Loving What You Hate

I purposely got to the gym later in the morning so I could avoid the crowds. Today, I got to use my favorite cross-trainer. And even though my right foot still goes numb during the last 2-3 minutes, I'm okay with it. My legs and butt are a bit sore though, especially the quads directly above my knees. I've cut back a lot on my cardio so this surprises me. You'd think that less exercise means less soreness. (I even stretched yesterday!) I still have mild vertigo, and a bum right shoulder. The body doesn't seem able to rid itself of these minor disturbances. Instead, it's just incorporating these nuisances into what has become "normal". I guess that's what "aging" is all about? We all age differently, but a lot of it is in our minds. 

My upper back is a tad sore today. It's been two days since I did a Pull Workout but something's different. I'm not usually sore! I've saved today for Cardio. I still hate doing it, but since I've resigned myself to being bad at it (with the hyper-extending knees, loose ankles, shin splints and flat feet) I'm actually better at it. And for it. My blood pressure is lower, and my weight is relatively stable. I see a few regulars like WTC finishing up their workouts, but mostly I'm interested in doing some quick core, and then back on the elliptical so I can be out of here.

My tail bone is much happier now that I've relinquished knee-ins and sit ups, and anything else that causes friction burns. Because I have my hands under my butt when I do scissors, there's no problem rubbing the skin off my back side. Whew! I keep the alternating bicycle movement and crunches, but since I'm wearing shorts, I'm not in the mood to skin my knees doing Bird Dog Planks, or even Side Planks. There's only a few people here and I'm enjoying that. However, halfway through my elliptical session, I have to turn up my iPod to drown out the whining din coming from the right of me. I can't see anyone, but I'm pretty damn sure it's The Mayor chatting up someone on a recumbent bike (I honestly don't know how people can consider that exercise). Ugh. Eventually, he leaves the cardio platform to chat down in the free weight area. (Honestly, I think he'd die if he couldn't spend half his workout talking.)

I'm so drenched I feel like I've just crawled out of the pool. I feel weirdly clean, like everything bad has been purged from my system just by sweating and breathing hard. It's totally awesome! I wipe  sweat running down my face with my hoodie, but I don't need to blow my nose. Weird. Normally I have to blow the sweat out from inside my nasal passages as well. I feel so good that I can actually match my earlier rep count for hammer grip pull ups. That hasn't happened in a really long time! I feel good and I'd like it to last just a little bit longer. So I do most of my Mat Stretch. It's a way to keep the endorphins flowing, and the music pumping.

I'd like to film my Mat Stretch just to check my forms, but I already feel as if some people "hate me" so the last thing I want to do is be obvious about filming selfies. I guess that's the one of the disadvantages to not having a gym buddy. Oh well...

Tomorrow I'll whack the machine. Maybe I'll give the "repaired" machine another go for a few rounds. It's another form of HIT cardio. I also like to think that it helps sharpen reflexive coordination, and strength. Impact movements are suppose to encourage the body to restore calcium to the bones. Maybe this'll keep me from breaking a hip, or an arm. Regardless, it's fun and that's all that matters. The gym scale tells me an unexpected 107.8 lbs. Super weird. I've only sucked down half my water bottle though. I'm sure it'll say something different tomorrow...

Thursday Cardio Day
7.24 miles

35 xtrainer
Calories 163
Miles 4.29
Average Heart Rate 150

HGPU 31
Push Ups 50
Scissors 50
Bicycle 50
Crunches 50

35 elliptical
Program 3
Calories 333
Miles 2.95
Average Heart Rate 142

HGPU 31

Abbreviated Workout Day One

I was pedaling on an unfamiliar LifeFitness cross-trainer today. That's my excuse for not quite making 6 miles. That, and the fact I really hate it when my right foot goes numb so I was taking it easy. I had my son in the Child Care room with a lot of toddlers. He found himself a corner, put his headphones on and fired up his laptop. He's such a good kid.

Because I only have two hours to get everything done, and change and shower, I'm in a mad rush. Again, the first set of Hammer Grip Pull Ups is hard, but I've been raising the bar ever so slightly. Now my standard set is 31 pull ups. I'm not really happy with my push ups, but I knock out a hundred reps straight through without having to pause for rest or breath. Crunches and planks are for resting. Knee-Ins are for resting, and a sore tail bone. I have to be careful not to do that last exercise too often or I'll develop an abrasion. It's painful, and not in a good way.

