When You Can't Stand or Sit, You Run

I usually stand at the kitchen table when I sip my morning coffee and peruse the newspaper. Today was no different. Except that sitting really wasn't an option. I woke up feeling pretty good. Then I took the dog for a walk, and accompanied my son down the hill to the school bus stop. Standing around makes my leg ache. My knee is stiff and my leg feels fat, like it's swollen. But it doesn't look any different. Ugh.

There's nothing left to do but go to the gym, because at least I can do some cardio there. It's not helpful to pace through the house all day. Sitting in front of my computer is really becoming a pain in the tuckus. I get on the cross-trainer and opt for a moderate pace. My outer thigh feels a bit tight, and my hammie is sore. But nothing else feels amiss. I do a few pull ups. Well, at least I got to 26. The shoulder complained a little, but mostly because it's been a long time and it was getting tired. Seriously. Push ups weren't too taxing. I go to 50 without a problem. Then 30, and finally 20 for a full 100 reps. The shoulder feels more tired.

I like working delts because I don't really have great ones. Work on your weaknesses! Cardio is one of mine. After the DB trifecta superset, I hop back on the elliptical and set it to manual. This way I can control the incline and whether I'm pedaling forward or backward. It feels okay. Even when I stretch out afterwards, the only discomfort I feel is the slight tightness in my left leg, like my knee is stiff from being swollen. It's not really. It just feels that way.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the physical therapy folks. I'm going after the gym. Yep. And once I learn what I need to do to fix the shoulder, and maybe pry some info out of them about my sciatica issues, I'm good to try it out on my own. Never mind that the Rx says 3X weekly for the next 4 weeks. I think that's just a standard convention.

Yesterday I also saw my glaucoma doctor. My IOPs aren't great at 14 and 16. But when I question her about my January visual field tests, she tells me that they're actually better than my last several ones. Hmmm. She says that means my disease has stabilized for now. I want to say "But I was on latanoprost then, and you've switched me to Travatan®. Shouldn't I be back on the generic?" But she is so totally sold on the name brand drug that it feels pointless to argue this point, although the generic costs $10/mos and the Travatan goes for $25. Ugh.... I get to see her in 3 months. I wonder how my IOPs will be then. 

Wednesday
6.10 miles total miles
(Left Leg Sciatica)

30 min x-trainer
Easy Pace!
Calories 134
Miles 3.60
151 Average Heart Rate

HGPU 26
Knee-Ins 50
Push Ups 50, 30, 20
Crunches 3 x 50
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s

DB Front / Laterals / Rear
15/20/25 lbs x 12/12/15 reps x 3

30 min elliptical
Manual
Calories 279
Miles 2.50

Vertigo Does Not Like Downward Dog

I still have vertigo. It's annoying. It didn't keep me from taking my son to a birthday party yesterday at ClubFit where he got to play nerf tag. Meanwhile, I used the postcard invitation to check out their cardio and weight equipment. My husband initially didn't want to come but when I told him it was a family pass and he could come with me to try out different equipment, he donned his sneakers with a big grin. I felt like a 9 year old flitting from elliptical to cross-trainer to stair-stepper. They definitely have a greater variety of cardio equipment, but an odd array of iron split between two floors. I got a couple of miles in before my husband and I decided to stretch out and cool down. He didn't want to get back to the gaming area completely sweaty. Having vertigo makes sit ups and crunches a bad idea. It's also very nasty when stretching into a Downward Dog. My son's hair was plastered to his head, and his cheeks were totally red. He gets that from me. When I'm flushed, I feel like the poster girl on the Mao communist propaganda wall art.

This is either an ear infection or allergies. I'm not sure what to think because this is the first time that I've woken up without having to blow my nose or clear gunk out my throat. It's probably all backed up in my sinuses and ear canals instead. Still, I go to the gym although it takes me longer than usual to get out the door. My head feels like I'm swimming through jelly so it's hard to get dressed. After my son boards the school bus, I'm moving in slow-mo to get through the day.

