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Neti-pot rinse before you go out.I forgot to mention that yesterday, while walking to the track, allergies hit me hard and my nose started oozing mucus uncontrollably. I didn't have any tissues and was just dripping snot and it was gross. Yesterday also happened to be the first day of school for the school campus where the track I'm using is located. The road was congested with a parking lot full of cars - parents dropping their kids off. It was embarrassing. Fortunately, the mucus stopped (for the rest of the day) shortly after I started jogging.
Pain report
This morning I jogged a mile at the track (no allergy attack today).
(later)
Crucifix Crunch - Today I did 3 sets of 15 reps. It's been a while since I did 3 sets and near the end of set 1, I could feel the abs working, so I thought maybe they were missing the full routine. During set 2, the abs were complaining a bit and my (lower) spine was popping a bit (not painful, just loud). Set 3 was easy, but the last 2 reps actually took some effort (to do properly without momentum). When I stopped doing 3 full sets, this was so easy that 3 sets seemed like a waste of time. But it seems that slacking off isn't an option if I want to keep the abs in top shape.
Core Hold Series (immediate transitions)
Form 1 - Today I positioned my arms perpedicular to the floor at 90 degrees. I could barely get my back off the floor, but I did manage it by maybe an inch. It stayed off the floor until I finished breath 16. I finished out to breath 30 with shoulders up.
Form 2 - I kept my feet really low to the floor today - maybe 3-4 inches off the floor - and my lower back flat on the floor. My abs were straining and I had to mentally focus to keep them tight. The abs never really burned, but they worked and were feeling sore. I finished 30 breaths without letting the lower back arch off the floor.
Form 3 - As soon as I started kicking, the lower back started to arch. I had to raise the legs/feet a bit higher in the air to keep the lower back on the floor. I finished 30 breaths and my abs feel sore, but a good soreness like they did work. I did not experience any burning pain while doing the Forms though.
Side planks
Right side - Everything felt smooth today. No shoulder popping. Good form. Controlled movements (no momentum). At rep 18, I could feel the oblique starting to struggle to lift to full plank position. I stopped at 20 reps. The right shoulder did not signal any pain today. Nice.
Left side - Like with the right side, the left shoulder did not pop today. Today, the left side felt good too - good form, controlled movements and I could feel the oblique working. The olbique felt strong today and could have gone beyond 20 reps, but I stopped and it's just as well because the left shoulder was signalling pain as I finished the last couple of reps.
Horse Stance - 1 set of 60 is MY goal
I find the correct spinal position (hips thrusted forward) right away (again) today. I really focused on keeping the pelvis rotated to keep the lower spine vertical and my knees over my ankles. Without focus, the pelvis tends to relax and the knees move inward. Around breath breath 40, the knees start to shake and by breath 45 they are really shaking. The burning pain is getting intense. At breath 50, the knees are really shaking badly and I'm not sure I will make it to 60. Did I mention that the burning pain is intense? Breath 55 and I'm seeing black dots in my field of vision (sort of). I reach breath 60, put hands on my knees and try to stand up and it takes extreme effort. I almost couldn't do it. Legs are jello.
Wall Sit - 1 set of 60 is MY goal
Almost identical to yesterday - good form, intense burn, no knee shaking/vibrating, wall shimmy to stand up at the end. Burning was maybe slightly less intense than yesterday.
(lunch time - will have to finish later today)
No one chooses pain for fun.