Nothing Says Old like AARP

I had a great workout today, but then again, it's Leg Day and I love love love doing an hour of cardio followed by weights and stretching. I was feeling great until I got home and picked up the mail. Without an identifiable return address label, I skeptically opened the envelope marked New Card Inside -- Do Not Bend. I'm thinking, "Which one of my credit cards has expired?" because I'm usually fairly vigilant about stuff like that. Instead, it was an invitation to join AARP so I could reap all their "benefits" for just a $16 annual fee.

Pistol Squat

Sorry but nothing says old like AARP. My dad used to revel in flashing his Senior Citizen discount cards while middle-aged women gawked at his youthful appearance. But my dad had more than great genetics on his side, he'd lied on his working papers when he was a teenager, adding ten years to his actual age. No wonder he looked so young! I don't have any such dark secrets. I freely admit that I'm 52 years old and about the height and size of a 10 year old, a genetic throwback to my grandmother's generation (she was only 4' 8" and the youngest of four children, including her twin sister). I've got a few strands of gray hair, and I can see where my skin is starting to age so it's not as if I'm unnaturally youthful. But I do work out like a fiend, and I think I've got a better body than a lot of the people at my gym. It's a lot of hard work, but it's something I enjoy.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill #6 = 4.05 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.33 miles  Grand Total = 8.38 miles Wahoo!
Smith Machine Squats: 12 @ bar (45 lbs) / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
I decide to do Dead Lifts to work my hamstrings and glutes and this time I can actually feel the correct muscles in this movement.
Smith Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs (this time I don't raise the bar up to my chest in order to spare my forearms and elbows)
Cage Stretch and 3 Pistol Squats per leg (I'm probably cheating by holding my extended leg with my hand as I drop down and flex my foot before I power back up, but it's still hard and I only do 3 before deciding to do Leg Curls )
Seated Leg Curls: 3 x 12 @ 90 lbs (I could probably do more sets but I'm so damn lazy)

Your butt should drop to heels

Seated Leg Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 60 lbs / 3 x 15 @ 60 lbs (I don't even know why I only did sets of 12 for the first 3 sets before realizing I could be doing sets of 15 reps)
Torso Twist Station (yay! it's fixed!): 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Smith Machine Thrusters: 12 @ bar (45 lbs) / 2 x 12 @ 55 lbs (I only add 10 lbs to the bar this time because I couldn't complete a set of 12 last time at 65 lbs. It's still exhausting though and my knees always feel a bit odd afterwards so I want to start slow and easy with this new exercise)
Mat Stretch

The scale reads 109 lbs and I relax in the sauna for a few minutes after showering.  The gym clears out around noon and is virtually empty by the time I leave. At home, my scale reads 106.2 but the other readings are all over the place by a skosh so I don't pay them any mind. I not sure how much better I can make my physique, especially at my "advanced age". I'm definitely stronger, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to see any changes.

Tomorrow's a Push Day and I haven't done Decline Presses in a long time, so if that bench (there's only one) is free that's what I'm going to do. I also just realize that there are weighted bars in the corner that I can probably use for the French Press (triceps)... Hmmm, I'm all excited to check out the equipment now. Old is just a state of mind, and as long as you're willing to try new things, and try with a vengeance, well, who says a middle-aged woman can't have a better physique than a twenty-year old?

Defining Addiction

It's Back and Bicep day and I'm pretty happy going into the gym even though the fog is so thick I'm driving through cotton balls. I barely squeak past 5 miles after 45 minutes of cardio but I feel warm and sweaty. Seated Cable Rows feel pretty good and I get my heavy sets done without much fuss. The old dude I call Hannibal Baggy Knees hovers about, but I'm careful to avoid eye contact. I'm such a Not a Social Person.

I see B today and she's all complaints again about how fat she's gotten and how much strength and tone she's lost. She complains about her elbow bothering her and never healing after all these weeks, but of course, she hasn't done anything at all to help mend that injury either. Rest itself isn't enough in a joint that is constantly being used even for ordinary everyday things.

Finally I reprimand her with "If you're not going to do the exercises for your tennis elbow, and you're not going to work out at home, then stop complaining. What do you expect?" Later I tell her that it's my belief that at some point we'll be unable to make muscle because our bodies will be too old but no one knows exactly when that point is, so we should work out and make as much muscle as we can while we can. She agrees that she complains too much. Finally. The adage "An addict is someone who does the same thing over and over again, expecting different results." B's addicted to complaining, hoping that her body will respond differently each time.

Today's Total Workout:
45 min cardio = 5.02 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 10 @ 120 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 90 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks (no pull ups today)
Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 / 3 x 12 @ 105 lbs
Bent Over Barbell Rows: 15 @ 65 / 6 x 15 @ 70 lbs (I love this exercise!)
Alternating Bicep Hammer Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Concentration Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: about 125
Mat Stretch

from hippie.nu

I see R today and he is wickedly scary at the Curl Bench with a pair of 45 lb plates on an EZ curl bar. I take a moment to stare admiringly because damn he's strong! but I don't linger. I don't even say Hi although I probably should. It's so hard to get out of myself sometimes and interact with others around me.

from supplementreviews.com

The scale reads 109.2 lbs and then I run off to do errands. My home scale reads 107.4 lbs and I still have my period. I twist around and look at my back in the mirror and note that I can really see the erector spinae and trapezius muscles. They look thick and ropey. Even I'm impressed! B has offered to take photos of my back at her home. She says the best way to take photos is when actually performing the exercises. I may have to take her up on this!