The first 2 miles of cardio doesn't really do much for me because I'm trying to keep my heart rate within range. It skyrockets and drops, ricochets without any discernible cause even as I keep a steady pace. I'm not even breathing hard. I'm certainly not sweaty either. The free weight area is oddly empty for a Monday. It's a Push Day and I'm hoping for the best. Benching just the bar is fine. 95 lbs is fine. But 115 lbs is a bit taxing. I do my 8 reps and I feel fairly strong. But every time I lay my head down on the bench, waves of disorienting vertigo hit me hard. I don't want to chance feeling as if the bench is moving while I have 115 lbs up over my chest and neck. I strip the bar back down to 95 lbs and do a 20-repper. And because I'm still fairly fresh having only done one set at 115 lbs, I knock out another 20-repper without issue.

There's no way I'm going to do Inclined BB Press feeling like this. I grab a pair of 20 lb DBs and figure I'll do a few sets of Inclined Flyes. Again, as I sit back and lay my head on the bench, I get a wave of dizzying motion. I'm not quite nauseous but it's not fun. I only do 3 sets. My right shoulder feels a little off. Standing up is better and I use the 20s for my DB Lateral Raises. There are several girls in front of the DB rack doing curls, lateral raises and other assorted movements with shiny beauty bells. I'm glad I'm standing on the other side of the squat rack. There are several college boys I've never seen before . One is doing BB Rows, first with the bar alone, then with a pair of 45s, then adding 10s. He's about 6 foot 6. I decide to skip the Bent Over Reverse Flyes because I don't think I can stand to have my head down.

Normally I'd finish the Push Day with Triceps but there's no way I'm going to attempt Rip Crushers or Tricep Press Downs or any movement that makes me move my head at a severe angle. Instead, I use the 20 lb DBs I already have to do some alternating twisting curls. Then I grab an EZ bar and toss a few plates on for BB curls. Finally, I use a solid straight BB for Reverse Grip Curls. Sit ups and crunches are out. I tried a few yesterday and Vertigo does not like that movement. The Torso Twist machine is okay. I hop back on a Precor and get my 3 miles. This time I'm a bit sweatier. My right ear feels really hot, and I've developed an odd knot in my right upper trap. I definitely need to do a Mat Stretch to address the knot.

I can do everything in my Mat Stretch, even bend over to touch the floor with my elbows, except bring my head down to touch my shins. That is the point where the vertigo kicks in. Well, it's better than when I started out this morning. I decide to keep the 30 second plank with 30 seconds of alternating knee to elbow moves. I count to 28 so that's 14 per side which is better than last time when I only got 10 per side. The gym scale reads 113.4 lbs which is less than I was expecting for a Monday. It makes me happy. What makes me unhappy is feeling as if I've been poured into my clothes. It's 80°F today and last summer's shorts are feeling decidedly tight. I don't like it.

I also have to figure out how I'm going to modify my program. Again. Apparently elementary school ends on June 26, a Thursday. And that entire week is early dismissal or half days. I'm not even sure what the point of school is at that point because it's only a 2.5 hr school day. Which means I need to create an abbreviated workout. I wonder if I cut out squats and SLDLs will my glutes get smaller? Hhmmm.

Vertigo Monday Workout

 Exercise Name

1RM

Lifting Logs

Elliptical Training

N/A

Calorie :   171 CAL
Distance: 2.03 mile
Speed :    --
Lap/Rep :  --
Duration : 00:23:00

Barbell Bench Press

158.33

Set 1 : 45x12
Set 2 : 95x12
Set 3 : 115x8
Set 4 : 95x20
Set 5 : 95x20

Dumbbell Incline Fly

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12
Set 4 : 20x12
Set 5 : 20x12
Set 6 : 20x12

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

28

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x8
Set 3 : 20x12

Barbell Curl

66.5

Set 1 : 15x12
Set 2 : 37.5x12
Set 3 : 47.5x12
Set 4 : 47.5x12
Set 5 : 47.5x12

Barbell Reverse Curl

66.67

Set 1 : 40x20
Set 2 : 40x20
Set 3 : 40x20

Elliptical Training

N/A

Calorie :   254 CAL
Distance: 3 mile
Speed :    --
Lap/Rep :  --
Duration : 00:34:00

Plank

N/A

Set 1 : 00:00:30

Plank with Side Kick

N/A

Set 1: 14 Lap/Rep
         00:00:30

Mat Stretch with 2 x 12 Dive Bomber Push Ups, splits, upper & lower back stretch, etc

