Workout D #6: That was a great finish!! (Workout 25)

That was such a great workout!! Sweaty
and hard but so awesome! 

Well, my goal was to finish Phase 2 and Workout D strong today and I totally did! That was a great workout -- the weights on basically every exercise (except the shoulder presses which have been really hard) hit that wonderful point where they were Just Right and it's almost like everything is singing. It's hard to describe, but it's a great feeling. 

I'm really happy to have had such a fantastic experience as my last go 'round with this workout. Phase 3 will have more reps per set (and more overall) and one more exercise per workout and some new things, so finishing strong makes me feel really good. 

I can feel myself better and stronger and healthier. Love it! 

Today's workout was: 

• Spiderman Plank - 2 x 10 - If I were going to be doing these in Phase 3, I'd have to figure out a way to make them harder because it's time to take these up a notch. I went fast, alternating legs, concentrating on keeping my butt down and it was so good. :D I like these and will definitely keep them as something to keep in mind in future rotations. 
• Coordination Rows (Single-leg, Single-arm Cable Rows) - 2 x 10 - I'm still working at 15 pounds because increasing the weight is the *last* goal with these. I am absolutely getting better with these. Today I did five in each set with each leg without having to touch my foot down. When I started, I could barely get through one. I'm continuing with these. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Offset-loaded Step Ups - 3 x 10 - I was back at our "home" gym, so I did the step-ups onto the deck of a treadmill (because they won't let folks use the otherwise unused step boxes in the 30-minute circuit area). I think it is higher than the step boxes though. Certainly this felt like a good workout -- I used a 35lb weight again, held on the side of my working leg. This was the first time I really felt the extra core workout of the offset load -- I could feel myself stabilizing myself against the weight. 
• Shoulder Press - 3 x 10, 10, 8 - I have been using 20 lbs with these for ages and don't feel like I'm making progress with them. I *think* my form is good, and I'm certainly not hurting myself, I'm just not getting anywhere. These are not going to be in Phase 3 -- I think I need to give them a break and try some other shoulder exercise. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Squats - 3 x 10 - I used a pair of 35 lb dumbbells for these and just felt good doing it. I worked hard and just felt like I was making some sort of music with the weights. (Not a good metaphor, but I don't know how else to describe it -- it's like doing something hard and doing it well and feeling how good it is.) Anyway, was good. :D
• Kneeling Lat Pulldowns (cable-machine) - 3 x 10 - I'm still at 72.5 pounds with these, because I've been learning the lesson that how wide my grip is makes a *huge* difference for a while. Today I used the handle that has the slightly wider than shoulder width grip. That's the good grip that lets me move 72.5 lbs without feeling like I'm trying to do it all with my triceps, which just aren't that strong. It was so good! I totally felt like I was working my back as I wanted to and it was just perfect. 
• Cardio Intervals - 7 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity on the elliptical machine. I've come to the conclusion that Patrick is right -- this is not a machine that really works the quads. Quads pull the leg forward, hamstrings pull it back. That said, I absolutely feel this in my quads and it just *kills* them. No, it makes no sense. Anyway, after the seventh of the Insanity Intervals my legs just wouldn't do it anymore. That was it. 

As always with workout D, the hardest "exercise" is not even on the official workout list -- the Farmer's Walk (which is basically a walk holding a weight) from the back corner where the cable machines are to the front where the weight racks are. After I've done 3 sets of squats and 3 sets of pulldowns, carrying the weights is *hard*.

For Phase 3, most of these exercises are going to be continuing, but not all of them. I mentioned already that I won't be doing Shoulder Presses again (for a while, at least). I'm going to try again to do the Squats as Front Squats -- so the load will be above my center of gravity. The Step-ups I'm either going to do raising my "non-working" knee as high as I can with each step OR step up onto a weight bench (which is considerably higher). The weight bench would be more convenient, but might be a bit too high for me. The Spiderman Planks are going to be replaced with a different core exercise.

