Workout N#6 and the Phase 8 Walkthrough

I finished Phase 7 on Monday and did the walkthrough for
Phase 8 on Wednesday. I am ready to go forth and rock. 

Monday evening, Patrick and I went to the gym and I had a great workout. It was only Patrick's second time back and he still had stitches, so he didn't push so hard. But really, he probably shouldn't have, so no worries.

This was my last workout in Phase 7, which has been a phase I've immensely enjoyed. Workout M was a blast every single time and N was good, though not quite as good.

Monday's workout was:

• Push Aways - 3 x 12 - These may have been one of the things that has kept me from enjoying Workout N quite so much. They're *really* rough -- strenuous and I have to concentrate a lot to keep my back from collapsing. So they're strenuous and tough (which normally I like) but not much fun. 
• Dumbbell Push Press - 3 x 12 - I used a pair of 20 lb dumbbells for these, which is (I believe) the same weight I've been using for a couple of times. Even so, I just barely made my reps the last set. Shoulder presses where the weight goes straight up from my shoulders are tough for me. It's tough. 
• Coordination Rows - 3 x 15 - These were really good. I love how much I've improved at these since I started doing them last fall. I'm so much more stable than I was -- not just when I'm doing these. I'm looking forward to doing something that involves being on one foot and adding a twisting component because that's going to be my next challenge. That won't be in Phase 8 though. I lifted 30lbs again. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Dumbbell Front Squat - 3 x 15 - Still at two 20lb dumbbells for these. When I was working out with Travis the first time he showed me a trick for keeping my back straight (rather than sort of crumpling forward) when doing squats -- do them right in front of a wall, so you have to keep your torso up even while squatting down. That helps so much with these front squats, because it's so easy to let the weight pull my shoulders and chest forward, which isn't good. It probably looks a little weird that I'm doing squats with my toes just a few inches from the wall. 



This is the type of step-boxes at
the gym. More layers can
be added to make them higher. My
preference is 3 layers.

• Pullovers - 3 x 15 - I'm going to be doing these in a different way in Phase 8 because I definitely like the move and I can feel that I'm working the muscles in my back that I want to be working. Which is always a good thing. :D I'm pretty sure I ended where I started weight-wise, at 30 lbs. It was always hard and I never felt like I was ready to move up. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset-Loaded Step Ups -  3 x 15 - I went up to a 25 lb weight and that made for a good workout the last time. I also was able to use the step at the height I preferred, which makes for a better workout as well. 
• Alternating Press and Twist - 3 x 15 -  I've enjoyed these immensely as a shoulder exercise. The way these presses work, there's no straight up kind of movement which, as mentioned above, kind of stresses my shoulders. They're not in my Phase 8 workouts, but I'll be coming back to these again. 
• Cardio Intervals - 5 x 40:20 Kettlebell Swings Intervals of Insanity alternated with 5 x 30:30 Step Ups Intervals of Insanity - I love doing Intervals of Insanity. The kettlebell swings were with a 15lb bell -- since I'm doing them for speed rather than muscle development the lighter weight works better. 

On Wednesday (yes, I had gotten almost a whole week behind on posting. Sigh!), I did the Phase 8 walkthrough. I'll save the detailed information about Workouts O and P for when I do the first workout in each of them. That wound out being a weird workout -- the walkthrough always is -- it goes slowly because I'm figuring out what I'm doing but I don't get that sweaty because I'm having to figure out what I'm doing. I didn't really have time for insanities afterwards, either, which was a bit disappointing. 

After the walkthrough, I changed a couple of exercises, to make things flow more smoothly. I have hope that I'll like both of these. :D 

Workout #2 with Travis! :D

Travis' card again because I don't have a log. 

I worked out with Travis again on Saturday, though Patrick was at the gym or the first time after his back thing. (Calling it back surgery makes it sound so *structural* -- this was dermatological surgery on the small of his back.) It was super nice having him at the gym, though he finished a bit before Travis and I did.

Travis and I were working on legs mostly, so it was an almost entirely different selection of exercises than last time. Almost entirely. Once again I don't think I remember all of them, but I'll list what I do remember. 

