18 Miles is Good, Right?

I'm a tad sore, and my body is definitely not used to doing 5 days straight anymore. At least I make it past the 6 mile mark, which gives me over 18 miles in 3 days. I like to think that's good for someone like me. I'm not a distance runner, or a cardio bunny. And I still get to push decently heavy weights. Tomorrow I'm planning on whacking the machine. Even though I have an evening swim class, I figure that an hour of kickboxing is less taxing that doing an hour of cross-trainer/elliptical and pushing weight. Okay, I'll also be doing 20 min on the elliptical after whacking the machine, but that's just to help my hamstrings counteract the kicks and knee-ups from the Follow Me programs. Or am I just making excuses?

I don't quite get to the gym as early as I'd like. I have an eye doc appointment at 1 pm and it'll take me anywhere from 30-45 minutes to get there. (And I have to get gas because I have under a quarter tank and I don't know exactly how far that'll go. I'd rather be cautious and travel with a full tank.) That gives me an hour for cardio and maybe 30 min for weights. I can't underestimate how long changing and showering takes as well. I'm on a different Cross-trainer so my mileage isn't where I want it to be. All the LifeFitness cross-trainers tell you that they're at Level 1, but they definitely feel harder or easier, depending on which specific machine you get on. The Precor ellipticals aren't so distinctive. It's just that two of them "clunk" when you pedal backwards at a high incline, so I try to avoid those if possible.

I'm doubtful if I can make a full set at my first attempt (of the day) at Hammer Grip Pull Ups. But I manage to muscle through them, and I'm really surprised. It's not critical that I do pull ups today as long as I get one set in. Yes, it's a Pull Day, but I'm also doing SLDLs and some other back-bicep movements. I have to pause at rep 80 in order to finish the 100 reps for push ups. Damn, I'm tired and my pecs and triceps are sore. Crunches are okay. They're always okay. I've discarded most of the planks for just the Bird Dog because my wrist and shoulder seemed to be bearing the brunt of the exercise, and that's not the point. Because I'm not entirely certain of the FitNotes app, I also enter my data into my phone's notepad. It's the only way I can actually export the workout to my desktop to copy into this blog.

The nice people at FitNotes answered me within two hours when I emailed them about their phone app. They were ecstatic to hear that it had been recommended to me by a friend, but they also had to concede that there was no website I could access with my desktop (unlike JeFit). The files do export in a fnw format but I don't know what that means, other than fit notes workout? YouTubers suggest that the files can be opened in MS Excel. Uh, not gonna happen.

Smith SLDLs feel godawful hard today, and yet I manage to muscle through 12 reps at 130 lbs. So much for listening to my body. I can only get 15 reps once I drop the weight to 80 lbs. I would've thought I could get more: when I Smith flat bench and eek out 6 reps at 130 lbs (yes, it's been a while since I've done that weight), I can usually muscle out 20-25 reps at 90 lbs. It's a bit perplexing and the only thing I can think of is that the SLDL really takes my breath away because it's totally full body. Benching is, well, benching: shoulders, pecs, triceps, some core, some legs. Apparently not nearly as exhausting!

This looks like something I could try, but I'm happier with a hammer grip

I only do 3 sets of RG BB Rows, and I make a note to myself to up the weights next go round. These were a tad too light. But I don't have time today to add sets. The Seated One-Arm Cable Rows feel less like a back movement, and more like a bicep exercise. That worries me for the next set of pull ups so I skip them until after the last round of cardio. I think the trick is to not really think about pull ups at all. Just count and let the rest of your mind go blank.

I'd love to try a one-arm pull up, but I'm really concerned about totally messing up my elbow. Beastskills.com states flat out that elbow tendinitis is going to happen. They also distinguish between one-arm pull ups, and one-handed pull ups. The latter is easier, because the other hand grabs the pulling arm. I'm too chicken to chance the one-arm pull up with these tiny unstable joints. But because it's there, in the back of my head, I know at some point I'm going to try the one-hand pull up. Maybe just one.

T-Nation's advice on how to do them starts out with:

1. You need to be strong enough to do 20 pull-ups in order to master the one-arm pull-up. Also, don't be too fat.

Well, uh duh. Most sites start you off with doing a one-arm hang. I guess that sounds reasonable. It also sounds like a plan for elbow trouble, at least for me. Exercises to increase grip strength come into play. (I think of American Ninja Warrior and how my tiny little hands and fingers would never survive obstacles like that.) An interesting article in Men's Health suggests one-arm "horizontal rows" (see illustration above) for a hard body. That might be useful. I think the rest of us call them Inverted Rows, and those also give me tendinitis. Sigh. I have to really think this through now.

I see The Mayor with his son in tow again. And Shaggy. There are a few faces who've been MIA for some months but are back again. I've not seen the fantastically fit old guy lately, though. Skinny, and balding with a sparse crown of grey over his ears, this is the first person I've seen using the Assisted Pull Up machine, and doing actual pull ups with no assist. Cool. I think the old women get a thrill when I do pull ups. The old men are just intimidated. But that's not my problem.