Next workout is scheduled for Wednesday, I'm planning on mostly working out the logistics of Workouts E and Fe and trying to ensure that I have a clue what I'm doing with them. So it will be an easy workout lifting wise, but have plenty of challenges. :D Goal -- Kick Phase 3's butt, or at least get it off to a great start! 

Workout D # 5: Visiting a Strange Gym (Workout 24)

Worked out at a different gym, which always makes it
weird. But it went well. 

I worked out at a different Planet Fitness gym than usual last night (because reasons), which always makes it a little weird -- not in a bad way, necessarily, just in an "I don't know where things are and I don't know these faces and I don't know what the local customs are" kind of way. It worked out better in one important way because I could use the step boxes instead of a treadmill for Step Ups. That was cool. On the other hand, I had to work in a different order (and thought I would have to skip the Coordination Rows altogether) because of a traffic jam at the cable machines.

It was also nice that the dumbbell rack is right near the cable machines at this gym, so I didn't have to take a walk with two 35lb dumbbells.

It was a good workout and I feel great today. I felt great yesterday evening too, which seems to be the norm for me after lifting weights. (That's not really not the norm after running -- after running I'm stiff and creaky for days. I just figured it was normal.)

Yesterday's workout was:

• Spiderman Plank - 2 x 10 - I was looking at the instructions for these the other day (part of sorting out Workouts E and F) and realized that I've been doing them wrong in a way that's caused most of the slipping problem I've been having with them. I've been doing all the left leg reps, then all the right leg reps. The instructions suggest doing them alternately. Alternately worked a *lot* better because I was able to reset my foot every time and that nipped the slipping right in the bud. I had to focus on keeping my butt down, which makes it a much better workout. Good stuff made even better. 
• Alternating sets of :
• Offset-loaded Step Ups - 3 x 10 - I used a 35 lb weight for this for (I think) the first time. I was able to use the step boxes at this other Planet Fitness because they're the allow you to use the step boxes in the 30-minute circuit area even when you're not doing the 30-minute circuit workout. I asked before I started to make sure it would be okay and they seemed surprised that our home gym doesn't allow it. (Judy-who-says-no strikes again, I think.)  
• Shoulder Presses - 3 x 10 - I'm still using the 20 lb weight that I've been using for weeks (the entirety of Phase 2 and maybe even before) and still feeling like it's almost too much for me. I'm thinking of dropping down to 15lbs for these (or finding a different "push" exercise entirely) for Phase 3 because I'm just not sure I'm getting the right stuff out of this one. The last set I was only able to do 9 with my left arm, but 10 with the right. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Squats - 3 x 10 - I used a pair of 35lb dumbbells for this. I should probably move up, but this still feels good. I was able to work fast, too which really had me feeling like I was firing my quads hard. There was a neat crispness to the movement that I liked. 
• Kneeling Lat Pulldowns (cable machine) - 3 x 10, 9, 8 - They had different handles to attach to the cable machine at the other gym I was at, so I'm not sure I found the right grip that makes Lat Pulldowns with 72.5lbs feel Just Right. I had the grip that works my triceps more and really reveals the difference in  strength between my (weaker) left arm and (stronger) right. 
• Coordination Rows (Single-leg, single-arm cable rows) - 2 x 10 - I wound out doing these last (rather than after the Spiderman Planks) because of a traffic jam at the cable machines. I was afraid I wasn't going to have enough room to do them (they take a lot of floor space because I wind out on one leg in a sort of T-shape (one leg out behind me with that arm stretched out in front) connected to the machine by the cable, plus the wobble component of me going off to the sides) but a lot of people had finished their workouts and there was enough free space for me to do my thing in. They really are getting better , though I still really stink at them. I think I used 20 lbs yesterday (because it was either that or 10 the way the weight plates were on that machine), but the weight has always been almost entirely trivial to these, so I'm neither concerned nor jazzed about the change. 
• Cardio Intervals - 6 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity - My quads were still pretty beaten up from running (though I've been trying to stretch them out this week at work) so my legs wouldn't let me do another round even though my cardiopulmonary system was doing fine. It was disappointing but that's kind of what I'm running into. I really need to figure out something else to do for the Intervals of Insanity for Phase 3 -- the elliptical just isn't working for that for me any longer. 