Manic Monday

I'm exhausted from the weekend and I didn't even do anything except cart my son to his Chinese class, his kung fu class, then to the apple orchard. It was too cold and rainy to actually go apple-picking. The next day he had swim class, the traditional post-swim-class bacon-and-fried-egg-bagel sandwich, and then 4 hours outside at Camp Kiwi's Friends & Family Day where he got himself thoroughly soaked by kayaking under the pond's aerating fountain several times. With his shoes and socks on. So it was quite a relief to put him safely on the school bus this morning while I headed back to the house to knock out some chores before going to the gym. Chores like paying a few bills, putting out the trash can, refilling the bird feeder, starting a load of laundry, setting up the crock pot to cook a defrosted pork loin over onions, garlic, black olives and a can of diced tomatoes. Sprinkled generously with brown sugar and a splash of sherry. Okay, now I can leave the house.

It's nearly 10 am by the time I get there. My favorite Precor is occupied so I hop on #3. I know I'm going to have a hard time because it's Monday and I generally can't quite make my quota after two days of being a slug. I don't feel warm until 17 minutes into it although I occasionally rev up to 200 SPM, I'm not able to sustain the speed, and my final mileage is just short of 4. Well, it wasn't abysmally short of 4. It'll be better tomorrow.

Today is Bench Press Monday and even though the Smith is vacant, I ignore it and head for a flat bench. My left wrist's been hurting for the past two days for no apparent reason. I'm worried that benching will make it much worse, but not worried enough to skip it. I've found sometimes, counter-intuitively, that working out actually makes it feel better. If I do it right. When I bench heavy on the Smith, I seem to aggravate my right front delt. The same with Decline Presses. I don't work front delts at all anymore. And yet they're fairly prominent in photos I've seen of my arms and back. Go figure. 

I'm surprised to see R, The Mayor and assorted other regulars. It's as if all the retired celebrities have come out for a fundraiser. Kidding. I warm up with just the bar, then add a bit of weight. Another set, more weight. The Mayor and R are engaged in deep conversation and I hate bothering people so I ask the white t-shirt guy benching next to me if he'll spot me. He says sure. He asks if I need help with the bar. I don't. I get to the 10th rep and struggle. He grabs the bar and sets it on the rack. Then I realize that I don't like his spot, that I'd rather have The Mayor. Jeeze. I feel like a fickle girl who's dancing between suitors. I've added 10 lbs and I wait until White T-shirt is benching so I can ask The Mayor if I can borrow him.

Actually I stand waiting for a few minutes while R and The Mayor are talking, and then at a pause, I ask if I can borrow him. Because R never actually looks at me, I don't feel compelled to say Hi to him. I like The Mayor's spot because he actually lets me do the work to get the reps even as I struggle. I manage 6 hard reps. He again tells me it's the left twisting motion. I'm not so sure but I can't tell from my angle. He counts the plates and remarks, "Hey, you put another 5 on there! That's 125 lbs." "Uh, yeah. I'm working up to a big plate on each side," I say quietly. Then he wants to know how much I weigh and I tell him about 108 and he seems impressed. He goes back to his conversation with R. Later, R walks by and I try to give him a quick wave, but he has a weird, twisted look to his face. I don't know how to read it. He looks, oh, I don't know, betrayed. It doesn't make me feel good but I'm lousy at all these social head-games anyway.

Drop sets follow until I'm down to the bar. I knock out 50 reps and I'm done. I realize that Sunshine (formerly FatAss, but I don't like that name and he drives an orange jeep with a big smiling sun on the spare wheel cover) has been watching the entire time. It's weird. Everything's weird today. At the Cage Stretch, I note that White T-shirt is at the cables there. But I'm so focused on the stretches and kicks that I ignore him as well. I feel a little bad, but not enough to start conversations. Conversations always lead to long periods of inactivity and I don't want to cool down yet.

I grab 4 magnetic discs from the front desk and head back to the DB area. I start with 25 DBs for a set, then add a disc. Do a set. Add the rest of the discs and debate whether to do 4 or 6 sets. WTF, I do 6 sets. Because I can. The standing Lateral DB Raises are harder. They've always been harder. But I like the way my arms look when I do them so I keep doing them. I appreciate what great arms boxers have, and I figure working delts can only improve my punching at the Nexersys.

