Day 26 ~ LONG walk!

Well I know you thought I abandoned the project but no! I'm still working on my fitness--just not rowing! That shoulder is still not healed!  So I've been following my family's advice and walking!

I don't think I realized how out of shape I really was...  This morning though I'm feeling very proud! I did my longest walk yet!

2.5 miles pushing the stroller! It took me a full hour and I'm sweating like crazy but I did it! :-)

I'll fill in the missing workouts when I have time this week! Make it a great Saturday!:-)

Day 9 ~ Cross Training and Uh Oh!

Well this morning I had a fantastic workout with Erin O'Brien's Postnatal Rescue DVD (link to come shortly)! I love that video! Even though it's been over a year since I gave birth, I have some back issues (sacroiliitis) that need to be addressed with a strong core and pelvic floor.  So I do this DVD.  I only am at Workout 1 (there are 3) so it's pretty basic but I love Erin O'Brien--I'm able to just listen to her voice and understand what to do with my body.  She is such a good teacher--I don't even need to see the screen!

Unfortunately about halfway through the video I realized that my right shoulder was bothering me! Doing a few tests on myself (after all I am a rehab doc!) I decided that I likely have strained one of the muscles in my rotator cuff.  Too much power rowing too fast! Even though it was only a few minutes, this body is not in the best of shape so the little things matter.

I'm totally bummed but I'm going to have to take a little break from rowing until it improves.  So tomorrow or Thurs I'm going to do a brisk walk and see how that feels.  Hopefully this is just a minor issue that will resolve quickly!

Still I had a great workout today and was proud of myself for working out!:-)

Day 8 ~ Intervals ~ 5mins

Well I had a good workout this morning! Woke up super sore but in a good mood so I hit the erg (rowing machine)!  

The literature shows us two things:  

1) interval training is the best exercise you can do for yourself 

2) its really important to warm up and cool down.

So with that in mind, I'm approaching my workout as follows:

1 min warm-up working on my technique as the video instructed

Alternating 1min fast/harder pace with 1 min usual pace. 

Then wrapping up with 30 sec hard followed by 30 sec slow cool down

Then I stretch.  Sore!

Day 7 ~ Back in the Saddle

Okydoky--so a crazy week at work and I forgot to exercise.  Yup that's right I kept putting it off every day until it got too late!  

But today I got back on the horse so to speak!:-)). Here is today's workout:  felt harder but I tried going a bit faster at points....

Day 3 ~ Rest :-)

Well with any new workout regimen I need to take the time to rest a bit so I don't push myself too hard.  It also helps me from taking that "diet" or "all or nothing" approach that can get me in trouble emotionally!  Taking scheduled rest breaks as part of my path to health is  about being kind to myself.  It prevents me from shaming myself if I miss a workout.  Instead I can say--oh well, next time! 

So tomorrow I'm going to hop on the rower again and see how I feel.  I'm actually excited about it!  Wasn't very sore today after yesterday so that's a great sign that I'm pacing myself properly!  Yay!:-)

Day 2 ~ Rowed 3.5 minutes and feeling good!

Good morning!  Well today is Day 2 and I have to admit, I pathetically woke up sore from yesterday's 5 minute workout!  The first 2.5 minutes of that workout was technique work so really I'm only sore from actively rowing 2.5 minutes!  My quads, adductors, pecs and biceps are feeling it.  So although that is ridiculous, its also an indication of how out of shape I've become.  On the positive, self-loving side--its exciting to see results so quickly!  Good job me!

I have to go slow and be careful not to injure myself.  The last time I tried rowing--about 6 years ago in early recovery--I rowed happily for about 3 months and then developed some significant elbow and arm issues because I was cocking my wrists up too much when rowing and compressing my radial nerve.  This time I'm trying to pay close attention to my technique.  

Abs were burning this morning--in a good way--during the workout!  I think now that I've watched the technique videos and am correcting my stroke, I think its working the abs more.  I have to be honest though--I'm having a bit of a hard time typing because my wrists feel super tight so I've got to stretch well and watch my technique even more!!!

I accidently pressed the wrong button at the end of my workout--erasing all the details instead of "resting"--ooops!  So all I know is that I rowed for 3 minutes 30seconds and my ave strokes per minute was around 20-something.

Onward!  Proud I got up and rowed today.  Tomorrow I'm going to try to cross train by doing this gentle workout video I love. 

Have a great day!

Day 1 DONE!

Well I'm all proud of myself!  I braved the cold and did the workout!  Being one to follow instructions, I looked up the "Beginner Workout Recommendations" on the Concept 2 website--link here.  Following their instructions, I started by first watching the excellent Concept 2 rowing technique video: The Rowing Stroke.  I discovered that I don't think I was rowing with the correct technique in the past!

Anyways, after watching that and practicing the technique, I did about 2mins 30 seconds of active rowing for a total time on the rower of 5 mins.  I'm just not in good enough shape to do the repeat cycles of 4 mins that the "Getting Started" page suggested.  I know from rowing in the past--short workouts feel easy while you are doing them but then the next day you are super sore!  

Here is the pic of my screen post workout: