Day Four Active Rest

Not really sure what an active rest is suppose to be, but it's not suppose to be sitting on your butt. I went to the gym, got on the Precor elliptical and pedaled for 20 minutes. My glutes and hamstrings are still sore from Tuesday so I was feeling a bit slow out of the gate. After 20 minutes of ever increasing my pace (starting at 160 SPMs and peaking at 240), I'm feeling a bit warmer but somewhat unfocused. Usually my head is clearer. I only log in 2 miles so I know I'm in a fog of sorts.

A quick Cage stretch and then I wrap my hands so I can punch the Nexersys. As I did last week, I plan to do 9 rounds Beginner and then 3 rounds Intermediate. I don't want to forget everything I figured out so I have to keep practicing! I'm not sure if it's the Shred Program and my uncharacteristic soreness that makes me less focused than usual but I'm punching and kicking too hard which results in a lower accuracy rating. Several of my blows don't register at all. I need to slow down and draw out my punches so that they're more of a hard push than an actual jab-cross. The Beginner Follow Me summary shows me greater power and lower accuracy. It's frustrating.

I'm a bit nervous with the Intermediate Follow Me program and miss several combinations in Round One, but eventually I regain my focus, pulling my punches and concentrating on accuracy. By Round Three I feel like I've finally figured it out. Next week I'll add a few more rounds to the Intermediate level. I'm really not looking forward to tomorrow's Shred Day Five program but maybe I'll be able to work through all this soreness. I've almost emptied my water bottle so I'm not surprised that the gym scale reads 113.0 lbs. I'm having lunch with friends from a recently-dissolved photography club at the local seafood joint. Well, my diet won't be completely blown, but it'll sure taste good.

Day Four: Active Rest
20 min elliptical = 2.02 miles
Cage Stretch
Nexersys:
9 rounds Beginner Follow Me Female
  Accuracy 83% / Strikes 105% / Average Power 131%
3 rounds Intermediate Follow Me Female
  Accuracy 57% / Strikes 95% / Average Power 89%

photos posted with actual stats:

Paying the Piper

Today is Tuesday, Back Day and again, it's uncharacteristically chilly for September. Forty-four degrees this morning, and I again don gloves to walk the dog. I'm resisting taking out heavier jackets. Resisting swapping the screens for storm panels. Resisting the inevitable truth: Winter's coming. It's not White Walkers that I fear, or the drudgery of shoveling the driveway and 2-hour school delays due to inclement weather. It's getting sick. I hate getting sick. Since I stopped commuting to the City some two plus years ago, my health has been greatly improved. Less stress. Less money, but less stress. So why do I feel as if my eyes are burning? That's usually the first sign for me that I've become run-down. That the sniffles, congestion and then an unruly cough lurk in my foreseeable future. Sigh.

My husband assures me that it's allergies. On his drive to Boston, he says he can feel the allergens accumulate as he approaches the New York area. Apparently there's less pollen in Boston. I'm not so sure, although lately my eyes water as if they've been poked with a stick. There's ragweed everywhere. And a stray dandelion on my walkway. That's why I workout at the gym. Inside. With filtered, conditioned air. It's a beautiful day and with the exception of the chatty ladies who take classes, the gym itself is fairly empty. Just the way I like it! I punch in Interval 7, pull my hoodie down over my eyes and sing along to my iPod. Eventually I warm up.

Still, I feel tired. Perhaps I haven't fully recuperated from yesterday's workout? Maybe it's the bee bread I added to my oatmeal this morning? I'm not at all convinced that it's really good for people, even if it's great for bees. My elbows are achy and sore when I awoke this morning. Yesterday wasn't really an elbow-intensive day. Uh oh. My grip isn't strong today either. I manage to do Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs but I end with only one heavy set. Saving my grip strength for the DB Rows and Close Grip Pull Downs. After a Cage Stretch that did not leave me sweaty and breathless (either it's too cold in here or I really am getting sick), I wander back to the Cables and Free Weights. I pass the Nexersys stations and wave at the gal I spoke to last week. She's really much bigger than I am, so if she's having problems with the Intermediate level, well...

M, the Mayor and a few other people are chatting in front of the Pull Down so I use this as an opportunity to change my routine. I like One-Arm DB Rows, just not sure if they like me. Again, I'm good with the lighter weights, but my grip fails during the last two reps at 50 lbs. Still, I AM stubborn. Because I'm pissed at failing, I add another set. Of course. Because that's the adult thing to do, isn't it? The Mayor, 7-ft Tall Dude and a few other guys are also on the benches by the DBs. Mostly they're staring up at the TV, shaking their heads, because the Giants are failing abysmally. Changing the routine means doing Lower Back Extensions next. With the seat belt, I can up the weight again. It makes me giddy.

I don't do much abs today because they're uncharacteristically sore. My abs are sore? They're sore, oddly enough, from a Mat Stretch move: with legs splayed apart, plop body forward until chest & face are on the mat in front (I put a towel down just for this). Then roll your body back and upward, starting with the hip, stomach, upper abs, chest, neck and finally head. It should have a puppet-like look to it, like a doll being pulled up by a string. It's apparently a killer ab workout as well. Who knew!

Last are Close Grip Pull Downs. I'm usually better, but today I have to concentrate really hard on using my lats to pull the handles down until they kiss my chest. My biceps are burnt. Between sets I see a skinny, half-shaven guy with enormous headphones on. He's alternating benching with flyes. I have trouble taking anyone seriously who has those kind of headphones on because I don't believe you can really workout in them. I can also bench more than he can, but he's probably just starting out. I don't feel much energy for the Mat Stretch but I do it anyway. If anything, I'm cold and starting to stiffen up so my splits are tighter and more difficult. I can see that it's bright and sunny through the plate glass windows so I hurry to shower and change. The gym scale reads 110.4 lbs.


Back Workout:
35 min Interval7 = 4.53 miles Yay!
Wide Grip Lat Pull Down: 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 10 @ 112. 5 / 8 @ 120 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips & Calf Raises and Side Kicks
One-Arm DB Rows: 12 @ 40 lbs / 10 @ 45 lbs / 4 x 8 @ 50 lbs
Lower Back Extension: 25 @ 105 lbs / 25 @ 112.5 / 25 @ 120
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Close Grip Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 3 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 DBPUs & 3 rolling (I'm discovering that doing this with my legs wide apart is causing my sneaker to rub a scab into the inside of my ankle so I'm going to have to do something else), splits, etc. 