Before I attempt Upright BB Rows, I need to rest my joints so I wander over to the ab stations. After sit ups, twists and crunches, I'm back at the mirrored wall with a 40 lb BB. There are plates and bars scattered all over the floor as if the users have been raptured. But I know that didn't happen. I do a set and add weight, do another set and add more weight. 50 lbs is hard on my wrists, especially the left one which seems to bend oddly in the mirror even though I'm wearing wrist wraps.

When I get to the Mat Stretch I briefly forget the order to my balance steps and re-do them twice before settling into splits and other stretches. I do wide-legged and regular dive bomber push ups as well just to give myself a full range of motion. This is a cool down and a stretch, a way for me to prevent my muscles from knotting up and joints from getting too stiff. The gym scale reads 110.4 lbs but I'm not concerned. When I get out to my car, it's there all alone at the far end of the lot.

Manic Monday Workout:
35 min Hill 5 = 3.95 miles Bleah!
Flat Bench Press: 25 @ bar / 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 6 @ 125 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 15 @ 75 lbs / 50 @ bar (45 lbs)
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips & Calf Raises and Side Kicks
Inclined Rear DB Flyes: 15 @ 25 lbs / 15 @ 27.5 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 30 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 12 @ 25 lbs / 12 @ 27.5 lbs / 6 x 8 @ 30 lbs
The last 2 reps of each heavy set were definitely hard and required a pause for breath.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
BB Upright Rows: 12 @ 40 lbs / 12 @ 45 lbs / 6 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Again, the last 2 reps of the last 2 sets seem really hard and requires a breath.
Mat Stretch includes 10 wide-legged Dive Bomber Push Ups and 10 regular DBPUs, splits, etc.

Summer's Over And It's Still Monday

It was 90°+ for a day last week, but the nights have been a bit chilly. Chilly enough to necessitate wearing gloves when I take the dog out in the mornings, because 46°F is not summer anymore. Already, the arboreal canopy has fringes of gold and red at the edges. Next weekend will mark the Autumnal Equinox and the descent into Winter. I don't mind the cold, except when I'm working out. This morning, two of three ellipticals are occupied so I get on #3. It seems a little easier and a lot smoother than I last remembered. Still, because I've been a slug all weekend, I know that even gentle Hill #6 is going to kick my butt. And it does. I don't make my 4 mile quota. But I'm warm enough and today is Monday, jokingly known as Universal Bench Press Day.

The Manchurian is on the Smith but I have no intentions of using it. He makes a point though, of coming over to tell me that he has just one more set, so I smile and say, "Don't worry about it." He seems a bit incredulous. I'm not saying it to be nice. I'm saying it because I plan on benching at the Olympic bench today. As long as I can get someone to spot me. I start off with just the bar, then add 15 lbs to each side. Then I swap that for a 25 lb plate each side. Then I debate with adding the 5 or 10 next. Last time I had trouble with adding the 10, but perhaps I'd already done too many sets. This time I add a mere 5 lbs to each side and bench it. The 10s seem to be missing so I add another pair of 5s to the bar, making it 25+5+5 each side, plus the bar. Then I look around. I see M who left me hanging several months ago because he was so busy chatting he forgot he'd agreed to spot me. I'm not asking him again. I don't see Nixon. I do see The Mayor, and FatAss (it's what he called himself) and a few other irregulars. I bite my lip and ask The Mayor for a spot when he seems to be resting between sets on an inclined bench. Mo has told me that The Mayor is actually younger than us, in his mid-forties. He seems older, working out in a loose polo shirt and sports pants, hiding his upper arms, chest and gut, his Alec-Baldwin-hair always on the verge of rebellion.

I tell him that I use a thumbless grip and he merely nods. I don't need help until the last four reps but it still feels like it's all me doing the work. His voice is hoarse and squeaky, as if he'd been at an all night rave as he guides the last two reps. "Your left twists, making the bar tilt. Everyone does. All I needed to do is straighten your left and the bar went right up." I look at him puzzled as I digest this bit of information. And then I thank him and he goes off to do his DB curls. I got ten decent reps at 115. I put another 5 on each side. Then I ask for another spot. I'm hoping to get at least 6, but I make 8 and I'm very happy. "You usually use that," he says nodding at the Smith. I nod back. "You shouldn't because the bar'll go up with just your right pushing. This way you'll make your left stronger." "Well, usually there's no one to spot me," I say. He responds, "You can ask me. I'm always here." I thank him again, and he walks away.

