Using It - June 11 - 17

[Shadow]

Here we are, off and running on a new week! My plans are as follows:

Sunday - Chest, shoulders, triceps, abs, cardio (rebounding)
Monday - Kickbox
Tuesday - Lower body - dropped the abs as I am still extremely sore from Sunday's ab workout :rolleyes:...
Wednesday - Back, biceps, abs
Thursday - Cardio (step)

Plus I will be mowing twice this week plus other yard work and my daily walking.

Edit 6.13.06 - Shootfire - I just realized I'm going out of town next week for a day or two so I suppose I have to exercise Saturday to make up for the day I'll miss next week :crybaby: ....

[Mitra]

I'm really awed by your exercise programme, Shadow :eek: . And Randy's, and all of you who do such well-organised, comprehensive workouts.

I'll be doing my usual :) . I wonder if I'll ever get past the stage where just doing something feels like a major success :rolleyes: .

[banshee]

You'll all be proud of me! :) If you count helping a friend move on Saturday, (and I am because I was wiped out afterwards,) I did 6 DAYS of exercise last week!

For this week, according to my spreadsheet:

Sun: rest day
Mon: Lower body aerobic/strength class
Tues: Upper body + 1 hour interval step class
Wed: cardio (30 minutes brisk walking on treadmill)
Thurs: cardio
Fri: rest day
Sat: rest day

I may change Tuesday to take a class instead since I'm going to be off work in the afternoon for a doctor appt, and if I'm out of there early enough, I'll have time to get to a class. (A lot of the classes start before 5 or right at 5 so it's hard to get there in time...)

I'm trying to do the cardio/walking at least 5 days a week for the summer to see if it helps with my VO2 max/cardiovascular endurance. If I start to feel that isn't challenging enough, or I want some variety, I'll do the elliptical or bicycling instead. I'm also hoping to get in a step class occasionally.

[Mitra]

Wow :eek: :D . Pretty soon you'll be getting Shadow's lecture about the importance of rest days :lol: .

Do keep us posted on how the cardio affects your asthma, and if you find anything that helps it in Lisa's articles.

[banshee]

Well, to be honest, since the cardio is just walking, I kind of think of those as mini-rest days anyway. :p My "real" exercise days are the ones in which I do the strength training, and I'm trying to make sure I get enough rest in between sessions for that.

And I did take a rest day yesterday - I was going to go to a yoga class, but I decided to give my volleyball-bruised hands another week of healing before trying it again... :rolleyes:

I'll let you know if I notice any improvement with the asthma. I suspect it will be a while, though.

[Shadow]

I'm really awed by your exercise programme, Shadow :eek: . And Randy's, and all of you who do such well-organised, comprehensive workouts.
Mitra - Your workouts are no less organized or comprehensive than ours are :). Yours are just different - but that doesn't make yours any better or worse than ours ;). The point is you're doing something you enjoy and can stick with - that's what counts!

I'll be doing my usual :) . I wonder if I'll ever get past the stage where just doing something feels like a major success :rolleyes: .
IMHO, the fact that you are doing it and being consistent with it already makes it a major success :D! It's not been that long ago when you were a bit more sporadic! Look at how you've excelled in making it a habit!!!

[Shadow]

You'll all be proud of me! :) If you count helping a friend move on Saturday, (and I am because I was wiped out afterwards,) I did 6 DAYS of exercise last week!
Right you are - I am beaming from ear to ear reading that :D!!!!

[Shadow]

Well, to be honest, since the cardio is just walking, I kind of think of those as mini-rest days anyway. :p My "real" exercise days are the ones in which I do the strength training, and I'm trying to make sure I get enough rest in between sessions for that.
Perfectly understandable :). However, should you suddenly find yourself being extra tired, or moody, or sore, and so forth, then please do take an entire day to just "veg"!

And I did take a rest day yesterday - I was going to go to a yoga class, but I decided to give my volleyball-bruised hands another week of healing before trying it again... :rolleyes:
Good plan :p!

