The Goal Doesn't Matter As Long as We're Having Fun

Inevitably, the best exercise routine is the one that you stick with. And that's usually the one that you find the most fun. Everyone's different so everyone's routine will be different. I love whacking the Nexersys kickboxing machine. It doesn't hit back. And I get a great workout that comprises endurance, strength and speed. I only wish that I could do it more than once a week, but my knuckles are too frail and boney to endure more than a once-weekly, hour-long session. There's no way to build up muscles in your knuckles!

I have my son in tow today so I'm more cognizant of time constraints. Two hours to stow my gear, warm up, get in an hour workout, maybe do some LISS, a quick stretch, shower and change. (I find that peeling off sweat-soaked clothes to be more time-consuming than expected.) I warm up on the elliptical for 10 minutes, changing levels after 60 seconds have passed. This is a much safer and more efficient warm up than stretching. Stretching cold muscles is dangerous and makes you more susceptible to injury. After I'm a bit warm, I stretch the hamstrings and then proceed to strip off my hoodie, and wrap my hands.

My hands are unwieldy with gloves, cotton wraps, sports tape and moleskin pieces. But at least they emerge relatively unscathed after an hour of whacking and punching. I may cut the Beginner round again because 6 rounds is too long to be frustrated because I'm punching and/or kicking too hard. It IS a good warm up for the actual workout round: Intermediate Follow Me. But perhaps I can cut it back to 5 rounds? Although we're only suppose to do a limit of 7 rounds, no one is in line waiting for these machines so I do 6 and 8 rounds. Will anyone notice if I change it to 5 and 9 rounds? I'm on there for almost an hour which is markedly longer than most people. The few I've ever seen whack the machine are on for maybe 3 rounds, if they last that long. D might do 5-6 rounds but I haven't seen her in a few weeks. The machine recommends I add rounds. Apparently I'm "outpacing and over power" for my level. Yeah, righ...

The machine is still sporadically flaky and doesn't register a few of my kicks and sweeps. Bleah! I'm not that concerned with the Accuracy scoring because of that. Strikes and Power scores are another matter. As long as I'm consistent, I'm good. My weakest strike is the Lead Sweep, followed by Lead Knee-In. This is countered by a strong Power Sweep, Power Knee-In, Right Hook and Cross. Yes, my right is a lot stronger than my left, but you wouldn't know it to look at me. I'm also really fast. Sometimes too fast. Which can be bad, because the machine needs a second between blows, even combinations, to register each strike. So Accuracy suffers because the machine can't keep up with me. Sometimes it goes a little nutty and just tosses out random target blips. But I'm not really sure if I'm suppose to strike or if this is a residual image, like an aftershock. Oh well...

I feel really good after 14 rounds. I'm not even all that tired and think I can probably go for another round or two more. Maybe next time. Instead, I take 5 minutes to unwrap my hands, toss my hoodie back on and do 15 minutes on the Step Mill. The gym is surprisingly empty with just a handful of regulars. Summer is weird like that. Strikes like Power Sweep, Cross and Power Body cause me to swivel and arc my hips and torso a lot. I do a quick lower back stretch but I can already feel the muscles in my upper back, between the shoulder blades, stiffen a bit. A hot shower will be a good temporary fix. Tomorrow is Leg Day. But mostly it's cardio. Naturally.

Lately I've been going to the gym mostly fasted. Which means: with just a cup of instant coffee in me. Which means I'm starving by the time I get out of the shower. When I get home, I fix my son a sandwich. Lately he's been into ham and cheese on rye, no mustard, no pickles. I make myself a protein shake with soy milk, left over strawberry kefir, strawberry GNC whey powder, and then, because it's there, my cold-sitting-on-the-kitchen-table oatmeal, egg and dried strawberry breakfast. The hand-blender whips it all together and I drink it down with fish oil, calcium & D tablets and a mega-B complex vitamin. Breakfast of champions! At least I won't be hungry for a while. 

Thursday Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   90 CAL
Distance: 0.81 mile
Duration : 00:10:00

Nexersys

6 r Bgnr FM

8r Intmd FM
Lap/Rep :  14 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:56:00

Step Machine

LISS

Calorie :   100 CAL
Lap/Rep :  41 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:15:00

Photos for actual stats:

6 rounds Beginner Follow Me program

8 rounds Intermediate Follow Me program

Friday

Leg Day Today

I have a few thoughts I'm going to jot down before I get distracted. Some nutritional supplements are so totally worth it! A lot of times taking a multi-vitamin seems like an exercise in futility with me questioning whether it's doing any good, or just giving me expensive, fluorescent yellow urine. I have to say that fish oil has proven itself a great anti-inflammatory. We all have conditions we're susceptible to due to our genetics. Mine happen to be things like bad sinuses, super dry flaky skin, collapsible veins and loose shallow joints, glaucoma, a susceptibility to high blood pressure and cerebral aneurysms, and of course, hemorrhoids. Not big nasty ones, just little annoying ones. That shrink away to nothing if I take a daily dose of fish oil. I certainly know when I've forgotten to ingest the two capsules a day. Taking calcium and Vitamin D means I'm trimming my fingernails a lot more. I'm not sure that the mega-B complex is really doing anything for me. But when I get enough sleep, I have ridiculous amounts of energy.

