Not Exactly Two-A-Days. But Two Days in a Row!

I made it to the gym today. For the second day in a row. I can’t go out on a limb and yell “I’m back!”, because really, my workouts aren’t up to par. But I think it’s okay to whisper “I’m here! Again!”.

I’m starting to feel more at home in the gym. The strangeness is wearing off as I begin to get my bearings with the equipment, deciding which treadmill I like best, and which bar is most comfortable for hanging tucks. It is odd how we humans have to find our little niches; it is, I guess, a form of territory-marking  – a way of saying “This is my community. This is where I belong”. We all seem to need this, and familiarity can be a comfort in a time of stress.

The owners of the gym, Paul and Sarah, have more than gone out of their way to ease my transition to my new second home.  We have had a casual relationship for a few years now, and I have always trained in their facility whenever I have been in town. I really like them, and respect both their ethic and their expertise – so much so that I referred my mother to them a while ago. She really enjoyed training with both Sarah and Paul, and would, in fact, still be training if it were not for the cancer and chemo.

So it is no surprise that they ask after her each time I arrive. And that kindness, and the friendliness with which they greet me every time I arrive, is also helping me to settle in.

Today’s workout was cardio and core. This would normally be an easy workout for me, but I was finding it an effort. So, I broke up the cardio and did half up front and half at the end.

In the gym, by myself:

Treadmill: 4 mph, incline 2, 15 minutes. 1 mile

Plank Sequence: Regular, Side, Side, Regular. One minute per, for a total of 4 minutes, no breaks or drops to the mat in between (hands and feet only).

Turkish Get-ups: Hmmm. Usually a fun exercise for me. But today, I just couldn’t keep my arm locked out. I lowered the weight with no success. So I dropped the exercise.

Leg Lifts with Stability Ball: 12; 12; 12

setted with Upward Dog: 40 seconds; 40 seconds; 40 seconds

Hanging Tucks: I’m still working out the best way to do these. The equipment doesn’t allow for straps, so I have to hang from a straight bar in either the regular pull-up position or chin position, and I’m finding it a bit uncomfortable. But. I did it. Reps: 15; 15; 15

setted with Broomstick Twist and Hold: for my poor aching back. 6 per side; 6 per side; 6 per side.

Leg Drop, Stretch and Hold: 1 minute per side.

Lying Hamstring Stretches: 1 minute per side. Ouch, ouch, ouch, am I tight.

Treadmill (again.): 4 mph, incline 2, 15 minutes. 1 mile.

Total Cardio: 30 minutes, 2 miles.

Total Time in the Gym: 65 minutes.

It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled…

… and almost as long since I worked out.

Recent events have made it impossible for me to hit the gym since last Wednesday. Those same events have left me on the verge of exhaustion, but I decided that for my emotional health alone, I really needed to look past my tiredness and try to get in the best workout I could manage.

And I did.  It certainly wasn’t my best performance. Not by a long shot. But it was my best effort.  And by the time I was finished, my mood had improved tenfold. The mind/body connection never fails to amaze me.

My bete noir in its preferred incarnation. Not my weight plates - I'm not THAT wimpy. I didn't get a photo of my knight in shining armour. He told me he had recently piled 1000 lbs. of weight plates on this contraption. And watching him work out, I believe it.

Funny story: the leg press in this gym converts to a hack squat as well. The lighting was dim, my brain was fuzzy, and I was mindlessly loading plates onto the sled, so I wasn’t paying attention. I climbed into the seat – and couldn’t understand what had happened to the back cushion… or why the foot plate had disappeared… Talk about out of it.

Luckily for me, a knight in shining armour came to my rescue and magically made my leg press reappear – and showed me how to do for myself next time. Yet another lesson for me in my new trainer-less role.

Mike, I miss you.

In the gym, by myself. Workout by Mike:

Bodyweight squat to toe raise: Workout called for 3 sets of 25. I did 3 sets of 15.

Single leg press (once my rescuer had actually put my leg press together) Per leg, of course: Sled +45 lbs. x 15; +90 lbs. x 15; +125 lbs. x 15

Sumo squats with dumbbell: Workout called for 3 sets of 15. I did: 25 lbs. x 12; 20 lbs. x 12; 25 lbs. x 20 (to make up for the wimpy first two sets).

