Boxing Takes Its Toll

So ready for a shower!

I'm tired and various parts of my body are sporadically complaining, like my butt, both elbows, left calf and front delt. But only sporadically. My right hand with the bruised knuckle does not hurt. But my wrist and ankles feel weak today. Hmmm. It could be boxing. I'm starting to recuperate better from each session, but it's only early evening fatigue that really bothers me. Or it could be that odd hormone dance that women endure during their monthly cycles because fluctuating hormones can make ligaments extra-stretchy, or make you feel like all your earthly energy has been sucked out of you by invisible vampires. Without an actual period to mark each cycle, I have no idea what the hell my hormones are up to each month.

I'd love to smack the Nexersys tomorrow but my son is off from school, so I'll take him to the gym with me. On those days, my workouts are abbreviated instead of extended. I probably shouldn't worry so much but I don't want him feeling abandoned. No boxing tomorrow. I make up for it today by diligently running through my routine as if it were Monday instead of Thursday. Today is my 2nd Push Day of the week, and I'd be lying if I said I was able to muster the same energy. Hell, I couldn't even make my 4 mile quota today.

Today's 2nd Push Day Workout:
35 min hill = 3.96 miles Bleah
Smith Bench Press (reminder: because the Smith has a counterweight pulley system, the bar isn't really 45 lbs, more like 25 lbs so subtract 20 lbs from each set!): 12 @ bar / 20 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 5 @ 155 (I just couldn't get that 6th rep today) / 12 @ 135 / 25 @ 115 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks

Only 6 sets to go!

I see V enter the gym while chatting on the phone and I duck my head to keep from being seen!
Rear Inclined Seated DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25
Damn, these feel awfully heavy when I take them off the rack, but eventually I loosen up and the exercise gets easier. 
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs (I'm too lazy to up the reps to 15)
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm DB Tricep Extensions: 3 x 12-15 @ 20 lbs
I knock out 15 reps for the last set so I know that I should probably do sets of 15 next week.
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 125
Lower Ab Kick Out: 100
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Close-Grip Bench Press (for triceps) on a standard Olympic bench: 25 @ 45 lbs (bar) / 25 @ 55 lbs / 2 x 25 @ 65 lbs (slow and steady wins the race because I have to pause at rep 20 to catch my breath before finishing the last 5 reps for both sets)
Mat Stretch

The scale reads 108.4 lbs. I'm okay with that although I find myself trying to reconcile my disparate body images. I'm a small person, but not really. I wear small clothes, except a lot of my bras are size L or 36. Different photos give me an inconsistent view of myself. I don't think I want to put on any more size because it'll be impossible to find clothes that fit! Yet, part of me wants to keep pushing, to see how much more weight I can move. The beauty of high repetitions is that muscular endurance does not necessarily build size. I'm okay with being small. Perhaps I'll have to concentrate more on definition although I'm not one for dieting, especially since I'm not competing in anything.

I am bummed about the latest research showing that lecithin from eggs is as bad as carnitine from red meat in promoting gut bacterial linked to higher rates of heart disease and stroke. I'm really enjoying that egg in my oatmeal every morning. Last week I used organic fresh strawberries mixed into breakfast. This week it's back to the freeze-dried mango chunks. I'm waiting to hear what the Paleo community has to say about it.

It's a brilliantly hot and sunny Thursday and I'm inside typing this blog instead of sitting outside in my portable hammock soaking up the unusual May warmth. I'd really like a cold beer (there's nothing more refreshing than an ice-cold Stella Artois with its mineral-clean taste), but I've promised myself not to indulge unless I'm not working out the next day because I'm such a flyweight (with an Asian liver that doesn't handle alcohol well) that it will affect my"performance". I know no one is looking, but I've got my pride. I don't really need anything else.

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!

Whaddya Mean I'm Punching Too Hard?

The weather seems typical for April: chilly and wet, and the only thing I'm glad of is that I get to slack off for the next two days, because today is Friday. Yay! The back of my upper arms are uncharacteristically sore and I attribute that to the heavy benching I did yesterday. Yep, they're sore, but not painfully so. Just a little tender when I flex them straight. Today I get to do Back & Biceps, and try out the new padded sports bra I bought online from Old Navy. I had to exchange the size M for a L and I'm worried that with my AA(A?) figure, the bra'll just slip right up. Gosh that reminds me of Phyllis Diller jokes!

Again the gym is busy, but I get on my elliptical and peddle away. Today my butt is sore as well and as hard as I try, I can't really move past the 195 SPM pace. Again, I miss my 4 mile quota, but just barely. Seated Cable Rows seem a bit daunting today and I have to think about how many reps I ought to do. I skip Lower Back Extensions completely today: I've been feeling a little stiff there, and I'd rather do Pull Ups, and maybe even a set of Chin Ups whenever possible.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.96 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 / 10 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 135 lbs
Pull Ups: 12+2 / 10+2 Legs curled up to my chest
Cage Stretch & Kicks
The Nexersys Virtual Boxing stations are up and running and I make a note to check them out when I'm done with my workout.
Pull Ups: 12+2 / 10+2 Legs straight out perpendicular to my body 

90 lb barbell

Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Rows (I'm too lazy to go back to the front desk to pick up magnetic discs so I just up the weight instead and pray that it's not too heavy for me):
6 x 12 @ 90 lbs (the last 2 reps are hard so this is a good weight)
Alternating DB Curls (my arms are so tired that by the 3rd set, I can barely turn the DB to raise it):
3 x 10 @ 25 lbs
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
BB Curls: 3 x 15 @ 40 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
Pull Ups: 12 + 2 Legs curled up to my chest
Chin Ups (I'm really really happy that I can actually do these considering that this is the end of my back and bicep workout and my arms are burnt): 11+1 Legs curled up to my chest

I go check out the Nexersys station. My lifting gloves have too many internal seams to make them good for punching the pads. There's a 4-minute intro session that I start. It asks me whether I'm male or female, and a beginner, intermediate or advanced. I punch in Beginner Female. I can barely hear the speaker on the screen above the ambient gym noise and there's no place to plug in headphones. There's no volume control. I miss part of the instructions but start wailing away when it seem appropriate. Several times the machine stops to warn me that I'm punching too hard. Really? Too hard? It tells me to adjust my stance or power down my punches. I quit out of the program, but not before viewing the stats that tell me my power is at 120%. Good thing I decided to try this AFTER my workout, now that I'm tired and looking to cool down. The gym has appropriate MMA gloves on order. I may buy a pair and give this another try. It still looks like fun.
Mat Stretch: stretches are so much better when I do kicks at the Cage! even though I stretch at the Cage, it's apparently not enough and I feel it at the end during Mat Stretch.

