Pros
Strength: My legs feel much stronger. I think I also detect tone that was not there at the beginning of the month. Also my abdominal muscles seem much stronger. I thank the Zumba and Yoga for this change. I can also push-up better and my shoulders feel stronger and maybe a little better balanced (they are a little "off" from always carrying my bag/baby on the left).
Endurance: When I started Zumba, which was before this month, I could barely get through the 60 minutes. I think I remember starting to really flag after about 40-45. Now I make it through the entire hour and wish it could go longer. That is a noticeable change in my endurance. I'm also much less sore the next day. My jog/walks leave me feeling charged afterwards. It's a nice feeling.
Flexibility: I think my quads are tighter than they were, but my hamstrings feel looser. Also, my right hip flexor feels tight, but overall I think I'm more limber so this falls in the "pro" section.
Mood: I am definitely feeling more even in the mood department. Being around a roller-coaster two year old is stressful for me and the exercise and time for myself helps me be more patient and even minded. It definitely takes a lot more to phase me.
Sleeping: I sleep really well at night in general. It helps a lot that Darren does too!
Cons
Tender lower back. I think I read somewhere this has to do with tight muscles. Tight quads? Tight hip flexors? Anyone else have issues with this?
There you have it. The Pros definitely outweigh the Cons!
Training update for Weds and Thurs:
Yesterday I performed a 1 mile, 5 min jog, 1 min cardio walk in the morning and then went to Yoga at night. I was not phased by this double train at all -especially because of the beautiful weather we have been having!
Tonight I did a 1 mile, 6 min jog, 1 min cardio walk after the babies went to bed in the dark. Felt really good. I could have gone longer but thought I should just play it cool for now. I'm sure I will have plenty of opportunity to go further in the future. HA!!!
Tomorrow is rest day. I will probably catch up with you Saturday after Zumba! Happy weekend everyone!
Great job Kristine! Those are incredibly motivating pros! Today, yes, TODAY, I am going to get back into stretching and also strengthening my core to help support my spine. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, yes, your low back is often carrying the burden of other things. Keeping your hamstrings, calfs, hip flexors, and even sides loose by stretching can help relieve pressure in your low back. Of course stretching anywhere helps b/c your upper back, shoulders, abs, etc all affect your low back. I've just heard (and proven for me) legs/hips help the fastest. Oy! Stay loose girl, stay loose!
You're doing a GREAT job and I enjoy reading your posts!
- Jess
You are an inspiration! My lower back hurts when my core isn't strong. Sounds like you are doing lots to strengthen that area. Based on your recommendation I bought the Michaels workout. Waiting for it to arrive, and looking forward to seeing how much I hurt afterward.
ReplyDeleteTwo young kids AND you do all this. You are a great role model for staying as sane and healthy as possible while dealing with "real life". Rock on!
Jessica, stretch and stretch some more! Thanks for the info about stretching and lower back pain. I feel like whenever I "open a kettle of fish" and start exercising my back starts freaking. I must either be tight or weak somewhere. Keep on cross training and strength training and stretching and I hope it all works itself out.
ReplyDeleteDr. Brown! I continue to work on my core. Pregnancy can obviously stretch out your core and maybe give you weird muscle imbalances (?) so I'm probably still recovering from that as well. Good luck with Jillian! Make sure you use your "today" body and don't push yourself too far too fast. She's pretty quick paced. It's a great workout though!
Thank you for the comments!!!
great job kristine! i like the idea of presenting monthly training pros and cons, it gives you an idea of what is working and what needs to be tweaked. what are your goals for the next month?
ReplyDelete