Ok, won't have much to report in here today, but I want to get it started, at any rate. I chose this name for the gym log because I remember years ago when Danny was little, I had one of those R. Simmons tapes and used it for a while. Danny called it the "sweatin' oldies" tape (and I suppose to his very young eyes, those people all did look like oldies. ) Gave me a chuckle, and since I'm gonna be 44 this year, and plan to do a good deal of sweatin', it isn't innapropriate.

Today's been crazy, lots of running around, so all I've done is a quickie on the bike -- 15 minutes, 3 miles. May or may not get the chance to do more later tonight, depending on whether or not the guys want to drag me out to a show. Tomorrow, though, I think I'll get a start on working with the free weights. Maybe just a light workout, til I get some idea of what I want to do, but *something.*

Ok, that's it for now.

Lene'

Hi there -

I wrap the bar with a soft towel for squats, and you can get a tubular pad to wrap the bar with as well. Or just use dumbbells. If you haven't been doing squats for a while, I'd say just use your own weight for a bit - it can take a WHILE to work up to using weight.

For lunges, try them stationary (ie not switching back and forth) - 8 on one side, then 8 on the other side.

Check out the stickies, and look through www.exrx.net for ideas.

Good luck!

Thanks for the tip on wrapping the bar -- that may help a lot! I did read through the stickies, and think I may have enouh info to be going on with now.

I planned to do a couple lower body moves today (sumo deads and squats) followed by 30 minutes on the bike, but my damn coumadin (clotting medicine) seems to have been at the wrong dosage, and I woke up with a nasty bloody nose that wouldn't quit. Ended up having to go to the doc this afternoon instead of working out. I'm thinking I may give it a shot later in the evening, if I feel up to it then.

Tomorrow I figure on doing upper body and abs, no bike. Then just bike on Sat.

Actually, what I thought I'd try is --

Mondays and Thursdays -- lower body and bike
Tuesdays and Fridays -- upper body and abs
Wednesdays and Saturdays -- just bike
Sundays -- day off

For lower body, I will do the stationary lunges, squats, and sumo deads. For upper and abs, 2 variations of ab movements, military press, bench press, triceps press, rows, and "push-ups" (which I have to do from a low counter because my crappy knees can't handle doing them on the floor. <g>)

Ok, need to close now, hope to get back here later to report I was able to do the lower body and bike thing...

Lene'

This is the first time I've worked out with weights for ages. I'm torn between feeling mortified and depressed at how much strength I've lost! Not that I was ever any great shakes, but boy, I used to be able to handle much more than this. Ah well, will keep pluggin away now I've started again, and I'll see improvement in time.

I did 3 sets of bench presses, having to use 8# dumbbells and my "big blue ball" instead of the barbell and bench, as the majority of my weights are blocked in a corner and I don't feel like having to dig for them just now. Considering how poozly I am, I suspect the ball and dumbbells will suffice for a few weeks, Anyway, did 3 sets with 8# db, 20 reps each.

Next, rows, which I did also with 8# db, 3 sets, 15/15/8.
Then, military press, with the 8# db, 3 sets, 12/8/8.
Next, crunches, which frigging *killed me. <sigh> I was only able to do 2 sets of 10 each, and was a quivering mess after each set. For some reason, these made me feel like I might throw up. Odd. Anyway...
Next, squats. By this point, I was weak and wobbly already. I only did 1 set of 10 with the 8# db. Last I did sumo deads, ditto.

I wonder if the fact that it is about 80 degrees with 94% humidity in here today has something to do with the wobblies and the feeling like I wanted to hurl after the crunches? Or was it just my piss-poor fitness level in general? LOL

Anyway, I had a quick glass of water after I lifted, then got on the bike and did 40 minutes of moderate (for me) cardio. Did 7.7 miles , which was about 11.5 miles an hour.

I now feel wiped out. <g> Don't think I'll be terribly sore tomorrow, but then, the few times I've had major doms, I didn't suspect a thing til they hit. LOL I do hope to soon feel stronger, though. This was a bummer, feeling like a frail!

