Day Three At The Gym

It's looking amazing

I can't go to the gym on the weekends because I don't pay for the child care.  So I plan to go M-F during the day so that I don't have to worry about the kids.  But yesterday, Monday, I was a lazy piece of shit and had a tattoo appointment so when I overslept, I just went to get my tattoo sleeve worked on.  I skipped the gym.  I deserve a spanking.  (giggity)

So today is the day I got to take all of my trainer's advice and stuff and put it to the test.  I hopped on a treadmill and popped a 7 incline (dunno what that means) at just over 2 mph.  Now, I prefer the elliptical because it doesn't make my back spasm, but the trainer prefers me on the treadmill and so here I go.  After five minutes, I am sorry to say, my heart rate was 160 and I was sweating.  But I stayed on the treadmill for 20+ minutes before my legs went numb and I had to stop.  Then I moved onto the hand bike for upper body workout.  I managed to do almost 20 min on that, but the trainer wanted me to aim for 100 rpm.  I averaged 78rpm.  I wonder if this is due to being out of shape or due to me having CNS deficits.  I felt as though I COULD go faster but my body was refusing.  We shall see how many rpm I can do by the end of the week.  Also, my hands and forearms went numb doing the hand bike.....I wonder if that means anything?  It is added to my pool of data I will pull from later on to check progress.

So I did 20 min each of upper and lower body cardio.  Not bad for how out of shape I am, I suppose.  Moving on to the machines....

take THAT, Mistah J!

I did 30 min of upper and lower body strength training on the machines.  I probably hopped on each machine for 5-8 minutes and did 4 sets of 10 - 25 reps each (depending on speed and stress).  I made sure that I was almost unable to do the last two or three reps, to show that I was pushing myself to the brink of failure.

I forgot completely about stretching all the ways he had me stretch.  FUCK.  I knew I was missing something.  And I skipped the leg press because it's on the floor and I can't get up without help....or looking like an idiot.

I also had to forgo the crossfit training, as there was someone on the machine being trained the entire time I was at the gym.  However, that leaves me some workouts to do tomorrow when I go back.

My favorite machine is one that strengthens my core.  It also stretches out my lower back muscles, which spasm when I walk.  I am hoping this machine can help me feel better on a daily basis, and allow me once again to carry laundry baskets and trash without crippling pain.  My least favorite machine is the one that stretches my quads.  Ow.  With the crepidice in my knees from osteoarthritis, it is a necessary but evil machine.

Now that I am home, I need to help the kids clean their rooms and vacuum my own room.  And kick their ass into homework gear.  I'll write more later this week, maybe after the bariatric doctor appointment on Thursday.