This past week of workouts covered the full spectrum of how I feel each month. I had some workouts with horrible pain and nausea, some workouts with other health issues, and some workouts feeling ok. It really did change a lot from day to day this past week and I wasn’t sure what to expect each morning when I woke up. Fortunately, I’ve been dealing with this long enough that I’m prepared for almost anything. But it still messed with me a bit when I wasn’t sure how I’d react to different aspects of the workouts.
Monday’s workout was a strength day. I was feeling pretty horrible but I was determined to make the best out of it. Besides my normal pain and nausea, I was also dealing with a new issue. Because I wasn’t eating much (and things weren’t staying in my stomach), I was extremely hungry while working out. I don’t normally eat before my morning workouts because I find that I work better on an empty stomach, but this was a much emptier stomach feeling than I’m used to.
For cardio, we had 2 blocks. Even though one block was 8 minutes and the other was 4 minutes, they had the same idea. We were supposed to decrease the incline/resistance levels at specific intervals. But I was not feeling like I could do those resistance levels based on how I was feeling and the lack of focus I was experiencing. So I just did both blocks at the level between my base and push paces the entire time. It wasn’t the best cardio workout, but it was more than doing nothing which is something I have to remind myself of when I have days like this one.
On the rower, we started with a 4 minute row for distance. After that row we had exercises but I modified them to be regular squats and pulsing half squats. Then we had a 2 minute row with more exercises (I did my squats again) and then a 1 minute row and 30 second row. I wasn’t rowing as hard as I usually do so my distances weren’t that great. And even with doing squats as my modification I was still much slower than I thought I’d be between each row. Again, I had to have the mindset that it was better than nothing.
The floor had 2 blocks and I felt like I did the best with those blocks. The first block was drop sets with low rows with weights and overhead triceps. Drop sets are when you do a heavy weight for a low rep count immediately followed by a lighter weight and higher rep count. I wasn’t going as heavy as I have done in the past with the weights, but they were still heavier than I was using last year. That first block also had v-up sit-ups and I had to modify those a little to keep my balance. And the second block had side hip dips and side to side crunches, both of which I was able to do fine so I ended my workout on a good note.
Wednesday’s workout was another strength day, but I was feeling a little better than I was on Monday. I was still struggling a bit, but it was much more manageable and I felt like I could make the workout a little closer to my normal. We had 2 blocks at each section of the room and we rotated after each block which helped to break things up a bit.
For cardio, we had the same block both times we were there. It was a push pace for distance followed by a base pace for distance. And each time we did the push pace the incline or resistance level was supposed to go up by 1. I started doing my push paces at my normal push pace level and was able to do the increases I was supposed to. Since the block wasn’t super long, I was finishing both blocks with a push pace at the resistance level I usually use for my all out, which seemed very fitting and right.
The rower had similar blocks for both blocks. We started with a 250 meter row and then had medicine ball exercises. Then a 200 meter row and more exercises. Each row went down 50 meters. Both times I was working on my 150 meter row when the block ended. The first block was supposed to be lunges with overhead triceps for the exercise, but I modified it to be squats with triceps. And the second block had squats with side rotations which I was able to do normally.
And on the floor, we had a good mix of upper body and lower body work with a little bit of core work. The first block had lunges while holding a weight goblet style under the chin, plank work, and hollow hold single arm chest presses. I had to modify the plank work due to my nausea since I can’t do normal planks when I feel like I did. We were supposed to do plank pull throughs with a weight, but I did plank shoulder taps using the bench so I wasn’t totally face down. The second block needed a bit more modification for me. We were supposed to have back extensions and half get-ups with weights. I could do the half get-ups, but back extensions are definitely out when I am nauseous. I did low rows on the straps instead since that exercise works the back muscles, but I did feel a bit disappointed that I didn’t feel the same stretch that I get when I do back extensions.
Friday’s workout was a signature workout: the Everest Challenge. I’ve done this challenge a few times in the past so I know what I’m in for. But even though I knew what the workout would be I still never know how well I’ll do with it. I was feeling a bit less nauseous going into the workout, but my cramps and pain had gotten much worse. The pain reminded me of the pain I had before my hip surgery. My vision would go white when I had a cramp sometimes and I just had to stop whatever I was doing to let it pass. I hate that I have dealt with this type of pain enough that I know what to do, but I guess I should also be grateful for that.
For the Everest Challenge for a 3 group class, we have 14 minutes of work. Every minute for the first 7 minutes the incline on the treadmill or the resistance level on the bike goes up by 1. And for the last 7 minutes, every minute we go down by 1 so we end exactly where we started. I know the resistance levels on the bike that I’m comfortable with plus I had to take into account how I was feeling. So I started lower than I normally use as my base pace level. The highest resistance I got to was 2 levels above what I use for my all out, but it’s a level I use for incline work from time to time so it wasn’t horribly hard. I tried my best to not take breaks while doing the challenge, but sometimes the pain required me to. But when it was done, I was happy with what I did. It wasn’t the best attempt I’ve had with the challenge, but it was a good attempt.
On the rower, we started with a 100 meter row and then we were supposed to do squats and lunges with the medicine ball. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do the lunges so I just did the squats to start. But then the squats started making me nauseous so I had to do the medicine ball work on its own. Each round we had on the rower increased by 100 meters and the reps with the medicine ball went down by 2.
And on the floor, we had 2 blocks. The first block had chest presses, hammer curls, and bicycle crunches. And the second block had bench plank work (which meant I didn’t have to modify it), tricep extensions with weights, and leg raises. I was feeling a bit more normal by the time I was on the floor, but it was still challenging to get through things and it was frustrating how often I had to take breaks.
By some miracle, I was feeling like myself by Saturday’s workout. The only thing I was dealing with was a little soreness from the Everest Challenge, but I was very happy to deal with than and not nausea and cramps. I was a little weak from issues related to nausea, but it was still nothing like how I feel when I’m in the middle of the worst days. This workout was a power day and it was the perfect way to end my week and to feel back to normal.
The cardio workout had 2 blocks. The first block was repeating push pace, base pace, all out, and walking recovery 3 times. Each time we did it, the base pace got a little longer. It was a great block for me on the bike and I felt so strong because I had time to recovery so often. The second block was 3 rounds of 30 second all outs with recovery between them. Again, I felt like I was flying and pedaling so quickly because I had a lot of recovery time. It was the best boost to my confidence.
On the rower, it was all about having powerful strokes. We started with doing 20 power strokes. You were supposed to go slowly with these because you wanted to be able to explode backwards each stroke. Then we were supposed to do lunges with medicine ball tricep work. Since it’s tough for me to get in and out of the rower, I did squats instead. Each round on the rower went down 2 stokes but we were supposed to maintain the power we got each round.
And on the floor, we also had 2 blocks. But these blocks took a bit of modification to make it work for me. The first block was single arm hip swings, lunges with power steps, plank work, and v-ups. I couldn’t do the lunges the way we were supposed to and I didn’t want to just do regular lunges. So I did the movement while standing on the bench and holding on to the straps. It was a good balance challenge for me. And the second block was supposed to be lunges using the bench and squat jacks. I did regular lunges and regular squats instead.
This past week of workouts marked half way through the year and as I mentioned last week I’m over half way to my goal for my workouts this year. It wasn’t the best week of workouts to mark it, but I still did my 4 workouts a week. Next week is a holiday week and I’m still debating if I should change up my workouts a bit. But I know for sure I should be getting in my 4 next week since I don’t want to slack off and miss my goal when December 31st is here!
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