Post Meatfest Blues

from IronWorkout.com

As always, we had an over-scheduled weekend that culminated in a "Meatfest" on Sunday. Yes, that would be a Sunday afternoon of nothing but grilled meats, and some grilled corn on the cob (wrapped in tin foil with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning). We started with store bought Tony Roma® Ribs baked in the oven while the coals got hot. Then we grilled lollipop lambchops, boneless pork chops and rib eye steaks. The boys also got macaroni and cheese with their meat, and plenty of CapriSun SuperV (fruit and vegetable juice drinks) while they played Kirby on the Wii. We savored the subtle smooth flavor of Saranac Ginger Beer with our guest spiking his with a shot of Kraken Spiced Rum. Dessert was individual bags of mini-Oreos, NutterButters and ChipsAhoy Cookies.

Needless to say, I felt like a slug this morning even in the unseasonably balmy weather. Plus I still have menstrual cramps, which is unusual because normally, I barely notice my periods. Well, at least my lower back doesn't hurt even though my breasts feel tender and achy. 45 minutes gets me 4.95 miles but at least I've worked up a semi-decent sweat. (Nothing is ever as good as Leg Day but Leg Day is coming!)

Today's Total Workout:
45 min #6 hill = 4.95 miles
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 3 x 10 @ 145 lbs / 12 @ 125 / 12 @ 105 / 25 @ 95 lbs (Even though today is a Heavy Bench day, I still like to end the session with lots of reps. Reps certainly haven't hurt me. If anything, I feel they've been critical in adding strength and endurance to my upper body)
Cage Kick & Stretch
Front & Lateral Dumbbell Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs (I rest maybe 45 seconds between exercises)
Lateral Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Seated Rear Inclined Dumbbell Raises: 5 x 15 @ 20 lbs
One-Arm Tricep Dumbbell Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: about 125
Tricep Press Downs: 12 @ 40 lbs / 11, 8, 8 @ 50 lbs / 10 @ 40 / 12 @ 30 lbs (my abs don't contract oddly this time so I'm fairly confident that my triceps are actually stronger even though I can't quite finish the set properly, but I keep my form intact)
Mat Stretch

from Hellosixpackabs.com

Last week I felt a twinge in the outer pectoral where it meets the arm pit when I did pull ups. The high rep sets of Decline Presses didn't help either. This week I've decided to baby that area because there's some sort of weakness there that is prone to injury. I've felt that twinge before and I don't want to stop working out because I've ignored a major warning sign. Sooo, no dumbbell inclined presses either. Or flyes. Besides, I think my chest looks pretty good as is. But I'll need to post a photo to prove it.

B has finally come back to the gym after a month off and she complains that she's fat, her clothes are too tight and feel like sausage casings. I laugh at her. She doesn't look fat, although her arms could use more tone. The important thing is that she's back at the gym to work out.

The scale reads 111 lbs which isn't horrible considering how much I ate all weekend. When I get home, the scale reads 107.8 and I look up my past readings. I find another 107.8 entry from last month and compare details. Everything seems within range. B and I meet at the supermarket and we browse the latest Muscle & Fitness Hers because there is a section where readers can send in their own stories. We laugh at the 50 year old "transformation" who dropped 10 lbs, not because we're mean, but because the only reason we think she's in the magazine is her double D cups.

Tomorrow is Back and Biceps. I'm not sure if I'll do pull ups. Maybe Lat Pull Downs aren't so bad after all. My back certainly looks pretty good these days, but again, I'll have to post a photo to prove it. ;-)

Post-Turkey Perspective

Because we got home around 1 am last night (from my brother's house in NJ), having thoroughly stuffed ourselves on turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, bread stuffing, spinach dip, lobster dip, mashed potatoes, salad, baby carrots, blueberry pie, a raspberry sherbet & 7Up punch beverage, mushroom gravy, cranberry apple chutney, assorted sushi rolls, and chocolate mousse cake, it was unlikely that I'd make it to the gym this morning. However, there are some things so ingrained into our lives that habit would be an extreme understatement. So, I went to the gym. I was about 45 minutes later than usual, but still, I was there. As were others on a lovely, sunny Black Friday morning.

There were a few diehards on the treadmills but the ellipticals were all vacant so I got on my favorite Precor and did my 45 minutes. I'm happy with the 4.98 miles and try to keep reminding myself that today is Friday, Back and Biceps Day. The Cable stations are all full of overly beefy dudes I don't recognize so I do Cage Stretch & Kicks while I'm still warm and sweaty. I won't lie: I'm damn tired, not having gone to sleep until 2 am, but it's Friday. It's the last workout day this week. I'm good at justifying why I'm here.

At past Thanksgivings, my identical twin first cousins had been looking a bit chunky for a while but are now in competition for losing weight and getting fit. One showed us his iPhone app that detailed his 5 miles of running 3 times a week. It takes him about an hour, and he's cut out red meat. His brother maintains that he's lost weight just by not eating meat without exercising, and that of course, he's the better looking twin anyway. It was a great family reunion, and a chance for my son to reacquaint himself with 2nd cousins he barely ever sees. For him, it was like having instant siblings.

