Monday 12 January 2009

Quality over quantity

Up bright and early yesterday. Yes, on a Sunday! I bounced out of bed and straight to the gym, I really look forward to going and the buzz it gives me post work-out. Must be those endorphins people always say you get from exercise, they must be telling the truth!

I was mindful to stretch properly before using the treadmill but I think I need to learn more and how to do them 'properly', am quite bendy in some joints and can easily 'cheat'. One for a personal training sessions methinks.

I only managed 20 minutes on the treadmill. I was working on a steep incline and walking hard, although all the while trying to think of engaging my abdomen up and in, which is very hard work. I could only do it for about 10 minutes the other day. The idea behind that is to try and retrain my body a little bit, as it's very easy for me to stick my butt out when walking/cycling/etc. I guess quality is more important than quantity; better to do 20 minutes of correct walking than stay on longer and stress my lower back. In my opinion anyway!

Sadly I hadn't remembered to plaster over my blister so it was a bit sore when I stopped, really didn't help trying to walk properly!

Then onto my lower body exercises, using some very intimidating-looking machines! It's funny, I was using my lower leg to push weights up and pull them down...very hard work and on the lightest weight I could. Still, breathing is all important as well as control. Interestingly, my left leg seems stronger than my right, wouldn't have thought that.

But then onto something called a leg press, where you put your feet up on a platform and push yourself, adjusting the weights in order to work your leg harder. I managed up to about 50kg, bizarre!

Also pushed on a little bit with a couple of sneaky upper body workouts. My shoulder is killing me today so I probably shouldn't have!

Then a second attempt at my sit-ups and crunches. Something else to ask the personal trainer!

Even managed to warm-down and struggle downstairs for a shower without needing to stop, or seizing up in cramps.

Must attack my pot-belly though, it's starting to make me sad...

4 comments:

  1. hi danni, what's all this with the gym?

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  2. I'm trying to get fit and thought I'd blog my progress, in the hope people will give me a virtual kick when I get lazy! Initially, when I started thinking about joining a gym, it was to get fit enough to ride. Now I'm not quite sure about the riding but having a desk job and no horse has rendered me rather soft round the middle!

    Not terribly exciting though :(

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  3. i could do with the desk job - but the horse is going well!

    why not so sure about the riding?

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  4. I've been reading up on your progress, I'm so pleased for you and Molly :D

    I'm just not sure I'll ever have enough control of my body and limbs to be effective, and therefore have any place anywhere near a horse. But first of course one must be fit and supple in order to make use of any ridden training. So these are my first, baby steps to try and be better :)

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