Day Two. How do I feel?: Upon waking up Tuesday morning, I typed up an e-mail to my boss that went a little something like this:
Dear Boss,
I cannot come to work today. I know yesterday was my birthday and you're going to assume I'm hungover, but I promise you that is not the case. I physically cannot come to work today. Like, my legs won't move from the horizontal position. Please excuse my absence. If you have any questions, call Beachbody and ask for Autumn. She'll explain.
You would think I turned 80 on Monday instead of 26. I managed to talk myself into swinging my legs over the edge of my bed and making my way to the bathroom (not without gasping and muttering "ow" with every, single, tedious step). Somehow, someway I managed to leave my condo. Walking down the stairs sucked. Then sitting in my car sucked. Then getting out of my car was even worse. Oh, and I work on the second floor of the building, so you can imagine every time I needed to go downstairs for something... You get the picture.
Overall, Tuesday I didn't feel "more energized". I would like to point out, I've only done one day of this shin-dig, I did actually feel more energy Monday after I did it (well, after the feeling of wanting to puke/pass out faded), so then I stayed up later and ended up not being able to fall asleep until midnight. Also, I haven't started the nutritional part yet--which I definitely think isn't benefiting me any. I'm hoping once I start on the nutritional part and really jump into this thing headfirst, my energy will be up.
Anywho, on to day two!
Overall, Tuesday I didn't feel "more energized". I would like to point out, I've only done one day of this shin-dig, I did actually feel more energy Monday after I did it (well, after the feeling of wanting to puke/pass out faded), so then I stayed up later and ended up not being able to fall asleep until midnight. Also, I haven't started the nutritional part yet--which I definitely think isn't benefiting me any. I'm hoping once I start on the nutritional part and really jump into this thing headfirst, my energy will be up.
Anywho, on to day two!
I one hundred percent researched the work-out at work Tuesday afternoon. I think I was slightlyyyy hoping I would see something like: Ultimate Quad Work-Out! and quit instantly. But instead, I read: Day Two: "Upper Fix". I was ecstatic. Upper--aka no legs. None! Nada! They can't possibly make me use my legs 'cause that's not upper. Duh. A kindergartner could tell you that... (foreshadowing: I was super naive to think this...).
So my review of the Upper Fix:
I kind of forgot that even though Tuesday was an "upper body" day, I would still need to warm up my legs. I supposed I assumed that maybe the warm up would be different? But alas, no. Same warm up. Same, killer leg movements. Ouch. However, even in the incredible pain I had felt from the legs (my legs were like jello on Monday), I felt like it was easier to get through the warm ups this time around. Yes, my quads were throbbing and burning and pulling in every direction, but I was able to push through it a lot easier than the day before.
So this work out consisted of 5 different exercises with 2 rounds. We started with a "bent over row". You could use weights or resistance bands. I chose the bands because my weights have yet to come in. Autumn tells the girls they should be using a set of lighter weights/resistance--anywhere from 2 lbs. to 5 lbs. (my resistance bands start at 3lb-6lb resistance) and then the heavier set should be 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. She says to start with the heavier pair for the first exercise. This thought was terrifying. I literally yelled at the TV, "WHY do you like to kill me right from the get-go?!" In my mind, Autumn/Beachbody has some sick fascination with pushing you to your limit before it even really begins.
Basically with the resistance band, you keep it held down under your right foot. Your left leg is at a 45 degree angle lunged behind you. You do a "rowing-like" motion with the weights or resistance band handles. I realized when I started doing this exercise that I really wasn't feeling much of a burn...at all. I even craned my neck to look at my little cheat sheet that came with my resistance bands to make sure that I was, indeed, using the "heavier" (more resistance) of the bands. Huh. As if on cue, Autumn tells us that the girl using the resistance bands decided to make hers "more resistant" by making a loop on the floor with a little bit of slack from the band and standing on it. Basically, creating more resistance. So I did it! I was actually able to follow along and IT FELT GREAT! This is only day two and I'm already keeping up better than I was before. I definitely felt the pull, but it wasn't anything like the feeling my quads were feeling the day before. Autumn stresses squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your abs tight--both things I had to really focus on, but I was glad I had that reminder. It made me realize I was working out the right way.
Next you go into something she calls the "Transverse Twist". I have to admit, I felt pretty badass with this one. Feet hip-width apart, knees bent a little, and you punch the weight across your chest and then pull it back, then go in the other direction. Autumn noted it was really important to keep your abs tight and rotate your palms to face the ground. Again--two things I had to keep in mind. I also had to focus on not punching so hard to throw out my elbows--which I was doing quite a bit (read: clearly a badass). We were supposed to switch to the lighter weights for this but I kept the heavier resistance band (seriously though, why am I so convinced I'm a badass right now?! Newsflash: you wanted to cry every time you had to sit down after that last workout, let's not overdo it). I switched to the lighter resistance band when I realized this was more of a "safety thing" with the elbows and didn't really limit my badass-ness.
Then were the push-ups. My arms still didn't feel like they were dying (until push up number 12 or so). I changed it up and did the modified (from my knees) and then the regular every-other-one. My arms were shaking. I hadn't realized it had been so long since I'd done push-ups. Sheesh. Also, during this round I decided that I'm prettttty sure Autumn is a mind-reader. I was just thinking "I can't do this anymore" when she told me to take the word can't out of my vocabulary.
...that was a little bit scary.
Anyway--here's the reason why A) this is two days late and B) I didn't finish this day's work-out.