On my way out the gym, a guy stalls in the doorway to read the Blood Drive poster, and my finger gets wrenched because the ring is caught inside the metal molding of the door. That's so freakishly peculiar that I'm at a loss as how to extract myself. I need to disengage from the door frame! I didn't think there was any space to get caught there, but having such tiny fingers and jewelry means anything's possible. When I get to my car, I wrestle my ring off before my finger starts to swell, which it does, and apply the cooler pack from my protein drink. Thank goodness tomorrow's Leg Day! Won't need to grip anything too hard. And maybe I'll get warm.

Succumbing to Need

Because I had one of those back-to-back errand routes planned for the post-gym agenda, I felt very sure that doing a double cardio session would do me good, lift my spirits and ironically, give me the energy I needed. And because I hadn't done any double sessions all week, I decided that doing Intervals would be the best and most grueling programs. I started with Interval 7, only adjusting the resistance down from 6 to 5 and peddled furiously, not really feeling warm and sweaty until 20 minutes had passed. My sore glutes loosened up and only the occasional ping in my right knee caused me any concern.

I managed to do as well as yesterday which encouraged me to punch in Interval 8 for the second round of cardio. It's a lot harder. Again, I only adjust the resistance down from 6 to 5 because I'd like my knees to work for the rest of the day. During the last 5 minutes, a song comes on that gives me a boost and as I sing aloud silently (well, you know what I mean), I rev my speed up from 200 to 245 SPMs. I'm impressed that I can do that after almost an hour of cardio! It's nice to finish strong.

I don't look around much because I know that I've just burned up 70 minutes of cardio and stretching will eat up another 15. I'm not sure how long 6 rounds on the Nexersys will take but I'm not giving that up. What I give up is doing abs and side kicks at the Cage Stretch. Well, I'm wearing those day-glo shorts anyway... I see R in my peripheral vision as I proceed with a fast Mat Stretch. I haven't spoken to him in a few weeks, but I don't have the time or the inclination today. Besides, every time I do speak at length with him, I have weird disturbing dreams.

Afterwards, I drop my hoodie into my locker, and tape my right hand before donning those godawful bubblegum pink gloves. I like smacking the Nexersys, making the red pads wobble with the impact from my punches and kicks. I do well at the Follow Me Avatar program until round 3 when R walks past me into the Cage Stretch area to use the cable machine there. Accuracy plummets. He probably doesn't know that I know he's there. It doesn't matter. I don't think I can focus any harder. Luckily I do better at Sparring although my "power" seems a tad off. Which is weird considering how many times (at least 6-8) the buzzer goes off, telling me that I'm punching too hard.

Friday Workout
35 min Interval 7 = 4.59 miles + 35 min Interval 8 = 4.65  Grand Total = 9.24 miles Wahoooo!
Cage Stretch with body weight heel dips and calf raises
Mat Stretch with 10 Dive Bomber Push Ups and 5 gliding back and forth, keeping hips low; split, etc
Nexersys: 3 rounds Follow Me Avatar (power is better than last week)
3 rounds Sparring Avatar (number of punches and kicks are good but power seems a bit off)
I've attached photos of the screens:

The gym scale reads 110. Well, okay. I feel really good today even though my right knuckle is a tad pink. I need to do a better job wrapping my hand but I've run out of tape. Not sure if the new stuff I have in my gym bag will work until next week. At least I should have lifting straps by then.

A Galaxy Quest Kind of Day

This is the 3rd double cardio day this week and I'm determined to do better than yesterday. Never mind that I had a great Arm Workout and wonder how sore I'm going to be. Never mind that the intermittent rain and steamy temperatures have made me ground zero for every biting insect on my road. I didn't even have to leave the house last night and by midnight I was scratching over two dozen tiny bites scattered across my ankles, feet, fingers, arms and shoulders. In short, any place devoid of protective clothing. So my main concern this morning is whether socks are going to chafe unbearably during cardio. High humidity means I don't want to wear a unitard under my dayglo orange UnderArmour shorts and black tank. So I don't. I realize this means I won't be doing some of my stretches because I really don't need anyone peeking at the underwear that gapes through the generous leg holes. Teenage boys have a hard enough time focusing on what they're suppose to be doing.

I'm able to get on my favorite elliptical and punch in Interval 7. It's a bit chilly in the gym with the A/C blasting so I have my hoodie zipped all the way up, but after 20 minutes, sweat beads up on my face and can feel rivulets streaming down my neck and back. I'm pleased with my mileage and punch in another 30 minutes (plus 5 minute cool down) to do Hill #6. I start off quickly (197 Strides Per Minute) but after 5 minutes, I've dropped down to a more sustainable rate of 188 SPM.

While I'm peddling, I try to determine what it is I'm feeling. Is it that the legs are beginning to tire, or that I'm out of breath? No, not really. It feels more as if my lungs are just tired. I'm not panting and my legs don't actually ache. If I think hard, I can make them rev up to a higher rate but that requires such concentration and I can't seem to sustain that sort of intensity! I need to fall into a rhythm. I change my stride every few minutes, lengthening or pulling up short, changing my hand position each time. By the last 5 minutes, my hands ache and the last two fingers are sore from gripping the side handles. I curl those fingers under my hand and hold the bar with just my thumb, palm and pointer finger. I'm determined to go as fast as I can, to go as far as I can. Even though Meatloaf is wailing Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, I hear Tim Allen in Galaxy Quest, "Never give up. Never surrender."

I'm panting when I finish because I like to max my SPM for the last minute. Sometimes I can only get 30 seconds at 250 SPM. Every now and then, I can reach 300 but then I'm toast afterwards. At least for a few minutes. I chug water and slick back my hair under the hoodie. Yesterday I finished my entire 1.5 liter bottle, but I'll be lucky if I get halfway through it today. A quick Cage Stretch with no side kicks, and then a Mat Stretch before I head back to the locker room to toss my sodden hoodie into my gym bag. I fish out some band-aids and wrap tape around my first knuckle and then around my right hand. Apparently I don't punch hard enough with the left hand to warrant any knuckle bruising. Wearing those godawful pink Everlast gloves, I wander back out to the cardio area where the Nexersys stations are located.

Round 3 Sparring

My routine is to start with the Avatar Follow Me, beginner level, 3 rounds. I'm bad at following directions, mostly because I get confused when the screen lights up the right side of the avatar's head and says Jab, then Cross. I jab with my right, but I'm unsure whether to cross (hit across diagonally to the opposing head pad) with my right or left. I suppose Combinations make more sense if you right jab, then left cross. But a lot of times I right jab and immediately right cross. Probably not very efficient a strategy if this were the real world. This makes me aware of how much stronger my right side is compared to my left even though I try very hard to train both sides equally (at least with weights).

