A couple of weeks ago, Trainer Dan asked how I felt about training outside of the gym. He was investigating the option of no longer training at the gym, and I was happy to give this whole outdoors thing a go. Today was the first time. Several pros, and a few cons.
Cons:
So public. So, so public. When running, I kept seeing if the passersby were people I knew (I don't think any were, but this isn't to be ruled out in the future). Not to mention the off-leash dog and countless birds.
Although I'm not a huge fan of treadmill running, it does force the legs to move at a certain pace. Left to my own devices, I can run a whole lot slower.
I was really dirty when I got home. Bits of tree, dirt, grass - amazing.
Must remember to slather on the sunscreen. Yes, I can deal with this.
Pros:
So close! For a 7:30 session, I left at 7:28 (admittedly, I had to run... but still). Home by 8:20 - but that hill. Ouch. Normally my legs have had a bit of recovery time, but they had maybe 200m to think about life before a rather nasty ascent.
Although treadmill running forces a particular pace, it's so much more interesting running in the real world.
I know that outdoor training is better for you - something about oxygen intake and calories burnt... I was definitely super sweaty by the time I got home.
Although quite public, there was no-one close, nothing like the space issues at the gym, or waiting for equipment.
I hardly needed to take anything. For a gym trip, I'll take my top and sports bra (to change), towel, water bottle, purse, phone, make up, comb, and face spray. For a park trip, I took towel, phone, and water bottle, wearing a cap.
No doubt, there will be other pros in future, but this was a pretty good start.
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Monday, 7 January 2013
Friday, 13 July 2012
...Or Not
I confess, I didn't really change today. In fact, I feel I regressed. And I can see that it's because my life is a bit murky and undefined at present, a whole lot of unknown and not-black-and-white-ness.
A brief overview of today: slept in (by a lot - thankfully it's still holidays, kinda). Breakfast I felt very odd, and it seemed to take forever to make. As much as I've trained my parents, they still have some different ideas about where things belong, and making breakfast for more than me requires different timings. Yes, this throws me. Finished (maybe) a painting, had coffee, did the vacuuming, had lunch, went to the gym, bought more paint. Taught my Friday afternoon students, discovered my fingerboard is starting to come off yet again. Had a quick dinner and went to church, as it was a eucharist in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the ordination of women priests.
The only potential changes would have been the painting, and going to the gym straight after lunch. It's fairly quiet then (good) but there was what looked like a school group arriving (potentially not so good). And the 20th anniversary was a first, obviously.
Purple and green banners were hanging down the pillars, and there were green lights in the transepts, purple lights at the crossing.
People had been asked to wear green and purple for the event, and for the recent Synod, as these were the campaign colours. I'd heard a rumour a while back that the ordained women would wear purple shoes - what a great idea! I only spotted one pair, on our deacon Ann. I wish I'd had the opportunity to take the photo when she was still robed.
Today's photo:
As I was leaving, walking down Ann St through a very light misty rain, it looked like the Suncorp tower was glowing. Admittedly, it's a bit hard to tell here... But this is also the first mildly-successful night shot I've taken on the iPhone. I do like a rainy city night scene.
A brief overview of today: slept in (by a lot - thankfully it's still holidays, kinda). Breakfast I felt very odd, and it seemed to take forever to make. As much as I've trained my parents, they still have some different ideas about where things belong, and making breakfast for more than me requires different timings. Yes, this throws me. Finished (maybe) a painting, had coffee, did the vacuuming, had lunch, went to the gym, bought more paint. Taught my Friday afternoon students, discovered my fingerboard is starting to come off yet again. Had a quick dinner and went to church, as it was a eucharist in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the ordination of women priests.
The only potential changes would have been the painting, and going to the gym straight after lunch. It's fairly quiet then (good) but there was what looked like a school group arriving (potentially not so good). And the 20th anniversary was a first, obviously.
Purple and green banners were hanging down the pillars, and there were green lights in the transepts, purple lights at the crossing.
People had been asked to wear green and purple for the event, and for the recent Synod, as these were the campaign colours. I'd heard a rumour a while back that the ordained women would wear purple shoes - what a great idea! I only spotted one pair, on our deacon Ann. I wish I'd had the opportunity to take the photo when she was still robed.