I see B, and M and a few other regulars. There are a lot of new faces too. There's one gal who is making amazing progress since she ditched her svelte girlfriend for a dude to coach her through her cardio and weightlifting. She looks like she's dropped a good 30 lbs around her hips and belly. The dude isn't anything special to look at, but he's definitely having a great effect on her training! Yay for gym buddies who actually help you achieve your goals!

I see S and she always looks distressed when she notices me (she hasn't been around for several months). I'm not sure why--I've never spoken to her. She and M are good friends. I know she can move a lot of weight (power lifting) and that she once told B that she could get her to "the next level", because she's a Personal Trainer. She's relatively young, maybe in her 30s, with two young kids. But she doesn't have the type of body that screams Personal Trainer. She's strong, but her arms are covered in a layer of dimpled fat. She's not fat. She's not even really big even though she's bigger than I am. But then again, just about everyone here is bigger than I am.

I wave a quick Hi to M during Mat Stretch. He seems a bit embarrassed and he's not on the mat for very long. I'm thinking my stretches are probably intimidating as well, but I work hard every day to get to this point. I don't really care what anyone else thinks, and when I'm working out, I don't really see them either. The locker room scale reads 107.8 lbs. I haven't even drained my water bottle yet!

Today I strayed from my  trusty Ensure High Protein RTD and have a Muscle Milk 20 gm protein vanilla drink. It's really kind of awful: too sweet in a weird artificial way that leaves an odd aftertaste that makes me not want to eat or drink anything afterwards. I'm back to the Ensure on Monday. I may be bored with Homemade Vanilla and I wished they'd make Strawberry flavor (the chocolate is just too intense and seems to mask a slight sourness) just for a change of pace. But at least I can end the week with a chuckle... punching too hard? Really?

What a Rush!

Thursdays are the days I normally do reps instead of heavy movements, just to mix things up and give myself a break. I'm tired and sore, and the sun's playing peekaboo with storm clouds all day. Yesterday I took a moment to sit on my front stoop and watch avian friends at the bird feeder.

What really signals spring to me, more than the purple and white crocuses and the budding daylily shoots, is the shrill frantic singing of tiny peeper frogs. I love that sound!

It's certainly a lot nicer than the thick throaty bullfrog croak which I'll hear the rest of the summer. Bullfrogs are already getting squished on the road. There's always either a mouse or snake or frog flattened outside.

The gym seems unusually busy this morning but the normally raucous women are oddly silent. Maybe it's me. I'm not very chatty in the morning and some might say I'm downright anti-social. I've been accused of being "gangsta" when I stalk off with my hoodie pulled down over my eyes. I get to my favorite elliptical just in time to knock out my 35 minutes. Fatigue sets my pace at a leisurely 190-195 SPM although I do manage for a split second to drive the meter up to 289 SPM, but it's only for a millisecond or however long it takes for me to register the number before I drop back down. I don't even make my quota, but I'm breathless and sweaty all the same.

Two 5s, two 10s and a 25 on
each side of a 45 lb bar

M is doing inclined rows on the Smith so I knock out a few paltry sets on the free bench. Once he's done, I sprint over to set up. I'm not sure whether to count the 3 sets I've just done as part of my routine, but I know I'm going to do more than 1 set at 155 lbs. In fact, I do 3 sets, and all without M's hands on the bar. He says to me about the first set, "That looked awfully easy. You just knocked it out like it didn't weigh anything." And it was true. I stopped at 6 reps because that's all I was expecting to do. But on the 2nd set I decided to see how far I could get. Two more reps. But by the 3rd set, I was starting to feel a bit weak. M tells me that he ends his routine with the heaviest set, but everyone's different, so with me, as usual, I do drop sets afterwards. Yep, a set of 12 reps, then another at 12, and finally, I finish with 25 reps. Now I'm done.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.96 miles
Free Bench: 25 @ bar / 12 @ 65 lbs / 12 @ 85 lbs
Smith Bench: 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 lbs / 10 @ 135 lbs / 8 @ 145 lbs / 6, 8, 7 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 lbs / 12 @ 115 / 25 reps @ 95 lbs
M confirms what I've suspected, that the Smith mechanism offsets the weight by about 20 lbs. That explains why benching the bar is like benching nothing: it's only really 25 lbs. I'm a little bummed that my 155 lbs is really only about 135 lbs on a free bench, but M keeps telling me that it's still a lot of weight. I'm pretty happy, although it is tempered a bit. I could probably up the weight a tad as well.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Rear Inclined Seated DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises Superset with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Close Grip Bench Press on Free Bench: 4 x 25 @ 45 lbs (bar) for triceps
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Mat Stretch

I've drained my water bottle and feel spacey and tired by the time I get back to the locker room. Thank goodness the hot water is on full force! Some days the shower doesn't seem to have enough hot water but today was great. The scale reads 108.0 lbs. I'm good with that. I'm so tired that I momentarily consider not going to the supermarket, but then I realize that I have nothing out for supper tonight, so off I trudge. There's kickboxing tonight but since my husband is in Boston (again!), I won't be making that. Not that I want to. What I really want is a nap. Right now! Now that the Rush is over, it's time to recuperate. Ah, and tomorrow is Back and Biceps. Maybe I'll up the weights on my Bent Over BB Row. Hmmmm....

Does This Make My Butt Look Fat? Do I Even Care?

Short people look
horrible in long shorts!

These look so
different on the model!

It's Leg Day and I get to see how the new, more modest KickBooty yoga shorts will hold up. As much as I like my Underarmour Shorts, I'm still inhibited from doing the full range of kicks and stretches while wearing them. These new shorts promise to be clingy (no leg gaps) but not compressive. My body, with it's collapsible veins, super flexible joints and fish-scale skin, does not respond well to anything compressive. I suspect there's some genetic collagen-connective tissue defect but it's never been confirmed.

