lifting_heavy_things | Weekly post: What did you do?

I am not actually reporting much because I'm in a holding pattern right now. I had a good session Tuesday (including the revelation that it is probably time to increase the weight on my bent-over rows), and planned a second today. However, I woke up with my lower back and upper thighs aching like a mofo (possibly from pushing cardio yesterday, possibly just from the weather), and have to sit through a graduation ceremony tonight. So, I took some Aleve and am waiting to see if I want to lift this afternoon.

Strength training plus cardio on Saturday, Monday, and Weds.; cardio only on Sunday and Thursday. Full plank position for the first time! Holding squats for 20 seconds at a time! Going into the free weight area with my trainer and doing stuff there!

Unfortunately due to work craziness, nothing. :( Except move tons and tons and tons of old newspapers to be recycled.

Shoved the lawnmower around some more. Called my brother and asked for the name and number of the guy who helped him work out an exercise program last year. Have an appointment with said guy on Tuesday.

I really like this weekly feature, because it helps me to keep track. So I'll be wordy again.

I had to work on Saturday, which provided me with a handy excuse to skip the yoga/pilates class. (That totally falls under "strength training" for me, because I *so* lack the strength to do it well.)

Went the gym for the standard round on Sunday and Thursday. I'm trying to find out how the stuff I'm doing there is called in English, so to start with the first part of the back exercises: It's 3 sets of 15 hyperextensions with a 6 kg weight. I would try 8 kilos but they don't have it. (Glares at gym.)

I added some stretching between back exercises and the machines. Ouch.

Added weight to the dip machine for a total of 32/35 kilos, and to the ab cruncher for a total of 25/30.

Still following up the strength training in the gym with cardio: Intervall running/walking. Highest speed I can do on the treadmill without fear of falling: 13 km/h. That needs work...

I have also started on a home workout: Kitchen-counter push-ups (which will, I hope, become chest-in-the-hall push-ups soon), dips with my arms behind me on a chair and my feet on another chair (they have been mentioned here, how did you call them?), dinner-table pull-ups (yeah, sturdy dinner table), and planks (on my elbows, because my left wrist needs to catch up with the weights.) I don't have sets or reps defined yet because I'm still working on form, and on what the furniture will take.

Am considering switching gyms, but the only one I found that advertises that they have free weights (and some other nifty things) is in the next city, 30 min by public transport, 70 min by bicycle. That won't work. I'll have to query those which are closer. Or get some dumbbells. (Eyes hardwood floor.)

planks (on my elbows, because my left wrist needs to catch up with the weights.)

Elbow planks are the toughest on your core muscles! Go you!

Elbow planks are my preferred. Boggle.

dips with my arms behind me on a chair and my feet on another chair (they have been mentioned here, how did you call them?)

I've always just called those "chair dips" -- I'm not sure if they have a different/more official name, but anyway they're good stuff.

(And for any other exercises where you're having translation trouble, go ahead and either post a description or post the German names -- someone can probably help out.)

I went for a run over to the outdoors fitness area (I run that kind of distance regularly) and actually used the equipment! Both Monday and Friday! I can't do anything like a pull-up, but I did some jumping and sort-of negatives (I really don't have much control), and other stuff that should help in the long run.

I seem to have done something not-too-kind to my left shoulder on Friday, or maybe it was in combination with crocheting all of Thursday (I did notice after a while I don't have the best posture when crocheting). Anyway, I'm not going to put any stress on it until it feels better.

And I worked up the courage to post photos of my back. Since I'm just easing into strength work, I expect it's going to look different in a few months anyway.

Seeing this post actually got me motivated to work out tonight, so yay! This has been a good week for running but not a great one for strength.

I'm still haven't settled on a routine, am trying out some different stuff. Sunday I did this 15-minute dumbbell video twice. Wednesday my legs were really tired but I did some upper-body dumbbell exercises on my own. Just now I did this 40-minute dumbbell workout streaming on Netflix and I liked it a lot, sort of like going to a class except no one's watching and I can stop for a break if I want. :)

I've mostly been using 5lb weights. I have some 8lb ones too that I know I can handle for bicep exercises and probably also some of the tricep and back stuff and squats, but not so much for the shoulders (or forward lunges because ick). I'll probably want to invest in some 10lb weights soon.

I've only done bits of ab work here and there this week. I know I should work on that more, will give it a try tomorrow.

Ooh. Looks like you've found some useful online videos -- wanna post an entry with recs? I'd bet people would be interested.

Weekly post: What did you do?

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