Welcome DOMS Tuesday

DOMS is the acronym for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and it's been a really long time since I've experienced it. Yesterday was Chest and Delts and I've been pushing the intensity. Unfortunately it takes a lot of make pectorals ache -- I think the last time that happened to me I'd been seeing if I could do 50 push ups straight in a row. I did, but damn if I wasn't really sore the next day. Instead, I felt parts of my upper back, specifically posterior deltoids, feeling a bit stiff and achy. Guess I'll stick with the 30 lb dumbbells as long as my joints hold out!

This morning my right wrist and thumb were also achy, with a throbbing pain that pulsed down the inside of my forearm. My elbows were complaining as I dressed and I hadn't even picked up anything heavy yet. I was trailing zombies (brain dead drivers) all the way to the gym. But I had my pick of ellipticals, although I had to weave through the clucking and cackling of the Zumba class in order to get there. Punched in Interval 7 and loaded a Billy Idol playlist just for a change of pace. At least I made my quota today.

I step off the cardio area and run into B who says breathlessly that she's getting up on the Step Mill before someone else grabs it. It does seem to be a popular machine and there's only two of them. After I claim a space at the Lat Pull Down Station, I see R by the DBs. For my own piece of mind, I walk over to him and ask him if he's mad at me. He looks a little surprised. "Why would I be mad at you?" he asks. "Dunno," I shrug, then add,"but I waved at you and you had this look on your face like you were mad or something." He smiles a little and says, "Oh, that was just my mojo. I gotta lot of things going on, that's all." Betting on the Giants? They've been absolutely abysmal this year. "So we're okay, right?" He laughs a little. I realize I have no idea whether he's telling the truth or not, nor does it matter.

I miss doing Reverse Grip Barbell Rows but I don't know how my lower back feels about it so I resist the urge. Instead, I grab the lightest pull down bar available and set the pin to 75 lbs. Then 90 lbs. Then 105 lbs. Then a 7.5 lb brick. Then 120 lbs. By this last set, my elbows and forearms are starting to complain. I only do one set and feel like a wus. The Cage Stretch feels good though. Then I return to the pull downs and grab a close grip handle. I like these better except for the weird rumble along my ribs as I pull my arms down and the handle taps my chest. Only five sets but my elbows are sore. I use Lower Back Extensions as an excuse to rest my forearms. For the first set, the seat belt is too loose and I'm nearly standing, with my butt off the seat. I tighten the belt for the next set and up the weight. And up it again, wondering how much weight I can push, wondering how much is too much.

Dumbbell rows are my grips biggest challenge. I bought new grip straps that are longer and seem thinner so I can actually get my hand around the DB stem if I need to. But I struggle without them today, figuring that I can always dig them out of my gear sack if my grip fails. My grip eventually fails but it's during the last reps of the very last set. My forearms are aching. Regulars float in and out of the free weight area. I see The Mayor, Nixon, M and a few others but I don't pay much attention. It's too hard to move weight if I'm looking around at everyone else, so I don't. There's no way I'm even looking at barbell rows now.

I've already done abs. These new workout pants are okay for everything except the sit ups because of an unpleasant seam. This morning, I snipped out the 5 inch plastic materials strip because really, who the heck designed workout pants to have a plastic strip of Made in / How to Wash running down your butt crack? Tomorrow I get to try my new ten dollar shorts. They come with a built-in, really soft running liner that should keep my modesty intact. They were probably ten bucks because although the shorts are a modest gray, the liner is puke green.

I actually remember to do everything on my mental list for the Mat Stretch including the wide-legged dive bomber push ups and the regular stance ones. My splits are good today and I feel very limber. The gym scale reads 110.0 lbs before I shower. When I get home, my scale reads 108 lbs. Just as I thought. My upper back feels a tad sore, but at least it's not my lower back. I might try doing a few barbell rows next week. Gotta play it by ear.

Back Day Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.64 miles Yay!
Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 75 lbs /12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 / 10 @ 112.5 / 8 @ 120
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips & Calf Raises and Side Kicks
Close Grip Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 4 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 25 @ 90 lbs / 25 @ 105 / 25 @ 120 / 25 @ 130 / 25 @ 135
DB Rows: 12 @ 40 lbs / 12 @ 45 lbs / 4 x 8 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Staion: 100
Mat Stretch with 10 wide DBPUs and 10 regular stance DBPUs; splits, lower back stretch, etc.