Romanian deadlifts: 50 lbs. (ouch, really that low…) x 10; 50 lbs. x 10; 50 lbs. x 10

supersetted with

Ball ham curls: 10; 10; 10.

and

Leg lifts and drop with holds, 15 reps.

Low cable adduction, per leg: 10 lbs. x 10; 10 lbs. x 10; 10 lbs. x 8

setted with

Low cable abduction, per leg: 10 lbs. x 10; 10 lbs. x 10; 10 lbs. x 8

and

Low cable glute kickbacks, per leg: 10 lbs. x 10; 10 lbs. x 10; 10 lbs. x 10.

Stretching: Side leg drops, stretch and hold, 1 minute per side.  Cobras. Lying hamstring stretch.

Time: 2 p.m. ; 70 minutes.

Settling in. February 3 Workout.

My new home.

The gym is great. The people are great. My workouts are okay. Not spectacular. But okay. But I confess, I miss my trainer and my workout companions. However, I am adjusting, and slowly finding a routine. A flexible attitude is core these days, and time is short, but I know myself well enough to know that I need to be here. When I neglect my workouts, I don’t do well in other areas of my life. And not doing well is not an option.

Today’s gym time was courtesy of my brother – again. On this, the third day of Mom’s chemo, David came and stayed with her post-treatment and I took two hours to work out and run errands. Everything chemo-wise is going well, and for that, we are all thankful.

In the gym, by myself. Workout by Mike:

Back:

Chinups: 4; 2; 2 (yeah Mike, I sucked).

Barbell Bent Rows: 35 lbs. x 12; 45 lbs. x 10; 45 lbs. x 10; 55 lbs. x 8

Reverse Grip Lat P/D: 40 lbs. x 12; 60 lbs. x 10; 70 lbs. x 7 (there is a weight difference. I felt like a wimp and upped the weight too fast. Thus the failure on the last set).

Straight Arm Pressdowns: 20 lbs. x 12; 20 lbs. x 10; 30 lbs. x 2/20 lbs. x 10 (ditto)

Cardio:

Treadmill, 4 mph. incline 2; 30 minutes, 2 miles.

Finding my way home.

Twenty-two of the forty-four stairs on the climb to my new home.

As I settle into a Canadian winter, I am also slowly easing into a new daily routine – and adapting to the fact that I will be working out regularly at a different gym. Of all these changes in my life, getting used to my new temporary workout home is proving to be the hardest adjustment.

For those of us who are truly dedicated, a gym becomes a second home – and sometimes, on particularly stressful days, even a refuge from life.  I have a love/hate relationship with my usual gym, a place I frequent so often that I have been asked if I sleep there. There have been a lot of changes in the past year, many of which have displeased me. But I love my trainer, and the people who are my workout companions – and most days, even the gym itself. All I have to do is walk through the door and get a whiff of that atmosphere – an atmosphere found in every good gym in which I have had the pleasure to work out – and I am home. It is, I think, a mix of one part sweat to two parts testosterone, and in the very best of gyms, breathing deeply of it invigorates me and spurs me on to work as hard as possible.

The very best of gyms… I’m sure some people have the image in their heads of a swanky “health-club”, complete with every amenity known to man. And while such a “club” may indeed, fall within the parameters of my definition, it is not the facilities to which I refer. It is, instead, a feeling. An aura, if you will. A sense that greets you at the door that here, within these walls, you will meet others who feel as you. Others who will be working hard, and sweating, and not be upset if you don’t stop to chat about the weather – though sometimes, if you’re between sets, you might. It is a place where, even if the equipment isn’t what you’re used to, you will still find everything you really need. Some weights, a pullup bar, a bench. A squat rack would be good, and maybe, too, a bench press rack… but  anything beyond this? Nice to have. But necessary? No.

