Today I met my personal trainer at 7am. Yes, this is too early, but we made the best of it.
Last time we did endurance exercises, and this time was no different. My first set started with the plank with a twist. I have a workout ball that I am squeezing between my hands with my arms extended. I then do a shoulder move forward and back, while holding the plank for one minute. I am so proud of myself because two weeks ago, I could only hold for one minute!!!
Next, I learned a new move with the kettle bell where I “snatch” (stop giggling you 13 year-old- boy minds!) the kettle ball from the floor and haul it up from the squat and then catch it at the top. Not a good move if you have a difficult time with coordinating things like a heavy kettle ball moving around your hand and needing to be caught by your arm. This one will need some time to get good at.
The next one was a plain old start holding the kettle ball in one hand at shoulder height while in a squat. Then, push yourself up and press the kettle ball up into a straight arm. This one is grueling because my legs are doing twice the squats while my arms are doing 15-18 reps. If you do the math you will find that my legs are doing 30 or more squats!
Finally, assisted pull-ups. This time she reduced my assist by 10 lbs. Still could do 10 reps first time and 8 the next.
Second round: Since I didn’t get a side plank last time, you had better believe it was in this one, but not first. First was a cable exercise where you pull the cables from below all the way up to your shoulders where you hold them with your arms bent. Then, you squat. This throws your balance off because you are standing a little forward of the cables causing a backward pressure when you stand and squat. Awesomely, though, I felt it mostly in my glutes, which is great because it means that my low back muscles are getting stronger!
Second cable move was pulling the cables up in a “V” above my head. Only 10 lbs. You try it! This was killer!!!
Third was the side plank, but I had to pull my knee up to hip level, which completely changes where the weight is. So difficult. I went from being able to hold a side plank for 1 min 15 secs to 45 secs. Whew!
Final exercise for round B is on the weight bench. Laying on the bench with my legs on the bench and my abs pulled in, I lower weights straight down above my head with a slight bend (just not locking basically) in the arms. I was able to do 9 lbs, which is awesome because the first time I did this on the floor was with 3 or 4lb weights! So much stronger! Also, the bench gives me the opportunity to get a bigger range of motion.
Now, for all of you who would like the chance to get as buff as me ;-), my personal trainer, Melissa, has gone out on her own! Yes, she has her own business, and she works out of Urban Fitness gym up on Capitol Hill on Boylston between Pine and Olive. You do not have to be a member of the gym to workout with her there as she has a contract with them to be able to bring in her clients at no charge to the client 🙂
Also, if you have a gym at your dwelling place, she can train you there if that will work better for you. Many, many options for training! I will have more contact information up as soon as I get it nailed down 🙂
Now, the left hamstrings were really bothering at the end of the workout this morning, and stretching them revealed real tightness in the left leg (where the left hamstrings have historically been much less tight than the right). Not sure what is going on there. I’ve started all sciatica PT exercises. I had my chiropractor adjustment. Now, my hamstring just freakin’ hurts.
I am really a little concerned, and I would really like to stop getting injured so I can get going on running. Is it the shoes? Is it the squats? Why won’t the glute and the hamstrings just get along????
More on that later. For now, bed. Good night.
Tags: left hamstring, personal trainer, squats