Right now I hurt, and it feels good. For years I have weight trained (I know...right? I wouldn't have guessed either looking at me). I have followed the "Super Slow" Method. This guy, Fred Hahn, is the one who got me started. He is the husband of a friend and we all met when we were studying Seido Karate together, years ago. I am a devotee. Even though I haven't trained with him for years, it is the only way I will strength train. In essence it is a 10 count positive and a 10 count negative to complete one rep. You do reps to muscle failure (usually before you reach 12), only one set. Different trainers might have a slightly different pos/neg count, but the point is that you move the weight without the aid of momentum. It's hard. I have often had guys ask me what I am doing (I love it when guys are secure enough in their manhood to ask a girl about weight training). I'll explain and ask them to do what they were doing then try it the way I do it with the same amount of weight. It is much harder to sustain as many reps when you lose the momentum through the range of motion. The problem for me is/was I had let my resistance training go by the wayside when I started training for triathlon with Team In Training. I just couldn't seem to squeeze it in.
This week I went to the gym to run. I wanted to do some speed work and really, I would have loved to do it outdoors, but I didn't want a repeat with my back again. I did 3 miles with some 6 x 200's in the middle. Hey, no laughing, I have to start somewhere with this speed thing. Quite frankly I'm not even sure I know what I am doing but I ran a mile then did the 200's alternating with 200 jogs, I increased my speed with each 200 then ran the remainder until I reached 3 miles. I hated running indoors. Not that I don't usually sweat like a member of the Suidea family (read Swine, but look, is that what that pig call is I kept thinking was "Soooo-wee!"). Still had a sore back today (dammit!), but not as bad as last weekend.
Then I headed to the weight room...ah, my old friends. The leg press, the adductor machine, the abductor machine, leg extensions, leg curls, overhead press, chest press, seated row, pull downs, free weights for hammer curls, bicep curls, cable tricep overhead extensions, cable tricep pull downs, bench dips with stability ball, french press, you get it....I kicked my own ass! I was sweating like a fiend and loving it. The pain was exquisite, pushing my muscles to failure. I was really sore for a couple of days.
I read all the time about people pushing themselves on the bike or the run until they puke. That is how it is with me and weight training. I will push the weight until I feel like I want to vomit. I can't seem to do that with the bike or run. I don't know if that is something that comes in time (am I really saying this? I want to puke on my bike and run?), when I really learn what it means to push myself in either of those two disciplines?
Friday morning saw me up with the birds and doing loops in Central Park. They have repaved some of the roadway, it was divine! Such smooth riding. I really tried to push myself hard. I felt my legs fatiguing and still pushed more. Here I am feeling all smug and proud of the work I am doing in the saddle and here comes some guy on his Bike Friday passing me like I am standing still. What?! I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry. I definitely think there is some secret to pedaling that I am not privy to. My bike isn't a million dollar bike, but it isn't low rent either. Yet, these dudes (and dudettes) in their kits (why do kits upset me so, why am I so anti kit?) pass me like I'm out for a Sunday stroll in the park? While I am panting and grunting, sweating my cheap-bike-shorts-from-Modell's ass off? I did have the pleasure of listening to David Cook warm up for a Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series while I rode around the east side of the park. Kind of nice.
Saturday morning I had my first PT appointment at the US Athletic Training Center, where all the big boys go (read "pro athletes"). All state of the art, such a far cry from the little hole in the wall joint I was going to. I'm still a PT doubter though. I am not sure I believe it can help me, but I'm all about fair play, (even if the fates are not) so I'll give it a go. I wanted so badly to run to my appointment, but not sure my back can handle it. Yes, it is still bothering me. Aunt Flo isn't helping the situation much either. The PT told me I was slightly rotated and one of my hips was sitting higher than the other. She told me a couple of other things like no running for two more weeks, ugh!!! and other stuff which I forgot. I am not sure if it's bullshit or not; show me the perfectly symmetrical human being. Ok, I'll stop being a hater and "just believe, just believe".
Just a thought: I hate running, but now that I'm told to lay off for a while, I'm jonesing for it. I walked home through Central Park after my appt. just to see the runners...keeps me motivated. I'm going to become some sick runner voyeur.
Sunday had me volunteering at the Central Park Triathlon (hmmmm, maybe that is why they were fixing up the roads). It was sold out, but I figured it would be a good way to take a look at it for next year. The beauty part is it's a pool swim!
Wish they set it up like this for adult lap swim instead of us having head ons in "open water" and no lane lines....
It's a Sprint; 1/4 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run. I had the distinct to count swim laps for the racers. I was SHOCKED at how woefully unprepared some of the racers were for the swim. They were begging for mercy after the first lap! I was standing there cheering them on and so jealous I couldn't be in there instead of them. It was also a dreary, drizzly day and not may spectators (despite the 22 year history of this race) and 109 no shows for the racers!