The very best of gyms… the little gym that I am using now is one of these. Located on the third floor of a very old building in a very old town, it requires stamina just to enter. There are 44 steps from the street to the gym, and three small landings that break that steep rise. And the gym itself? It is a high-ceilinged space with large windows that look down over the main street of this small town. A bakery, a law office, a post office, a church – all are visible from my  third-floor cardio perch. Much of the equipment is old, some with torn seat cushions; the floor are uneven; and if you want a barbell, you have to build your own. Arnold posters adorn the walls, and warnings admonish the non-compliant that breaking the rules will result in penalties – say “I can’t” during boot camp? Pay $5.00. Wear outdoor shoes into the gym? (a real no-no in this sand & salt-laden winter climate) – lose your membership. No appeal.  Able to lift the weight? Then don’t drop it! This is a place where not only are you expected to pull your own weight – but you’re expected to re-rack it, too. If you don’t, then you’re just weak – or lazy. And if you didn’t already know this, which you should, then just read the signs. This is a facility that is owned and run by a young couple who are power-lifters, and they subscribe to an old-school work ethic that I love. They are heavily into Crossfit and boot-camp style workouts, and even when training my 73-year-old mother, they pushed her to the limits, never once assuming she wasn’t capable. This is a GYM, in capital letters, and you’d better know that when you walk through the door.

The very best of gyms… my home gym is one, too, and in very many ways, it is as much of a muscle-gym as this temporary home of mine. But I have the luxury of working with a trainer, and so, even though I am more than capable, I am unused to pulling and racking my own weights. My usual gym has barbells, so I am unused to building my own. It has squat racks that I am used to, so I don’t have to adjust to a new method of deadlifting. I am spoiled, folks, and I have been made very aware of this over the last few days.

So it is an adjustment. A psychic, as well as a physical adjustment. This little gym that for years, I have used as a vacation home, is about to become my primary home, and I’m having a little trouble adapting. But, flexible girl that I am, my brain will come around, and soon I will no longer feel like a guest on vacation. I will climb the stairs, walk through the door, greet Paul, Sarah, or whoever is behind the counter and begin my workout with the same sense of familiarity that I do in Texas.

Because after all, home is where the heart is. And for now, at least, my heart has returned to Canada.

Tired, but still on my feet. February 1 Workout.

Despite getting very little sleep last night, spending my early morning in the oncology department of the local hospital, running errands, grocery shopping and hitting the pharmacy not once, but twice – not to mention entertaining an incredibly social almost-five-year-old for a good portion of this time -  I still actually managed an hour at the gym today. Am I awesome, or what?

Actually, it is my brother who is awesome. Because, after having spent 4 1/2 hours sitting with Mom while she had chemo, he then came back to her house and stayed so that I could go to the gym.

I was so tired that I didn’t really know if I would be able to function at all. But sure enough, 10 minutes into my routine, I was feeling better, and by the time I finished cardio,  I was really glad I had made the effort. Exhausted seems to be the keyword of the day, but after only three hours sleep last night, that’s not too surprising. It is currently 7:30 p.m. here, and guess what? Just as soon as I finish the dishes and tidy up some loose ends, I’m heading to bed. Tomorrow is another busy day, as Mom begins an at-home course of chemo – and I hope that it will be another gym day, as well.

We shall see.

In the gym, by myself, but devised and written by Mike:

Chest Workout:

Alternating Dumbbell chest press on a flat bench. 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps.  Weights will probably be 15, 20, 25.   You can go heavier if you feel up to it. (My addendum: Nope.)

Incline flyes- 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 at 10#, 15#, 20#.

Incline Dumbbell presses-Three sets of 10 reps.  Stick with the same weight for all three sets.  I want you to fail at 10 on the last  set. Probably 25#.  (Failed on the first set. Had to drop the weight to 20 for the subsequent two sets). Maintain good form and stay safe.  Don’t overdo it.

Machine dips or assisted dips.  3 sets of 12, 10, 8. (No dip machine or assisted dip machine. Substituted bench dips, 3 sets of 12).

Cardio:

Treadmill, 6 kmh, incline 2. 30 minutes, 3 kmh (1.86 miles). Average heart rate: 140.

A Quick Leg Session. Saturday, January 30.

I was in a rush on Saturday – just an hour in which to complete my workout as the gym closes early. And errands to run, anyway. But I still managed a reasonable little leg session.

In the gym, by myself:

Warm-up: Smith squats, no added weight x 15 (I know, I know, Mike. I’ll do better next time.)

