New Exercise: Reverse Crunches

Need to kick up your core work? This WILL humble you! Learn how to do Reverse Crunches on the Refine & Advance page.

Trainer vs. Trainer

I have a digital display for my BodyBugg that allows me to reset it for a time period. So on Thursday I decided to see how many calories I'd burn in an hour working with Saran. She guessed 250; I hit 251. Of course if this were "The Price is Right" she'd lose the Showcase by being over! Pitted her against Zak today. He worked me to 257 for the hour! Saran is going to have to see how much harder she can push me next week! Given that trainers are naturally competitive and achievement-oriented people, this could get painful....

Does that number surprise you? Would you think it would be more? For the full hour with both trainers, I work myself up to a pretty good sweat and I have to stop for breaths quite often. But while the work IS hard, what burns more calories per minute are the weight-bearing compound movements and not everything I'm doing is like that. I burned about as many calories for the two hours after my workout that I spent walking around downtown.

If Pain Makes You Beautiful I Will Be Gorgeous

He has PAIN tattooed on his arm. I took that as a warning. Zak worked my chest and shoulders so hard this morning that I felt it right away. Leaving my first powerlifting training session I felt pretty wiped. Still, I wanted to walk awhile in the cool downtown weather. I walked about a mile and a half to a stop for a bus that would drop me at my door. Good thing because once I stopped moving it really set in! I felt deeply, deeply tired!

A lot of the workout today focused on my shoulders.
OH
MY
GOD

Zak does a straightforward, circuit-style approach: Three rounds of three exercises, MAYBE 60-90 seconds rest in between triple sets. I was up for everything he threw at me. I really liked pushing myself that hard. I know there's a chance this first day was partly for him to see where my ability levels are so he'll know how much harder he can push me next time. HEY BRING IT ON!

I got home and I laid down and fell asleep!! Appropriately enough, with "Man Vs. Food" on my TV. Now hours later, I can still feel the subtle afteraffects in my shoulders, across my back, in my quads and hams and it is definitely still there in my chest when I take a deep breath.

I am disappointed if I work very hard and I am not sore. I don't think I'll be disappointed at all tomorrow.

Dang peeps Saran worked me so hard!! Reverse crunches till I actually hit muscle failure in my abs!! Amazing!! Did some new stuff--Kettlebell swing into a squat which involved flipping the KB in the air to do it as one fluid move. I felt shaky when I left. Love that. It is a beautiful day so I walked to a far bus stop and now I write from the 147 on Lake Shore Drive.

I have been having a tough time but I am much better. I have been dealing with symptoms of serious stress. I have wanted to believe I was impervious that I could handle anything but alas I am a mere mortal! my projects at work are coming together. Having a private office has been a wonderful improvement. I am working out intensely and consistently and doing well with my eating plan. I saw a orthopaedist yesterday for this neck problem and he said it is mostly stress-related. He gave me an anti-inflammatory that is already helping. I want to have a work-free weekend. We'll see if I last!

so long from the bus!

Go Where the Change Is

I love working out on Tuesday nights watching Biggest Loser. And I REALLY love feeling myself improve. I do abs work all the time. I've been doing 60 Russian Twists in three sets of 20, first with 15lbs then I progressed to 20lbs. Tonight I decided to go for 25lbs. I felt very balanced and I just kept going. And going and going. NINTY Russian Twists. I held my balance so well and I felt like I could just keep going! I had to reach that point where I feel like I have a strap super tight around my middle and it took more work to get there!

Not a lot you can do for your calves but calf raises. I stand on the base of my weight bench and I do calf raises until I feel like my leg is going to cramp up. Seriously, I push myself until I just about FALL OFF that base and have to limp away. I can remember when it took 15 reps with 15lbs to reach that point and the third set just about crippled me. Now I do 35 reps with 40lbs to get to where I just can't do even one more. I have seen my lower legs change. They will alway be disproportionately large; I have my grandmother's legs. But they ARE different.

Change happens in those reps that take the most effort. The ones that hurt the worst. I love that feeling of blowing past a point I've been. I don't mind having to work even harder and longer, it's a THRILL to feel myself performing at a level I knew I couldn't reach before.