In Spite of Myself

I'm still running around like a madwoman before actually getting to the gym. I had reset the mileage counter in my car yesterday (when I got it back from the repair shop) to see if I could rack up 50 miles before the week ended so I could get my car inspected and a new sticker put on the windshield. So far my check engine light hasn't come on, but it's only a matter of time. After dropping my son at camp and then backtracking to his elementary school to drop off his school supplies (taking a quick gander at the class roster to see if any of his friends would be in the same class), I drove east again, this time to the gym. By the time I got home, I'd logged in over 60 miles. And this is just routine, day-to-day stuff, no long excursions anywhere!

Because my favorite Precor was occupied by a sweaty old man, I spent a few minutes chatting with B who's finishing a leisurely stroll on the Step Mill. She's wearing a neoprene half sleeve that covers her entire elbow and part of her upper arm. "What'd you do?" I ask, pointing at it. "Oh, it's that tendonitis again. It's so bad it hurts all the time!" "Did you get it looked at?" "Not yet. But I don't want it to slow me down. But I'm probably making it worse." "Uh, maybe you should get it looked at?" "Oh, I will," she waves me off.

Especially if it's not getting better. I've resisted getting my elbows and back looked at for now. I'm just relishing not having to have eye surgery, and the kidneys seem okay too. Eventually though, I'll probably have to get an X-ray or an MRI... Meanwhile, the old man gets off the Precor but doesn't wipe it down. I hate people like that. I spray bleach water onto a paper towel and wipe down the handles and the control panel. Most people don't even bother to reset the machine after they're done, as if this is suppose to impress the next user? I kick the power button next to the power cord at the base of the machine and the panel resets.

I need a morale boost today so I punch in Interval 7. It's always good for picking up my spirits and I'm not disappointed. Eventually I start singing along and after 35 minutes has passed, I'm much happier. I see a bunch of regulars like M, Nixon and a young black woman who used to come with an older lady I'm guessing is her mom. She's tall and athletic and seems to be putting effort into her weight. I glance over and see 3 tens and a five on each side which is 115 lbs (70 + 45 lb bar). She gets RR to spot her on the Decline Bench but I don't know how many reps she gets. Nice job though. I'm always happy to see women lifting real weights although I never talk or smile at anyone so it'd be hard tell that about me. Then I see a few more women in the weight area, mostly on the Olympic benches and there are actual plates on the bars! Yay! Meanwhile I'm wrestling with the Lat Pull Down station because today is Back Day.

After a few sets, I need to give my elbows a break so I wander off to the Cage Stretch. Afterwards, I return to the Lat Pull Down and exchange the handles for close grip ones. A few sets of these and it's time to bite the bullet and wrestle with dumbbells. Again, during my heaviest sets, it's not back or arms that are failing, but my small hands. Actually it's just the last two fingers, especially on my left. I'm thinking that I need a pair of straps to wrap around the DBs. Good thing I've got my mesh stuff sack to keep my ever-growing stash of gear! I feel like a pack rat. It's just a good thing that nothing's shiny! Okay, I'm kidding, but that's how it feels.

My elbows are starting to bother me again and my lower back is still stiff so now my routines have become a fine balancing act between work and injury. I lean back on the lat pull downs instead of trying to maintain an upright position because there's less stress on my elbows and shoulders that way. It's probably why I can no longer do Pull Ups without my elbows screaming at me. With the Close Grip Pull Downs, I pull the handles until they tap my chest and I feel a weird cartilage vibration all throughout my ribs as I pull down. It doesn't hurt so I ignore it. For now. Because this is a short week, I decide to do a few bicep curls after sit ups. Then a few reverse grip bicep curls just to finish it all off. But of course, I'm not done. When I finish Mat Stretch, then I'm done.

Back and Biceps Workout In Spite of Myself
35 min Interval 7 = 4.51 miles Yay!
Wide Grip Lat Pull Down: 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 112.5 lbs
Cage Stretch with heel dips and side kicks
Close Grip Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 112.5 lbs
(I know I did 120 lbs last week but I'm worried that my elbows are starting to freak out at the heavier weights so I cut back.) 
One-Arm DB Rows: 12 @ 35 lbs / 12 @ 40 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 45 lbs
Lower Back Extension Machine: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100 
BB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups and 5 with Hands under Waist (these are so hard but I really like them)

The scale reads 111.4 which is a tad better than yesterday although I did pretty much suck my water bottle dry today. I don't really care what my weight is as long as I still look good in my clothes, but I take regular measurements because it's important not to get too complacent! About anything.

I've just read about another invasive plant species, just when I thought I might have the Oriental bittersweet vine under control. Now there's another Asian import called Mile-A-Minute-Vine! OMG! I don't think I've ever seen this one because it's got distinctive triange-shaped leaves. And it literally grows fast enough to strangle whole trees. Good grief!  

Mile-A-Minute Vine AKA Asiatic tearthumb
(Persicaria perfoliata)