Smith Squats: Bar +50 lbs. x 12; +70 lbs. x 12; +90 lbs. x 10

Leg Press: Sled + 90 lbs. x 12; + 180 lbs. x 12; +230 lbs. x 10 (you can tell from the weights that this is the kind of leg press I like – old-fashioned, with lots of back support.)

Romanian Deadlifts: Olympic bar + 20 lbs. x 12. Range of motion was limited by the squat cage, so I tried them off a step. But it was awkward to reach the bar for the initial lift, and I tweaked my back. So I switched to:

Dumbbell Deadlifts: 25 lbs. x 12; 35 lbs. x 10; 45 lbs. x 6. This was problematic, too, though from the point of view of my upper body. Lifting the 45 lb. dumbbells off the rack was a challenge as the rack is almost at chest height – and of course, it never occurred to me to lift them off one at a time…. I did, however, clue in and re-racked them one at a time. But I feel it today.

Stability Ball Hamstring Curls: 12; 12. Only two little sets, as my back was bothering me from the original deadlifts.

Stretching: Cobras, Upward Dog, Side Knee Drops with a Hold.

The End.

If it’s Wednesday, no, Thursday, hey, make that Friday… it must be Canada.

I have been away from the gym for a long while. Travelling to Canada, settling in to a new routine, being with Mom through rounds of oncology appointments… A whirlwind, both emotionally and physically. I have had neither the time nor the energy to make it to the gym. Until today. As a result, the page in my workout log on which I recorded my required back routine has the date crossed out and rewritten three times. At least I didn’t make it four. And a workout accomplished, however delayed, is still a workout.

I will have to be flexible regarding my gym time over the next little while. As my mom will be undergoing 5 to 6 rounds of chemotherapy, I will be spending the majority of the next few months in Canada – though I hope to go home periodically, just so Doug remembers what I look like. Because of this, I have a new training regime – beloved trainer is sending me my workouts, and I am completing them on my own.

There is a small, but reasonably-equipped, gym in this little town, and over the years, I have become quite fond of the place. It is owned by a friendly young couple who are powerlifters, and it suits me to a tee. Which is a very good thing, as I just cannot do without my gym time – it replenishes me not only physically, but also, psychologically and emotionally.

Today’s workout, which was actually supposed to be Tuesday’s workout, was a nice little back routine. So without further ado:

In the gym, by myself (and I’d better get used to it!):

Chinups: increasing reps each set. 1; 2; 3; 2 (failure. wow. not a good start.) 60 seconds rest between sets.

Bent Rows: 25 lbs. x 12; 45 lbs. x 10; 55 lbs. x 10; 65 lbs. x 8

setted with

Crunches on a stability ball: 15; 15; 15

Lat Pulldowns: 40 lbs. x 12; 50 lbs. x 10; 60 lbs. x 8; 70 lbs. x 6 (I started at too light a weight, so I did one extra set. But this station seems heavier than in my usual gym.)

setted with

Side Planks (dips): 12 per side; 12 per side; 12 per side

Straight Arm Pressdowns: 20 lbs. x 15; 10 lbs. x 15; 10 lbs. x 15; 10 lbs. x 15 (ditto on the weight issue above)

setted with

Regular Planks, One Foot Up: 1 minute; 1 minute; 1 minute

Treadmill:

15 minutes @ 6.5 kmh, incline 3. Total 1.66 k. Average heart rate 149.

I Heart Josh, Version 2.0. And a Bit of Cardio. A Very Little Bit.

Saturday was a busy day for me, prepping and packing for Canada, so my free time was limited. I decided to skip the gym and opted instead for a 2 hour-long massage session with one of my favourite people. For various reasons, it had been a while since I had seen Josh, and I have to admit that I haven’t been keeping my end of the bargain – I have hardly stretched at all of late.

It showed. A good portion of our time was spent in stretching – going straight to the massage caused me screaming pain, so Josh backed off and put me through the pretzel routine first. Patient man. We also managed a good, long chat, punctuated by a lot of laughter, so by the time I left, I was relaxed both physically and emotionally. And as if that wasn’t enough, the man sent me home with beer… Seriously. Not only does this man massage me, entertain me, and feed me (see “I Heart Josh” Version 1) – but he shares his beer with me. And GOOD beer.

Photo courtesy of the D.Man - but I had to bribe him with beer...