I ended up having to take someone to the ER. We were there for 5ish hours. He has Shingles (did you know you don't have to be 50+ to get Shingles? Because that was news to me...) then I went home. I climbed into bed around 3ish in the morning on Wednesday. I woke up roughly 3 hours later to go to work. I felt like I was dying at work all day. I went home last night. I called my Grandma to wish her a happy birthday. I picked up the boy's prescriptions from Walgreens. I took a shower, realizing I hadn't showered after my Upper Fix the night before (and then went to work anyway. Gross). I opened my computer to watch an episode of Friends and before I knew it, I was asleep. At 8:30.
So now it's Thursday. Thank you, life, for the curve balls. Though I plan to jump right back into the Fix tonight :).
And next week I get to start the nutritional side! And Shakeology! Color me stoked.
Well, that's all folks! What you should take away from this blog entry: Upper Body Fix is fun! Shingles is not. My legs still feel like they're going to fall off. My armpits hurt a tad and my shoulders could use a massage, but it's nothing like the pain my quads felt so I'll stop complaining. Oh, and clearly I think I'm a badass. Til next time! :)
So my review of the Upper Fix:
I kind of forgot that even though Tuesday was an "upper body" day, I would still need to warm up my legs. I supposed I assumed that maybe the warm up would be different? But alas, no. Same warm up. Same, killer leg movements. Ouch. However, even in the incredible pain I had felt from the legs (my legs were like jello on Monday), I felt like it was easier to get through the warm ups this time around. Yes, my quads were throbbing and burning and pulling in every direction, but I was able to push through it a lot easier than the day before.
So this work out consisted of 5 different exercises with 2 rounds. We started with a "bent over row". You could use weights or resistance bands. I chose the bands because my weights have yet to come in. Autumn tells the girls they should be using a set of lighter weights/resistance--anywhere from 2 lbs. to 5 lbs. (my resistance bands start at 3lb-6lb resistance) and then the heavier set should be 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. She says to start with the heavier pair for the first exercise. This thought was terrifying. I literally yelled at the TV, "WHY do you like to kill me right from the get-go?!" In my mind, Autumn/Beachbody has some sick fascination with pushing you to your limit before it even really begins.
Basically with the resistance band, you keep it held down under your right foot. Your left leg is at a 45 degree angle lunged behind you. You do a "rowing-like" motion with the weights or resistance band handles. I realized when I started doing this exercise that I really wasn't feeling much of a burn...at all. I even craned my neck to look at my little cheat sheet that came with my resistance bands to make sure that I was, indeed, using the "heavier" (more resistance) of the bands. Huh. As if on cue, Autumn tells us that the girl using the resistance bands decided to make hers "more resistant" by making a loop on the floor with a little bit of slack from the band and standing on it. Basically, creating more resistance. So I did it! I was actually able to follow along and IT FELT GREAT! This is only day two and I'm already keeping up better than I was before. I definitely felt the pull, but it wasn't anything like the feeling my quads were feeling the day before. Autumn stresses squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your abs tight--both things I had to really focus on, but I was glad I had that reminder. It made me realize I was working out the right way.
Next you go into something she calls the "Transverse Twist". I have to admit, I felt pretty badass with this one. Feet hip-width apart, knees bent a little, and you punch the weight across your chest and then pull it back, then go in the other direction. Autumn noted it was really important to keep your abs tight and rotate your palms to face the ground. Again--two things I had to keep in mind. I also had to focus on not punching so hard to throw out my elbows--which I was doing quite a bit (read: clearly a badass). We were supposed to switch to the lighter weights for this but I kept the heavier resistance band (seriously though, why am I so convinced I'm a badass right now?! Newsflash: you wanted to cry every time you had to sit down after that last workout, let's not overdo it). I switched to the lighter resistance band when I realized this was more of a "safety thing" with the elbows and didn't really limit my badass-ness.
Then were the push-ups. My arms still didn't feel like they were dying (until push up number 12 or so). I changed it up and did the modified (from my knees) and then the regular every-other-one. My arms were shaking. I hadn't realized it had been so long since I'd done push-ups. Sheesh. Also, during this round I decided that I'm prettttty sure Autumn is a mind-reader. I was just thinking "I can't do this anymore" when she told me to take the word can't out of my vocabulary.
...that was a little bit scary.
Anyway--here's the reason why A) this is two days late and B) I didn't finish this day's work-out.
I ended up having to take someone to the ER. We were there for 5ish hours. He has Shingles (did you know you don't have to be 50+ to get Shingles? Because that was news to me...) then I went home. I climbed into bed around 3ish in the morning on Wednesday. I woke up roughly 3 hours later to go to work. I felt like I was dying at work all day. I went home last night. I called my Grandma to wish her a happy birthday. I picked up the boy's prescriptions from Walgreens. I took a shower, realizing I hadn't showered after my Upper Fix the night before (and then went to work anyway. Gross). I opened my computer to watch an episode of Friends and before I knew it, I was asleep. At 8:30.
So now it's Thursday. Thank you, life, for the curve balls. Though I plan to jump right back into the Fix tonight :).
And next week I get to start the nutritional side! And Shakeology! Color me stoked.
Well, that's all folks! What you should take away from this blog entry: Upper Body Fix is fun! Shingles is not. My legs still feel like they're going to fall off. My armpits hurt a tad and my shoulders could use a massage, but it's nothing like the pain my quads felt so I'll stop complaining. Oh, and clearly I think I'm a badass. Til next time! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment