New me went back to the gym today.  It was only TECHNICALLY ‘today’ since I got there at 1:00 a.m..  Don’t ask…

Here’s what I did:

1. bike – 10  minutes to warm up a little bit
2. weird elliptical machine – 28 minutes
3. treadmill – walked backward 10 minutes (slow, no incline)

Let me explain what I mean by ‘I just don’t listen’.  My physical therapist asked how I was doing and what exercise I’d done since Monday.  I thought about NOT telling him about the gym activity, but gave him the rundown anyway.  I AM a grown woman, right?  I can do whatever I want as long as I’m okay with the consequences.  So, I told him everything.  At first he said, “Uh, that’s not what I told you to do.”  But then he said he was actually kind of glad that I don’t listen.  Now we know that I can do more than he thought (more than I thought).  Alrighty then.  That worked out. 

My PT session went fine.  I am still a little weak on steps.  It hurts a little bit going up and a little more going down but it’s manageable.  I can almost bend my knee like normal – both ways.  Did you know your knee flexes a little bit forward?  Hopefully EVERYONE’S knees do that and not just mine!  Anyway.  I’m getting there. 

Back to the gym.  My knee hurt on the bicycle.  I guess because of the repetitive motion while it’s bent at the angle that hurts anyway.  I just kept going.  Who stops during warm up? 

I don’t know what kind of elliptical machine I was using but it is weird to me.  Instead of the regular back and forth smooth motion of the old timey  machines, this one has glider things for your feet that will actually mimic stairs, jogging or full out running.  I tried to keep my motion within the stair climbing range but I spilled over into the area of jogging for a good amount of time.  I got pretty winded (which bothered me) and I got a great work out of my thighs.  They were really hurting by the time I got off.  My knee hurt a little while I was on the machine, but immediately stopped when I got off. 

No big mystery about walking backward on the treadmill.  I got on, set the speed (no incline) and walked backward.  😉

No random thoughts while I worked out.  Not really.  There were a couple of guys on machines in front of me, so I kinda alternated between watching them, watching TV and listening to my music.

I am really trying to shift my focus from what I cannot YET do to what I can do right now.  It’s hard sometime, though.  So far, not following instructions from the PT have worked out but I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to just run.

I’ll be back out on the street before long.  (running…)