I'm back on the cardio platform, but this time it's 30 minutes on the Precor elliptical. I punch in Program #1 and start pedaling. I'm actually kind of tired, and sore even though we didn't do much this weekend except walk around the 16th Annual Daniel Nimham Intertribal Pow Wow at Veteran's Memorial Park. Bought some cool things, and tried "fry bread" for the first time. Also ate some of the best corn bread ever, freshly poured into a pan and fried up like a pancake. Absolutely yummy!

I just have time for a quick hamstring stretch, and then onto the last set of pull ups. It's always easier once I warm up, and I'm absolutely drenched. I make it all the way to 40 before dropping into a full extension, and then one more pull. 41. Done! A quick shower and my son is NOT the last child in the child care room today. Yaaay!

Tomorrow we have orientation at the middle school, and then I promised to take my son to see Sausage Party. He's very mature for 11. I think he can handle it.

Monday Workout
(5.92 miles total cardio)

 30 min X trainer
130 cal
3.44 miles
6.85 average spd

HGPU 31

Knee-In 50
Push Ups 100
Crunches 3 X 50

Bird Dog Plank
2 X 60 sec

30 min elliptical
Prgm 1
277 cal
2.48 miles

HGPU 41

When Standing Still Is Making Progress

I'm a bit frustrated with my weight because I'd seriously like to drop 3 or 4 lbs and I'm not having much luck lately. The gym scale reads 111.2 lbs today. Egads! But my sciatica seems to be improving incrementally. I can do most things now without actually thinking about whether my leg hurts, except getting in the car and hitting the gas. So that's an improvement. It's about time (it's only been over a month)!

No lunging moves, which means no lunging stretches, no one-leg squats, no pistol squats, no glute-hamstring raises. I can drop down into a full butt-to-heels position but I'm not pushing any weight except myself back up. I'm still 98% certain that this is piriformis syndrome, which means the sciatic nerve is being aggravated by the piriformis muscle that sits deep under the glute. My hamstrings are fairly loose so tightness or lack of stretching isn't the issue. If anything, I suspect over-stretching. I'm 56 and there's probably a limit as to how much an older body can adapt and recover from physical activity. My flexibility and strength have improved over the past several years, but I have to remind myself that I'm not in my 20s and making gains. I'm in my 50s, doing mostly "maintenance" and happily making small gains.

Maybe 100 push ups is a bit rough for a warm up, but it does get you warm! Not that I'm cold after 30 min on the cross-trainer and a set of pull ups. I've added back the Torso Twist machine. Maybe it's helping with my sciatica? It doesn't seem to have hurt me any. I dropped it after reading about the improbable damage of torquing weight on the spine and hip. But I also don't do much weight, with 50 lbs for 25 reps each side. Also added back the Flat Bench Knee-In but only for 50 reps because more than that, I start to rub a scab on my coccyx. Still only doing two sets of planks. Thought about crunches but planned to bench and didn't want my core too tired, especially with my "iffy" right leg.

Smith bench press and leg feels mostly okay today. I"d really like to add another 10 lbs and bench 130, but I'd like hamstring spasms to not be an issue when I do that. What the heck, let's do Inclined Smith Benching too. I do a lot less weight and reps on this movement, but it's rewarding none the less. Because I've put on some weight, I'm now more comfortable in the bigger tanks (Old Navy size S) I bought last year. But I'm not real happy that subcutaneous fat puffs out under my arm pits. It makes me self-conscious and I'm constantly adjusting my tank and sports bra straps.

The hard stuff are always the DB Laterals super set with Rev Incline Flyes. I've upped the sets for the latter movement because I'm trying to hit the posterior delts from three different angles: forward, side, back. The side motion is the easiest, so I do them last and add 5 more reps. So, that's 12 reps of DB Lateral Raises then drop face down on an Inclined Bench and do 5 Reverse Flyes with hands pointed forward (10 and 2 o'clock), then 5 reps with hands pointed back toward hips (7 and 5 o'clock), then 10 reps with hands coming up at the 9 and 3 o'clock position. No wonder my shoulders are sore lately. And it might be wishful thinking, but I think I can see changes in them. Yaaay!

