Monday, October 8, 2012

Weekend Workouts

My weekend consisted mostly of working. Good thing I like my job! Saturday and Sunday I held down the gym for most of the day and Friday, even though I wasn't scheduled, ended up spending several hours at the gym anyways.

I feel so lucky to have a great support and teaching system at my gym. Our most popular aerobics instructor has taken me under his wing and is helping me with not just my classes, but coaching me to teach aerobics as well!

I've mentioned this before, but teaching choreographed classes like step aerobics is very challenging and requires lots of skills. The one I am currently struggling with and scares me the most is cuing. I can't tell you how hard it is to stay on beat, remember what sequence the steps are in and call them out as you go! It's one of those things where it doesn't really get better unless you practice.


So guess what I'm doing?!

Being a huge doof, watching aerobics videos and then practicing the sequences aloud in my apartment. By myself. I win the cool kid award! =D

On top of that, I am working to build my repertoire for my core classes that I already teach. The challenge for me is using props. Our gym has a limited number of things like stability balls, so if I randomly have a big class and there aren't enough for everyone, I have to think quickly on my feet and come up with something else!

Friday I also had a lovely trail run at Discovery Park. I met Jess and Scott there for a loop. We were planning to do the big loop, but Jess forgot her trail shoes and Scott is still struggling to get the small loop done! I did a small loop with them and then another one by myself. It was such a beautiful afternoon and after getting some startling news on Thursday, it was great to be in the woods clearing my head.

That is one thing I just love about running. No matter what is going on in your head, you can run and push yourself and for that hour or so, you are not thinking about your problems. You're just running. And it is magical. Aaaannnddd I'm done being a cheeseball.
Running is beautiful. 

Friday evening, I headed over to Crossfit. Thankfully, our workout was on the mellow side as far as CrossFit goes.

We did a barbell complex. Starting with 4 front squats, 6 military press, 8 bent over row and 10 deadlifts. We added weight after each round. The first time through was fine, second I was starting to feel it and by the third and fourth rounds the military press and the rows just about did me in. We kept the same weight once we started a round, which I though a little odd because leg muscles are so much stronger than upper body, so the squats and deadlifts were no big deal.

As I said, this was pretty mellow. No heavy weight, no crazy time constraints. I'm learning to appreciate these types of workouts. Even just a month ago, I would've been complaining that I didn't get in a good enough workout. I felt sufficiently worked after this one, though, and I'm coming to realize I don't need to feel like I'm dying to have a good workout!

Progress.

Sunday night's workout was NOT as easy. We started with bear crawls. I love bear crawls because I'm good at them (great flexibility helps), but my quads hate them. Then we did 5 rounds of pushups, knees to chest and squats.


We ended with a 600 meter medicine ball run. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE running with "props". Medicine balls, kettle bells, weighted vests. They all are awful! When I run, I want to run!!

Anyways, we finished that and then had to do a 400 meter farmers walk with kettlebells. Not fun either. It ended up being hilarious, though. I had set my kettle bells down for a second and a random dude came and carried them a few meters for me. He ran up, schlepped them off, set them down, and ran off. It was so random!

I had some great runs this weekend, too! Saturday and Monday were easy 4 milers and Sunday I did some 800s. Today starts peak week for me! I have a 22 miler on tap for Friday and lots of other workouts before then!

No comments:

Post a Comment