<p>I mean, just 21 minutes on the Airdyne – not counting warm up and cool down. Short little sprints of just 10 seconds, with a whopping 50 seconds to recover in between.</p>
<p>**10 seconds: **sprint 50 seconds: easy</p>
<p>**10 seconds: **sprint 50 seconds: easy</p>
<p>**10 seconds: **sprint 50 seconds: easy</p>
<p>**10 seconds: **sprint 50 seconds: easy</p>
<p>90 seconds: recover</p>
<p>Repeat for a total of four sets: 21 minutes total</p>
<p>Here’s the kicker, though. All out hard as I could go for each of the 16 sprints. Every one was at 95 rpms or above. I hit 100 rpms on one of them and 99 rpms on several more. The first set wasn’t too bad, but it’s cumulative. Each set gets more and more insane. The fourth set was pretty much just la-la land, on pure autopilot, panting like a dog.</p>
<p>It felt like a Democrat incumbent watching election returns. The only thing that kept me going was thinking that Svetlana wouldn’t quit! But, if I knew where the guy who says “Crank it in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…” lives, I’d probably go hunt him down tonight. That is a seriously intense 21 minute workout.</p>
<p>OK- here’s what this thread has done. I was on a conference call about BCAP (Biomass Crop Assistance Program)- did I mention BORING??? I was reading this thread and then watched some videos about how to do burpees. All this during the call. So-bluetooth in ear, I tried one. I was wearing a skirt, by the way. As soon as I went down into the squat my injury let me know that I was not ready for burpees! Glad it wasn’t a video conference. Maybe someday…</p>
<p>Ran four slow miles after work. Was going to do 2 to get ready for Tyler Cup, but didn’t feel like walking back. Perhaps not the smartest thing I have ever done, but I did it anyway. Nice fall afternoon on the path. Things hurt besides the injury- I’m out of running shape.</p>
<p>I am freezing! Why did no one tell me I would miss my “insulation”? How do you normal weight people survive the winter? I am calling a realtor and moving south.</p>
<p>MoWC - when you are told to take a break from running, your doc needs to issue a tranquilizer gun to be as needed. </p>
<p>chintzy - i think the very sudden change in temp has been awful. I usually don’t mind being cold, but the last two days I never really got warm. It was pretty windy here yesterday and I was bundled up at my desk both days.</p>
<p>chintzy, the best thing about being pregnant in the winter was that it kept me toasty warm - especially in Germany which does not properly insulate its buildings!</p>
<p>Hey all, haven’t been on thread in a while; will have to look up burpees (?). Anyhoo, yes, the cold–it hit and I immediately got depressed over the thought of winter, more than I ever have in the past. I think it’s in response to last year’s cold/snow fest. So I have to start motivating myself now to get dressed right and keep going out there. that and remove all clothes hanging from the Nordictrak and fire up that baby…*so *not motivated to do that.</p>
<p>chintzy…I am always so cold after I work out until I can get in the shower. In fact my fingers are blue as I type this! I worked out this morning but I head back to the gym to meet the trainer at noon so I haven’t showered and I look like a drowned rat. Ewww…
Hope I can move this afternoon!</p>
<p>I ran 2.038 miles today, per google pedometer (every .001 mile counts, right?) It was my long run, and I am moving away from the treadmill back out onto the streets. I picked a route that goes mostly inclined up, since I discovered last week that running downhill makes my knee start to hurt again. Two miles outside is much easier than 2 miles on the treadmill.</p>
<p>I am back from the gym…can barely move…tomorrow will be very bad I am afraid. Worked on pushups, band pull aparts, planks, side planks, tricep dips, pulldowns and pushdowns, swiss ball crunch and leg lifts and holds. Did a few bicep curls but he said I was already ok with those. He actually was surprised that I could do my plank for 30 seconds…yay! Who knew since I don’t do them!!! Side plank…not so much. This was my last chance workout since I weigh in tomorrow not Saturday…aarrgghh! :o Now I wish I didn’t have that glass of wine last night! Oh well…it is a journey not a race…right??? ;)</p>
<p>Oh…he actually said he could tell I was athletic at one time. I think there was a compliment in there! ;)</p>
<p>Swiss ball crunch is the only exercise that is more difficult for me now than it was when I first started doing it back in February. For the longest time, I thought it was easy. No sweat. Now, it gets the abs burning – I suspect because I’m actually using my abs now. I don’t know.</p>
<p>If you are struggling with side plank, do it from your knees for a while. Just bend your knees with your feet sticking back to rear and use the knees as the fulcrum point on the floor. It’s the same as doing pushups from your knees – it reduces the effective bodyweight being supported.</p>
<p>I did side plank from my knees for six months, to the point where 45 seconds was easy. Transitioning to the feet as the fulcrum was still VERY difficult. Part of the problem with the feet version is finding a position with the feet that is solid. It helps to use your upper arm on the floor as you bring yourself up and get situated and balanced. Side plank works core stability muscles that get very little attention and, therefore, it takes time to bring them up to speed. At least for me, all the side-to-side stability and balance muscles need a lot of work. Don’t feel bad if you can’t do 30 seconds from your feet, just starting out. Side plank and plank are very difficult exercises.</p>
<p>In my yoga class, we’re supposed to be working up to side plank with the upper leg in the air. And then, side plank with the upper hand holding the straight upper leg. I’m not there yet.</p>
<p>The yoga class also has a lot of pushups. A lot. I do them from my knees.</p>
<p>I think it’s really easy to use the neck, shoulders, chest, and all kinds of momentum doing crunches. I reality, there is almost no movement in a proper crunch – just a tensing and releasing of the abs and the slightest unweighting of the shoulders off the ball. If anything, the only motion is stretching the back around the ball in between crunches. </p>
<p>I think what has started to help me grasp the exercise a little better is “crunches with a twist” – rotating to the left or right slightly while contracting up into the crunch. Now, I do them: </p>
<p>1) Straight crunch
2) Crunch with a left twist
3) Straight crunch
4) Crunch with a right twist
5) Straight crunch</p>
<p>And so forth.</p>
<p>It gets the abs burning. Definitely not as easy as I once thought – early on, ball crunches were a breather for me. Not any more.</p>
<p>Tried the kettleball demonstration class today-it’s hard, but doable. I’m going to go ahead and sign-up. It’s a short class. Starts next week and goes until Christmas. I also tried the bosu class my trainer teaches. Yikes!! You do lunges, planks, and crunches and squats–on the bosu ball or using the bosu ball. You also do some upper body work while you’re on it as well. The hardest part is balancing on the bosu. I used 8 lb. weights and they weren’t a problem–balance was. I’m definitely going to keep this up because I want to work on balance and core.</p>
But, if I knew where the guy who says “Crank it in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…” lives, I’d probably go hunt him down tonight. That is a seriously intense 21 minute workout.</p>