I had my more-or-less usual session with Emilie on Thursday, this time after spending some time at the office holiday party. That was slightly weird: around Thanksgiving they sent around email saying that instead of an off-site party, they were going to donate to some good causes (and they did seem like good causes) and just give us a lunch. Then about a week ago there was a message with the subject "Re: Holiday party (revised)" saying that no, there was going to be a holiday party in the afternoon on 12/16, lunch in the office and then a "cocktail reception," reply by 12/10 if you planned to attend the off-site party. I decided to go, in part for the hope of a raffle prize (I didn't win).
In the end, I had some good conversation with a bunch of people while eating ziti and lasagna and salad; and then talked about books with one coworker, and then gyms and exercise with a couple of others, until the drawing. Then I left (bars are always loud, and they were playing music, making conversation even less plausible, and wandered up to the gym via the library.
I got there in time for a lot of cardio, so:
31 minutes + 1 cool-down, top heart rate 144
I told Emilie at the beginning that my right shoulder was being problematic, and we were careful. We started by rolling out our IT bands (Emilie had been jumping rope and wanted to stretch a bit). Next, hamstring bridges, since I was lying down and had the foam roller handy.
Then I did a bunch of my squats leaning on the ball, and the calf raises ditto (2 sets of 15 for each).
Next, more work on standing on the foam roller (that and the calf raises I do barefoot, so the segue makes sense); the latest was both to work further from the wall or other support, with Emilie's hands out in case I needed her to catch me, and to climb back off the roller smoothly. That went pretty well: at one point, to avoid slipping off, I walked forward a bit on the roller, and then discovered that had been in Emilie's plans, but not just yet.
I did my rowing, 40 pounds, 12, 15, 15 (I think).
An exercise for my pecs that I do by pulling, carefully, down and toward my body on handles hanging from a machine.
Then Emilie introduced something else new, which looked simple: a squishy foam square (designed to be slightly tricky to stand on), for me to stand on one foot on. I tried it, flailed around, and had to lower my foot again. Then, having seen what I was doing, Emilie gave me advice about how to stand and where to put my ribs, and it worked.
The result of that is that she was impressed with how well I'd caught on, and I was stressed by having fumbled at first. I understand why she's doing it this way, or at least some of why: she doesn't know what hints I'll need until she sees what I'm doing, and sometimes I don't need any because I take to something smoothly. But I'm not used to this style of learning, I'm used to a style which starts by presenting more process or information for me to absorb or try out. Also, as![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
adrian_turtle pointed out when we were talking about this, learning genuinely new things is not easy. Often useful, sometimes satisfying or even exhilarating, but rarely easy.
This isn't just new things, it's also still unlearning old habits that either weren't useful in the first place, or no longer work for me. So, yes, this takes quite a bit out of me. It's worth it, but I'm wondering whether I want a bit of a break. (Current schedule is that I'll be seeing Emilie on Tuesday 12/21, then probably 1/7 (we're both traveling in between), and I'm wondering whether a slightly longer pause would be a good or a bad idea (or neutral, I suppose.))
This morning (Saturday) I had an appointment with my dentist. The dentist I think of as "my dentist," who I've been seeing at least since 1995, is only seeing patients on Saturdays now. I don't like his partner (the partner is competent, but not as patient with me as Dr. Mahindra), so I went downtown this morning. So, I have clean teeth, and apparently there's a tiny bit of cavity that he wants to keep an eye on (seen on X-rays). The dentist is near my branch of the gym, so I worked out afterward.
This was easier because when I'm working out alone, I'm not being asked to do new things. On the other hand, it was another episode of being the only woman in the weight room (along with five or so men, two of whom seemed to be trying to impress each other with stories of fights [I heard only the end of that] and party-crashing). I'm also still playing "where's the machine this week" as they continue to renovate this branch.
Cardio, ten minutes, top heart rate 131
Squats leaning on ball, 2 sets of 15; ditto, with three-pound weights in each hand at about waist height, 9. I was going to try one of the "body bar" weights, but couldn't find them readily. (This is new, but it was my idea to do it, not someone else's, which feels different.)
Calf raise, 2 sets of 15
Standing on foam roller, some
Balance ~fly, 50 pounds, 15 with each foot forward
Row sitting on ball, using the Freedom Trainer machine, rather than my usual, 50 pounds, 2 sets of 15
Wrist curls, 25 pounds, 2 sets of 15 (this and the above were not with my usual machines, so weights may not be commensurate)
Hip adduction, 95 pounds, 12, 9
(Strive) chest press, 50 pounds, 10. I'm not thrilled with this, because the push is slightly upward (I'd guess between 100 or 110 degrees) instead of horizontal, but I can't find a machine that does what I want, only two of this style. I should ask someone.
