TGIF! I am thankful for every single Friday that has existed in my life. Even this Friday... I am not a fan of April Fool's Day, if you know me I don't really take pranks well, and it is snowing. April snow. Not my favorite. Well, to be more specific we are experiencing a northeastern phenomenon called 'wintry mix.' Wintry mix sounds lovely and festive, when really it is the most disgusting weather I have seen on this earth. Rain/slow/sleet/wind/slush/spitting. I don't know what weather god is responsible for this, but I really don't appreciate it. I made the mistake of leaving my apartment this morning in my gym shoes. I thought my boot days were over for the year, what a poor decision. I look like one of those incompetent unprepared women trying to avoid the puddles treking through downtown Boston. At least I'm not wearing Sperry's, I saw two unfortunate souls donning those this morning.
What is the perfect way to get over April wintry mix blues? Exercise! Laying in bed at 6am, watching the snow/sleet/rain come down, it was a little hard to want to jump out of bed and put my trainers on. However, I have done this enough times over the past two winters to know that the moment I got in the gym, my mood would be exponentially improved. One of the best parts of exercise is the endorphin effect! Who doesn't love endorphins...I think of them as little happy molecules that float around in your brain, waiting to be stimulated by various activities, one of which is exercise [science people, don't judge me for how I think about endorphins, it works for me]. It can be really hard to get yourself up and to the gym, but once you are there the biology of exercise makes you happy. Literally.
Next time you look outside and the weather makes you never want to leave home again, do the exact opposite. Put on boots, jacket, plug in your music and get your butt to the gym. Not only will exercise stimulate endorphin release in your body, but you will feel good about doing something productive with your time and the rest of your day will follow suit. As my mom likes to say "your body doesn't get a vote." When your body tells you no, you tell it to be quiet and suck it up. It will be happy once it gets moving! Mind over matter, especially when it comes to combating April wintry mix.
I, for one, will be doing a 2-a-day today to combat the crappy weather. Twice the endorphins? Sign me up. Morning workout focused on back, chest and shoulders. Evening will be cardio!
Today's workout
Superset: Barbell incline press & pushups
10 x 65lb, 10 pushups
8 x 75lb, 10 pushups
6 x 85lb, 10 pushups
4 x 95lb [for the first time I asked a random dude to spot me at the gym. I highly encourage this, you can push yourself a lot harder!]
Superset: Lat pulldown & dumbell bent over row
3 sets: 10 x 80 lbs lat pulldown, 10 each bent over row x 40lb db
Superset: Barbell military press & single-arm cable fly [thanks Miles!]
3 sets: 10 x 55lb military press, 10 each x 30lb single-arm cable fly
Single-arm cable fly - set cable machine at shoulder height, grab with one hand and pull so you start with tension, pull cable across your body at chest level with a slightly bent arm and return to starting position. Repeat.
For all you on the east coast, get to the gym to fight the shitty weather blues! For all you NOT on the east coast....I'm just jealous.
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