Saturday, September 29, 2012

RushFit day 27

Week 4 day 6 of RushFit.  1 month in.  Strength and endurance workout today.  Progress is I feel stronger.  My knees feel more flexible.  No major wow wow visible changes but I press on.  Scale weight is only 3 pounds less that day 1.  I am sure my eating is in need of much improvement as always.  Next weeks starts a change in the plans but hopefully it will be an added bonus.  Will keep a check and see.

Friday, September 28, 2012

RushFit day 26

Balance and agility again.  It's the end of the day and I did this early this morning.  I hurt and I am sore.  This one created more sweat than some of the other ones!!  One more day and the first month will be done--Wow time flies!!!!!  Dinner-well that wasn't planned out.  I didn't feel well so didn't feel like doing much.  Tired.com

Thursday, September 27, 2012

RushFit day 25

Today I added the last dvd in the set.  Explosive power training.  About 30 minutes--5 rounds of various plyometrics.  Jumps, lunges and jacks.  Burpees with and without knee tucks.  Jump squats with weights.  It was intense even though there were only 3-5 reps!!! After it was over I realized that I indeed enjoyed the push!!!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

RushFit day 24

Today was day 24 fight conditioning.  Still working on those combos.  Maybe a little less discombobulated!!!  Haven't felt much soreness lately.  Might be time to kick it up a notch.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

RushFit days 22 and 23

Monday began week 4 of RushFit.  Time flies when you're having fun!!!  Rotated back to the Full body strength and conditioning workout.  I dropped down to 8 lbs around the 4th round.  I should have tried to stick with the 10's.  Today was stretching for flexibility.  Mentally this is a good break even though it was on the 2nd day of the week.  Back to fighting tomorrow.  I thought I saw progress in the mirror.  I will take pictures at the end of the 4 weeks and compare.  I know if I don't progress it is likely the food issue.  Pressing forward.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

RushFit day 20

It's the first day of Fall!!! My favorite season but my allergies don't always agree!!  Day 20 was fight conditioning.  Still working on coordination.  Gahhh. Endurance felt a little better. Still a sweaty mess at the end.  Looks like week 4 starts to crank up the intensity a bit.  Dropped 1.5 pounds so that better than the gain from last week.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Rushfit days 17,18 and 19

OK somehow I have managed to get behind.
Wednesday was day 17 and that was Stretching for flexibility.  I still enjoy this one and if I had to do something extra it would be this one.  I purchased a foam roller and it would be nice if some of these programs included a 15-20 minute workout along with stretching.  I might seek out a video or dvd and maybe try to get it in once a week.  Maybe for weeks 5-8.  Need to see how the schedule changes.  Probably will include explosive training more often.  BTW  that comes up next week for the first time.  I think I will preview it.

Day 18 was the abdominal strength and core conditioning workout.  I am pretty good up until that round 5.  That is still a tough one.  Back bends have improved.  I didn't stay up the entire 30 secs but I did manage to get up for both sets. That v-sit Hindu pushup thingy.  Yea well.

Today was day 19 balance and agility.  This is first time I have done RF at night.  I dozed back off this morning and since I had an 8 a.m. dentist appointment I did not workout.  I sure didn't feel balanced or agile and was sweating by round 5 which kicked butt.  Gorilla squats were better.  The mule kicks were ok and the bear/alligator crawl pretty much turned into a spiderman push up.   I don't know if I am seeing much change but it's only 3 weeks in and still working on the food intake.  Pressing forward.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

RushFit days 15 and 16

Monday was day 15 strength and endurance.  It felt soooo tough after a rest day.  I know rest days are important but sometimes it feels more doable to keep going.  Today was day 16 and that was back to fight conditioning.  Each time is better.  I still get some of the combos confused even going slower.  Practice practice practice!!
Zumba tonight at the gym.  Not sure how i'm doing foodwise.  I am thinking I need to up the protein.  Hoping to see some improvements this week.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

RushFit day 13

Today is day 13--abdominal strength and core conditioning.  Not a strenuous workout
UNTIL round 5.   For one thing it is at the end when you have already taxed you body and on top of that it has the toughest moves.  One is the 30 second back bend.  The first time I did this I couldn't push up off the floor.  I got into full position today but had to come down before the full 30 seconds were up.  Hey progress is progress.  The second one was a no go.  I did a bridge instead.  I just couldn't press up.  The other part of this round was a v-sit then a sit-through where you're trying to cross your legs support yourself on your hands and maneuver your legs from that sitting position into a plank---yea exactly.  The next part of the move is to perform a Hindu push up and then back to a sit through.  Repeat for 2 minutes and then do 30 seconds of mountain climbers.  Next--repeat that entire sequence!!!!  Gahhhhhh.  My sit throughs are pathetic.  I see room for much improvement with this round.