I'm tempted to put my Underarmour shorts on over the yoga shorts but that feels way too bulky and I worry about the inner seams chafing my thighs during cardio. By the time I get to the gym, I don't even care anymore as long as I can get my workout done. I note new equipment in the cardio area. They've moved all the Precors further down and rearranged the order so I don't know which one is #3 anymore. I suspect, from the missing bottle holder peg and the scratches on the glide track, that #2 is actually my old favorite #3. I'm proven correct as I punch in program #6 Hill and proceed to peddle away.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill #6 = 4.07 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.37 miles  Grand Total = 8.44 miles Wahoo!
Smith Squats: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
I don't like the fact my right knee is clicking on the descent and work hard to adjust my footing.
Smith Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
They're still breathlessly hard and I'm sweating so much that I strip off my sopping hoodie in order to let my head dry a bit. The doors are all open and the fans are blowing but it's humid and unseasonably warm today, peaking in the mid 70s by this afternoon.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
12 pistol squats each leg: since I'm plugged in, I like all my movements to flow as if they were choreographed. I set up my Pistol Squats as if I'm standing on an imaginary balance beam with toe to heel footing. I'm concentrating so hard on not falling over that sweat beads up on my face and drips off my nose. Or, it could be a hot flash! Kidding.
Seated Leg Curl: 4 x 12 @ 97.5 lbs 
I can't remember what weight I used last week and decide to just go with this. I don't think I can handle anything heavier because it's all I can do to brace myself in the seat, even with the lap bar down.
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 75 lbs 
Now this is definitely heavier than last week but my movement on this is very short and limited.
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch: my stretch is so much better now that I'm able to toss a few kicks out during Cage Stretch earlier in my workout. 

I see a few regulars today but Wednesdays don't get crowded until later in the afternoon. I haven't seen Mo since last week, but M is always here. Again I don't say Hi because I'm never in the same part of the gym as he is. I just do my routine. I don't quite understand what he does though because he seems to jump between cardio and weights and stretching but sort of erratically to me. But I'm sure he has a system. He looks like he has a system anyway. Just like I have a system: cardio, weights, stretch. Simple! And you might ask Why. Why do this? Because I believe that the cardio not only gets you warm, it uses all your readily available carbohydrates. By the time I get to weights and focused stretching, I feel I'm forcing my body to burn fat. I'm not a skinny person by nature, but I have noticed changes in my body that I find fascinating. For instance, I noticed a round bump in the groove just above the elbow (just under the brachioradialis) and I wondered what it was. It's the end of the humerus bone! Wow, never saw that before! And never realized how knotty the end of it was! Kind of cool. I'm also fascinate by the increased vascularity in my forearms. I've never had such prominent veins before! Again, I think it's kind of cool. Okay, I've always been a weird kid.

I ask the gym owner P what the new equipment is and he tells me it's Virtual Boxing; the stations are just waiting for the video chips to be installed. My face lights up. Oooh, that sounds like fun! I'd be willing to try THAT! Secretly, I wonder if my ersatz cage kicking had any influence on this purchase. I know that everyone's interested in what they can do to get "beach ready".  Yesterday, at my son's TKD class, one of the lady instructors gushed over my arms. She'd been in the kickboxing class last week with me and my husband. 

"I saw you throwing punches and you have such great definition and I want that! I want those arms!" Wow, I'm flattered. She asked me if I'd gotten that from kickboxing but sadly, I had to tell her, "No, it's from my morning workouts at the gym." "Ah, so by the time you get to kickboxing, that's your cool down," she teased. Yeah, well she's sort of right. 

The scale reads 107.8 lbs which is exactly the same as last Wednesday. I'm good with it. I'm not actually getting any bigger as far as I can tell. I still have a saggy butt (losing weight means that not all your skin shrinks) but the fat behind my knees is gone. Honestly, I work out so hard and so intensely that the only person who would even dare comment on my butt is me. And I don't care because there's nothing else I can do except what I'm doing. 

Will Stronger Mean Bigger?

I'm still tired and I'll confess to being a tad sore as well. Nothing really specific, although I'm happy to say it's not my butt. For weeks my butt hurt. Now it doesn't anymore! Yay! Instead, I think there's a diffuse soreness to my entire upper body (I can't believe it was just a 6 rep set at 155 doing this!), but nothing that's going to inhibit me from daily routines.

Precor #3 seemed a bit clunky this morning, at least until I started to get into my groove and upped my pace to a brisk 195-205 SPM. No stitches either. After 35 sweaty minutes, I did manage to squeak past my quota, but just barely. I saw M but never in any context to say Hi so I didn't. The Mayor was unusually quiet today. I see Tall Pace and he seems to be frowning a lot. But I'm focused on Seated Cable Rows because I've been at a plateau for some months now. Today's the day I mix it up a bit and I drop my reps as I move the weights up. When I get to 120 lbs I hesitate. Last week I'd done a few sets at 127.5 so doing the next plate, 135 should be doable. And after convincing myself that doing sets of 6 reps is perfectly respectable, I do it.

After yesterday's personal best (for me), I posted it on the forum and got the reply that since I'd done an additional 49 reps (12, 12, 25), I most likely could handle another set or two of 6 reps at my max weight. Can't really argue too hard there. We are our own worst enemies!

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 4.02 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 8 @ 120 / 3 x 6 @ 130 lbs
Not picture perfect form but that's kind of hard when you're pulling something that weighs more than you do and it's all you can do to stay in your seat. It's a lot of leg working with back and arms. 
Pull Ups at the Smith Rack: 12+2 / 10+2
I keep my legs curled up to my chest while I do these. It's cheating because I don't fully extend my arms but at least I'm working lats, and I'm not completely destroying my forearms.
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
This area is suddenly crowded with broken equipment to be repaired and I can't kick outside the stretch cage without tripping over someone so I only do cage kicks.
Pull Ups: 12+2
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 15 @ 80 lbs / 6 x 15 @ 85 lbs
I should probably move up to the 90 lb bar but I'm so damn lazy.
Seated Alternating DB Bicep Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Pull Ups: 10+2 / 8+1
I'll do as many as I can until I just can't do them
Lower Back Extensions (again): 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Ab Crunch Station: 100
BB Curls: 15 @ 40 lbs / 3 x 15 @ 45 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 15 @ 40 lbs
Pull Ups: 10+2
Mat Stretch

According to the gym scale I'm 110 lbs today. At home I weigh in at 107 lbs. My measurements seem the same so I'm not quite sure if I'm actually getting bigger somewhere that's not measurable. Uh, like my big toe perhaps? I am eating an egg with my oatmeal everyday. I'm also eating local Salinger Farm apples with cottage cheese & pineapples, or pepper-jack cheese, and drinking a big steaming cup of Tazo Awake tea in the afternoons with honey and half 'n half. I need that caffeine kick or else I'll be yawning through my son's homework.