I'll let you know if I notice any improvement with the asthma. I suspect it will be a while, though.
Yes, please do! As you should see gradual improvement along the way, we're hoping for a lot of updates even before you hit the "ta-da" stage :D!

[Shadow]

Wow :eek: :D . Pretty soon you'll be getting Shadow's lecture about the importance of rest days :lol: .
Right you are :D! After all, it's during our rests that we improve the most - but I'm sure you've heard that enough that I shouldn't say it again :lol: ;).

[banshee]

However, should you suddenly find yourself being extra tired, or moody, or sore, and so forth, then please do take an entire day to just "veg"!

That's one thing I don't have to be prompted to do! :D I'm all about not pushing myself too hard. I'm actually finding myself with extra energy this week. For the last couple days, I've been waking up earlier than usual and not feeling as tired at the end of the day. *\o/*

[Shadow]

That's one thing I don't have to be prompted to do! :D I'm all about not pushing myself too hard.
Good :)!
I'm actually finding myself with extra energy this week. For the last couple days, I've been waking up earlier than usual and not feeling as tired at the end of the day. *\o/*
Gosh - wanna share some of that extra energy with Mitra and me :p????

[banshee]

Nope! :lol:

(Sheesh - apparently you can't enter a one word response...:p:rolleyes:)

[Mitra]

Sheesh - apparently you can't enter a one word response...:p:rolleyes:

I think you can as long as the word has at least 15 characters ;) .

[cmcole]

Well, my week thus far has not involved the gym, even though my mind says I should be there. This is partly due to the fact that we usually go after work, but my hubby had an early ball game last night, and one again this evening, so we come right home so he can be gone again.

Last night, however, I did some home exercises with resistance tubing and dumbbells. Wow!! it still has a tendency to make my arm hurt, but not with the intensity that it was last week. Obviously, I am going to have to work back up to where I was before doing something dumb to re-aggreivate it. (how do you spell that word, anyway?)

Do you know it is difficult to do your workout when two dogs decide to get really close, and even sit on you when you get down on the floor?!!

This morning, we ran around the lake before work. It was foggy, damp, windy - but we did it, and I'm pleased. I feel a whole lot more energetic than I have in a while.

[Shadow]

Obviously, I am going to have to work back up to where I was before doing something dumb to re-aggreivate it.
Yes, you will have to get back into it gradually. But giving it some extra time and being kind to it will make it much better in the long run ;).

Do you know it is difficult to do your workout when two dogs decide to get really close, and even sit on you when you get down on the floor?!!
Yup :p!

This morning, we ran around the lake before work. It was foggy, damp, windy - but we did it, and I'm pleased. I feel a whole lot more energetic than I have in a while.
Awesome :D!

[Shadow]

Nope! :lol:
Shucks! Well, can't blame me for trying ;)...

[Shadow]

Does anyone know where Ottawa is this week :(?

[cmcole]

In Ontario, and the capital of Canada, where our Parliament Buildings are (sorry, couldn't resist)

[Shadow]

:lol: - too funny, cmcole :D!

[LisaS]

Does anyone know where Ottawa is this week :(?
I just remember him saying he was expecting to be busy this week at the new location (or job?)

[Shadow]

Thanks, Lisa! I guess somehow I thought that was long past. Time does seem to fly anyway so I guess I shouldn't make it go faster than it already does :p ;).

[cmcole]

I think I mentioned this morning - the run.
This evening I used our home gym - upper body - still trying to be kind to my arm, so reduced weights, but it felt like heavier - guess recuperation will take a while (I hate that). However, I'm glad to be doing just about anything in the way of exercise with it not screaming in pain.

[banshee]

Well, yesterday I got in a really big workout. I did my scheduled upper body strength training, and then decided to try an interval step class. Oh my! One hour of pretty intense exercise! It's odd, though. After class, I didn't really feel ready to collapse. That came about an hour later after I got home. :rolleyes:

I've noticed this before. The class itself actually gets me revved up even though my muscles might be quivering and tired. Then after my body has a chance to cool down, I get very sleepy and sometimes I also get very very cold. It's almost like my body goes too far when cooling off.

