Workaround Leg Workout

Gym rats are notorious for finding alternate ways to get a workout in. Vertigo is no excuse. It's not constant, but it does make me feel like my head is filled with aspic, like head cheese, one of my mom's favorite luncheon meats. I'm not a fan. I've started adding an ibuprofen to the pseudoephedrine. Maybe it will relieve the inflammation inside my ears. Since this might be a virus related to shingles, chickenpox and fever sores, I figure adding some lysine wouldn't hurt either. All I now is that it's been a week and I still have it.

Today is Leg Day and I already know I'm not going to do Stiff Legged Dead Lifts because bending over is one of the things that really hurts my head. All the Precors are occupied so I grab the last remaining LifeFitness cross-trainer and log in a bit over 3 miles. The Smith is free so I test the waters by doing a set of just-the-bar squats. Okay. I can do this as long as I don't turn too quickly in any particular direction. I do all my regular sets and other than my right knee feeling a tad achy, I'm okay. A guy is hanging out on the Seated Leg Extension machine with two of his pals chatting over him. Okay, skip that. I do 3 light sets on the Seated Leg Curl just to do something for the hamstrings.

One of the Precors is free so I grab the opportunity to finish up my mileage. After 5 minutes, I decide to try something I haven't done before: do 4 minutes of Tabata after lifting. I certainly tire quicker but I can still do it. Then I kick back and lope along for the remaining 12 or so minutes until I get my 2 miles. I've been meaning to play on the Step Mill as well. There are two and usually they're busy but sometimes they're vacant for hours. I clamber on for 20 minutes. Then a quick 3 sets of Glue-Ham Raises at the Lat Pull Down machine. Vertigo doesn't seem to bother me when I do this, or push ups. Probably something to do with my head position. Done! Time for a hot shower and home to wait for the water softener service guy.

Leg Day Workout

 Exercise Name

1RM

Lifting Logs

Elliptical Training

N/A

Calorie :   143 CAL
Distance: 3.09 mile
Speed :    6.14 mph
Lap/Rep :  --
Duration : 00:30:00

Smith Machine Squat

224

Set 1 : 30x12
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 120x12
Set 4 : 140x12
Set 5 : 160x12
Set 6 : 130x12

Seated Leg Curl

105

Set 1 : 45x12
Set 2 : 60x12
Set 3 : 75x12

Elliptical Training

N/A

Calorie :   167 CAL
Distance: 2 mile
Speed :    --
Lap/Rep :  --
Duration : 00:22:00

Step Machine

N/A

Calorie :   150 CAL
Distance : --
Speed :    50 mph
Lap/Rep :  1020 Lap/Rep
Duration : 00:20:00

Glute Ham Raises 3x10 (there's no entry on JeFit for this movement)

Chest and Shoulder Monday

Top: Precor elliptical 20 min
Bottom: Matrix StepMill 20 min

I don't have a plan this week except to do as much as I can without spending the entire day at the gym. That seems to be awfully hard for me though. I find myself gravitating back to the longer intense workouts I started with, but perhaps that's what my body needs? The shorter workouts aren't doing much to decrease my body fat or increase my strength. Perhaps I'm not patient enough. I started my workout around 9 am today, and wound up being done a bit after noon. That's three hours. Granted, I started with a 20 minute cardio warm up and ended with 20 minutes of LISS on the Step Mill. So forty minutes of cardio and five minutes of stretching leaves me with two and a quarter hours of weight lifting. Not continuous, of course. But there was no chatting. Just resting between sets, and the time it takes to get from station to station.

Granted, today was an especially intense workout because I decided to hit chest and shoulders. I'm planning to do Back tomorrow, Legs on Wednesday, Boxing on Thursday and perhaps either Arms or Chest on Friday. I'm building in a buffer day in case Wednesday's snow storm is worse than anticipated. Perhaps I'm just reacting to next week's schedule because I have appointments with two different doctors (all routine) and the tax accountant. My ophthalmology appointment is at 9 am next Wednesday so I can have my eyes poked before I hit the gym. My annual physical isn't until noon on Friday, and they'll want to take a fasting blood sample. I still intend to go to the gym, but I know I'm going to feel awfully crappy by the time I get to the doctor.

Today's selfie

Meanwhile, I'll have to remember to send my brother a birthday card because there is one week in March when my brother and I are the same age. Then my birthday arrives, I'll turn 54, and two weeks from then my sister will turn 52. It's hard to believe we're all in our 50s. But I'm a firm believer in not acting my age. As long as I don't embarrass my son, I don't think anyone really minds. My husband certainly doesn't. I think he's glad he can take off for a week to work in Boston and not have to worry about the house or my son. My son's a bit bummed, but I've promised to take him to the gym with me this coming weekend. It'll be fun.