The next 3 rounds is spent smacking the Avatar Sparring, beginner level. I'm easily distracted and miss a few blocks during the first two rounds, although I always land a lot of punches. I'm not quite sure how scoring works or what the points mean. I don't even remember what I'm looking at half the time, just that I need to tap the correct pad when the Avatar's glove lights up because that is how a punch is blocked. Again, my left side is much weaker than the right. I'm better at not sounding the alarm buzzer (You Are Punching Too Hard) but don't understand how the station registers Power. Finally, I remember to snap a photo with my cell when round 3 ends. Off to shower!

Friday Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.56 miles + 35 min Hill 6 = 3.99 miles  Grand Total = 8.55 miles Wahoo!
I tally up my mileage for this week (a tad over 33) which is only a mile less than last week so I'm pretty happy with myself although I am beginning to wonder if this is getting a bit excessive...
Cage Stretch
Mat Stretch with splits
Nexersys Boxing Station: 3 rounds Avatar Follow Me, beginner female
3 rounds Avatar Sparring, beginner female

The gym scale reads 108.8 lbs which is a tad better than yesterday, but now I'm really hungry. (My home scale says 107.4 lbs and BF down to 19.2% but I don't think body fat and muscle can fluctuate like that.) Mo is just getting started and I'm ready to leave. She's rescued another kitten from someone who rescued it from a back alley in Poughkeepsie. She's got at least 4 other cats and as many small dogs. I tease her not to become another crazy cat lady. But I'm not quite joking.

While I was smacking the Nexersys, Hannibal Baggy Knees sat a few stations away, peddling on one of those new programmable stationery bikes with the rugged terrain screens that make you feel as if you're actually doing off-road biking. He's been putting Grecian 44 in his hair lately. I don't like him and avoid him like the proverbial plague, although after today I'm sure he'll be giving me a wide berth. Most men do because it weirds them out to see a small woman punching so hard. The women I've seen at the Nexersys tend to be more tentative, probably because it's a new experience for them. Regulars like M, Nixon, PJ Pants and R are also here today but they're in the free weight area. It feels weird not to be there too, as if I'm playing hookey from school. 

Time to go home. It's downright tropical outside, but not in a good way.

Wild Card Friday

Last night my lower back started to spasm a little, probably because it was unhappy sitting under the damp cold canopy of the Boy Scout arts and craft center at Durland Scout Reservation. Maybe it was the hard wooden benches. This morning, my upper back felt stiff as well. It's the last day of Boy Scout camp for both my son and husband, and thankgoodness the sun is already blistering. Steam seems to be rising from the wet grass and shrubs. I have a few things to do before I head to the gym, like finding out why I have an appt with a doctor I don't know. An message left on the answering machine tells me I have an appt this coming Monday so I call to find out why.

Ah, someone's made a mistake and put me in for an appointment with an internist, not my gynecologist. I ask if this is suppose to be a regular checkup because I don't quite remember, and she tells me it's a 6-mos breast exam. This is getting ridiculous. I'm a miniscule 36AAA and every mammogram I've ever had has been negative. I've been forced to undergo a biopsy because I have "dense" breast tissue and that was of course, negative. Now my annual mammograms are accompanied by ultrasound images. Even the nurses in the radiology department agree that I have an extremely low to non-existent risk. I promptly cancel the appointment.

I blame this on the Corporate Conglomerate that's inhaled most of the independent practices in my area. Because they're so large, mistakes in billing, appointments and who knows what else, seem to happen regularly. I'm unhappy that my Ob/Gyn and eye doc are part of this cabal. Luckily, my son's pediatrician and my internist aren't. 

I toy with the idea of doing another double cardio day. It would be the 3rd consecutive one this week. My lower back feels ok and my pinky toe is only slightly tingly so I punch in Interval 7 and peddle away. I've created an abbreviated playlist of only five songs (Angel with a Shotgun [The Cab], Knockout [Project Dirty], Hall of Fame [The Script], The Fighter [Gym Class Heroes], Set A Fire (Ryan Star], Now or Never [Outasight]) and I'm happy listening to this for my entire workout.

Doing well for my first session inspires me to punch in a second session. Most of the time I'm cruising at 190 Strides Per Minute (SPM) but I'm able to rev up to 300 SPMs for several seconds, then drop down to 188-195 for a few minutes, then kick up again. ZZ is peddling on a stationery bike in front of me. I see him glance back at me when I kick up the speed, my legs all but a blur. I don't like stationery bikes because I can't imagine sitting on my butt for 35 minutes at a clip (ouch!), and I don't feel as if it's honest cardio work because you're not actually moving or supporting your own body weight. I'm really happy with my mileage today so now I'm wondering what else to do. Abs is my filler exercise so I knock out a 100 sit ups on the flat bench, and another 100 crunches on the Ab Station before deciding what to do next.

I see Mo and chat with her for a few minutes. She's taking her old dog's passing very hard and I tell her that I understand completely. I had a special dog like that who was a part of my life for all the major events. And when she died, it was as if a hole opened up in the universe and sucked out all the light because the house was suddenly, unbearably quiet. The subsequent failure of the next two dogs in our house to replace my Best Dog was probably what lead me to have my son. Because I'd never thought about having a child before. And then he was born. Funny how things work out.

The Cage Stretch and kicks feel normal. I take the Mat Stretch slowly but everything feels normal so I do my entire routine. The gym is full of regulars like The Mayor, Nixon, ZZ, Skinny J, even the large couple who were here yesterday, she still on crutches. I'm surprised to see R because he's not usually here on Fridays until late. My clothes are drenched so I toss most of my gear back into the locker, fish out some band-aids and tape up my right hand. Today I leave my iPod and headphones on because I can't really hear the Nexersys anyway.

I start out with the Avatar Follow Me, Beginner Female and do 3 rounds. I'm getting better at this because my power is 110%, I've landed most of my combinations, managed to follow directions better and I'm not tired when it's over. Then I do 3 rounds of Avatar Sparring, Beginner Female. I don't actually remember to snap any photos until this ends. I'm also getting a bit better at this, noting that as I tire, my punching becomes more erratic and I sound the warning buzzer (You are Punching Too Hard) with more frequency. Still, I'm pleased with my 6 total rounds and head off to a nice hot shower afterwards.

The band-aids worked because my knuckles seem intact. The gym scale reads 107.6 and I'm a bit puzzled by that low reading. At home, my scale reads 106.0 lbs and gives me the surprise BF reading of 18.9%. I've never been able to dip below 19% until now, and this might just be a fluke reading. On the other hand, perhaps doing extra cardio is finally having the desired effect. I tally up my miles this week and it's a tad over 33. I'm happy.

Wild Card Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.67 miles + 35 min Hill 6 = 3.97 miles  Grand Total = 8.64 miles Wahoo!
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 100
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Mat Stretch: I'm still babying my sciatica and lower back so again I don't roll forward on the horizontal split but all my other stretches feel normal.