I succumbed to curiosity and purchased a container of the new Coke concentrated milk-product, FairLife, using it as a vehicle for my protein powder. It tastes okay, but somehow seems less satisfying than using soy or almond milk. I like to try different things. I'm still bummed that Abbott Laboratories has discontinued making the High Protein Ensure Ready To Drink shakes. Which is a shame considering the article I just read on Silicon Valley techs sustaining themselves on vaguely palatable meal-replacement drinks. It's a new opportunity and a new market that the Ensure High Protein, with it's vitamins and minerals, would gain easy entrance, if they expanded their flavors and improved their marketing. But apparently, no one at Abbott Laboratories sees that.

Today's Left Bicep

My arms are still a tad sore. Those Rip Skulls and Drag Curls are really working! After my 30 min warm up, and I'm losing ground on this cross-trainer, struggling to make three and a half miles, I wander back, through "machine city" to the free weights. Tall Skinny Mustache is just getting started on the Smith so I use the Star Trac Max Rack for Squats with just the bar. I'm not really comfortable with this set up because having to hold the bar on my upper back puts a lot of stress on my elbows and shoulders, which is not what I want to focus on when I'm doing squats. I have bad joints. I can't lean back into the bar so I worry about how my knees overhang my toes when I drop down. The bar is only 55 lbs but my knees complain. I decide not to add any weight at all and just do bar squats for reps and sets. Eventually the Smith will free up. I'm patient. And persistent.

When I finally get to use the Smit, I set up for SLDLs, and then Smith Split Squats. I did a few SLDLs on the Max Rack but I was so distracted by the movement of the bar that I didn't really feel my glutes and hams. I'm better using the Smith. I make up for the paltry Squat session by upping my sets for the Split Squat. It's getting easier to do, but I have to be careful of the bent back knee. When I'm careless, the knee feels wonky.

Last are Glute Ham Raises on the Lat Pull Down machine. My favorite. Kidding. Again, I'm okay with the first two sets but really struggle to finish the last set. I'm the only person I see doing these. I barely see Venus anymore. I think she's avoiding me. I see a lot of regulars though. Tattoo Tank, Ponytail, The Mayor, M, Skinny J, Jude, Shazam, Latin Baseball, Soccer Boy, Vest Girl, Hollywood and Texas. I haven't seen Texas in a long time. She had her second baby a few months ago, but since then she's put on a good 30 lbs. I think it must be stress as she tells me that her four year old is being tested for Asperger's, and that he's already been diagnosed with ADHD. But he loves his baby brother, so things can't be so bad.

I steel myself for 10 minutes of HIIT followed by 20 min of LISS. I can do this. And then I see that the Step Mill is free, so I do another 15 min of LISS on that. Done. Well, sort of. I still need to stretch. I see R and stop to chat with him. I haven't seen him in weeks so I ask him how his wife is doing. They're expecting their second child this summer. The conversation turns to home ownership and school districts. He is, by far, the most thoughtful person I've met here. And by thoughtful, I don't mean kind and considerate, I mean someone who thinks about consequences, someone who is is introspective. I'm going to miss him when he finally buys a home and moves away. I'd like to stay in touch, stay friends in the loosest terms, but how do you do that without coming across weird?

Friday Leg Workout
(5.62 miles; 14,280 lbs moved)

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   143 CAL
Distance: 3.5 mile
Speed :    6.97 mph
Steady State
Duration : 00:30:12

Max Rack Machine Squat

Set 1 : 55x12 (bar only)
Set 2 : 55x12
Set 3 : 55x12
Set 4 : 55x12
Set 5 : 55x12
Set 6 : 55x12

Smith Machine Stiff Legged Deadlift

168

Set 1 : 55x12
Set 2 : 75x12
Set 3 : 80x12
Set 4 : 100x12
Set 5 : 120x12

Smith Machine Single Leg Split Squat

112

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 80x12
Set 4 : 80x12
Set 5 : 80x12
Set 6 : 80x12

GHRs

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 12 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 12 Lap/Rep

Elliptical Training

Calorie :   206 CAL
Distance: 2.12 mile
10 min HIIT
20 min LISS
Duration : 00:30:00

Step Machine

LISS

Calorie :   80 CAL
Lap/Rep :  31 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:15:00

Measuring Progress

Hoodie Selfie

Today I got to whack the kickboxing machine, and as always, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Again, I did 7 rounds at Beginner level to warm up, and then another 7 rounds at Intermediate, the faster pace and more complex combinations being much more satisfying. Unfortunately, I seemed to have scored better last week. Still, accuracy and power seem consistent.