• Battle Rope Jumping Jacks - 3 rounds of 20 seconds with 10 second rests -- SO HARD. Those are intense. I don't think I could possibly do 30:30 Intervals with those because I can barely do 20 seconds. I can tell when I'm getting tired with the battle ropes because the waves get irregular and ugly. :D 
• Battle Rope Sine Waves and Double Sine Waves - 3 rounds of 30 seconds not sure how long the breaks were but not long - I think Travis calls them Quick Waves. The double quick waves just have the hands moving in sync with one another rather than opposite. Once again -- ugly waves are a sign of tiredness. 
• Medicine Ball Wall Bounces -- 3 x not sure - I'm sure there's a real name for these. Basically it was a 12lb medicine ball and I'd squat down then stand and push it forward and up, bouncing it off the wall a couple of feet above my head, catching it on the way back down into the next squat. I think he had me going to a specific number rather than a time. Those were fun and would be a good combination or upper body power exercise, if I was sure I could find a medicine ball. 
• Squats with an Olympic Bar on my back (Squat Rack) - 2 x either 10 or 15 - Travis helped me stabilize the bar a bit which was a huge help (when he didn't there was a big wobble component) but also sometimes felt like I was having to pull against him to squat down. Which may have been part of the point. I like them while I was doing them, but that knob of bone at the top of my back/base of my neck has been sore (like bruised) ever since. Travis says he has a pad for the bar for the next time we do those. The Olympic Bar is 44 lbs, but held really up high (though more stably than with the Front Squats with two 20lb dumbbells I've been doing). 
• Squats with an Olympic Bar on my back (Smith Machine) - 2 x either 10 or 15 - Once again it was an empty Olympic Bar, so 44lbs. He didn't help stabilize this time, because the Smith Machine was doing that. It was a *lot* easier to do them in the Smith Machine than with the bar free. A lot. Though I still don't like the bruised feeling (though it doesn't have an actual visible bruise, I've had Patrick check like a million times). 
• Squat Pulses - 2 x 5 - We did these at the end of the sets of squats in the Smith machine. These are sort of partial squats -- squat down (with the weight) and bounce up just part way. He called those a "finisher" something to do a few of at the end of each set or a set of after a couple of regular sets of squats. They definitely about killed me. 
• Leg Curls on the Leg Curl Machine - 3 x 15 (I think) - This was on a cam machine with a stack of weight plates. Not free weights at all. This is not my favorite way to work out, because I feel like I'm doing more work overall if I have to stabilize the weights my own self, but I kind of liked these. These work the hamstrings, which I've been doing with Deadlifts and Hyperextensions and the Reverse Hip Raises, but they seem to work a different part of them -- lower down the back of my legs rather than my glutes and upper hamstrings. That's probably a good thing and I think I'll work these into my next phase workouts. 
• Hip A(b)(d)duction -- 2  x 15 - I can't remember whether it's abduction or adduction that moves the leg out rather than in, but that's the one we did. We did it on the cable machine with a webbing handle on the low pulley that I stuck my foot through. I can't remember the weight either, but it wasn't excessive. These were pretty good -- certainly I liked doing them standing rather than sitting in the cam machine. At some point, I'll probably work these into a phase, but not next time. 
• Leg Extensions on the Leg Extension Machine - 3 x 15 - We set the weight challengingly high for these -- though I had to lower it when I found out how many reps I was going to be doing. The rests were *really* short so my quads were still burning from the previous set when we started the next one. Ooof! So hard. 
• Lunge Pulses - 3 x OMG lots (maybe 5 or 10)! - These are so hard. They're like the Squat Pulses mentioned above only with lunges, so all the work is being done by one leg. I think these are the thing that still has my quads sore days later!! I'm adding them to my next phase, though I'm predicting now that I'm not going to love whichever workout they land up in. Just sayin'. Just body weight but that's totally bad enough. 
• Calf Raises (on a not-cam machine) - Sets of 10, one each with toes straight ahead, toes pointed out and toes pointed in and a second set of 15 with toes straight ahead - I don't know how to describe what kind of machine this is -- it's got a weight stack and is all lever arms rather than cams and cables like the leg extension machine. Anyway, it was not a lot of fun and I am *so* prone to massively blocky calves, I'm not sure that working my calf muscles to make them bigger is really in my interest. Though maybe it is. These are not going to go in the next phase, but may go in to a later one.

