Workout Makeover

I had mentioned in a previous post that my workouts have become a little more diversified.  In the past, I pretty much stuck with running and was perfectly happy to do so.  I understood that cross training and strength exercises are good for your body (understood especially well after an IT band injury), but I just didn't want to incorporate them into my schedule.  These days, I have been branching out and trying new workouts.  I'm not sure where the change in heart is coming from, but so far (already!) I'm loving the results (even with the associated sore muscles).  I think what I like so much about some of these new activities is that they switch things up.  Running is very steady state, which is fine sometimes.  But other times I need to keep the workout interesting and/or switch between high intensity exercises and recovery activities.  That seems to be my theme these days.  In addition to swimming, biking, and The Ninety-Nine, here are a few new workouts that I've given a try:

• P90X - I know, I know.  P90X is old hat now, but it's new for me.  I had forgotten that B had the workout series on his Apple TV and the other day when he was at the gym, I decided to give one a try.  I turned our apartment into my workout studio (what up, Murphy bed!) and turned on Core Synergistics.

Our bed tucked away

Mat, towel, resistance bands, 10 lb. dumb bells, and wine bottles for some lighter weights.  I work with what I got.

The routine was a little over an hour long and was really tough.  What I liked about it was that each activity that you do is only a minute or two long and then you switch.  So you may do two minutes worth of prison cell push ups (the music playing in that video is basically how my muscles felt), and then you change to a completely new muscle group, so it all seems very do-able.  It also gives you the opportunity to push yourself and improve the number of reps you are able to do in a given amount of time, instead of flopping around like a fish out of water on your mat as the last seconds tick down.  I think my favorite routine was Superman Banana.  I chose this video so that you could hear the instructor's voice... I'm pretty sure those two words now give me eye twitches.

• Champion Workout - This is a self-created workout that I have completely fallen in love with.  Why the name?

You most definitely will after this

Last Friday, I was on my way to the Santa Monica steps to do my usual 2-mile run there, somewhere between 5 and 8 sets of steps, and 2-mile run home.  I was trying to figure out how to break it up and maybe increase my reps and here's what I ended up doing:

• 3-mile run to the steps (ran a half mile past the steps and back)
• 4 sets of steps (170 steps up + 170 steps down = 1 set)
• 1.5-mile run (.75 miles up and back)
• 3 sets of steps
• 1.5-mile run
• 3 sets of steps
• 3-mile run home

In the end, that totals to 9 miles of running and 10 sets of steps.  What I loved about it was that each part gives a relief to a new body part.  At the end of the initial 3-mile run, I'm ready for a break from running.  At the end of a set of steps, a run feels easy.  The first part of the run away from the steps is up hill, so when I get to the turn around point (and a GLORIOUS water fountain), it's an easy down hill jog back to the steps.  This takes me to the top of the steps, so I get the first set of down steps to recover even further.  What would be a very difficult and demanding workout if each part was done continuously becomes completely do-able.  And it really can be changed up any way you like - more/less sets of steps, shorter/longer runs, etc.

After a good hard workout like those two above, it's hard to not feel like this:

Love this painting in Santa Monica

I'm looking for more and more ways to branch out from my usual running.  A few other ideas I have yet to try are:

• Body Pump - weight-based group fitness class that is done along with a musical soundtrack
• Jump rope - B has a jump rope and I am looking for exercises to do it with.  Supposed to be a fantastic workout
• Muay Thai - This is a little off the wall, but I think martial arts would be really cool to try!  There is a gym right near B's that gives a free 3-day pass to check out.  Not sure what I'd actually think about it, but why not give it a go?
• Kettlebells - a weight with a handle so that the center of mass extends beyond the hand.  Exercises with kettlebells facilitate cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training.

Kettlebells

What are your favorite non-running/biking/swimming activities?  What do you like about them?