Spring Schedule and past reflection

New schedule for my gym, I lost my Tuesday evening combat, but gained a Sunday morning.  That’s a double fist pump right there.

So far my weekly schedule looks to be like this:

(N- noon, E – evening)

 

Monday                 N- RPM                                 E- Combat

Tuesday                N- BodyPump                       E- 1hr intense cardio

Wednesday           N- Combat                            E- 1 hr cardio

Thursday               N- BodyPump or flow          E- 1 hr cardio

Friday                     N- RPM                                

Saturday                9:30 – RPM          10:30 - BodyPump

Sunday                  9:30 – Combat     10:30 – BodyFlow

 

Yup, nothing like living at the gym.  I’m absolutely insane with working out.  Despite my utter exhaustion by the end of the day, and the zombie stare I can’t seem to break for 5minutes while working at my computer, I wish I was at the gym 24/7.

I’d even throw in 6 a.m. workouts if I wasn’t the world’s definition of someone who is NOT a morning person.

Saturdays and Sundays only work because technically getting up at 7:45 is sleeping in 2 hours later then I normally get up.

I get so jazzed knowing a work out is approaching, excited like I’m about to open a present or something equally grin inducing.

It’s so new to me.  This want to work out, this craving.

I’ve never thought me of all people, who over a year ago and 80lbs heavier and was a FOOD addict could be a gym addict.

Never in all my life had I made it beyond failure to mediocre in regards to physical activity.  Never have I accomplished things, or set goals or missions.  

I no longer consider failure as my only option, I know I can do things, I know some things take time, and as long as I put in the effort I can achieve everything I want.

I like to be the person in RPM that the athletic folks attempt to keep pace with. I like that I’m still somewhat wrongly judged over my still hourglass curvy figure as someone who doesn’t have the endurance and stamina to take anything that’s thrown at me. I like looking in the mirror, although still surprised by what I see, and maybe okay I do still avoid it when I’m a sweaty mess in combat.

I like knowing where I am, from where I’ve come.  This is a huge journey and will never be over, but to know that first step has brought me here is so inspiring, I know anything is possible.

No matter what is thrown at me, what stress I endure, what pain I suffer, the gym lifts it, it brings me back to that place of accomplishment.  It’s my temple, my sanity.

I never would have found it if my mistakes hadn’t led me here, so I’m even thankful for those.

One day, when I’m proud to look in the mirror, when I have abs I can grate low fat cheese off of, I’ll still be just as proud, just as driven and just as passionate.

I don’t doubt this.

I feel like I’ve finally woken up in life, and now I’m living :)

happy sweatfest

Combat track lists of the week…

 

Monday – Noah always mixes it up, and his theme this past Monday’s combat was kicks, every track…. Kicking.  It was pretty sweet, but a lot of tracks I wasn’t familiar with that I have to in my own klutzy way get in the groove with.  However he did throw in a couple fan favorites and as always many high knee running tracks.  I don’t know why, but after that hour of combat was done, be it stress, be it brush with insanity, I wanted more.

So I went home, did another half hour of cardio on the elliptical to my whimpering legs, and then a few combat tracks I had memorized (Spitfire, More, Overload).  Then I felt rightly exhausted.

 

A little back story, I have a work thing that’s been stressing me out, and to avoid becoming an alcoholic and indulging in copious amounts of wine to offer the much needed relief, I’ve chosen working out and the euphoria of the workout high to release the tension.  That and blasting high energy beats from my prehistoric boom box in the basement [Blast the speakers anyone?  Overload!].

 

Tuesday with newbie instructor who is growing on me as her own confidence grows with her style is Janice – she stuck to release 45… warm up shoots and all (warm up shoots? REALLY?!? Ugh…)

 

Then Wednesday, Wednesday is my fav instructor who got me into this crazy combat kick.  Christine – still instructing at 5 months pregnant (I KNOW!).  It’s even more inspirational to see a lady on stage with a baby belly doing the high impact combat (albeit frequent breaks).  She was throwing all the tough tracks at us, wow, I felt like I was being punished (but I liked it lol).

Kalinka, Spitfire, Mortal Kombat, Overload… wowza – a great mix of PAIN! 

Needless to say to the cherry on top of my 3 days of combat (+ other workouts mixed in).

 

I kept it high impact 99% of the time for all three, shin splints touched on after Tuesdays and full blown post Wednesday, but eased up before I went home for the day.  My recovery amid high impact is really getting better.  It’s so neat to see the endurance and recovery being as quick as it is.  it used to take days!

