Sunday 06-01-08 – Conditioning = Pain

I did the workout I planned yesterday earlier.  Well, I tried to.  I think I was a bit…Ambitious when I made it up. I did over half of it, and finished some of the sub-workouts, just not all.   More on this later.

I started off as normal – Three sets of jump rope, two-minutes work with one-minute rest between sets.  Then I did the normal stretches.  I’m really starting not to like jump rope, to be honest.  I can’t seem to get going well that often, and keep catching it, whatever technique I use (although I can do bounce-step OK).  It’s really annoying, especially when I only do about three jumps before catching it again (and this normally happens a few times in a row, probably caused by my annoyance).  Also, when I catch it it normally swings right into me, and fast plastic thin rope hitting bare skin HURTS!  I’ve decided from now on I’m going to keep to bounce-step only, and try and master it, getting my timing right etc.

Now onto the actual workout.  It was just a simple circuit, consisting of pushups, squats and modified burps.  There seems to be a LOT of confusions between burpees, squat thrusts, burps and others.  Most people seem to use the names interchangeably, which annoys me as I don’t know what they’re talking about.  For me, I use Ross’s definitions.  Burpees include the vertical jump, horizontal feet movements and pushup.  Squat thrusts don’t have the pushup, and stand up rather than jumping.  Burps are “stripped down burpees”, and are burpees without the vertical jump.  These mean you stay in the same position, getting maximum speed.  In my modified version, I got rid of the pushup part to, so it was just the feet shuffling, as fast as possible.  So yeah, pushups, squats and modified burps.  I started with twenty seconds pushups, then twenty seconds squats, then twenty seconds modified burps, followed by twenty seconds rest.  I repeated this ten times, meaning it lasted thirteen minutes.  Bloody hell this was difficult!  By the sixth set I was thirsty and it was starting to hurt.  Especially my lower back was hurting, which, as you probably know, isn’t nice when trying to work out.  But I pushed on, and finished them, although by the last few sets I was only doing five pushups and my feet were only moving about a foot each horizontal jump in the burps.  But hey, I finished!

I spent the next few minutes on the floor, on my back, admiring my misty breath in the lights above. I don’t know how long, but I would guess three to four minutes.  The next part of my planned workout was a core workout.  I was going to do three sets, but I only did one, as I was already tired.  I did ten crunches (holding at top part for three seconds each time), sixteen chinnies, ten v-ups, ten lying hip swings, then ten supermans (again, holding at top part for three seconds).

I was planning on also doing some pullups, chinups and sledgehammer swings, but my arms had died and decided not to completely trash them and hinder recovery.

This was also the first time I used my new trainers (Mizuno Wave Nexus) and matting (made my Marcy).  I’m very pleased with both of them.  The shoes were snug and comfortable, and the matting was a lot nicer than concrete!  It was softer and gave a bit, plus it was warmer, and should’ve been kinder on my joints.  Definitely worth the money!

Well, until next time!  Possibly tomorrow (as I’m only in school until 11AM due to exams), although then again I should really be revising.  I might just go a twenty minute workout, like jump rope or tabatas or something.  Exercise is good for the brain too, so might help me revise.

Now my arms are aching, so I should go.  I haven’t had lunch yet either, and now I’m hungry!

Sunday 06-01-08 – Conditioning = Pain

• 3x Jump rope (2-minutes work, 1-minute rest)
• Dynamic stretches

•  10 Circuits
  • 20-seconds pushups
  • 20-seconds squats
  • 20-seconds pushup-less burps
  • 20-seconds rest

• 1 Circuit
  • 10 crunches (hold 3-seconds)
  • 16 chinnies
  • 10 v-ups
  • 10 lying hip swings
  • 10 supermans (hold 3-seconds)

• Die

Saturday 05-01-08 – Mini Pre-Bed Conditioning

I didn’t end up doing the workout I had originally “planned” for this afternoon. No real reason, except it was getting dark and cold and it was raining again.

But I decided that I wouldn’t go another day without working out, so I decided just to do a small routine before bed (which I’m going to go to after posting this article ). I wasn’t really sure what to do, so I just shoved a couple exercises together. I think one of my problems is I don’t want to do anything short and “insignificant”, because writing it up makes me feel pathetic and like a wuss, plus I subconsciously think it won’t help and won’t be worthwhile. Sure, I could just not write it here, but then I’d feel guilty and a liar. I just told myself firmly that anything is better than nothing, and everyone has to start somewhere, however small and insignificant. I needed to get that flame going again!