I think that was it (I might be missing one or two things) and once again we did all of that, plus some stretching at the end, in 45 minutes. Travis doesn't kid around. :D 

Once again it was an absolutely great time. I want to talk to him about how much it would cost for us to have one workout a week with him which we could either alternate or go together or whatever. I really do love the whole trainer experience. :D 

That was Saturday's workout. I still have Monday's to post about (behind again, consarn it)! And by Wednesday evening, I have to have something together for Workouts O and P as Phase 8 will begin with the walkthrough Wednesday evening. Or Thursday -- Patrick's stitches come out on Wednesday so it's going to depend a bit on how he's feeling and how late that runs.

Exciting stuff! 

Next workout is scheduled for Wednesday and the goal for the workout is to have one to do and to do a good walkthrough of Phase 8. 

Workout N#4: Got to play in the Playground Room!!

I had a great workout on Saturday, including Insanities
in the Playground Room

On Saturday we got up early to go to the gym before breakfast -- we had a lot of errands to run the rest of the day and wanted to get the gym in and done before everything went all crazy. 

Unfortunately, working out before breakfast is a tricky balance, especially for Patrick who often needs something of a java-slap to get going in the morning. So he pooped out early, but encouraged me to keep going for as long as I needed. So I did. :D

At that time of morning, there was no class in the room at the gym that I call the Playground. This is the room with the TRX hanging strap system, the battle ropes, the tires for flipping, a couple of heavy bags, and all kinds of fun stuff. Because the room was free, I was able to do my Intervals of Insanity in there, which was absolutely *awesome*!! I had so much fun! After 10 minutes, I'm usually about dead, and I'd certainly worked hard and was wringing with sweat, but I could have gone longer because I was enjoying myself so much!

Saturday's workout was:

• Push Aways - 3 x 12 - This continues to still be the right number of these because they continue to be surprisingly hard. The key to them seems to be keeping my core firm (appropriate as they're a core exercise) so I don't collapse my lower back. (I'm pretty sure I posted pictures about this last time I wrote about this exercise.) 
• Dumbbell Push Press - 3 x 12 - This was my third time using a pair of 20lb dumbbells for these and the first time I made my reps with them. That was pretty cool!! 
• Coordination Rows - 3 x 15 - I did much better this time than the previous workout. I was perfect or nearly so for all three sets. (Perfect as far as standing on one foot the whole time.) I'm really pleased about that. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Dumbbell Front Squat - 3 x 15 - I used a pair of 20 lb dumbbells for these. They are really really hard. One of the things that I'm finding most difficult about squats as I get better at them and can squat deeper is that I'm inhaling as I'm squatting down and my torso is getting kind of compressed. On the flip side, I'm exhaling as I exert to move the weights back up as my chest is getting more extended. It winds out making me feel a little short of breath. Or like my body and my breathing are out of sync. I've been consciously trying to breathe out on the downs and in on the ups, but it's hard to force that. Anyway, made my reps but not ready to move up, at all. 
• Pullovers - 3 x 15 - I used an adjustable pulley station (at the highest point) on the cable machine rather than the fixed high arm for these. Like I did with the pulldowns, I noticed a *huge* difference in difficulty, though I still don't know why. Both the pulldowns and the pullovers are *tons* easier with the adjustable pulley than the fixed one. Maybe the height is enough different to change the leverage, I don't know. I wound out raising the weight from 30 to 35 lbs after the first set because it was just too easy. I don't remember being close to raising the weight. 
• Alternating sets of : 
• Offset Loaded Step Ups - 3 x 15 - I used a 20lb weight for these and did them on the step box again, which is nice because I think it's a little higher than the step on the stairs. I might be ready to go up to 25 lbs with this, though I didn't make a note of it this time, so I'll see what happens after the next time. 
• Alternating Press and Twist - I used a pair of 8lb dumbbells again and am now feeling like I might be ready to go up to 10lbs next time. I made a note to anyway, which is super cool!! Last time I tried 10 it was too much. It'd be cool if it was right this time. :D 
• Cardio Intervals - 10 x 30:30 Intervals of Insanity in the Playground Room -- I did a couple of rounds making sine waves with the battle ropes, a few doing "slams" with the ropes (rise up on tip-toes then slam the ropes down into the floor), a few flipping a tire up and down the room. It was *awesome*!! I was so blown at the end but could still have kept going just because I was having such a good time. :D (Usually by round six of the Insanities, I'm thinking I can maybe justify stopping at eight, though I don't. In the Playground Room it didn't even cross my mind. 

