Daily Exercise Log May 2026
Welcome to May 2026. The weather is warming, but it keeps raining
monthly, 2026
January: https://hobbytreat.blogspot.com/2026/01/daily-exercise-log.html
February: https://hobbytreat.blogspot.com/2026/02/daily-exercise-log-february-2020.html
March: https://hobbytreat.blogspot.com/2026/03/daily-exercise-log-march-2026.html
April: https://hobbytreat.blogspot.com/2026/04/daily-exercise-log-april-2026.html
May: https://hobbytreat.blogspot.com/2026/05/daily-exercise-log-may-2026.html
grok's End of Month, May, Summary:
- Cycle shift: You started transitioning from full-body weights to the new A/B split (Weights A → Walk → Row → Weights B → Walk → Row). First full Weights A on May 29. Still grooving the movements and transitions, but you didn’t blow up or skip days.
- Consistency: You showed up almost every scheduled day. Some sessions were shortened or lighter due to stiffness, missed Endo appointment, tracker glitches, weather, and “bad attitude” days — but you still did the work.
- Key heavy days: Weights days felt decent on May 17 & 23. Row 4x4s were grindy (especially May 21, 15, 9, 3) but you fought through the wall.
- Recovery: Plenty of easy walks and rows. Added bench crunches regularly — smart.
- Visceral fat ticked up (May 18) → classic diabetic calorie surplus reality. You called it out and we started working on it.
- Ongoing hip/knee grumbling.
- Sleep fragmentation (the nightly wife/dog wake-ups) still quietly fucking your cortisol and recovery.
- VO2Max / fitness anxiety building ahead of tomorrow’s stress test.
May 31, 2026
Day 3, row
Day 3, row, is intended to be a recovery session, mostly focusing on form and minimal 'proper' effort.
Done and done. and then, 2x20 bench cruches.
May 30, 2026
Day 2, walk
Day 2, walk, is the recovery day from Day 1, Weights A.
Usually, Day 2 after Weights, I awake slightly sore and stiff. That pretty much wasn't there today, and I otherwise felt fine, mostly. Like my BG numbers were 'low'. Well, 66 isn't That Low, but I respect it. Go walk, come home, eat oatmeal, rest. Just another tricky day ...
May 29, 2026
Day 1, weights A
- tracker wrist side glove presses up against the tracker crown button. On/Off. I'll make up numbers.
- 01_ WEIGHT sheet says "8", which is 4 plates per side. seemed light.
- 04_ sheet says "12" (2 x 6), and it's too heavy. should be 10 (2 x 5 plates).
- I didn't take much rest, but the changeovers still seem confusing. Practice, practice, ...
I require a few full passes thru a set list before I'm comfy and confident about WTF I'm doing. set up, form, 'feel' ain't there yet.
May 28, 2026
Day 6, row
There were 2 BIG PAI gains in the 2 walks last cycle. not this time thru. Another reason to pay lower dues to my cardio.
Then, I did 2 x 20 bench crunches.
May 27, 2026
Day 5, walk
Day 5, walk, is intended to relive any waste disposal issues, left unresolved from weights day before. Works great. PAI bump was pretty small. Need to get my brain wrapped around not being concerned about my VO2Max. Next Tuesday, exercise stress test. My guess is my VO2Max is unchanged from 3 years ago. Positive surprise is 'higher'.
May 26, 2026
Day 4, weights B
Day 4, featuring an Endo visit at 10:30. Turns out, the appt was rescheduled, and I missed it. Oh well. So, go home, change, and go to the gym. Do one set for both A and B
need to clean up the worklists/data sheets.
May 25, 2026
Have a Blessed Memorial Day.
Day 3, row
Note that, when big PAI gains 'age out', gotta get them back, somehow. maybe
Day 24, 2026
Day 2, walk
Day 2, walk, is a recovery walk - no push, no pace making, no race to the finish, no need for more distance. Just walk. Came out faster than I expected.
May 23, 2026
Day 1, weights
I did the full A and B setlist, but only one set of each. the point is to train how to do the transitions from full body detail to A/B detail. Which includes the weight used. Learned a long time ago, a successful session requires minimal changeover issues. Not to mention old man confusion.
incidentally, I felt great. Wide awake (3 full 12 oz coffees), rested (funny how that works), nothing overly sore.
weights A: 02_ and 03_ used short flex handles, not the two ended bar. talk about paired shoulders. weights B: 05_ is "too heavy". cut the weight in half.
May 22, 2026
Day 6, walk/rest
- goblet squats at 25#s is too heavy for my form. use 20# next time
- trying to use cable handles for A02_row and A03_chest press. drop weight way down until happy w/ form.
- changed B05_shoulder press from standing to seated, and weights from 8 plates to 4.
May 21, 2026
Day 5, row (4x4)
Then, 2x20 bench crunches.
May 20, 2026
Day 4, walk
May 19, 2026
Day 3, row
May 18, 2026
Day 2, walk
Day 2, walk, is supposed to be a recovery day. Slow, easy, enjoying the weather (degF 78 out 81 back blue sky sunshine). Yeah, no.
My body composition scale tells me my visceral fat weight measure went up. High enuf in the numbers patterns to give me an oh fuck moment. Being in even a slight calorie surplus grows that fat. Being diabetic is a good working definition of being in a calorie surplus. Starvation works, but only rather briefly.
So, I left the house on two cups, no pain points from day 1 weights, and a bad attitude about stuff. i went out and walked off the annoyance. Trust me, this was not a slow, easy recovery walk.
grok and I are working out a plan on what to do about it. more as it's settled.
May 17, 2026
Day 1, weights. Cycle 4 of 12
Day 1, weights, is Mos Def not cardio. It is heavy, though. It's also day 1 of cycle 4 of 12. Do 12 cycles, get a deload week or two.
