Promising Gym Session

Two images today. I had a great morning's birding in the sunshine on Wednesday. I went looking for a Ring Ouzel that had been in the area. Unfortunately, I never found it but I did get see my first Meadow Pipit. I'm not sure how common they are in the area - according to the RSPB website they are resident through most of the UK (Link). Anyway, I watched this bird disappear into the scrub by the fence line. I carefully approached and crouched by the fence waiting for it to reappear. It eventually came out and proceeded to sing from this post. This was the best photo I could get (not great but I was pleased with it, lol).

A beautiful male Bullfinch, photographed at a small, local reserve. These are rare around here so I was extremely surprised to find it and chuffed to bits to get a record shot.

Although it took a few days to recover from the swim last week, I was pleased. I had worried that I'd overdone it completely and that it would take the full week to stop feeling absolutely drained. But, by Wednesday, I was able to get out for the morning's birding and was very pleased with how I coped physically. The left glute/hip soreness/pain subsided and actually seemed to improve when I wasn't sitting around so much.

The other very noticeable improvement this week was the absence of right upper thigh/groin tightness/pain. Normally, after the pool/gym, I have to take painkillers to be able to sleep with that pain. But, this week, it's totally gone! Whilst at the pool, the buoyancy and warmth of the water made it much easier to stretch out my adductors so perhaps that's what's made the difference. I have no doubt it'll recur but it's been very encouraging to experience its absence.

My left shoulder is also improving nicely. Over the past 2 weeks, its range of movement has subtly increased and pain has reduced. Abduction is all but painless, for the first time in 2.5 years! I think the strengthening exercises at the gym have provided some much needed joint stability and reinnveration of muscle fibres. The seated rows seem to have made a huge difference and I think the push-up-plus exercise has helped too. The shoulder is still relatively weak but it's beginning to function in a much more healthy way. Again, another very encouraging sign.

My gym session yesterday was great. I immediately noticed how the week at the pool had given my muscles/joints a chance to heal up and strengthen. I felt stronger and more comfortable. As the session progressed, I kept thinking I must have missed out a chunk of exercises because I still felt fine. When I finished the hour's workout, I still felt 'fine', 'normal' and kept racking my brains trying to figure out what I'd forgotten to put in (which was nothing!). I came home feeling great. Of course, the tiredness kicked in later, as did the muscle aches/pains (particularly the left shoulder and glute/hip), but overall, I was very pleased. I was also really glad to discover how much my body had benefited from the week at the pool.

Yesterday's gym set:

• 5 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 10 reps
• Press ups (plus) (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 8 reps
• Hip extension, abduction, adduction with blue theraband 2 x 8 reps
• Leg press 34kg 5 reps, 41kg 2 x 10 reps
• Seated rows 2kg 10 reps (kept arms extended so just worked scapular muscles), 4kg 10 reps, 6kg 2 x 10 reps
• Wobble board 4 mins
• Leg extension 5kg 10 reps, 10kg 2 x 10 reps
• Trunk twist using cable weights 2kg 10 reps
• Step ups (with 3kg dumbells) 2 x 10 reps
• Bicep curls 3kg 5 reps, 4kg 2 x 5 reps
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 2kg 2 x 5 reps
• Plank 3 x 30 sec hold
• Both shoulders, front raise, lying on my back 1lb 10 reps
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings
• Up & Over 15 reps - holding a wooden bar with both hands, keeping arms straight raising it up to vertical. Do this most weeks but forget to note it.

Today, I do have quite a few aches/pains - hopefully it's just healthy stiffness. I'll ice my left shoulder later (it's very achy - took painkillers for it last night to be able to sleep).