My hubs has been texting me each day from the Boy Scout camp in Rhode Island. He sends photos and videos. It looks like my son is having a good time, when he's not stressing over Merit Badges. My hubs is having a great time too as I knew he would, finally doing the things he's missed, like hiking, swimming, shotgun shooting. He was worried that he'd get fat with three meals a day, but now he thinks he's losing weight from all the activities. It's an actual vacation for him, and I'm glad. 

I've been eating moderately better now that there's no one to cook for except myself. Last night I tossed a can of tuna into a bowl of salad greens with some black olives, and a sliced gala apple drizzled with raspberry walnut vinaigrette. I still eat dessert: half a blueberry scone from Salinger's Farm market. This is the first year they've not had any peaches. The late Spring frost killed all their fruit, and I worry that without products to sell, they'll go under. Maybe they'll have a few peaches in August. And maybe some apples in the Fall. I didn't want to leave without buying anything, so I got some pastries and muffins. The latter went into the freezer for when the boys come home.

Wednesday Workout
(6.23 miles total cardio)

X trainer
30 min
3.68 miles
7.33 av spd
143 cal

Hammer Grip Pull Ups
31

Knee in
50

Push Ups
100

Crunches
3 X 50

Bird Dig
2 X 60 sec

SLDL
30 x20
80 X 15
100 X 12
120 X 12
130 X 12 OMG!
80 X 15

RG BB Row
30 X 20
50 X 15
70 X 16 Too easy -- next time use 80-90 lbs or add sets

Cable row
37.5 X 12
45 X 12 X 2

Elliptical
Prgm 3
30 min
288 cal
2.55 mi

Pull Day Variations

In spite of the welcome temperature drop into the 50s at night (great for sleeping with blankets and open windows), I felt tired this morning and couldn't quit get my act together. I trailed one car down our local road who made me crazy because she hit the brakes for every vague curve in the road. I ditched her on the main road, only to be stuck behind an oversized construction vehicle and its entourage of brake-happy sedans. "Today's going to suck," I think to myself as I pull into a fairly crowded parking lot. I cringe while approaching the locker room as a chorus of cackling erupts, but to my surprise, there are very few women by the lockers. Instead, they're in line at the stalls before their morning Body Pump class. Whew! Dodged that bullet!

Cardio was definitely harder today although I did punch in the slightly steeper hill #5. I made quota and got a bit sweaty, but something's changed. I'm no longer drenched after 30 minutes and I miss it. Oh well. Tomorrow's Leg Day and double cardio sessions always leave me sated. I head towards the Seated Cable Rows when I'm intercepted by V. Ugh. I wave but his mouth is still moving so I have to pull an ear piece out and he's talking about sand and lake, going on and on. I say, only half understanding what he's saying, that we're not around this Saturday. He keeps talking and I'm forced to pull out both headphones because I have no idea what he's talking about, and he's blocking the stairs and won't let me pass. "No no, we got sand for the lake already and got rid of a hornet's nest and..." and I shrug at him because honest to god, what the hell is he going on about and why is he telling me? "Oh, I just thought I'd tell you some good news," is the last thing I hear before I get so annoyed that I can't help but blurt out, "I'm working out. I don't want to talk to you." I think half the regular guys hear me because a few heads swivel in my direction. Now I'm really in a foul mood.

Today's Pull Day Workout Variation:
35 min cardio = 4.07 Yippeee!
Seated Cable Rows: 15 @ 45 lbs (warm up) / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 127.5 lbs / 12 @ 112.5 / 15 @ 97.5 lbs
This feels much better, especially the heavy sets, so I'll do this for a few weeks and work my way back up to the 135 lb stack.
Cage Stretch & Kicks (kicks felt kind of stiff today)
Reverse Grip Bent-Over BB Rows: 15 @ 100 lbs / 6 x 15-12 @ 105 lbs
I start off doing 15 reps but quickly realize that my hands only start to fail at the 12th rep so I drop down to 12-rep sets after the first two sets.
Pendlay BB Rows [I had to look this up after seeing it on someone else's workout log. DBs seem too risky (because I'm the only one I know who can throw my upper back out of alignment doing DB Presses) so I use a light BB to introduce myself to the movement.] 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
My back was really a bit tired after doing just a few sets but I'm happy and it hasn't messed up my elbows either.
Lower Back Extension: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
BB Curls: 6 x 16 @ 45 lbs (nope, not a typo. 16 reps because that was as many as I could do per set)
My left elbow does twinge during the curls and I stretch my forearms between each set by placing my arms out in front of me, palms up, fingers down and pressing my palms against a wall, keeping my palms perpendicular to my arms, parallel to my body.
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 4 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch (better today than yesterday but the horizontal still needs so much work)

I'm so focused on moving from station to station that I almost walk right into R. I think my head comes to somewhere near his navel. Luckily I look up at the last minute and wave Hi. He waves back. Only he's got a vague smile of sorts, and I know I don't. Because I have to think about smiling unless I'm completely done with my workout. Otherwise the look on my face is probably more akin to a frown. Unless I'm singing to myself. Lady Gaga's Bad Romance is in my ears and on my lips when I run into Mo. She's rushing to get a quick workout in before she's got to run a friend off to a doctor's appointment. I don't even see B today but I'm fairly certain she was here.