Anyway, I need to get as much exercise in as I can for the next month. The ultrasound I had done yesterday didn't find any source for my abdominal pain, so the next step is a diagnostic laparoscopy in July, which will put a crimp in my exercise plans for a bit. At least the good news is that most of the really serious stuff would have shown up on the ultrasound. While what's left isn't necessarily fun, it isn't in the "life-threatening" category.

[Shadow]

Mary - That's great that nothing extremely serious showed up :thumbsup:! I'm sorry it means more testing and all but am very relieved the ultrasound was okay :). And way to go on that workout! Aren't step intervals killer ;)? I have to save them for the beginning of my workout week since I'm usually too tired by the last day to even think about having that much energy left :lol:!

[banshee]

Shadow, about halfway through the class, I was thinking "Why did I do my strength training right before this class?" And looking at my schedule for the week, I actually wasn't supposed to do upper body until today! :p

I'm glad I got it done, though, because when I posted my schedule for the week, I forgot that I'm heading up to Chicago Thursday night to spend Father's Day with my parents. So I most likely won't get any exercise in Friday Saturday or Sunday. (I'm going to try to get my walking in before leaving Thursday night, but we'll see how it goes...)

So only 2 days of strength training this week plus my cardio for 3-4 days total.

See - told you I wouldn't have any trouble getting rest days! :D

[Ottawa]

A little late this week but here goes ...

Sunday - The big hill into Westport Ontario with 2 friends. Three times up and down the steep hill for 50 minutes.
Monday - Day Off
Tuesday - Bench weights - my max weight, 20 minutes batting cage
Wednesday - Baseball after work
Thursday - 100 Situps, Hand weights - Volleyball at lunch
Friday - Volleyball at lunch-BullDog Compression bar in evening
Saturday - Day Off

The benefits of the new location are lots of sports activites at lunch or just after work. The drawback is the location and the workload. Just chiseling it away a bit at a time, my workload and me.:D

[Shadow]

Ottawa (boy do I feel strange calling you that :eek:!) - It is so good to finally "see" you this week :D!

[SherryJ]

Randy, there can't be THAT much left of YOU to whittle! :p

Good to see you... :)

Sherry

[Ottawa]

Shadow,
I like the name Ottawa, but you know me as Randy anyway. :)

Sherry,
Even with cutting the calories and staying under 40 ECC / 10 per meal it chips away slowly. The volleyball and baseball are nice physical distractions and the chiseling is oh, so slow.

I actually began in earnest this week with the new weights from the yard sale. They are bench weights (bar bell), and came with 120 pounds. Last week I started with 5 lifts and add an extra bench lift/lift day. I can only get 10 lifts now and without a spotter I try for every second day since it does leave some DOMS and I begin the shakes at close to 10.
They leave my Pecs tender for a day but they are set up in the backyard with a bench and were my best investment of the summer. They were $40.00 and I got the weights, bench and a Bulldog Compression Bar (about 30" long and you compress it inwards up to 165 pounds, about 5 pounds/half inch) as well, which I use in 5 pound incriments, hold for a second and move up five pounds, and so on, up to 130 whenever I sit down to watch TV. I'm a long way form the 165 but it is an easy tool and I try it 3-4 times a week.

Work has been a killer lately and the lunchtime volleyball and after work baseball are nice distractions from an unending deluge of client needs. I had the new Director I support, call today to ask why one of his scientists has been down for three days with a failed hard drive. I was embarrassed but it gave me the opportunity to introduce myself and the current workload. He asked to be Cc:'d in a letter explaining my situation to my boss and his boss and the changes being made. I explained in the letter that these delays will increase rather than decrease even though I am getting more finished tasks/day. The answer came through and there is light at the end of the tunnel.:nod: Help is on the way!

[Shadow]

Ottawa - Way to go on the weights! That's some awesome workouts you're putting in :thumbsup:! As for the job... sorry it's rough and do hope the calvary will soon arrive to help rescue you from the onslaught :jawDrop: !