Wii Fit Plus

For fun, I did the Wii Fit Plus this morning.  It is a bit slow.  I don't know if it speeds up with time, but I burned something like 83 calories according to the thing in 33 minutes, which took probably 45 minutes thanks to all the waiting.  Definitely not a way to lose a lot of weight.  I got a bit sick of the "toning" jargon.  But, it was somewhat fun and better than sleeping in.

More squat work

I decided to make another day of working on my squat.  I filmed them all so I could see the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I still didn't see anything crazy bad.  Except that I had my wrists at an angle rather than straight.  That would be easier to do if I were using a squat rack, I think.

I started off with the warm up from Rachel Cosgrove's book Female Body Breakthrough.  Although I admit I was taking my time, it took me 24 minutes.  I think I could easily cut that down to 20 minutes, but still, that is too long for a warm up when I'm doing a full New Rules workout.  She says it should take 10-15 minutes.  I could probably do that, but I would be wiped before my real workout really started!  I was already sweating after the 20 minute version!  Maybe I'll pick a few to start out with.  I do need better warm ups... at least more than almost nothing.

I was also working on push-ups using my Iron Gym Extreme.  I did them only with arms in, so the rep count is pretty low.

FBB warm up
Squats - 10@BW, 8@30#, 8@40#, 8@60#
Push-ups - 4x5 arms in on Iron Gym, wrists facing in

That took me 48 minutes.

Uggg....

I am definitely sore.  I'm not sure if it is from workouts or if I'm coming down with whatever my daughter is fighting off.  Whichever it is, I probably made it worse today!

I started off the morning with a yoga video called Linking the Breath to Movement.  It wasn't what I had expected, but was still great.  I even was sweating in my cool basement.  I thought it was mostly going to be movements, but there was plenty of holding postures.  I had to bail on some, even, because some were challenging.

After breakfast, I went out and shoveled snow for about an hour and a half.  There is no full body workout like shoveling snow.  Nice.  We might be getting some more later in the week, but not as much and the winds shouldn't be as bad.

More snow!

It snowed yet again last night.  I was already planning to work out in the basement, so it wasn't a big deal.  I did need to leave some strength for snow shoveling later, though.

This week my plan is to work on some of my weak areas.  Today was squats and chin ups.
Yesterday, I had my son help me make videos of my squats.  I didn't see much wrong with my form.  I did see how my legs wobbled some, but I knew that was happening.  I did see my lower back flatten some at the very last bit as I went ATG on the squat.  If I would stop at full squat depth, I probably wouldn't see that.

I focused on keeping my lower back rounded today.  I also payed close attention to where I rested the bar.  I worked on getting it down low on my back, resting on my rear delts.  I think that actually helped a lot.  I was holding a little too high before.  Since I don't have a rack, I have to clean the bar and get it over my head every set.  I almost couldn't do it for the 65# after having gone through all the other work!  Maybe I should change the loading order.

Warm up - 4x sun salutations, 10xbody weight squats
Alternating set of negative chin-ups and back squats:
Negative chins - 7x3@10sec pace
Squats - 10@30#, 8@40#, 6@45#, 5@50#, 5@55#, 5@60#, 5x65#
Short Alternating set of elbows-in push-ups on my Iron Gym Extreme and single leg curls on the Swiss ball
Push-ups - 2x5
Single leg curl on Swiss ball - 2x10each leg
Foam rolling

Wow, I'm sore

Somehow I got pretty sore after yesterday's workout. Usually the DOMS is reserved for the first few workouts of a new stage, but my upper body was especially.  My legs are a little sore.

I wanted to get up and run this morning, but it started freezing raining right when I wanted to leave and the windows were already icing over.  The gym isn't far, but I still didn't want to end up in a ditch.

Instead, I did two rounds of the plate circuit.  And yes, I was crushed by a 5 lb plate.  I did 5 lbs instead of 10 this time so I could do two rounds rather than one.

Foam rolling followed.  Tired... tired!

Snow!