Today's photo:
Thursday, 23 February 2012
The Workouts
I promised on Monday that I'd discuss the Turkish get-ups at a later date, so here we are. Now, I admit that sometimes, as a teacher, I feel I need a little laugh, so I'll have a student attempt something that is guaranteed for a giggle. This might be a coordination exercise (try raising your index and ring fingers simultaneously, for example), or watching a 5-yr-old draw a treble clef (circle circle circle mad look in their eyes as they plead for help on how to get this thing finished). I suspect that personal trainers do the same thing. Or it could just be that I'm not very coordinated.
On Monday, after 8 hectic rounds (which I didn't really, really feel until Tuesday and now I still can't even sit without feeling it), I still wasn't finished. Turkish get-ups. Trainer Dan showed me how one was done, complete with some tips. It's meant to be done with a weight in one hand but, so that I didn't end up with a kettle bell on my head in 2 seconds, I had to take off a shoe. The idea was to balance that on top of the hand that would normally hold it - but, as I said, I'm not very coordinated. It's not even that, really, but that I have a very poor awareness of where I'm at if I'm not upright. The shoe was not a success. I realise it will be much easier if a professional describes this, so there is a link here if you want to watch.
The other new workout thing stemmed from a discussion last week about changing things in my workouts more. Instead of just zoning out on a bike or a treadmill, the new regime involves more interval-style training. Which is great, except it then took me at least 15 minutes once I woke up to decide exactly I'd do. When I said I was going to write down some ideas in advance, Trainer Dan said he had loads of these types of workouts, and he emailed them through to me later that day. Some of them are really, really nasty. However, I've started working through the list and there are enough of them (about 15) that it will take me a few weeks to get a baseline of achievement. I then feel free to do what I like, and the biggest plus is that I'm feeling much fitter already.
On Monday, after 8 hectic rounds (which I didn't really, really feel until Tuesday and now I still can't even sit without feeling it), I still wasn't finished. Turkish get-ups. Trainer Dan showed me how one was done, complete with some tips. It's meant to be done with a weight in one hand but, so that I didn't end up with a kettle bell on my head in 2 seconds, I had to take off a shoe. The idea was to balance that on top of the hand that would normally hold it - but, as I said, I'm not very coordinated. It's not even that, really, but that I have a very poor awareness of where I'm at if I'm not upright. The shoe was not a success. I realise it will be much easier if a professional describes this, so there is a link here if you want to watch.
The other new workout thing stemmed from a discussion last week about changing things in my workouts more. Instead of just zoning out on a bike or a treadmill, the new regime involves more interval-style training. Which is great, except it then took me at least 15 minutes once I woke up to decide exactly I'd do. When I said I was going to write down some ideas in advance, Trainer Dan said he had loads of these types of workouts, and he emailed them through to me later that day. Some of them are really, really nasty. However, I've started working through the list and there are enough of them (about 15) that it will take me a few weeks to get a baseline of achievement. I then feel free to do what I like, and the biggest plus is that I'm feeling much fitter already.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
The Gym
One of the main reasons I wanted to be less predictable this year was because of the gym. I used to spend a lot of time on the bike.
My brief exercise history: In primary school, I was a champion high-jumper. And because I was tall, I wasn't too bad at the compulsory cross-country races. Then we moved to Queensland and I was not longer tall, so only school sport lessons happened, mostly, until I was about 20. I started walking in the mornings, for various reasons; this graduated to running, and I didn't notice any weather until the drought ended. Then it seemed I couldn't exercise much due to rain. I'm not a fan of walking or running around the neighbourhood in the rain. Eventually, a friend gave my name to the gym and I signed up.
Gym membership came with a special personal trainer deal - as this was my first time in a gym (seriously) I thought this would be wise. Hello, Trainer Dan. After the first 3 sessions I decided to keep going - the 'death session', although really hard, got the endorphins running around at a great rate, and I had already noticed a fitter me. I have a regular-ish time slot which satisfies my need for routine, but I never know what I'll be doing. So for the first 15 months or so, Monday morning PT session and usually 3 or so gym sessions (bike, sometimes rowing also), plus at least one run in the real world, was my exercise routine.
