<p>I put on my compression clothes this afternoon. They are designed for the cold weather and it’s cold in the house now (I’m not turning on the heat until it gets to the high 30s). The top is a bit big in the neck now but the bottoms fit fine. The compression does help my back - I noticed the back twinges far less with the compression stuff on.</p>
<p>I did about 10 minutes of Pilates and 33 kettlebell swings tonight. Sometimes you just don’t feel like doing much…</p>
<p>Back in the gym, at the new class</p>
<p>Warm Up
Inch worms, shoulder rotation stretch, sumo stretch</p>
<p>Pre Work Out
2 rounds</p>
<p>2 minute air squats
90 second plank
2 minute butterfly situps</p>
<p>Workout</p>
<p>20 minutes as many rounds as possible</p>
<p>10 each side push/pull punches on the Keiser machine, resistance 15%
15 kb swings 12 kg
20 oh ball smash</p>
<p>8 rounds</p>
<p>^^^ Did you whine?</p>
<p>^ lol
Nope, no whining today. So far, so good.
Hope the rain lets up for you soon.</p>
<p>I was gonna do Airdyne intervals on a rainy afternoon. I really was. But, my legs are sore from yesterday’s NROL4a workout and I couldn’t keep my eyes open! I hate to wimp out on a workout, but c’est la vie.</p>
<p>Workout 1B of NROL4a tomorrow.</p>
<p>You and me both then, idad. I will either be doing A or B. Can 't remember which one I did last. If we time it right, we will be suffering in unison.</p>
<p>It will be my first time at Workout 1B. I’m probably going to substitute assisted chinups for the kneeling lat pulldowns. I’ve been doing slow grinding unassisted chinups so I’ll try to do a dozen good quick ones with band assistance for a change.</p>
<p>I’ve got to scale back the weight for these workouts. Three sets of 12 reps is pretty tough. I’ve been using weights that I can do for 6 reps recently. 12 reps is a different kettle of fish.</p>
<p>I pulled out a stretching video and did that for about 20 minutes before going to bed last night. There’s actually a moderate amount of muscle work in the video as you use certain muscles to hold things in place. It’s a pretty slow video so no bouncing but lots of pushing and pulling. I think that a few new spots were sore this morning but I at least feel looser. I think that I’ll do some other stretching videos over the next few days.</p>
<p>Absolutely pouring buckets here. The US Open is washed out until Friday.</p>
<p>I was able to ditch the crutches and seem to be walking fairly well, although I’m not walking fast. I get stitches out today–infectious disease guy took some out last week. Got rid of the IV antibiotics and am taking same medication in pill form. Feel like I could do some weight training. I’m anxious to get back to my routines, but know that I have to go slowly.
CJane: Looked at the Fitbit you mentioned and bought one. I like it! Obviously, I’m not walking much now, but I wore it for the last two days and it seems to track better than a regular pedometer. Does it track HR? Or do I have to get something extra? Probably explained on the Fitbit site?</p>
<p>Seems like folks here generally recover quickly - perhaps a benefit of working out regularly.</p>
<p>If I had a foot injury, I could do light weights on the weight bench at home. I could do heavier weights but I would probably want someone to carry them and put them into position for me.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Now, that’s what I need! A workout assistant to bring me the weights, mop my brow, etc. Yeah, that’s the ticket… 
The ladies here could go with the “pool boy” version to hand them the weights!</p>
<p>Alas, I’ve got to grab the weights and put them back myself. I do use these little 9-inch stools a lot. Just not having to pick them up and put them back down on the floor every time saves a lot of wear and tear on the back. Those are big back-tweaking opportunities, especially because it’s easy to not pay attention.</p>
<p>My son will do this for me if I ask - that is when he is around. He’s back at school right now and not in personal trainer mode. I sometimes ask him to spot for me on the barbell stuff. He’s a lot stronger than I am in the upper-body and doesn’t have any trouble with the amount of weight that I lift.</p>
<p>My fallback is the Smith Machine - but I can only do that in the office.</p>