Today's Total Workout:
45 min cardio = 4.98 miles
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 90 lbs
Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 / 4 x 12 @ 105 lbs
Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 15 @ 65 lbs / 5 x 15 @ 70 lbs
   (this again, is a 60 lb bar with pairs of 2.5 lb magnetic discs stuck to each end)
Lower Back Extensions (again!): 2 x 25 @ 95 lbs
   (usually I use the 7.5 lb brick but I couldn't find it today)
Seated Alternating Hammer Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
   (these seem easier now! damn, I'm gonna have to up the weight! )
Torso Twists: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
   (the heavier weight seems to be improving my "golfer's elbow")
Mat Stretch (no Twisted Triangle pose today!) 

I don't see R or B today and M is just leaving as I arrived this morning. I glance up at the clock and realize that I really have to skidaddle as I have a turkey to put in the oven (the problem with eating out for a long weekend holiday is that there are no leftovers to make into meals) and my son has an orthodontist appointment to fix a broken wire on his braces. The scale reads 111.4 lbs and although it's a lot for a Friday, it's not a lot considering last night's complete pig out. It's really not that much when I go home and look up how much I weighed this time last year: 117 lbs. And last year, I actually didn't go to the gym that Thursday or Friday afterward. 

Pre-Turkey Workout

We actually made it to kickboxing last night so I knew I was going to be a little sore this morning. My butt is always sore, or so it seems, but my shoulders were a tad tender today. Just as well, since it's Leg Day, and I love Leg Day. I love doing the extra cardio! It makes me feel THAT good!

from www.footdoc.ca

I'm a bit stiff and again, my right hip feels a little off when I start off, but I concentrate on keeping my pace and now putting too much pressure on the ball of my foot. Instinctively, I flex my toes to stave off foot spasms. It feels as if my right foot's all connected in a zig-zag pinball way with nerves in my pinkie toe zinging diagonally across to a bunion. I know that physiologically this isn't likely but that's how it feels. And foot diagrams show me that it's possible for nerves to interact in non-linear fashions.

I blame the surgery I had 20 years ago to remove a schwannoma (a benign tumor) from my inside ankle for my toes getting oddly numb and my foot developing a bunion since I never wear tight shoes or heels, and my left foot is bunion-free. If I wear the wrong socks I'm in big trouble. My foot'll go numb and my toes'll get bruised from the seams. If the socks are too nubby, my foot'll go numb. If my shoes are too tight, my foot'll go numb. Luckily, today the threat of spasm passes and I complete my 2 cardio sessions with a total of 8.34 miles which makes me very happy.

www.smartdraw.com/examples/view/nerves+of+the+foot/

I do my standard set of Smith machine Squats and Dead Lifts (damn those aren't getting any easier and I've been doing them since April!) when B comes over to chat. She tells me that there's a huge (as in overweight) guy grunting so loud that she could hear him in spite of her turned-up iPod. Then she tells me that he had lousy form, arching his back and lifting more than he could handle. I've never seen him before and figure he's an idiot for not asking for instruction on proper form, and he'll injure himself and we'll never see him again. Yes, I'm a bad person. I tell B that the gym employees are all certified trainers so really, members ought to seek them out for help. B tells me that I really ought to consider becoming a Personal Trainer and I laugh at her. I don't have that good-natured patience, those all so important people skills.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill #6 = 3.97 miles + 35 min interval #7 = 4.37  Grand Total = 8.34 miles
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 5 x 12 @ 95 lbs (these don't feel bad at all today)
Smith Dead Lifts: 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs (these, on the other hand, feel absolutely exhausting)
Cage stretch & kicks
Seated Leg Curls: 3 x 15 @ 90 lbs (I have to brace myself against the lap bar to keep from popping out of the seat because I'm short and I'm curling nearly my own body weight)
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 15 @ 45 lbs (I haven't upped the weight because I don't want bigger quadriceps, just better defined and shaped ones)
Mat stretch: this time I do the Twisted Triangle Pose before I take my shoes off to do the rest of my mat stretch routine and it's much easier to do standing on the floor. I can feel my legs starting to stiffen up though and my stretch is not as good as it usually is on Leg Day. 

I have the dawning realization that knots in my shoulders are from grasping the handles of the elliptical when I do cardio. Being a small person with short legs means that often handles aren't placed where your arms fall naturally. I've got to focus on not contracting my shoulders when I "run" from now on! The scale reads 110.4 lbs and I'm pleased to be losing some of my puffiness. My home scale confirms the weight loss but again perplexes me with the rest of the readings: 107.8 lbs, 19.5% BF, 52.1 TBW, 38.1 muscle and 4.6 lbs bone. ?? Losing bone again? Yeah, right. I guess I just need to average the weekly readings instead.

Of course, tomorrow's Thanksgiving and although the gym is open from 7 am to 1 pm, I won't be there (sigh). However, I do plan on going on Friday. Because I can!

What's in a Number Anyway?

I'm having a hard time believing that Thanksgiving is just two days away even though I picked up my free frozen 16 lb turkey from the supermarket yesterday. My brain, and all the gym posters, and all the fitness magazines at the grocery checkout counters scream that we ought to be working our little tails off and eating in moderation come the big day. I'm still a bit freaked out about being bigger and heavier (in my mind this occurred really suddenly, like yesterday) so I'm not sure what I can do about the coming Food Apocalypse.