It's 74°F today and I'm wearing a skimpy spring green t-shirt and bright blue khakis (Gap). The size 0 are always too big in the butt and waist, and the size 00 fits there, but is a tad tight in the thighs. I really can't win, unless I wear shorts, or a dress. But tomorrow the temp's going to plummet back to a more seasonal 58.

I don't mind the cooler weather because I can get away with wearing a tank top undershirt under my long sleeve flannel. With the warmer weather I'm back to the sartorial dilemma of what to wear under my shirts because penlight that I am, I still prefer not to have headlights on my chest. I've got a 36AA Lula Lu padded bra that does the trick but when I look down, I don't recognize my own body profile. It's like wearing prosthetics! Perhaps if I were a bigger person this would seem more proportional, or downright dainty. Maybe I really need a 36AAA. Hmmmm.

The bugs are out en masse: found a stink bug in my dog's water bowl this morning! And I saw robins courting in the road when I took the dog out around 7:30 am. Mayflies and gnats buzzing our faces at the school bus stop. Yep, it's spring. The trees are all tipped with tiny red swollen buds. My eyes are intermittently itchy.

I'm hoping to get stronger, but not really any bigger although a tad more definition would be nice. But everything's really just one great big experiment. Do it and see what happens! And if it doesn't quite turn out the way you expected, well, there's always tomorrow to revamp things and try again! That's actually part of the fun, seeing what works and what doesn't. It keeps things fresh, and exciting. No point to getting yourself in a rut. Life's too short to suffer through self-imposed ruts.

When Power Goes to Your Head

I dragged myself to the gym today. Even though it's Monday and I should be feeling fresh and rested, I'm actually tired and not quite as focused as I'd like to be. I get to the gym late and hope that I've missed the cackling din that precedes many of the popular classes like BodyPump, Zumba or RPM.

I just want to plug in, pull my hoodie over my face and peddle blissfully away. I still hate my new earphones: not only are they a pain to untangle, the ear clips are tenuous and the sound quality isn't as good as I'm used to. I'm not so lucky to get my favorite Precor and have to settle for #1 which isn't as horrible, as let's say, having to use a LiftFitness elliptical. Still, my weariness shows because I can't make my 4 mile quota. I'm not even that sweaty. Sigh.

The Smith machine is occupied by "MacGyver" who is stretching out his leg on the bar. He's got a pair of 45 lb plates and a pair of 10s. I ask him how many sets he's got left, and he tells me it's his last one.
"I'll wait for it," I say, and settle against the wall with my water bottle.
Then, unexpectedly and quite contritely, he asks if I want any plates left on the bar, or if he should strip it all down.
"Strip it all down. Thanks."
He mumbles about not knowing if I'd want to re-rack weights but I'm all business and thank him again. Wow, I wasn't expecting that. He's still smarting from the time I dressed him down over a year ago when he left plates on the bar. Everyone gets spacey so it's not a big deal but his snide remark, "Can't you lift that?" got him a scowl and the reply, "I shouldn't have to."
Still, I'm pleased that it's not too late for middle-aged pretty boys to learn manners.

I look around to see who's here. I see M, Barbie & JerryO and a few others. Uh oh, the Mayor's just arrived too. I settle down to business, trying to remember the new benching routine I want to try today. I want to up my weight but I'm unsure as to how much I should add, or how many reps I should go for. I'm still debating (with myself) even as I bridge my back and set my legs to bench with M spotting me.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min = 3.90 miles Bleah! Nothing to celebrate here except that I did my 35 minutes.
Smith Bench Press: 25 @ bar (45 lbs) / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 12 @ 145 lbs
I find M and ask him if he'll do me a big favor and spot me because I'm nervous about pushing a weight I've never done before. He's a great spot. He tells me it's all me even though I see his hand encircling the bar, but I feel as if it's all me. Damn, I hope it's all me!
6 @ 155 lbs / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 25 @ 95 lbs
The front of my right shoulder twinges slightly but I feel pretty good. And I don't want to jinx myself so one set is good for today. I start to drop my weights but keep my reps steady until I get to 95 lbs. Then I just have to knock out 25 reps, and they're soooo easy I almost feel guilty.
Cage Stretch & Kicks and a few kicks outside the cage for fun
Rear Bent-Over DB Raises (chest in lap): 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
M is doing inclined BB rows in the Smith and there's only 1 incline bench so I do bent-overs. They're harder than Seated Rear Inclines so I'm not too disappointed. When he's done, he asks me if I did drop sets. "Oh yeah," I said and then conceded that they were awfully easy. We agree that everyone's physiology is so different that what works for one person may or may not work for another. Power lifting sets of 2-3 reps doesn't do anything for him, no increased strength, no size gain, just soreness. I tell him I like doing heavy reps for the pump and because I want to build endurance which I define as a different type of strength. I'm glad I haven't seen B today: I'm sure she'd be giving me the stink-eye and not even realize it.
Standing Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 20 lbs these never seem to get easier. For the last 3 sets, I superset them with One-Arm Tricep DB Extensions: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
It seems like a natural progression of the movement and I'm doing triceps anyway so what the heck...
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Ugh, I see the ragged knee of torn plaid pj pants and know it's PJPants sitting across from me. Luckily, another old guy is chatting with him, standing with his back to me so I feel less self-conscious while I knock out my sets. It takes me less than three minutes.
Tricep Press Downs: 12 / 11 / 8 @ 50 lbs
The edge of my right triceps is just barely visible in the lower edge of my peripheral vision, and I wonder how they really look.
Mat Stretch

My stretches are good today in spite of two days off and I'm happy. The Mayor has been usually quiet today although he is still running back and forth between constituents. I wonder if anyone's said anything to him about how loud he is. I look up, see the clock and realize that I have to rush home because the water softener guy is suppose to show up this afternoon to install the new system. Our super hard, pH 5.6 well water is eating through everything!

The scale reads a whopping 111.4 lbs but it's not like I'm crazy fat or anything, although I did eat an awful lot of these wonderfully addictive chips. These are so light and crunchy and delicately flavored that you can eat them solo, although they can stand up to a good salsa. Adios Garden of Eatin' Blue Corn Tortilla Chip! Hello, Xochitl! Everything else tastes like a salt lick compared to these delightful tortillas.

I did also have a lot of sangria with frozen strawberries (my own), and a few bottles of hard cider. I like to relax on the weekends, and I don't pay a lot of attention to what I'm eating and drinking because it's enough for me to work out 5 days a week. I don't need to stress over food or the fact that imitating a sloth is my favorite weekend activity. I punch my numbers into a site at bodybuilding.com but it's disconcerting to see that it calculates 12 reps at 145 lbs as more powerful (a greater one rep lift) than 6 reps at 155 lbs. So according to that site, I'm losing my strength, even though my 12 reps at 145 preceded my heavy lift. Sigh. It's always something. But I'm still really happy! I benched 155 lbs! I have a new heavy lift! I just gotta be careful to let all that power go to my head ;-)

Go Ahead, Prove Me Wrong!