Will do the weights and cardio again on Monday, so I have Sunday in between. Then will stick to a MWF schedule for a while, with extra cardio on other days if I feel like it.

I'll look forward to being able to look back in here in a month, detecting (I hope!) progress.

Lene'

I was a bit sore yesterday after having worked out on Saturday. Hurt along my inside upper arm and armpit area, and my inner thighs, as well a soreness on my outside left elbow. (That last was a tendon soreness, had it once before, long ago.) But I felt fine today, so worked out again.

bench press, still with the 8# dumbbells, 3 sets, 20/15/15
rows, with resistance band this time, 3 sets, 20/20/20
military press, with 8# dumbbells, 3 sets, 12/8/8
crunches on swiss ball, 2 sets, 15/15
squats, no weight, 2 sets, 10/8
sumo deads with 8# dumbbells, 2 sets, 8/8

Followed by 40 minutes/8 miles on bike.

I notice the bench press dropped by 5 reps each in the last 2 sets from the last time. The rows were up (maybe due to different method) by 5/5/12 reps. The mil. press stayed the same. Crunches improved by 5 reps eachset. Squats improved by 8 reps for that second set that I didn't do before. Sumo deadlift improved by 6 reps for the total. And if it matters, I did an extra .3 miles in the 40 minutes on the bike.

We'll see if I'm sore tomorrow.

Lene'

Whew. Shaky after working out.

bench press, 8# dumbbells, 3 sets, 20/15/12
rows, both arms at same time, 8# dumbbells, 2 sets, 5/5
standing "rows" with resistance band, 2 sets, 15/15
military press, 8# dumbbells, 3 sets, 15/10/10
swissball crunches, 2 sets in the AM, 15/15, then 2 sets during w/o, 15/10
squats, with 8# dumbbells this time, 2 sets, 10/8
triceps press, 5# dumbbell, 2 sets per arm, each 10/10
sumo deadlifts, 8# dumbbells, 2 sets, 10/8

followed by 40 minutes cardio, only 7.4 miles

I felt like I was going to crash and burn right at 31 minutes into cardio, made a bargain with myself that if I would just stay on for the last 9 minutes I could take it at an easier but steady pace.

I'm pleased that I did more crunches today, and added weight to the squats. I don't feel like either of the "row" type moves are hitting where I want to hit. I feel them more in my clavicle area, front shoulders, and I really want to work my shoulder blade area, in large part to retain my posture and not get an old lady slump... I can do a standing "pulling weeds" (not bent over) move without weights and feel more working in that area than I seem to with the weights. Not sure what to do about this.

I definitely feel improved strength in my legs, mild improvement although *no* signs of muscle or firmness in my abs, and maybe some slight strength returning to my arms.

Lene'

Hey lene,

Just cruising by and thought I'd say hello.

Looks like you're off to a heck of a start.

I thought I'd also add to this:



I made my own bar wrap out of one tube swimmy things at Walmart. lol

It's really kinda cool though - very cheap - and of course they come in pretty colors. lol

I chose bright blue, but they kinda had a rainbow there. Works great and gives lots of padding.

Best of luck to ya in your program. Talk to ya later.

And cheers!

Hey, thanks for the tip -- I'll have to make a trip to WalMart now! That sounds like the perfect solution. Rainbow colours would be my thing; I'm a flower child at heart.

Feeling fine now, btw, after the shakiness that got me near the end of working out today. I can't believe such a wimpy workout is enough to kick my butt. How humiliating. But it was nothing a good dose of chicken sausages and 20 Brussels sprouts couldn't fix!

Gotta go, Jon Stewart is on in 10, and I have to have my Daily Show fix.

Lene'

Have felt like crap for a few days. I was due to w/o again yesterday, but felt lousy enough to just push it off to today. Still felt lousy, but decided I needed to give an effort anyway, lest I fall into the habit of skipping all the time. My damn blood is probably still "off", but I won't know til Tues. when I get stuck again. I'm hoping that will explain my extreme wimpiness.