It was a good workout and aside from some "I work at a desk and on a computer all day" tightness in my upper back (which is pretty normal for me, especially lately), I feel great. Better than I have since Saturday's kick-my-butt workout.

Which is very happy making. Now I'm in a good frame of mind to buckle down and get my Phase 3 workouts sorted -- I've only got one more time with each of Workouts C and D before it's time to move on and I'm not ready at all.

Next workout is a little up in the air -- it might be Saturday, though if we're going on a hike it won't be (probably, though not certainly). If it's not Saturday it'll be Monday. That's for sure. It'll be the last time with Workout C so my goal is to finish strong!

Workout D #4: Phase 3 is in sight! (Workout 22)

Made all my reps of everything!! Time to move up! 

This was another great workout and I feel like I've done really good things!! I have four more workouts in Phase 2, then it will be time to move on to Phase 3. I'm going to have to do some significant modification of what's in New Rules of Lifting For Life for Phase 3, because I really don't want these workouts to take *longer*. I already take longer than Patrick every time and I don't want to make that worse. I'd also like to maybe take the layout of the gym a bit more into account when planning Phase 3 -- workout C is great as far as that goes, I can do everything with the dumbbells in one corner of the gym. Workout D is silly that way -- I spend a fair amount of time walking around with dumbbells to get the weights I need to the place where I need them. Which is itself an exercise called a "farmer's walk" and it's not a worthless exercise. But not one I really want to be doing. 

I didn't raise the weight on anything today, which does make me kind of sad -- I was going to go up to 35 on the offset-loaded step ups, but all the 35lb dumbbells were in use and I didn't want to wait, so I went with thirty. Next time I want to go up on at least a couple of them, if possible. 

Today's workout was: 

• Spiderman Plank - 2 x 10 - I did better at staying stable and my feet not slipping doing these today. They're still hard but getting a lot more doable. I finish my sets without collapsing into a puddle at the end. That's some good progress. :D I need to look into how to ramp these up or do a harder exercise. 
• Coordination Rows - 2 x 10 - (Single-leg, single arm cable rows) My nemesis. I'm getting better at them -- I actually did a few in a row without putting my foot down, which is pretty cool. I've been practicing standing on one foot at work (I have a standing desk) to strengthen the little muscles in ankle and knee that provide support and I think that's helping. That said, this exercise is standing on one foot plus moving which is a whole 'nother ballgame. Anyway, I'm definitely seeing improvement though I'm still miles away from even working on increasing my speed, let alone increasing the weight. Baby steps. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset-loaded Step Ups - 3 x 10 - As mentioned above, I planned on using a 35 lb weight for this, but went with 30 lbs (the same weight as the last few times) because all the 35lb dumbbells were in use. To keep it hard, I went a lot faster this time. It worked out well and I definitely felt it then (and feel it now) in my quads. Next time I definitely want to go up to 35 lbs. 
• Shoulder Press - 3 x 10 - I'm not sure why these are so hard and I'm progressing with them so slowly. I've been doing 20 lbs on these for a while, possibly all of Phase 2, and it's still the right weight. I'll stick here next time. I've actually been at 20 lbs for all of Phase 2, it's like I've hit a plateau or something. I might consider doing something else for this push exercise in Phase 3. 
• Alternating sets of :
• Dumbbell Squats - 3 x 10 - I did these with 35lb weights again. This is my second time at this weight and it still feels right. Maybe after one more time of these I'll move up to 40 lbs for my last time with this workout. Actually, I like this plan. :D One of the hardest things about these is getting the weights back to where they belong after three sets of these and three sets of the pulldowns. That's a bit of walking with a pair of dumbbells. 
• Kneeling Lat Pulldowns (cable machine) - 3 x 10 - Last time I did these, I had huge problems because my grip was too wide -- I could barely do 7 or 8 of these at 70lbs with the wider grip. My grip was too wide because I used a different bar on the cable machine. This time I went for my "usual" bar and my usual grip and did three sets of 10 without any trouble. Next time I'll go up to 75, and use my usual bar.  
• Cardio Intervals - 9 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity. Still having the quad/cardiopulmonary mismatch on these -- my legs get tired before my heart and lungs, which is pretty much NOT the point. I'm thinking about seeing what happens if I go backward on the machine to rest my quads. There are other possibilities -- I haven't explored the arc glider machine and the treadmill and the stair-machine (which, just shoot me). I'll play around a bit. I want to take a session off from lifting between Phase 2 and Phase 3, because I regret not having done that between Phase 1 and Phase 2 -- that session would be a good time to play around on the cardio machines to find a new one for my insanity intervals. 

