It is Thursday, and today was all about the art of the workout pivot.

Earlier in the week, we skipped my intended Tuesday session for a trip to Kilkenny. While the weights stayed at home, the movement certainly did not—I managed to clock a massive 15,603 steps exploring the city and enjoying the day.

Because of all that walking, and 14,902 steps yesterday, my left hip was feeling a bit sore today. Old-school fitness advice might tell you to “push through it,” but Andrew (fresh from passing his personal trainer practical exams) knows better. We completely scratched the leg work and focused instead on a solid upper-body session, giving my hip a chance to recover.

The Thursday Upper-Body Session

• Wall-Assisted Push-Ups: We kicked off with 1 set of 10 reps to warm up, followed by 2 sets of 12 reps, with a 2-minute rest between sets. Andrew noticed I was naturally stepping further back from the wall to make it harder—a sign my body is ready to graduate to full incline push-ups next time!
• Alternating Dumbbell Curls: We started with 2 sets of 10 reps using empty dumbbell handles to lock in perfect form. For the final set, we added two 0.5kg plates to each dumbbell.

The surprising part? I did a massive 20 reps at a controlled 2010 tempo, and it actually felt easier with the weight on. Adding that 1kg gave my muscles something real to resist against, completely steadying my form.

Why the Pivot Matters on Dialysis

When you have been on dialysis since 2018, you quickly learn that your body dictates the schedule, not the calendar. Dialysis places significant demands on the body, and adding a 15,603-step day in Kilkenny meant my joints and muscles were already doing plenty of work.

Adapting a workout is not giving up—it is training intelligently.

Joint Preservation
Dialysis can affect bone and joint health over time. Pushing through hip soreness with lunges or squats could easily have turned a minor ache into a bigger setback.

Consistency Over Intensity
By shifting the focus to push-ups and bicep curls, I still gained the benefits of movement and muscle maintenance without aggravating my hip.

Progressive Challenge
Adding weight for the final curl set provided a safe way to increase the challenge and build on the work we did last Saturday.

Every week on dialysis looks a little different. Some days are for clocking up steps in beautiful cities. Some days are for holy lunges and balance drills. Some days are for resting a sore hip while strengthening the upper body.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is consistency, adaptation, and listening to the body God has given me. Sometimes the smartest workout is not the one you planned—it is the one you are wise enough to change.