Pau Week 5

Okay, so I just finished Week 5 today and it was great!  Incredibly intense.  There were some times when I had to rest in between exercises or take the dumbbells down a pound or two but, all in all, I am proud of myself for finishing this week.

On to Week 6.  Check out the workout for this one – it’s crazy!

Circuit 1-

1a: Explosive Pushups (15) / 1b: Jumping Lunges (20 each side) / Pullup (15) / Lunge & Press (12 each side)

Circuit 2 -

2a: Band Press (20) / 2b: Squat & Press (20) / 2c: Band Row (20) / 2d: Dumbbell Step Up (15 each side)

Circuit 3 -

3a: Tricep Band Press (20) / 3b: Plank (60 sec) / 3c: Dumbbell Bicep Curl (20) / 3d: Burpees (20)

For Interval training, I either do sprints or jump rope.  So looking forward to it!

Sprinting… OMG.

So, I am doing sprints as my interval training.  I was doing them alone and sprinting for only 20 seconds with 4o seconds of rest in between (6 rounds of those).  And while it was difficult (the 6th round was killer), it wasn’t a cRaZy workout.  But I now have a partner to join me in running sprints and I am dying.  There is something about doing an exercise with someone else who is, not only faster than you, but who sees these kinds of exercises as normal.  I’ve never sprinted for a minute and a half before and let me tell you – IT IS NUTS.   I have to concentrate on not tripping because my legs become so so so tired.  At the track, we sprinted once around, which is 400 meters (I think), and rested one minute and a half and we repeated that four times.  Our time was approximately 1m, 30 sec.  Then we sprinted half the track and rested one minute and we repeated that four times.

Seriously, if people want to get into shape, forget long low-impact cardio (like Turbo Kick – haha!) and get to doing some sprints or jump roping.

Things to Come!

Since I quit paddling (two weeks ago), I feel like a huge burden has been lifted off of me. Although practice was only twice a week and races on Saturday, I felt like it was consuming my life. But now I’m done and I can concentrate on much more exciting projects, such as teaching Turbo Kick and PiYo, taking Muy Thai Kickboxing, and learning about nutrition.

I began teaching Turbo Kick this past month and I love it! It became real to me when my first non-family member student walked into the room. For a moment, I was unsure as to what I should do but then my senses returned and I introduced to her and started the class. The next class, she came again as did another girl. Then, last Wednesday, I had 8 people in my class! Two were family members but the rest were new students! I loved it! It was a lot of fun. I hope I can retain these students because that would mean that I am succeeding as an instructor. I teach twice a week and use my off days to cross-train.

I started taking a spinning class last Friday and really liked the intensity and I’m determined to go back. My boss just gave me a gift of 10 yoga classes at a yoga center in town, so that will be another exercise for me to do. Also, the gym that I teach at gives Muy Thai Kickboxing lessons so I’m going to be starting that either this week or next. I haven’t started these classes yet because I am a little under the weather and don’t want to kill myself. My brother and sister are still in town from the mainland as well, so I don’t want to spend all my time at the gym while they’re here. But once my schedule is free, I will definitely immerse myself into these activities. I’m hoping to be pushed to my limit physically and mentally. Exciting!

One element of health that I lack discipline in is nutrition. I am slowly beginning to incorporate the 5 small meals-a-day plan into my daily schedule but it isn’t without difficulty. I am used to consuming huge quantities of food at one time so eating a little here and there is slightly excruciating. But I know it is good for me so I shall persevere.

I am beginning to save money to become a personal trainer. If I go through the American Council of Exercise, it is only $400. I’m aiming to buy it in October. Then, (this is no sooner than two years from now), I would like to become a licensed massage therapist. These are my plans. I don’t know how soon I can make them happen or if I change my mind along the way but right now, it’s pretty exciting.

The Importance of Cross-Training

First off, what is cross training?  According to Wikipedia, it is “training in different ways to improve overall performance.”  Incorporating different exercises into your fitness schedule will give your body a more balanced workout and make your body stronger overall, instead of just working one particular set of muscles.  For example, if you only run, you will have a strong legs and good cardio but your core and upper body will be weak; if you only lift weights, your cardio will be weak so that even a quick jog to catch your dog will make you tire very easily.  The ideal fitness routine would be to include exercises that will build your cardio, strength, endurance and balance.  This may seem like a lot but varying your workout in the week with different types of exercises will improve your fitness.   For example, you can take an aerobics class for cardio, pick up some weights to improve your strength, try some yoga moves to increase your flexibility and balance, and run for endurance.  The more variety you bring into your workout, the better.

Only recently did I discover the benefits of cross training.  For a while I was only doing cardio and weights (my main focus was cardio), so my balance, endurance, and strength were not as strong as I wished them to be.  In the past few months, though, I have picked up paddling, running, and yoga and I can feel/see the difference not only in my Turbo Kick workouts but also in how I look.  In my Turbo Kick class, I do not get as tired as easily as before which helps keep my movements sharp, and I’ve noticed that my body is getting leaner without me amping up my Turbo Kick workouts to the level of insanity. 

So, if you’re looking to be stronger and get a better workout overall, just add a different exercise into your schedule.  Happy Cross Training!

I Love Me My Turbo Jam

I like to work out at home. I have heard people say that they cannot exercise at home because they don’t feel motivated and that they need people around them to be motivated. I guess I work better alone. I’d rather not have anyone around when I am exercising so I can push myself to the limit without having to worry about anyone else around me. So, I exercise at home, and I use exercise videos. I LOVE exercise videos. Previously, I have tried Taebo with Billy Blanks, The Firm (sucked), Zumba (Oh yeah!), and now, Turbo Jam!

My favorite is Turbo Jam. The workout is intense and Chalene Johnson, the instructor, keeps you motivated the whole way through. She seems to say the right things at the right times to help you stay focused and energized. The level of intensity depends upon your own fitness ability and in her videos, there is room to be a lazy butt or to rock the house! I love that each new video is more challenging than the last so the exerciser can continually push themselves to the limit. The moves are easy to learn and the music is awesome! Turbo Jam has been the reason for my addiction to exercise… it is so much fun! I wholeheartedly recommend these videos to anyone who wants to get into shape but has trouble sticking to a routine – Turbo Jam will keep you coming back for more.