Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Mine's been quite quiet thus far. I don't do any major cooking on Thanksgiving, so my day is usually free before dinner. Occasionally my mom has asked us to bring an appetizer, but because there hasn't been alot of us for dinner in the past couple years, she's told us to not bother. I did bake a couple batches of cookies last night to bring over. I go over to my mom's every Thanksgiving, while Zim goes over his mom's. Zim doesn't eat turkey, stuffing, or the rest of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. My mom would make him seafood pasta, but in the last few years, he doesn't want anyone to go out of their way for him. So he goes over his mom and they typically eat some sort of fish. Everyone is happy. 

The nor'easter that made it's home in the northeast for the past couple days has finally moved out and the sun is shining. In the Philly suburbs, we got about 2 inches of rain or more. There was localized flooding and a bunch of road closures yesterday morning. We also had some sleet and a bit of snow too. If temperatures would have been down 5 degree yesterday, all that rain would have been snow. What a mess that would have been! After all that rain, the temperature dropped below freezing last night, and the roads were a little slick. Zim and I went to dinner, then stayed home for the rest of the night. 

This morning it was nice to see the sun. I debated on going for a run but it was still below freezing and I really didn't feel like dealing with ice. I ended up going to my gym. It's open 7am - 1pm today. I was kinda surprised. I went around 10am and worked out for close to an hour. Here's how it went:

1/4 mile jog around the track, stretch out

Lat pull-down machine (50lb)

Shoulder press machine (50lb)

Seated leg press (120,135,150)

Seated bench press machine e (50,40)

Seated rowing machine (50)

Calf raise machine (160,180,200)

Standing tricep pull down (30)

Seated cable rowing machine (60,70)

Leg extension machine (70,85,90)

Upright row dumbbell (15)

Hammers (15)

Body squats

20 minutes on the elliptical. (2.5 miles)

Stretch out

(Each exercise is 3 sets with reps of 10,8, and 6.)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! 

Git 'Er Done

I woke up to a nice cold morning with sheets and the comforter wrapped around me and a curled up kitty to my side. Ahh, nice and cozy in bed. Then that alarm goes off and ruins that tender moment between you and the bed. That's Mondays for you. Only on the weekends do I wake up next to Zim. He's out of bed by 4am during the week. Tough schedule. Better than the nights he worked for years though. Anyways, after some breakfast and the local news, I slid on the track pants, put on the Under Amour hoodie, and started warming up in the garage. I've been meaning to change up the upper strength training routine, so I tweeked a bit. Here goes:

5 minute warm-up

5 push-ups/pull-ups

Lawnmowers

Curls

Dips (20 reps)

2nd time round- 5 pull-ups

Shoulder press

Hammers

Overhead tricep press

5 push-ups/pull-ups

In & out shoulder fly

Elbow out lawnmowers

In & out bicep

5 push-ups

Upright row

In & out hammers

Tricep kickback

5 push-ups/pull-ups

REPEAT

Finish with a 1 mile jog...Brrrr...cool down and stretch

First set 10 reps, second 8 reps

I used 15 lbs dumbbells with the exception of all lawnmowers, 18lbs, and overhead tricep and in & out shoulder flys,12lbs. 

1st set start with push-ups to equal 20, 2nd set is pull-ups to equal 20.

Off to take a shower and get to work! Stay warm!

Playlist: Arcade Fire: Reflektor 

Last Frozen Week of November

The coldest temperatures since February have moved in for the week in good ole Pennsylvania. Saturday was on the chilly side, but temps today never made it past the lower 30s. I took advantage of the half decent temperature on Saturday morning and got 4 miles in on the trail. There wasn't a ton of people out either. There were a few runners, walkers, and dog walkers out, but pretty quiet. Just how I like it! After a shower, Zim and I headed to West Chester University to watch their playoff football game against American International College. I've never been to a college football game, let alone a playoff game. I went to West Chester for 4 and 1/2 years, graduated and even took a semester of graduate classes, and NEVER have I attended a game. First time for everything. West Chester is in the NCAA Division 2, so they'll never play Penn State or one of those colleges. Anyways, it was fun, inexpensive ($8 a ticket), but pretty chilly out. We left during the half, that wind was just killer. West Chester won, 31-7, and move on to the next round. Good times.

Today, Zim and I took a trip to the gym to escape the bitter cold for some cardio. I did the elliptical for 35 minutes. At least I got it in. This week is always pretty crazy between Thanksgiving, family, work, and Black Friday. 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Gym Day

The next couple of weeks I'm only going to be training my father on Tuesdays. So I had the whole day to myself! Yay! I made it to the gym a little after 10am. I did a leg routine which included a seated leg press, weighted calf raises, leg extension/flexion, hip abduction/adduction machine, body squats and lunges. I finished with 20 minutes on the elliptical and some ab work. 

I got some much needed housework done. Cabinets cleaned out, groceries, fridge cleaned out a bit. Crazy that Thanksgiving is only a week away! 

