Yesterday at the Gym

I arrived at the gym ready to go at 5:50pm.

I planned a warmup run for 24 minutes at 8.2 (about a 5k), then go up to 9.0 at 21:00 for 2 minutes, and then run out the last minute at 8.5 - my usual warm-up. However, I accidentally hit the emergency off button at about 8:30. I restarted for16 minutes, but my left shoe came loose at 5:40, despite a double knot. I restarted for the last 11 minutes - up to 9.0 at 8:00 and then down to 8.5 at 10:00, but it's not the same as a 24 minute straight run.

On the television was a follow-up story about a soilder murdered in Boston last April.  What I understood is that his suspected killer fled to the Dominican Republic, and police were seeking help.  Not sure what help could be given, but perhaps there were other suspects?

After the run, I wanted to do squarts but the Smith Machines were occupied.  While waiting, I did three sit-ups sets on the sit-up machines that allow you to add weight plates.  I'm not sure how much weight was on the machine but I could do at most 10 reps, and by the third set only 5 or 6.

As the Smith Machines were still occuped, I started I started doing deadlifts with the 60lb weights.  This is the maximum this particular gym has.  My former gym's dumbells went up to 75lbs, which is what I would typically use for deadlights.  Yesterday, my forearms gave out before my upper back did - eventually it became too hard to hold the weight, even though my upperback wasn't tired yet.    So I felt like the point of the exercise was being lost in the weakness of my grip.

To work my legs and core, I did the exercise where you hold weights over your head and squat.  I did it first with 30lb dumbells but barely could go down and up holding the weights.  I quickly switched to 20lb.  My arms (specifically my left) gave out before my legs did, and only after a few reps - actually, it's the front of my shoulders which hurt me most today, I think from holding my arms steady as I squatted, just from those few repitions!

I started doing squats with 45lb. dumbbells, although I was sure I'd have the same problem as the deadlifts as not being able hold them before my legs fatigued.  Fortunately, after two sets - where yes, my arms did give out  - the Smith Machine behind me opened up.  It's so much better because you can rest a quasi-barbell on your shoulders, and so concentrate on your legs without being limited by your grip strength (or lack thereof).

I was pretty sure I would be not at maximum after the previous exercises, but immature below my age I foolishly I tried to squat as if it was my maxmimum.  I tried doing two 45lb plates (two on each side) and almost broke my back. I only did three before I decided it wasn't worth the safety risk.  I switched a 45lb plate for a 25lb, did about 8 reps for two sets, then replaced the 25lb plate with a 10lbs and did two sets more.

Yesterday was supposed to be about hips, so I continued the theme to then do hip lifts - where you kind of get in a sit-up position and thrust your hips towards the ceiling (yes, it's embarrassing, so I went off in the corner by myself).  I did about 40 reps three times, and my butt went numb by the end  There was also a puddle of sweat on the matt after.

Finally, I did rows with cable using the grip where your hands are close together, first at 140lbs, then 120lbs, and then 2x 100lb.

Lastly, to cool down and loosen out, I ran - shuffled! - for ten minutes more on the treadmill afterwards.  I left sometime between 7 and 7:30, because Wheel of Fortune was on the television.


{I mention all this to record it for my older self, not to brag or anything, as in fact I don't feel I have anything to brag about.  The feeling I have is that I'm lifting less with much more difficulty than I could ten years ago, that clearly getting old.  I have to accept at some point I will (or already have) hit a peak in terms of physical strength.  I'm dissapointed that I couldn't remember specifics of repitition counts or didn't have the foresight to bring paper to record better.  I just wanted to record, on one random day at age 31, what I could physically do.  If it ever were more in the past, inevitably, at some point in the future it will be much less.}