Perhaps my body is getting acclimatized to my cardio regime. I worried about that when I went from 30 minutes to 45 minutes of cardio this time last year. Whoa! It's been a year? Granted that I don't weigh nearly as much and I push a lot more weight, but still I worry about instantly morphing into a soft doughy dumpling as soon as menopause hits me. 45 minutes at hill #5 gives me 4.92 miles and I'm warm but not drenched. I settle into heavy sets for Seated Cable Rows when B comes over to ask me about form and weights.

I tell her that perfect form isn't going to make her stronger. Only lifting heavier, and sometimes you need to compromise "perfect form" to move heavier weights. As long as you don't hurt yourself, or wind up using other muscles when you "cheat", I say it's okay. She seems skeptical and says she'll go ask M who happens to be standing nearby. After conferring with him, she comes over and says, Well, he said what you said. And he smiles and adds, I agree with you absolutely. I think I smile back (I don't always know what my face conveys sometimes). Later, B says, I wasn't calling you out on your form. And I smile and nod Yeah, right.

Todays' Total Workout:
45 min = 4.92 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 3 x 8 @ 120 / 12 @ 90 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 90 lbs
Cage stretch & kicks
Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 / 5 x 12-10 @ 105 lbs
  (I can't grip the bar anymore by the 10th rep of set 5)
Bent Over Barbell Rows: 18 @ 65 lbs / 5 x 15 @ 70 lbs (I lost count and got carried away at 65 lbs so I moved back up to 70 lbs with the magnetic discs)
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Concentration Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch (today I add a yoga stretch called Twisted Triangle and it's damn hard to do in socks on a smooth mat, so next time I'm either leaving my shoes on, or doing it on the floor)

from Shape.com

I feel big, and the fact that my arms look smooth and my face looks puffy doesn't help me any. A woman in the locker room tells me that my back looks really impressive and she uses the word "ripped" but I know I'm not "ripped" at 19.5% body fat. I'm just big. The scale tells me 111.6 lbs which is a tad better than yesterday but not much. Later B tells me that I'm starting to get that bodybuilder shape, but warns me that I don't want to get too much bigger because I'll look like a guy. No, I don't want that. But I love lifting weights. I love how it feels and I think I should get as muscular and strong as naturally possible before menopause kicks my butt and I won't be able to make muscle or keep my metabolism fired up.

I'm actually kind of surprised that I'm bigger: I'm doing everything naturally possible, like lifting heavy once a week, doing massive reps, not really supplementing except drinking 25 gms of protein via Ensure High Protein right after my workouts, and doing cardio everyday that I do workout. Yup, this completely goes against everything they preach in those fitness magazines. At home, the scale reads 108.4 lbs, 19.5% BF, 51.8 TBW, 39.3% muscle and 4.8 lbs bone. Really? I've put on .2 lbs bone? I suppose if I cut down on butter and red meat, and wine on the weekends, I'd drop the extra 3 lbs of bloat. I'd feel normal. Even now, my clothes feel a tad tight. Egads!

Reap What You Sow

I knew today was going to be difficult just because we'd had such a hectic weekend. Having barely recovered from the onerous belt testing graduation ceremony at my son's tae kwon do school Friday evening, we plunged right into Chinese school the next morning, to be followed by kung fu, and then a mad dash home to load the car with Cub Scout camp-over gear. We made it to the Boys Scouts camping grounds in time to participate in archery, but thankfully, missed the requisite hike. The boys engaged in tag and other tom-foolery while adults supervised dinner preparations. After burger, dogs and assorted chips, there was bonfire marshmallow roasting and flashlight tag.

After my husband and son had ensconced themselves in their tent (my husband had had enough of the bunk cabin arrangements at last spring's sleepover), I made the mistake of mentioning that the Leonides Meteor shower was this weekend and what a perfect night to see stars! We, and a few other cold-hardy adults sat around the bonfire staring into the frigid night skies for several hours until my husband retreated back to his tent (with an air mattress and sleeping bag), and eventually my son convinced me that it was well past his bed time. The next day, after doing several loads of laundry, we headed off to Connecticut for a play date with one of my son's friends. We brought potato bread rolls, burgers, dogs and a 2010 bottle of Cupcake malbec. It was quite nice but we got home late.

from aidmymuscle.com/quadricep-strains

Sooo, this morning I was hoping to get at least 4 miles on the elliptical. My start was good, but just as I changed my stride (minute 3-4), I felt a familiar but inexplicable dull pain that radiated from inside my hip cradle down along the inside thigh and into my right knee. I had to assume a shorter stride and position myself more upright to lessen the pain. It felt as if it might spasm and knot at any moment. This went on for several minutes and it slowed my pace from the normal 169  down to 105-110. After a minute or two, I managed to increase my speed and gradually lengthen my stride but the spasm threat occurred at least once more before completely dissipating at minute 25. So much for 5 miles today. By minute 35 I was feeling more my old self, but there was not a lot of time to catch up on distance. 4.84 was what I got today. It's better than 4.5.

Today's Total Workout:
45 min = 4.84 miles
Smith Bench: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 3 x 10 @ 145 / 12 @ 125 / 12 @ 105 / 15 @ 95 lbs
Cage stretch & kicks
Front & Lateral Dumbbell Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral Raises & Inclined Dumbbell Presses: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs (I added this light pressing movement more for stretch & variation)
Seated Rear Inclined Dumbbell Raises: 5 x 15 @ 20 lbs
One-Arm Tricep Extension: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Seated Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Tricep Press Downs: 12/12/10 @ 50 lbs / 12 @ 30 lbs
Mat stretch

I see B today. She tells me that I look good and comments on my flat stomach. I laugh because she doesn't have any belly either. She also comments on my haircut. She's probably the only one who's actually noticed! And apparently, she's had Pink Eye (conjunctivitis). Now she's just getting back to the gym after being on vacation, and being sick. She complains about losing strength and feeling fat. I tease her, of course, because she looks scrawny to me. But I'm glad she stayed home when she got Pink Eye! I see R too, but neither of us appears very chatty today so all I do is ask him if he's done with the inclined bench, which he is because he's wiped it down with a deluge of bleach water.