Crunches, 2 sets of 30
Back arches, 15
Some of the standing on one foot on the blue foam square
Stretches: the right knee (hamstring?) was very tender or maybe tight when I was doing my quad stretches
In the end, I had some good conversation with a bunch of people while eating ziti and lasagna and salad; and then talked about books with one coworker, and then gyms and exercise with a couple of others, until the drawing. Then I left (bars are always loud, and they were playing music, making conversation even less plausible, and wandered up to the gym via the library.
I got there in time for a lot of cardio, so:
31 minutes + 1 cool-down, top heart rate 144
I told Emilie at the beginning that my right shoulder was being problematic, and we were careful. We started by rolling out our IT bands (Emilie had been jumping rope and wanted to stretch a bit). Next, hamstring bridges, since I was lying down and had the foam roller handy.
Then I did a bunch of my squats leaning on the ball, and the calf raises ditto (2 sets of 15 for each).
Next, more work on standing on the foam roller (that and the calf raises I do barefoot, so the segue makes sense); the latest was both to work further from the wall or other support, with Emilie's hands out in case I needed her to catch me, and to climb back off the roller smoothly. That went pretty well: at one point, to avoid slipping off, I walked forward a bit on the roller, and then discovered that had been in Emilie's plans, but not just yet.
I did my rowing, 40 pounds, 12, 15, 15 (I think).
An exercise for my pecs that I do by pulling, carefully, down and toward my body on handles hanging from a machine.
Then Emilie introduced something else new, which looked simple: a squishy foam square (designed to be slightly tricky to stand on), for me to stand on one foot on. I tried it, flailed around, and had to lower my foot again. Then, having seen what I was doing, Emilie gave me advice about how to stand and where to put my ribs, and it worked.
The result of that is that she was impressed with how well I'd caught on, and I was stressed by having fumbled at first. I understand why she's doing it this way, or at least some of why: she doesn't know what hints I'll need until she sees what I'm doing, and sometimes I don't need any because I take to something smoothly. But I'm not used to this style of learning, I'm used to a style which starts by presenting more process or information for me to absorb or try out. Also, as
adrian_turtle pointed out when we were talking about this, learning genuinely new things is not easy. Often useful, sometimes satisfying or even exhilarating, but rarely easy.This isn't just new things, it's also still unlearning old habits that either weren't useful in the first place, or no longer work for me. So, yes, this takes quite a bit out of me. It's worth it, but I'm wondering whether I want a bit of a break. (Current schedule is that I'll be seeing Emilie on Tuesday 12/21, then probably 1/7 (we're both traveling in between), and I'm wondering whether a slightly longer pause would be a good or a bad idea (or neutral, I suppose.))
This morning (Saturday) I had an appointment with my dentist. The dentist I think of as "my dentist," who I've been seeing at least since 1995, is only seeing patients on Saturdays now. I don't like his partner (the partner is competent, but not as patient with me as Dr. Mahindra), so I went downtown this morning. So, I have clean teeth, and apparently there's a tiny bit of cavity that he wants to keep an eye on (seen on X-rays). The dentist is near my branch of the gym, so I worked out afterward.
This was easier because when I'm working out alone, I'm not being asked to do new things. On the other hand, it was another episode of being the only woman in the weight room (along with five or so men, two of whom seemed to be trying to impress each other with stories of fights [I heard only the end of that] and party-crashing). I'm also still playing "where's the machine this week" as they continue to renovate this branch.
Cardio, ten minutes, top heart rate 131
Squats leaning on ball, 2 sets of 15; ditto, with three-pound weights in each hand at about waist height, 9. I was going to try one of the "body bar" weights, but couldn't find them readily. (This is new, but it was my idea to do it, not someone else's, which feels different.)
Calf raise, 2 sets of 15
Standing on foam roller, some
Balance ~fly, 50 pounds, 15 with each foot forward
Row sitting on ball, using the Freedom Trainer machine, rather than my usual, 50 pounds, 2 sets of 15
Wrist curls, 25 pounds, 2 sets of 15 (this and the above were not with my usual machines, so weights may not be commensurate)
Hip adduction, 95 pounds, 12, 9
(Strive) chest press, 50 pounds, 10. I'm not thrilled with this, because the push is slightly upward (I'd guess between 100 or 110 degrees) instead of horizontal, but I can't find a machine that does what I want, only two of this style. I should ask someone.
Crunches, 2 sets of 30
Back arches, 15
Some of the standing on one foot on the blue foam square
Stretches: the right knee (hamstring?) was very tender or maybe tight when I was doing my quad stretches
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