Workout J #4: Pre-feasting sweating is even better (Workout 63)

New Year's Eve workout. The gym was pretty
empty and it went well.

The previous time I did Workout J (J#3) it was a very difficult time -- not like the weights were too heavy, it was just a grind. Like my body didn't want to or something. I don't know. It was not a lot of fun. Fortunately, this time (which was last Thursday on New Year's Eve) it went *great*! I felt really great and either raised the intensity one a few things during the workout or have them marked for increase next time. 

I didn't do any Intervals of Insanity at the end because Patrick and I had a few errands to run on our way home and we needed to get to it before places started closing for New Year's Eve. But I did a lot of good cardio exercise at the beginning and worked really really hard during the workout. 

Thursday's New Year's Eve workout was: 

• Core Stabilization - 3 x 45 seconds - These are definitely getting better. I'm getting stronger at holding the weight at arms' length and at moving it around. I can feel it in my core as I'm doing it, but it's a good feeling. I'm going to try going up to 15lbs next time. Either that or going up to 50 seconds (at least). 
• Rolling Side Plank - 3 x 8, 8, 10 - These are getting better too. I'm really feeling like I'm moving my whole torso as a unit, which is how it is supposed to be. I went up to 10 for the last set just to give myself some extra work. Which is  cool. I'll do that with all three sets next time. 
• Dumbbell Push Press - 2 x 8, 7 - I had myself written down originally to do three sets of five. Then I got a little lost in the *doing* for the first set and did 8 reps. So I thought I'd do two sets of eight. Except that I really was only good for 15 total, so I stopped the last set at 7, unable to go on. I think I have myself down for 2 sets of 8 next time. Maybe I'll try for a third set and just see how far I can go. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Single-leg Dumbbell Deadlifts - 3 x 8 - I'm still using a pair of 25lb dumbbells for these and that went really really well. I don't have a note to go up with these, but I think I'm going to try 30s next time. (If I remember.) Because those went really really well! 
• Push-Ups - 3 x 8 - I'm ready to start looking for a lower surface to do these off of. I'm doing really well off the bench and have started increasing the intensity by doing them *faster* which is all I have. I don't think I'm ready for the floor yet. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Squats (Dumbbell) - 3 x 8 - I'm using a pair of 40lb dumbbells for these. I've gotten to where I'm doing them fast, which is, as noted above, how I increase the intensity on things without increasing either the reps or the weight. The extra speed keeps the tension on the muscles in a more sustained way, which is something. I don't know that my arms and shoulders are up for holding 45lb weights, but I may try it to keep more work going. 
• Standing YLTWI Raises - 3 x 8 - I actually did three whole sets of eight! I've been working toward that for a while and I'm very happy to have gotten there. I don't think I'm even close to going up from 5lb weights to 7.5lb weights (let alone 10lb), though. At least, not unless I scale back the sets and reps by rather a lot. 
• Cardio - I didn't do any Intervals of Insanity, but I did spend 10 minutes on the treadmill before I started working out. According to the treadmill, that was 160 calories burned. Which may be right. 

The workout really did go very well and I had a great time. I was sweaty and felt *strong* which was awesome. Loved it!! 

Our next workout was on Saturday, January 2, and I'll post about it separately, because it was pretty exciting!