By the time I get to the Mat stretch, my legs are cold and stiff so I go slow and easy on the stretches. I know I've over-indulged over the weekend and that I'm not going to be happy with the scale. Salty fatty meats and lots of wine do not make a good diet. I'm not quite prepared for the 112 lbs though that greets me. My round face is puffy and pink in the mirror, so how much of this is water? I am lifting heavier though, so I should also be putting on some muscle weight, even if I can't really see it. My home scale reads 109.6 lbs. What surprises me is not that my body fat reading is higher (19.7), but that my TBW reading is the lowest I've seen it (51.4). Muscle percentage is higher (39.7) but so is bone weight (4.8 lbs). None of this really makes any sense to me. All I know is that I'm heavier, and probably a tad bigger. I'll just have to see this week whether this is a fluke or a trend. After all, I'm eating more, and lifting heavier. Yeah, I'm probably bigger!

Inspiration or Idiocy?

There's a new poster up on the crammed bulletin board in the locker room. It's for the New York State NPC Grand Prix bodybuilding and physique contest in Poughkeepsie this coming October. I'd like to go. It's not that far from where I live. Part of me wonders how I'd fare competing with other women in the 45+ category, and part of me is completely terrified of standing in an itsy bitsy bikini in front of lots of strange people. Just viewing the NPC website is totally inspiring, and intimidating. Unfortunately, the two things I keep thinking are: I need a tan, and I have such a boring body. Maybe I'll just go as a ticket holder instead and see what the women in the Master's Class look like.

Image from: osteo-path.co.uk/BodyMap/Thighs.htm

45 min of cardio gives me 5.17 miles today which is good considering how sore my glutes are this morning, and how tired I feel when I get up. My home scale read 105.8 so I add 2 lbs and think, okay, I've lost some water weight. I can usually see that in my face because it's so round. The cardio warms me up enough to proceed straight to the flat bench for reps where, on the last set, I knock out 75 reps with just the bar (45 lbs). Once I get to the 50th rep I slow down and count sets of 5 until I get to 75. It doesn't actually feel that bad, and it doesn't hurt. By the last two reps, my whole body is rigid with the effort as I will the bar up and slowly lower it to my chest. It feels good.

Cage stretches and kicks follow. I've noticed a new muscle in my upper thigh and I have to look it up to see what it is. Cool. M. tensor fascia latae. I've seen it on those fabulous legs the Olympic runners and sprinters have. I think it's all those silly kicks I do. And probably all the cardio...

Then delts. I do the first superset with a pair of 15 lb dumbbells but then add the 2.5 lb magnetic discs so that my next 2 supersets are heavier. I leave the weights on for the 3 additional sets of lateral raises. Because the dumbbell area is so crowded, I'm doing my raises near the benches instead. The lighting is different, and I can actually see the striations in my delts as I raise my arms. It's kinda cool!

Today's Total Workout:
45 min cardio = 5.17 miles
Flat Bench Press: 1 x 25 @ bar / 1 x 25 @ 65 / 1 x 25 @ 85 lbs / 1 x 25 @ 65 / 1 x 75 @ bar
Cage stretch & kicks
Front & lateral dumbbell raise superset: 1 x 12 @ 15 / 2 x 12 @ 17.5
Lateral dumbbell raises: 3 x 12 @ 17.5
Seated rear inclined dumbbell raises: 6 x 15 @ 17.5
Tricep one-arm dumbbell extension: 1 x 12 @ 15 / 1 x 12 @ 17.5 / 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Torso Twists: 2 x 25 @ 60 lbs
Seated Lower Ab kickouts: 150 reps
Decline Press: 1 x 25 @ bar / 4 x 25 @ 65 lbs
Mat stretch for hams, calves, back, shoulders & neck

The scale reads 107.4 lbs and I'm not surprised. I'm also parched and ravenously hungry. I may have to start bringing more than 1.5 liters of water as I'd drained the bottle by the second set of Decline Presses. I hate walking around with 2 water bottles — it's hard enough to keep tract of my gloves, grips and towel, much less another bottle. Maybe I'll be forced to sip from the (gasp) water fountain. Bleah.

Happy 4th!

It's the 4th of July and yes, I did go to the gym today. Me and several thousand others. Okay, it only seemed like thousands because damn, the gym was crowded! There were a lot of regulars, and there were new people who perhaps come at other times, or who were there at their spouse's behest, or figured, what the heck I'm gonna pig out this evening so a bit of exercise won't hurt. Regardless, it was crowded. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

Wednesday is Leg Day and luckily there was a Precor available. Leg Day is my excuse to put in about 65 minutes for cardio, doing a hill and an interval program, varying only in the time on each. Today I did 45 min on a hill for 5.26 miles and an additional 20 min of intervals for 2.44 miles. Total 7.7 miles. That felt good.

