three months in

[swan_tower]

I don't always exhibit this kind of good sense, but I've excused myself from going to the gym this week on account of the move. Next week is still open to debate, and I'll be out of the country for a week later this month, so May is going to wreak havoc with my usual schedule.

But it seems like a good time to post about what progress I've made in the three months or so since I started working out at the gym.

Mid-February, my numbers looked like this:

• Bench press: 2 x 12-15, 12 lbs.
  
• Shoulder press: 2 x 15, 12 lbs.
  
• Row: 2 x 15, 5 lbs.
  
• Lat pulldown: 2 x 15, 30 lbs.
  
• Back hyperextensions: 2 x 12, no weight.
  
• Crunches: 2 x 15, no weight.
  

Here's what I'm doing now:

• Bench press: 2 x 12, 15 lbs.
  
• Shoulder press: 2 x 12, 15 lbs.
  
• Row: 2 x 15, 12.5 lbs.
  
• Upright row: 2 x 15, 12 lbs.
  
• Lat pulldown: 2 x 15, 45 lbs.
  
• Modified pulldown: 2 x 15, 45 lbs.
  
• Back hyperextensions: 2 x 12, no weight.
  
• Crunches: 2 x 15, no weight.
  
• Peggy spins: 32 cts. each side, 9 lbs.
  

As you can see, I've added a couple of things, substantially upped my weight on a couple of things, minorly upped my weight on a few more, and changed nothing whatsoever about the back extensions and crunches. Can you tell my core muscles are weak?

I'm also doing 30 min. or so of cardio on the elliptical twice a week, with interval training instead on Saturdays. And I'm stretching: I can put myself on the floor again in the side splits (provided I approach it slowly), though on a good day I'm still four or five inches from the wall, which means we are not in walkover territory yet. Oddly, my front splits are making slower progress than the sides are, which I would not have predicted.

It is progress. I am not G.I. Jane-era Demi Moore yet; I cannot do a one-armed pushup like she's doing in my icon. I may never be there. But at least I can take some small satisfaction in watching my numbers go up.

Comments

[d-c-m.livejournal.com]

It is good when working out to increase by small increments so that your tendons don't get hurt. Go you!!! I think it is fantastic you are sticking to your work out plan.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've heard tendons can be a problem.

[d-c-m.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah *limping because of a bruised tendon in her left foot that happened 10 months ago!* hurting them is a really bad thing. Sigh.

[kendokamel.livejournal.com]

But at least I can take some small satisfaction in watching my numbers go up
Rock on!

I should really start doing that, myself. I got out of practice with weights when I developed an intense dislike for working out in front of all the Barbies at the SRSC, or in front of all the jocks at HPER.

(Though, I'm hoping that kendo club will have a reasonable practice time, this summer - one that does NOT involve practice from 9:30-11:30pm on a work/school night!)

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I joined a commercial gym with kniedzw. I felt a bit dumb doing so, since I could work out at the SRSC or HPER for free, but that's been true for years now and I've never done it. Now that we're paying for it, I'm more motivated to go.

[milbrcrsan.livejournal.com]

That's great that you're sticking with your working out plan! Not only is working out really great for keeping toned bodies, but it's also really great for your health...and I would know, I'm practically forced to research everyday at school. :p If you ever get stressed out and have enough time, working out a little bit can relax stress as well - which is something I should really do. (Stress has caused health problems on my heart. :( )

I wish I could stick with my work out routine. It's just so hard to, though. :(

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

It helps that I have an explicit long-term motivation: my wedding is in September, and I want to look smashing in my dress. <g> What will be interesting to see is how I fare after the wedding -- especially since fall and winter really tend to take it out of me.

[milbrcrsan.livejournal.com]

Congrats! :) Do you have your dress already, or do you still have to pick it out?

[princess706.livejournal.com]

I;m glad you are keeping track. It feels great, doesn't it?

I read a comment on one of my dieting journals the other day where two people were discussing cardio -vs- weights and the one that stuck out to me was, "All the leg lifts in the world won't make you a runner. Running makes you a runner."

Soemthing in my head cleared about how I need to re-approach exercise. I need to just do it. If I can do 15 min of carido today, great. I'll try to do 20 next week. I need to track and be accountable.

And yes, I too wish for the one-armed pushup. Or at the very least, the ease at which Linda Hamilton was doing pullups in Terminator 2 I'll get there. Eventually. :)

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I'm aiming at pullups, too. I would have tried one at the beginning of this month, along with posting my benchmarks, but first I went to the dermatologist and got shot with lasers on various bits of my upper body, and then I was lifting all my worldly possessions. I'll give it a shot when I'm not so exhausted, thanks.