Becoming an Athlete

Since I can only do upper body, I hit shoulders late Wednesday night.  Nothing fancy, but again, better than eating junk and doing nothing. Machine rear delt fly:  45lb x 10 x 10 Machine bent arm laterals:  30lb x 10 x 10

Well, it would seem that even rowing on Nautilus machines is too much for my knees, as I could feel the pain develop midway through the training session.  Ah well, still better that eating Vinegar & Salt chips and watching TV. Sauna:  5 mins neutral grip pulldown:  100lb x 10sets x 5reps (20 second rest or less) Nautilus isolateral row*: 80lb x 5sets x 10reps (wanted to get 10 sets but knee started feeling it) EZ-bar preacjer curl:  50lb x 10sets x 5reps Unilateral concentration curl**:  15lb x 4sets x 10 reps (wanted to get 10 sets but left knee couldn't support the left arm.  Started hurting at set 3, but I did 1 more anyway) *Isolateral row machine:  That's a science-y word.  It must be better than barbell rows or 1-arm dumbbell rows.  :( **Unilateral concentration curl:  1 arm at a time. I'll have to find an alternative, like seated incline curls.  My left knee did NOT like bracing the left arm.

Since I can't carry any real weight on my left leg yet, loading a barbell or using heavy enough dumbbells is out.  So I'm pretty much being an uber-nerd doing Nautilus and Hammer Strength machines at Gold's.  Today, laughably enough, was chest and tris.  Holy shit that sounds tool-ish. 10 minutes in the sauna - went through a litre of water Nautilus incline press:  100lbs x 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (i.e. 10x5) Nautilus peck deck: 50lb x 10,10,10,10,10 (i.e. 5x10) Hammer Strength dip lever thingy:  50lb x 10 x 10 Nautilus single arm overhead extension:  50 x 10 x 5 each

I tore my meniscus and part of my ACL.  I went in for athroscopic surgery on 12AUG.  It took me 2 days on crutches to start walking again, but I ad to limit the time on foot or the swelling would set me back.  I can go up and down the stairs without any issue and with a normal gait. Day 1 of rehab is this Friday, 23AUG. Oh, and my wife and I are getting separated.  So I'll have to get myself and my kids packed and moved out in the next 2 weeks.  Move in is 1SEP. At least I'm still standing on my own two feet and pressing on.

Swimming yesterday is nothing to write about, except that it was the most I could do before my knee started hurting.  I'm sure it is going to be slow progress after surgery on 12AUG.

I'm 37 and starting to feel it.  I'll be 38 in December.  I can objectively say that my neglect of cardio is taking it's toll as I age.  Yup.  I have always hated it, but now more than ever I need to do it. But with a torn left meniscus getting fixed on Monday 12 AUG, I'll be relegated to upper body and MAYBE some swimming for the next 10 weeks. We'll see how it goes.