Upping Weights a Little

I waited 4.5 hours for this chap to turn up at the beginning of last month.....very pleased when he did!

Ok, so after going a little easier on my legs last Friday at the gym, I had a phone call on Saturday morning to say that a Little Stint had turned up locally. Needless to say, I spent Saturday and Sunday out watching this sweet little wader (just 13 cm long). It worked out perfectly that I'd 'saved' my legs and I coped pretty well with not having an immediate 'recovery' day. However, on Monday I managed to forget to take my anti-depressant medication in the morning (the first time ever) and felt as rough as anything all day - nausea, headache, exhaustion, emotional, body temperature all over the place and then a very poor night's sleep with horrific nightmares. It was a relief to identify the cause on Tuesday! As ever, it's reinforced my desire to get off these toxic drugs eventually. The only reason I keep taking it is because the withdrawal is horrible and it takes a good 6-12 months for my nervous system to settle down. During that time, I'm an emotional wreck.

Anyway, this week's gym session was much the same as last week. My right upper thigh/leg (also effecting the right ankle) is no better so I left out the step-ups and only did 10 reps of leg extensions.

Friday's Gym Set (recent changes highlighted in green):

• 5 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then with 7kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec holds. I added in 5 reps single leg glute bridge.
  
• Press ups (plus) (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 8 reps
• Hip extension, abduction, adduction with blue theraband 2 x 8 reps
• Leg press 48kg 2 x 10 reps, 54kg (with seat set back one notch) x 10 reps
  
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 6kg 2 x 10 reps
  
• Seated rows 6kg 10 reps (kept arms extended so just worked scapular muscles), 6kg 2 x 10 reps, 8kg 10 reps
  
• Wobble board 4 mins (including 5 x squats)
  
• Leg extension 10kg 1 x 10 reps
  
• Trunk twist using cable weights 2 x (2kg 4 reps then 4kg 8 reps)
  
• Bicep curls 4kg 3 x 8 reps
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3lbs 2 x 10 reps, 5lbs 8 reps
  
• Both shoulders, front raise, lying on my back 3lb 10 reps
• Reverse ab crunches & Plank 3 x 30 sec hold
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings and chest/pecs

I'm very pleased with the progress on my shoulders. The right thigh/leg/ankle problem is extremely frustrating. My right lower ab muscles have been sore/twingey each week too. I was tired yesterday but not overwhelmingly.

I think I'm going to indulge in a pool session this coming Friday. It might help the various niggles to heal up - I could do with some soothing.