May 27th: Plycore -- Hell Day Stairs -- 34 Story Building . . . Feel It Burn!

This day was a rough class. I was still feeling pretty sore from Tuesday's class, but I really wanted to come to this class so I sucked it up, and I am glad that I did. However, this class was intense. The exercise portion itself wasn't that difficult, but the stairs were unending. I couldn't complete the workout in the 45 mins. of class time, but I stayed after and finished up on my own. I was able to finish in just under an hour. Also, we had to do more dips so there was no relief for my triceps!!!

The Workout:

Two long laps **Warm up only**


16 bosu push ups (one hand on and one off -- eight each side)
50 crunches
7 squat thurst ( 7lbs. dumbells)
50 arm exstensions
20 dips
5 box jumps
5 pull ups
4 flights of stairs up & down
1 lap around the track (1/15 of a mile)
1 long lap
X3

After third set, 22 flights of stairs up & down.  Yes, that is right in total we climbed a 34 story building up and down!

Tuesday 18th: Plycore (non)-Crossfit

I don't think that we are allowed to call this class Crossfit because of some copy right law, but it's pretty much a crossfit class. 30 to 40 mins short and sweet, but a good workout. Planks with 25 lbs weights, pull-ups, kettleball dead lifts, walking on treadmills with your hands from a plank position, abs with a weighted ball toss. Lots of fun! I like taking this class everyone in a while, but I know that I need more muscle and weight classes, so I will be attending more often in the next few weeks.

Tuesday's Good Weather Workout Diversification!

 Oh -- Man! I have no idea what it is about this winter, but I am so glad to see it starting to fade away. We at long last hit 70 degrees here in Raleigh. Normally, cold weather doesn't bother me at all, but for some reason, it has gotten under my skin this year. I can't wait for the sun to come out so that I can get outside. Now, for anyone who doesn't know me all that well, I am a bicycle freak! I love to ride my bike and take it to work anytime that the weather will allow, and I use it as my main mode of transport. However, my wife has been afraid to ride here in America. She is afraid of how fast the cars go, which I can understand. But, I am happy to say that on Monday, she bought a new bike, so I now have a riding partner and can share with her something that I truly enjoy.

I ride a Simple by Giant, which I have modified for more street riding: new handle bars, metal pedals, re-enforced rear rim. I've swapped out so much of it that the bike's name is Frankenbike! I is a single speed with balloon tires and only has a coaster break, which means that I get a really good workout whenever I ride and that my bike is virtually theft proof because no one wants it! So, as the weather begins to get better, I will be adding more rides in to my workout regime. My wife and I took our first one yesterday, and I can't explain how happy it made me. But before I get all weepy over the joy of biking, I should write about my morning workout class.

Yesterday morning Dan offered a special 30 min Plycore class, which I decided to attend. The class was much more focused than our regular plycore classes and used more weights. It was a nice change of pace. I have been seeking a class on Tuesday morning that would appeal to me, but the Y's current offering for Tuesday morning is just not my cup of tea. Dan won't do this every week but I will try to attend whenever he does.



Tuesday Morning's Class:

4 Laps around the track (the track is 1/15th of a mile)

20 Lunges (each leg) with 10lbs weights
20 Squats w/ 10lbs. weights
walk around the room with weights
X5

3 sets of 5 chin ups
3 sets of 10 box jumps

This was a pretty short class, but it was a nice little workout and what I needed after National Run Day on Monday. After work, my wife and I went on a 5 mile ride through the streets of Raleigh. I used USATF's Route Mapper to measure the distance after I got home.