Wednesday, 4 August 2010
I may or may not be back... Wednesday 2010-08-04
Hello people who don't read my blog.
I've been "away" for a long while now. The last few months have been really difficult; not just exercise-wise, but life in general. I ended up being signed off work with Depression for a month, and have been a bit mental for a while. I went back to work, and requested voluntary redundancy. They accepted my application and I left on Friday.
So now I'm trying to sort my shit out and get on with my life. It's harder than it sounds; there's an immense amount of apathy to fight against just to get out of bed most mornings, and I've not had a proper night's sleep for nearly 4 months now.
On Friday morning I woke up shit early again, and decided that, since I was up and had no chance of going back to sleep, I may as well go for a run. So I did. And I got on better than I expected to. I only went along Town Path, around Elizabeth Gardens and back again - only 3.8km. But I managed to run further than I ever used to without stopping for a rest.
On Sunday morning I went for another run. Didn't do so well, probably only about 2.8km - but at least I managed it.
Monday I went back to the gym. Having not stepped foot in the building for 2 months I was dreading it, but it wasn't too bad - and my locker actually smelled quite nice! I did a Body Balance class, which made me feel all floaty and smiley, which was something of a novelty.
Yesterday morning I went for a run - same route as Friday.
Today I went to the gym again...
Treadmill - 1 minute sprint, 30 seconds rest x 8 (up to 13.5km/h)
Stepper - 10 minutes at level 6
Stability ball plank/step-down x 15
Stability ball roll-out x 15
2 sets
I'm quite pleased with my effort to be honest, I think the cardio was better than I was managing before.
Weirdly enough, having been so ill and miserable for so long, I think it's done a lot for my mental strength when it comes to exercise. I'm less likely to give up on my workouts now, less likely to half-ass my way through it. It's a good feeling.
The hope is that I can continue to run every other day, and do more classes at the gym. I'm off work on gardening leave now until October, so it's the perfect opportunity to get back into my fitness and exercise routine. Also I'm hoping I can manage to beat my body into submission so that it will actually allow me a decent night's sleep some time very soon! Oh yeah, and if I could get rid of the headache I've had since Sunday, that would also be rather marvellous.
I've been "away" for a long while now. The last few months have been really difficult; not just exercise-wise, but life in general. I ended up being signed off work with Depression for a month, and have been a bit mental for a while. I went back to work, and requested voluntary redundancy. They accepted my application and I left on Friday.
So now I'm trying to sort my shit out and get on with my life. It's harder than it sounds; there's an immense amount of apathy to fight against just to get out of bed most mornings, and I've not had a proper night's sleep for nearly 4 months now.
On Friday morning I woke up shit early again, and decided that, since I was up and had no chance of going back to sleep, I may as well go for a run. So I did. And I got on better than I expected to. I only went along Town Path, around Elizabeth Gardens and back again - only 3.8km. But I managed to run further than I ever used to without stopping for a rest.
On Sunday morning I went for another run. Didn't do so well, probably only about 2.8km - but at least I managed it.
Monday I went back to the gym. Having not stepped foot in the building for 2 months I was dreading it, but it wasn't too bad - and my locker actually smelled quite nice! I did a Body Balance class, which made me feel all floaty and smiley, which was something of a novelty.
Yesterday morning I went for a run - same route as Friday.
Today I went to the gym again...
Treadmill - 1 minute sprint, 30 seconds rest x 8 (up to 13.5km/h)
Stepper - 10 minutes at level 6
Stability ball plank/step-down x 15
Stability ball roll-out x 15
2 sets
I'm quite pleased with my effort to be honest, I think the cardio was better than I was managing before.
Weirdly enough, having been so ill and miserable for so long, I think it's done a lot for my mental strength when it comes to exercise. I'm less likely to give up on my workouts now, less likely to half-ass my way through it. It's a good feeling.
The hope is that I can continue to run every other day, and do more classes at the gym. I'm off work on gardening leave now until October, so it's the perfect opportunity to get back into my fitness and exercise routine. Also I'm hoping I can manage to beat my body into submission so that it will actually allow me a decent night's sleep some time very soon! Oh yeah, and if I could get rid of the headache I've had since Sunday, that would also be rather marvellous.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Thursday 2010-05-20
This morning was a real struggle. I didn't want to get up, much less go to the gym and workout. Even when I got to the gym all I wanted to do was skip the actual workout and go have a shower. I dragged myself out of the changing rooms, promising my inner moody teenager that we'd just go and have a wander about, maybe go on the stepper...
Stepper: program 3 (intervals) level 6, 10 minutes
Treadmill - 1 minute sprint, 30 second rest x 5 (up to 12.5 km/h)
Treadmill - steep incline, walking as fast as I could manage, 5 minutes (lasted 2 minutes at gradient of 4.0)
And then I did some nice stretching to cool down. I feel good that I managed to drag myself in - usually I just give in and laze about in bed for an extra hour or something.