It really was an excellent workout. Afterwards, Patrick and I went out and got ourselves some camping gear, so we're ready to do some car camping this summer. I'm super excited, though the crappy cold weather last weekend definitely harshed my squee about it a little bit. Fortunately, warmer weather is on the way and I'm really excited to go camping. :D

The next workout after this one was yesterday (Monday) evening and I'm going to post about it in just a little bit so I can be caught up again. :D 

Workout N#3: Long day. Good workout!

No time for Intervals of Insanity after N#3, but the workout was good and I
finished at the same time Patrick did! :D 

Monday was a somewhat jumbled and disheartening day, so by the time evening came around I was both ready for a good workout and ready to just curl up and hide at home. As it is, I had a good workout, but because of some errands we had to run after the workout and before getting home (and because we got to the gym a bit late), I didn't do any Intervals of Insanity. 

Sort of a compromise position, I guess. 

The workout itself was very good -- I have gotten past feeling awkward with any of the exercises I'm doing this phase, so it was all smooth and confident, which is a good feeling. The gym was a little bit crowded, but not so much that I couldn't get to the equipment I needed (except one pair of dumbbells, but more on that below). 

The best part is that I did my entire workout and was getting ready to do some Insanities (but wasn't very committed or enthusiastic about it) when Patrick came downstairs from the cardio room. So the timing of my workout and his was close to perfect. That makes me happy!! 

Monday's workout was: 

An image from the web that shows the tilt/compression of the
lower back I'm talking about. 

• Push Aways - 3 x 12 - I keep thinking that I'd like to increase the number of these per set, but then I actually DO them and realize that I'm really doing as many as possible. If my form starts to break down at all I get too much curve in my spine and I don't want that kind of pressure on my spine. (Apparently the curve I'm talking about is called an "anterior pelvic tilt" - the pelvis tilts forward making a compressed curve in the lower back.) It's uncomfortable and doesn't feel like it can possibly be good for my back. Even 12 rep sets is a lot of work on my core to keep my butt down and my pelvis straight so I don't get that compression. More than that really isn't feasible. 
• Dumbbell Push Press- 3 x 12, 12, 10 -- I used a pair of 20lb weights again, for the second time. I did great on the first set, well on the second, but by the third I was not going to be able to do my final two reps in good form, so I stopped at 10. Still better than I did the first time at 20lbs.
• Coordination Rows - 3 x 15 - Oddly the first set of these I was really wobbly on both legs. I was steadier the second set and perfect on both legs the third set. I'm not sure what was up with that to be honest. I'm still doing 30 pounds with these -- the weight is only sort of tangentially the point, the balance and coordination is the main thing I'm training. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Dumbbell Front Squats - 3 x 15 - I used a pair of 20lb dumbbells for these. This is another of the exercises where I raised the weight for N#2. This time I did make all my reps with good form. These are super challenging and there's no doubt about that -- keeping my core firm and my torso upright is tough. 
• Pulldowns - 3 x 15 - I'm still at 30 lbs on these. I'll stick there for next time but may go up to 35 after that. I need to remember the right amount of lean forward to keep the work on my mid-back and not on my triceps (where I don't want it). I've done these every time on the cable machine, but (after the walkthrough) came up with a backup plan in case it was in use. I haven't needed the backup plan yet, but I always have it in mind.
• Alternating sets of: 
• Offset Loaded Step-Ups - 3 x 15 -- Embarrassingly, after having done step ups in various forms in many phases, I did the first set of these wrong. I'm supposed to hold the weight on the side *opposite* the working leg and I had it on the same side as the working leg for the first side (working my right leg). Then when I switched the weight to my left side, I was still doing the right leg for a bit. Oops. Anyway, I made it up and did it right after that. The weight is still at 20 lbs on these and that's a fine weight I'm happy with. I was on the stairs again just because it's convenient and I didn't feel up to getting the Heavy Duty Weight Lifter Box from the Heavy Duty Weight Lifter Room, though I could have. Physically wouldn't have been a problem, it was just a bit much socially/psychologically. Or something. 
• Alternating Press and Twist - 3 x 15 - I found the perfect weight on these, which was nice. On Monday, I'd tried to go from a pair of 5lb dumbbells (too light) to 10lbs (TOO heavy). I was going to do 10lbs again, because 5lbs really didn't feel like it was doing much of anything. However, both pairs of 10lb dumbbells in the main weight rack were in use. The secondary weight rack had a pair of 8lb dumbbells and those were Just Right! I'll be looking for them again next time.