I started with 50 fast-paced jumping jacks, followed by jogging on the spot. Then I did some stretches.

Onto the actual workout. As I’m going to bed, I decided to keep it fairly simple. I started with two circuits: 10 pushups, then 10 squats, then 5 burpees. I’ve never been able to do burpees, so this probably wasn’t the best idea. But I’m only going to learn them by doing them! So I shoved them in. After 2 circuits my mouth was dry and my heart beating, and I could barely finish the last couple burpees (the part where you jump the feet back). Obviously not working out for a few weeks and that bad Christmas diet had had it’s effect. I went and got a 1/2-litre drink, and then waited a couple minutes for it to go down.

Next I decided to do 200 chinnies. I did these fairly fast, with no rest (obviously), but my the end my heart was beating again and my core was starting to ache.

Then I decided to call it a day, and get on my PC to write this. It wasn’t much, not too challenging (got up a bead or two of sweat, nothing much more though), although now I feel surprisingly tired. Probably because my body isn’t used to, well, working out. And now, off to bed, where I’ll spend the rest God-knows-how-long reading (I got 5 books for Christmas – I like reading ).

Anyway, until next time (hopefully tomorrow), goodbye and goodnight.

Saturday 05-01-08 – Mini Pre-Bed Conditioning

• 50 Jumping Jacks, Jogging on the spot, Dynamic stretches

• [3x] 10 Pushups, 10 Squats, 5 Burpees
• 200 Chinnies

I don’t know *Sigh* Help?

I haven’t updated this blog in ages! And there’s a reason for this – Because I haven’t done anything. Over the holidays my diet went out the window (one day I only ate chocolate and a roast!!), and working out was the last thing I felt like doing, literally. It was really annoying too, as often I was really bored, yet felt too lazy to workout. I don’t know why, I just couldn’t get myself to go and do anything. I wasted pretty much the whole holidays, doing nothing but randomly surf the internet or watch some crappy TV program.

I’m back to school now, which is quite good in some ways, it’s got me doing something at least. I am currently doing my mock GCSEs though, so a week and a half of exams. Which sucks. But they’re mostly not too hard, although this weekend I shoud do some revision (especially History, sooo much to remember!).

Last night I didn’t go boxing. There was multiple reasons, one being tired after the exams, but the main one simply not being bothered. I’m not even sure if I’m going to go back. When I’m there I normally enjoy myself, but it’s not something that I really look forward to. I don’t really know why to be honest. I think it just seems to much like school (being told to do something, then doing it), which sounds stupid I know. There just doesn’t seem to be a community or anything, it just seems boring. There’s very little enthusiasm or happiness even – I’m not saying it’s depressed or anything, just not exactly friendly either. Not many smiles or laughs or anything, just going through drills. I do love boxing, just I don’t want to go training there. When the old guy was there (Kirt or Kurk, I forget which ), he added laughs and happiness and enjoyment, and he added enthusiasm and made you want to get better. He doesn’t go there often though, so normally I seem to be stuck without.

For Christmas I did get some shock-resistant, anti-fatigue matting though, which is pretty cool. Normally I have to work out on a concrete floor, so this rubber material will definitely be nice. Today I also got my shoes (I didn’t get them for Christmas), and they’re pretty cool and comfortable (they’re the Mizuno Wave Nexus). I am planning on working out later, just some conditioning and core probably, to try my new stuff out.

I know this is going to sound like an excuse, but one of the things which I think is negatively affecting me is…The weather. Even during the day it’s dull and grey, half the time it’s raining, and it has been bloody cold. Just makes me want to stay inside. I’ve never really been a winter person, but the last couple years I’ve found it even more. I don’t mind the cold at all, and the rain isn’t too bad (makes me feel all primitive ), it’s just I can’t stand grey dull skies. Makes me feel depressed. I want the sun back!

Can anyone help me out? I’ve watched some “inspirational” videos, but they don’t seem to help. I mean, I watch people working out, having fun, being strong etc, and I do think “Wow, I really want to be like that”, yet it’s not enough to get me off my ass. I know I probably sound like a wuss, and it’s probably true, but it’s the truth.