Somewhere I have a chart I got from either Nelie or Lydia in the weightlifting forum with a HIIT description. It might have been from BFL, maybe? It said the hard intervals should leave you feeling pretty darn spent, and might have also said the part about not being able to carry on much conversation. I know I really can't. I tend to push the HIIT on the treadmill harder than I should I think - I go for .25 mile intervals - usually .25 mile at 7-8mph (9 on one fantastic occasion) followed by .5 miles at 5-6. I also will toss in a high 9-12 degree incline at 6mph for .5 mile as a high followed by a 1.0 mile recovery at 3-6 sometimes. I go by the heart rate. Try to get 188-195 for the high, 155-165 for the recovery. It is not very formal - often changes at the spur of the moment. I get bored on the treadmill. Outside I tend to just hammer the heart rate as high as I can for .25-.5 miles, then slow back down for .75-1 mile for recovery.
More running today - 6.2 miles at the park. Steady, not HIIT.
I'm on the injured list so no exercise for me today.
Stupid me. I was trying to take a photo of my dogs--they looked so cute! Well, I crouched down to get to their level and BOOM! My stocking feet slipped on the tile and I went down, hitting my left (already my bad knee) on the tile floor and ended up sitting in a W formation (which, when you're my age isn't really all that comfortable any more--I could do it as a kid, but even sitting cross legged is difficult these days!). So, Tylenol and ice packs...
I followed through on my plan after yesterday's unplanned rest. A one hour zumba class, followed by 45 minutes of upper body work. I have a feeling I won't be able to lift my arms tomorrow.
Yesterday I had a really good workout of HIIT on the treadmill and legs, but I switched up the leg exercises and really kept my HR up. Even got a comment from the trainer about how much I was sweating.
HIIT on the treadmill
5 minute warm up (+ 5:30 cooldown at the end) at 4 mph
I did intervals for 19:30, 7 mph high intensity for 40 seconds and 5 mph recovery for 2 minutes.
It was hard but I actually felt I could handle a little more. I did 8 mph for my last sprint and quit, the 8 was too much. Like Monday, I can't seem to recover from the 8 mph yet, so I'm keeping my HI lower than that for now. I have a feeling I'm going to get annoyed that the treadmill doesn't have easy "half" numbers, it's easy to push the "whole" number mphs, I don't want to have to push 7 and then +++++ to get to 7.5 when I'm trying to run! I might try 30/90 seconds HI/recovery before I get to increasing my speed w/ annoying button pushing.
Legs
Stiff-legged deadlift 65/16, 95/12, 100/10, 100/9
Lying hamstring curl w/ yoga ball 3x15
Prone leg curl machine 50/15, 55/8, 55/10
Step-ups on ~14" step, holding 2x17.5# dumbbells, 3x15/side
Single-leg Romanian deadlift w/ 2x12.5# dumbbells, 3x15/side
Bulgarian split squat 3x15 per side
Megan, you're lucky your treadmill has whole number buttons! I always have to use the up and down arrows when I run on the treadmill.
Yesterday evening - 5.5 mile bike ride, with a brief stop at CVS to buy some essentials.
Skipping my strength workout today. Sore legs, sore neck, sore arms, and aching wrists do not make a good preparation for lat pulldowns and bulgarian split squats. If I feel less sore tonight I may do a modified workout at home (don't have the equipment to do the full one), but it will probably not happen.
Hey Megan,
I learned a cool trick for step ups yesterday. First of all, try this withOUT dumbbells. It's hard enough with body weight.
Ok, so you put one foot on the step. For the foot on the floor, raise your toes off the floor so that your weight is on the heel only. Now step up. Doing it this way prevents you from rolling forward on your toes on the foot on the floor and using your hamstrings to push you up on the step. It isolates the quads on the leg that is already on the step. I hope I'm explaining it okay. My trainer called it a "pure" stepup.
Midwife - love that tip! I didn't realize how much I was using my toes and hamstrings to push up until I just tried that... Have to put that into my workout...
Megan - my treadmill has whole number buttons and up/down arrows. I tend to use the whole numbers myself, easier than punching the arrows.
I did one of Pat's older PN workouts last night, still trying to get back into the strength training. Good workout yesterday, lowered my weight down since I haven't done much serious weight work in about a month. Don't want to reinjure the shoulder. I am seeing that my left side is weaker on UB work than my right side on most exercises. My curls are about equal, everything else is a pretty noticeable difference. It was weaker before I injured my left shoulder, I might just be noticing it more now. It did seem to lose more than the right during the monthish out, which makes sense with the injury I guess.
3/10 Exercise:
Warm up -
1 min jumprope
10 ROM pass through with PVC
-WH Belly Off Workout warmup (10 y squat, 10 pushup, 10 'stickup', 10 mountain climber per side, 10 forward lunge per side, 10 'waiter bow', 10 spiderman crawl per side)
PN Day 1 Workout:
1a) Bulgarian Split Squat + contra-lateral shoulder press: 3x8x12lb per hand
1b) BB corner toss into lumberack squat with calf raise & press: 3x8x60lb
1c) Bodyweight jump squat with tuck: 3x5
1d) Alternating lateral squat with push-out: 3x5x15lb
2a) BB corner press: 1x9x60lb/2x9x55lb
2b) BB corner row: 1x9x60lb/2x9x55lb
2c) T push-up: 3x3
During 1st 180 second break: 25 calf raises
During 2nd 180 second break: 25 side bend, 25 torso twist
After workout: 50 crunches, 25 back extensions
Last edited by Shannon in ATL; 03-11-2010 at 11:40 AM.
After being in considerable pain most of yesterday, I stopped at the store and bought a compression knee brace. Immediately after putting it on I felt better and I could walk without limping.
Iced the knee. Sat in the hot tub. Iced the knee. Then slept (very well) with the compression brace. Probably should not have done that as today my lower leg, ankle and foot are very swollen. I'm wearing the brace all day as it really makes a difference but tonight I'll leave it off and elevate my foot to drain the swelling.
Hopefully things will be good enough for a walk on Saturday (I'm not going to push it by jogging or using the elliptical).
I tend to push the HIIT on the treadmill harder than I should I think - I go for .25 mile intervals - usually .25 mile at 7-8mph (9 on one fantastic occasion) followed by .5 miles at 5-6. I also will toss in a high 9-12 degree incline at 6mph for .5 mile as a high followed by a 1.0 mile recovery at 3-6 sometimes. I go by the heart rate. Try to get 188-195 for the high, 155-165 for the recovery. It is not very formal - often changes at the spur of the moment. I get bored on the treadmill. 
Outside I tend to just hammer the heart rate as high as I can for .25-.5 miles, then slow back down for .75-1 mile for recovery. 
Thursday - cardio
I might try 30/90 seconds HI/recovery before I get to increasing my speed w/ annoying button pushing. 