The Price is Right

I want to tell you about a mind game I play with myself. I only play it because I can't seem to stop.

You know I love to work out. Sure I do! Then why do I try to talk myself out of it? ALL THE TIME?? Yes, I swear I do! Maybe when I tell you about it you will understand things you find yourself thinking of. Here's what happens.

I didn't work out this morning. I had some trouble falling asleep last night so when my alarm went off at 4:30 I hit the nap function and slept another hour. I thought several times during my day that I would definitely work out this evening. I had a pretty intense day. I got a lot of things done. And I stuck to my eating plan for the day as well. I took a mid-afternoon walk around the block and found myself thinking of food cheats that I knew I didn't need. I wasn't hungry; I wasn't stressed. I was actually kind of restless! I simply needed to give myself a bit of a diversionary break and the walk around the block would accomplish that. I wanted to go off my eating plan but I thought it through, talked myself out of it better than I had been talking myself into it and I kept right on walking.

I ended up working on a lot of stuff and I didn't get home until 7pm. On the bus home I felt pretty tired but I thought if I did a good basic workout I'd feel better, mentally and physically. And sleep better tonight too. Still, I kept having these thoughts creep into my mind telling me it wouldn't be so bad if I skipped tonight. NO IT WOULDN'T!!! OK, get home. Change clothes. Get to it right away before I have time to distract myself. Alright I'm outsmarting myself AGAIN. Good job. But good grief, I LOVE WORKING OUT why do I have to talk myself into it? Oh shut up and start swinging that kettlebell already!

Three rounds of a minute of swings and a minute of sumo squats. I am DYING by the end of the second round. OH! Two rounds is fine, you're tired don't do the third. NO SHUT UP AND DO THE THIRD ROUND! I bitch myself out. I do it. Thank you Sybil for that kick in the ass. OK now throw the heavy ball and alternate with Bulgarian Squats. Damn my glutes and hams have been hurting all day. All of this hurts! How do I make it better? By working all my muscles again. SHUT UP AND DO IT.

OK get on the floor. Ten Getup Situps and twenty Russian twists with 20lbs. OH GOD THAT HURTS. No, ten twists are not enough. I can do 20. Take a couple of breaths and KEEP GOING. Three rounds. Hit the timer. One minute rest. Ten military push ups, ten knee push ups. What? Shoulders hurt so bad by that third round you don't think you can finish? OH YOU'RE GONNA FINISH ALRIGHT. Fuck yeah. Finishing will be the reward. You're so close. JUST FINISH. Push past the pain until you reach that last rep and GET IT FINISHED.

I do not know why I have come this far and I STILL have to talk myself into doing the things I know I want to do. But I also wanted the cookies or chips I thought of today while I was walking. And I also wanted to stop breathing really hard and I wanted to stop pushing my muscles hard enough to make my arms shake and my legs sore and my sides burn.

Change does not come with those first few easy reps. It comes with those last few that really REALLY hurt. It comes with that third set you have to fight through. With the correct lunch you have and the cheat snack that you don't.

There's a place across the street from my office that has the best oatmeal cookies I've ever had. I'll think about them tomorrow as I often do. And I hope when I stand up from my chair my glutes and hams will twinge again like they did all day today, reminding me of what I did tonight and what I don't want to negate.

I have changed a lot about myself and I want to go farther. I want to see and feel my body and my abilities continue to develop and change. I know what it costs. I know I have to pay for it. I'll pay.

My Workouts Now

This website outlines a daily workout I put together awhile ago. Of course I like to switch things up! Your body needs that to be able to continue to adapt and change.

Currently my training regimen is weight training for about an hour or more three times a week, one training session with a trainer, and as many days a week as I can manage it, I do a kettlebell workout consisting of swings, squats, Turkish getups, getup situps, Russian twists, and clean, snatch, and press. I might also throw in a little weighted ball work and pushups.

Starting next weekend I will do a weekly Powerlifting session with a trainer and will cut back my own weight workouts to twice a week.

Persistence + Consistency = Progress!

I did TEN Turkish Getups today!! With 10lbs. Even on my left side which has been lagging to my right, owing to my sense of physical coordination which requires patience to develop with each new exercise I learn.

