Week 7, day 2: Back in the gym for real

Slept alright, still woke up at 4:30pm with some knee ache and popped two ibu as usual. Then slept in until 8-8:30am (had a weird dream too...).

Knee was feeling good today. My walking is good most of the time--the limp is almost invisible. One of my coworkers commented that I wasn't limping anymore. As I walk though, especially after a little bit more walking, I feel a bit of a crunch/crack in my right knee as I step (feels that it's happening just below the knee). I wonder if it's the muscular imbalance or just the regular motions of the knee going thru the healing (scar tissue affecting tracking of things etc).

I decided to hit the gym proper today, attempting to get back to my upper body program. It was good, though very tiring! (especially after a looong day at work)

I jumped on the stationary bike and did it pretty intensely for 23 minutes. I turned up the resistance just a little and sped up my cadence. On this bike, 90rpm feels about normal, 80rpm leisurely. After doing about 90-95rpm for 12 minutes, I sustained about 100-105rpm for about 4-5 minutes, hitting a 180bpm heart rate. Then back to 90rpm for a few minutes and another 2 minutes of high intensity. I noticed that after this section, at about the 20 minute mark, my knee was a bit bothered and I could feel a little irritation/pain at the top of the tibia. So I cruised at a slower, 75-80bpm pace for another 3 minutes. It didn't feel quite right still, so I decided to get off the bike (hence the 23 minute session).

I then did some weights for the first time in a long time. I wasn't able to do quite the same weights I did before my ACL injury. For example, on a 45-degree wide-grip lat pulldown, I used to be able to do 3 sets of 12 of 122.5lbs. I attempted 120lbs today and did 12, 11 (with the last two weak) and 9. Same with biceps curls... Used to do 3x15 of 20lb weights, but opted for 15lbs today and did 12, 10 and 6 (so way weak there!).

At the end, I hopped on the stationary bike for another 5 minutes at a slow pace. I was wiped out from the exercise and maintaining a 75-80rpm pace with the lowest weight was still keeping my heart rate at 150-155bpm.

It's been months since my heart rate has seen 180bpm or any decent cardio exercise. If I can keep this up once or twice a week, I'll be happy. I'm sure I'm going to be hurting the day after tomorrow from delayed onset muscle soreness. My heart rate monitor logged a 1hr 13min workout with an average heart rate of 149bpm! Not too shabby!

I forgot to do my stretches at the gym, but I did them at home before going to bed.