Now all I have to worry about is filling the ghastly orange urine container this weekend with 24 hours worth, and bringing it back to the doc on Monday. It's way to big to be carting all over the place so I'm not doing this tomorrow.

We have plans for opening day at the NY Renaissance Faire, rain or shine. A few glasses of mead and maybe a pulled pork sandwich and I'll be happy, although I don't think anything compares to the sandwiches I've been packing for Cub Scout camp: ciabatta roll stuffed with smoked pulled pork, cheddar cheese, jalapeno jelly, bread & butter pickles, hot pressed in my old Toastmaster Sandwich Press. My husband calls it a faux Cubano. I don't care. It's Yum!

Week Three Day Four is for Boxing!

Interval 7  11July2013

I spent most of the 35 minutes aboard the Precor debating with myself how many sets of cardio to do today. If I did two, would I still have time to hit the Nexersys station? Better not chance running out of time, so I only did intervals today with respectable mileage. It's good enough for today.

Afterwards, I see R at the cable station next to the stretch cage and wonder if I should greet him. Social graces do not come easily to me. Oh f@ck it, I put my towel, cell and water down near the Cage and walk up to R to ask him about one-arm bench pressing. He spouts out how much it helps to work the smaller shoulder and chest muscles. Our conversation wanders from attitudes at the gym to injuries and recovery. The humidity exacerbates all his old injuries so he's not feeling great, but working out is salvation and pain relief. "Are you going to physical therapy?" I ask him. "I was but then I got too busy." "Busy is good," I offer, "it means you're making money." "Yeah, but then if I get injured 'cuz I'm not doing therapy, well, then I don't make money." "Well, yeah..." I concede.

He tells me that if he forgets his baseball cap, he won't come to the gym and I'm surprised. It's his shield from unwanted attention and comments, and I can relate because it's what I use my hoodie for during cardio. I'm also surprised to hear him say that people say bad things about him behind his back, deride his exercise routines but then copy them after he leaves the gym. We both agree it's probably jealousy, and I recount the stupid things people say to me, like "Why do you work out so hard every day?" or "Are you supplementing? 'Cuz how else are you getting those muscles..."
He almost finishes my sentence for me with "by working out hard and eating right." Well, he's right for the most part but I'm not going to correct him about my diet.

I find out that Ranger Rick has the same given name as R, and that perhaps it's Ranger Rick that R is referencing as a copy cat. The appearance of friendship might be misleading! But R's willingness to speak to me at length says that he's comfortable talking to me and that's reassuring. At least I feel more justified tuning out the rest of the gym when I work out. R tells me that he no longer brings clients here like he did last summer (his brother and a pro hockey player). Too many snide remarks, too much negative energy. That's too bad. I thought it was only me and my city-bred paranoia! But I'm stubborn. I know who the "girls" were making fun of last year, and I stared them down. Now they're embarrassed to show up when I'm around. I don't back down. These are the women who get upset when they see me. I'm oblivious to them, and I look a helluva lot better than they do.

It's refreshing how easy our conversation flows but then it's time for him to leave and time for me to do my stretches so I can tape up my hand and beat the crap out of the Nexersys station. As we talk, I see M peer over the railing from the cardio area. No doubt he'll run back to The Mayor et al with a full report. But I don't care.

Week Three Day Four Workout
35 min intervals #7 = 4.58 miles Yippee!
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips and side kicks
Mat Stretch with vertical splits; I don't push the horizontal split because I'm short on time
Nexersys Station: 3 rounds Follow Me avatar & 3 rounds Sparring Avatar
At least my accuracy is getting better as is my pacing (so I"m not completely exhausted before round 3 ends!) and my power is a bit more consistent, starting at 126% and only dropping to 96% by the end of the 6th round. I put little pieces of moleskin on my joints, then wrap tape around my hand and finger before donning my stupid pink gloves. It seems to work because afterwards my hands are barely pink and not at all bruised or skinned. Yay!

Great stuffed with goat cheese!

 I wait until the gym owner finishes his rounds on the Nexersys. There are two stations but I'm not comfortable boxing next to someone else. When I go to leave, I recognize the middle-age lady from last week going a few rounds with the Nexersys. She's not actually punching anything. Rather, with full boxing gloves on, she's merely shadowing the movements in a cautious manner. I'm the only one who seems to wail on the machine. Perhaps I will select Intermediate next time.

The gym scale reads 109.4 lbs and I'm good with that. I'm also starving so off to the car to suck down a cold Ensure®, and then errands... It's a good day! I've harvested zucchini blossoms to stuff with goat cheese (my son prefers American cheese), and the peas have blooms now.

Unfortunately, the day lilies are now just stubby stalks. I blame the deer that wander through the yard throughout the afternoon when no one's home but the dog napping in the window.

Tomorrow is Leg Day. And I love love love Leg Day!

Week Three Day One

My shoulder is actually still a tad sore from Friday's bout with the Nexersys station, but I don't let that slow me down. Indulging over the weekend, and the 90+ degree weather makes me sluggish today so it's important that I kick into gear with at least 30 minutes of cardio. I know I'm not making my 4 mile quota. The question is by how much? Precor #3, the smooth glider, is free because someone has inadvertently kicked the power switch off. It's simple enough to kick it back on and punch in Hill #5. I find that on Mondays I don't sweat much even with my hoodie up. It takes me so much longer to get into gear, at least 20 minutes before I feel vaguely warm. Amazing what a weekend of relative inactivity will do for you! (Spending hours crouched in the blazing sun picking organic raspberries doesn't actually count as an activity.)

The Manchurian is using the Smith and I ask him how many sets he has left. "Oh, uh, two or three," he says hesitantly. I guess he doesn't actually know how many he's going to do, so I walk away to the Cage Stretch because it's not worth waiting for, and besides, I don't want to pressure him. When I return, the bench and bar are all set up perfectly for me. He's doing something with dumbbells but I'm in my own world and fairly oblivious to everyone else. The gym is oddly empty for a Monday morning, and doesn't start to fill up until noonish. I see The Mayor looking disheveled and frantic as ever as he spots a much younger guy. Maybe, like myself, they all have other things to do and places to be. Although the gym is nicely air-conditioned, no one wants to spend all day here!

My right shoulder feels odd on the heavier lifts, especially the front deltoid. I still lift my routine but toss in an extra set of reps at the end to give my chest and arms a pump. Today I don't feel the benching in my chest at all. Delts are probably going to suck. I'm a bit dismayed that they're still recuperating from Friday. Recuperation shouldn't take so long!

