I’m going to try a slightly different format for my workout recap post this week. I’m debating about changing how I write about my workouts because I’ve been doing the same idea since I started regularly working out at Orangetheory. The workout recaps can be fun to write, but they are starting to feel more like a tracking journal. For some workouts, they can be interesting to write about because they are unique or creative workouts that I love to share with others. But not all workouts are like that and I want to share more about what my plans are for continuing my regular workout plan.
I’ve been in a really good groove with my workouts again. I did struggle a bit after the shutdown but got into a bit of a groove quickly after. I’m grateful that I had so many workouts before things shut down because I was in better shape and used to the routine. But I know that I lost a lot of strength and endurance when working out at home. There’s no replacement for how hard I’m pushed in my workouts with a coach.
Since the shutdown, I have been really trying to see a lot of the same improvements I felt like I was seeing before the shutdown. I felt like I was reaching for heavier weights and getting better on the rower and cardio more frequently than I am now. There are some issues I deal with that make it harder for me to see improvements, but when I have my bad week or two, that shouldn’t be enough time to have a regression. I should be able to pick things back up quite a bit when I’m feeling better. And I really was noticing the lack of progress in this past week of workouts.
I know I can’t force myself to get better, faster, or stronger; but I can challenge myself to try. I have a fear of failure and that is something holding me back a bit. But I have been getting better at attempting to use heavier weights before going back to what I’m used to. I think I really need to continue doing that and not feel as bad about getting in fewer reps if it means I’m using a heavier weight. Doing that is the only real way that I’ll be able to get used to using heavier weights. I didn’t do that this past week and toward the end of the week, I was starting to feel a bit down about what I accomplished. In the last workout of the week, I did try to use heavier weights, but I had to go back to my normal ones after only a rep or two.
I have a similar struggle on the bike. I know that I should be working on increasing what resistance levels I use for different parts of the workout, but I just haven’t been able to be successful at that yet. I did have a lot of longer push paces this past week, so using my normal push pace level for longer intervals was a bit of a challenge. But I have been noticing that my heart rate isn’t going up as much or as quickly during the cardio blocks so I know that I’m getting a bit used to what I’ve been doing for a while. I try to not let my hip issues stop me, but there are some limitations that my body has that I just can’t force myself to overcome. I still want to try, but just like with using heavier weights, it’s a struggle and I just have to figure out how to get over it.
But not everything has been totally stagnant. I have seen some decent improvements on the rower, especially in this past week. I’m still not where I was when I was doing the best on the rower before the shutdown, but I’m getting a lot better at increasing the wattage and power behind each row. I don’t have the endurance I need to keep that up the entire time I’m on the rower, but getting a bit of a boost when I’m starting each row is good. And I feel like that is an easier thing to work on improving because I’m already starting that process.
I know making improvements in my workouts won’t be something that happens overnight. None of the progress I’ve experienced has been quick. But the work has always been worth it. I just have to get over my fear of failure and being stubborn about not always doing well or being perfect when trying. And once I can do that, I know that I will be seeing improvements in the ways I want to. I just have to be patient and allow myself to work toward those new norms.
I’m still so insanely proud of myself for continuing my workout plan. I’ve kept this up longer than I ever expected, and when I am not able to do my plan for whatever reason I do notice my body craving it. But I also want to experience the joy I had in the past when I was able to do something I never thought I could do. I haven’t had that feeling in a while, and I know that will be such a great motivation for me to keep going when things are not easy.
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