hobble hobble

I am now off the crutches! But I am hobbling around at a very slow pace. It feels good to have mobility back, as I was seriously grumpy and frustrated this week because of my dependence on others for everything. And getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night almost broke me.

But! I went to the gym this morning and did upper body strength training, mostly with free weights while seated on a bench. It went well. I have some confidence too that I might (cross fingers) be able to ski next weekend, as per the schedule.

Swimming next week.

out of commission

Remember that tumble I took on Saturday? The result was a sprained ankle, so I'm out of commission for at least a week. I can't bear any weight on my right foot yet and I'm on crutches!

ankle twist

"Light" strength training (50 mins)
Pam's step aerobics class (1 hr)

The first part of the workout is getting easier, so I'm due back with Kristina soon for a program upgrade. I need new challenges now. After weights, I went to Pam's usual Saturday morning step aerobics class, which was very good and high intensity this morning. Unfortunately at the end, when we were doing our last set, I crossed the board (when I was supposed to) and the girl on the step in front of me missed the cue and didn't move so we ran into each other and I fell, twisting my ankle. I couldn't put much weight on it right away, and then the pain subsided and I rode my bike home, but now it is getting worse again. She was very apologetic, and after so many years of step aerobics classes, it was bound to happen to me at some point, but it is damn annoying. If the pain persists, I'm going to get back into the pool this week.

235 flights of stairs!

60 mins stairmill, levels 6-7 base, level 9 3-minute intervals, 90 second recovery

My legs are tired today from the strength training yesterday morning, so the intervals at the end of today's session on the stairmill were quite hard. Overall, though, it was quite a good workout.

yesterday - weights

I'm getting bad at posting regularly! Yesterday I did my "heavy" weights day, and I'm feeling it today in my butt and hamstrings. It's the good hurt though.

One of the exercises Kristina gave me are Garhammer raises, in which you hang from a bar, lift your knees so your thighs are parallel to the floor and then lift your legs up using your abs. It's a very small range of motion so that it is all abs and your hip flexors aren't engaged. The hanging bar was in use yesterday, so I modified the exercise on another piece of equipment. Big mistake. I think I've crunched my shoulder and it has been in pain since. I hate injury.

on beauty

45 mins elliptical trainer, reverse intervals, level 8
Abs

According to the machine, I burned 570 calories. I also read the opening chapters of On Beauty by Zadie Smith while working out this morning.

spin cycle

Yesterday:
"Light" strength training workout (1 hr)
Spin class (1 hr)
Bike to/fro gym

Most of the time, I go to the gym in the mornings, so I forget how much I enjoy some of the available evening classes. The spinning class last night was killer - I think the instructor cycles competitively and put us through a typical training workout. I like it because it is all intervals, which is the best way of improving overall cardiovascular capacity . I was probably at something like 90% of max heart rate, then recovery, then back up again. I felt really good after the workout last night. The evenings are also nice because I can just take my time and not worry about getting home to shower and change before work. Too bad the gym is so busy in the evening.

saturday morning bike

Saturday morning, I went for a bike ride out to Burnaby Edmonds station, and then up and around to Oakridge and down to my place. All told, it was probably a total of about 35 kms. It was a gorgeous day and I was glad to be out on the bike again, although it is desperately in need of a tune-up.

the morning star

"Light" strength training day
5 mins rowing machine
Stretching

Beautiful today, with the morning star shining brightly in the sky. I can tell I'm tired from not having had a rest day since last Friday. After tomorrow, it will have been eight days of exercise in a row. Sunday, I rest. My upper body is tired from all this strength training, and I'm starting to see real definition in my arms and abs (not a lot, but some!).

Again, I really do love the rowing machine, because it works the butt, legs, abs, and arms, but it is kind of boring to do for a long period of time. I felt chirpy after the workout today.

cold and clear

30 mins elliptical, reverse intervals
30 mins stationary bike, hills (level 8)
Pilates abs

As usual, it was difficult getting out of bed this morning, plus I detected a suspicious tickle in my throat. However, in keeping with my resolve to go to the gym every morning this week, I forced myself out of bed. It was a fairly regular workout, neither too intense, nor too easy. My biceps and abs are sore from yesterday's workout.

It was gorgeous, cold and clear this morning.

the coed gym

Strength training

I did the “heavy” strength training day today. It was my first time braving the coed section of the gym because the equipment I need for this workout isn’t available in the women’s only section. It was intimidating because I don't know where anything is kept and there is a bewildering array of weights and machines in there. Also, the equipment is different from the equipment at the gym where Kristina shows me the workouts. Scott helped me figure it out and make the appropriate modifications so I slowly got through two full sets (as per instruction). Next week I up it to three full sets.

It is also a beautiful day today and I felt good after the workout.

walrus on the stairmill

60 mins stairmill (level 7 mostly)
Abs on the ball

No, the walrus on the stairmill is not me. But I was reading The Walrus (a Canadian magazine) while working out. It was straight-up cardio today, plus a few abs at the end.

quick workout

It was a quick workout today - just five minutes of treadmill warm-up, then through my "easy" strength training workout. All told, I was in the gym for about an hour. I normally would have stayed for some cardio, but I was getting picked up earlier than usual so I bailed. I do notice a difference in my strength, as the exercises are getting easier. My knees were a bit sore from skiing. Also, it was tough dragging myself out of bed this morning, as I was awake at 5:15am yesterday to get to the mountain on time. Even though I was in bed by 9:30, the eight hours just weren't enough!

skiing at blackcomb

Yesterday I went skiing at Blackcomb - the fourth straight Sunday of skiing. I went through a phase in university during which I rarely skied (maybe once a year) because midterms were always at the same time as the best skiing of the year. Over the past two years, I have rediscovered skiing! I also used to stick to the groomers, but since getting my new skis, I am starting to really enjoy soft, fresh powder. Last year was my first time up Spanky's Ladder, and down the double black diamond run beyond. I survived!

celebrity! ryan reynolds

Pam's step aerobics class.

It felt pretty easy today. I lost my footing for a few moments when I noticed Ryan Reynolds back in his old corner doing many reps of abs. On the way out he patted some girl's ass, and we realized that Alanis Morisette was also there (being the owner of said ass). He is so hot.

up to 3 sets

5 min warm-up
Strength training morning - "light" day
5 mins rowing machine
5 mins stationary bike

My first two days doing the "light" workout I only did two sets of each of the exercises, but today I was told to bump up to three sets. There is definitely a difference. My arms are feeling very tired, but good.

It's hard to not focus on cardio, and just do strength training - it goes against all my aerobicized instincts! My trainer is flexible though and says I can do 30 minutes of cardio on strength days, and then just do cardio on non-strength days. Assuming everything goes according to plan, I'll be hitting the weights Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and then cardio on the other days (except Sunday - a rest day). Therefore, I won't miss my cardio too much.

Also, I love the rowing machine! It works the abs hard, and winds me like nothing else! Too bad it is boring if done for too long. It's so much more fun to actually be on the water.

sore legs

45 minutes stationary bike, hills, level 7
16 minutes treadmill, level 6.5-7.5, 0.5 incline
5 minutes cooldown
stretching

I have been extremely sore the last two days, after meeting Monday night with my trainer who gave me my "hard" workout. I've never done leg strength training, thinking my cardio would do it for me, and I'm paying for it now. This morning, my legs were most uncomfortable.

Tomorrow, I'm back onto my "easy" strength workout, and I have to switch it up with cardio on the in-between days. I call my trainer again in a couple of weeks after sticking to this program, and we'll switch it up a bit.