Double Workout Monday

Today was a normal ole' Monday for me.  Up bright and early for 5:45 a.m. spin class.  I started out feeling really strong...ready to attack.  Then we started moving, and my leg muscles just felt so heavy and sore.  Every little movement was such an effort.  I ended up dialing it back a bit, just because I knew it was going to be a loooong day.  Plus, I had slept like crap.  (Duh.  Betting that had something to do with it.)

After work was Death Gym. Double workout Mondays.  There is just something about Death Gym that gets the blood pumping.  I pull up and usually ask myself, "Why the hell do you put yourself through this?"  I almost always feel like I'm walking in there tired.....but I leave feeling so flipping awesome!

After a quick little 5 minute warm-up on the elliptical, this was today's 30-minute workout.

1x5 reps 45lb overhead press (warm-up set), with 1x8 reps 40lb kettlebell swing
3x5 reps 65lb overhead press, alternating 3x8 reps 40lb kettlebell swing
I have to say, I really noticed how much stronger my lower back has gotten while doing the overhead presses.  I remember when just the bar was a struggle.  The last rep on the last rep was a tad rough, but my core/lower back really kicked in and I was able to get them in.  :)

1x5 reps 135lb hex bar deadlift
2x5 reps 155lb hex bar deadlift
1x5 reps 185lb hex bar deadlift
What can I say?  I love these.

4x10 reps sledgehammer swings (each side),
alternating with 3x10 reps decline rope rows
The decline rope rows were to help work on my grip.  Trying to maintain a decent grip, on a rope, when you're used to doing these on a TRX is quite a change.  Plus, Trainer Frank started putting a weight on the floor so I can line my feet up with it and get the proper (read: more difficult) decline.

4x10 reps 65lb rdls
alternating with 3x30 yards 135lb farmer's carry
Holy moly farmer's carry.  My goal was to make it the whole distance without having to set the bar down.  (Plus, I had to slow down and turn around halfway through.  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to turn around while carrying 135lbs?)  Goal met.  This was done with the hex bar, so all I can say is my callouses are growing.  Plus, it is certainly a unique feeling when you set down the bar, uncurl your fingers, and feel the blood rush back into your forearms.

1x10 reps 65lb reverse grip bent over row
1x12 reps 65lb reverse grip bent over row
2x15 reps 65lb reverse grip bent over row
These were decent.  Not easy....oh no, especially not the second set of 15.  But rows tend to be a "comfortable" move for me.  Even if they were done with a reverse grip.

30 minutes later and I got a great workout in.  And felt sooo much better.  (Like I said yesterday....the hand issues don't affect my lifting.  It only has to do with my wrist being bent at a particular angle.  Interesting.)

Tomorrow morning I'm going to hit the treadmill and see what happens.  Walk/jog/slog.  Whatever.  My knee has been feeling okay-ish (emphasis on the "ish" part).  I'm hoping it will feel fine while walking, but if not, I'll just play it by ear and do reallllly slow recovery jogs in between speedier bursts.

Wish me luck!

Why, Hello There!

Oh, how I've let people down.  Not really though.  It wasn't like anyone's asked me about my blog.  I just didn't feel a need to lately.  The hubbs went into the hospital at the very end of February/beginning of March, and ever since then, well, things have been crazy.

Don't worry, the hubbs it doing well.  He did start another round of antibiotics though, because his arm is still messed up.  Plus, you know, he still has the rash on his back from the drug he was given that is a derivative of chocolate.  Yeah.....allergic to chocolate.  Let's give him a drug made from it.

Oh well.  What's done is done.  He's doing much better, he's back at death gym, and although all his strength isn't fully back, he keeps on keeping on.

Me....I'm a trainwreck.  My knee randomly hurts when I walk.

My left hand goes numb in the pinky and ring finger when I do planks.  (Doc said it is ulnar nerve related, and if it gets worse to give them a call.)

My right hand has now developed a sharp, excruciating pain in the pinky and ring finger, radiating to the back of my hand from those two fingers to the wrist.  But the pain only comes when I do things like twist open/close a water bottle, put my car in park/drive, pull up my pants, hook my bra.....stuff that seems to twist my wrist a certain way.  The pain can get bad enough that it kind of radiates to my elbow.  This has been going on for about a week....guess I'm calling the doc about this one on Monday.  Thankfully, I have no issues with it when I lift.

I'm going to leave you with this little gem.  The hubbs and I went to the auto show today.  I was so excited because they were going to have Harleys there for the first time.  I've always told him that when I reach goal weight, I'm getting one.  Way back when I first told him that, my goal weight was 150.

He took this pic of me on a Harley today.

I'm like 190-ish here.  Seriously.  And I think I look pretty damn good.  I still have my days where I feel big and bloated, but more often than not, when I look in the mirror, I don't see huge ginormousosities anymore.  I guess my point is this: seriously stop worrying about the scale.  I still weigh myself, "just to see."  But I don't really care.  Because I know I'm strong.  Yeah, I may have random issues going on that peeve me off.  But I'm still working at it, doing what I can, and living life.  

I guess I'll have to figure out a new goal to reach so I can get that Harley!