The Shiny Dayglo Battle Log

[Footsore Rambler]

The cable machine is OK -- better than most other machines, for sure.  But I find it kid of weird how cagey the coach is being about showing you free weight stuff.  Here are my theories:

 

1.  Someone once dropped a weight on their foot and sued the gym.  

2.  He is an Orthodox Rabbi, and is used to the tradition of refusing someone 3 times when they ask to convert to Judaism (to test whether they are truly determined).

3.  The weight machines were really expensive, and if you start lifting free weights, everyone will see how much fun you are having, abandon the machines, and all that money will have been wasted.

 

I dunno.  I'm not there or anything, so it's hard to assess the situation, but it just seems odd to me.  Use the cable machine if you want, but it sounds to me like this guys is being an obstructionist, and I don't get why.

[DaygloNirvana]

Crappy weather over the weekend led to a nasty bout of depression. So I got nothing done exercise-wise, and drowned my sorrows in Ben & Jerry's. Going to try and get myself back on track (again).

[Cat in the rack]

 

2.  He is an Orthodox Rabbi, and is used to the tradition of refusing someone 3 times when they ask to convert to Judaism (to test whether they are truly determined).

 

Just a head-up, I'll be heartlessly stealing that joke next time I'm at the gym with friends and I see a trainer getting somebody to use the machines.

 

 

Good luck with your goals DayGlo, I'm personally one of those people who will avoid machines at all costs so I might be a little biased, but I always recommend using free weights or bodyweight for as much of a routine as possible. Whenever I read about or see an exercise I ask myself when I'd use the movement in a real-world situation (squats/deadlifts = picking things up, bench/overhead press = pushing something, pull-up/chin-up = climbing up a tree to escape the inevitable zombie horde, etcetera) as well as how many muscles it works and whether it activates any stabiliser muscles.

 

Have a good one

[DaygloNirvana]

Thanks for stopping by, StudentBudget! I agree with what you're saying, and I'm looking forward to the switch. I had a bodyweight plan for the weekend (pushups, squats, lunges, a few burpees, I think I had some dumbbell rows too...) but my mood got the better of me. Next time for sure!

[DaygloNirvana]

This week was a total wash.  Something I did or ate set off an IBS flareup, so I've been on pain pills curled up in a little agonizing ball for most of the week.  Hopefully it clears soon.

 

My weight hasn't changed any, I'm still at 174.  Next week is Spring Break, so I won't be at the college's gym.  Everything I do will have to be at home, so this will be something new for me.  I have my little mini bodyweight workout plan in my book to try out.  It's a varying mix of squats, lunges, burpees, rows, pushups, and I think a few other things thrown in there for good measure.  If I could just get past this being sick thing, I'm really excited to try something new.  Chronic illness and immune problems suck.

[DaygloNirvana]

Everything was going smoothly until yesterday, when this happened...

 

In the middle of "date day" with my fiance, I got my thumb caught in the car door.  It's not broken but it will be out of commission for a few days.  Sucks to be me.

[DaygloNirvana]

Yet another boring update.

Hand still hurts but the splint is off.

Nurse at my doctor's office says my nail might fall off.  Fun.

 

Finding myself getting a little despondent over the workouts.  I'm finding it to be more of a chore and less enjoyable.

I'm going away this weekend, I'm going to try and get at least a little bit of exercise while I'm gone.

 

My diet has gone awry, I haven't been following it as strictly as I'm supposed to, and I'm paying for it.  My guts hate me for it right about now.  I need to get back on the gluten free bandwagon.

[Rookiebeotch]

Finding myself getting a little despondent over the workouts. I'm finding it to be more of a chore and less enjoyable.

I'm going away this weekend, I'm going to try and get at least a little bit of exercise while I'm gone.

Ditch the machines already! It will be fun. And effective.

[DaygloNirvana]

I have a bodyweight routine I'm starting.  I learned I'm going away NEXT weekend, not this weekend, so that'll help.

[DaygloNirvana]

I just got told by my partner that the $70 I need for the weight plates I need to pick up "will have to wait".  My gym membership has to wait until after we move (we'll be moved by May 1st).  This is all terribly frustrating.  I feel like I'm the only person this is a priority for.

[DaygloNirvana]

Quick update, got to the gym today and did only a partial workout.  They polyurethaned the gymnasium floor, and the workout room was brimming with poly fumes.  Everyone was feeling light headed and nauseated, so most of us cut things short for today.

 

Plans to do the bodyweight workout are lined up for Saturday.  Might try to fit in a few exercises using my single trusty barbell!

[DaygloNirvana]

I just read through The Total Dumbbell Workout and Body By You and I've got some great ideas brewing. Hopefully I'll have some kind of routine set up for this week that doesn't involve machines. Fingers crossed!

[DaygloNirvana]

Went to the workout room today and it had been taken over by six members of the girl's tennis team (it's not a terribly big workout room).  They hogged the equipment, wiped nothing down after use, and gave generally snarky looks to the students who actually paid to be in the class.  Some of the guy students sat on the equipment and checked their cell phones.  Also, I forgot my notebook that I use to track everything with.  All in all, I left there in a pretty sour mood.

