04/29/2011 Got through another week, what a grind this is becoming…
When I woke up in the morning, I made a decision to try something different today, instead of working out in the morning I would attempt to just go do two hours straight in the evening. I think this maybe a good plan to get through next before my first break.
I have decided to workout one more week intensely, I am then going to take Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday off of the following week. This will be the first time in several months that I will take a prolonged break from working out. I am ready for a break, going to the gym is turning into a major grind, when it’s time to give a little extra at the end of the workouts there is nothing left in the reserve tank. My mind wants to push harder to break through to the next level, but my body just doesn’t have anything extra.
During my break I plan on going to Atlantic City with my Sister, and Parents leaving that Sunday night and coming back Tuesday evening. 3 nights in the place they truly pretend to like you, and where they are secretly hoping you give away your life savings, the only way this could be better is if I was going to Vegas.
I haven’t been to the Borgata in about 6 months so it will be nice to act like a dirty douche bag; I think I love the Casino atmosphere almost as much as I used to love diet soda. I don’t know what it is, but the electricity that permeates the air in any casino just excites me. I don’t know if it’s the scantly clad cocktail waitresses, or the nightly Jersey Shore Casting call, or the possibility of winning big, bit I think it’s just the notion that someone or some entity had the balls to build something so ostentatious, in places where before these behemoths were built land couldn’t have been given away. But I digress, if I come back the exact same weight as the day I leave it will be a victory.
After work I went straight to the gym. I arrived about 10 minutes before my personal training session with Ali, I got on an Arc Trainer and gradually increased the incline and resistance eventually working at the maximums levels for about 5 minutes.
Once off the Arc Trainer and in the Studio Ali had setup what looked like an obstacle course. He had me warm-up a little more doing low shin kicks against a kicking pad that he held. I did 20 kicks per leg, and then started my obstacle course.
Ali had placed a 45lb plate on top of some towels on the floor, I had to push the plate ½ way around the studio, once I reached the half way point I was told to back peddle the length of the room, and then shuffle across the width of the room, then do high knees across the room again, and shuffle across the room in the other direction. When I reached the plate again, I had to push the plate remaining half of the studio.
Right after the floor sweeping, I had to drag two heavy bags across the floor of the gym, and then come back the same way I came. After putting the two heavy bags down, he had flip another bag the same path that I had already lapped. We repeated the entire obstacle course a second time.
At the end of the obstacle course the second time we did some abdominal work on the floor, using both my torso, and legs to not only work the central abdominal area but the obliques as well, each exercise he had me do for a minute at a time, I think we did 5 or 6 different motions, I don’t remember because it was excruciating, and every time we were doing something I just wanted it to end. Immediately following the abdominal ripping I had to drag the two heavy bags again down the width of the gym floor, once on the other side I did 25 crunches on the resistance ball. We reversed the direction with the heavy bags and again he wanted me to do 25 crunches, I said fuck it let’s go for 50, and once we got to 50 he thought we should go to 100.
I then had to 20 lunge and presses leading with my left leg, and then leading with my right leg. We went back to doing some more core work including a plank walk, more crunches, and TRX body weight motions for the core. He also had me do a full body motioned chop which started above my head and ended at my opposite foot, with the Free Motion Cables. The last thing we did was to kick the kicking pad again. He had me do 30 kicks per leg. I told him if he wants me to kick harder to not kick what he considered weak kicks. Ali has quickly learned the best way to get more performance out of me is to penalize poor quality work. I think with the right leg I did 40 kicks, and with the left leg probably 35 kicks.
This is the first true core oriented workout I’ve had since being home from Malibu. I’m happy that I finally got one in. Next Wednesday I start a “Small Group Exercise” class which Ali is teaching, my gym offers 8 week courses which cost extra but limit the class size to about 8 people. They last an hour and target specific areas. I’m going to get a personal training session in with him before the class starts, and then move right into the core class.
After my session with Ali, I did my weekly treading course. Starting again with a 6 minute peak. I utilized the time to really push myself at the peaks by grabbing the farthest outside grip on the Arc Trainer. By doing this it positions your body slightly forward putting you more in a runners stance, and forces you to a more total body workout.
You can see my entire workout here.
My third week being back home has come to a close. I made it through; my eating is probably the best it’s ever been in my entire life. I’m exercising more consistently and intensely than I have ever worked before, and I am utilizing all the outside resources that I can including Chiropractors, Masseuses, and Doctors. This is all a first for me.
In overcoming any obstacle the bulk of the fight is within yourself, where are you in the moment of development, where are you in the moment of trial, where is your effort for the instant you don’t want to continue, yet without the support of others, and the use of experts in areas that you don’t understand how will you ever know if you were at the peak of your game in that moment. The moment is gone in a flash, how you feel about that moment lasts forever.
As week 3 closes I have to thank everyone who reads my blog, and to all those special people who I met in Malibu who continue to give me the motivation to never give up.