Week Three Day One: Chest and Delts
35 min cardio hill #5 = 3.92 miles bleah!
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips and side kicks. Because of an ancient IT injury in my right quad, I'm careful not to push the side stretch too far: I've felt my kneecap slip painfully, on the verge of dislocation doing this stretch.
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 21+5 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
I toss the last set of reps in because I'm so annoyed at having to pause with the previous set.
Bent Over DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
I certainly like the way my arms look when I'm doing these! 
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 150
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
I don't even consider doing Decline Presses today because suddenly the gym is crowded and I'm not in the mood to wait for the one decline bench. 
Mat Stretch: I'm worried that my legs will be really stiff and that the splits will be painful because I'm not really warm anymore, but everything is relatively good. I don't even attempt a full horizontal split where I roll forward because it's Monday and I want to ease into that particular move.

I see V while I'm doing abs and I make sure to walk a wide circle around him as unobtrusively as possible. The gym scale reads a reasonable 111.6 lbs. It's what I weighed last Monday. Psychologically, as long as I'm below 112 lbs, I don't really feel bad for weighing more at the beginning of the week. But I'd feel bad if it was Friday. Ah, the mind games we play with ourselves!

While I'm dressing, one of the trainers comes in with a 3-pack of boxing wraps. It's actually 6 wraps because each of the three colors (red, white, black) is a pair. "They're $25 for the package," she says. I tell her that's way too much money, especially since I don't even know if I want to use them, much less 3 pairs of them and she agrees with me. I tell her I'll probably stick to putting band-aids on under adhesive tape before I don my gloves. She suggests ACE bandages. Then she tells me she used to teach a kickboxing class here, and that an instructor she knew used to have the class wrap their hands even though they weren't actually hitting anything. That's odd. She said people just liked to feel as if they were boxing, even if they didn't actually make contact. That's funny. And a bit sad.

This year must be a good year for the deer because they haven't eaten the wild day lilies like they did last year. The heat is wilting my snow peas but the zucchinis have large beautiful leaves and I'm hoping they provide some shade for the peas. Cilantro, basil and thyme are also in the garden, as well as a pot of bok choy. We'll see if baby grasshoppers wipe them out as in previous years. I was looking forward to the cicada invasion, especially after all the hoopla, but we've heard nothing and now it's passed. But this is the first year I've put black oil sunflower seeds out for the summer, and I'm pleased to see all the finches, purple and gold, and others I haven't identified yet, along with what I thought were winter birds: downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, cardinals and tufted titmice (or is it titmouses?)... robins, jays, sparrows, mourning doves, grackles and starlings round out the rest.

Day Five is a Boxing Day

I always get a late start when I don't actually have to leave the house, say, to take my son to school or camp. I blame inertia. Times like these require a stubborn adherence to mindless routine, like walking the dog regardless of what the weather's doing. Because the New Plan only requires each body part to be worked once a week, Day Five is a Wild Card and I can do whatever I feel like. Of course, I still feel the need to do at least 30 minutes of cardio, just to warm up. I've got tractor #2 again but I don't let that bum me. I've loaded a few new tunes on my iPod and I'm excited to listen to them full blast. Okay, some of them aren't actually new in a relative sense. They're just new to my iPod: Angel With a Shotgun is actually new and I can't stop listening to it (The Cab); Hall of Fame (The Script); Start a Fire (Ryan Star) I'd never heard of before but found it suggested when I purchased Angel; and I've been meaning to add this song for ages, The Fighter (Gym Class Heroes).


The elliptical isn't too bad in spite of the roughness of the glide and I'm surprised that doing 30 minutes of Intervals program 8 actually lands me decent mileage. I don't want to cool down too much though. The A/C is on full blast and the gym is actually a bit more crowded than I expect. Because I find stretching an absolute necessity, I move right to the Cage Stretch. Then to the Mat. Again, I skip abs because I simply don't have time. That'll make 4 days straight by the time Monday rolls around. Doing the Mat Stretch is so much more comfortable on a mat! When I finish, I notice M doing abs across from me. He was on the adjacent Precor earlier as well. I see the Mayor, all sweaty and hoarse chatting with Skinny J. R and Ranger Rick are also chatting. Too much chatting for me!

I slip back into the locker room, stash my iPod, towel and lifting gloves in the locker, apply a few band-aids under the tape I wrap twice around my knuckles and then slip my stupid pink gloves on.  I only do 3 rounds again at a Beginner Female level for the Avatar Follow Me and Avatar Sparring. At least I'm getting better at following directions because I have a tendency to ignore the right (facing me) side of the Avatar. Probably because my favorite combination is a left jab, right cross. It's much harder for me to do a right jab, left cross because my right arm is dominant here.
Yep, I'm only a lefty when it comes to writing and drawing. Everything else is right-handed. Afterwards, I note that my 2nd joint has bled through the band-aid under the glove, probably because I neglected to tape it. The rest of my hands look okay though. Still I inquire about wraps at the front desk. They don't know what the owner wants to charge for them. I don't even know if they're in stock or just on order. I don't really care because I'm not going to hit the Nexersys again until next week.

Day Five Workout:
35 min Interval #8 = 4.51 miles Wahoo!
Cage Stretch with Body Weight Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Mat Stretch: splits are pretty good today!
Nexersys Boxing Station: 3 rounds Beginner Female Follow Me Avatar; 3 rounds Beginner Female Sparring Avatar. I'm still punching the pads too hard and constantly get beeped (scolded) by the system and have to hit the Reset button. Oh well...

The gym scale reads 108.6 lbs and I'm pretty happy. Again, the shower smells briny and I know it's me, not the water. My hands aren't even all that beat up, although my right shoulder is a tad sore. It's been a good week! It only gets better when I take my son shopping with me and we witness Mud Swallows nesting in the overhang outside the stores. It's a blistering 92°F but stores are air-conditioned, and my son doesn't mind being towed from store to store because he's got a new game on the iPad to keep him occupied. The weekend promises to be exhausting, and I'm glad I'm a slug on those days, without any requirements for exercise. It's just the way I like my weekends.

Day Three is Leg Day

I debated whether to do a double cardio session today since it was Leg Day, even though I'd started on a New Plan to increase my cardio workouts by cutting back on Leg Day. The day looked promising: we saw a young red fox crossing the road, and a small wild bunny on someone's lawn this morning as I took my son to camp. Yesterday, a red tailed hawk flew low across a main thoroughfare. This morning, a large lone mushroom sprouted overnight in the weedy grass, luminous and lunar pale. The mosquito bites are leaving only finger-size welts instead of the usual egg-shaped ones.