Nothing like a challenge to get the competitive juices flowing, eh? I might be a shrinking wallflower when it comes to social interaction, but get me in a gym with some good dance music and I'm out to draw blood, with a grin on my sweaty face. We did make it to cardio kickboxing last night and I thoroughly enjoyed the bouts of continuous punching or jabbing and/or kicking the heavy bags. Visions of old Shaw Brother kung fu movies danced in my head while I pummeled away.

So naturally, today I was a bit sore and tired. The parking lot was a zoo and the gym was unusually crowded for a Friday morning: it was as if everyone had taken the day off just to work out!

My favorite Precor was available and I managed to peddle myself good and sweaty without stitches. Probably because breakfast was over an hour prior to exercise: coffee and oatmeal with a beaten egg and a dollop of honey.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min = 4.01 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 12 @ 120 / 12, 10 @ 125 / 10 @ 127.5 lbs Yay!
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 15 @ 80 lbs / 6 x 15 @ 85 lbs
Pull Ups: 12+2 / 10+2 Never say die!
Alternating DB Curls: 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Ab Crunch Machine: 100
Lower Back Extensions (again!): 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Pull Ups Again: 10+2 Bleah!
BB Curls: 12 @ 40 / 3 x 12 @ 45 lbs
Damn, 45 lbs is a lot heavier than 40 lbs!
Pull Ups Again: 8+2 Bleah! Diminishing returns!
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 3 x 15 @ 45 lbs
Mat Stretch

The scale reads 108.6 lbs which is a tad heavy but I'm feeling strong, and my clothes don't fit any differently. When I get home, I find several suggestions posted to the Newby Forum where I'd asked for help with my benching. The two women responded with pleasant Good Lucks, but the men were very helpful. They all concurred that I'm doing too many reps and should ease up to increase my benching. I love being proven wrong.

Learning to Embrace What You Hate

It's not a two-toned tank;
I'm just soggy from cardio!

I say it every week, "I love, love, love Leg Day." You might actually believe that I really enjoy peddling furiously for over an hour once a week, exiting the elliptical soaking wet and yet thoroughly parched, with saliva crusted at the corner of my mouth and a mix of snot and sweat dripping from my nose. You might think that I'm the sort of person who loves aerobics, zumba, anything cardio. And you'd be wrong. I hate cardio and avoided it for years.

I always had an excuse ready: it made me tired, it took too much time, I have bad knees, flat feet, a funky hip, I get stitches. But I didn't make much progress with my workouts until I not only actively incorporated it into my routine, but embraced it as if it would save my life. I gave up the slow glide while watching TV and instead challenged myself to reach 5 miles in a 45 minute period. The weight fell off and I retained all my hard-earned muscle. I built endurance. My stamina increased. I could lift heavier weights. My stretches improved. And I still hate cardio. I'd so rather lift weights than do cardio. Which is why I do it first. Get it out of the way while I'm still fresh. I love Leg Day because I've forced myself to do something I hate, and it feels good.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min hill #6 = 4.08 miles + 35 min intervals #7 = 4.41 miles  Grand Total = 8.49 miles Yippeeeee!
This was not stitch-free however, I just grimace through it, hope it doesn't cause any permanent damage and am really happy when it's all done and I've made my quota of 8+ miles!
Smith Rack Squats: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Smith Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks both inside the Cage and standing flat on the floor. It's hard to keep my balance without the Cage and I have to focus much harder to direct my foot at the imaginary target. I wear body-hugging capris today so I can stretch and kick without worrying about who's going to see my underwear under my shorts. B would say, "Well, at least you're wearing underwear." Yeah, yay me.
10 Pistol Squats alternating each leg
This exercise really has me beading up with sweat while I concentrate on not falling over!
Seated Leg Curl: 3 x 15 @ 97.5 lbs
I was going to go back and up the weights but it became popular so next time I'll see if I can do 105 lbs. I do feel a tad guilty not doing a full 6 sets...
Seated Leg Extension: 6 x 15 @ 60 lbs
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
All the lights go out suddenly and everything comes to a standstill momentarily. Those of us who don't require electric continue our workouts while the treadmills, elliptical and stationery bikes idle. The emergency exit lights stay on, and the locker rooms flicker back but everything else is dark, including all the flat screen TVs throughout the floor area.
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Mat Stretch

The lights finally come back on while I'm on the Mat. Mo's there and we chat briefly. There are other regulars about, M, The Mayor, Eagle Eye, skinny Mustache. Back in the locker room, Mo tells me that she doesn't talk to anyone except me because she knows me from Tower Fitness some 15 years ago. She especially doesn't like "that guy who talks all the time, telling everyone what to do." I don't tell her that I've already nick-named him The Mayor. Instead I say, "He's kinda like a politician." She whispers that she thinks he's in his late 40s, that he looks much older and I'm actually surprised because I really thought he was probably late 50s or early 60s and not wanting to admit it.

The Zumba chick complains that she doesn't like the way she looks and I try to reassure her. She has a great body, in and out of clothes. Personally, I'd like to see more muscle on her arms and shoulders but that's just me. She's 53, same age as me, but looks younger. We all do. She could pass for a hard late 30s. JL, who's mid 40s, could definitely pass for 30s. JL teases me that I look like a kid, and I tell her that I wear make-up so people won't tell me to go find my mom. Everyone laughs. The scale reads 107.8 lbs. When I get home, my scale reads 105.8 lbs and that seems right based on how my clothes fit, and what I perceive in the mirror.

Tomorrow is Chest, Delt & Triceps. A Push Day. Tomorrow, I also have the dreaded "boob test" where a well-intentioned medical technician grabs your chest including your armpit and pectoral muscles and tries to squish it all between two plates of glass. This may be fine for larger-breasted women, but for AA gals like myself, it makes me want to avoid the test like the proverbial plague. They'll also do an ultrasound because I have "dense" breast tissue. Two years ago they did a biopsy and I still haven't forgiven them for that extremely intrusive and scarring procedure. If there are any lumps now, it's the new scar they created by snipping out what little breast tissue I have. Honestly, I have such a low risk factor that this just seems superfluous. But, like most women, I concede that it's better to be safe than sorry, so I will indeed go to that test. Sigh. Embrace what you hate. I used to like seeing my mammogram images because they looked like lunar landscapes. They still do.

