New Phase at White Rock

I know it has been a few weeks since I have written. I am still working out, so I have made it almost 2 months! There were some weeks I only got in a couple of workouts because I was sick, but I am still making progress. I'm increasing my weight on strength exercises and doing well on conditioning. Plus, I've conquered the foam roller! (If you haven't heard of foam rolling, look it up. It's a unique way of stretching and working out muscle knots).

We have just started MRT (metabolic resistance training), workouts designed by Arron to rev up the metabolism, burn fat and sculpt the body. The first part of each workout is usually a strength circuit, followed by conditioning and stretching. Sounds hard, and while it has been challenging (and workouts take a little longer, but still under an hour), I've completed the workouts without any problem.

Arron and I have noticed the bodies of our consistent members really changing. On that note, we have been open 1 year! Happy anniversary to our members who have been with us since the beginning, and to my husband Arron who cares so much about helping everyone succeed!

2nd Week Started

According to a recent survey, 50% of people give up on their New Year's Resolutions by week three. Guess I'm well on my way to beating this statistic.

I didn't feel as strong today as I did last week, but I got through it just fine and felt great afterward. I have found that it is really important in order to have a good workout to be well rested, hydrated, and fueled with good nutrition. I think this is where I was lacking today. I feel stronger when I limit caffeine intake, drink water throughout the day, stay away from sugar, and have plenty of protein, fruits & vegetables...all day, not just the pre-or post-workout meal.

Just a quick "soreness" update: last week I was sore the 2nd day, but not sore on the third day, so it really wasn't bad at all.

Workout # 2 with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Not counting Zumba yesterday, I just finished my 2nd White Rock workout. To be honest, I was unsure if I would be able to complete the 5 rounds of metabolic conditioning. I woke up today very stiff and sore, and it made me a little cranky. I remembered what Arron told me before though, "Don't skip workouts because you are sore." Guess he knows what he is talking about after all ; ) I actually felt better and became less sore the more rounds I did. And an added bonus for Arron, I'm not cranky anymore. Ready for tomorrow's workout!

Sore?

Yes, I am a little sore and stiff today, but I managed to teach Zumba just fine. Actually, The moving around actually helped with the stiffness.

I quizzed Arron about being sore after a workout and this is what he said:

How sore should I be after a workout? He said Rookies might feel a little pain to the touch, but it shouldn't feel like you have been in a car wreck.

What if I do feel like I've been in a wreck? He said it means you over-did it. The goal isn't to get sore, but it sometimes happens.

How long will I be sore? He said 3 days is average.

What can I do to help with the soreness? Arron said to keep moving, don't skip the next day's workout, take a warm bath and stay hydrated.

What causes soreness? Microscopic muscle tears. These tears are necessary for building stronger muscles. It's important to get enough carbs & protein during this time to promote muscle rebuilding.

I did it!

I made it through my first White Rock workout! Let me tell you about it: there were 3 others in the class today, all of which have been members for several months. Before class they filled me in on how to record today's workout in my notebook and keep track of my reps and weight so I can track progress. Then, my classmates started breezing through the warm-up written on the board while Rozalin, the trainer took me through it.

Next was the workout. Today was a strength day and although I was a little intimidated by push-ups and pull-ups, it wasn't that bad. I started off on less weight than the others were on, and started with the simplified version of the exercises. I felt challenged, but successful...it didn't kill me, but my arms and legs do feel like jell-o and I know I got a good workout. I especially liked that the trainer walked me through everything and was encouraging, so I wasn't left trying to figure out how to do things on my own.

We did a cool down and stretched at the end. But the best part was the post-exercise feeling: the mood boosting energy rush that makes me feel successful, happier, healthier and motivated to eat better after I workout. Stay tuned to read about how sore I am the next few days.