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.
Showing posts with label intervals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intervals. Show all posts
Thursday, 23 February 2012
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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