Fit Mumma

Group classes are NOT easy...

... Anyone who tells you they are, is either lying to you, not really trying ... Or have never done one!!!

In the Adelaide hills today, I took a "body bar" class this morning & burned some 440 calories! Nice!

The class itself made my muscles burn and scream as only numerous SLOW reps can do. Ou-ch!

It was no super session Saturday - but if the alternative is nothing - I'll take my mere 440 cal burn.

Hope you had a good one!
Bxx

Core and Posture...

Two aspects of our fitness we often neglect.

Proud to report - I did not neglect them yesterday.

I did the 615am CORE class at the gym.

Then 930am Personal Training session with Paul was 100% about postural correction and trigger points with the baseball... and lots of foam rolling and stretching.

It hurt like crazy. My muscles have been getting quite a workout this week and they needed the punishment attention.

A major thing I work on with Paul is correcting my lumbar lordosis, oh yes, of course I hear you say... but I think many of us have this kinda postural issue. My butt sticks out too far and my upper rib cage is protuded. I need to tuck my butt under and engage my core and pelvic properly. 

Standing correctly actually hurts my abs... goes to show how overstretched they must be by my usual stance.

Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be standing properly and the rest of my body is well aligned too.

That's the plan.

So far we have made great progress on the mobility of my back, should blades in particular.

Like all my fitness aspirations... it's a work in progress.

Thanks Paul, you are the best!

Today is my rest day... tomorrow will be my first group cycle with the FIT gals for the year. Yah!

Bx

Doesn't everyone wear necklaces whilst riding?...

Well, I do.

So IronMum arrived at mine, as per schedule. I think she was a little shocked to see me in jeans, vest, necklace... and even a bit of make up on. Since White Knight is in the shop... I was riding My Lady bike instead.

This bike is freaky {well it's not, but it is QUITE different than WK and so it took a bit to get used to}... I was wobbling all over until I sat back, all harley like and enjoyed the ride... cushy tushy and all.

This is acutally the ideal bike to ride when doing support role for a running buddy... all the stuff {hydration & fuel} goes into the basket... and I just cruise along.

It was a good 40 minute ride... not a shabby pace, as IronMum is running like a speedster lately.

Happy Times.

Bxo 

My PT laughs at me...

... yesterday having a little chat about where I am headed, what I am trying to achieve {what I am trying to figure out on}...

Then I started lamenting the fact that I feel like I get SO NEAR to my goals... then I just lose it at the last turn, so to speak.

He burst out laughing!

Me: WHY are you laughing at me? I pathetically enquired...

PT: ah, because you HAVE met your goals ! he responds rather firmly.

Me: oh yeah, I guess I just keep shifting the goal posts, I say meekly.

PT: yes you DO.. shake of the head and more laughter.

Sometimes it's good when someone laughs at you.

It's not like I am not aware that I keep shifting the goal posts... I mean I know I do that... but I forget I guess. I have a figure, a number, a time, a goal in mind... likely to be a slightly exaggerated & at times unrealistic goal... and if I get close, but not quite there then I get upset with myself.

Tactic to play self-sabotoer perhaps? Naughty naughty little sub-consious, I know what you're up to !!

Bxo

Muscle ache...

is an understatement.

Image from here.

Last Monday my PT, Fiona... smashed me with an upper body workout... I couldn't straighten my arms until Friday.

I don't like that kinda pain... it really annoys me.

I am used to DOMS {for me my muscles ache most the second day after an intense workout}... and that I can handle.

But this was way different to that... I literally could NOT straighten my arms. I could not easily pick up my kids... I could not do many usual everyday things.

Here's my little problem... as with most weight sessions, tho it hurts a bit at the time... you can do it and you push yourself hard.

Only days later to realise.... perhaps a little too hard.

I am gonna try and make sure Fiona {and I}  do NOT have a repeat of that today.

Still resting the Adductor Magnus... think I'll start a return tomorrow with a road ride and spin class?

Happy Training.

Bxo

14th - 20th November ...

What has this little sweat junkie been up to this week?

Just a bit of this:

Monday:             REST 

Tuesday:              6am road ride coppins crossing {791cals} + exceed swim squad 

Wednesday:       6am ride class with Amy + PT with Slater

Thursday:           REST

Friday:                  6am road ride 3 x Red Hill repeats ... yuk !! 

Saturday:             REST > weekend down the coast for a wedding

Sunday:                REST > weekend down the coast for a wedding

WOWSERS... there are quite a lot of rest days in there... which accounts for me not feeling so great.

Okay, yes... my daughter was home from school with shingles this week :( Poor baby is much better now, but it was pretty awful there for a bit, and of couse I could not take her to the gym creche.

Still... I could have done a 6am workout each morning.

Me and rest days do not make a great combination.

I need to get more organised to be able to reach my goals.

Simple truth.

Peace Out.

Bx

First Swim Squad Session, a Ride Class and PT in my backyard...