Next workout is theoretically scheduled for Saturday -- however, Patrick and I are hoping to go for either a hike or a museum trip on Saturday. So my next workout might be Monday. Or it might be Saturday (if we're museum-ing we may workout first). Or it might be Friday -- I have an appointment after work and might be able to get to the gym between it and when we have some friends over in the evening. Whenever the next workout is the goal for it is to make it as good as my last time with Workout C. 

Workout D #3: Groovin'! :D (Workout 20)

It's not the tidiest workout log, but it is very much me. 

Yesterday's workout went really well -- we went out between grocery shopping and lunch (a couple of hours after breakfast is the most important point). I didn't get a chance to post all day because I had a big project at home (major wardrobe purge and re-organization, much needed) that took up the whole afternoon until we spent the evening with friends.

It was a good workout. The big surprise (and lesson) of the workout was how much of a difference it makes having my hands a little farther apart on the lat pulldowns. The first two sets (where I did 7 and just barely 8) I had my hands further apart. The last set I had my hands closer together (a little wider than shoulder width but not a lot wider) and did 10 relatively easily. Huh. I need to keep an eye on that. 

It's also apparent when working with weights that are at the limit of my ability that my left arm is weaker than my right. Which is really weird because I'm extremely left-handed. 

Though actually, that's not weird now I think about it -- I need my left hand to do things so I tend to hold stuff in my right. When I worked in bookstores, I regularly carried a stack of books as long as my arm in my right hand and shelved with my left. Okay, so actually it makes perfect sense and I need to focus on strengthening my dominant arm. 

Yesterday's workout was: 

• Spiderman Planks - 2 x 10 - I worked on remembering to keep my tush down while doing these and it worked well. The big problem I have with these (though they are exhausting and good work) is that my foot slips. I suppose part of the point is stabilizing myself despite that. So I  don't know if I need to exchange my weight lifting shoes (really cross trainers) for a different kind with maybe better grip. 
• Coordination Rows - 2 x 10 - These are the single-leg, single-arm cable rows which involve standing on one foot and moving and pulling a very slight weight. I'm still awfully wobbly at them, but definitely improving. There weren't many people back at the cable machines on Saturday, so I didn't get anyone looking at me kind of confused this time. (That was last Monday -- someone was watching me wobble my way through these obviously wondering what the heck I was doing and what I was getting out of it.) Yesterday, I did a lot better though I'm still working on the first goal -- doing all the reps with good form and remaining balanced on one leg throughout the set. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Offset Loaded Step-ups - 3 x 10 - I used a 30 lb dumbbell and stepped up onto the deck of a treadmill. This was too easy this time, I got sweaty and worked but it wasn't nearly hard enough. I need to move up to a 35 lb weight next time. No question. 
• Shoulder Press - 3 x 10 - I used a 20lb weight again. I'm not sure on this one whether it's time to move up -- the first two sets were good, the third was really hard. But I didn't have to take breaks, not even between one side and the other. I'll probably stick with 20 lbs. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Dumbbell Squats - 3 x 10 - I used a pair of 35 lb dumbbells here and that felt really good. I don't think I'm ready to move up to 40s yet, though, so I'll stick with 35s next time. I'll just focus on going *faster* to ramp up the difficulty a bit. 
• Lat Pulldowns (cable machine) - 3 x 7, 8, 10 - The first set I miscalculated so I think I had 72.5 lbs (rather than the 70 I wanted to start with). I also had the wider grip (as mentioned above), so I wasn't bringing as much strength and muscle to the process as I might have been. So the first set was rough. Second set, I took the weight back down to 70 (where I'd wanted it) but still had the wider grip and still was just not pulling with strong muscles. Third set, with 70 lbs, I had a slightly narrower grip and it was fine. Next time I'll either do 65 with the wide grip or 72.5 with the narrower one. 
• Cardio Intervals - 7 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity -- I'm getting an interesting (and vaguely irksome) mix of better and not better at these. And my experience of them is changing. The 20 seconds of "Go Insanely Fast" seems longer and longer each time (which I totally didn't expect). My cardiovascular/respiratory system are definitely getting better able to handle the load. On the other hand, the elliptical machine still works my quads like crazy and my legs get extremely tired during those 20 seconds of insanity. So I have to pull back a bit, which means my cardio system isn't getting the workout I want. It's a tough balance. I'm managing it right now, but I need to start thinking of what to do for my Insanity Intervals next if the elliptical stops working for me. 