I see that the Step Mills are both vacant so I take the opportunity to do 20 minutes of LISS. Even though I've cooled down while stripping off my gloves and wraps, I start sweating while climbing the steps. I'm always surprised at how low intensity plodding can generate so much heat.

The Mat area has become very popular but I'm not as comfortable there since the gym moved the combo dip bar/ab curl chair to the middle of it all. Instead, I wander to the CF area where the Cage used to be. There's an old mat under the trap bar there and a lot more space. Because I haven't done abs in a while, I knock out some machine Torso Twists before I get there. The Flat Bench Lower Ab Knee-Ins have inadvertently abraded a spot just over my tail bone. So no more of those. Instead, I do crunches, bicycle crunches and scissors.

I find out via email that a contest I entered on a whim actually netted me two Billy Idol tickets for tomorrow, but will I go? Probably not even though I love dancing to his music. I imagine he'll be thoroughly entertaining, but I can't manage the trek into the City without anyone to look after my son, making sure he finishes his homework and taking him to the Pop Shop Grand Re-opening at his summer camp. My husband gets back from Boston tonight and will be at work in Connecticut all day tomorrow. He doesn't have the patience for my son's after-school activities. Anything that gets my son out of the house and away from his electronics is a good thing. My son loves jumping on the outdoor Sky Bounce. He'll do that for hours, given the chance. So as much as I'd enjoy dancing by myself (in a crowd), I'll be home. Lately I do my dancing at the gym, in my head.

Thursday Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

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

Boxing

7r Bgnr
7r Intmd
Follow Me program
Lap/Rep :  14 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:56:00

Step Machine

LISS

Calorie :   101 CAL
Lap/Rep :  39 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:20:00

TorsoTwistMachine

Set 1 : 50x25
Set 2 : 50x25

Crunches

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep
Set 2 : 50 Lap/Rep
Set 3 : 50 Lap/Rep
Photos for actual stats:

7 rounds Beginner

7 rounds Intermediate

How I've Missed This!

It's still relatively cool out for May so I wonder if I should wear something heavier to the gym. Naw, I'm planning to whack the Nexersys machine and if all goes right, I'll be drenched when I'm done.

The gym is mostly quiet and I'm able to get on the elliptical for a 10 minute warm up without any issues. I change the elevation after a minute has passed, and when I'm done I feel good and warm. Excellent! There's no one at the kickboxing machines either, but there rarely is. I'm not sure why. I love whacking this thing!

Today I remember to bring my gloves and wraps. Yaaay! I"ve also already affixed little squares of moleskin to the first two knuckles of each hand, and I wrap white tape around it all to keep everything secure. I like starting with the Beginner Follow Me program as a warm up, but perhaps I should cut back to 5 rounds and add 2 rounds to the Intermediate Program. Especially since the Program Recommendation is for me to add rounds before moving on to the next level. One is only suppose to do 7 rounds and I do 7 of each. But it's not like anyone's waiting in line.

I really love the quickness of the Intermediate level and I'm getting better at the more difficult combinations, especially the Jab followed by a Power Kick which throws you off balance. The machine gets really flaky at the Advanced level, tossing in SouthPaw combinations. I tried it once and there's no way to score properly with such wonkiness.

Hannibal Baggy Knees is on the "mountain bike" simulator adjacent to the kickboxing machine. But he's not distracting until he decides to dismount. Because I hate having people walk behind me when I'm focused on the combinations in front of me. The fellow I call Sunshine in my mind (because he has a big smiling, sun face spare tire cover on his Jeep) glances over from the cross-trainer. He's been working out for the past several weeks with a cast on his forearm. He's down to a brace now. He seems surprised when I peel off all my hand wraps and clamber up to the Step Mill for 20 minutes of LISS. Sunshine is lifting weights. I hear the Mayor before I see him. I'm not sure why some men feel compelled to talk so loudly. It only calls attention to their lack of fitness.

Tomorrow is Leg Day. And the 3rd day this week of HIIT cardio. Oh boy.

Thursday Workout

Elliptical Training

Warm Up

Calorie :   92 CAL
Distance: 0.82 mile
Steady State
Duration : 00:10:00

Machine Boxing

Lap/Rep :  14 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:56:00

Step Machine

Calorie :   107 CAL
Distance: 41 floors
LISS
Duration : 00:20:00

Images posted for actual stats:

7 rounds Beginner Follow Me

7 rounds Intermediate Follow Me

Gratifying to read this, but I'm not likely to add rounds. Unless I get really really bored.