Cage stretch follows, but I'm not sweaty from it. Then I wander back to the DBs for Inclined Reverse Flyes. I have 4 magnetic discs, a towel, my water bottle and my gear sack of goodies. The 25 lb DBs are easy enough so I warm up with two sets. Then I snap on 2.5 lb magnets. Another two sets. Finally the last two magnets and now each DB is 30 lbs. After three sets, I decide I can do more even though I struggle with the last two reps, feeling the muscles in my upper back contract against the base of my neck. So I do another two sets. Just for fun. Standing Lateral DB Raises are next. Again, I start with 25s as a warm up. Three sets and I know I'm babying myself so I add magnets. 27.5 lbs is harder and I do two sets before I bite the bullet and add the rest of the magnets. I don't know how many reps or sets I can get at 30 lbs. It turns out to be more than I thought: 3 sets of 8 reps.

I need a break before attempting Barbell Upright Rows so I do a few sit ups and crunches. The 40 lb BB is missing from the rack and instead of grabbing the 30 and making do with magnets, I grab the 50. I'm probably going to regret this. Well, not my shoulders, but my elbows and wrists, but only after I've added a pair of magnets to the barbell. It's really only my wrists that bother me as I finish my last sets. Finally there is Mat Stretch and I suck down the last of my water when I'm done.

Bench Press Monday Workout:
35 min Hill 6 = 3.91 miles Sheesh!
Bench Press: 25 @ bar (45 lbs) / 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 10 @ 115 lbs / 8 @ 125 lbs / 12 @ 105 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 50 @ bar
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips & Calf Raises and Side Kicks
Inclined Rear DB Flyes: 2 x 15 @ 25 lbs / 2 x 12 @ 27.5 lbs / 5 x 12 @ 30 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs / 2 x 12 @ 27.5 lbs / 3 x 8 @ 30 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 150
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Barbell Upright Rows: 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 55 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 DBPUs, 5 rolling PUs, splits, etc.

I look around and see R at the DB rack. After I retrieve my hoodie, which I left draped over the cardio railing, I wander over to him and ask him how he is. At first he tells me that he's okay, but I say, "I know with all this rain," and he admits he's had yet another shot for his herniated disc pain. He mentions a long drive over the weekend and when I express surprise, he tells me that he's going to be a father and that his wife is five and a half months pregnant. I know I'm smiling when I congratulate him, and he tells me how this has changed his whole outlook, his whole attitude. "I know I'm a hothead, but lately things just don't bother me. There was a guy who got in my face and I just told him to take a number, 'cuz everyone's in line..." We both chuckle.

I'm really happy for him and we discuss how having dogs is such a useful prep for having babies. I ask about his brother and he tells me that he's expecting a child as well, a mere three weeks apart. I make him promise to bring photos when his son is born in January, then tease him about them sharing the month. He tells me breathlessly that it'd be the best birthday present ever. Then he says he might not come back to this gym because he'd have to change his schedule. It wouldn't be fair to his in-laws who are moving into the area just to baby-sit. "Oh, we'll never see you again," I say wistfully but he says he'll be around. He'd never give up working out. And I laugh, and walk away 'cuz I desperately need a shower. The gym scale reads 111.0 lbs and I can't say I'm surprised. Especially after a weekend of gelato, apple ale, turkey bolognese sauce over brown rice, and Cub Scout popcorn. It's sunny but breezy outside and as I stash my gym gear in my car, I note that R's silver sedan is parked right alongside mine.

Abbreviations Galore

I'm a normal human being so when I awoke to torrential rain yesterday morning, my husband's car blocking mine in the driveway, and the specter of hordes of wanna-be gym rats rushing to exercise before the gym closed at 1 pm, well, I decided that another abbreviated week wasn't going to hurt. So I took yesterday off. Of course, I have my son with me this week so not only is the week shortened, but my gym time as well because childcare ends at 1pm so no running late, no extra sets, and absolutely no chatting! Today my son was literally the last child there, looking forlorn and abandoned while peeking out from the childcare room windows.

