Maintainers moving in November!
 

Get moving! Post whatever you do that's active -- it doesn't have to be intentional exercise.

OK, friends. I have sawn up a lot of timber (hand saw not chain saw). I almost have the 'kit' fot the new wood shelter ready now. And the drill has gone on the blink so that's tomorrow blown out of the water.

I have done so much sawing these past weeks and I can feel the improvement in my arms and back, and in my breathing and heart rate recovery.

Sunday--35 minutes of elliptical at over 200 steps/minute (no inclines, though--sore legs)
Monday--29-minute pilates workout (LOVE pilates! I wish it counted as aerobic exercise so I could do it every day, but, alas, it only counts as resistance training).

November 1

NRLW Stage 1, Workout B
Deadlifts 2x15@45 lbs
Wide-grip lat pulldowns 2x15@55 lbs
Dumbbell shoulder presses 2x15@10 lbs
Lunges 2x15@20lbs
swiss-ball cruches 2x15

3 miles on treadmill
36 minutes

Monday, Nov. 1st:
45 minutes arc trainer, resistance at 8, hill intervals
60 minutes circuit training class, which alternates between cardio stations, Pilates & weights

Nov. 1: 65 minutes boxing boot camp

I fell and hurt my tailbone yesterday and almost didn't go to the gym but I didn't want to start November off badly. I didn't exercise nearly as much as I usually do in October and my weight is up so I'm going to try to stay consistent in November. I was able to do most of the class. The only part I couldn't do was the ab work on the bosu ball. When everyone did that, I stood and did more barbell work.

November totals:

1 day
65 minutes

Nov. 2:
15:06 on the Concept II rower, 2:26 for 500 meters, 38 s/m, 2873 meters
60 minutes weight training
45 minutes spin class

11/1: warmup walk, 2.37 mile run 27:21, cooldown walk, stretching

11/2:
- 5 min warmup elliptical
- 2x10 each of a series of arm exercises inspired by the ones the OT gave me way back when, using 3, 5, and 8 lb weights
- 2x10 leg lifts each direction, no weight
- 10 partial single-leg squats, each leg, no weight
- 2 sit and stays, 15s, no weight
- 5 min stretching

Nov. 2: 35 minutes Arc trainer

Totals:
2 days
100 minutes

Nov. 3: 65 minutes spin class

Totals:
3 days
165 minutes

Nov 3:
1.5 miles on treadmill
18 minutes
NRLW Stage 1 Workout A
2x15 squats@45lbs
2x15 seated rows@40
2x15 pushups
2x15 stepups 25 first set 20 second set
2x8 prone jackknifes

Ran into a friend at the gym and we lifted together! Definitely made the break between sets more fun.

11/3:
warmup walk, 2.4 mile run w/doggie 26:25, cooldown walk, stretching

11/4: 45 min yoga class that I'm about to head off to.

Weds, Nov. 3: 45 minutes spin class
30 minutes Pilates routine

Dispirited by counselor at the Health Fair, so much so that I wanted to do the self-sabotaging thing of not exercising AT ALL, nevertheless I drove home in the early dark, changed, and got my butt to the gym. And had a very fun & inspiring spin session, which the instructor based on movie music. (We did a hill climb to "Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky" & sprinted to "Maniac" from "Fashdance" -- the latter was such a blast, I think it's going on my iPod, too.) I'm glad I went & now that I've slept on it, I think I'm over that.

Saef, what did the health fair counselor say?!?!

I am very psyched right now because after being stuck home with a sick-ish child all day (can't take her to the gym if she's too "sick" for school), I went to the gym after dinner and had a great run!

November 4:
4 mile treadmill run
~44 minutes (had some technical difficulties)

AmytheSame, the Health Fair counselor was doing portable blood tests on all comers -- quite informal, non-fasting -- and said my HDL levels were a bit low, and that to raise them, I needed to get more exercise. They also told me they thought I should lose five more pounds.