3Jul2013 cardio sessions

Precor #1 was available so I jumped on and punched in my standard hill #5. After 35 sweaty minutes, I punched in interval #7 and I was very happy to record decent mileage for both sessions. I had to wait for the Smith machine. A burly, heavily tattooed man was alternating between shrugs, rack shrugs and crunches. I asked him how many sets and he motioned two. I could wait. Normally I'd wander off to the Cage Stretch but today I didn't want to miss my opportunity to use the Smith. I've learned from experience that I can't do normal squats without my elbows hurting. He's done in a few minutes and moves on to other equipment, leaving me free to monopolize the Smith.

Day Three Leg Workout:
35 min hill #5 =  4.02 + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.45  Grand Total = 8.47 miles Wahoo!
Smith Machine Squats: 12 @ bar (butt to the ground) / 12 @ 95 lbs (thighs parallel) / 12 @ 115 lbs / 12 @ 135 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 155 lbs
Today's different and I feel the weight on my quads right above my knees today
Smith Machine SLDL: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 5 x 12 @ 115 lbs
This is still kicking my butt but at least I'm able to do each 12 rep set continuously without pause which is a definite improvement
Cage Stretch with Body Weight Heel Dips and Side Kicks
Alternating Pistol Squats: 16 each leg
Seated Leg Curl: 3 x 12 @ 105 lbs
I'd like to do more sets but suddenly I feel tired. The tall obese kid who was using the Seated Leg Curl before me has a dismayed look, probably because I hadn't actually moved the weight down from where he'd left it, although I did remove the 7.5 lb brick from the stack. 
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 120
I wasn't actually going to do abs today but I can't let myself cool down too much. The Seated Leg Extension is occupied so I need to keep warm doing something and the ab stations are available.
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs
These are my weakest and most painful exercise of the entire session.
Mat Stretch: usually my stretch inexplicably sucks on Leg Day but today I'm pleasantly surprised. The verticals are good and again, I'm able to roll forward onto my face to get my legs to lay flat against the mat. It's still a tad hard on the knees but improving. 

I'm completely drenched by the time I get back to the locker room. The gym scale reads 109.6 lbs. I know I'm heavier than I used to be. My home scale reads 108 lbs with muscle registering at 39.3 % and body fat at 19.1%. Pretty nice if it's true. I can't take these measurements too seriously. After all, this is the device that periodically tells me that my bones are either 4.6 lbs or 4.8 lbs. I don't think I'm gaining and losing bone mass like that.

Tomorrow is July 4th, Independence Day and the gym is open. I'm taking the opportunity to do a bit of cardio and then work the neglected arms. If I can figure out how to armor my knuckles, I may have another go at the Nexersys this Friday. It's very exciting! I can't wait.

Day Five is a Wild Card

35 min hill 5 and 35 min interval 8

Day 5!

Since I didn't make it to kickboxing last night (my husband had to work late and I don't like to go without him), I figured I'd do cardio and then get some time in on the Nexersys machines. They usually stand abandoned next to the more popular, less scary cardio machines. On rare occasions I've spied a middle-aged woman or man tentatively poking the pads. I like to punch and jab. Punch hard enough to make the machine beep at me for punching too hard. But that's just me. I punch hard enough to make people look up from their elliptical daze, and when I'm done, sweat is pouring off me like I've just completed a run in the blazing sun. It's very satisfying.

Day Five Workout
35 min hill #5 = 3.93 miles (bleah) + 35 min interval #8 = 4.08 miles  Grand Total = 8.01 miles Whew! I just barely made my quota of 8 miles and I'm so relieved that it's over!
Cage Stretch & Kicks: this includes several sets of body weight heel dips (part of the stretch) and hamstring stretches (heel to face height bar) and side kicks to loosen the hips.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups because I feel guilty not doing any abs before a weekend where I'm basically a slug and don't do anything: 125
Mat Stretch: I'm tired from cardio but my splits still feel good although I don't push the horizontal because I want to save time to play with the Nexersys.
Nexersys: I do a 3 round set of avatar Follow Me (3 minutes per round), and then a 3 round set of avatar Sparring. The machine beeps me several times for punching too hard. Maybe next time I shouldn't tell it I'm female because it seems to be expecting softer punches. I land a lot of punches and my punching power (127%) is well above 100% but I don't really know what that means, nor do I really care. I land a lot more punches than the program calls for (200/150) and I have to be careful not to completely exhaust myself during the first round. Pacing myself is not something I'm used to doing but it seems like a good practical skill to have. 

Looks suspiciously like a blister!

I'd taped my knuckles under those stupid pink Everlast gloves but I've still managed to skin my knuckles, especially my right. I've also split the skin on the 2nd joint of my pointer finger just where the glove ends. When I get home I apply some Liquid Skin in spite of the extremely unpleasant burning sensation associated with antiseptics, and shiny plasticized sheen. The slight yellow glob on my pointer knuckle suggests pus but that's impossible so I'm forced to conclude that it's a blister. All from a few rounds of play boxing. Jeepers, I need better gloves, and it's not for lack of trying. I just haven't been able to find any that fit me. I like my husband's gloves but they're old (probably not available anymore) and waaay too big. Also, I have to learn how to tape my hands. Online, I read about cotton wraps vs elastic ones. I'm using tape. Perhaps I need to use something else?


The gym scale reads 108 lbs and I'm pleased. I've barely drank half my water but damn I'm hungry. My home scale reads 107 lbs and says my BF has dropped to 19.1 which could just be a statistical error considering it usually reads 19.4-.6, at least for the last several months. I haven't decided whether I'm going to work out next Thursday, July 4th. Traditionally I work out regardless of holidays unless it's a day the gym is closed. My son doesn't have camp so he can sleep in. But I'd feel guilty skipping the gym. I'll probably work out, but use the New Plan, leaving me wiggle room for two Wild Card days. As long as I get cardio in, then whatever else I do is cool. I like that.

Relevance

Sadly, no flying stallions at
Medieval Times but great jousting!

Smith Dead Lift
and no step platform!

I've forgotten to mention what a great time we had at Medieval Times in NJ over the weekend. Dinner and a show! Granted there was no choice in the menu (half a chicken, bread, potato, soup, two barbecued ribs, water or Pepsi, a lovely cinnamon-dusted apple turnover) but the operatic background music added a lot to the festive atmosphere, and the action was well-choreographed. Best were the Spanish stallions. I knew immediately that they were famed Lippizaners and really enjoyed watching them perform. It'll be Renaissance Faire season soon, although I've already gotten emails from the Connecticut Ren Faire regarding their Robin Hood Springtime festival.