The scale reads 110.6 lbs. I'm okay with it because I'm thinking "thankgod it's not 112". While I'm dressing, Bt comes in looking unhappy. She's a big gal with big hair and a full face of make-up. "What's the matter?" I ask her. She tells me she has a heel spur. Ouch! Her doc recommends lots of stretching so she's off to exercise and stretch, something she's never done before. I give her a few tips on stretching which I hope will help. Don't stretch before working out because your muscles are cold and more prone to injury. Do some light cardio first to warm up before doing any stretching. Start off light and gentle. No bouncing! Her doc tells her to press her foot up against a wall to stretch the calf. I tell her she can do heel dips as well on the stairs. But again, no bouncing!

Final position for Face Pull

Yesterday while I was doing Tricep Press Downs I noted that ZZ was at a station close by doing Face Pulls. Until two weeks ago, I had no idea what those were or that they even existed but I've since seen them listed on at least two other work out logs. I'm intrigued by them but concerned that like dumbbell presses and dumbbell rows, I'll manage to knot up my back because I've knocked a chiclet out of alignment. I've done it so many times before that's its just not funny. But that would also mean actually speaking to ZZ. Something I'm not sure I want to do. Hell, I've spoken to R over a half dozen times and I still have trouble saying Hi to him. I don't even say Hi to M any more. Maybe I'm just too weird. I'm definitely not friendly.

Learning to Adapt

Face still puffy!

My elbows woke me repeatedly last night, as did the spider bite on my foot. The sun poked me in the eye way too early, and I got to the gym grumpy and disheveled. I suspect that my exuberant pull ups and chin ups have finally caught up to the frailties of my tiny joints. I'll have to modify my workouts to accommodate my injuries because I certainly don't want to stop working out! Chin ups are off the list! And I'll have to cut back on Pull Ups.

The gym is crowded today but once I'm plugged in, I'm oblivious to the chattering din. Headphones and iPod Nanos are truly a godsend. I'm tired so no matter how hard I push, I can't maintain a 200 SPM pace on the Precor. I don't make my quota and it's a bit of a bummer, but I console myself with the fact that tomorrow's Leg Day, and hopefully I'll make that quota.

Today's 1st Pull Day Workout (modified due to elbow tendinitis)
35 min cardio = 3.93 miles (Bleah!)
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 lbs
My left elbow complains at first but I modify the angle of my grip to lessen pressure on the brachioradialis (top forearm near elbow). The flexor muscles beneath my elbow are horribly tender and I need to protect them from further injury.
Smith Rack Pull Ups (I only do 2 sets today and note how bad my forearms hurt from this movement): 12+2 / 12
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 6 x 15 @ 95 lbs
These feel awfully heavy in my palms and my hands throb afterwards. 
Seated Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
My left arm twinges horribly at the first rep so I modify the twisting up motion and there's no pain. It's not pretty, but at least I'm working both arms reasonably.
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs (too chicken to attempt 105 lbs today)
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
BB Curls: 3 x 15 @ 45 lbs (I find myself leaning forward slightly which seems to alleviate pressure on my forearm as I curl)
Reverse Grip BB Curls (for forearms): 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Mat Stretch

There appears to be a shift change near noon and the gym becomes a ghost town. The Mayor, M, B, Fish Guy, 5'oclock, Tall Pace, Short Pace and Hannibal Baggy Knees have all come and gone. Other regulars pop in. As I run through my Mat Stretch routine, I see R, Ranger Rick and the only two HS boys (out of an entire gaggle during the holidays) who have managed to come on a regular basis. They don't really know what they're doing yet. Still.

Biceps looks good!

I'm relieved that the scale reads 110.6 lbs because a loss of 2 lbs in a day is definitely water weight. My face is still puffy, but less than before. Before I shower, I manage to snap a few photos with my cell as I try to catch a glimpse of what my right side really looks like. For some reason, it's harder to snap that side and it's not because the phone is for right-handed people the way my Canon Rebel is set up. It's damn near impossible to snap a photo with that camera with my left hand!

On my way home, I buy a jar of DMSO at Mrs. Green's Natural Market. I could buy it online but then I'd have to wait for it, and pay shipping and handling. The pleasantly scented Penetrex cream I purchased a few months earlier works okay, but I'm not used to having injuries wake me at night. I need something stronger. I apply a small amount inside and around both elbows and immediately taste and smell the familiar "garlic, oyster-sauce" characteristics that can't be replicated by anything else. The chemical is absorbed almost instantly into the body and can always be identified by that tell-tale smell/taste effect on the human tongue. I'm hopeful. Besides, tomorrow's Leg Day, and I love love love Leg Day!