As I mentioned above, I didn't do any cardio intervals because of time and just feeling kind of flat, though the workout definitely did help my mood. I'm hoping it does the same again today. I'm mostly tired today and could use an exercise energy-boost! 

Next workout is scheduled for this evening (I'm still caught up on posts!!). It'll be M#4, which means it will be made of awesomeness!! Also, unless things go quite thoroughly pear-shaped, we should get to the gym a little earlier than usual so I should have time for Insanities, which always kick a workout into awesome territory. Goal for the workout: Finish with the strength stuff before Patrick so I can do 10 minutes of Insanities. :D

Workout N#2: This phase is AWESOME! (Also, still caught up!)

I raised weights on 3 things between N#1 and N#2 -- too much,
too soon maybe! 

After my first go with Workout N, I had three exercises noted to raise the weights -- the Dumbbell Push Press, the Dumbbell Front Squats and the Alternating Press & Twists. Unfortunately, all of them were starting with such low weights that even the smallest available increase was a huge jump. (From 15lbs to 20lbs is a rather large increase. It's a lot worse for the one that went from 5lbs to 10lbs.) So I wasn't able to make all of my reps in any of the exercises I raised the weights on, though I worked really hard.

I expect that I'll make my reps when I do Workout N again on Monday, so I'm not  *terribly* worried about it.

Despite not making my reps on several sets, it was a great workout and I enjoyed it immensely. I like these phases where I do more reps with lighter weights best because I feel like I'm getting more of a sweaty aerobic workout and maybe doing less of a disservice to my joints (which can get a little strained feeling by the end of a heavy phase). On the other hand, these workouts take longer, by rather a lot -- over the course of 21 sets (3 sets each of 7 exercises), three additional reps per set adds up to kind of a lot. I think of 12 rep sets as my "norm", so doing 15 rep sets is like adding an exercise an a half to my workout.

This may contribute to why these are so awesomely ass-kicky.

I told Travis (the trainer) on Wednesday that he needs to give Patrick longer workouts so he doesn't finish so much before me. :D

Wednesday's workout N#2 was:

• Push Away - 3 x 12 - These are substantially harder than the bridge slides which is why I only do 12 of these and think I'm going to DIE while doing them. 
• Dumbbell Push Press - 3 x 12, 10, 11 - Doing these with a pair of 15lb dumbbells was great -- I really felt like I was getting a bit of a snap from bending my hips a little but not doing a front  squat. With the heavier weight, they were a lot more challenging to my core, it was harder to keep the whole movement under control and I just didn't like them much. I'm hoping that another time or two with 20lb weights will get them back to good. Otherwise, I may go back to 15lbs. 
• Coordination Rows - 3 x 15 - These continue awesome and I'm doing pretty well with them, though doing 15 rep sets is just that much longer standing on one foot, so they're definitely providing a bit of a challenge. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Dumbbell Front Squat - 3 x 15, 12, 15 - I'm using two 20lb dumbbells for these as well. They are a real and genuine challenge, mostly to my core. Though I didn't make my reps on the middle set, I didn't feel like I'd made a mistake raising the weights on these. They were just *hard*. But hard is good right -- if it was easy it wouldn't be doing me any good. 
• Pullovers (Cable Machine) - 3 x 15 - I'm glad I got Travis to give me some pointers on how to do these. When I did them during my walk-through they were way too much of a quad exercise for my taste (and I didn't feel them as much in my back, which is where I want them). He told me to bend at the hips a little more and that makes a huge difference in where I feel the work happening. I did 30 lbs and that still feels like a good amount. I'm not in any hurry to raise these. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset Loaded Step-Up - 3 x 15 - I used a 20lb dumbbell for these. The step boxes usually in the workout area were in use by someone else somewhere else, so I stepped up onto the actual *steps* -- there's a flight of stairs that goes up to the cardio area and I used that. It worked out fine, except that I could stabilize myself a little with tiny touches of my elbow on the railing and I don't want to do that. I want to stabilize myself with, you know, myself. I could move more to the middle, but that would put me in the way of people going up and down the stairs. So no. Hopefully the step box will be back (or I can slip into the aerobics room and grab some) next time. 
• Alternating Press and Twist - 3 x 15, 12, 12 - The first set I used a pair of 5lb dumbbells, despite having noted last time to go up from that weight, because the 10lb dumbbells were in use. They were WAY too easy. So I switched to 10lb dumbbells after the first set. Then they were too hard to make all of my reps with good form, so I did what I could and that was fine. 
• Cardio Intervals - 10 x 30:30 Intervals of Insanity Kettlebell Swings - I wasn't really planning to do all 10 minutes of Insanities, Patrick finished when I was just getting to the last set of Alternating Press and Twist and I was breathing hard and all sweaty like when he finished. Also, the last I'd seen, the workout room I wanted to be in had been packed -- there was a class doing stuff on the floor and some people using the benches and machines and the rest of the floor space. By the time I got in there to do a bit of stretching (which I always do for recovery), though, it was empty. The step box was still gone (and I really didn't want to do more step ups anyway) so I grabbed a 15lb kettlebell and went to town with that. Fun fun fun!! The first few rounds are a little easy, but by the end of it I was definitely nearly dead. I'm thinking of re-programming my round timer so that the first five rounds I'm doing 30:20 (30 seconds of work, 20 seconds of recovery) intervals and finishing with 30:30s  when I'm starting to get pooped. 