Instead of hitting the gym (or basement) Sunday and Monday, I worked out on the snow!  Sunday, I went with my husband and kids to the nearby skiing place, Seven Oaks Recreation.  Not bad for slopes in central Iowa!  We had a great time. My daughter even got the hang of it.  Taking my son on the chair lift is a bit scary, but he does well with it.  He even talked me into going down one of the less-easy hills (not a hard hill, just not the beginner hill!).  They always look worse from the top!

Yesterday (Monday), we used the snow in a different way.  We went sledding on hill in town.  Since the hill doesn't have snow makers, it only has old snow, which is over a week old.  The snow on the hill itself was rather packed, almost icy.  But that just made for a lot of fun!  Our sleds really got going and each run was nice and long because with the stiffer snow, you just kept going and going!  I also did a yoga video in the evening.  I got an amazing stretch of my hamstrings.  It helps that I've used the video several times.  I don't have to look much to see what I need to do.  I can look where I need to or close my eyes, which helps me "get in the zone."

This morning, I got to the gym for FL2B3.  I don't think I left much at the gym!  I'm pretty wiped now.  I had thought I might tack on the 2 miles I miss (or the two miles I was scheduled to run today), but I couldn't see doing even more.  I think I would have fallen right off of the treadmill.

Warm up: snatch-grip deficit deadlifts - 5x45#, 5x60#, 5x95#

Snatch-grip deadlift - 1x10@125#, 2x10@135#

T-push-up - 3x10

Bulgarian split squat with overhead press - 2x10ea@12#ea, 1x(5ea@15#ea,5ea@12#ea)

Negative chin-up - 1x3@10second pace, 2x4@10second pace

Romanian deadlift/bent-over row - 2x10@70#, 1x7@75#

Lower-body Russian twist - 3x10

Grappling circuit

I wanted to get the gym to lift today, but when I got up (an hour later than usual) my son got up.  Then, my daughter woke up too!  So, I decided the gym wasn't meant to be and we all went down in the basement where they could play while I did a "grappling circuit" that was recommended on a board I frequent.  I had some down time helping out the kids, but it was still a good workout.  I used a 30# bar bell. Foam rolling followed.

I did this:
6 sets of this series with one minute rest between sets
Bent over row x8
Upright row x8
Military press x8
Good morning x8
Static lunges (split squat) x8 each leg
Squat push press x8 (I did some back and some front)
Roman dead lift x8

Another couple miles

Got to the treadmill again.  It's a good thing my plan has me only doing 2 miles for a while.  I don't think I could handle the monotony for much longer.

I had thought about running outside with my YakTrax, but given the weather yesterday and today, I know there is going to be a lot of ice and I just don't feel like risking it.  I'm not sure when I will!

Busy gym today

There was a decent number of people at the gym today, even in the weight room.  I took up the power cage the whole time.  I hope nobody wanted it, but I did need it.  And I got there first :)

Squats were a bit better this time.  Still tough towards the end.  Lightheadedness almost always hits right around when I complete the 5th rep.

I should have probably done an interval set today, but I didn't.  Oh well.

Fat Loss II A3
Front squat - 2x10@50#, 1x10@55#
Wide-grip cable seated row - 1x10@54#, 1x10@58#, 1x10@62# (should have started heavier)
Supine hip extension with leg curl - 3x10 (upped the speed since I didn't add weight, maybe a weight plate on my stomach next time?)
Barbell push press - 3x10@60# (wrist hurt after first set but then got better... bad positioning?)
Dynamic lunge - 1x10@50#, 2x10@55#
Upper-body Russian twist - 1x10@10#, 2x10@15#

I was actually surprised to see my heart rate graph today.  I actually got up to 181bpm and averaged 150bpm over 34:17 (not including the little warm up I did).

Back to running

With the potential intent  of possibly (how's that for wishy washy?) running a 20k or half marathon this summer, I started a running program again today.  Unfortunately, it was on the treadmill, but I survived.  I got a program off of Running World's SmartCoach.  I set the treadmill at 1% incline, walked for 0.5 miles ramping up to 3.5mph then ran 2.0 miles at 4.9mph then walked another 0.5 miles for a total of 3 miles.

There you go.  It's a start.  I haven't run since Thanksgiving, so 2 miles isn't too bad, I guess!