I couldn't get to the cage stretch immediately afterwards so I did 3 sets of seated leg curls (15 reps at 75 lbs). Then torso twists (50 reps) at 60 lbs. I waited for the Smith machine to do Squats and Deadlifts. First I warmed up with just the bar (45 lbs) doing 12 reps of a full range of motion (butt down to the heels). Then a pair of 25 lb plates (95 lb total) and 3 sets of 15 reps. Even with a/c, sweat is streaming through my hair. I add a pair of 10 lb plates and do another 3 sets of 12 reps at 115 lbs. I feel a little winded and rest about 45 seconds between sets.

Deadlifts are next. I only use 95 lbs because I feel weaker at this but get 6 sets of 12-15 reps. Sweat is still streaming down my face. I'm done with the free weights and move back to the torso twists, abs (twisting situps and lower ab kickouts) and finally, another 3 sets of 15 reps of Seated Leg Curls at 90 lbs, and it's 90 lbs only because that's the weight it's already set at, not because I've consciously decided to up my weight. I'm slamming the weight stack as I contract my hamstrings. That's not nice so I slow down and try to make my movements softer.

I stretch out and head off to shower. The scale reads 107.0 or 107.2. The reading keeps bouncing back and forth. Whatever. I'm thinking that I've actually put on some size somewhere. My triceps are a tad sore, but when I think about it, so are my glutes and obliques. I guess the new routine's working!

The Reality of Bad Joints

It's too nice a day (the sun is blazing but the humidity's down) to stress over stupid things like pain and suffering. Okay, I'm kidding. I woke up with a sore elbow and all I'd been doing was sleeping! I suspect that yesterday's Deadlifts didn't do my right elbow any favors, and it's annoying to realize that Leg Day has adversely affected a major "Not Leg" joint. But let's face it. It's damn well impossible to do nearly anything without elbow involvement. Hence, I've decided to delete Deadlifts from Leg Day. That and the fact that B also tells me that she's never gotten anything from doing them either. Hmmm.

Image from ChrisScheelGolfFitness.com:

It isn't just golfers who get this injury

However, my glutes are a wee bit sore, but the good type of sore that means you actually worked those muscles. Must be the Squats. Or the 7.36 miles. Or both. But my knees are OK so I'm keeping both the mileage and the Squats. Now I just need something to replace the Deadlifts with (sigh).

Today I only did 30 min of cardio (3.37 miles) and concentrated on Push Day: pecs, delts and triceps. Well, not so much triceps because there's elbows involved with that (sigh). I get 3 sets of 10 reps at 135 lbs on the Smith (yay!), do my standard killer delt routine (very little resting with 3 supersets of front and lateral dumbbell raises, 3 additional sets of lateral raises, followed by 5 sets of rear inclined or bent over raises, all with those lovely shiny chrome plated 15 lb Beauty Bells). This takes about 15 minutes. Then Decline benching because damn, I'd really like to fill out the lower half of my pecs. Don't need any height on them, just depth.

I toy briefly with the idea of knocking out as many pushups as I can. Granted it's been months since I tried that, and I got to 50 but the last 5 really really hurt. Depending on where you place your hands, it's either your triceps or your pecs getting the workout. The further apart your arms, the less your tricps are involved. Closer together concentrates all the pressure on them. Turning your hands in or out also changes where in your arms you feel it. And never do "girl" pushups from your knees. Pushups is a whole body workout (keeps your core firm like planks), and doing them from your knees defeats the purpose. Plus, it's killer on your knees, and I got problems enough with them already! Sometimes I can feel my right knee cap on the verge of floating out of position and I don't want to imagine how painful it'd be to have a dislocated knee cap.

The scale in the locker room reads 106.4 (the same as yesterday). My home scale consistently reads 2 lbs lighter but that's usually after I've peed a hundred times since coming home (all that water makes its way out at some point, usually sooner than later). I'm thinking I'm going to have to find a therapist or a sports doc to consult about this elbow, because the one thing I absolutely do NOT want to do, is stop working out.

How Much is Too Much?

It's Friday and although the gym parking lot was scary crowded (what rock star landed here and who forgot to tell me?), the gym itself wasn't. It's Friday and instead of slacking off because I'm tired and it's the "end of the week" (puleeeze, the week doesn't end for moms), I actually work out harder because damn, it's gonna be at least 2 days before I get back in here, so I'd better make this workout count! Sick, right?

I drop my son off in the Kid's Room (children must be 13 yrs old to use the facilities) with his iPad and DS games. He's fine as long as some teething toddler doesn't try to bite his arm, or drool on him. Then off I go to drop my stuff in a locker, plug in my iPod and I'm off to the races...

Cardio feels pretty good even though I've noticed some soreness, probably from those squats I did Wednesday. Sore hamstrings also threw me yesterday when I tried to bench heavy. Apparently my whole body contracts when I push hard, including my legs, and at the zenith of a heavy rep, my hamstring nearly cramped up. It was all I could do to force myself to relax that specific muscle and NOT drop the weighted bar on my chest!

30 minutes of cardio has no magic numbers for me anymore and I'm finding it hard to remember exactly how much mileage I've done even though the display is prominently lit. If I was really concerned, I'd be the guy who spends more time inputting numbers into his iPhone app during a workout than actually working out. (You know who you are!) But I'm warmed up and ready to rock'n roll. Or should I say, Row. Rowing is a great exercise. It builds up those amazingly useful back muscles the latissimus dorsi, usually known as lats. I'd like stronger, more impressive lats. I'd like to chin myself easily, and I'd like to have a nice athletic shape in and out of my clothes.

