Rise and Shine!
Well, I couldn't sleep more than an hour last night, so I figured I'd put my insomnia and terrible sleeping cycle to work. My gym opens at 05:30 on Mondays, then stays open until midnight on Friday when it shifts over to weekend hours so around 04:45 I started getting ready.
Yup, quarter to five and I'm getting up, grabbing a nice, wholesome breakfast, my vitamins, going through "The 3 Morning S's" (sh*t, shower and shave) and after gathering my gym gear I was off through the brisk morning air to go about my newly decided-upon gym routine.
Where're My Morning People At?
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| I don't drink coffee, but for those of you who do, HERE :) |
The gym apparently. Everyone I ran into today, and there was a surprising turnout for a VERY early start to the day, was energized, pleasant... Hell, they were downright HAPPY!
Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I am NOT a morning person. I will hit that 'snooze' button until it breaks before I'll willingly haul my sleepy hide out from under the covers but if these are the kinds of people I'll be meeting, I could give being a 'morning person' a try.
I don't what it is about being up and active early (just to come back and get on my laptop, I know) that gets people so pumped and energized. I understand endorphins and all that fine jazz but let's face it folks, naturally produced energy hormones can only take you so far. I'm thinking it's something mental that really pushes these early-risers above and beyond the rest of the late-starting crowd. Whether it's simply that their engines are ignited earlier and are warmed up sooner, or if they actually perceive it as a headstart over everyone else and THAT's what boosts them I don't know. What I DO know is that it works, they're happy, and I'm feeling the bump, and the burn from my morning workout. So if you're not a morning person, and you want in on the extra-energy action, come join me as the doors open at Goodlife Fitness in the Oshawa Centre (or you know, just around 6am on weekdays since Monday's really the only "door opening" day what with them being open 24hrs after that point) and see what the 'morning person' fuss is all about. You'll be glad you did!
Just the Facts Ma'am:
As outlined in the intro post for this "Zero to Hero" series, each gym trip update comes with the workout info from that visit (and yes I realize that I'm still behind on updating my first 'official' post's numbers) so in the words of my favourite Italian... "Here we go!"
The Numbers:
These aren't the only set that'll be done, I feel as though I should post that little heads-up before I get into the data. These are the numbers for my Monday routine which is primarily focuses on my abs, chest and back with some supplementary arm work tossed in.
I figure I'll use Wednesday as 'Leg Day' and Friday for arms will supplementary abs and my mandatory low back extension. Some of you might wonder why I've made hitting the LBE machine a staple for my routines and it's pretty simple really. Ever since highschool I've had a pretty bad back. I don't really know WHY it was so messed up, but I had attacks where I'd wind up immobile and in tears on the floor ultimately requiring a little more extra-strength Advil than the bottle would recommend, and an emergency trip to my chiropractor's. In the summer of 2011 I suffered a couple of major setbacks as I was the victim of a hit and run by a GMC Acadia (large SUV), and I threw my back out while loading a steel pagoda-style gazebo during my employment at Lowe's. Since then I've had to be very careful with both my back, and my right knee since it took quite the beating from the hit and run too.
With all of that said, and with me knocking on the wooden table beside me, I haven't had any major back or knee problems since I started focusing on them in my gym routines (I do still wear a knee brace for safety's sake). It's a wonder what some targeted exercise and good old "sticktoitiveness" can do eh? Well, here're the numbers!
Treadmill:
- 10 minutes @ 6mph
Low Back Extension:
- 2 sets of 10 reps @ 240lbs
Abdominal:
- 3 sets of 10 @ 80lbs
Pectoral Fly:
- 2 sets of 10 @ 75lbs
Lat Pulldown:
- 2 sets of 10 @ 90lbs
Arms - Triceps:
- 2 sets of 10 @ 50lbs
Shoulder Press:
- 2 sets of 10 @ 60
Standing Obliques - Free Weights:
- 4 sets of ten @ 30lbs (both sides)
The Cooldown:
After my workouts, as HORRIBLY strenuous as they are (yes, sarcasm) I like to sit down for a few minutes in a massage chair, chat with the person who plunks down next to me about whatever the day's news might hold and sip away at my after-routine drink of choice... Strawberry milk.
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| It's actually the exact drink I was sipping on this morning... Good stuff! |
No, I'm not one of those folk who've taken on milk products after a workout from the damned milk Nazi commercials, I've just always had a love of strawberry milk because well, who WOULDN'T love a beverage that comes from pink cattle? Oh... Oh wait one sec... *aside* -Whoa whoa, you're telling me it DOESN'T come from pink cows? Oh come on, that's just a horrible thing to do to someone... And here I am telling my readers... You know what forget it! Just drop it!- Aaaaand I'm back... So breaking news, it doesn't come from pink cows. Don't worry though, it's still delicious!
My cooldown today was extra-chill however, as I walked outside to find the snow just blowin' down from the sky. It made for a very scenic walk home that otherwise would've been nothing but cold, black tarmac but it wasn't precisely comfortable. I heard that the Peel Catholic School Board has already called off classes because of this but, I'm not Breakfast Television so I'll leave the school closure reporting to the professionals.
That's really all that I have for today. No pics as they're only being updated monthly (I know, you're heartbroken right? Again, sarcasm) but rest-assured, they'll come around when my next major update gets published. Hopefully we'll be seeing just a little bit by then.
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