Back to the real gym

I thought I wasn't working out as hard at home... and I was right!  Today's workout was killer.  I had an average heart rate of 148bpm, compared to 136 the last time when I did it at home.  I even got up to 182 thanks to the BSS with overhead press.  I was glad to be back to the gym.  The equipment is so much nicer.  It wasn't crowded.  Two people came after I was there and there was no competition for equipment.  Today seemed to kill my grip more than usual.  Maybe my grip was out of practice.

Fat Loss II B2
Snatch-grip deadlift - warm up: 5@45#, 5@75#, 5@105# then 1x12@115#, 2x125#
T-push-up - 3x12 (elbows out, on floor)
Bulgarian split squat with overhead press - 3x12@12# each hand
Underhand-grip lat pulldown - 2x12@92#, 1x12@87# (muscles failing at end of 2nd set)
Romanian deadlift+bent-over row - 2x12@55#, 1x12@60#
Lower-body Russian twist - 3x12

This time, working out with my son

Today was another workout at home.  This time my son woke up as I was heading downstairs.  He mostly played, but I did get him to do a set of bent over rows with me!  We even got a little math session in as we talked about the different weight plate sizes.

So, here is Fat Loss II A2, with a mod for the seated row:

Front squat - 3x12@50#
Bent-over row - 3x12@25# each hand
Supine hip extension with leg curl - 3x12
Barbell push press - 3x12@50#
Dynamic lunge - 3x12 total @50# (last 2 times I did 24 total, 12 on each leg, but reread the book and corrected the count)
Upper-body Russian twist - 3x12

Working out with my daughter

It was too cold to leave the house today, so I worked out in the basement again.  I got a good workout in, despite being at home.  Right when I was headed to the basement, I heard a door open upstairs.  My daughter had woken up.  So, I gave her a blanket and a pillow and she rested on the floor for some of my workout, half watching me and asking what I was doing.  Toward the end, she joined in!  She had me write her name several times in my log.  She wanted to make sure she got credit, too!  She is three years old and the 3 pound dumbbells look huge next to her tiny body.

I maxed out my weight bar on the deadlifts today.  It was a challenging weight, but I'm sure I could have done more.

Fat Loss II B1
Snatch-grip deadlift - 1x12@70#, 2x12@100# (maxed out my bar+plates, not much of a snatch grip, since bar grip area isn't wide enough, but plates are smaller, so was at a deficit anyway)
T-push-up - 3x12
Bulgarian split squat with overhead press - 1x12each leg @15# each hand, 2x12 each leg @ 10# each hand
Chin-up/negative chin - 1x almost dead hang chin-up+3 negative chins, 2x 3 negative chins (since I can't do a regular chin-up yet, had to sub!)
Romanian deadlift/bent-over/row - 1x12@50#, 2x12@60#  (my daughter loved doing these with me using the 3# dbs)
Lower-body Russian twist - 3x12

Working back in

I don't know why yesterday's blog entry didn't show up.  But, I got up and did a plate circuit.  It was much harder thanks to being off for two weeks.  Update: I posted it to the wrong blog!  Now I copied it back to this one.

Today, I did a trimmed down version of FLII workout A in my basement.  It sure helps me remember how much I like going to the gym.  Our barbell is crap. But, I still got in a good workout.  I foam rolled today and yesterday.


Front squat - 2x10@30#
Bent over row - 2x10@25#each hand
Supine hip extension with leg curl - 2x10
BB push press - 2x10@50#
Dynamic lunge - 2x10@40# (BB)
Upper-body Russian twist - 2x10

Back from the holidays

Even with the best of intentions, I still didn't hold a regular workout plan during the holidays.  I ended up staying up late enjoying the time with friends and relatives instead.  Considering I rarely have that much time off and rarely see some of my relatives, I'm not going to kick myself

I had a lengthy discussion with myself this morning as to whether to get up and work out.  I had already decided that I would do a 30 minute plate circuit this morning rather than trying to get myself out into the -7F weather and to the gym.  The circuit about killed me.  Yikes.  I'm glad I did that and didn't go to the gym.

There were lots of squats and I'm feeling the slight funniness in my knee.

I might do one or two more days of work at home.  I was surprised how much my heart rate shot up today.  I think I need to ease back into things.