This is the time of year where a lot of us take a hard look at ourselves and start asking potentially life changing questions and start gearing up to blast through a mile long list of resolutions. It's also the most popular time to set weight loss and exercise related goals. I'm trying to think back on the resolutions that I might have set last year but I honestly can't remember a single one. It is probably safe to say that I didn't complete any of them. This year I have a few, some fitness related and some personal but I foresee 2011 being a lot less tumultuous than 2010. My fitness goals are simple; gain muscle mass and strength, keep eating well, find out where my abs are hiding and the like. My personal goals include finishing my online studies and perhaps getting a little more involved in the church. I'm open to whatever the year brings though. I'm kind of excited to just ride this year out as it comes. I don't know when last I have been able to say that without batting an eye.
However, I think that I am going to extend my diet/exercise challenge to the 26th of January. On the 27th-30th I will be traveling and I don't know how I will manage eating clean on the go but I at least want to keep disciplined until then. Today is Day Five and I'm still being good. I'm also feeling great as well. I can't believe that I am getting tired at night. It's a whole new world for me! Tired to the point of actually sleeping, mind you. My body is liking the new diet and physical challenges it seems. So all of you BBming me at 3AM...save it until morning please. (I have a terrible fear of turning off my phone. Haha)
My new year aside, to my readers I wish the best of luck with all of your new year's endeavors and if there is anything that I can do to help you along the way, please speak up! I hope this year covers all of the h's for you: Happiness, Health, Hard asses and Homies that got your back, yo.
On to business...
Today was legs at the gym. I once again could not meet my training buddy so I slipped on my big girl pants again and found a leg routine that I knew I could lift a decent amount of weight without needing spotting. (Spotting is when another person monitors your reps and slightly helps you complete reps when you are fatigued on your last reps with heavier weights. They also are there to support the weight if needed to prevent you from hurting yourself if your muscles give out.)
I started with a quick 5 minute warm up on the bike to get the joints oiled.
The routine was as follows:
6 sets of machine assisted squats. The first two sets were warm up sets, one with no weight and one with 20 lbs. Maximum weight 90lbs
4 sets of dumbell lunges (12 reps per leg). I HATE lunges. Maximum weight 25lbs dumbells
4 sets of leg presses. First set was a warm up set with 65 lbs. Maximum weight 250 lbs.
4 sets of seated leg curls. Maximum weight 65 lbs
4 sets of seated calve raises. Maximum weight 120 lbs
3 sets of full barbell squats. I had to rally the courage to do these by myself. I am so paranoid about form. I have only done unassisted squats once before so I decided to opt for the smaller bar with light weights. I did the first set with just the bar and then the last two sets with just 20 lbs. I wanted a weight that I could do a clean and then perform the squats.
Not bad for my first session alone. When performing my squats I also did something a little different this time. I was reading that women cheat themselves by only stopping in their squats when their thighs are parallel to the ground. Women are naturally more flexible and so we need to go right down into our full range of flexibility and complete the movement. This way you get the best results and the hardest challenge. It's only when you go down to this limit that your body really has to call upon the butt and hamstrings and you'll feel a huge difference in difficulty. I sure did. It also made doing lighter weights in the full barbell squats just right because I couldn't imagine doing those much heavier now I've improved my form! My butt definitely felt the burn today!
Oh and for the first time in my life whilst walking in the groceries I was told from a distance that I have a 'black batty'. Haha. That means 'butt' Robin. ;) For a scrawny white girl who had no butt whatsoever this is a triumph indeed! Haha!
Today's exercise challenge was another challenge indeed. My friend gave me a wonderful present for my last birthday. She got me a boxers jump rope with a leather rope and weighted handles. You should hear that baby whiz. Or at least try to whiz under the influence of my mediocre skipping skills. It drives me crazy to think back on how I used to skip for ages as a kid and think nothing of it compared to how I am DYING after a few minutes now.
The challenge (from Bodyrock.tv again) was to complete 1000 skips as fast as you can. Zuzana (the robot) finished in 8:06 so I was aiming for 10-11 minutes at least. A trick to avoid losing count was to place 5 objects on the floor and complete 100 skips in front of the first object and the move to the second and complete another 100. When you reach the 5th object you complete 200 skips and work your way back down the line. Well, keeping count was the least of my worries. I initially wanted to try this challenge barefoot but one stinging whack to my feet from that leather rope and I quickly changed my mind. I thought I was fair at skipping until I finished this challenge half dead at 16:08. The most skips that I could do at a time was 46 and then for the next few skip attempts after I would proceed to wallop various body parts with the leather rope from fatigue and inability to complete another skip. It also didn't help that my 'big girl pants' were actually a little big and kept sliding down when I would jump too vigorously. I'm not kidding anyone though. I was happy to stop and pull them up because it meant a BREAK. *heave* Surprisingly, I didn't get very frustrated considering what a hot head I am. I was more hell bent on finishing the damn challenge so I could have my bread at breakfast and forget this whole thing ever happened. I did my best though. I think that I will make sure to skip at least once a week as cardio to improve my form and strengthen my calves. God knows they seized up after that! Cracked wheat never tasted so good either!
It is now 9:12PM at work and I am so looking forward to lying down. My back is stiff from yesterday and my body feels heavy and I know it's time for sleep. I don't think I will do anything after work. I'd like to start the new year refreshed and make my way to the beach to try and get some tan lines again!
I hope that you all have a wonderful new year and if you're out partying, live and laugh it up! 2011 is YOUR YEAR!
P.S
I have been posting my workout times on bodyrock.tv along with all of the other bodyrockers but I noticed that only my crap scores are getting posted by the moderators. They were happy to post my 16 minute skipping time but my 6 minute Mountain Climbers mysteriously did not get approved. I wonder if they think I'm lying? Haha!
P.P.S
My nail dropped off just in time for the new year. Even my toe wants a fresh start!
Happy 2011!
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