Exerbabble for 5-19-6

I woke up later than anticipated. I thought I’d only be out another hour, but I didn’t wake up until around 9 AM. That’s rather significant, as I crawled into bed around 10 PM. Geez. Maybe flipping the mattress made a difference in my ability to sleep comfortably and have kick-ass dreams. I peed and got myself into motion, making a protein smoothie that would serve half as breakfast and half as a post-workout drink. Have I mentioned I’m not hungry in the morning?

I’m plenty hungry now. I’m eating an apple because… I don’t eat enough fruit. I’ll probably have some leftover chili after I finish this. Have I mentioned that I don’t like food much? Apples don’t even impress me, I just eat them because I know I should. I tolerate them. I like meat. I like dead things. Since I’ve improved my diet, my taste buds have revolted against old standbys like donuts and cookies. You know, things that’ll kill you. Amusingly, they still like tostidos and salsa. Yet, my taste buds cry out for the flesh of the recently slaughtered. Well, at least they aren’t crying out for the flesh of a virgin.’

And cottage cheese. I freaking love cottage cheese. Actually, I love just about all dairy. I can eat whole blocks of mozzerella in one sitting, I sometimes eat sour cream by itself. Not a lot, just licking the spoon and sometimes a little more. I’m up to two gallons of milk a week. Can’t really do plain yogurt yet, but give me time. ; )

Today’s workout:

Incline Press: 8, 8, 7 @ 85 lbs
Upright Row: 4×6 @ 65 lbs
Front Squat: 2×6 @ 115, 2×6 @ 95 lbs
Good Morning: 3×8 @ 75 lbs
Bent-over Row: 4×6 @ 95 lbs
Seated Calf Raise: 4×7 @ +60 lbs
(hanging) Leg Raise: 3×10 @ bodyweight
current bodyweight: 147.8 lbs (+ .8 lbs; weekly average of 146.8 lbs)

I moved in my hand position a little bit for the incline press. I felt only a slight tweak in my left shoulder during lockout, but it otherwise felt fine. The consequence of this is that it puts more emphasis on the triceps, ever so slightly. I moved my hand back out for the third set, as I wanted to make sure I could match my previous performance (plus one, of course, have to make progress one rep at a time). I’ll do flat bench next time, as the decline is the one that causes issues for me.

I remember that odd feeling in my shoulders when I did upright rows for the first time. That feeling is affirmatively gone! Upright row is one of those exercises that is used with caution, as it can cause shoulder impingement. ..Whatever that means, anyway. I pay attention to how it feels, and I don’t do it every workout.

What I’ve read on front squats has turned out to be true. As weights increase, it becomes more of an upper-body exercise. I know how my form should be, and I didn’t like how it was faultering. Your upper arms should be pointed out horizontal, not under supporting the weight. The weight should be more or less “resting” on your deltoids. I notice that as I go down, it’s harder to keep my upper arms pointing outward. The last rep of the second set, I almost didn’t make it back up. I decided to ease up the weight and finish out while going a little slower so I could focus on form.

For the sake of writing it down, my left leg feels weaker than my right. I can tell. Maybe I should do some unilateral work, someday.

While I was doing good mornings, someone asked me for a bench spot. No problem. I spotted him, but refrained from pointing out that he was bouncing the bar off his sternum. Don’t know the guy. I’m probably really corny when I spot. I bend my knees slightly and brace my body, and tense my abs. Hey, that’s the same thing I do when I’m walking my mom. *laughs*

I remember that odd feeling in my ass/lower back that I used to get from bent-over rows. That’s completely gone now.

I stretched annnnd. Oh. Um. Woman with abs. :: swoons ::

Um.

My hamstrings were sore this morning. But knowing that good mornings don’t hit them that hard, I figured it would function as active recovery. They feel better now. : D As I’ve said, I know the difference between exertion soreness, and injury soreness.

I’ll go have that chili now. If you’ve made the observation that I haven’t been talking about myself or things that I’ve been avoiding, you’d be correct. In time.