Currently perusing "The new rules of lifting for women" by Lou Schuler.  So far the information is fairly similar to what I have read in other plans.  Lift heavy, more cardio intervals and less steady state cardio.   This ended week 2 of RushFit.

Friday, September 14, 2012

RushFit day 12 Strength and Endurance

Today was Strength and Endurance.  12th day but switched exercises unintentionally with balance and agility.  Just as intense as the past 2 times I've done it.  I can tell I am getting stronger in some areas.  Today I tried moving into the squat from the kneeling position minus the pop part.  I only did it once and went back to using my hands on the floor to push back and pop up.   The food intake hasn't been "bad" but I still need to focus on sugar carbs and fiber.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Day 11 RushFit

Today was day 11.  I didn't double check the schedule and did balance and agility.  It was supposed to be strength and endurance.  Oh well after fight conditioning yesterday I welcomed it.  I felt some improvements.  Those gorilla squats, mule kicks and alligator crawls are still tough at the end and the 2 rounds I give out before they do.
Tonight was 20 minutes on the elliptical and 1 hour of Zumba.   Feel a little bummed I mixed of the schedule but it'll be fine.  Back on track.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

RushFit day 10

Today is day 10 of RushFit.  Repeat of Monday's fight conditioning workout.  Today was a little better.  I was still a bit uncoordinated and kept losing track of jab,cross and uppercut!!!!  Reviewing the foundation section might be called for before the next time this one comes into rotation.  Still working on food intake.  I am not logging meals since that tends to make me crazy and obsessive.  I still need to find the notebook with the logs for the belly fat diet I did and see what I was eating that didn't work.   Lunch is the Southwest meatball skillet from Clean eating magazine.  It was easy and fast.  Just hope it's good.  :)

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

RushFit days 8 and 9

 RushFit day 8 was on Monday.  Somehow I forgot to post about the fight conditioning dvd.  My goodness!!!  Not only was it a bit intense but I felt completely uncoordinated.  The good thing is that I worked up a sweat.  The better thing is that it is back into the mix on Wednesday.

Day 9 was today and that was stretching for flexibility--ahhhhhhhhhhhhh  I welcomed the opportunity to take it down a notch and stretch these muscles.  They are getting better as I can tell my range of movement has improved.  Near the end I realized that I was sweating!!

Trying to stick to a cleaner food plan.  No perfection just better.  I came across the Belly fat cure info and noticed that it focuses on keeping sugar at no more than 15 grams per day.  A couple of years back I did this--forgot how long and I didn't see any difference.  Maybe what I was having instead of the sugar wasn't better.  I logged that information I just don't know where it is.  Thinking about trying it again or at least focusing on a number less than I am getting.  Granted my large number is from fruit--particularly when I use bananas in my smoothies.  I won't drop them but I may start using a half of one.  Also being mindful of any bottled condiments.  It's a start.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

RushFit day 6

Day 6 Full body strength & conditioning.  Today finished up week 1 and by far this was the TOUGHEST of the dvds that are in week 1.  Round 1 was only 2 moves--air squats (10) and Hindu push ups (5).  This was repeated for the 5 minute round.  Round 2 was the Turkish get up into the single leg 1 arm row--again repeated for 5 minutes.  Round 3 consisted of dumbbell piston--squat with a shoulder press,dumbbell squat thrust-squat place dbs on place thrust legs back and return to squat postion,dumbbell sumo high pull--sumo squats with high pulls and dumbbell narrow push ups--dbs on floor lower into push up and return.  5 minute round with sequence done twice.
Round 4--5 minutes. 30 second sets of reverse lunge with knee up, alternating y press,interna/external rotation curl and cross back lunges.  Sequence is repeated.  Round 5---This one was the killer.  I had to pause and reset before doing this round.  This was the first dvd I had to just stop it and rest before continuing.  Dumbbell plank row,dumbbell power clean and dumbbell push press.  These are done on repeat for the first 3 minutes.  The last 2 minutes the moves were combined into a single--no rest between each exercise move.  Finished this by laying in the floor!!!