About a month ago Trainer Dan asked how long a 5 km run would take me. On a treadmill. I'd been on a treadmill only once by choice - a 2 km run that nearly made me throw up. So I worked up to 5 km, which feels so good. I normally run 6.5 - 9 km in the real world, but treadmill running is all about the brain for me. My next run was so good, I decided to incorporate a treadmill run in each week.
My first 'weekly treadmill run' was last Thursday. I was about 40m in when Trainer Dan came over to say hello... and to tell me to change things up a bit. "Uh yeah, I'm on a treadmill..." I replied. "Hm. You need to change things up more". More interval training, like 400m runs interspersed with pushups, situps, squats, kettle bell swings, that sort of thing. So that day I did 3 rounds of 400m runs, 10 situps, 10 pushups, then a 3 km run. Next day, I was a little later than normal and was tempted to just do a 'zone out' session - after all, I don't always see Trainer Dan that late... but thought I should be disciplined. 5 rounds of 400m runs and 20 squats, then a 2 km run, and very glad I did - in the 2nd round I hear "Heels on the ground Anna" - sprung!
The next real run was not great... my brain kept thinking, this is more than 400m. However, this morning I had limited time so just did 5 rounds of 400m runs, 10 half pullups, 20 squats. This evening I went for a long run which felt so good - totally in the zone, and 5 minutes faster than the last time I ran that far (about 8.5/9 km, haven't put it into a reliable map yet). The downside of doing workouts like this though, is that I wake up and then have to think for about 15 minutes about what I'll do. My plan now is to write down some workout ideas, then all I have to do is pick one as I get to the gym, instead of having to think it up every time.
My brief exercise history: In primary school, I was a champion high-jumper. And because I was tall, I wasn't too bad at the compulsory cross-country races. Then we moved to Queensland and I was not longer tall, so only school sport lessons happened, mostly, until I was about 20. I started walking in the mornings, for various reasons; this graduated to running, and I didn't notice any weather until the drought ended. Then it seemed I couldn't exercise much due to rain. I'm not a fan of walking or running around the neighbourhood in the rain. Eventually, a friend gave my name to the gym and I signed up.
Gym membership came with a special personal trainer deal - as this was my first time in a gym (seriously) I thought this would be wise. Hello, Trainer Dan. After the first 3 sessions I decided to keep going - the 'death session', although really hard, got the endorphins running around at a great rate, and I had already noticed a fitter me. I have a regular-ish time slot which satisfies my need for routine, but I never know what I'll be doing. So for the first 15 months or so, Monday morning PT session and usually 3 or so gym sessions (bike, sometimes rowing also), plus at least one run in the real world, was my exercise routine.
About a month ago Trainer Dan asked how long a 5 km run would take me. On a treadmill. I'd been on a treadmill only once by choice - a 2 km run that nearly made me throw up. So I worked up to 5 km, which feels so good. I normally run 6.5 - 9 km in the real world, but treadmill running is all about the brain for me. My next run was so good, I decided to incorporate a treadmill run in each week.
My first 'weekly treadmill run' was last Thursday. I was about 40m in when Trainer Dan came over to say hello... and to tell me to change things up a bit. "Uh yeah, I'm on a treadmill..." I replied. "Hm. You need to change things up more". More interval training, like 400m runs interspersed with pushups, situps, squats, kettle bell swings, that sort of thing. So that day I did 3 rounds of 400m runs, 10 situps, 10 pushups, then a 3 km run. Next day, I was a little later than normal and was tempted to just do a 'zone out' session - after all, I don't always see Trainer Dan that late... but thought I should be disciplined. 5 rounds of 400m runs and 20 squats, then a 2 km run, and very glad I did - in the 2nd round I hear "Heels on the ground Anna" - sprung!
The next real run was not great... my brain kept thinking, this is more than 400m. However, this morning I had limited time so just did 5 rounds of 400m runs, 10 half pullups, 20 squats. This evening I went for a long run which felt so good - totally in the zone, and 5 minutes faster than the last time I ran that far (about 8.5/9 km, haven't put it into a reliable map yet). The downside of doing workouts like this though, is that I wake up and then have to think for about 15 minutes about what I'll do. My plan now is to write down some workout ideas, then all I have to do is pick one as I get to the gym, instead of having to think it up every time.
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