Last night I did something I'd promised myself I would do, weeks ago.

I got brave and joined a swim squad. It was hard... and I need hard in the pool. It's too easy to simply show up and mosey on doing my lap after lap. Also there are a few other FIT ladies who are training seriously for LONG & Olympic distance triathlons. So that made it easier.

Often I push myself hard, but there are days where I could use the forced lap timings etc. I also need a lot of work on my stroke, correction and strength. If I am going to ever be able to do a triathlon... my swimming needs a LOT of work!

Last night did not disappoint, and I was able to push out about 2km of swimming. 

This morning, this was my view as I drove to the gym for my 6am RIDE class:

And you know the saying "red sky in the morning - sheppards warning"... true to that, it is now overcast and bleak looking outside, ready to give us a serious downpour any minute.

So it was just in the nick of time that my PT {Paul Slater} came over to give me a training session in my backyard, great guy he is. Since Mikaela is sick, it was workout in my backyard, or no workout at all... we took the backyard option. Thanks Paul :)

Happy Hump Day !!

Bx

Tabata loving...

Yesterday my PT {Paul} gave me an intensive upper body Tabata session. Tabata is an awesome workout. Basically it's 8 rounds of 20 seconds intensive (maximum effort), and 10 seconds rest. 4 mins for each set (we do two exercises per 4 mins). 

Go here to find out more about Tabata, here is a visual guide:

It was exactly what I needed. We also did two rounds of drop sets for a variety of upper body exercises. I worked myself pretty hard let me say.

This session was by no means anything like the intensity of my usual tabata workouts, but it wassweat worthy and I have myself a great muscle ache today! It's gonna take me some time to get back to those other more intense workouts!

It's a great method of training to use as you can easily create your own workouts. It's especially useful when travelling.

You can download some apps for your iphone or ipad to help you with the timing. I use this one, and there is this one too.

Here is a good resourse for exercise ideas, and a workout sheet you can download.

Enjoy :)

Happy Training.
Bxo 

Sweat Once a Day...

Here's a recap of my sweating activities in this past week:

Sunday:          Yoga and 10km rode ride (first time out on White Knight) fun!

Monday:         RIDE class +  PT session with Fiona.

Tuesday:        20km rode RIDE + RIDE class.

Wednesday:    RIDE class + PT with Slater + Yoga.

Thursday:        RIDE class & rest.

Friday:               RIDE class & rest.

Saturday:        Bak-2-back RIDE classes.

Sunday:            Yoga.

I've been working pretty hard lately, enjoying myself with my RIDE classes, since I can't run right now.

But you know what... I'm not allowed to ride anymore either :)

So I am not sure how I am going to get my sweat on for the next two weeks, but you can be sure I will be trying my darnest!!

At this stage of my injury rehabilitation... I can only swim with a buoy, do core and upper body.

So I am going to create a circuit and time myself. Challenge myself to get some calories burned. Each evening I'll do an hour session at the pool.

AND  I will have to eat SQUEEKY CLEAN!!!

Hopefully I'll have a killer core and ability to do the swim leg of a triathlon (mini) by the end of the two weeks.

How about you? How's your week of sweat on gone?

Bx

It won't happen to me...

That's what we all think. That's what runs through our minds as other (more experienced, capable, wise, seasoned) athletes tell us to be careful not to take on too much too soon... or you'll get injured.

Not me.

You think to yourself as you thank them for their sage words, nod appreciatively and respectively... all the while, that little voice in your head is saying "not me, that won't happen to me"...

Invaribly it does at some stage or another of your athletic "career"... one day you're doing just fine, banging out a half marathon, or two, or three. The next you are sidelined with an injury...

Rest days, turn into rest weeks... lots of intesive treatment follows:

 
Dry Needling therapy at Clinic 88 yesterday, with Mr Big Hands.

I was handed a devestating blow yesterday... being told that I could not do ANYTHING involving tilting the hips, rotating the hips, initially for the next two weeks.

ON my NO, no! Nooooo List:

• Running, which I already knew
• Cycling... road or classes... let me tell you this crushed me as I only just got White Knight and next week I am to start a training program for Tour de Femme.
• No weights for lower body, no squats, no lunges
• No YOGA - oh just shoot me
• No water running - seriously smash me over the back of the head with a blunt intrument

Here's what I CAN DO:

• I can swim, but only with a buoy held just above my knees.
• I can do core workouts
• I can do upper body sessions... pushups on knees (not toes), chin ups... etc etc.

SO here's the thing... I am going to treat this as a blessing in disguise. Firstly I need to get into the swimming groove for my aspirtaions of doing some Triathlons this season. Secondly... say it with me: CORE, who doesnt need more work on their core? 

I'm going to make the most of my time here... I am not going to sulk, or whine, or winge {okay, I will a BIT} I know this will be challenging.

WHo doesnt like a challenge?

Certainly not a stubborn gal like me! And what better way to face a challenge then to turn my weaknesses into strengths.

Bx