Just a quick post while I'm waiting for my washing to finish and I can take advantage of the amazing weather and hang it out. (I hang it out most of the time, unless it's raining, so I guess it's not really taking advantage of it. I love the smell of washing that has been allowed to air dry outside. BUT it is autumn now (or fall) and soon the weather will be getting colder, daylight savings will end, and the sun will start to hide away a little, so I take what I can).
Managed a gym workout last night. That's a big thing for me 'coz I'm not someone who really likes to workout of a night. I don't like that it's crowded with people coming from after work, I don't like women who sit on the bikes or walk on the treadmill while reading a book or flicking through a magazine for 30 minutes or so, but are barely getting a workout. (I mean, if you're going to make the effort to go to the gym, you can at least make the effort to actually do some work.) Or people that talk on their phones while working out. I really don't need to hear your conversation while I'm running next to you. Or some men who glare at you when you want the free weights, or the pull up machine. Women use weights too. Deal with it.
I prefer to work out in the afternoon. Between 1-3pm. There's practically noone in the gym at that time. Or early, like 6am. I'm not a morning person so that's harder for me, especially when I have to start work at 5am (my gym is a 24 hour one so I could get up at 3 and go, but I'd much rather go after work at 3pm). That way it's done and out of the way when I finally get home and I don't have to convince myself to get out of the comfy chair and get into the gym. I find that if I take my workout clothes with me and get changed at work I just go and do it. Then when I get home I can just laze about for the rest of the day/night. Working a job where I'm on my feet all day, the last thign I want to do when I finally sit down, is to go and work out. I'm sure alot of you can relate.
I went to the movies with M yesterday afternoon. It was only kinda planned. We went and saw Rango and really, not that great. And I love Johnny Depp. But again, not that good. But I did see the previews for Hop, and for Kung Fu Panda 2, so there were some positives to come out of it. (I'm slightly obsessed with kids movies lately. They're so much better than alot of the M or higher rated movies coming out lately). And movies always involve some sort of junk food. Usually it involves popcorn, and chocolate, sometimes lollies (candy) and potato chips. And of course the movie soft drink. BUT yesterday I was semi good and only had a medium bucket of popcorn (which I couldn't eat all of) and a medium coke (which I drank all of and could have had more, oops). That is all :D And no McDonalds on the way home (another movie ritual).
So, after all that salt and butter (I don't use butter/margarine myself, not for anything) I felt slow and sluggish and horrible and decided on the way home that a gym session was in order. I'd only gone for a swim on Monday so I was in need of a full workout. I planned to go for a full workout on Monday but after a late night on Sunday, and an early wake up call on Monday to go to the pool I showered and went back to bed. When I got up a few hours later my legs and butt were sore so I skipped the gym.
I hit the gym about 7.30pm and there were more people there than I expected but I didn't have to fight anyone for anything I wanted to use. *does happy dance. So, after a 5 minute warm up on the eliptical (I normally use the treadmill but they were taken so the eliptical it was) I hit the weights. I don't have a typical routine for weights, alot of it depends on what isn't in use, and how I feel on the day. Yesterday I felt good so I started with the assisted pull up machine. From there it was the leg extension and the leg curl, and the seated row (3 sets, 12 reps each machine). Then onto the free weights. I tend to use 4-5kg (about 10-12lbs) dumbells for the free weights. It's enough to give me a workout without incapcitating me for work the next day (I do alot of lifting, pushing and pulling at work). So with a stability ball I did chest presses and shoulder presses (3 sets, 12 reps) and then some walking lunges (10 each leg) and some one legged squats (8 each leg). I always plan my workouts like this: back, front, legs. So if you work the chest, you work yout back, if you work your triceps, you work your biceps. And always work your legs. Squats, lunges, machines, just do something. They're the biggest muscles in your body.
Then it was onto cardio. I was planning to use the rower, but there was someone on one and I don't like to use the second one when someone's already on one. The same with any of the cardio equiptment. I like to have a machine between me and the next person. *shrugs. I'm not sure why. So, rower out, I hit the eliptical again. Was planning on using the treadmill this time but my ankle was playing up (old sports injury) and I didn't want to aggrivate it.
I like the hill progressions on the treadmill and the eliptical so that's what I chose last night. Cadence hills was my choice (up the hill then down it in steps) and the plan was to keep my speed to almost the same while going up the hill, and then increase it going down, then slower on the flat. So basically it was to keep my speed above 10 on the flats, above 12.5 on the inclines, and about 15 on the declines. I also varied whether I had the weight on my toes, heels, or on the balls of my feet. Where you put your weight changes the workout each muscle gets (I'll go into this in more detail later).
I did a 5 minute cooldown on the treadmill (I made it eventually :D) and then onto the floor for some abs workouts and some stretching. I'm not a fan of abs workouts but they are a necessary evil. I have a very strong back, but not so much a strong stomach, so it's something I work on out of necessity rather than choice. I always do crunches, and planks and usually a few different things like reverse crunches and leg lifts but last night I hadn't eaten before hitting the gym (silly me) so I kept it to the crunches and the plank.
Stretching is probably my favourite part of a workout. I just find it really realxing. I participated in gymnastics for years, so alot of my stretches are things I learned there. Obviously stretch the muscles you have used in your workout. At the very least it'll help with muscle sorness the next day. I use it as a way of keeping, and improving, my flexibility.
Will make sure I fit in a walk this afternoon (legs are sore so won't push it for a run today). Dad and I are having Chinese takeaway for dinner tonight while mum's away on a work thing, but will try to make it relatively healthy. Chicken and veggies here I come :D
I can hear the washing machine beeping, so I'm off to hang the washing out so I actually have something to wear to work tomorrow.
Have fun
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