Yeah, I seriously do heart you, Josh.

So, anyway. No Saturday workout. And I spent most of Sunday packing and reviewing what I’m taking to Canada, so I decided to pass on the cardio front once again. But as the afternoon progressed, the guilt began to kick in, and in the last hour before my gym closed for the day, I hightailed it over there and spent 30 minutes engaged in a mini-sweatfest.

Yay me. I’m such a good girl – because, after all, I will be sitting on my butt all day Monday, flying to Canada. Are you reading this, Mike? (And if so, the beer? Totally Photoshopped. Really.)

In the gym by myself:

Treadmill: 4 mph., incline 2 – 4 , 15 minutes, 1 mile.

via RunKeeper Shared Fitness | Walking Activity.

Stepmill: Fatburner, Level 8, 15 minutes, 1.3 miles.

via RunKeeper Shared Fitness | Other Activity.

The Adventures of… Cranky Girl. Friday January 22 Workout.

After today’s session, I won’t be training with my cohorts for a while. Monday, I head to Canada and while there, my weight training will be done on my own. So I was doubly pleased that Jae made it in for a rare late-week workout – she doesn’t usually make our Friday sessions. My regular Friday companion, Barry, is in Scottsdale, so we were joined instead by Matthew – and Mike.

It’s been a while since our trainer has actually worked out with us, so that was fun. Or at least, as fun as it could be with the gym temperature hovering in the sweat zone. A beautiful day, open doors, and scads of bodies working out – all accompanied by NO air-conditioning – resulted in an exceptionally warm atmosphere. In a tee-shirt and long pants, I was definitely overdressed. So, after 20 minutes warming up on a treadmill, I was already sweaty and dreading my post-workout cardio. I was, however, looking forward to a heavy leg session because I figured it would provide me with a few breaks in between sets…

Ha! Beloved trainer, naturally, had other plans in mind. Of all possible times, he chose today to run us through circuits. And you can bet that I was not a happy camper… my inner cranky girl peeked out for a few minutes, and I came very close to an all-out rant – but, eventually, I sucked it up, and by the time the hour was drawing to a close, I was in a much better mood.

Better mood or not, though, you can also bet that I took a pass on the cardio…

In the gym with Mike:

Training Partners: Mike, Matthew and Jae

Time: 4:30 p.m.

@#$%&*! Circuits:

Circuit One: Three times through, with weight increase to 10 lbs. and 12 lbs. dumbbells.

25 jumping jacks, first round only. (Cranky girl passed on this one. And rather vocally, at that.)

Dumbbell squat-to-overhead-press, 8 lbs. x 12

Bicep curls, 8 lbs. x 12

Upright Rows, 8 lbs. x 12

Alternating lunges, 8 lbs. x 12 per side

Elbow-to-knee crunches x 15

Tricep kickbacks (passed on this one, too.).

Circuit Two: Three times through, with some weight increase.

Oblique Crunches, 12 per side (modified bicycle crunch)

One-arm bicep curls (modified concentration curl), 8 lbs. x 12

Straight-arm plank position, alternating knee-to-elbow, x 12 per side

Romanian deadlifts, dumbbell, 10 lbs. x 12

Plie squats, 20 lbs. x 12 (30 lbs. last two rounds)

Dumbbell tricep extensions (skullcrushers) 8 lbs. x 12.

Edited to note: I didn’t record this workout as we went (for obvious reasons), so the order isn’t necessarily correct. But I think I got most of the weights right.

Cardio Nights. Thursday January 21 Workout.

I was late to the gym tonight, but apparently I really am a night owl because my cardio actually went well. I think my body just likes to have lots of fuel and so working out after a day’s worth of eating is ideal for me. I know some people really prefer to work out on an empty stomach. Me, well there just isn’t much I prefer to do on an empty stomach, so maybe I should just start my entire day at 8 p.m. …

In the gym by myself:

Treadmill: 4 mph, incline 2, 34 minutes, 2.25 miles. Max H/R 145.

via RunKeeper Shared Fitness | Walking Activity.

Stepmill:  Aerobic Level 8, 15 minutes, 1.3 miles. Max H/R 160. Avg H/R 145.

via RunKeeper Shared Fitness | Other Activity.