Hopefully tomorrow will be easier...
Stepper: program 3 (intervals) level 6, 10 minutes
Treadmill - 1 minute sprint, 30 second rest x 5 (up to 12.5 km/h)
Treadmill - steep incline, walking as fast as I could manage, 5 minutes (lasted 2 minutes at gradient of 4.0)
And then I did some nice stretching to cool down. I feel good that I managed to drag myself in - usually I just give in and laze about in bed for an extra hour or something.
Hopefully tomorrow will be easier...
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Tuesday 2010-05-18
Well I was determined to go to Running Club. I took all my stuff to work with me and everything... Then about 3 in the afternoon, I thought, "I don't want to go to running..." and decided not to. I wandered around town, I went to visit my sister, and eventually walked home and plonked myself on the sofa.
Then I thought, don't be such a bloody idiot, go to running, it'll make you feel better.
So I got changed, legged it into town, and did Running Club. We did the steps.
Half-way up, then down.
Then half-way up again without a rest, and back down.
Then all the way to the top without a rest, and back down.
Then up to the top, up a few more steps, and along the windy steep path through to Bouverie Avenue to run back down and into town.
I thought I was going to die. Or vomit. Or pass out. Or all of the above.
I loved it. And felt loads better afterwards.
Then I thought, don't be such a bloody idiot, go to running, it'll make you feel better.
So I got changed, legged it into town, and did Running Club. We did the steps.
Half-way up, then down.
Then half-way up again without a rest, and back down.
Then all the way to the top without a rest, and back down.
Then up to the top, up a few more steps, and along the windy steep path through to Bouverie Avenue to run back down and into town.
I thought I was going to die. Or vomit. Or pass out. Or all of the above.
I loved it. And felt loads better afterwards.
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Sunday 2010-05-16
Unsurprisingly, I woke up early this morning. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. So three guesses what I did with my early start... yeah, I went to the gym
Overhead squats (with weighted bar) x10
Overhead lunges x10 each side
Squats - 15kg x 12
Deadlifts - 15kg x 12
Dead row - 15kg x 12
3 sets
Wide-leg squats - 15kg x 12
Deadlifts - 15kg x 12
Dead row (underhand grip) - 15kg x 12
3 sets
BOSU squat - 2x8kg x 12 (the 7kg weights had disappeared again so I had to put my weights up)
Lunges - 2x8kg x 12 each side
3 sets
BOSU squar & shoulder press - 2x2kg x 12
Stability ball hamstring curls x 12
3 sets
Plank step-ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball crunches x 12
3 sets
Stability ball plank 30 seconds (holding last one as long as possible)
Stability ball roll out x 12
3 sets
And then I did a bunch of stretches, whilst chatting to my friend Simon, who had appeared after going for a run. Simon is lovely, but mental - he did a 30 minute run, and then spent 2 hours in the gym!
I'm in two minds as to whether to go to the gym tomorrow. I've a feeling my legs will be sore after today, so I might give myself the day off. We'll see how I feel when I wake up. I've a tendency to feel like I've achieved nothing in a day if I've not been to the gym.
Overhead squats (with weighted bar) x10
Overhead lunges x10 each side
Squats - 15kg x 12
Deadlifts - 15kg x 12
Dead row - 15kg x 12
3 sets
Wide-leg squats - 15kg x 12
Deadlifts - 15kg x 12
Dead row (underhand grip) - 15kg x 12
3 sets
BOSU squat - 2x8kg x 12 (the 7kg weights had disappeared again so I had to put my weights up)
Lunges - 2x8kg x 12 each side
3 sets
BOSU squar & shoulder press - 2x2kg x 12
Stability ball hamstring curls x 12
3 sets
Plank step-ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball crunches x 12
3 sets
Stability ball plank 30 seconds (holding last one as long as possible)
Stability ball roll out x 12
3 sets
And then I did a bunch of stretches, whilst chatting to my friend Simon, who had appeared after going for a run. Simon is lovely, but mental - he did a 30 minute run, and then spent 2 hours in the gym!
I'm in two minds as to whether to go to the gym tomorrow. I've a feeling my legs will be sore after today, so I might give myself the day off. We'll see how I feel when I wake up. I've a tendency to feel like I've achieved nothing in a day if I've not been to the gym.
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Saturday 2010-05-15
I was up early again this morning - no idea what this early-waking malarkey is all about, but I figure I should make the most of it while I'm still managing it. So I got up and went to the gym for 8am - thinking I'd miss most of the weekend idiots and screaming kids with shouty mothers at swimming classes. I was partly right.
push up with plate slide x 12
BOSU alternating row 2x8kg x 20
3 sets
Stability ball chest flye - press 2x5kg x 12 (should really put my weight up on this but the 6kg weights were mysteriously absent this morning)
Single leg pull down 20kg x 12
4 sets
Stability ball plank 30 seconds (held the last one as long as possible)
Stability ball roll out x 12
4 sets
I probably should have done more, but I was feeling really quite lazy and apathetic, so I did some stretching and left. I've spent most of the rest of the day on the sofa, thus probably negating the calories I burned off this morning. But hey ho, at least I managed it!