Good Friday Workout

I'm damn near dragging my butt today but I still drive to Gold's Gym with my son in tow. While he's entertaining himself with games on our old first-run iPad, I'm desperately huffing and puffing on Precor #1. The glide track feels smooth as glass but I'm still having trouble keeping my pace up: I don't make my 4 mile quota today. However, I am warmed-up and my hoodie is soaked. That always feels good to me. I know a lot of women don't like that damp feeling and run off to the locker room to blow dry their hair and clothes before continuing their workouts. That behavior simply baffles me.

Perhaps I just take a long time to warm up but the seated cable rows don't actually feel good until the last set. I may actually up the weight on this movement. How exciting! However, Pull Ups positively sucked today. I've got to stop doing those close grip chins because they're seriously messing with my left forearm. Oh well, there's always something to work around. At least that keeps things interesting. I see B briefly and we wish each other Happy Easter. M, The Mayor, Fish Guy, Mo... I see a lot of regulars but like me, they have things to do and they leave the gym soon after I arrive.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 3.94 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 10, 10, 12 @ 120 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 95 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
I can now put my leg up in front of my face and press my nose to my shin with my foot resting on a bar over my head. It helps a lot with the vertical split (leg in front and behind the body) I do during Mat Stretch.
Pull Ups: 12+3 (knees curled up to chest) / 8+4 (legs extended perpendicular) but I'm feeling spent!
Reverse Grip Barbell Rows: 6 x 15 @ 80 lbs (okay, I'm not sooo spent)
Even though the last 3 reps were a tad exhausting, I'm toying with the idea of adding 5 lbs (two 2.5 lb magnetic discs) to the barbell.
Alternating Seated DB Curls: 3 x 10 @ 25 lbs I cut the reps today because I'm a bit short on time
Ab Crunch Station: 100 (yes, I'm THAT bored)
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Reverse Grip BB Curl: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
My left forearm aches now when I do this motion so I only do 3 sets
Mat Stretch
I'm happy I'm finally able to touch my feet with my arms extended wide and roll forward into a horizontal split. I've been working on this for months now! I've been told that a side-effect of menopause is loss of flexibility and I'm fighting hard against that.

The scale reads 108 lbs even. I haven't finished my water either, but I'm famished. My son is hungry too, so we sit in the car while I drink my Ensure® and he consumes a Balance® bar (with 14 grams of protein it's better than a candy bar) before we do grocery errands. We have a play date with friends later today and I've frozen slices of organic strawberries with some raw sugar to toss into chilled sangria. It tastes pretty good! I'm also making banana bread because those blackened fruit appear to be melting into my counter top so I'm sure they won't last another day. I toss a half cup of hammer-smashed pecans into the batter, cut the sugar to a 1/4 cup and get a fragrant loaf in an hour. Wrapped in aluminum foil, it'll keep in the refrigerator for at least a week if it's not eaten right away.

I really want to up my weight on the Smith Bench Press so I'll just have to screw up my courage and ask for a spot come Monday morning. It's so much easier to not speak to anyone and just let the music carry you along. I did replace my broken headphones but I'm undecided as to how I like these "new" asymmetrical Sony® headphones. I've had to tuck the longer right ear wire into my tank to keep from compulsively trying to even out wires which can't be evened out. It's a bit maddening.

Meanwhile, our house is due for a visit from the Easter Bunny and we have plans to make a pulled-pork for Sunday supper. Weekends are great. I really look forward to two days of slothfulness.

Giving 110% Even When...

I'm always disheveled
and sweaty after cardio

I'm not sure if it's menopause (egads!), run of the mill fatigue (not enough sleep and too much to do), or just that it's Thursday and my second Push Day of the week, but damn it, I got up tired today. I didn't blow off my workout though, figuring that the cardio would prompt my metabolism and energize me enough to get all my errands done afterwards.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio Precor #1 = 3.99 miles Drat!
Even at Level 1 it was difficult to keep my pace over 200 SPM. Tomorrow I'll try to get on Precor #3 to see if it makes any difference.
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 25 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 12, 10, 8 @ 145 lbs / 12 @ 125 / 25 @ 105 lbs. There were diminishing returns on the 3 heavy sets. I'm disappointed but not crushed.
Cage Stretch & Kicks & 12 Close-Grip Neutral Chin Ups with knees tucked into my chest: these are a lot easier than I remember doing them last year.
Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Rear Seated Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 100 (Yep, I'm tired today)
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Ab Crunch Station: 100
I've remembered not to do Torso Twist Station before Press Downs!
Tricep Press Downs: 12, 12, 11 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch: my stretch is so much better on days that I actually toss a few kicks out in the stretch cage. I've just got to get me some better fitting shorts to wear on Leg Day...

The scale barely budges today and registers 108.8 lbs but I've drained my water bottle and I'm absolutely starving. When I get home, my scale reads 105.8 lbs and I'm satisfied. The regulars all came and worked out today. B, M, Skinny J, The Mayor, R, Mo, Fish Guy, Ranger Rick, ZZ, Skinny Mustache... There are a few new women in the gym as well, and they appear to be fairly serious in their approach. There's also a few CrossFit gals, leaping up into the air between dead lifts and shoulder presses. They look fairly young, perhaps high school or college age.

When I leave, I do feel happy and energized. Or perhaps I'm too tired to actually be annoyed with the long lines at the stores, and the distracted drivers weaving down the road. I'm tired and I still had a good work out. Sometimes tired is just a state of mind.

The Love-Hate Workout

This tank makes me seem
really big in the hips! Egads!

Wednesday's are Leg Day for me. I only do Legs once a week, although I do cardio every time I come to the gym. Leg Day is much more than just double cardio sets, although that's part of the fun. I'm a tad late today so of course Precor #1 and #3 are occupied. #2 has been out of commission for months. That leaves #4.

Number 4's a bit too smooth for my liking although now I understand why the old guys like to walk it. The pedals seem loose to the point of wobbling, but I have bigger concerns. My headphones aren't right today, the music is full of static and the left earbud only sporadically transmits anything pleasant. Sigh. Gonna be one of THOSE workouts.

In spite of the distraction, I do manage decent paces for both my sets. The gym isn't all that crowded but of course, the paper towel dispenser is out near the full spray bottle (for wiping down the equipment), and the spray bottle is empty near the full towel dispenser. Of course. I'm sure no one has told the Staff either, and I'm equally guilty because I don't want to interrupt my workout, nor do I want to seem like a nag, because I'm constantly mentioning things like, the light is out in the shower stall, there's no tp in the stall, the toilet seat's so loose I'm afraid I'm going to topple over. Well, you get the idea.