I was incredulous at first about their saying I needed to do more exercise, then crestfallen, then terribly discouraged and angry. But other 3FC members on the Operation 5-10 Pounds thread talked me out of taking it too seriously. Kind of. Because it's still bothering me a little.

So, anyway ....

Thursday, Nov. 4:
60 minutes Pilates class
60 minutes arc trainer, intervals, resistance at 8

I'm questioning my routine suddenly. Maybe I need some kind of change. I booked a one-on-one half-hour training session for this coming Monday with one of the Pilates instructors at the gym. I will ask her to confirm or tweak the routine I've been working on, on my own, outside of the gym's twice-a-week Pilates classes. I plan to use my trainer sessions strategically, to check my form & set up something for me to work on by myself. ("Works well independently" is one of my longstanding evaluation comments. But I run with scissors, too.)

Nov. 4: 50 minutes hip hop class (didn't stay for the last 10 minutes of ab work since my tailbone still hurts)

Totals:
4 days
215 minutes

Friday, Nov. 5:
60 minutes elliptical, resistance at 8, just over six miles
60 minutes weights

At some point on the elliptical, I felt really tired, and couldn't believe I'd be doing weights afterward. But after I got off, and drank some water, and started on the weights, I found I'd been blessed with one of those freakish days -- I never know what causes them -- when I feel unusually strong & when the routine I've been doing feels a bit easy.

Anyway, I feel much better today than I have for the past two days. Once again, commitment triumphs over motivation, and motivation is spontaneously revived.

saef - hurray!

Gymn yesterday (warm up and 20 mins yoga and stretching)
Gymn today
TM warm up
Full body work out - 1 set each (easing in)

I feel stronger, more flexible and am also thinner for my two weeks off.
N.B. Most of that time was spent lifting timber about and using the hand saw.

^I love this!^ May be my new mantra...

Friday, Nov 5:
Yoga for Athletes -- 60 minutes

This is a class at my gym -- and it totally kicked my butt! Fun, lighthearted instructor, but very demanding! Yow! Exclamation point!

Nov. 5: 40 minutes elliptical

Totals:
5 days
255 minutes

45 min spin
1hr walk

Saturday, Nov. 6:
10:06 minutes rowing on Concept II, 1,873 meters, 38 s/m, 2:35 for 500 meter
45 minute spin class
60 minutes Pilates class

Incidental movement in the afternoon walking around in the Village, buying girly stuff (cosmetics at Sephora, eye cream at Kiehl's, thrifting for blouses), going to the movies. Oh my God, that movie "Winter's Bone" (which has probably just come out on video, because it's about to disappear from the Village Cinema) was excellent. Grim, since it takes place in Meth-Land, but inspiring. What a great 17-year-old heroine. Such strength & resolve. This, along with "The Social Network," is one of my favorite movies so far this year. That actress better get some love during awards season.

Nov. 6: 30 min. walk, 30 min. elliptical, 15 min. strength training (75 min.)

Totals:
6 days
330 minutes

11.7

Bootcamp 60min
Walk 65min

Sunday, Nov. 7:
15:05 minutes on Concept II rower, 2,863 meters, 37 s/m, 2:26 500 meter, projected 5,920
60 minutes weights
45 minute spin class

Nov 5: rest day

Nov 6: ran 4 miles, 49:25 (12:18 pace!) plus warmup/cooldown/stretching. Right knee and hip complained toward the end, I should probably ice them today.

Nov 7: swam 20 laps of drills: fist, thigh touch, touch and go, one-armed swimming rotation drill. I finally figured out the right words to communicate to DH how to kick properly, and he is now able to kick himself across the pool instead of just sinking. Yay!

Nov 6:
Recover from Athletic Yoga
Started with sore back muscles
Finished with sore core muscles -- every core muscle

Nov 7:
Wake up with sore hip flexors! Uh-oh.
10K race
51:49!
And I just can't get over myself. :dizzy:

Nov. 7: 35 minutes elliptical

Totals:
7 days
365 minutes

Nov 8: warmup walk, then ran 2.59 miles 32:03 with dog, cooldown walk, stretching

Funny how I run so much slower when I don't bring my iPod. :p

Monday, Nov. 8:

The Pilates instructor had to cancel our one-on-one training session, so ...