Chest and Shoulder Monday Workout

20 min Precor elliptical = 1.75 miles
BB Flat Bench Press
12x45 (bar)
10x75
8x95
5x115
5, 5, 3 x 125 lb probably could've gotten the last two reps if I had a spot
20x95 (just for fun)

BB Incline Bench Press
12x45 (bar)
12x65
8x85
3x5x95 lbs I don't know why these are so dang hard

BB Decline Bench Press
12x45(bar)
12x65
12x85 lbs felt the right front delt twinge and decided not to push my luck

DB Standing Shoulder Press
3x12x15 lbs right shoulder still felt odd so kept the weight low for this

DB Inclined Flye
12x20 lbs
3x12x25 lbs should probably up the weight next time

DB Bent-Over Reverse Flyes
12x20
12x25
3x12x30 lbs these felt surprisingly good

DB Lateral Raises
12x20
12x25
3x6x30 lbs these DBs are so much bigger than the 25s that they're unwieldy; I may get magnets next time and just use them on the 25s instead

20 min LISS on Matrix StepMill = 863 steps
Cage Stretch

Week Three Day Four (B) and Done!

I guess I shouldn't complain about -3°F this morning when I know it's been worse. At least the sun came out and warmed us all to a balmy 23! I finally finished my Shred Program today and I'm quite happy about it although I still haven't decided what sort of lifting routine to follow next week. Tomorrow's definitely boxing the Nexersys!

Top: 20 min HIIT; Middle: 10 min HIIT
Bottom: 20 min Stepmill

Yes, 20 minutes of HIIT on the Precor is still ridiculously unpleasant but the weights didn't feel bad, or what I did of them. I got my two sets of 20 rep squats in at the Smith machine, but after the next 10 minute HIIT episode, I had to resort to body squats because a dude was benching there. I still think of these squats as "deep knee bends" because I don't know the difference. Because this is the last day of the program, I decided WTH with the DBs and upped them to 30 lbs for the Lunges and the Calf Raises. The only part of me that complained were my hands from holding the weights. Even the Crunches Knees to Elbows felt easier today. Not easy, just easier.

Afterwards, I clamber up onto the Matrix Stepmill and do 20 minutes of LISS at level 3. Even though I'm not going very fast, sweat is suddenly dripping off my face. Then I stretch out at the Cage. I feel somewhat energetic so I do a dozen close (neutral) grip pull ups there, getting my chin and head over the top of the Cage. I want to do some of the stretches I skipped yesterday so I plop myself onto a Mat and knock out a dozen wide-stance Dive Bomber Push Ups. No plank today. I'll be back to doing an ab routine soon enough. The gym scale reads 113.6 lbs which is good considering how drenched I am.

By the time I get home from doing groceries, there's a plaintive voice on the answering machine. It's my son asking me to bring his snow suit and boots to school so he can go sledding with the rest of his gym class. They went sledding last Friday but the school had sent home a flyer asking for appropriate clothing. Nothing came home yesterday and although I suspected there might be sledding, I didn't want to send my son to school with extra stuff he didn't need. I'm absolutely starving by the time I get home again, but I want to check my scale first. 110.6 lbs and 20.5% BF. That makes me feel pretty good, like I'm on the right track with the cardio as painful as it is. Yay!

Week Three Day Four (B) and Done! Yay!
20 min elliptical HIIT: 1 min walk / 1 min run = 1.71 miles
This circuit done twice without rest
20 reps Smith machine Squats @ 60 lbs
15 reps each leg DB Lunges @ 25 lbs (each arm)
50 reps total DB Standing Calf Raises @ 25 lbs (each arm)
50 Crunches
50 Crunches Knees to Elbows
10 min elliptical HIIT: 5 min walk / 5 min run = 0.85 miles
This circuit done twice without rest
20 reps BodyWeight Squats
15 reps each leg DB Lunges @ 30 lbs (each arm) +5 lbs
50 reps total DB Standing Calf Raises @ 30 lbs (each arm) +5 lbs
50 Crunches
50 Crunches Knees to Elbows
20 min Matrix Stepmill level 3 = 770 steps
Cage Stretch with 12 close neutral grip pull ups
Mat Stretch with 12 wide-stance DBPUs