Using It - 19th March

[Mitra]

I started my exercise week today with some yoga postures.

My lower back felt a little bit tender, but that's normal, especially when I'm just starting to increase the intensity again. And I was pleased to find that I was getting a bit out of breath some of the time, which, of course, only happens if I'm working fairly hard. But I also had a couple of times when muscles were just starting to cramp :confused:. One was my left hip abductors (during a standing side bend to the left), and the other the sole of my right foot (during the "superman" bit). Do you think I need more bananas :D;)? The fact that it happened to two different muscles suggests to me that it's more likely a bodily-type thing than just needing to make adjustments in specific postures. (They're both ones I do several times a week, and this doesn't normally happen.) Better hit the potassium & magnesium a bit harder for a few days.

Who else is using it today?

[Shadow]

Me :D! Today was triceps, biceps and shoulders. Between the sawing of branches yesterday and the workout this morning, my arms are fried - and I still have to shovel snow :eek: ! I will count the shoveling as bonus activity ;).

Janet - I think the supplements are a far better route to go than eating bananas - just don't tell Billie I said so :p!

[Ottawa]

Today was just over an hour, beginning with a series of planks, pushups, crunches and then weights.

[Shadow]

Great job, Randy! I always do my planks at the end of the workout - which can be quite challenging when they follow an upper body workokut :p!

[Ottawa]

"I always do my planks at the end of the workout"

In the sculpting class they usually do them towards the end as well. I try to change things around every once in a while and am always looking for some new way to exercise or workout to keep it interesting.

I talked with someone last night who went from 310 - 185 - 210 in under two years using body building techniques, much of it lower carb except for his morning meal which was a larger carb load along with his protein. Since getting married last year he has lost some of the muscle but said that he had become quite obsessive for the two years he plugged away daily at it and considered this a break before getting into it again. He also said that I should define my reason for working out with weights/strength training. "Their should be an ultimate purpose in it." Since I don't actually have one other than paring off another 10 pounds of fat while building some muscle he said that with warmer weather just around the corner that running would be the best way to do it. "Keep up with the weights to retain and continue building new muscle, but running to great music was my best weight loss method. Get some good runners and some solid beat music and just push it with long runs. Start off walking/sprinting if you need to but ultimately you want to develop a sweat from running."

I have the shoes and the music ... so I just have to wait a few weeks for teh last of the snow (snowing now).:rolleyes:

[Bonnie]

I plan to do 1/2 hour on the treadmill when I get home from work.

Bonnie

[Shadow]

Randy - I like to shift the order of things too :). Occasionally I do my SB and plank work first but will confess I like to end with it so I'm already on the floor for my stretch :p. Anyway, yeah for you - you have far more gumption than me :D! I can guarantee I am not running unless there's a grizzly after me ;).

Bonnie - Great plan!

[Mitra]

I can guarantee I am not running unless there's a grizzly after me ;).

I'm with you there, Shadow! There was a half marathon in town today, and as I was waiting for a gap in the runners so I could cross the road to get home, I couldn't help noticing that not one of them looked as if they were enjoying it. Since my back's already fragile, and cycling gives me knee problems, I think I'll steer clear of running. I did actually try it when I was a student. I went out twice (I hated it the first time, but thought I should give it another go, just to be fair). I try to accept that some people enjoy it, but it's hard for me to believe! Actually, I have some distant memory that at school I didn't mind the 400m, but this long distance stuff is not for me.

[Shadow]

LOL, Janet, we are definitely on the same wavelength :D! I did run the mile in track for a short while (it was not my choice - but it was go out for track or lose my A in English) but my heart definitely wasn't into it, let alone my body :p. I was never more thankful than when my French teacher negotiated with my English teacher and stole me for the shot putt. I still didn't enjoy being in sports - but throwing an 8# metal ball surely beat running! Thank heaven that nonsense only lasted one track season ;).

[realruth]

Well I did a good day at the gym

35mins weights
40 mins mixed cardio
and my usual walking....at least 1 mile

Ruth

[Mitra]

I was never more thankful than when my French teacher negotiated with my English teacher and stole me for the shot putt. I still didn't enjoy being in sports - but throwing an 8# metal ball surely beat running!

I think the shot putt may possibly have been my worst sport! I considered it a pretty successful throw if it didn't land on my toes :rolleyes:. But I agree that it was less unpleasant than running, and didn't take as long. For some reason we didn't seem to do longer distances very much, so my greatest dislike was probably tennis. The days I enjoyed the most were when we played some team sport and I was one of the ones left over after the captains had picked their teams. The teachers always told the leftovers to run round the edge of the playing field, but we generally just walked and chatted.