Today's Leg Day and having just discovered a drawer of old, irrelevant gym clothes (who wears leg warmers anymore?), I decided to see if the navy blue unitard would work under my Under Armour shorts. I don't wear long pants on leg day because it helps me focus and position myself properly if I can see my knees when I'm squatting or doing pistol squats. Other than being ridiculously contortionistic to get out of if you have to pee, the get-up was remarkably comfortable and I wasn't self-conscious in the least. I even made my quota today! Wahoo!

Today's Leg Day Workout:
35 min hill = 4.07 miles + 35 min intervals = 4.51 miles  Grant Total = 8.58 miles Yippeee!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
ZZ hovers nearby. I don't trust him although I have no concrete reasons. I'm alert as to where he is relative to me and I avoid eye-contact and any interactions. He's probably harmless but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Smith Dead Lifts: 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
I couldn't find the step platform so the bar was sitting halfway up my shin today.
Cage Stretch & Kicks (my kicks are getting sloppy and I'm not sure why)
12 Pistol Squats each leg
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 60 lbs
Seated Leg Curls: 4 x 12 @ 90 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch: wearing a unitard under my shorts makes the splits much easier to do.

NexerSys Station: I try 3 rounds with the Sparring Avatar, punching in Beginner Female. It beeps several times because again, I'm either punching or kicking too hard. I'm concerned that if I hold back, the punch or kick won't actually register either. I'm better at it now, but I still miss a punch and feel the inside of my glove graze my pinkie knuckle. Later, when I take my gloves off, there's a lovely bruise that doesn't actually hurt unless it's touched. Mo tells me to ice it, but I shrug it off because it doesn't hurt, it's not swollen, it's just a scrape. My husband texts me that I should keep my punching straight in front of me, but that's hard to do when there are Center, Left and Right targets in the Upper, Middle and Lower sections. I land a series of combinations (jab/cross), registering a lot of punches, and a lot of power. Yay for the tiny Asian woman wailing on the boxing station! But I'm not really tiny. Not really.

When I was younger, I remember being disappointed that Xena, Warrior Princess didn't have more muscle. Her sidekick Gabrielle had great abs though. But television and cinema has had a dearth of well-muscled women who weren't portrayed as monstrous or hitting for the other team. My favorite character has been space marine Vasquez in Aliens.

I like the unitard so
it's going back into my
workout gear drawer!

The scale reads 107.8 lbs. I haven't finished my water either. At home, my scale reads 106.4 lbs so I'm definitely heavier. Just to certain, I take some measurements and try to snap a few photos of my back, because that's where I think I'm gaining. Well, that, and my arms. My back looks different, thicker although not as defined as I'd like, but a lot of that is lighting, which I don't have any control over. But I can really see how the delts are developing so that's encouraging. I'll post photos on Friday because that's a Pull Day.

I'm sure smacking the boxing station is only going to do good things for me, like tax my stamina, build endurance and give me a practical arm workout. Hell, what's more practical than being able to go 3 rounds smacking the crap out of something? Well, the NexerSys offers 3 rounds minimum, and goes up in 2 round increments. I was sweating and breathing hard when I got done, so I think 3 rounds is good for now.

Magic Mirror on the Wall...

Last night the pesky twinge in my left knee became a full-fledged "Uh oh, maybe I've done something bad to it" pain that had me limping. I could put weight on my leg and I could walk. It was only the actual impact of my foot hitting the ground that hurt. I rubbed in some Penetrex cream both last night and this morning and behaved as if nothing had happened. My knee felt a bit thick, as if it were swollen but it didn't feel too bad, except when I walk. Great, it's an impact injury, probably from kicking the Nexersys pad incorrectly. It'll heal, as long as I don't exacerbate it with more impact stress. People think I'm exaggerating when I say I can't run, jog, do jumping jacks, burpees, hop but I'm not. There's a lot of things I can do, and a lot I can't do, and I'm experienced enough to know the difference.

I'm not limping noticeably when I get on the elliptical. By the time I get off, I'm hot and sweaty, and my knee feels a lot better. Never mind the fact that I modified my gait to favor my right leg most of the time. But I did manage for a millisecond to get my SPM up to 290 before dropping down to the reasonable 195-210 range. I make my quota, but just barely. Good enough!

Today's Push Workout:
35 min cardio = 4.02 miles Yay!
M is on the Smith doing inclined rows and I butt into his conversation with Pony Tail Tattoo to ask him how many sets he has left. I could wait for him to finish chatting but experience tells me that he could go on for some time, and then I'd lose access to one of the three free weight benches. He says two sets, so I warm up on a bench, doing 25 reps with just the bar (45 lbs).
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 6, 5, 5 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 / 15 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
I never feel fully pumped unless I do the drop sets after the max sets, which probably means I can probably do a heavier weight. Except that I could only comfortably do 5 reps at 155. The 6th rep was sort of half-assed and I didn't like the way it felt.
Cage Stretch & Kicks: ooh, I managed to take a bad cell phone photo of me with my leg up over my head!
Rear Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with
  One-Arm Tricep DB Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Close Grip Bench Press (for triceps): 25 @ bar (45 lbs) these seem kind of light so I up the weight just a tad / 3 x 25 @ 55 lbs
Mat Stretch: my knee only occasionally twinges but in general it feels okay.

I see R and say a quick Hi to him before I head off to the locker room. For a tall skinny guy, he has great arms and I like to watch him surreptitiously. Most guys wear t-shirts and have their arms well-hidden so there's nothing to look at. M, the Mayor, Skinny Mustache, Fish Guy and others all come and go. Tall Pace walks like a defeated man until a skinny blonde woman with an unnatural tan comes over to chat with him. I run into Mo in the locker room and she introduces me to a young woman I've never seen before. But I'm not good at remembering people at the gym. Because I'm not usually looking at them.

I forget to weigh myself because I so desperately need a shower. But I snap a few quick photos with my cell in the mirror. You can tell the images are distorted because the closer shoulder looks enormous compared to the far shoulder, and yes, I need a haircut, but just add some gel and I could have "animé" hair! Maybe it's a magic mirror, like the ones in the fitting rooms at Marshall's. Even though they're filled with blue fluorescent lights, the mirrors actually make you look fairly attractive, which is great for increasing sales, because, honestly, we're not going to buy clothes that don't make us look good, right?

My home scale tells me that I'm 106.8 lbs. Seems pretty reasonable. I'm not trying really hard but as I up my weights and drop my sets (just a bit) I'm either putting on size and/or changing the shape of my arms. This is the best my arms have ever looked. I'm happy. It's a beautiful spring day and I've just spotted two goldfinches at the bird feeder. My workout didn't suck too bad and tomorrow I get to smack the Nexersys again, after I work Back and Biceps. Yay!

Leg Day for Me but...