Playlist: Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs

Monday Morning Round Up

Upper body strength training from home. I'm going to need to switch this up again soon. Anyways, here goes:

Upright rows

Hammers

Tricep kickback

Pull-ups/push-ups

Swimmer's press

Lawnmowers

Dips (20)

Pull-ups/push-ups

Alt Shoulder

Curls

Tricep flip grip

Pull-ups/push-ups

Shoulder shrugs

Curl/hammers

Overhead tricep press

Pull-ups/push-ups

REPEAT

Finish with a 1 mile jog

I used 15 lbs with the exception of shoulder shrugs (30) and overhead triceps (12). First set was 10 reps, second 8. Pull-ups and push-ups were sets of 7.

Another Week Down

This weekend I got a couple of runs in. Temperatures this weekend were seasonally high, hovering right around 60 degrees. Saturday I got a 4 and a 1/2 mile run in. Today I went for a quick 2 and a 1/2 mile run before we drove to the Eagles v Redskins game. Happy to enjoy the weather migraine free, hitting my feet on the trail, seeing an Eagles home win, and seeing The Devils Makes Three play a show last night. Pretty busy weekend. Looking forward to my bed in about an hour.

Happy Sunday!

Thursday Quickie

After a quick workout with my dad, I came home, threw on the running shoes and a hoodie, and hit the pavement. I ran a little over 4 miles at a decent pace. It was a little chilly out, but not a whole lot of windy and the sun was out. Glad I got a run in!

Wow it's almost Friday already! Have a happy weekend!

Work Week Commence

I always have a mid day shift on Mondays, so I usually get a workout in before noon. Monday is also an upper body strength training day too. Here goes:

5 minute warm-up

Swimmer's press

Hammers

Dips (20)

5 pull-ups/push-ups

Alternate shoulder

Curls

Tricep kickback

5 pull-ups/push-ups

Upright rows

Concentration curls

Tricep flip grip

5 pull-up/push-ups

Shoulder shrugs

Dumbbell bench press

Overhead tricep press

5 pull-ups/push-ups

REPEAT 

Finish with a nice 1 mile jog

Reps were 10 on the 1st set, 7 on the 2nd.

(I used 15lbs on everything except overhead triceps, 12lb, and shoulder shrug, 30lb)

Remember to keep all our Veterans in your thoughts today! 

Playlist: Honkey Tonk Hustlas

Sunday Funday

Well not really...but it wasn't bad or anything. The weekend was pretty good to me. After being horribly sick after work on Friday, things got better with a well needed nap. These upper 60s/70s temps that fall to 35 at night kill me. They spurn migraines and all that other fun stuff that go with them. Nausea, fatigue, light sensitivity, and don't forget your head and jaw throbbing in pain. I've had a helluva lot worse, but it's never a fun experience. After my long nap and some food, I felt better. Needless to say, there was no workout for me.

Saturday morning was chilly, temps in the low 40s. I put on my track pants, zipped up the old hoodie, and got a nice 5 mile run in on the trail. I was running pretty slow for me, a 9:30 pace, enjoying the chill in the air and the nice fall scenery. I still had a slight headache, but I do find exercising/running makes me feel better when dealing with mild symptoms. Later in the day, Zim and I attended our first rugby match. It was the New Zealand Maori All Blacks v the US Eagles. Very cool to watch. I know the very basic rules in rugby, and didn't find myself too lost. It also helped the kid sitting next to me knew the game quite well and was explaining to his dad what was going on. Those rugby boys are GIANTS. And man, do they hit each other! I would love to see another match, and hope it's in the afternoon, so it's slightly warmer. Very cool to see!

Today was a gym elliptical day. I did 35 minutes, followed by some light ab work. My sister had a Thirty-One party at her house in the afternoon, so I got the workout in early. Thirty-One is a company that sells all sorts on bags, totes, purses, etc. They have some nice looking bags that you can use for just about anything. I got a couple Xmas gifts ordered and had fun hangin' with my sister's friends. Good times.

Off to bed in a few! Happy Sunday!

Playlist: Hank 3, Modern Life is War

Chilly November Monday Morning

Today it actually feels like November. Temperatures this morning are in the mid to upper 40s. Long sleeve tech shirt morning! The weekend had temps hovering near 70. Saturday I took advantage of the weather and ran a little over 5 miles on the river trail. There were a TON of people out! Everyone wanted to soak in the sun. Good for them! Sunday, I was feeling slightly sick, headache and all that fun stuff, so I stuck to the elliptical and some ab work at the gym. I came home to watch that butt whoopin' that the Eagles put on the Raiders. Crazy game.

Today is an upper body strength day and I decided to work out at home. Here goes:

5 minute warm-up

Alt shoulder

Hammers

Dips

7 pull-ups/push-ups

Swimmer's press

Concentration curls

Tricep kickbacks

7 pull-ups/push-ups

Upright rows

Curls

Tricep flip grip

7 pull-ups/push-ups

Shoulder shrugs (30lb)

Lie down dumbbell bench press

Overhead tricep press

7 pull-ups/push-ups

Lawnmowers

Curl/hammers

Tricep pull down w/ bands

7 pull-ups/push-ups

Finish with a mile jog and stretch.

I started with 15lb at 10 reps, for second set 18lb at 8 reps. Weight exception is tricep flip grip and tricep overhead press were 12lbs. First set were pull-ups, second set were push-ups.