I want lovely V-shaped lats!

 I do 3 sets of 12 reps of cable rows at 90 lbs. Then I do another 3 sets of half the amount of reps for 105 lbs. The theory is that going heavier for fewer repetitions will build strength and size, whereas, going for repetition builds endurance (a different type of strength). I want the best of both worlds: tightly-packed muscles that can go the distance.

My sore elbow appears to be "golfer's elbow" (a type of tendonitis) and  the neutral grip seems to exacerbate the problem so no close grip pull downs today. Just regular plain ol' vanilla pull downs. And reverse grip barbell rows that seem heavier than the 50 lbs they are. I baby my elbow and skip the inclined bench dumbbell curls and go straight to 5 sets of regular dumbbell curls, followed by 3 sets of 21s. 21s were made popular by our original Conan the Barbarian, Arnold. Oddly, 21s don't bother my elbow either, but boy do they make your biceps look nice in the mirror! I'm finally getting rid of that dimply fat that sits between the bottom of the bicep and the inner elbow. That'd been really bothering me for a while!

I step on the scale and it wavers for a second before settling on 105 even. I do it twice just to make sure. So I'm a skosh heavier than yesterday, but lighter than I was last Friday. I think eating the extra protein meal is working but of course, it's probably too soon to tell. Today I get home and I feel hungry even though I've had my vanilla Ensure in the car. I blend up a small ripe banana, about 8 ounces of orange juice (yeah, I know — super high sugar content) and a scoop of strawberry flavored whey protein mix. I should probably substitute either water or fat-free milk for the OJ but I have OJ in the fridge and it's open so it's not going to keep, and what the heck, it's probably not going to make me fat. At least not today.

I joined an "over 40 online community" some weeks ago to see what information they might have on health, nutrition, working out, etc. When I mentioned my plan to increase my protein, a nice woman (retired nurse) started to caution me on all sorts of potential health hazards that too high a protein intake can cause — like kidney damage. I remember this well from the Atkins craze. I do drink a lot of water. And I try to eat a variety of foods, whole grains, leafy green veggies and fruit. But I'm not a saint, or a masochist. I eat ice cream. I love plain ol' blue corn tortilla chips. Hell, I had a fistful of cashews last night before I went to bed. And we're having lobster tonight, and maybe even clams with white wine and garlic sauce. So how much is too much?

Let me scream "WaHoo!" quietly

I've resigned myself to weighing more on Mondays than on Fridays, and at 107.6 lbs I'm not disappointed. Although I've forgotten (and this is why it's good to write things down) that for the past 2 Mondays, I've weighed in at 108 even. So today's actually better!

 And it's getting even better. 30 minutes of cardio (after two days of being a spud) and I've got 3.27 miles down. I'm warmed up and the Smith Machine is free so I get adventurous, toss caution to the wind and decided to lift what I can lift. Which basically means, do a warm up set or two, then toss 45 lbs on each end of the bar and see if I can't get more than 8 reps. I get 12! That's a full set. I get 3 sets (the last 2 reps were kinda breathless but they still count). I'm ecstatic! That's 135lbs! WaHoo!

Above is an image I pulled off the internet from ShapeFit.com showing bench pressing with a Smith machine. For a different video and description of this exercise go to this link at bodybuilding.com.

A few tips on bench pressing:

1. Make sure you are properly positioned so that your feet are flat on the floor, and your head and shoulders also lay flat on the bench. Do not raise your head or shoulders during this exercise! If the bench is too high off the ground, lay 25 or 35 lbs weights flat on the ground under your feet to give you a level base.
2. Make sure your arms are spaced shoulder's width apart and that you have a comfortable grip on the bar. Use gloves or neoprene grips for better control.
3. Remember to breathe! Exhale as you push the weight up, and inhale as you control the bar's descent. Count out loud if possible to help focus. 

Abs and shoulders (delts) come next with 3 of front dumbbell raises, supersetting with 3 sets of lateral raises. Then 3 sets of lateral raises solo. Then 6 sets of inclined bench rear delt raises. My shoulders are kind of tired now, but the Decline Bench is open so I hop on that to do a few sets. I'm not expecting much though since the shoulder muscles do play a role in supporting the bar as you raise it up over your chest. I get a few sets in, maxing out at a wispy 95 lbs and call it quits when the guys next to me turn on the floor fan. The blast of cool air is distracting and I'm too annoyed to do anything except leave the station.

Instead, I go and do more abs, then triceps, and finally, my stretch routine as a cool down. I'm parched. 1.5 liters sometimes doesn't last past triceps and I'm wondering how to put on a little more size, i.e., what and when to eat more. I'd like to get stronger, maybe a tad bigger. Definitely more defined. As always, there's more research to be done!

The Big Push

Today would've been a leg day in my new routine, but as I am still sick (aarg!) with a positively heinous sinus infection, I'm staying home until I can at least leave the house without feeling like my head is slosh full of thick pea soup.

When I get back to the gym, I'll start with my all out favorite: A Push Day. That's basically bench press for chest (pecs), arms (triceps) and shoulders (deltoids), followed by some lighter dumbbell work because arms and shoulders can handle a lot of work.