 

Happy sweat fests to everyone!

 

 

Wednesday madness...

Sorry for the lack of updates.  It's been crazy at the office, and I've been working out steady 10+ times a week.

I've pulled back the RPM and upped the straight cardio.  Keeping my heartrate in the zone, and going for about an hour at a time for my second workout of the day. As well I've been focusing on my core with rumours the next combat release is AB-tastic.
My weekly regime now consists of (L- lunch, E- evening):

Monday (L) Cardio (E) Combat
Tuesday (L) Cardio/Alternate with Strength weekly (E) Combat
Wednesday (L) Combat (E) Yoga (recovery)
Thursday (L) Pilates/Tai Chi (BodyFlow) (E)Cardio
Friday (L) RPM
Saturday Morning Double Down, 1 hour RPM, 1 hour Strength training (BodyPump)
Sunday - day off, recovery day

K, I'm done bragging, lol.
October doesnt seem very far away, not to mention June is even closer!  Must get bikini ready!

"Fitness is a battle, welcome to the front line" my fav combat poster quote.

want

Combat instructor? Me? Yes pls!

The quest continues… perhaps as an instructor?

I could be setting myself up for quite the epic letdown but since my first combat class I’ve had this passion for the music, the moves, and the empowerment it gives me.

I don’t think I’d fit in a dojo as I like to yell and dance beats don’t altogether mix with hard concentration and sparring.

So here’s my dream… dare I say goal?  Mission?
To go from enthusiasts to instructor?  Student to teacher…

I’m terrified to even consider it.

My inner big girl that couldn’t even make the basketball team in high school says “why bother”, but the new me…

The new me says, “You can do it!”

It’s so hard to be proud of my accomplishments and not be ashamed of my past… this seems messed up but it’s the situation.  I’m a different person, I’m taking life seriously, and there is more to it then I used to believe.  I should be proud at this huge turnaround that I just up and did one day.  Just up and woke up and said “no more!”

I’m a diabetic that is managing through exercise and diet alone and used to be on 5 different pills and insulin injections.  I’m proud, but then ashamed it got so bad.  I just can’t take the good without the dark raincloud in the corner.

Super lame.

But yes… my GOAL… to be a body combat instructor.

I can do high impact in my class, but some days I honestly can’t breathe let alone speak, while other days I’m yelling at my gym buddy, and she’s hollering back and I can really see the instructorship in my future.

I know it’s a lot of work, and prior to last months working out 6-8 times a week, I’ve upped it to 8-12 times a week.  I’m doubling up a lot of days throwing in an hour cardio on top of my usual regime. 

Next week I will push myself further.

When I started upping my workouts in June of 2010 I could barely hold a plank for a second, now I can stagger, launch, and hold as long as I need to.  I’m a plank master. 
Push ups, I used to not even be able to complete one, now I can do several minutes of them before needing to progress to my knees… but I never quit or stop.  My small goal is to not ever have to push up from my knees again.

October is the timeline as it is the instructor training weekend in Toronto (all expense paid yo!). I will need to be ready for then in stage presence, endurance, and combo’s, from there you have 3 months to a year to ready yourself for your taping of instructing a class to then be certified by a review board.  

I’m excited more then nervous, I’m inspired more then frightened.

I think I can do this!

 

Gym times

4K for lunch yesterday, and Combat for supper.

I’ll say it, and let the world take note, I’m getting tired of ‘Spitfire’.

At first it was and has been a Combat track that was as the not so French would say Les challenge supreme.  It made all other tracks seem easy.  But I was glad with my Wednesday instructor switched it up for the ‘Black Pearl’ track (ALLLOOOOT of back kicks… I absolutely love getting my pirate on however).
 But Monday…
Monday he’s absolutely mean. 
However he informed me after class he held back on throwing in ANOTHER lunge track, so technically he was thinking of us when putting the ‘Party’ (Fight for your right) track right before ‘Spitfire’.  I will not fault the following ‘Mortal Kombat’ track (what’s cooler then fighting to mortal kombat? And Muay Thai no less :D).  Or the ending power track energy drainer, sweat fest, ‘Overload’ because those two are top fav’s of mine.  I listen to ‘Overload’ pretty well everyday I love the beat, the voice, the music. Love!

