Working Out

It's getting better, this working out stuff. I have been using an elliptical machine because it's less pressure on my knee than the treadmill. When I first started, I could only do about 10 minutes on it. Now I'm doing 30, and following that with strength training. When I go back, I am bumping it up to 35 minutes. I know that 30-35 minutes is nothing to brag about, but that is progress.

I'm starting to understand what they mean about that runner's high or second wind, whatever it's called. I hit this wall and it gets so hard to keep moving. It's like I have to just close my eyes, bear down, and push through it. Then it's over and it gets easier again. Some point soon after that, I get this slightly euphoric sensation. It's not orgasmic or anything; it's just a very pleasant feeling. Thank you, seratonin. I don't even notice the wall breaking down until I get the high.

I'm not sure I'm doing all the weight training stuff correctly. I read that you should work all the muscle groups every time, doing 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps with the weight set so that you can barely finish the last rep in good form, so that's what I've been doing. It just doesn't seem to take that long, and I walk out of the gym thinking I should've spent more time in there. And there are a few machines I can't do, like this thing--



It KILLS my knee. It doesn't hurt bad while I'm doing it, but the next day my leg will be tight and painful, so I'm staying away from that thing right now. Hopefully the elliptical machine is giving my quads a good workout without hurting the knee. I'm still doing the PT at home, too. It's time for this injury to move out of the spotlight and let me do my thing again.

I want to kick some roller derby ass!