B ambushes me as I head towards the Smith rack. I didn't even realize she was here today because I didn't see her car this morning. She's off to do a million chores before Easter. Easter is a very serious affair around here. Feeling a bit festive myself, I donned my usual magenta shorts and fuchsia sports bra but swapped the clingy-when-wet black nylon tank for a bright lemony 100% cotton one. Unfortunately, it's so bright and thin that I can see perky little headlamps in the right light. Good thing I've ordered a few sale-priced padded sports bras from Old Navy. With my penlight (AA) figure, I'm not horribly concerned but still, it's best to be modest.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min #6 hill = 4.0 miles + 35 min #7 intervals = 4.38  Grand Total = 8.38 miles Yippeeee!
I develop the fain stirrings of a stitch with only 4 minutes left of the 5 minute cool down during the first set, but it passes and I'm able to grimace through the intervals without any great discomfort other than wrestling with my headphones.
Smith Squat: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
I've either got to up the weight or move to the actual squat rack because this is getting easy
Smith Straight-Legged Dead Lift: 12 @ bar / 6 x 12 @ 95 lbs
This still takes the wind out of me after a few sets but I definitely feel this in my butt, lower back and leg biceps
12 Pull Ups just for fun
Cage Stretch: the lack of kicking and side stretches is apparent in my stiffness during Mat Stretch
10 Pistol Squats each leg
I'm concentrating so hard on not falling over that I bust a sweat just doing this simple motion
Seated Leg Extensions: 6 x 12 @ 60 lbs
Doing these right after Pistol Squats makes my knees tired and it's not until the 3rd set that I'm able to complete each set without grimacing and massaging my lower quads.
Seated Leg Curls: 12 @ 90 lbs / 5 x 12 @ 97.5 lbs
Torso Twist machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch

The scale reads 109 lbs which at least is going in the right direction. Again, I haven't finished all my water so something's definitely changing in my physiology. I've been adding an egg to my oatmeal for breakfast but I'm still starving by the time I leave the gym. The Ensure goes down in 30 seconds if I give myself time to come up for air. I just wish it came in other flavors, like strawberry 'cause I'm getting sick of vanilla.

I read that General Petraeus runs 7 miles a day if he's not biking 25 miles. Damn! He's 60 years old. Now that's making age look good, even if he had a major lapse in moral judgment. Of course, being married and over the age of 40 doesn't mean we're dead either. Personally, I love looking at great bods. But it's hard to look without seeming interested. I find most people just aren't that interesting to talk to, so I prefer to look from afar. Maybe it's because I don't want precious workout time wasted with idle chatter.

I see The Mayor and a few other regulars today but most of them are done and gone soon after I arrive. Plus it's relatively nice outside. Who in their right mind would choose to spend it inside, in a gym? Mo arrives just as I'm about to leave. She hates working out these days but admits it's easier now that she's given up on cardio. My relationship with cardio has changed from something I only grudgingly did to something I look forward to (getting over and done with). I could never do cardio at the end of my workout because I wouldn't have the energy after weights. Plus, cardio helps warm me up so I can lift and stretch better and without injury.

I love working out. I hate cardio but I love the way cardio makes me feel. I love working out to my iPod, and hate it when technical issues interfere. It's a love-hate thing.

The Abbreviated Tuesday Workout

The snow and sleet forecast for last night didn't materialize so today's feeling very vernal. I have my son with me and a service man coming to the house at noon so I'm in a mad rush to work out, shower and return home.

Precor #3 is occupied so I check out #1. It doesn't reset so I kick the On/Off switch at the back of the base, and toe the plug to make sure it's completely seated. The machine resets and I hop on, rewarded with a steady, smooth, gliding motion. Hmmm. This feels suspiciously like #3 used to feel. 35 sweaty minutes later and I've just managed to make 4 miles. But I'm much happier about it.

Seated cable rows always seem heavy to start, but as I warm up the motion becomes easier. I can't get to the Smith to do Pull Ups so it's directly to Lower Back Extensions and then the Cage Stretch. I toy with the idea of doing close-grip Pull Ups there, but I'm worried that I'll ruin any chance of doing a full set of regular Pull Ups at the Smith. There's only so much my scrawny little forearms can handle.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio = 4.02 miles
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 10 @ 120 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Smith Rack Pull Ups: 12+3 / 10+2 / 8+2
Reverse Grip BB Rows: 6 x 12 @ 80 lbs
DB Alternating Curls: 12 @ 20 lbs / 3 x 10 @ 25 lbs (my forearms are swollen and my elbow wraps are biting into my skin by the last set)
Pull Ups: 8+2 (I try to do as many sets as I can sneak into my workout these days regardless of whether it's a push, pull or leg day)
Torso Twist: 2 x 25
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Up: 125
Mat Stretch (the stretches are good, but the left hamstring always seems a tad tighter, probably never quite recovered properly from an old college rugby injury)

I blow off Reverse Grip BB Curls as well today once I finish my back and bicep workout. Feeling a tad guilty about slacking, doing only a few sets of DB curls, but time isn't on my side. It's a trade off. I need to do some abs, and I always need to stretch out before showering. I see R, say Hi and ask how he's doing. He's grimacing through tricep press downs and I know it's not the humidity so something's up. He concedes that he went for another pain shot yesterday. I remember that they hurt like hell. I see Mo in the locker room as I'm changing and promise to introduce her to my son afterwards, which I do. He's shy when he meets new adults, although he was very popular as the only older kid with an iPad there.

The scale reads 110.6 lbs which is better than yesterday but still kind of heavy for me. Especially since I've left several ounces in my water bottle. I console myself with the fact that I've upped my weight in a lot of movements, I'm getting stronger, and my back is bigger. But I think I'd like bigger biceps. Oh, and leg biceps too. We'll see what develops! Besides, tomorrow's Leg Day! Yay!

Give and Take

Back in the day!

It is with some dismay that I've just learned of Joe Weider's passing. Okay, he was 93 years old which is pretty darn old. But more than Jack LaLanne, Joe Weider is credited with popularizing bodybuilding, fitness and strength training via Arnold Schwarzenegger and a bevy of other larger than life figures, like Frank Zane, Cory Everson, Bev Francis.