I think part of what makes these lighter weight, higher rep workouts so incredibly intense is that I take short set breaks and work fast, so I get an aerobic workout at the same time as the strength workout. So it just turns into a sweaty puddle of greatness! (Which is possibly the weirdest phrase I've come up with in a long time.)

As a special bonus, I feel like I'm losing weight (or at least inches) faster in this phase. Already and it's just been a week.

That's definitely a Thing To Talk With Travis about when my sessions with him come around -- is this "light weight more reps work fast" things doing me as much good as it feels like it is? If so, can I stick with this and maybe pass on the heavy phases which are not so much fun and don't feel like they're helping as much?

Next workout is scheduled for Saturday. Patrick is going to be working on chest and back with Travis while I do Workout M#3. Wheee!! :D :D Maybe if the two of them are in the playground room when I get to Insanities, I can join them in there and play with the battle ropes and tires. Goal for the workout: Keep it intense and keep it fun!

Workout M#2: Caught up! Also GREAT workout!

What an amazing workout this was! Fun, hard, sweaty! Great stuff!

Workout M really is pretty much a ball! Literally, as I do a pair of exercises (alternating sets) on a Swiss Ball. Also figuratively -- there's some kettlebell swinging and stuff with the sliders and so on.

I'm trying to take shorter breaks between sets to sort of compensate time-wise for more reps per set, so I don't take hugely longer than Patrick does. One of the effects of this is that I'm getting more of an aerobic workout while also getting the strength workout. I love it! Especially when I then end with Intervals of Insanity, so I completely push the aerobic thing over the top. :D

Workout M#2 was on Monday. Patrick was upstairs on the elliptical -- all he has from the trainer right now is some arm and upper body exercises so it's not really enough for him to do strength training. He'll work with Travis on chest and back (I think) on Saturday and legs the Saturday after that.

Then I'll get my session or two with him. That gives me lots of time to finish Phase 7 and to email Travis so he knows what I'm hoping to get out of working with him. Of course, emailing him means I need to figure out what I want.

Anyway, that's for the future! Exciting!

For now...Monday's workout was:

