This past week of workouts wasn’t really too exciting. There were some exciting moments, but in general the entire workout week felt really normal. I even remember during a few of the workouts thinking that I had no idea what I was going to blog about because there weren’t a ton of crazy moments. But like I’ve said before, it’s nice to have things feel routine and normal. It makes it feel like a normal habit in life and not something extreme.
Monday’s workout was a partner workout and I was equally excited and nervous about that. I like partner workouts because it motivates me to keep going so my partner isn’t waiting on me. But I was nervous because I was partnered with someone I don’t know and I didn’t want to let him down. But he seemed to be very understanding and not too worried about things so that helped me feel better.
The partner workout had 3 blocks. The first block had the first partner (me in this case) walking on the treadmill at 15% incline. Everyone was a power walker for this part. While I was on the treadmill my partner was doing pulsing half squats. After I was done, we switched and I did the squats and my partner ran to get the distance on the treadmill to .2. We didn’t reset the treadmill every time we switch so every time my partner was on the treadmill he was getting to the next round even distance (.2, .4. .6, and .8). For this block, we were pretty equal time wise so I felt good about it.
The next block was rowing and floor work. One partner rowed for time until they were tagged (my partner did the bike but I did the rower). The other partner had lateral raises with weights, seated bicep curls to stand, lunges, and crunches with over under legs. This block was another good one for me since it still felt equal with the time we were taking.
The last block was the one that worried me. It was the same as the first block but the partners switched. So my partner was the power walker and I ran to get to the next distance marker. I knew that I could run because it was about 90 seconds each time for me to complete it, but that was longer than my partner was on the treadmill. And doing those pulsing half squats weren’t easy after all the work we had already done! I did apologize at the end of the workout to my partner for making him do the squats longer than I had to do, but he really didn’t care. And he said we both got an amazing workout in so that was all that matters. And I have to agree with him.
Wednesday’s workout was a run/row day, but it was also an endurance day so I decided to not try any running. And that really did end up being the best thing for me because the floor work was all mini-band work which isn’t the easiest thing on my hips.
The run/row had an easy format to follow. The run portion was always .5 miles (I did power walking so it was always .25 miles at 6% incline) and the row started at 800 meters and went down 200 meters each time. I was back to my normal power walking speed and it went well for the first few rounds. I did have some hip issues (I think I was tossing and turning in my sleep the night before) but nothing that bad. The rowing was tough because they were longer distances and I did end up needing to take some breaks during the row. That was a bit frustrating because I know I could have done those rows without breaks, but I was also probably mentally preparing myself for the floor work.
The floor was all mini-band work and it was all timed work. I’m trying to love the mini-bands, but they don’t seem to love me back. They like to roll up a bit on my legs and when that happens they hurt, so I have to take time to unroll them. The first block on the floor was front walks, squats with weights, and alternating plank leg lifts. The second block was lateral walks, half squat flys, and toe reaches. And the last block was doing everything we had done in the previous 2 blocks. After we were done with the floor work, I was so happy to get the mini-band off my legs. I tried to love it more during this workout, but I guess it will take other workouts to love it enough to not worry about when it rolls up my legs.
Friday’s workout was a 3 group power workout. Normally I would be running during those, but it was just a morning that I wasn’t feeling like running was the right choice. There were 3 blocks at each section and the treadmill blocks kind of built upon each other. The first block was a 2 minute push to a 1 minute base. The next block had a 30 second all out at the end. And the last block had a 1 minute all out at the end. But it was good that the first block didn’t have an all out because on the rower we had a benchmark challenge.
The first block on the rower had a 200 meter benchmark row. I know my 200 meter row PR is pretty quick already but I wanted to get as close to it as I could. Obviously the best thing would have been to beat it, but I just wanted to be not that much worse. I ended up being about 2 seconds slower which isn’t a lot. I would have liked to have been a bit closer but I also know that the fast I get the harder it is to beat my PR. The last 2 blocks on the rower were similar with 200 meter rows and then lunges with tricep presses using the medicine ball in between each row.
The floor was the same exercises each block. We had ultimate burpees, lunges, single leg squats using the TRX straps, and sit-ups. Each block was pretty short so it was nice being able to focus on the same exercises each block and it didn’t feel like I was repeating things too much.
But the big thing that happened in Friday’s workout was it was my last workout with my coach Sam. She is going to be moving to San Diego and Friday was her last day. She’s been my Friday coach since I started going to the Culver City location and it sucks to have to say goodbye to a coach I really connect with. And I haven’t been to San Diego since my grandma moved away, but I do have other friends down there and I really should go down for a visit. And now I have another reason to get back to San Diego!
Saturday’s workout was a mix of endurance, strength, and power and it ended up being a really great running day for me! The treadmill blocks had a similar pattern but they were a bit different.
The first block had 3 rounds of 1 minute pushes and 90 second bases with a 30 second all out at the end. The second block was 3 rounds of 45 second pushes and 75 second bases with a 30 second all out at the end. And the last block had 3 rounds of 30 second pushes with 1 minute bases with a 30 second all out at the end. I ran all the push and all outs and walked the bases and it was the perfect pattern for me to work on running with intervals. I was getting a bit tired at the end because it was a lot of running, but I also knew I needed to do that to keep working on my running endurance.
The floor also had 3 blocks. The first block was 3 rounds of 100 meter rows with recovery in between and then we had clean to presses with weights and speed skater lunges. The second block was 2 rounds of 150 meter rows with recovery in between and then deadlifts and frogger squats. And the last block was a 300 meter row and then half thrusters using weights and mountain climbers. The only downside to the floor work was that my left shoulder was bugging me (I think I slept funny on it) and it was a lot of shoulder work! But beyond that it went pretty well!
Even though there wasn’t anything spectacular about this past week of workouts, it did feel amazing to feel normal again. I wasn’t thinking about pushing myself like crazy to prove that I could do something. I still have a ways to go before I’m back to where I was, but the process of getting back there is feeling good.
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