 

Edit:

Forgot to mention, I did a little bit more with the dumbbells today, and not as much with the machines.  Because of the pain I've been having in my hip and leg (seeing the chiropractor tomorrow) I focused mostly on upper body work.  I'll paste my workout when I get home from class. 

[DaygloNirvana]

Today's Workout:  Focused on upper body, because of sciatic nerve pain in my right hip/leg.  Seeing the chiropractor about it tomorrow.  

 

 

Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

• 
  
  • 10 lb x 12 reps (PR)
    
  • 10 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 10 lb x 10 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Side Lateral Raise
  
  
  • 10 lb x 12 reps
    
  • 10 lb x 12 reps (PR)
    
  
  
• 
  
  Walking (treadmill)
  
  
  • 00:10:45 | 0.5 mi
    
  
  
• 
  
  One-Arm Dumbbell Row
  
  
  • 20 lb x 12 reps
    
  • 20 lb x 12 reps
    
  • 20 lb x 12 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Lat Pulldown
  
  
  • 70 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 70 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 70 lb x 5 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Machine Chest Fly (Pec Deck)
  
  
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 30 lb x 5 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Machine Bicep Curls
  
  
  • 40 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 40 lb x 5 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Machine Triceps Extension
  
  
  • 40 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 40 lb x 10 reps
    
  
  

[Rookiebeotch]

Aw! You had the 20lb dumbbells out for rows and you put them away before doing machine chest flies and machine curls? 

 

Next time you can carry them over to a flat bench. And load up like this guy does.

 

https://youtu.be/622ku8i0M14

 

Keep the dumbbells away from above your face (your triceps will fail and you get dumbbells spilt all over your face). If you have to bail, drop em like that guy does, Sometimes I just lower the weights toward my hips and sit up. Its not crazy complicated or anything. You will be wobbly, but thats a good thing. The wobbliness is the weakness the machines will never help you with.

[DaygloNirvana]

Thanks Rookie - I'll give that a try when I go tomorrow.

[DaygloNirvana]

Spoke to my doctor and chiropractor and it looks like I have a compressed disc in my lower back, causing pain and weakness in my right leg.  Spoke to the Coach about it, and he offered me a few stretching and bodyweight exercises to do that might help.  It's not much right now.  I need to see how therapy at the chiropractor progresses before I take on more weight.

 

• Dead Bug
  • 30 reps (PR)
• Crunch
  • 10 reps (PR)
• Short Bridge
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps (PR)
• Superman
  • 5 reps (PR)
• Quadruped Donkey Kick
  • 10 reps (PR)
• Reverse Crunch
  • 5 reps
  • 5 reps (PR)
• Oblique Crunch
  • 5 reps
  • 5 reps (PR)
• Walking (treadmill)
  • 00:10:48 | 0.5 mi

[DaygloNirvana]

Changeup due to back injury.  Still working with my chiropractor to bring some of the strength back into my leg.  The last two days my foot has gone numb.  Managed to get a little bit done in the gym today, and made it to level 10 on Fitocracy.

 

Also, my weight is down to 169.  It's the first time in six years I've been under 170!

 

• Walking (treadmill)
  • 00:06:11 | 0.3 mi
• Crunch
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps
• Superman
  • 5 reps
  • 5 reps
• Reverse Crunch
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps (PR)
• Oblique Crunch
  • 5 reps
  • 5 reps
  • 5 reps
• Short Bridge
  • 5 reps
• Front Dumbbell Raise
  • 10 lb x 5 reps
  • 10 lb x 5 reps
• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
  • 10 lb x 5 reps
  • 10 lb x 5 reps
• One-Arm Dumbbell Row
  • 20 lb x 10 reps
  • 20 lb x 10 reps
  • 20 lb x 10 reps
• Walking (treadmill)
  • 00:05:26 | 0.2 mi

[DaygloNirvana]

After a visit with my chiropractor on Monday, by Wednesday I'm barely able to take the stairs at school.  Will be calling them when they open to see if I can get a referral to another doctor.

[DaygloNirvana]

Coach was absent this week so we worked with a different trainer, an Australian woman who was super nice and very understanding.  She decided to keep things clear of my back to do a tricep and shoulder day yesterday.  Today I'm certainly sore!

 

Walking (treadmill)

00:10:55 | 0.4 mi

 

Triceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment

12.5 kg x 10 reps

17.5 kg x 10 reps (PR)

17.5 kg x 5 reps

 

Tricep Dumbbell Kickback

10 lb x 10 reps

10 lb x 10 reps (PR)

 

Dips - Triceps Version

3 reps

5 reps

5 reps (PR)

 

Machine Shoulder (Military) Press

20 lb x 10 reps

20 lb x 10 reps (PR)

20 lb x 4 reps

I only used the machine because all the weights in my weight range were in use.

 

Incline Push-Up

5 reps (PR)

 

Walking (treadmill)

00:05:21 | 0.2 mi

 

We Also did a shoulder circuit using four movements, low weights (5lb) and high reps (x40).  I didn't think it would be as hard as it was.  I know it included a front raise and dumbbell flye, I just don't know what the other two are, so I didn't know how to record it.

 

This weekend is moving weekend.  Wish me luck.

[DaygloNirvana]

Its been a while. I've moved, finished the semester with a 4.0gpa, and with no gym access, am left to contemplate a bodyweight workout that I can manage at home over the summer. Hopefully more to come.