• Bridge Slides -- 3 x 15 -- These are definitely both a glute/hamstring and a core thing, though I'm not sure I really love them. They don't seem to be as *strenuous* as other core things I do and have done. I don't mind the idea of taking a month where I'm hitting my core a little less hard. I just need to remember that next month I want to do more. 
• Kettlebell Swings -- 3 x 30 seconds -- I'm doing these like Intervals of Insanity, 30 seconds of work with a 30 second rest between. I did raise the weight from 20 to 25 lbs after the first set. 20lbs was just not enough to really make me feel like I was working hard. Still love these! :D
• Single Arm Step Up and Press -- 3 x 15 -- I used a 15lb weight for these. The step boxes that were available were shorter than my preference (two steps rather than three), so I did a sprinter-type knee raise as well, to keep them tough. I'll try to remember to bring down an extra level for  the step box before I get started tonight as I'll be doing Step Ups again. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Swiss Ball Reverse Hip Raises -- 3 x 15 -- Because these involve stabilizing myself with my hands on the ground while I'm raising my legs, they actually do a bit of work on my chest and shoulders (which is not a bad thing) as well as my core (to stay stable on the ball) and my glutes/hamstrings. It's all pretty cool, actually. :D I'm still not sure how I'm going to ramp these up when the time comes. 
• Swiss Ball Chest Press -- 3 x 15 -- The pair of 15lb dumbbells really is a great weight for these at this number of reps. Particularly after the step up and press works my shoulders and the Reverse Hip Raises activate my chest while I'm staying steady. This exercise is pretty much a blast. I need to remember to switch to something else at some point. I can't keep doing these forever.  
• Alternating sets of:
• Dumbbell Lunge and Rotation -- 3 x 15 -- I used a 15lb weight, held up high under my chin, for these this time. I'm pretty sure that was me going up from M#1. The weight really isn't a huge part of these at this juncture -- 15 lbs is a pretty trivial contribution to my entire body weight which I'm moving around. For some reason, unlike other lunges, these really throw my balance off and I wind out all wobbly and stuff. Which can only get better as I do them, so no complaints. 
• Neutral Grip Dumbbell Row -- 3 x 15 -- I used a pair of 15lb weights for these, which had that sort of heavenly choir singing feeling that goes with using the right weight. I love that feeling. I think that's part of what contributed to this being such an exhilarating and awesome workout. 
• Cardio Intervals -- 10 x 30:30 Intervals of Insanity -- As has been my way lately, I did step ups for these. As noted above, the step was lower than usual, which probably pulled the teeth of the exercises done for strength building. I don't think it's so bad for the Insanities though, because with the step lower means I can go faster with the stepping, Which is good. And with the lower box, I was able to  add a lateral stepping component to it (so I did an interval leading with my right leg, one leading with the left, two going side to side (which doesn't have the lead leg effect), repeat that grouping once, then finish with another right and left lead to make 10. It worked out great! 

So that was my awesome workout on Monday. A big blast of fun and a hugely awesome workout. Loved it!! 

I'm really looking forward to N#2 this evening -- I get to do Coordination Rows again. I'm looking at some other options for Insanities as well -- including maybe swinging a lighter kettlebell (like 15 lbs) for 30:30 intervals, doing something on the sliders that would be more of a whole-body move, and maybe getting a jump rope. I also keep hoping that the playground room will be free so I can do my Insanities alternating between the battle ropes and flipping a tire, but there's usually a class in there on the evenings. (Thinking of it, that's something to have on the list to get from Travis -- more Insanity options so I can mix that up!) Goal for the workout is to keep moving -- short set breaks and no sitting -- so I keep up the aerobic work throughout. 

Workout N #1: Another good workout, even without the Kettlebells

Workout N is a good workout. And look, I got to do Insanities! 

I did my first time with Workout N on Saturday, March 5. We were at the gym *way* early so Patrick could work with Travis the trainer (8am appointment). I kind of liked working out before breakfast, though I'm not sure how Patrick felt about it. (He did drink a big coffee-beverage thing, so he wasn't entirely without anything to perk him up some.)

I had a great time at the gym, though I took longer than Patrick and Travis did. I was so hoping I'd be speedy quick and finish before them. Unfortunately, whenever I get a couple of workouts together so that I'm finishing around the same time Patrick does, I add something or change them up and we're back to him having to wait for me for several minutes. In this case, when I moved into the new workout notebook, I changed around my warmup routine (took out a couple of things that didn't feel like they were doing anything and added a couple of things to replace them, but those take longer) and my recovery stretches (added a few). And I'm doing 15 rep sets instead of 12 rep sets.

Hrm.

Maybe I need to take Travis aside and put the idea to him that he should help Patrick figure out longer workouts, so he doesn't always finish first. :D

(Just kidding, babe!)

