150x12
168
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 120x12
112
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 80x12
Set 4 : 80x12
Set 5 : 80x12
12
Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep
Interval Prgm
Calorie :   262 CAL
Distance: 3.02 mile
Duration : 00:30:00
Calorie :   87 CAL
LISS
Lap/Rep :  34 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:15:00
Set 1 : 110x6
Set 2 : 110x5
Set 3 : 110x4

Friday, June 5, 2015

Having My Cake and Eating It Too

Today is Leg Day. Driving to the gym stresses me because I'm not sure if the wheels will fall off, or if some other part will suddenly drop off the car and into traffic. When I'm at the gym, I don't have to think about it until I leave.

Leg Day means cardio and weights. I warm up with 30 minutes of LifeFitness cross-trainer before getting to the Smith machine. I don't care what anyone says, the Smith machine is a godsend because I wouldn't be able to do these movements otherwise. It's been a long time since I did Smith Squats and I work up to 150 lbs. Because Smith SLDLs make my lower back tired, I keep the weight low and just do sets for reps. Finally, I get to Smith Split Leg Squats. I know I can do 80 lbs but I feel it's safer for me to work up to it. The 70 lbs stresses my knees, but the 80 lbs feels great. So I do my 3 sets for reps and I'm happy. Then I take the bosu I've been using to support the back bent leg and put it by the lat pull down machine for GHRs. Those are still hard for the last 4 reps of the last set.

After 10 min of HIIT and 20 min of LISS, I just squeaked by with 6.03 miles in total. The HIIT is hard. I hope it gets easier. I'm able to reach 284 SPMs for a few moments. The LISS feels so good afterwards. I'm singing to myself and I notice Jude on the treadmill in front. I don't know how to react to him. He's a regular, like PonyTail, Maroon and Tattoo Tank, and he's not chatty like The Mayor. It's a good thing.

Friday Workout
(6.03 miles cardio total; 17,787 lbs moved)


Warm Up
Calorie :   140 CAL
Distance: 3.96 mile
Speed :    7.91 mph
Steady State
Duration : 00:30:05
210
Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 140x12
Set 5 : 150x12
168
Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 120x12
Set 5 : 120x12
112
Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 50x12
Set 3 : 80x12
Set 4 : 80x12
Set 5 : 80x12 Yaaay!

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep
Calorie :   195 CAL
Distance: 2.07 mile
10 min HIIT
20 min LISS
Duration : 00:30:00
148
Set 1 : 111x10
Set 2 : 111x7 (knees achy)

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