I've been told that I do a hard workout. All I know is that I'm used to going to near-failure, and since I don't use a spot (someone to help me if I fail), I'd rather go with more repetitions (and feel a fatigue burn) than go heavy (and potentially destroy my joints or ligaments). Keep in mind that I'm a petite (4'11.5", 106 lb) middle-age (52 yrs) mom, and I spent the last year shedding 20 lbs.

I hope I haven't maxxed out size- or strength-wise but it's totally up to one's genetic capacity.

For us small ladies, we don't tend to show huge muscles in the pectorals region, but they do make a difference in our appearance, adding depth to the chest especially from the collar bone down, and let's face it, it's a big ego boost to be able to knock out effortless pushups. It's also a big ego boost when you can bench press more than your body weight, and no, you don't have to look like a power lifter to do that. Trust me!

I admit it's a bit difficult to both lose weight (fat), and increase lean muscle mass which is only apparent when your endurance and strength improve. I've hit a plateau with my Smith machine bench press: I can only get 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions at 135 lbs. So I will continue to bench this at least once a week until I can get 3 full sets of 12-15 reps before I up the weights. I will also continue to do Decline Bench Presses (to build fullness in the lower pecs for us smaller gals). If you're "well-endowed", then Inclined Bench Presses might work to add fullness, but with smaller busted women, that just leads to a really weird profile, and no, I've never considered "augmenting", although, when you lose a lot of bodyfat, well, we small ladies do get a lot smaller.

But so often I see women who seem afraid to use barbells, afraid to lift heavy, afraid to get sweaty (egads, are you wearing makeup to the gym?!), afraid to look as if they're exerting any effort at all. Sorry, but why exactly are you here?

Feeling Good is Hard to Quit

I woke up with a cold yesterday and still went to the gym. I didn't feel bad until last night. This morning I dreamt I had strep, but luckily, the sore throat was just some morning gunk. And after I put my kid on the school bus, I'm off to the gym.

I do 45 minutes on the elliptical and a nice 5.0 miles. I feel good. It's a back and biceps day and it's Friday which gives me extra incentive to work out hard because I'm such a slacker on the weekends. My friend B yells at me that I shouldn't be losing any more weight, that I should cut waaaay back on my cardio, to say, oh, 10 minutes. And I scoff! Because if I can't get good and sweaty, then I don't feel properly warmed up and then I don't feel good. Exercise is my drug!

"You shouldn't be weighing yourself after your workout."
"Why not?" I ask.
The scale's on the way to the shower and I'm always wearing the same thing, a towel. so there's no hiding from any ugly truths, there's no excuses (like, oh, it must be my extra heavy sneakers today, or I have my cell in my pocket). There's only, ooh, maybe I shouldn't've had seconds and thirds last night. Besides, I always weight myself at this time, after my workout, after sucking down a bottle or two of water. At least I'm consistent, and consistency is the key to an awful lot of things.
"Because you've just sucked down a liter and a half of water. How much does that weigh?"
I shrug because I don't think a liter and a half is going to skew my weigh in.
Then she adds, "I can't believe you don't have to run off to the rest room all the time!"
I shrug. I can't believe she works out and doesn't get sweaty. She barely drinks the half liter bottle of whatever mix she put in her water bottle. 

My right elbow is bothering me from doing the 10 close grip chin ups I finish my stretch/side-kick routine with, so I opt to do traditional machine rows and pull downs today. The neutral (palms facing each other) grip is great on my tiny wrists and dysfunctional shoulder, but it's wreaking havoc with the inside of one elbow.

I do a set of 12 reps with 75 lbs to start, then do another 3 sets of 15 reps at 90 lbs, pulling the handles to my chest with my back rigidly straight. I've finally seen my back, and it needs work. I do another 3 sets at 105 lbs but can only eek out 8 reps. Maybe I'll put on a little size. While I'm happy with the diamond shape of my traps, considering I don't recall doing movements specific for it, it's the rather sparse lats that bother me. From one angle, all I see are ribs. I don't think you should see your ribs from the back.

The pull-down station already has a standard bar attached so I do 12 reps at 90 lbs for 5 sets, trying hard to resist the urge to move the peg to 105 lb. It's such an ego boost to move your own weight or more! My elbows are my weak link on this movement so I give my arms a break and do a few machines: 2 sets of 25 reps at 50 lbs on the side-twist-ab station, 2 sets of 25 reps at 90 lbs on the seated lower back press (like doing hyper-extensions in a seated position), and about 125-150 reps each (I tend to lose count after 100) of twisting situps and leg kick-outs. Towards the end I can feel my abs burning, but it feels distant and not all that unpleasant. 

Feeling pleasantly sweaty again, I gingerly try 5 sets of stiff leg deadlifts at the Smith machine with just the 45 lbs bar. I know I could add weight but really, what I want to see is what part of me (if any) is going to be sore tomorrow. Then I grab a 30 lb barbell and do bent-over-reverse grip rows. I feel lopsided as I stare at my form in the mirror. My arms don't quite track the same as I try to keep my elbows close to my body as I draw the weight up to my navel. But I feel my lats for the first time, and I'm excited. I do 5 sets of 15 reps. I want to see how I'll feel over the weekend before upping the weight. Dumbbell rows are something I used to do, but as with flyes and dumbbell presses, my spine and shoulders are too flexible and I tend to inadvertently slide out of alignment which become rather painful and tiresome.

Naturally, having done all that pulling motion means that biceps are next. But that's another post.