All in all, I need to kick it up a notch for my next go-round with Workout D. It was good, but I want better. Next workout is scheduled for Monday -- it's going to be Workout C #4, so I'll be doing deadlifts and reverse lunges and push-ups and rows. Logistically that's a very easy workout -- all free weights in the same corner of the gym. I like it! Goal for the workout -- make it harder and do it well. 

Workout D #2 Practice Makes Improvement (Workout 19)

Workout D #2 went a lot better. :D

I'm relieved (but not totally surprised) to find that the second time doing my new Workouts C and D has gone a lot better than the first did. I'm feeling much less awkward and uncertain of what I'm doing. I'm glad about that -- I'd definitely liked the confidence I'd built with Workouts A and B and was afraid I'd broken something by changing.

Not too surprisingly, with extra sets (even though the total number of reps is the same) and one whole extra exercise these workouts are taking a bit longer -- more like an hour and 10 minutes than an hour all told. Fortunately, Patrick doesn't mind. He's just extending his cardio time at the end, I think. 

Today's workout was: 

• Spiderman Plank - 2 x 10 - These were giving me a terrible time today because my feet were slipping. I'm not sure what to do about that, but it makes it really hard to keep going with the knee-to-elbow (while in plank pose) reps. I had this problem doing yoga as well -- my feet and hands would slip and it made me feel very insecure. My yoga teacher recommended getting a heavy blanket for on top of my yoga mat and it made a huge difference. I wonder if I could take something like that to the gym. Hmmm...I need to do something, because I'm afraid I might hurt myself if my feet slip out. 
• Coordination Rows - 2 x 10 - (One-Leg, One-Arm Cable Rows). I did a little bit better with these this time -- still newborn baby giraffe-y, but maybe about 20 minutes older and more coordinated. I talked with one of our doctors (we have two we see more or less interchangeably) about my balance issues and he pointed out that some of it is strengthening and conditioning the small muscles of the knees and ankles that stabilize you when you're standing on one leg. I still am thinking that these are a long-term project. I'm still working with 15 lbs on the cable machine. The instructions say to work first on getting the movement to be smooth and coordinated, then improve speed, and only then increase the weight. I'll probably be working on the first goal until...umm.. Christmas. There was someone working out at another pulley on the cable machine and he was watching me play Baby Giraffe with obvious bemusement.
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset-loaded Step Ups - 3 x 10 - I used a 25 lb weight, which is what I used last time. I absolutely need to raise that next time because it was way too low. I'm getting into a groove with doing these on the deck of a treadmill, I guess, though I liked being way in the back of the gym in the circuit area. Ah well. It was difficult to figure out how to hold the weight -- I need to look at some pictures to see how people do that. 
• Single-Arm Shoulder Press - 3 x 10, 8, 7 - I used a 20 lb weight and that's still a little heavy, I did 10 reps the first set, then 8, then 7. It's a tough exercise for me -- remember when I started with weights I had No Muscles in my upper body. They're coming, but it is hard. I'll stick with 20 lbs next time and try to make my reps. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Dumbbell Squats - 3 x 10 - I used a pair of 30 lb dumbbells and I need to increase the weight pretty dramatically here as well. These are supposed to be front squats -- with the weights held at shoulder height, kind of in the vicinity of the collarbones. I couldn't even imagine how I'd get the 30lb dumbbells up to my shoulders. I could maybe have done it today, but I was having the same problems with figuring out how to hold the weights that I had with the step-ups. So I just did squats with the weights held at arm length at my sides. This worked totally fine but I need to up the weights next time, this was too easy. 
• Lat Pulldowns, Kneeling  (cable machine) - 3 x 10, 10, 8 - I used 70 lbs again. It was tough, but mostly doable. I didn't make my reps on the last set and I was working hard the whole way through, so I'm going to start with this weight again. I did these kneeling because I wasn't feeling like experimenting to see if I could make the high pulley work when I'm standing. 
• Cardio Intervals - 7 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity - I've gone back to using the elliptical machine for these because the exercise bike and I just didn't get along at all, I never felt like I was getting my heart rate up or getting the whole body moving and coordinated. The elliptical machine burns 200 calories in 10 minutes and I can put my upper body into the Insanity Intervals, which ,makes them feel that much more worky. I'll keep thinking about this, because I would like to do something different. But it went well today -- I did seven intervals and thought of an eighth but just didn't have it in my. I like exercising to that point