Anyway. I got out my barbell today, to use instead of db for squats, sumo dl, mil. press, bench press. Have decided to cut the bench press for a while after today and just focus on improving and increasing the mil. press.

Did squats, sumo dl, bench press, mil. press, triceps press, crunches.

Then did 40 minutes on bike.

By the time I finished, I was drenched, and my legs felt like jello. It is always like that -- I can barely walk without falling over for at least the first half hour. Jeff is torn between worrying and laughing at me. I feel ridiculous that after doing such a wimpy workout I can be so wiped out. But, I'm pleased with myself that I keep *doing* the workouts, because it would be so nice to just skip it and not bust my ass.

Ok, off to jot a quickie in my journal.

Lene'

Wild feeling isn't it. You know you have done a good leg workout when you feel like that!.

Your name caught my eye; My sister-in-law's name is lene. First time I have seen it other than associated with her.

Cheers!

Later last night (a few hours after working out) I decided that instead of spending an hour sitting in a chair reading, I might as well spend that hour on the bike, peddling at a gentle but steady pace while I read. So I did another hour on the bike, 7 miles. Didn't get sweaty or even slightly out of breath, so it felt like a mild ride, but I did notice my legs felt a bit rubbery afterwards.

Today isn't a w/o day for me, but I decided to do pretty much the same thing again, instead of curling up in my chair. So I just did 40 minutes, 5.5 miles. Again with the rubber legs, but no discomfort, although I was sore this morning when I woke up, thanks to the w/o yesterday. BTW, looks like The Specials, English Beat, or Madness are good for this type of riding -- not too fast, not too slow. Ska may be a good "easy ride" music.

Anyway, these aren't actually workouts, and don't feel much like exercise, but since they are more activity than I'd normally get, I figured I may as well note them in here.<g>

Lene'

BTW, Kathy, Thanks for the visit, and I'll come by to see you in yours. <g>

Lene'

Ok, did my workout. I get to feel pleased with myself today.

Got out my second barbell so I could load it with slightly higher weight, to use for the military press. I also increased reps on deadlifts, squats, crunches (60 slow ones now, in 4 sets) and increased weight on mil. press, rows, and triceps press.

After weights, did 45 minutes on bike.

I had a shake made with whey protein powder and 1/2 cup plain wholefat yoghurt and water an hour before working out (I'm just not hungry in the morning, and a shake is something I can tolerate.) Then I tried to go for protein/fat afterwards, having 6 oz. of Spam browned in a little coconut oil. I have been getting the impression it may be best for me to avoid carbs post-workout. Not sure if I actually had enough carbs pre-workout, as the whey powder is very LC, and the only carbs were in the 1/2 cup yoghurt?

Ah well. At any rate, I moved my butt today, yippee for me.

You shouldn't need the pre-lifting carbs until you're lifting REALLY heavy, you've plateaued, and probably you're a little leaner, too.

Good job! You did GREAT!

Oh, good to know I can just have the whey shake for convenience and don't have to worry about carbs. I just want to make this as blindingly simple as I can -- simple, not necessarily easy. The difference being, simple means I can just do it and not have to frigging think about it all the time. Easy is too much to ask for something as serious as losing fat and getting stronger, healthier -- I don't mind if it is hard work, just as long as it is hard work that I can do without having to ponder every damn little thing.

Lene'

BTW, it's been almost 4 hours, and I feel fine. Not sore, stiff, or even all that pooped out. I felt wiped out right after I worked out, thought for sure I'd feel it all night. So, either I didn't bust butt as much as I thought I did, or I'm bouncing back a bit easier now. Huh.

But guess what? I can already see a difference in my legs! (We need a little icon for fireworks.) I can see that they are slightly (very slightly) slimmer, and I can see the faintest hints of muscle there now. Picture this fat lady doing the Snoopy dance all around the bathroom.