I suppose this should really be “thoughts from the gym #4,” since I went to the gym on Sunday as well as Saturday, but I only did cardio then and didn’t have much to say about it.

Yesterday is a different story.  It was back to a leg workout for me, and I discovered that 1) my legs can apparently lift way more than I’d given them credit for, 2) slippery pants + abdunction machine = problems!  Perhaps next time I should try different pants.

I was supposed to do a bit of cardio after the leg exercises, but all the elipticals were in use and I didn’t want to use a treadmill (too much impact for the same calories burned) or bit (not enough calories burned), and I didn’t feel like waiting.  I was on my way to leave, when I ran into some friends from my department who were about to head into a “core conditioning” class.  They assured me that it was free and drop-in, and that I was welcome to come along if I wanted.

So I grabbed a mat and some 3 lb weights and went.

Ow.  I definitely wasn’t expecting what I got, though I suppose “core conditioning” should have given it away.  I think I pulled something in my left wrist using the weights: 3 lbs is apparently too heavy a starting weight for me.  On the other hand, I learned lots of new and nifty exercises to do (that really work the core) which don’t require anything more sophisticated than a slightly padded floor.

In the end, I didn’t do any cardio, but two hours at the gym was enough for me.

Edited 8:30 pm: I forgot to mention the weights I lifted, so here they are:

- quads (leg extensions): 43 lbs x 12 reps (too light); 50 lbs x 12 reps (good)
- hamstrings (hamstring curls): 45 lbs x 12 (too light); 55 lbs x 12 (good)
- inner thigh (adduction): 70 lbs x 12 (too light); 80 lbs x 12 (still too light)
- outer thigh (abduction): 65 lbs x 12 (too light); 75 lbs x 12 (still too light)
- calf raises:  15 lbs x 15 (good)

TTFN,
Julie