It also means only enough cardio to warm up, so 35 minutes on the elliptical will have to do. I'm always better when I've been aerobically consistent: being a slug over the long weekend didn't help me at all. I was glad just to make quota! It took some effort to keep from sliding into a leisurely pace, even with my favorite tunes blaring on the iPod.

I wasn't too upset that the Smith was completely occupied by a dude I'd never seen before. There are 3 flat benches, a decline bench and two inclined benches in the free weight area and I can usually get on one of them. I don't actually know how much I can lift so I'm a bit tentative, mentally wrestling with which plates to put on the bar. I don elbow and wrist wraps as well as gloves. I see R across the gym; he's so tall I can see him through the cardio area, working arms on the cables by the Cage Stretch. If I can see him, he can probably see me: I'm small but I'm not invisible.

Because I'm not really sure how much I need to do to warm up, I start slow with just the bar and knock out 25 reps. Then a pair of 10s and 5s. Easy. Okay, swap those for a pair of 25s. Still okay. Add a pair of 10s. This is unexpectedly hard. I'm bummed that I can only get 8 reps the first set and 10 reps the 2nd set. It's only 115 lbs. I'm too unsure to add another pair of 10s so it's a pair of 5s instead. That makes it 125 lbs. Then I wait, nervously scanning the gym floor for someone to ask for a spot. I don't trust the two kids on the adjacent bench. I really hate the large puffy overweight man who looks like Oliver Hardy (Laurel & Hardy) because he keeps traipsing back and forth between the plate stand and the Preacher Curl Station, one weight at a time. And as he passes by, he has to stare down at me, as if I'd actually ask him to spot me. Eyes to yourself buddy! He's got a lot to learn about gym etiquette but I'm not inclined to talk to him.

Nixon had been standing behind me but he's moved to the Cybex machine area and I'm not going to trek across the gym for a spot. I really don't want to ask ZZ because things are just starting to feel normal. (Or at least he's stopped staring at me in an uncomfortable way.) Then I see RR warming up his shoulders. I've seen him spot other women so I feel that this'll be okay and not weird. And he's good, asking me if I need help with the bar or just with the elbows. When I look at him perplexed, he says "Never mind, I've got this". I grab the bar and get 6 hard reps, the last one with a bit of assistance. He doesn't linger to chat either. Good. A good spot. I'm happy.

My right shoulder feels a little tired but what's more worrisome is that my right ring and pinky finger seem to be a bit numb. Not tingly numb, but numb like they've lost all sensation although I can move them. I unwrap the wrist wraps and wiggle my fingers between every set. I pull the 10s off and keep the 5s to get a set of 12 reps. On the last rep, RR grabs the bar to steady it. I hadn't even seen him step in to spot me (not that I needed it) but I'm so surprised that I start to laugh a little. I thank him and he goes back to squats and behind the neck presses. I keep alternating between a regular grip and the thumbless grip. The thumbless grip is less painful but definitely less stable and I only use it when I have a weight I can completely control. I start to knock out reps, ending the bench session with 50 reps with just the bar.

25 lb vs 30 lb DBs

Remembering how unwieldy the 30 lb dumbbells are, I grab 4 magnetic discs after Cage Stretch. There's no room on the floor so I leave the inclined bench inside the Smith and do my rear delts there after I grab a pair of 25s. There are very few women here today with the exception of the yoga class and the cardio area. There are always a few on the Cybex machines as well, but I'm disappointed not to see last week's crowd. Summer's over.

I like using the 25s with the added discs instead of wrestling with the 30s. Standing Lateral DB Raises are another matter. After a set of 12, I only add one disc per dumbbell. My shoulders are getting tired and I'm running out of time. No Upright Rows today. I'm lucky if I can still do a few ab exercises and perhaps a shortened Mat Stretch. When I look up, I barely have 15 minutes to change and shower before the childcare room closes.