<p>I don’t think I recover quickly…</p>
<p>Could I have SAD after only 3 days of cool, gloomy weather? I over-dressed for my outside run since I’m not used to 60, humid and damp. Sluggish to start but managed 7.6 miles. Might have a job interview this afternoon, so I might have to get out of the sweatshirt.</p>
<p>Fingers crossed, MOfWC. Hopefully, you will get to wear your new blazer.</p>
<p>I was a slacker last night and only did some pushups and dumbbell exercises. But I ate healthy stuff!</p>
<p>Best part about the personal trainer is making him set up and put away all the equipment. Too bad it’s no longer in the budget.</p>
<p>Today a bit of a truncated workout due to time pressures.</p>
<p>40 minute cardio dance fitness class.</p>
<p>NRL4As</p>
<p>Dynamic Warm Up</p>
<p>only 2 sets of each exercise</p>
<p>Elevated split squats with 20# DBs
Bar Pull up Row
Romanian Deadlift with Barbell 135#
Push ups</p>
<p>Don’t know what awaits me tomorrow at my class and don’t want to be too sore to move. I will do Phase 1 with heavier weights and more sets the next two times and then I think I move on to Phase 2.</p>
<p>Good luck with the interview MOWC!</p>
<p>Bromfield, glad to hear that you are up and about. FitBit doesn’t have an HR monitor, but does a fairly good job of guesstimating calorie burn if it involves lots of movement, e.g. running, aerobics etc. It does not accurately estimate calorie burn for more stationary activities like weight lifting etc. When you use the log, you can adjust for it by inputting those calories manually. OTOH- my Garmin HR monitor does accurately record HR, but always overestimates the calories I burned based on those readings, so I end up readjusting that count, as well. Kind of comes out to the same thing for me.</p>
<p>Wow. These New Rules of Lifting for Abs workouts are really something. About halfway through, I think, “this isn’t so bad”. Then, I dig into the weightlifting and I start to feel like I’m getting punched in the gut.</p>
<p>Really good strong core today. Kneeling anti-resistance band holds – much stronger core than I had eight months ago. Then I did my favorite circuit of side planks and planks with my feet in the TRX straps. Good stuff.</p>
<p>Strength superset 1: I did the single leg deadlifts with a 35 lb DB today working on solid form for 12 reps on each side. Pretty good. Then I did the overhead press where you hold one dB overhead while lowering and pressing the other 12 times, then hold that one up while pressing the first arm 12 times. This is a really brutal exercise that really challenges the upper body and the lower back. I used two 25 lb DBs. Did all 12 reps per side on the first two sets. Only managed 9 on the third set before I started to really lose the lower back and quit. Good, though.</p>
<p>Strength superset 2: I tried the overhead squat (holding a barbell overhead while squatting) with 48 pounds and only could do 10 reps on the first set (again, losing the lower back). I backed off to 43 pounds and did all 12 reps on the final two sets. I did the chinups with one band of assistance. Couldn’t do 12, but I did 9 or 10 reps in all three sets. Good stuff.</p>
<p>One hour on the nose. My muscles are still tingling.</p>
<p>Got all dressed up for my job interview- blazer, makeup etc. Turns out it was a phone interview and the person works from another state! Went well anyway, even with me on the couch with a cat on my lap! We’ll see.</p>
<p>Awesome, MOfWC! I used to dress up for my phone job interviews to feel professional. 
My H once interviewed someone via Skype from home (no video allowed at their work), and surely enough, our curious Calico popped up on the desk and sniffed at the camera. That was a good lol moment.</p>
<p>It is really hot outside… Gotta get my mileage done… Ugh.</p>
<p>Sore. Good grief. I sat down after dinner and, when I got up, I realized I was stiff all over from my workout. Some from today; some from Monday I think. Those front-foot elevated split squats are quad killers.</p>
<p>I think I’m going to really enjoy doing this program a second time. It’s like a completely different program now because I’m not trying to learn most of the exercises from scratch.</p>