Friday, September 7, 2012

RushFit day 5

Day 5 balance and agility.  Complete body weight workout.  Single leg lunges, hops,gorilla squats,mule kicks,alligator/bear crawls--oh my!!  Requires focus to maintain.  The jumping moves did increase the heart rate quite a bit but not a grueling workout.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

RushFit days 3 and 4

 Ok I got sidetracked yesterday and forgot about posting.  Wednesday was day 3 of RushFit and it was stretching for flexibility.  Same set up warm-up, workout and cool down.  The workout was totally stretching the body from head to toe.  It was very welcomed by this body and though some may think they should skip it since it isn't aerobic or strengthening that would be a mistake.  The body needs to be limber and stretching those muscles that you're working to build and strengthen will keep injuries at bay.

Day 4 was back to strength and endurance same workout as day 1.  I don't know if it was the excitement of day 1 that made it feel less brutal than day 4 but today was BRUTAL.   I used the same 10 lb dumbbells but was sweating up a storm today.  Maybe it was knowing the routine a bit more that I put more into it.  Whatever I did I kicked my own hiney.   Yesterday was also cardio on your own.  It didn't happen so tonight I plan to head to Zumba.  Didn't make it to Zumba Tuesday night so trying to get it in.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

RushFit day 2

Today was Day 2 week 1 of RushFit.  Abdominal strength and core conditioning.  Same set up of five 5 minute rounds with a 60 second rest between rounds. Various standing and floor work.  Bodyweight and dumbbells were used.  The last round was indeed the toughest.  I was fairly fatigued by then as the muscles had been pushed but that  Navasana (V-sit) the a sit through move to put you in plank position for the Hindu push up and back to Navasana and repeat was intense.  Modified still it was tough.  Back bends were a reality check.   I thought I could do it easily.  Guess I forgot I am not 13 anymore.  Progress already--the cool down straddle stretch didn't give me a cramp!!!  I am feeling the muscles work and I do have some soreness but nothing unbearable.  Yeaaaa!!!!

Monday, September 3, 2012

RushFit Day 1 Strength and endurance workout

Today was day 1 week 1 of RushFit.  After completing the 2nd round of Supreme 90 day I took a few days and did NOTHING.  I woke up early around 4:30 or so but I wasn't going to start working out.  The plan was to drink my Amino.Energy at 5 and be ready to go at 5:30.  That didn't happen.  I could not get going.  Part of my problem was the mental challenge that I was creating knowing that it would be INTENSE.  I also knew that I had people doing S90 along the way and I'm floating with GSP alone right now.  It took me until around 7 I guess to get moving.  The warm up was 10 minutes and it isn't "intense" but it did get the body sweating.  I am not (so far) a heavy sweat producer.  I see people post their post-workout pictures and even doing tabata with a weighted vest I didn't have the kind if visible sweat that they do.  I should have set FitBit to monitor but didn't think about it.  I know my heart rate was up and my clothes are wet--not dripping but definitely wet.  Maybe they are more absorbent or something.  The workout consisted of 5 five minute rounds.  Rounds 1 and 2 were body weight  exercises.  Including squats,squat holds,push ups,pop ups, squat thrusts,burpees and lateral planks.  Most of those were in S90 so they weren't new.  Squat holds and pop ups were the new kids on the block for me and the squat holds are an isometric move but not bad. Pop ups were another beast.  I had to modify.  I could not jump from a kneeling position into a squatting one without using my hands for support.   Rounds 3-5 included dumbbells.  I stuck with the 10 lbs.  I think 15's might be to much for some of the moves so I need 12's.    Again those three rounds included some familiar exercises.  After each round was a 60 second rest period.
     Overall this was tough--not impossible but definitely challenging.  I started with the intermediate.  If you've done another program or two I believe intermediate is ok.  If you have been sedentary for an extended period or even just beginning to workout then maybe doing something else to build up strength and endurance for a month or 2 might be a better idea.  I feel recovered and ready for my shake.
Day 1 √

Sunday, September 2, 2012

RushFit assessment

 Today was the assessment for RushFit.  Egads!!  After 2 rounds of Supreme 90 day I'm still not "fit" but I am way better than I was.  That being said the assessment woke me up.  It was intense to say the least and I did not go as hard due to not wanting to risk a flare up with my disc--not an excuse just cautious.  4 rounds at 1 minute each with 20 seconds rest between rounds.  
Air squats--63
Push ups (full)--36
Sit ups (full)--27
Burpees with the push up--8---yea stinks but even with S90 I was gun shy of burpees.  That jumping back move was just enough to jostle me and lock my back up if I made a wrong move. 

Anyway the goal is to see improvement.  The test is to be repeated at the end of the 8 weeks.  I may do 4 just to see how I am doing.  After previewing most of the dvds I know there will be modifications and that's ok with me.  Here's to a better me.