We also have a wake to go to tonight so what's become clear lately is that there is always going to be give and take. People die, hopefully not too young and hopefully not unexpectedly, and babies are born, grow up and hopefully become wonderful adults. Endings become beginnings. It's a hard lesson to accept. But it seems applicable to everything. I just don't want to hear anyone say it's for the greater good. That's getting a bit old.

All that being said, I had an absolutely awful cardio session this morning, managing only 3.64 miles after 35 minutes on Precor #3. The elliptical didn't quite seem right today. The glide track felt gritty and I wondered as I panted through my set if someone hadn't swapped it for machine #1 or #4. #3's always been smooth as ice. Until today. I did get my pace up to 226 SPM, but it was difficult to keep it anywhere over 200 for any length of time. Mostly I panted like an asthmatic between 180 and 190 SPM. And I blame it on too much red wine this weekend (I couldn't resist bringing a bottle of Cupcake Red Velvet  to our friends' house), too much sugary snacks from Salinger's farm bakery, and not getting enough sleep. I know better, and still, it's hard to resist temptations when they coincide with social functions.

However, as horrible as cardio was this morning, I still bench pressed at the Smith machine. It didn't start out too promising, with my own little voice telling me that perhaps I should just do reps. Stubbornly, I worked through my standard progression, then stopped at the 9th rep on my first heavy set. My thumbs and wrists didn't feel quite right. Ignoring all the nay-saying little voices in my head, I changed my hand positions on the bar and knocked out two more full sets of 12 reps. It felt great!

Today's Total Workout:

35 min cardio = 3.64 miles BLEAH!
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 25 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 9, 12, 12 @ 145 lbs / 12 @ 125 / 25 @ 105 lbs The last set was hard and I had to pause for a few seconds during the 17th rep, and then again at the 20th rep. But it got done, and again it felt great!
Cage Stretch & Kicks & 10 Close-Grip Pull Ups (they seemed easier last week!)
Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Seated Rear Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Torso Twist (I realize too late that I can't effectively do Tricep Press Downs afterwards because my obliques will be too tired to stabilize my core): 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Tricep French Press with BB: 3 x 15 @ 30 lbs
Mat Stretch: My calves were feeling very tight during the bench press sets so I'm pleasantly surprised that they're much looser when I do my final warm down on the mat. This consists of a lot of hamstring, calf and glute stretches, then lower and upper back stretches. I always include shoulders, neck, fingers and a bit of toe wiggling.

The scale reads a whopping 111.4 lbs but I was expecting that. I did drain my water bottle today, didn't sweat as profusely as I'd liked, but all in all, had a pretty good Monday workout. Tomorrow's workout will be abbreviated because not only will I have my son in the ChildCare Room but we have to meet a service rep at the house from between 12 and 4 pm. So it'll be a rush rush rush workout. But I think I can manage it.

Ending the Week Well

One of these days I'll figure
out how to take photos without
me staring into the phone

It's Friday, the sun is blazing bright and I'm done for the week! I'm pretty happy with myself for actually upping the weight in a few movements. I'm not the impulsive type, so it always takes me a while to get used to an idea before I actually do it. Now's probably a good time to think about the abbreviated workout I'll have to do a few days next week when I have my son at the gym with me. Especially since I have the water softener guy coming between noon and 4 on Tuesday. Our well water is so hard that it's literally eating away the copper hot water pipes. I only realized how serious this was when my white face cloth turned green as I rinsed it in the running hot water!

Not VIA but pretty good

I've eaten all my frozen blueberries so now my oatmeal's kind of bland, and I've resorted to a spoon of maple syrup to liven it up. My grandmother used to add a beaten egg to the oatmeal to give it more fill power, but the last time I did that, I wound up being hungrier faster. I've switched from my beloved Starbucks VIA instant coffee to supermarket instant espresso. (Thankfully I have access to several food markets in my area because 3 out of 4 stores don't carry jarred instant espresso like Café Bustelo or Medaglia D'Oro. That leaves ground coffee, K-cups, and national brands like Taster's Choice, Sanka or Nescafe.)

Still, I had an excellent workout today. I managed to squeeze in several sets of Pull Ups throughout my routine, upped the weight on the Reverse Grip Barbell Row so I don't need to borrow the magnetic discs anymore, and knocked out a few sets of dumbbell curls at a higher weight as well. Even my stretches seemed smooth today.

Today's Total Workout:
35 min cardio #6 hill = 4.13 miles (again, a minute and a half to go during cool down and I sense the beginning of a stitch inside my right rib cage; it's very disconcerting considering I made sure to give myself at minimum, an hour between breakfast and working out)
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 10 @ 120 lbs
Oddly, I don't feel warmed up until the 3rd set!
Smith Rack Pull Ups: 12+2 / 10+2 / 8+2

Not tall enough to unrack
the 70 lb bar but I can just
manage the 80 lb bar!

 

Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Cage Stretch, Kicks & 10 Neutral Grip Pull Ups
Ab Curl Machine: 100 (ok, boredom isn't quite the right word here)
Reverse Grip BB Rows (I'm barely tall enough to get this bar on and off the rack without help, but I can do it!): 6 x 12 @ 80 lbs
DB Curls: 12 @ 20 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 25 lbs
Smith Rack Pull Ups: 10+2
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Smith Rack Pull Ups: 8+2 (uh oh, diminishing returns here!)
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 5 x 20 @ 40 lbs (my left forearm twinges with pins & needles during the last few reps of the last 2 sets so I cut it short and only do 5 sets)
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Mat Stretch

I see B and she excitedly tells me about the new Asian-food market she & her husband discovered in White Plains. After hearing her description, and because she can't ever remember the names of anything including what brand cell phone she now owns, I say to her, "It's H-Mart, isn't it." She's flabbergasted, but I tell her that all my friends rave about it, but we've yet to make the journey.

Other than B, M, Skinny J, PonyTail, MacGyver, Baggy Knees, PJ Pants, Short Pace, Skinny Mustache and a bunch of HS boys, I don't see many regulars. I catch a glimpse of The Mayor as he's leaving, noting that he must've resorted to wearing even bigger polo shirts because they positively hang on him, and not in a good way. I also note a few woman who seem to steal glances at me as I work out. That's okay with me. I hope they feel encouraged instead of intimidated.

The scale hasn't budged in several days, and as much as I sweat, I haven't actually drained my water bottle all week. Something's changing in my physiology. I weigh in at 107.8 lbs, and probably a few pounds lighter on my home scale (after I've peed 6 times!). But I'm stronger, and a tad bigger in the right places, so things are good. The week's ending well!