I haven't updated in a few days, but I have been working out!
Tuesday- I was kinda lame, but I needed rest after Spinning Monday night, so I stayed home and stretched, did some yoga and a lot of crunches. I was still pretty rundown from Spinning.
Wednesday- I went to the gym and did 30 mins. on the bike at level 6. (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that the level adjusts based on your heart rate, because it never seems that difficult or maybe I'm just getting better). Speaking of getting better, I did notice that I barely got winded, which is a change from when I used to ride the bike before I started Spinning class, so maybe that class is helping my endurance! Then I lifted weights.
I did:
Leg extensions- 40 lbs., 3/15
Adductors- 40 lbs., 3/15
Overhead pulldown- 50 lbs., 3/15
Seated Twists w/ a 15 lb. bar- 3/20 or until I got bored
Bicep curls w/ a 15 lb. bar- 3/20 or more (until it burned) I usually do 10 or 12 lbs. on each arm with dumbells, but I'm trying to lower the weight and increase the reps to see if it builds more definition, less bulk.
Squats- 50 lbs., 3/15
Chest Fly- 30 lbs., 3/15
Tricep pulldowns- 20 lbs., 3/15
Seated row- 30 lbs., 3/15
Hopefully this blog will help me keep track of how much I lift and eventually I'll see an increase in weights. I think I need to add more machines, but it just takes more time, and I don't want to be at the gym for 2 hrs.!
Thursday- I did an hour and 15 minutes of yoga. Julie and I went to a class. Paris is the instructor. I used to go to Paris' yoga classes like 3 years ago, probably like 3 times a week. I did that for about 2 months, until I moved and I stopped going. I wish I had never stopped because I know if I had kept it up my body would be totally different right now. Recently, I tracked Paris down (he shut his studio down a few years ago and has been teaching at various places) and went back to his class. I like him because he works with me and doesn't expect me to be able to do everything everyone else can do. Like, to do downward dog, I use a chair, once I get more flexible I'll use the floor like everyone else. Once I get to that point, I'll know I've made progress! My first class back with him was I guess 2 weeks ago, July 3. I was so sore the days following, I'd forgotten my body could hurt in those places! My next class was last night and today I'm not even sore (who knows what tomorrow will bring) but it's a good sign that I'm improving even a little! Ideally, I'd do yoga everyday, but I can't afford that! I can barely afford the one day a week, but I know it's necessary if I don't want to wake up one day unable to move. Having Cerebral Palsy makes me a lot less flexible than most and yoga really helps me. It forces me to stretch my body, which I'm not so good about doing otherwise! Paris stretched me at the end of the class, he does Thai Massage, which I think is just assisted or forced stretching. And he always tells me he want to do this on me (which I'm not opposed to but 1. He charges $65 for an hour and a half and 2. he has no place to do it). So, at the end of class last night he wrapped my legs around him somehow and stretched my adductors/abductors and it was painful! He told me I should tell him when it hurts, but the thing is, I'm so tight that whatever he does is going to hurt! Which is what I told him. I wish I was rich and I could just pay him to stretch me every week!
So, today's Friday and I'm not always so great about getting to the gym on Fridays. But, I will be going to Spinning tomorrow at 8:30 am! Maybe I'll go lift tonight. We'll see.