45 minutes arc trainer, hill intervals, resistance at eight
60 minutes circuit training class, which alternates weights, Pilates & cardio stations

I'd never put on boxing gloves & hit the heavy bag before, but damn, I really got into this when I did. And couldn't wait to get back to that station the second time around. I know why. I had a stressful day at work. Also, I just saw a wonderful documentary on Saturday, called "Boxing Gym," by Frederick Wiseman, a really brilliant documentary film maker. I recommend this highly to anyone on 3FC who visits a gym regularly. It's about a gym community, basically, and it is inspiring. So it seemed Highly Significant, Like a Sign, that two days after I saw this great movie, my circuit training class included a bout with the heavy bag, wearing gloves, which we'd NEVER done before.

http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-10-...ut-boxing-gym/

Monday, Nov 8:
3 mile jog with stroller
34 minutes

Didn't plan to run on tired legs, but a series of frustrating events left me nothing else to do. Lifting will have to wait another day.

Tuesday, Nov. 9:
In the morning, 15:07 Concept II rowing, 2,956 meters, 38 s/m, 2:28 500m, 5,981m projected
60 minutes weights
In the evening, 45 minute spin class

The instructor kicked our butts. She wanted us to work harder & go faster than usual. (She joked about "having a cushion" for the Thanksgiving holiday later this month.) In the end, she asked us to go all out. I heard my breath wheezing. My mouth was open & saliva was running down my chin. This actually was a little frightening. But I'm glad that I did it.

Nov. 8: 65 minutes boxing boot camp

Totals:
8 days
430 minutes

So far I've exercised each day in November. Today is my challenging day to get exercise in as I work my second job in the evening. I will do my best to get some exercise in nonetheless. :carrot:

Nov 9:
3 min elliptical warmup
circuit of upper body strength, 12 reps each (2 sec up, 4 sec down) of:
- bicep curls (5# weights)
- tricep overhead (5# weights)
- forearm rotation (5#)
- wrist curls (5#)
- reverse wrist curls (5#)
- front raise (5#)
- scaption (5#)
- overhead press (5#)
- seated rotation (5#)
- shoulder circles 30s forward 30s backward, no weight
- laying on back, hip to overhead and back (3#)
- laying on stomach, back side front (3#)
3x10 roman chair leg lifts, alternating with
3x10 back extension
5 min walking lunges on treadmill at 0.6 mph
3x10 squats no weight alternating with
3x10 calf raises no weight
3x10 leg lifts each leg each side (front, inner thigh, outer hip, back)
stretching

Nov. 9: 60 minutes elliptical

Totals:
9 days
490 minutes

I was about to say, "Michele, I'm really impressed by your commitment to exercise," and then I realized, I'm really impressed by everyone's commitment to exercise! Way to go, us!

November 9:
NRLW, Stage 1 Workout B
2 sets of deadlifts, shoulder presses, lat pulldowns, lunges and swiss-ball crunches.

15 minutes warmup on bike
20 minutes stairmaster just because it's so darn fun. :p

Weds., Nov. 10:
15:06 minutes Concept II, 2:27 500 meters, 40 s/m, 2,918 meters, projected 5,958
30 minutes one-on-one Pilates session on the Tower machine
45 minutes spin class

Wed, Nov 10:
Rest day
2-ish mile walk with stroller

Thursday, Nov 11:
5.2 mile run
48.20

Yes! Way to go us!!:carrot::carrot::carrot:

I had a blond moment yesterday and I'm not blond. I don't work today or tomorrow and I got confused as to what day it was! I was sitting on the couch waiting to go to the gym for spin and I realized I was missing it! I was so mad at myself. I really look forward to my Wed. spin class. Oh well. I dragged myself to the gym and did the elliptical instead.

Nov. 10: 60 minutes elliptical

Totals: 10 days
550 minutes