The attack at the Boston Marathon is everywhere in the news. No one mentions it locally, or at the gym or school. It's a horrible tragedy foisted upon the unsuspecting public by someone who either hates runners, or someone looking to maim the greatest number of amateur athletes. It's bringing anti-personnel devices back home. I think of the late Princess Diana and her efforts to ban land mines because of the devastation left after wars end. I think of all the progress made in robotic prosthetic legs and wonder if now there will be enough amputees crying out for limbs to drive research into the realm of science fiction. I'm glad that I'm crowd-phobic; I'll watch from the safety of my laptop.

Today is Leg Day for me. I wake up tired. The right lower back over my hip, what I'm guessing is the external oblique, seems stressed and sore. I'm always stiff when I get up so I'm not overly concerned. I'm just hoping to do at least 8 miles on the elliptical. The JVC headphones start off promising but I quickly discover that they sound a bit tinny. Eventually I figure out that I need to swap out the ear bud cushion (they come with 3 different sizes) because the mediums are actually too large so the buds aren't placed correctly. I get my 8+ miles and I'm happy. And drenched. I feel really good.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill = 4.0 miles + 35 min intervals = 4.36 miles  Grand Total = 8.36 miles Wahoo!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Smith Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs (I really feel these on my right side today although dead lifts have never been easy)
Cage Stretch & Kicks: an elderly women on the stretch chair beside the cage is unprepared for my kicking routine and gets up in a huff. I guess she was offended but the gym's not the place to get upset when people get physical.
12 Pistol Squats each leg
Seated Leg Curl: 4 x 12 @ 90 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 12 @ 60 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: my stretch and splits are good and I'm happy enough to put on my pink gloves and wander over to the NexerSys station afterwards.
NexerSys: I do 3 intro sessions at Beginner Level: technique, sparring & follow me. Afterwards, one of the guys at the front desk asks me to critique the system because they need the feedback. I'm happy to oblige. It's fun, but even with gloves, I still bruise my knuckles although I didn't actually notice until I took my gloves off. That's probably because I'm "punching too hard" as the system tells me. My accuracy is improving, but because it's hard to hear the "trainer" or understand exactly what and when I'm suppose to be punching or kicking, my scores could be higher. But I manage to keep my Punch Strength at a respectable 92%. I'm sweating slightly when I finish. It was fun and I'll definitely do it again.

I note a few regulars but I'm the least social on Leg Day because I move from exercise to exercise with little time for resting. And still I'm at the gym for several hours! I completely forget to weigh myself today because of all the commotion the broken toilet in the locker room causes. It's spouting water like a geyser tornado and the accompanying roar foretells some sort of broken valve. I still manage a nice hot shower which feels really good. It's a beautiful sunny day, all the tiny biting insects are out and squirrels are trying to steal the sunflower seed holder again. I love Leg Day!

All Better Now

There was still a residual soreness in my throat this morning but by the time I got home from the gym, it was gone. Cured! Maybe it was the zinc I started taking again, or the incessant gargling. Or maybe it was just a 48-hr sore throat. Regardless, I still plowed through my Tuesday routine like a draft horse because honestly, I don't really know any other way of doing it. Head down, plod on. At least I'm not grazing as I work. (I did once see a guy working out with a half bottle of purple sports drink and a half eaten protein bar.)

My cardio still sucked and again I didn't make my 4 mile quota, but at least I felt better warmed up today. Today I blame my distraction on bad earphones. I got a cheap pair of Maxell headphones ($6.99) and they make the odd Sony headphones feel and sound like a million bucks. The Maxell's not only mute the music so badly that at full volume I can still hear ambient gym noise. In spite of the soft clip that goes over the ear, after a few minutes, the hard overly large inside earpiece starts to hurt. The Sonys may be cheap ($6.99) because of their ill-designed asymmetrical wires, but at least they don't hurt your ears and the music sounds great. Boy do I really miss my old Phillips headphones but I can't seem to find them anywhere. I resort to purchasing an expensive ($20 at Kmart, cheaper online but I can't wait and shipping costs a fortune) pair of JVC sport headphones, saving the Sonys as a backup in case the JVCs fail.

Back and Biceps Day, and biceps had a much better time of it. Seated Cable Rows were good until I hit the heavy sets. I feel sloppy when I do them so I'm going to drop my weight. I barely got a chance to do any pull ups because the Smith rack was very popular today. I did however, remember to take my pink kickboxing gloves with me so that I'd have no excuse for not trying out a few routines on the Nexersys station.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.87 miles (my cardio really sucks this week!)
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 lbs
Pull Ups: 12+2 (legs curled to chest)
Chin Ups: 11+2 (legs straight out)
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks: I do manage a few kicks outside the cage on the flat floor
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 7 x 12 @ 90 lbs (I don't really mean to do 7 sets but lose count and do an extra set just for fun. Maybe I should up the weight even though I'm not making sets of 15 reps?)
Standing Alternate DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Pull Ups: 10+3 (legs straight out)
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
BB Curls: 6 x 15 @ 40 lbs (these seem a tad easy but 45 lbs is too heavy)
Mat Stretch: my stretches and splits are much better today so I'm pleased.
Nexersys station: I put on those godawful pink gloves and do two intro rounds for Beginners: striking and technique. It's fun although again I'm having a hard time following instructions because I can't really hear the monitor very well although I can follow the video fairly well. Still, I admit that wailing on the station with gloved fists is a helluva lot of fun!

I see a few regulars today like B, M, The Mayor, Hannibal BaggyKnees, SkinnyTat, and eventually, R and Fish Guy. I actually don't talk to any of them because I'm so not interested in breaking the rhythm of my workout. I'm not nearly as tired as I was yesterday so I'm thinking today's a good day to get salt for the water softener, and compost for the raised beds. I can't remember but somehow the 40 lb bags of salt feel easier to manage than I last recall. Maybe salt used to come in unwieldy 50 lb bags?

The gym scale reads 109.2 lbs and my home scale registers 106.8 which is exactly what I weighed the last time I weighed myself on a Tuesday. I have on a new Biatta bra and I'm tickled that not only does it fit comfortably (yes, another 36AAA), my chest doesn't look weird when I toss on a T-shirt. I look down and my profile looks like my own and not a mannequin. Or heaven forbid, an Easter egg holder.

My son has tae kwon do at UMAC this evening, about an hour after I pick him up from his after school golf class. Anytime there's a way to get him involved in more physical activities that doesn't involve team sports, I sign him up. No one in my family seems particularly enthralled by team sports of any kind. Just as well. I guess being anti-social runs on the family, although my son is probably the most sociable kid you'll ever meet. But he's not competitive. I'm not either. I just like to kick butt.