New Rules Update

It has occurred to me that I have not updated you all on my weight lifting in quite some time. Remember when I was coming back from my wrist injury and was devastated that I had lost so much strength? Well I am happy to report that I was almost back up to full strength about a week later and I have gained back my confidence in the weight room. I have also officially completed Stage 4 of New Rules and I feel great.


I know that a bunch of you are following the New Rules program so I thought that I would give you an overview/list of random thoughts associated with it. Ready? Here we go!

1) When I first started the program, I was STARVING the day after lifting. I have to admit that the program still makes me pretty hungry but it has calmed down now that my body has adjusted.

2) I make my recovery/protein shake before heading to the gym, keep it in my locker, and chug it as soon as my workout is finished. I find that this aids in recovery and keeps me from searching out a pizza come lunch time.

3) In general, I crave protein more. Usually I eat vegetarian during the week (with the exception of tuna or sardines at lunch) but now by the time Friday night rolls around I am seeking out some serious meat…usually chicken but sometimes beef.

4) My body, particularly my legs, are tired all of the time. They are exhausted after lifting…then I put them through torture in power yoga…then I make them run. I do have a rest day once a week and I have subbed out a power yoga class for a gentle yoga class, but still my legs are tired.

5) Stage 3 is really boring. Really, really boring.

6) Stage 4 will destroy you, particularly if you do all 3 sets (you get a 2 or 3 option). This destroying is due in large part to the return of the Reverse Lunge with Forward Reach (I really, really tried to find a video of this torture…but couldn’t). Ouch.

7) Underhand Lateral Pull-Downs are what hurt my wrist. I must go overhand despite what the book says.

8) Planks for 2 minutes do not exist. At least not in my world.


I would love to hear any thoughts or questions those of you trying out the program may have!!

Lucky

Monday afternoon I headed back to the weight room to start in on New Rules Stage 4 after a two week hiatus.  I would like to tell you that this was a fantastic, energizing, empowering workout...but the truth is it was really hard.  Not hard physically but mentally.  I felt weak ... as if I had lost all of the muscle I worked so hard to build Pre-Wrist-Injury.  And I was also scared that I would re-injure my wrist.  Let me tell you, feeling weak and scared is no way to get through a New Rules workout!  These are tough workouts and require all of your mental strength. 

I was smart and kept my wrist brace on the whole time and I backed off adding too much weight to any particular exercise until I see the effects of this first week back.  I also had to keep bracing my mind, reminding myself that with some time and hard work, the strength, definition and confidence will come back.  Overall, it was an exhausting experience.

Back in the locker room, as I drank my chia seed and protein powder recovery shake, I started to perk up.  Often when I am running a race and feel beat down, I remind myself that I am lucky to be able to run.  I am fortunate to be able to push myself hard.  The same goes for recovering from this injury - I am lucky to be able to get back into the weight room.  I am lucky I recovered as fast as I did.  I am lucky to be able to recognize that I can improve with time and dedication. 

Later that night I went to YinYang Yoga where the focus of the class was on need - on how we focus too much on where we need to be in our practice, in our lives.  What happens once we get to that point we needed to achieve?  We look for some other goal by which we need to measure ourselves.  The class focused on tossing that need aside and to embrace where we are now, not on where our minds are telling us we need to be.  It was the perfect follow-up the afternoons weight lifting lesson.

The next time any of you are feeling weak and scared, possibly like a failure, I hope you are able to see that you are fortunate and are lucky in your lives as well and that where you need to be is exactly where you are.

Try Hard

I am still avoiding difficult cardio.  But man am I tired.  I think my lungs and body really got walloped with that sickness.  I did the stationary bike for an hour at lunch today in the attempt at a lazy, low endurance cardio workout.  I pretty much felt like a loser peddling my bike and reading my book while people pounded away on treadmills around me...but it would have been worse if not for yesterday.

Yesterday I made my way to the gym for New Rules Stage 3 Workout A and a few hours later for Victoria's class.  That New Rules workout is a killer!  Remember when I told you about Single Dumbbell Overhead Squats?  Did anyone run home or to the gym to try those out??  Well yesterday, as I was diligently squatting with a weight held over my head, a trainer came up to me and said "Wow, where'd you learn that move?  Its my favorite one but I never see anyone else doing it.  Good Job."  I was pretty proud.

Later, another trainer came up to me.  This particular trainer has tried to bring me on as a client several times and I have made it very clear to him that I am beyond dirt poor so I will just stick with my little workout book, thankyouverymuch.  Anyway, I am wary of this trainer.  But this time, he comes up to me and says "You know, you are one self-motivated girl.  You never miss a workout - I wish my clients were like you.  You ever need any help with that book of yours, just ask.  I'm happy to help, free of charge."

A few hours later, as I returned to the gym for Vinyasa class a third trainer looks at me and says "You were JUST HERE.  You are always here!"

And I supposed its true.  I spend a lot of time at my gym.  And in yoga studios.  And (somewhat) running on the streets and sidewalks.  I know I try hard.  But sometimes, on weeks like this when I can't run and I feel lazy, it feels nice to realize that other people, perfect strangers, recognize that I try hard too.