I'm going through a lot of newspapers on the floor, and a lot of pet-friendly wipes. The Earth Bath brand smell the nicest but they're expensive. The cheaper Nature's Miracle brand doesn't smell as good, and consequently, the pup doesn't smell as good. Actual baby wipes are cheaper yet, but I'm not really sure how canine-safe they are since dogs seem to be sensitive to things we humans take for granted as being edible, like coffee, chocolate and macadamia nuts.
A friend recommends trying CBD oil. Online literature suggests that it can soothe pain, increase appetite and ameliorate pancreatic and liver issues. Sounds a bit like snake oil. Because it's derived from hemp, there's no danger of the pup getting high. He's already dazed and confused as it is, no doubt having canine senior moments. Of course, traditional vets can't make any recommendations for alternative treatments since there's not enough published, hard-science testing. Everything is anecdotal. Nor are there standards for quality of oils available. How do you know you're actually getting what you ordered?On the other hand, I don't see my pup recovering from these age-related indignities. He's becoming more agitated. Today he wouldn't eat, vomited bile from not eating, and again had a few accidents in the house. I'm definitely going to look into the CBD oil, because I don't think it will make the dog worse, and it might make him more comfortable. I know this is probably his last summer.
At the gym, we decide to do the Octane cardio machine first, and then the recumbent bike. I'm having trouble with my wired headphones. We're both hot and sweaty when we approach the Stretch Cage. My son has a better-and-yet-worse pull up form than I do, but I only know this because I shot a video of him (I tried to post the video but it wouldn't upload properly) to show him his one leg forward position. Then he used my phone to do one for me. I can see that my movement is still very limited. My son has better range with a fuller extension. I'll have to work on my form on Friday! Our arms are tired so we agree to only do a set of push ups before hitting the weights. Core can wait until we're ready to stretch at the end of our workout! The Smith machine is still noisy but somehow the glide is smoother. Maybe someone squirted a bit of WD-40 into the tracts? We get to 80 lbs when my son decides he's had enough. His arms are tired. I add weight and do a set at 120, then another set at 140. My son asks me "Why?" I can't just say "Because" so I give him the full explanation of what it's like to get older and not be in shape. He sort of already knows this, but I tell him that I want to live to be old, but not crippled or frail, and especially not losing my mind. I tell him I want to be one of those "pain in the butt" seniors, sharp as a tack and able to take care of myself. He nods because we both remember how his paternal grandparents declined both mentally and physically.
I almost forget to do BB rows. My son does them overhand, first with gloves then without. He hasn't quite decided whether he likes them or not. I do mine underhand to work biceps with the back. The overhand mostly stresses my son's forearms. Sometimes I can't believe he's only 13. True, he hasn't reached his full height yet, but structurally, he's got very sturdy proportions. I'm extremely happy he's not cursed with the Southeast Asian body type: long torso and short limbs.
My son excuses himself to use the bathroom so I take this opportunity to find a neutral grip handle for the lat pull down station. Unfortunately, the handle I choose has rubber grips that seem sticky. I spray them and wipe them off, but that only helps a little. My son would rather use the regular bar but I tell him we're using this one. I need him to slow down. Well, at least this handle has a set hand width. We also do Seated Cable Rows. I know he can move more weight, once his forearms catch up. Because it's always his forearms that get tired.We have a lot of trouble doing Side Planks in the classroom, mostly because we're tired and it takes a bit of effort to maintain the odd position. Behind us, two men are doing walking lunges with BBs on their shoulders while talking loudly. Well, they're probably speaking in a normal tone, but the class is empty and echos. And it's really only one guy doing walking lunges across the room, because his buddy is merely stepping forward, then stepping back.
Bird Dogs are somewhat easier, but still a bit of a challenge. It's a relief to lay down and do Bicycles and Crunches! My son's hip stretches are getting a tiny bit better, but he's definitely lost the flexibility he had as a 5 year old. His warts also seem to be spreading, although he concedes that some seem to be insect bites because not only are they smaller, they itch. Molluscum contagiosum doesn't itch. If anything, my son seems addicted to using hand sanitizer these days, just so as not to spread the warts any further. Sometimes, a little OCD is a good thing.
Hump Day Wednesday
15 Octane
Calories 125
Miles 1.38
AHR 119/138 maxHR
Strides 1966 / 32 fl
15 recumbent bike
Level 1
Calories 61
Miles 1.45
HGPU 15, 15, 15, 15 (60)
M pull ups 5, 5, 10 (20)
Push Ups 60
M 30
Smith RDLs
Bar (30) x15, m15
50 x 12, m12
70 x 12, m12
80 x 12, m8
120 x 12
140 x 8
Smith (RG) BB Rows
Bar (30) x 15
70 x 25, m12
80 x 25 x 3, m 80 x 12 x 3
Lat Pull Downs
Neutral wide grip handle
(both of us)
70lbs x 12 x 3
Seated Cable Rows
(both of us)
60lbs x 12 reps x 2
70 x 12 x 2
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Bicycles 50
Crunches 30/20
Stretching