It was a great workoutt! I'm feeling really well-worked and like I've done something which is pretty cool. I'm also sleepy and have beer coming. 

Next work is scheduled for Wednesday. Goal for the workout: do more and better than last time with Workout C.

Workout C #2: Lifting Weight Before Breakfast (Workout 18)

Three sets -- at least for some things, and the ones I didn't
was because of time, not because of being worn out.

Workout C went *much* better yesterday than last Saturday -- I was more comfortable with what I was doing and didn't feel quite so awkward and out of place. That was all very much to the good. 

I did have to curtail things a little bit because I had a hard and fast time I needed to be done by because I was meeting up with some friends to go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. We were meeting up at 9am and I wanted to workout before that. So I got up early to go to the gym, showered there, and went straight from there to the meet-up (with a stop for coffee and a breakfast sandwich). If I'd had longer, I would have gone for three sets of the deadlifts and push-ups. (Actually, as it turned out, I'd allocated a bit more time than necessary to go from the gym to the meet-up, via breakfast, so I actually had the time those additional sets. I just didn't know it.

I also skipped the Cardio Intervals of Insanity because I was going to be spending most of the day walking around the Ren Fest and didn't want my legs all worn out and too tired to do  that. So I didn't get nearly as much of a cardio workout, but I was moving and standing for most of the day.

Today's workout was:

• Side Plank with Reduced Base of Support - 2 x 30 seconds was the goal - I actually did 37 seconds the first set but only 28 the second. The second set I felt like my shoes were slipping on the floor. I did manage to sort of reduce my base of support, at least a little. I wasn't able to raise my upper leg but I did bend the knee of my upper leg, so it wasn't contributing much to my stability. But that's not the slipping problem I was having. 
• Jump Squats - 2 x 8 - I did 10 the first set because I forgot I wasn't doing that much. . The second set I did 8. Still getting quite winded with these so I don't need to think about how to ramp them up. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Reverse Lunges - 3 x 10, 8 - I didn't have any problems with my quads hurting today, which was nice. I spent some time this week working on stretching them and also practicing how I stand up when I'm sitting or kneeling on the floor so I don't put so much pressure on them. Whatever it is, it's really been helping, it seems. I used 25 lb dumbbells, which is what I used last time, and ramped it up by adding a third set. I could only do 8 on the last set. I'm aiming for 10 on both. 
• 3-Point Rows (with one hand and one knee on a weight bench) - 3 x 10, 8 (aiming for 10 on both) - I used a 25lb dumbbell here as well (convenient that) and added a third set. Again on the third set, I could only do 8. I'm hoping to increase either weight or volume (number of sets or reps) on each exercise each time I do these Phase 2 workout and this time I increased the number of sets. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Dumbbell Deadlifts - 2 x 8.10 (aiming for 10 on both) - I did fewer reps the first set because I didn't wait long enough between sets, I think. I was using 35lb dumbbells, which was hard and my hands needed a bit of a rest just for gripping purposes. As mentioned above, I would have done a third set if I'd not been running up on my stop-time. These are really good, by the way -- I love the way I can feel my muscles working with these. 
• Push-ups (Plus) - 2 x 8 (aiming on 10 on both) - I did these off the windowsill again but this time remembered to keep my body straight and my tush down, which made a *huge* difference! Done right they're much harder. I'm just sayin'. I was really only able to do 8 in a set with these once I started doing them right. But I was able to do them, which is good. 