Can't find the 50 lb BB so I skip the Drag Curls. Another set of pull ups. Then 30 min of the elliptical, program #1. Some lateral leg stretches and another set of pull ups, but I fully extend for the last 6 reps just to prove to myself that I can. Full extensions are hard on the elbows, or at least mine. With arms bent, doing pull ups directs more focus on the lats as the pulling mechanism. Besides, I kinda skipped biceps today. I know I could've done one-arm cable rows since I feel those mostly in the biceps and not the lats, but I'm leery of doing anything to aggravate my sciatica, especially since it seems to be healing finally.

A note on ageism at the gym: people always react badly when they find out how old I am. Rose is acting funny now because she thought I was in my 30s and finds out I'm in my 50s. At least the gym staff isn't freaked out. It's not like I'm Dorian Gray. Guys just get embarrassed because they're not suppose to know a woman's age anyway. But other women? I don't understand them. I'm learning to make peace with my hair too since it's now come to mid-back. My neck has suddenly started itching again in spite of taking a daily dose of antihistamines. Oh well...

Monday Workout
(6.47 miles total cardio; 23,696 lbs moved)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   139 CAL
Distance: 3.89 mile
Speed :    7.74 mph
Duration : 00:30:10

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

TorsoTwistMachine

Left : 50x25
Right : 50x25

Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull In

50

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Wide Hand Pushup

100

Set 1 : 100 Lap/Rep

Plank

Regular

Set 1 : 00:00:30
Set 2 : 00:00:30
Set 3 : 00:00:30
Set 4 : 00:00:30

Plank

Side

Set 1 : 00:00:30
Set 2 : 00:00:30
Set 3 : 00:00:30
Set 4 : 00:00:30

Smith Machine Bench Press

165

Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 80x12
Set 3 : 100x10
Set 4 : 120x8
Set 5 : 90x25

Smith Machine Incline Bench Press

140

Set 1 : 30x15
Set 2 : 50x15
Set 3 : 70x12
Set 4 : 80x12
Set 5 : 100x12

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

35

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12
Set 4 : 25x12
Set 5 : 25x12
Set 6 : 25x12 SuperSet with

Dumbbell Reverse Flyes

41.67

Set 1 : 20x20
Set 2 : 20x20
Set 3 : 20x20
Set 4 : 25x20
Set 5 : 25x20
Set 6 : 25x20

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Elliptical Training

Prgm#1

Calorie :   293 CAL
Distance: 2.58 mile
Duration : 00:30:00

Hammer Grip Pull Up

190.4

Set 1 : 112x21

Constructive Uses for Destructive Forces

Post-push-up Selfie

I used to have a much worse temper than I do now, but it does flare up every now and then. I get it from my father. Working out has helped to keep me more or less on an even keel. But sometimes I just can't let things go. Last night, for example. I took my son to his Cub Scout Pack meeting. Badges are awarded once in the Fall and once again in the Spring. My son's Den was going to receive a slew of badges plus Compass Emblems for having completed the entire 20 badge program. Except for one child whose parents just can't seem to get themselves organized. I've spent the past few weeks sending them text messages and emails regarding the status of their son's Webelos rank, to no avail. Meanwhile, I'm still wrestling with another Den leader over the direction of the Blue & Gold banquet this Spring, when our Cub Scouts transition to Boy Scouts. In the middle of all this, I text my hubs some photos of the event, figuring he could enjoy without being actually there.

Instead, he questions me about the guest speaker, a former Army Medic who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. (November is a Veteran's themed meeting.) This fellow was invited by one of the parent's who also serves on the Planning Committee and it's great that someone is willing to take the time to speak to our kids about their experiences. My husband goes on a rant about politics, and all I want to text him back is "Shut up! WTF?!" But I don't. I should've ignored him, but instead I type "Whatever" because it's nicer than what I want to say. And it has the desired effect, but I know he's mad now. Which makes me even more mad.

These handles rotate.
But they're comfortable.

I'm still mad when I wake up this morning. After I get my son off to school, I drive the rental to the gym. I'm stuck with this car until at least next Tuesday because they're waiting for a part. That seems to be standard with Subies. No one ever has what you need in stock. I haven't worked out in two days so I feel a bit stiff. But because I'm still mad, I have a lot more energy. Today I actually make over 7 miles in cardio, and that feels pretty good. My gym has three different types of push up handles and I take the ones that look the most hand-friendly. I'm weirded out by the fact that they rotate but use them anyway. The other handles look like someone wrapped them in tape to make them easier to grip. And I haven't been able to figure out what the ones that look like over-sized picture hanger hooks are for. At least my knuckles have been saved. I'm able to knock out the rest of the routine (push ups and planks) without issue.

