I walked 30' today.

that seems like it would be a long, long way, given your current pain levels....?

Not all at once and it was a lot.

Had my gym induction yesterday and went on my first session today.
It only takes an hour, so it's not a big commitment twice a week, but I hope it will pay dividends, even in making the classes I'm doing easier.

I warm up, then row 400m (technically still my warm-up), 25 mins of CV work on one of four machines - treadmill today, the easiest, then core muscle exercises. They have a wonderful vibrating machine, which I only use for 5 30 second poses, but apparently it's beneficial for everyone from novices like me, to trained athletes, to wheelchair users. I like it because I don't have a great deal of patience for repetition and it's great to see the seconds ticking away.

The floor core muscles exercises are the grimmest. I may start practising them at home to make them easier at the gym.

Oh and I bought some new jogging bottoms today - £4 from Matalan. I got mens' ones because they are cheaper in the bigger sizes - I'll get some cool bootleg ones with diamante design etc when I have less weight to lose.

Back to the gym again today, but the bosu was missing. This is like a part of a gym ball on a circular base (see below). I use it with the base on the floor and the round part in the small of my back - for sit ups that use a specific abdominal muscle/s. Don't ask me what, I'm just doing what I'm told!

I did s0me sit-ups on a normal ball instead, but they were so much harder and I felt less secure so I only did half (feeling guilty now).

I came home and thought hmmmm - I could do them at home every day if I had one here. And you can turn it over and use it to balance on - can't remember what muscles it targets but my instructor did tell me at the time. I like that idea - like a game but good for you.

So I went on ebay - none there, new or second hand (you gotta love second hand fitness stuff that people buy in January and get rid of the next Autumn!) Checked Amazon - they're pretty new in this country and sell for £80+ Darn. Next time I'm in the gym I'm going to ask an instructor for another set if exercises for the same muscle group in case the bosu goes missing again. And hopefully they won't require any equipment, so I can do them at home absolutely free.

Feeling really good about the gym - I'm glad he got me to do the extra exercises because even with them it's such a minor time commitment and it is boosting my confidence.

worked out today.

chest 180 x 8, 140, 100 burnouts rest..then 140 x 4?! wtf.... then 100x 5, 70 x 10.....

lats: 200 lbs x 12, 150 x 12, 100 x 12 rest 150 x 10, 110x 10, 70 x 20 ( i could have kept going) back up to 120, then did 10 more

crunches: 130 lbs, 2 sets of 13

back: row machine 90 lbs 2 sets of 12

biceps: iso curls 35 lb dumbell 5 each arm, rest 4 each.

hamstrings: leg curls 80 lbs 2 sets of 10

triceps: 60 lbs 1 set...jinx was buggung me


then we swam.... i got the flippers out and amazed the kids at how fast i could go. spencer had trouble keeping up with me walking along the side of the pool in his flippers. swimming kicks my muthaphuckin ass. for some reason, the backstroke just thrashed my thighs.

I did stuff on Thurs -1 mile in 10mins on the cross trainer, then 1/3 mile swim...

SG, can you improvise with a "space hopper" (remember them?) They are much cheaper and much more available second hand.... you could superglue it to a base or just wedge it against the bed.

This is my lifting for today. . .

Every exercise has a warmup set of (Full-Load - 20%) x 9

Bench 100 kg x 9, 3 sets
Decline press 90 kg x 9, 3 sets
Incline press 80 kg x 9, 3 sets
Squat 140 kg x 9, 3 sets
Arnold press 27.5 kg, 3 sets
Shoulder press 60 kg x 9, 3 sets
Leg press 250 kg x 9, 3 sets
Hamstring curl 90 kg x 9, 3 sets
Front raise 17.5 kg x 9, 3 sets
Tricep extensions* 50 kg x 9, 3 sets

* Each of these sets is done twice, but in slightly different ways.

ooh, you've gone all metric already! :lol:

Yeah, wtf is that shit??? Speak american god damn it!
:D

I will post weekly from now on, because my schedule is all CV and doesn't allow for any interesting variants like machines & weights.

This week:
Sunday - Gym*
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Line Dancing 1.5 hours & Gym
Wednesday - Water Workout 1 hour & Gym
Thursday - Yoga 1.5 hours
Friday - Water Workout 1 hour & Gym
Planned:
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Gym

* Gym is:

• 400m on low resistance rowing machine - warm up only,takes about 2 minutes
• 25 mins of CV on one of four machines - treadmill, bike, wave machine, stepper, cross trainer - keeping heart rate at 135bpm. And believe me I have to work hard at that, especially on the treadmill, as I'm used to walking. I sweat gallons!
• Vibrating machine. Three squats of varying difficulty heald for 30 seconds and lunges on both legs. This sounds feeble but it's tough!
• 3 x 10 half sit ups on the bosu or from the floor if bosu missing. Knees bent, slide hands up to knees
• 3 x 10 side bends on gym ball. From centre to right floor to centre to left floor = 1
• 3 x 10 leg lifts. Lie on floor with knees puled up so lower leg is parallel to floor. Keep one knee in this position, lower other leg almost to floor, swap leg = 1
• 2 x 12 squats. With gym ball in small of back and hands above head, come down into squat (so thighs are at right angle to lower leg) and raise.

There. And my instructor says none of this will make me lose weight in the first 8 weeks, it will jst improve my general fitness so we have something to work from. Sigh. Ah who am I kidding, I'm enjoying it!

She worked our legs really hard in WW today. My knees ache :(

that's awesome, Sundae. You'll be better in bed now, too. you watch.

My Yesterday:

37 minutes on the treadmill....I actualy ran for a couple minutes three times. ...and I didn't break the poor treadmill either.

machines:

chest: 180 x 8, 130 x 8, 80 x 12 burnouts.....rest....
140 x 5, 100 x 6, 70 x 15 ...brutal
delts/traps: 220 lbs x 8, 170 x 8, 120 x 10...rest...
170 x 10, 130 x 10, 90 x 15
shoulder press: 90 lbs x 10 2 sets

curls: ISO 35 lbs 7 per side, rest...4 per side
free 40 lbs 5 per side....and then 10 shruggs each shoulder

crunch machine....130 lbs....1 set of 13?

then we went to Buca De Beppo and pigged the fuck out on italian food

It's hard to adjust weight lifting to metric. I usually don't count up the total weight, I just remember the number of different sized plates on each side. Now I have to do the conversion, and it doesn't really match up very well (the plates actually weight slightly different at the same sizes). Also, it's a pain in the ass to use machines as you actually have to multiply everything by 2.2. It slows things down just that much.

My routine has been fucked since the last time I posted. I've messed up my left rotator cuff and irritated a disk. Plus, I think I might be suffering from some form of exhaustion. No libido, no energy, body aches, huge appetite.

I think you may be pregnant.

How will I ever tell my girlfriend!?