I Vaguely Recall Sedentary Life

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I do vaguely recall sedentary life. That was the life before this, when I would be more concerned with playing a video game than lifting a dumbbell or more concerned with Doritos than elliptical. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reliving to some extent that sedentary life.

Last Monday, after spraining my ankle, I wasn’t really able to walk much for several days. Getting up and down stairs was an absolute nightmare. Needless to say, I was not running on a treadmill or pushing forward on an elliptical. I’ve been able to do some mild lifting, but nothing with my legs which also absolutely drives me nuts.

The fact is, once you have adapted your body to be in constant motion and a permeable state of movement, you have little appetite for standing still. As a matter of fact, not getting out and being active as much has made me very sick to my stomach. It’s not really that I am literally sick, but my stomach gets upset every time I eat, and I know it is because it isn’t moving like it is used to.

Next week I want to really start back, but I know to do it light. I won’t be brining it hard core to the gym for a little while still. The last thing you want to do with an injury like this is to make it so that you aren’t recovering, and then you’re out even longer than you originally planned.

Taking it light, but knowing I do need to begin pushing forward, both for my physical health as well as my overall sanity.

So Much For That Cardio Push…

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This week I had intended to begin a new committed cardio push. That began and ended on Monday.

I was on the elliptical machine, jamming out omy headphones while just doing my thing. On minute 44 of my 45 minute session, I felt a sharp pain from my ankle, and had to stop. Getting off th machine and sitting down, my ankle was throbbing. Apparently, in my inattentiveness, I stepped up and stepped back down on the side of my foot, twisting my ankle and creating a sprain.

After driving myself home, I immediately put my foot up, and now I am in the process of waiting for it to repair. When dealing with sprains like this, there isn’t much that can be done except keeping the stress off of it.

I am hopeful that I will be able to return to the m in some capacity soon. I have not wanted to strain my body while it works on healing myself. Lifting hardcore is not a good way to rest.

I’m skipping the trainer this week, and will resume next week. In the meantime, my foot will be resting whenever I can. It can be frustrating to be injured and not be able to work out like you are used to, but you just have to remember that your body knows best and you have to let it heal. Your health is the most important thing.

This Week, Next Week

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This week, beginning with August 1, was intended to be a next-phase push in my workouts. It hasn’t turned out quite as I had originally planned, but I am certainly not disappointed so far.

I have been a little sick here and there during the week, with the occasional stomach bug cropping up. However, I have not kept myself from working out during this time. However, my workouts have generally been a little on the lighter side than most.

Tomorrow I will be back in the gym lifting, and on Saturday I have a first-in-the-morning training appointment.

Next week I need to begin my next phase cardio push, and really get myself moving both on cardio, for which I feel like I have lagged a bit recently, and continuing to push my lifting forward.

Remove Static Stretching Before Workout

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Static stretching is a bad way to begin a workout session. When you think static stretching, think of when you’re standing with your knee bent, holding your foot, and pulling your muscles taut. What you’re doing is tightening your muscles instead of loosening those muscles.

Instead of static stretches, work some dynamic stretches before your workout with the treadmill, elliptical, or a jump rope. Keep yourself moving. For an intense workout warm-up, think more Lady Gaga and less meditation garden.

Want a better work-out? Then don’t stretch beforehand, some experts say.

Many people take it for granted that they should start their exercise routines with some stretching on the spot, perhaps hoping it will loosen them up for their work-out. Most fitness experts now agree this kind of static stretching before exercise is not just counter-productive, but potentially harmful.

via Experts: Don’t stretch before exercising – USATODAY.com.

Working Out – Are We Ugly?

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When we work out, we are changing our bodies… we are moving muscles, moving ligaments, moving ourselves. We are making ourselves better physically and mentally.

A designer has stated that we look at our worst…

We all know we aren’t at our most attractive after working out. But how bad could we possibly look? I mean really?

Bad. Extraordinarily bad. Like we-shouldn’t-go-out-in-public bad.Nick-Nolte-on-a-bender bad. Snooki-on-a-Tuesday-night bad. Our proof: French photographer Sacha Goldberger snapped images of joggers in Paris immediately after a sprint, then again a week later in their regular clothes, in roughly the same pose. Place the portraits side by side, and the evidence crystallizes into incontrovertible fact: Running is an invite to the ugly tree.

…however, I contend that we look our best when we exercise. You may be thinking that is insane. However, when we exercise, we are exposing ourselves to others. Our humanity, our frailties, and our inner selves. We are one with our workouts, and our workouts are one with us.

When in the weight room, we are all in essence equal. We are all battling against our bodies. Some may be lifting more, and some may be lifting less, but we are all lifting against the capabilities of our bodies in their current state, and working to change those states in the future, and thus change our bodies for the better.

via How Ugly Do We Look After Exercising? | Co. Design.

In the Swing of Things

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This week I have really been in the swing of things. The new “series” began Sunday, and I have been “in the thick of it” for four days straight now. Rest days are coming up for the weight training.

Today I was lifting after work, and it gets fairly frustrating when I go to the larger gym. At the small gym near my house, the plan isn’t very big, so it is easy to find things if people move them around. However, there is only one of each thing, so its hard to get a good workout during peak time. During the training at the larger gym at peak time, it gets pretty messy.

Dumbbells and barbells could be anywhere in the gym. I have found weight plates and dumbbells sitting next to the exercise “machines”. I am as guilty as anyone of bringing weights out of the free-weight area, and I don’t see any issues with this if you are using it, and if you return it when you are done. The problem is that last part, in that the equipment never seems to make its way back.

Tomorrow will either me a cardio day, or a cardio day plus the last weight day in the series; if I just do cardio tomorrow, it means Friday is a weights day, Saturday rest, and Sunday back in the saddle for another round.

I feel like I am making progress these days. I really do feel like I am losing weight, and my body definitely feels more in-shape than it has in recent years. While my weight is not dropping heavily at this point, my ‘body fat’ level is continuing to drop.

Working with the trainer on Monday, we were discussing this; he said “well your weight may not drop much”, to which my response was “well it will have to drop at some point, I seriously doubt I will weight 280 pounds when I get down to 18-20% bodyfat.” Unless someone is slipping me some hardcore ‘roids.

I really do feel like things are beginning to come together for my workouts and health efforts.