As mentioned above, I skipped the cardio intervals because it was going to be low-grade cardio All Day Long at the Renaissance Faire.

It was a good workout and much much smoother this time, for which I'm glad.

Next workout is scheduled for Monday. It'll be my second time with Workout D and I'm hoping for much the same improvement in knowing-what-I'm-doing-ness. Very much hoping. Goal for the workout: Aside from generally getting better and doing more, my specific goal is to look a little less like a baby giraffe doing the the one-arm, one-leg cable rows, which I've taken to calling Coordination Rows because it fits in my book better. . 

Workout D #1: Coordination? What's that? (Workout 17)

First time with new Workout D -- after a brief hiatus.

This feeling-my-way stage with Workouts C and D is kind of a drag. I'd gotten good and confident with Workouts A and B by the sixth time through -- I knew what I was doing both in my head and in my muscles. I knew where to go in the gym and it was all quite smooth.

Workouts C and D are like being back at stage one. In particular, they introduce some elements that are totally new and challenging -- like today's single-leg single-arm cable rows, which require coordination and balance, both of which I totally fail in. The wimpy "stay in my comfort zone" part of me wishes I'd just stuck with Workouts A and B for another month or three. It felt good to know what I was doing. :(

I'm just kicking that wimpy side aside -- I'm not going to learn to do different things and to be coordinated and to have better balance unless I do different things that require coordination and balance. I'm not going to get better and stronger and healthier unless I work it.

I was planning to do Workout D (#1) on Monday, August 24, but Patrick and I went for a nine-mile hike on Sunday and both of us got blisters on the balls of our feet. (If we'd gone for a seven-mile hike we'd have both been good, I reckon.) We also got some joint tweakiness from walking trying to avoid hurting the blisters. I drained my blisters on Monday and was totally feeling up to working out tonight. Patrick is more reluctant to open blisters than I am, so he waited until Tuesday and his feet and calf still feel a little off. He did not workout tonight.  

Anyway, I went to the gym on my own and sort of fumbled my way through round one with Workout D. 

Today's workout was: 

• Spiderman Plank - 2 x 10 reps - To do this you get into Plank position then raise one knee at a time toward your elbow, alternating sides until each side has done all of the reps. Aside from my tush getting too high, this went pretty well. Tiring, but definitely doable. In addition to concentrating on doing it, I need to remember to concentrate on keeping my butt down. 
• Single-Leg, Single-Arm Cable Row - 2 x 10 reps - Oh, lordy kittens! This must have been totally comedic street theater for the other people working on the cable machines. The really big, really competent, really ever-so-serious people working on the cable machines. And then there's me being entirely unable to stand on one leg and, you know, move at the same time. The 15 lb weight stack on the other end of the cable was almost entirely irrelevant. I was just trying to get the movement coordinated and didn't really care about the weight except that it provided a bit of resistance (so it helped keep me from falling over in a weird way). I'm probably going to spend all of Phase 2 (the next month or so) just getting so I can do a set without having to support myself or put my foot down. (It's gonna be a long month.) That said, I did do my reps. I just did them haltingly and rather clumsily and with the coordination of a newborn baby giraffe. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset-Loaded Step Ups - 2 x 10 - The idea with these is that the weights are off-center, so they require more effort from the core muscles to maintain posture and suchlike. This is all probably true. I failed to take into account when picking my starting weight that I'd been using 2 20lb weights for these (for a total, obviously, of 40 lbs). I should have gone for, probably 40 lbs at least, though that would be hard for me to hold. As it was, I went for 25 lbs and it did feel like work. So maybe I did okay after all. I'm going to go for three sets rather than boosting the weight next time, then see how I'm doing. I also need to remember to keep my elbow up when I'm holding the weight -- upper arm parallel to the floor. There's a lot less strain on my elbow that way.
  
