Random Thoughts in My Head

Much of the reason for me joining this program was because was because I was starting to feel old and weak. My normal routines of walking and yoga were not getting me where I wanted to be and trying to recover from shoulder surgery and then the tear in my calf muscle had me concerned I would not be able to hike this summer. So I signed up for this 6 week program that had weights and running and all the things I abhor.

I know I could stand to lose some weight, but that was not my focus or goal. I wanted to be able to get up off the floor without any trouble. I want to be able to put on my pack and wear it for a couple of days to go backpacking. I want to be able to go hiking and not have to give up after a couple of miles. So today when I retested I was very pleased to see that I improved my time from the benchmark that I set 5 weeks ago.

I’m rather pleased with this progress. I’m rewarding myself with funny shirts and awesome workout pants.

I’m tired. This workout routine is kicking my butt. It’s also making me stronger and giving me back some functionality I had lost over the last year, but it’s not easy and I’m tired.

I’m really happy I only have to do 30 minutes on the bike today.

Another new pair of shorts today and these ones make me feel like I’m Wonder Woman. I needed the extra confidence boost today too since I’m feeling really low energy and only did about 75% of my workout. But that’s better than nothing!

More new shorts! It’s surprising hard to get good pics of these, but these have some kind of skulls and are 100% squat-proof. I know because I did 18 squats holding an 8# dumbbells in each hand and they held up.

More importantly I did 48 20# strict presses (overhead press with a barbell). A year ago I was having trouble getting my right hand over my head so I’m pleased and a bit sore today.

Out of the five new pairs I got in the mail today, the one pair of new workout shorts that I thought would be the ones that I didn’t like are the first pair that I grabbed for today.

I adore these shorts! These lips aren’t quite Rocky Horror Picture Show level but they’re pretty freaking awesome.

Today’s workout called for the extra sass. “Deload” week and today was 10 minutes on the treadmill and 22 minutes of weights and toe taps.

Front squats and then four sets of Sprints of 200m and 12 box steps. FOUR SETS. I like how clearly you can see them on my heart rate chart. These were hard, even though my idea of running is fast walking at 3mph on the treadmill.

And then the “Lethal Combo” of deadlifts and KP throws.

I’m never “happy” in my pics, but I am pleased with myself for doing the work.

In the past four weeks this makes my 20th workout. I’m pretty pleased with myself for keeping this up.

Before signing up for this workout routine I had no idea what AMRAP meant, but now I know it means whatever they are asking us to do will be hard and last FOREVER.

For this workout I was supposed to do a total of 18 Zombie Squats (I used DB instead of a barbell since this hurts my shoulder) followed by 3 sets of 200m/100m run/walk then came the AMRAP: 20 minutes of rounds of 5 sit-ups (in lieu of Toes to Bat), 10 DB Push Press and 20 KBHP (in lieu of Cal Rows).

I lasted just over 5 minutes. The KBHP (Kettle Ball High Pulls) are really hard and my right shoulder drops a ton so I gave up after the second set. I need to set up a pulley system with a KB so I can emulate rowing instead of these High Pulls until my shoulder is strong enough to do it evenly.

Even cutting out nearly 15 minutes I worked 52 minutes.

There was a time when I would have considered 30minutes on the bike or treadmill a decent workout. Now it’s my “active rest day” and that the best day of the workout week right now since I know I can make it through the whole thing.

This rest day was on the bike.

The workout for today was called “Introducing The Lungester” and I now officially hate lunges. I’m not great at them to start with and had to heavily modify this crazy movement (no weights used and my failed attempt to scale by lunging back to a target was laughable). I’m baffled by my inability to lunge. I can come down to my knee and get back up, but for some reason the HOVER AND RISE is out of my ability, for now. I’ll beat this though. Eventually.

However I also held a modified plank for almost a minute (50-55 seconds each time) FOUR DAMN TIMES last night. My shoulder blade on my right side is screaming at me and my arm muscles are so tight it feels like my arms have shrunk.

I can tell this is a muscle imbalance from my shoulder since my right side is really sore. Once I can get both sides to be equally sore (why is that even a thing??) I will eventually do full planks.

I WILL NOT BE A FRAIL OLD LADY.

Today was a ton of cardio. Not. Dead. Yet.

So much “running” in this working, but I did it all. Granted my running is more like fast shambling, but the fact that I can even shamble with my shitty lungs is something to be grateful for.