Not sure about these handles.

I catch glimpse of myself in the mirrored wall by the Max Rack. My arms are huge! Cool! I stay with a light weight for reps because I notice a very slight twinge in my lower back, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. Perhaps because I'm not worn out from RG BB Rows, the DB Laterals seem easier today even though I'm doing supersets with DB Reverse Flyes. But instead of upping the weight, I add two more sets. Next time I'll consider upping the weights a hair, and will need to grab those magnetic discs from the front desk. One-Arm Seated Cable Rows are a tad harder than I expect but just that means my arms are tired. However, I can still knock out three sets of Drag Curls and RG Curls.

I always do Intervals on Friday, figuring that I should end the week with intense cardio. I've forgotten to charge my iPod but even a sliver of battery life is enough to power my entire workout. I've been eyeing the stretch Cage, and today, after loosening up my hamstrings and quads, I grab hold of the bars in the roof of the Cage and pull myself up. The first dozen feel pretty good. The last two are a little hard, considering I haven't done them in several weeks, and the last time I did, I got horrible pain in abdominals from under the sternum down past my navel. I'm really happy now. What the hell, I'll go for broke! I grab a bosu ball and plant it in front of a Lat Pull Down station. It's been a really long time since I've done these. But it's not an issue. At least I can do one complete set. I don't push my luck though. One set is good for just getting back to it! I'm even able to knock out Pistol Squats on the Mat. It's easier on the flat hard floor but balance is one of the things I like to work on simultaneously with flexibility. It's kind of critical as you age.

The sit up board has a big gouge in the foam under the cracked vinyl. I wonder when the gym will have the benches all re-upholstered? Meanwhile, I'll contemplate doing Lower Ab Knee-Ins, but not today. I have errands to run! The gym scale reads 107.6 lbs which actually surprises me since I've been snacking on chips before bed lately. Chips, cheese, hard cider. I'm probably fat and don't realize it yet, so I've been avoiding my own home scale. I don't want to read the BF measurement. Yet. I text my hubs and we make up over the phone without either of us actually apologizing. Marriage is a series of compromises. And I'm not mad anymore.

Friday Workout
(7.04 miles cardio!)

Cross Trainer

Steady State

Calorie :   144 CAL
Distance: 4.28 mile
Speed :    8.55 mph
Duration : 00:30:05

Handle Push Up

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Regular Plank

Elbow : 00:00:30
Straight : 00:00:30
Elbow : 00:00:30
Straight : 00:00:30

Diamond Push Up

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Bird Dog Plank

Bent Knee Left : 00:00:30
Bent Knee Right : 00:00:30
Straight Leg Left : 00:00:30
Straight Leg Right : 00:00:30

Dand Push Up

Set 1 : 50 Lap/Rep

Side Plank

Elbow Right : 00:00:30
Elbow Left : 00:00:30
Straight Arm Rt : 00:00:30
Straight Arm Lft : 00:00:30

One-Leg Push Up

Left Leg : 50 Lap/Rep
Right Leg : 50 Lap/Rep

Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

@ MaxRack

Set 1 : 55x25
Set 2 : 75x25
Set 3 : 95x25
Set 4 : 95x25
Set 5 : 95x25

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Set 1 : 20x12
Set 2 : 20x12
Set 3 : 20x12
Set 4 : 20x12
Set 5 : 20x12 SuperSet with

Dumbbell Reverse Flyes

Set 1 : 20x15
Set 2 : 20x15
Set 3 : 20x15
Set 4 : 20x15
Set 5 : 20x15

Cable Seated One Arm Row

Set 1 : 45x12
Set 2 : 45x12
Set 3 : 45x12

Barbell Drag Curl

Set 1 : 50x15
Set 2 : 50x15
Set 3 : 50x15

Barbell Reverse Curl

Set 1 : 50x23
Set 2 : 50x22
Set 3 : 50x22

Elliptical Training

Intervals

Calorie :   322 CAL
Distance: 2.78 mile
Duration : 00:30:02

Hammer Grip Pull Up

Set 1 : 110x15

Glute Ham Raises

Set 1 : 12 Lap/Rep

One Leg Bodyweight Squat

Set 1 : 110x10