  Planet Fitness, in its wisdom, has declared openly a policy that the 30-minute circuit area is to be used only and exclusively by people doing the 30-minute circuit. People using the equipment in that area in other ways are at risk of forfeiting their gym membership. As you may recall, those are the only step boxes in the gym. Sigh. So I can't use the step boxes there for my step ups. Dammit. I wound out doing the step ups on the deck of a treadmill - which I've done before and works just fine. Though it's crazy inelegant. 
• Single-arm Shoulder Press - 2 x 10 - These went really well -- I used a 20 lb weight and they were some serious and genuine work. I'd like to add a third set and will do that before I boost the weight.  
• Alternating sets of:
• Squats - 2 x 10 - I was supposed to be doing front squats but just couldn't. My arms had already been extensively worked by the time I'd done all the planks and step ups and shoulder presses. No, this is not a arm exercise, it's a quad exercise and a good one, but to hold 30 lb dumbbells at your shoulders, you have to be able to lift them there. Which I could not at that juncture. If I ever get these weights to my shoulders, this is another one to remember to keep my elbows up and upper arm parallel to the floor. I'm going to go up to three sets with the same weight next time.
• Kneeling Cable-Machine Lat Pulldowns - 2 x 10.  I was going to do these standing and had figured on a 25% weight increase from what I'd been doing in Phase 1, because of the fewer sets and a good, braced split-stance position. It did not work out that way  I had some problems with these because the highest overhead pulley on the cable machine wasn't quite tall enough for me to not feel like I was dropping the weight stack at the end of my release (or whatever the proper term is for relaxing the tension and releasing the weights in a controlled manner) when I was standing. So I went back to kneeling. With the slightly less braced position, 75lbs was rough. I did my first set with 75, but could feel my form utterly breaking down by the 10th rep, which seemed sub-optimal. For the second set, I lowered the weight to 65 and that was better. This was definitely another case where I didn't take into account the difference being rested (vs. not) would make. Next time I'll try 70s. If I can do 70s kneeling, I'll try again standing from a different high pulley to see if standing can possibly work for me. 
• Cardio Intervals -- 7 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity. I went back to the elliptical machine because I really feel like I'm getting a great workout when I do my Insanity Intervals on the elliptical. I've now experimented with doing cardio on both the upright bike and the recumbent bike and on each of them it was almost impossible to feel like I was putting out a max effort which is the whole point of the Insanity Intervals. I did use the recumbent bike for my cardio warm up and learned that it burns about half as many calories as the elliptical (as I use the machines) and didn't feel like nearly as good a "get your heart going" workout. Also it shook somewhat alarmingly as I was trying to go faster. I really don't want to get locked into doing my Insanity on the elliptical machine, but I haven't liked anything else I've tried. I'll have to look into other options for this.  

I'm definitely feeling my way along again and I'm sure by the end of Phase 2 I'll feel good and strong and confident and all like that. I'll get better and more coordinated (and have better balance) as I work on these things. I'll get there over time. I just need to be patient.

Sigh.

This is where I stopped writing on Wednesday night because I kept falling asleep while I was typing (which leads to utter gibberish, because I don't actually stop typing until after my brain has gone bye-bye).

Next workout is scheduled for Saturday. So is a trip to the Maryland Renaissance Festival (for me, Patrick is staying home). :D My plan is to get up early, leave Patrick happily sleeping, go to the gym and work out, shower at the gym, and get breakfast on the way to the meet-up place for the Ren Faire (someone else is driving!!). Because I'm going to be traipsing all over the Faire all day, I'm planning on skipping the Insanity Intervals and just doing a little bit of cardio cool-down at the end instead.