I never thought I would ever be into electronic style music, I’m not sure if it’s the associated endorphin rush or just being exposed to it, but the gym has made me a fan of fast beats, electronic sounds, synthesizers.  Absolutely love it!

I’m continuing a cardio binge this week and luckily I have all my itune’d favs from various classes, and genius recommendations.  From Lil Wayne, to Spitfire, to Overload, to Russian Roulette, to The Invaders Must Die album from The Prodigy.  I have got a lot of fast pace, energizing music to keep me in the zone.

DOMS and ZZZ's

Oh Thursday exhaustion has plagued me today.  A weariness that from my first alarm to the tune of ‘Dream on’ by Aerosmith on the radio, to my head bobbing bus ride, and my zombie gaze of data entry.
I’m really feeling the kicks I did in yesterdays Body Combat, trying my hardest to keep good form while kicking as high as I could. I was pushing myself more so then usual despite the DOMS from the previous days Body Pump.

Today my legs are wrecked.  I was going to attempt the Body Flow (Pilates/yoga) class, but my hip flexor whimpers at the dominant squat stance, it is a challenge enough to walk normally today.

That’s not to say I won’t be attending the cardio fest that is RPM after work.   I’ll be struggling but I think the blood flow to my achy muscles will help.

Friday will be between RPM and Attack still… my shins shudder at the thought of Attack, but my curiosity wants to see just how bad I’ll do it again.  Plus I enjoy the exertion of high knee running.

Its girl’s night Friday, we’re going to Rock Bar.

I haven’t been to a bar in a very, very, very long time, and as someone with an uncontrollable urge to dance, it doesn’t matter the place as long as I can move rhythmically to the music.

Got to keep the drinking to a minimum if I even do so as I have my double down gym Saturday morning.  I get a high from music and good company, alcohol is always back seat to that.

Should be fun, a cousin is celebrating her birthday the best way she knows how, and I’ll be there to buy her a couple shots to help her on the way.

It’s a busy weekend with goings on and goings to, it’ll help shake these winter blues that are dragging me down lately… and people with dark agendas.

Lunch time, I have a peanut butter banana sandwich awaiting me (yeah, my culinary prowess took a break last night after the veggie intense salad of Wednesday that took me an hour to eat) :)

Dearest Advil, you are a sweet goddess.

 

Gym Jammin'

The pettiness of some people is astounding.  I’m really too ticked to put into words, but I’ll say that it definitely is going to add fuel to my ‘spitfire’ at combat for lunch.  I hate people who have nothing better to do then seek pleasure from the misfortune of others.

Anyway, onto something I enjoy the gym recap!  I’m so sore and aching from Monday night’s intense combat with the energetic Noah.  He combines the Party track (shoots, kicking and high knee jumps) with Spitfire (all around lunging, side kick evilness… that I love/hate).  Not to mention I took part in the Tuesday lunch hour Body Pump (strength endurance class… I’m not quite sure the difference between strength building and endurance as it all seems the same to me and end result is pain, however well defined biceps).

So far this week it’s been combat (strength/cardio), pump (strength), and today more combat.  Tomorrow I’m going to attending RPM/spin class for the evening and some awesome abs if I’m feeling up to it.  My new Tuesday/Thursday cardio regime will be evening RPM as I just can’t fit lunch RPM with saving the bikes in time and changing post RPM within my 1 hour lunch. Tuesday lunch will now be body pump, and Thursday lunch will be Body Flow (yoga/pilates/tai chi/ meditation) with the RPM saved for the evening.  Friday I’m going to attempt Body Attack once more I think, as much as I hated that cheerleader fest, it’s a huge cardio bang for your buck in 45 min.  That or depending on the pain/DOMS will be Body Flow again.  Saturday is my usual double down of RPM for an hour, then Body Pump directly following for an hour.

Sunday I tend to take as a “day off”, but might throw in some at home yoga and elliptical to help the muscle recovery to start it all over again Monday.  There’s also been talk among my gym buddy and I about seeking out a Sunday combat to satisfy our combat thirst.  We’re crazy like that.

If I throw in a Body Flow for my Monday lunch hour that’s a total of 10 workouts in a week, if I count my Sunday “day off” work out, that’d be 11.

10 – 11 work outs a week.

Why am I 5’9 and a size 8 and not a size 0?  

Cuz I’m all muscle and grit lol

Seriously though… why am I not a size 0?  Or even 6 or 4 would be nice, you know, bikini worthy body, eh soon enough.