I am also really pleased with the awesome buzzing in my shoulders and upper back right now. My new 10lb weighted ball is a welcome addition to my equipment. I did three minutes of simply pushing it straight up into the air and three minutes of bouncing it against a wall, each interval-style of course.

I am also progressing in my leg work, now able to do Bulgarian Split Squats with more power and less shakiness. Here is an EXCELLENT demonstration of the Bulgarian Split Squat. I am doing them with 25lbs in each hand.

Be Nonbinary

Working very hard to take my own advice and KEEP AT IT!! I always try to eliminate any obstacles that I discover are keeping me back from something I want. Currently, I have found that the CTA Bus Tracker system is helping me get over a damn-near OCD-level attitude I had about getting to work stupid early!

I am working A LOT these days and of course I realize I need to do more than just work! Especially since I GIVE MYSELF ALL MY OWN ASSIGNMENTS so I am just CRAZY! I want to start my day with a brief but effective workout routine but I need to get sufficient sleep. When I work too long, get home late, and collapse into bed, I can't be waking up less than six hours later. I have to get a decent night's sleep. That has to come first. Two things I have to do: Work a reasonable number of hours and reduce my anxiety about getting to work in the morning.

I will pull up the bus tracker in the morning and see when a bus will be arriving around 7am. I will always see an earlier bus but I talk myself out of running around to get on it. Knowing when a bus will arrive allows me to be relaxed about my morning departure. I am working toward getting in a morning workout as often as I can.

Several years ago I was introduced to the concept of being "Nonbinary." Not being specifically one thing or another, not black or white. Sometimes we can hold ourselves back when we insist on "all or nothing," black or white. That perspective can put you into a procrastination/excuse cycle. Strip away the conditions and bargaining you put on your fitness and nutrition goals. Keep doing the best you can and strive to improve. Take a serious and honest look at what's getting in your way and CHANGE IT. If you persist, over time you will improve and be logging more positive days than setback days.

I was going to start taking a weekly session in Powerlifting on Tuesdays but I have switched it to 7am on Saturdays, starting next week. I think it will be an excellent way to direct me to do other things on Saturday besides working by kickstarting me out of the house right away. I don't mind showering and changing at a gym if I'm just in casual clothes so I will try to plan things to do after my session.

I am not working out five weekday mornings every week but I would like to. I would like to be home from work early enough every day to spend a relaxed evening and get sufficient sleep. I want my schedule to accommodate waking up early enough to exercise and prepare for my day in a relaxed, unhurried, less stressful manner. I am taking note of what's happening when I don't accomplish this and working toward making appropriate revisions. I will keep working at it!

Keeping at It

Through a referral link to my blog, I found another blog that addressed the idea of taking very small steps to progress. I honestly believe that CONSISTENCY and PERSISTENCE are the most critical elements to achieving fitness goals.

Let me tell you just how small some of my Baby Steps have been! I have arthritis in my knees. I have felt it since I was a teenager. It's not severe and I have not had a full-blown flareup in a long, long time now. I have not taken arthritis medication since 2005. To strengthen my leg muscles and protect my knee joints I was going to have to take it SLOW!

Squats are an essential exercise! I started out by simply squatting the best I could, no weight, holding on to a chair back. I could barely get down at all! My knees cracked and felt weak but I kept at it. I tried holding on less and less. At one point I even just touched the chair with one finger! It becomes a mental thing; you're afraid to "let go" even though you're not really holding on. I did that until I could squat with correct form without holding on at all.

A good strategy for achieving proper form is to have a weight bench behind you and just tap it with your butt. Also, you'll have that sense that there is something behind you if you are afraid you're going to fall.

When I started squatting with weight, I used just 5lbs in each hand and I held it any way I could. Just to have something in my hands as I squatted down was a new challenge. I progressed to holding the very light weight up at shoulder height before I moved on to holding more weight.

By that point, I could just keep going! Now I can squat with correct form with a 50lb bar on my shoulders. I have a clear sense of what is proper form and I strive to always achieve it. It's been probably about TWO YEARS since I first started trying to perform proper squats. Is that too long? There's no such thing as "too long"!! It doesn't matter!! If that's what it takes, then that's what it takes.