Racers getting the pre-race speech.
I was one of three people cheering at the finish line, how sad is that? I stayed the entire time until the last racer crossed the finish. I also got to size up my age group for next year at the awards ceremony.
Have to finish packing, headed to LA LA Land tomorrow to visit my sis, who was kind enough to find me a pool to swim at 1.5 miles from her home! My sis rocks! Hoping to be able to post there, but you never know.
Friday morning saw me up with the birds and doing loops in Central Park. They have repaved some of the roadway, it was divine! Such smooth riding. I really tried to push myself hard. I felt my legs fatiguing and still pushed more. Here I am feeling all smug and proud of the work I am doing in the saddle and here comes some guy on his Bike Friday passing me like I am standing still. What?! I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry. I definitely think there is some secret to pedaling that I am not privy to. My bike isn't a million dollar bike, but it isn't low rent either. Yet, these dudes (and dudettes) in their kits (why do kits upset me so, why am I so anti kit?) pass me like I'm out for a Sunday stroll in the park? While I am panting and grunting, sweating my cheap-bike-shorts-from-Modell's ass off? I did have the pleasure of listening to David Cook warm up for a Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series while I rode around the east side of the park. Kind of nice.
Saturday morning I had my first PT appointment at the US Athletic Training Center, where all the big boys go (read "pro athletes"). All state of the art, such a far cry from the little hole in the wall joint I was going to. I'm still a PT doubter though. I am not sure I believe it can help me, but I'm all about fair play, (even if the fates are not) so I'll give it a go. I wanted so badly to run to my appointment, but not sure my back can handle it. Yes, it is still bothering me. Aunt Flo isn't helping the situation much either. The PT told me I was slightly rotated and one of my hips was sitting higher than the other. She told me a couple of other things like no running for two more weeks, ugh!!! and other stuff which I forgot. I am not sure if it's bullshit or not; show me the perfectly symmetrical human being. Ok, I'll stop being a hater and "just believe, just believe".
Just a thought: I hate running, but now that I'm told to lay off for a while, I'm jonesing for it. I walked home through Central Park after my appt. just to see the runners...keeps me motivated. I'm going to become some sick runner voyeur.
Sunday had me volunteering at the Central Park Triathlon (hmmmm, maybe that is why they were fixing up the roads). It was sold out, but I figured it would be a good way to take a look at it for next year. The beauty part is it's a pool swim!
Wish they set it up like this for adult lap swim instead of us having head ons in "open water" and no lane lines....It's a Sprint; 1/4 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run. I had the distinct to count swim laps for the racers. I was SHOCKED at how woefully unprepared some of the racers were for the swim. They were begging for mercy after the first lap! I was standing there cheering them on and so jealous I couldn't be in there instead of them. It was also a dreary, drizzly day and not may spectators (despite the 22 year history of this race) and 109 no shows for the racers!
Racers getting the pre-race speech.Have to finish packing, headed to LA LA Land tomorrow to visit my sis, who was kind enough to find me a pool to swim at 1.5 miles from her home! My sis rocks! Hoping to be able to post there, but you never know.
5 comments:
Volunteers rock. Yay for you!!
I'm still walking like a cowboy from my weight work on Friday (followed by my 'long' run). You are my gym-queen-soul-mate. I loves me some weight training. :-)
Hi Regina...
Usually when it hurts you did something right, building muscles. Well have fun in LA LA land, all the best with the preps. I'm Hua, the director of Wellsphere's HealthBlogger Network, a network of over 2,000 of the best health writers on the web (including doctors, nurses, healthy living professionals, and expert patients). I think your blog would be a great addition to the Network and within our triathlon community, and I'd like to invite you to learn more about it and apply to join at http://www.wellsphere.com/health-blogger. Once approved by our Chief Medical Officer, your posts will be republished on Wellsphere where they will be available to over 5 million monthly visitors who come to the site looking for health information and support. There’s no cost and no extra work for you! The HealthBlogger page (http://www.wellsphere.com/health-blogger) provides details about participation, but if you have any questions please feel free to email me at hua@wellsphere.com.
Best,
Hua
You are SOOO right on with the "slo mo" stuff! It DOES hurt more, WAY more! Next time I weight train, I'm going to really think about sloooooowing down during both the concentric and eccentric. I'm not a speedy lifter at all, but I definitely don't do a 10-count.
Volunteers = rock! Can't say much more than that!
Have fun in LA LA land! :o)
I've heard of that slow weight training method but have never done it. I'm sure it does hurt way more. Maybe something to try in my off-season when not working with a coach.
Thanks for volunteering at the tri. It seems that everywhere but my area has tris with pool swims!
CHOO CHOO, here comes the muscle train!! That is so sweet of you to stay for the end of the race. I have also always thought of things happening for a reason, and this time I think that you were a volunteer, and not a racer for a reason! Keep up the good training!
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