I skipped my leg workout because I didn't want sore legs on Monday for Balance, but I think I'm going to have to miss Balance on Monday any way, so I might do legs tomorrow. For a treat!
push up with plate slide x 12
BOSU alternating row 2x8kg x 20
3 sets
Stability ball chest flye - press 2x5kg x 12 (should really put my weight up on this but the 6kg weights were mysteriously absent this morning)
Single leg pull down 20kg x 12
4 sets
Stability ball plank 30 seconds (held the last one as long as possible)
Stability ball roll out x 12
4 sets
I probably should have done more, but I was feeling really quite lazy and apathetic, so I did some stretching and left. I've spent most of the rest of the day on the sofa, thus probably negating the calories I burned off this morning. But hey ho, at least I managed it!
I skipped my leg workout because I didn't want sore legs on Monday for Balance, but I think I'm going to have to miss Balance on Monday any way, so I might do legs tomorrow. For a treat!
Friday, 14 May 2010
Friday 2010-05-14
I went out last night. Had a bit to drink, got home late, got to bed even later. Woke up this morning feeling like something had crawled inside my head and started to decompose... but I still dragged myself to the gym!
I gave myself an easy time while I was there though - no weights...
Treadmill: 1 minute sprint, 30 seconds rest x 6 (up to 13km/h)
Stepper: program 3 (interval) level 6, 10 minutes
Stability ball plank 30 seconds
Stability ball roll out x 12
4 sets
When I was done I went for a swim to chill out a bit. There were a bunch of people in the pool having a chat though, so I only managed 20 lengths before I gave up and got out. The spa pool is broken again, no idea why, so no nice bubble bath to finish my workout!
I got a free pedometer in the post the other day, so I've started wearing it. More out of interest, to see how many steps I take in a day. I think the recommendation is 10,000 steps a day... yesterday it clocked 16,000 - and that doesn't include walking to and from town when I went out last night (didn't really want to rock up at the pub rocking that particular look). Today I think it got to about 11,000, but then I accidentally reset it. In any case, I'm glad to see I'm doing what the government recommends!
Tomorrow is Saturday... not sure if I'll make it to the gym or not. Since I had Wednesday off I probably should, and to be fair I do feel up for it - the only thing that puts me off is that a Saturday at the gym is usually full of people - weekenders who come in to ponce about a bit on the machines and take up all the mat space while they sit on a stability ball and chat to their mate whilst knocking out a couple of sets of crunches and then go home boasting about spending 2 hours in the gym. Plus on a Saturday morning for some reason the gym sees fit to do childrens' swimming lessons - which means the place is literally crawling with kids who run around the changing room playing tag whilst their mothers stand by the showers and gossip, and then the pool's closed on Sunday because having so much piss released into it in one morning has altered the Ph level.
Yes, I'm a grouchy old cow, what of it!
I gave myself an easy time while I was there though - no weights...
Treadmill: 1 minute sprint, 30 seconds rest x 6 (up to 13km/h)
Stepper: program 3 (interval) level 6, 10 minutes
Stability ball plank 30 seconds
Stability ball roll out x 12
4 sets
When I was done I went for a swim to chill out a bit. There were a bunch of people in the pool having a chat though, so I only managed 20 lengths before I gave up and got out. The spa pool is broken again, no idea why, so no nice bubble bath to finish my workout!
I got a free pedometer in the post the other day, so I've started wearing it. More out of interest, to see how many steps I take in a day. I think the recommendation is 10,000 steps a day... yesterday it clocked 16,000 - and that doesn't include walking to and from town when I went out last night (didn't really want to rock up at the pub rocking that particular look). Today I think it got to about 11,000, but then I accidentally reset it. In any case, I'm glad to see I'm doing what the government recommends!
Tomorrow is Saturday... not sure if I'll make it to the gym or not. Since I had Wednesday off I probably should, and to be fair I do feel up for it - the only thing that puts me off is that a Saturday at the gym is usually full of people - weekenders who come in to ponce about a bit on the machines and take up all the mat space while they sit on a stability ball and chat to their mate whilst knocking out a couple of sets of crunches and then go home boasting about spending 2 hours in the gym. Plus on a Saturday morning for some reason the gym sees fit to do childrens' swimming lessons - which means the place is literally crawling with kids who run around the changing room playing tag whilst their mothers stand by the showers and gossip, and then the pool's closed on Sunday because having so much piss released into it in one morning has altered the Ph level.
Yes, I'm a grouchy old cow, what of it!
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