Saturday's workout (N#1) was:

• Push Away - 3 x 12 - (You can see a video of someone doing these here, though bear in mind that I'm doing the ones at the end of the video, in a full push-up position with both hands on slides.) This is definitely a dynamic core stabilization exercise -- they're also called Plank Push Aways. You start out in a push-up position and each hand, alternately forward as far as you can reach. The book (New Rules of Lifting For Life) says that if your back is getting strained to limit the range of motion, which I'm definitely having to do. Still these are good. I was doing them in the last phase, once I bought myself some slides (cheap from the Sports Authority).
• Dumbbell Push Press- 3 x 12 - (You can see a video of this here.) I was doing these in Phase 4 and Phase 5 with heavier weights and fewer reps, by rather a lot (I started with 2 x 5 in Phase 5). That makes me want to raise the weight -- I don't want to strain my shoulders, but I also don't want to accomplish a whole lotta nothing. A pair of 15lb dumbbells felt like not much. I noted for these to go up while I was working out on Saturday, so I think I have them down for a pair of 20lb dumbbells next time. Which should work out better. 
• Coordination Rows (Single-Leg, Single-Arm Cable Rows) - 3 x 15 - I took a month and a bit off of these and was a little worried how they'd work coming back to them. As it turns out they went great -- I wasn't completely perfect at them as far as having to put my foot down to catch my balance, but I was nearly perfect at more reps. And I was able to raise the weight. On the whole, these were really good and I'm happy to be doing them again. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Dumbbell Front Squats - 3 x 15 - (You can see someone doing these here, only instead of kettlebells, I'm using a pair of dumbbells.) This is another one where I used a pair of 15lb dumbbells for the first time in the workout and made a note for them to go up. Though I don't want to go up too fast. When I did these last, I was doing sets of 8, so this is rightly a lower weight than then. I didn't like these all that much last time, but I think I'll like them better now. They're still a lot of core work for what I'm doing as a quad exercise, but with the lighter weight and more reps, I'm getting good quad work out of them (working fast) and getting the core work. So they're working a lot better for me than when I abandoned them in Workout J. 
• Pullovers - 3 x 15 - I have two possibilities for these, one with the cable machine and one with dumbbells on a Swiss Ball. Sometimes the cable machines are full, so having a backup plan seemed like a good idea. (You can see the dumbbell version here, only I'll be doing them on a Swiss ball instead of a bench. You can see the cable machine version here, only I'm using a rope handle and adding a bit of a separation and twist with the hands at the bottom. In both cases, I recommend clicking on the "Female" tab above the video window -- the lighting is better and what she's doing is more like what I'll be doing.) I've never done these before and I think I'm going to like them. They're definitely working my back differently from the Lat Pulldowns and the ChinUps I've been doing and I like that tons. I'm starting with a total of 30 lbs -- either in the form of the cable machine setting or two dumbbells.
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset Loaded Step Ups - 3 x 15 - I don't have time to scour the Internet for a good video, so have a really not very close one instead. That's here. However, instead of stepping up onto a bench, which my knees won't tolerate, I'm using a step-aerobics type step thingy, and instead of two dumbbells held at hip height, I'm holding one at shoulder height. I used one 20 lb weight for these and that was not enough -- though the step was lower than would be my first choice as well, so that may have been the problem, to be honest. I may try to raise both the weight and the step next time. 
• Alternating Press and Twist - 3 x 15 - (You can see pictures of what I'm doing here.) I really think I like this one -- the straight up shoulder presses kind of hurt my shoulders a bit (and I'm doing some with the combination/total body move Step Up and Press in Workout M) and these are much less of a strain in that regard. And the rotation is good for activating muscles in different ways. I'm really light on the weights (my upper body strength is getting better but is still Not Good). I used a pair of 5lb weights on Saturday and will go up to 10lb weights next time. 
• Cardio Intervals - 10 x 30:30 Intervals of Insanity with Step Ups -- When I'm doing Step Ups for Insanities, I do them a bit differently -- I step up with one foot, then the other, then down with the first and down with the second and repeat that as fast as possible for 30 seconds. I alternate which foot I lead with because it's the same throughout the interval. Pretty soon, I'm going to reduce the rest period to 25 seconds soon and I now have an interval timer app on my phone which will make that Super Simple. Yay!  I do love doing the Insanities, even as I hate making Patrick wait for me. 

That was Saturday's workout. I'm finishing this post on Tuesday morning. There will be another post later about Workout M#2 which I did last night (because it was just that awesome). 

Next workout is scheduled for Wednesday and it will be N#2. I'm looking forward to it and I hope it will be as awesome as Monday's was. Good stuff here!