Abbreviated 1st Day Workout
35 min cardio hill #6 = 4.03 miles
Bench Press: 25 @ bar (45 lbs) / 12 @ 75 / 12 @ 95 / 8, 10 @ 115 / 6 @ 125 / 12 @ 105 / 12 @ 95 / 25 @ 65 / 50 @ bar
Cage Stretch with Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Inclined Rear DB Flyes: 15 @ 25 lbs / 12 @ 27.5 lbs / 4 x 8 @ 30 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 12 @ 25 lbs / 5 x 8 @ 27.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch (10 total Dive Bomber Push Ups) with vertical and horizontal splits

The gym scale reads 110.8 lbs and that's a pleasant surprise considering that we'd spent the weekend enjoying late summer festivities like a lakeside BBQ with requisite bonfire, and a day at the New York Renaissance Faire (Sterling Forest, Tuxedo NY), accompanied by beer, wine, cider, mead, ice cream, deep fried macaroni and cheese, truffle oil macaroni and cheese, skirt steak, bacon and sunnyside eggs, fried calamari, stuffed scallops... Well, you get the idea.

My son scarfs down a Fruitables® juice and veggie box and a S'more's 14 gm protein bar while I sip the vanilla Ensure that's become a staple of my post-gym routine. Now it's off to see Monsters U, playing next door for $5 per person. Tomorrow is Back Day but we'll have to get to the gym earlier. Because our town doesn't start school until next week, there's sure to be a lot of kids in the childcare room. My son is quite looking forward to it.

The Good, The Bad, and the Mediocre

I was a slug for three days instead of my normal two this past weekend because driving to Philadelphia is about 6 hours round-trip. Yep, a long butt-numbing ride where the only thing we exercised was our patience and the capacity to marvel at why more people aren't killed on the highways with all the stupid maneuvers they pull. There's not a lot of great scenery to view either, unless you count the actual trek from Cherry Hill, New Jersey over the bridge into the city of brotherly love. However, the trip was well-worth missing a workout because my consultation with the glaucoma doc revealed lower IOPs (intraocular pressure) for me that were well-within the target range for someone with low-tension glaucoma.

After a state-of-the-art Visual Field test which was compared with tests from previous years, the doc determined that yes, my tests are consistent with someone with glaucoma, but that with pressures at 11 and 13, he didn't feel surgery was necessary at this point. He also suggested an eye drop different from my current generic latanoprost: Lumigan® which is in the same family as Xalatan® but might have better efficacy. Yeah, well, we'll just have to see how much it costs and whether insurance will cover it or not because health insurance tends to blindly insist that generics are just as good as brand names, and the Philly doc disagreed, pointing to literature to support his claims. I don't need literature. My own brother can verify the difference in efficacy with his own IOP.

I got the gym much much later today than I was planning. My car was suppose to be ready this morning, and of course it wasn't so I had to wait until the part arrived from the dealership, and then it had to be soldered in where the old rusty parts had fused together. Subarus are known for a lot of things, and unfortunately rust is one of them. The auto repair shop tells me that I might want to start shopping because it's an old car that'll start "nickel and diming" me until it just won't be worth fixing. I'm not at all pleased that Subaru redesigned the Forester on the Legacy frame, making it bigger and heavier. More like a real SUV I suppose, but I've always loved the old Forester's tight handling (based on the Impreza). I'm not prepared to look for a new old car yet. Sigh.

The gym is eerily vacant because I've missed the morning rush and it's not quite lunch time yet. I jump on my favorite Precor with my hoodie zipped up and punch in Hill #5 because I'm not really sure how I feel today. I make decent mileage and feel pretty good, but just as I reach the free weights, the 7 foot tall dude claims the Smith so I plop down on one of four free weight Olympic benches. Wrapping my wrists really helps here and I knock out a few sets until I get to a weight where I think I might need a spot (25 lb plate + pair of 10s each side = 135 lbs). There are two kids on the next bench over but I don't want to ask them. RR has wandered away after pretending to fix the broken cable station that one of the gym staff guys has been fiddling with. I'm pretty sure I can get a few reps but I've been using a thumbless grip which is inherently dangerous. Suddenly I see that the Smith is free so I grab my gear and drop it on that bench before stripping the plates.

I probably should've stayed with the Olympic bench though because the Smith again felt sticky and heavy. I start with 95 lbs (which I had no problem with on the free bench) and it feels odd. It's the same with the 115 lbs, which again I had no problem with on the free bench. The next progression feels really heavy and my right shoulder twinges. Sets at 155 are completely disappointing. Benching felt unexpectedly better on the Olympic bench so I think I may have to actually find a spotter next time. Next time I'll come earlier and there will at least be people I trust to spot me.

