Lifting day

I lifted today, satisfying my 2008 mission to lift once a week.

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1. Consider doing the 6:30 full body conditioning class but, upon putting on bright orange 3" shorts that were slightly see-through (eek!) and totally embarrassing (particularly with black ankle socks) (I hate black socks) (I need to do laundry), and since I'm dressed by 6:00, try to warm up on erg but some dude's already there. Stretch instead.
2. 1x8x80, 1x8x90, 1x8x80 lat pulldowns with 15 seconds of walking / arm stretches in between sets
3. 3x8x90 squats
4. 1x8x70, 1x7x70, 1x5x70 leg curls. This machine confuses me. I need to find my old workout notes because, well. I'm confused. I used to kill these. Maybe the squats made my butt sleepy.
   
5. 1x24x20 bicep curls, middle 8 on tip toes.
6. 3:00 on 1:58 split 35 spm, 2 off erg.
7. Stretch
8. Steam and shower. Sauna is worthless at the Soho NYSC.
9. 12 ounces of shake thing once I got home.
   

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Seeing this picture of me
in my crazy costume
at my 31st birthday party
gave me pause

Thoughts:

1. My body looks puffy, which is not my goal. I remember the med school team semi half coach for crew in undergrad. She had huge quads but also fat over them which really was not a hot look. I have no idea what she looked like when she was in shape but I must say, my quads and my arms are looking puffy and much like they did in college. This confuses me. Doesn't lifting make one lean? Maybe I need to mix the yoga back in more frequently.
2. All that said, my glutes look awesome. Nice and lifted which was one of the reasons I started lifting again, it was looking a tad pancakey.
3. I can't handle lactic acid like I used to. Need to figure out how to work on this.

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Do protein shakes matter?

After today's workout, which was tough to grit through, I suspect that protein shake thingies actually do make a difference. My muscles felt sluggish even though I was doing exactly the same thing that I'd done a couple of weeks ago. Only real variable was that I hadn't had a protein shake thingy today. (I may have also failed to have my iron pill.)

??? Is it all in my head, or is there some positivist A-B split science behind this ???

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1. Walked a mile to the gym
   
2. [1 minute on (35 spm / 1:55), 1 minute off] * 3 on erg, resistance = 4
3. Stretch
4. 3 x 8 @ 80 lat pulldowns, 30 second walk with arms above head in between sets
5. 1 x 8 @ 90 squats, 30 second walk to find a trainer to show me how to re-set it correctly
   
6. 3 x 8 @ 70 leg curls, 30 second walk with arms above head in between sets
7. 3 x 8 @ 20 bicep curls, no rest in between sets, stood on tiptoes for middle set
8. 3 minutes on (34 spm / 1:56), 2 minutes off on erg, resistance = 9
   
9. Back stretch on the stability ball thing
10. Rest of stretches
11. Sauna / steam / shower
12. Walked a mile home

I have decided that I am totally counting if I walk without sitting for at least a mile, because, well, baby steps. Right?

I'm also considering joining a second gym because my friends keep asking me if I'm a member of Equinox (I'm at NYSC right now due to its proximity to my former office). Is that totes crazy?

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Taken en route to the gym