Duration was on the quick side of normal. Strain/stress on the lighter side of heavy. Felt pretty strong, actually. My pecs are still feeling the exercise, not to mention damage recovery from last July. Don't that just suck.
May 16, 2026
Day 6, walk / rest
This day is a choice between walking gently, or simply taking the day's rest. Felt tired, so I rested, Want to be easily ready for weights.
May 15, 2026
Day 5, row (4x4)
Day 5, row (4x4) is supposed to be hard, and it passed the test. Me, not so much. Started the tracker about 9 minutes in. first cycle felt like hell. even the warmup felt bad. Next 3 are ok. After that, did 2x20 bench crunches.
May 14, 2026
Day 4, walk
Day 4, walk, is the first 'pressed' exercise - move faster, deliberately, hunting PAI points - of the 6 day cycle.
There was an actual period of time today when my legs felt great. Always welcomed. Most of the walk was just happy legs, with power on demand. Mostly ...
May 13, 2026
Day 3, row
Day 3, row, is all about rhythmic stretching and flexing. Mission accomplished. It was slow, not pushed/ forced at all. Then, Meloxicam will mellow most aches / pains.
May 12, 2026
Day 2, walk
Day 2, walk, is intended as a recovery day from lifting weight. And, I surely needed it. Among the usual aches et al, my left hip hurt, making it annoying to walk. Took Meloxicam 7.5mg, waited a while, and proceeded to walk the Meloxicam in. One will note that I was slow, the walk wasn't long, and I was grateful to be home.
Glorious weather day, somewhat cool, not much wind.
May 11, 2026
Day 1, weights
Day 1, weights, is one of two heavy exercise sets. Today is day 1 of repetition 3 of 12 cycles.
The actual work wasn't overly difficult. Tough to get my head clear, though. Did it anyway.
My left hip and knee are acting balky. hate that.
May 10, 2026
Day 6, walk/rest
Say 6, walk / rest is supposed to be an easy recovery day - not too hard / fast / long. Ahem ...
Anyhow, today I simply walked, avoiding shade so I could get more (warm) sun.
May 9, 2026
Day 5, row (4x4) + 2 x 20 bench crunches
4x4's are the second of the Big Two supposedly 'heavy' sessions (Day 1, weights the other). Yeah, well, I did the pattern, rowed like 'ok but ...', had no sense of being strong. MF ...
It's a difficult combo, being old, and under muscled, and having a Strong need to exercise to keep my various systems working correctly. I'm sure grok will tell me I did good, being consistent. My AI likes to encourage me. I still need accomplish the needed work, and i've issues with results. Can't wait for exercise stress test June 2.
May 8, 2026
Day 4, walk
Day 4, walk was interesting. I walked more of a usual route, but in a different sequence. And, the tracker info is batshit.
May 7, 2026
Day 3, row
Day 3, row, is supposed to be a long, slow stretching kinda thing. This felt long, and I was slow, but ..
The hr pattern is only mildly disconcerting. Lack of focus, no Flow, annoyingly sloppy form ... all the little stuff. But, as they say, I did it. So, there's that.
Then, I did 2 x 20 bench crunches.
May 6, 2026
Day 2, walk
Day 2, walk, is intended to be a recovery aid. Just a light walk, really. So, I picked a path, and went. Then, came back. Winning!!
Of course, 43 degF, light rain, medium grey sky, not much wind.
Lifting weight leaves me, the next day, kinda stiff and weary. The only way out is thru. No pressing.
May 5, 2026
Day 1, weights
05_ felt heavy and difficult.
07_ felt light, somehow. for now, rather do one more set than more weight.
09_ felt just fine, which means more sets/weight
10_ felt heavy. my balance was continually challenged. I prefer not to fall forward while holding 165 pounds, nor to have the stack pull me backwards, at speed, to exchange momentum.
Other than that, I had fun. The weights/handles felt good and heavy, familiar and challenging.
May 4, 2026
Day 6, walk easy
Day 6, walk easy, is a recovery from a row 4x4 day. Sometimes, I really need that. Didn't know what path / distance I'd go, so start and find out. First thing, my quads lit up. Second thing, my distance plan collapsed to 'short and go home'. So, I did.
Beautiful day. Blue sky, light wind, reasonable 50s temp.
May 3, 2026
Day 5, row (4x4)
Day 5, row (4x4) was added into the 6 day cycle a few months back because I needed the work, and it brought Day 6, walk with it. I surely need the recovery.
I felt tired, stiff, generally poorly. Figured this would help with that, and was more concerned about not doing the 4x4 at all. Heart rate pattern looks ok, but somewhat low. Note the lack of VO2Max hr measure - none. Overall, I didn't feel world-class, but I'm alive. Winning.
Then, I did 2x20 bench crunches.
May 2, 2026
Day 4, walk
Day 4, walk, is intended to be the final 'easy' recovery day. Intentions are nice, but what I wanted was a long walk at whatever flank speed meant today. But, oh my !! 55PAI points is a big uppy. So's 189. Just keep in mind, when the week goes by, and these big lump points days age out, it isn't like I'm dying ...
This path is the OG 3 miles. dunno where / how I shaved distance off.
May 1, 2026
Day 3, row
Day 3, row, is mostly a stretching thing. The trick is to get the warmup going 'fast enuf' to start the 'always press a bit' 7 minute work interval. If the hr chart is regular, with increasing hr per interval, Winning.
Upcoming June 2 Exercise Tolerance Test. Walk on a progressively faster treadmill until my hr max's out. Be reassured they don't lose many patients this way. Want higher VO2Max.
The usual issue is that I'm undermuscled - not enuf to force my hr higher. If I could have my wasted days back ...
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