25 lb DB (left) are so much
smaller than the 30 lb DBs (right)!

The rest of the workout seemed a bit mediocre with Cage Stretches and then back to the free weight area to wrestle with dumbbells. At least I have access to the Inclined Bench, a coveted piece of equipment. I've also got a pair of 2.5 lb magnetic discs because I don't quite know what my shoulders can handle today.

I like the 25 lb DBs but it's time I moved up from 15 rep sets so I only do one set. Then I add 2.5 lbs and do another set. That feels okay. I grab the 30 lb DBs and do 4 more sets at 8-10 reps although I find myself losing count so maybe it's 8-12 reps? But I don't like the 30s because they're too big and it's hard to get a decent grip on them because the plates are too wide. Next time I'll grab 4 discs and affix to both ends of the 25s instead.

Next are standing Lateral Raises and start with 20 lb DBs. After a set, I add the magnets. Then I move up to the 25 lb DBs. These are heavy but I can still do a complete set so I add the magnets. My goal is to reach a weight where all I can do is 6-8 reps. I can barely get 4 sets at 27.5 lbs so this is a good weight for me now.

Because this is a shortened week for me I ponder what to give up and I decide it's going to be Arm Day. I just like boxing the Nexersys too much on Fridays to give that up, and I still need to work Back tomorrow and Legs on Thursday. I briefly consider adding some Tricep work today but I'm actually too tired and feel guilty that it's early afternoon already. Besides, there's still abs and Mat Stretch to do. I don't remember to do Upright BB Rows either but since my front right delt is bothering me, I'm not that concerned with missing the exercise. Abs are a no-brainer as I can do a lot more than I actually do, so there's nothing to really work up to here. I stopped using weights for abs because I tend to bulk and no woman wants a bulky waist no matter how muscular.

The Mat stretch goes as expected, the right hamstring a tad more limber than the left (old college injury has left it a bit tight) but in general everything feels good. My lower back doesn't really bother me, but it is stiff and because I don't know what's wrong with it, I'm going to resist doing anything that will stress it. Maybe it's a disc on the verge of doing something it shouldn't? I'm tired of doctors for now so I'm taking a break from dealing with them. I finally badgered my internist's office about the 24-hour urine test but I'm not wholly satisfied with their answer. Instead of telling me that my micro-albumin levels are normal, they tell me they've consulted with the Nephrologist who says everything's fine. In fact, they never confirm that they've actually run the test they mentioned. My husband believes that they goofed up and are just covering their tracks now.

Today's Chest and Delt Workout:
35 min hill #5 = 4.07 miles Yay!
Olympic Bench Press: 25 @ bar (45 lbs) / 12 @ 65 lbs / 12 @ 85 lbs / 12 @ 95 lbs / 12 @ 115 lbs
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 4, 6 @ 155 lbs / 8 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 23+10 @ 95 lbs (I had to pause at rep 23, rest for 5 seconds and then push out 10 more reps)
Cage Stretch with heel dips and side kicks
Inclined Rear DB Raises: 15 @ 25 lbs / 15 @ 27.5 lbs / 4 x 8-12 @ 30 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 12 @ 20 lbs / 12 @ 22.5 lbs / 12 @ 25 lbs / 3 x 8 @ 27.5 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups + 3 Hands Under Waist plus splits and other stretches

I'm not too surprised when the gym scale reads 112.0 lbs because I've been a slug all weekend, and we ate sushi for dinner last night, and I tend to retain a lot of water when I eat foods like that. What's surprising is how measurements change for something as simple as taking a pee. I weighed myself on my home scale and right afterwards I had to pee so out of curiosity, I weighed myself again just to see what readings would change. Everything except bone changed! And not in the way you would expect! Weight went from 110.6 to 110.0 -- okay, that seems normal. Body Fat went from 20.1% to 20%, Total Body Water Percentage went up from 50.8 to 51.1 (??) and Muscle Percentage dropped from 39.2% to 38.8. All from peeing. And I'm sure that by the end of the week, all the measurements will have changed again. So all I'm really looking at are Big Round Numbers and Trends. All the rest is just micro-nutia and not worth worrying about.