From my learnings last week, I wore tennis shoes. But that didn't help much. Things were much the same story as last week. The major problems are balance, form and my hatred of pull ups.
Balance and form...what can I say? This is like Yoga day 1 all over again. Step one is figuring out what they are doing. Step two is trying to figure out how I'm going to do it. Step one wasn't so bad...I've learned now to pause the DVD and take my time to figure out non-cardio workouts and how to get in the correct form. Step two is harder. I simply do not have the balance to get into a deep lunge without holding on to something. My assumption is that holding on to nothing will ultimately train you to balance. But I'm just not there yet and my guess is using a chair for balance is better than not doing the exercise at all. Still, it was hard and took quite a long time to get through the workout.
I am hating pull ups. I am waiting on a ceiling mounted pull up bar to come in the mail (probably at least a week away) and until then I am using a door mounted one. This sucks because I am 6'3" and it is hard to keep my feet off the ground...for God's sake my knees almost hit the ground when I'm fully extended.
Plus, it is a Monday morning. Who is motivated to do a ton of pull ups at 6:30AM on a Monday? Not me! I admit, I dogged it at the end.
Here's a run down of the troubles...
- Legs-balanced lunges: lunge with your back leg straight and your back foot on a chair. I can't do this unless I am holding on to something. I end up holding on to the chair and putting my back foot on a bench. I have to make sure my front foot is WAY forward in order to prevent my knee from going less than 90 degrees. It is tricky to get the form right. Also, I put my back toe on the bench, not the top of my foot.
- Legs-calf raise squats: I couldn't do this a few weeks ago. Now my knees are fine with it. Squat down and then come up on your toes. I used weights.
- Back-reverse grip chin-ups: hatred. I still cannot do many reps of these. In fact, I am worse than when I started.
- Legs-super skaters: once again...hard to balance, but easier if I put my toe to the ground (which I have to).
- Legs-wall squats: I have these down
- Back-wide front pull ups: hatred
- Legs-step back lunge: balance, balance, balance. Have to use a chair.
- Legs-alternating side lunge: just have to make sure the direction of my knee is the same direction as my foot. If not, this hurts the knee.
- Back-close grip overhand pull ups: it doesn't matter what the variety is...they all suck and I hate them all
- Legs-Single-leg wall squat: I could do this last week. I couldn't this week. My right knee just wasn't cool with it. I tried though. I'll keep trying.
- Legs-deadlift squats: not too bad. Didn't use weights.
- Back-switch grip pull ups: yeah right. No way with my bar. I'm too low and hanging and switching grips with my knees up...not going to happen. Maybe this will work when I get the new bar.
- Legs-three way lunge: just have to keep the knee and feet aligned...otherwise the knee doesn't like this
- Legs-Sneaky lunge: no big deal
- Back-reverse grip chin-ups: suck
- Legs-chair salutations: Yoga has helped me with this. I can push myself through these.
- Legs-toe roll iso lunge: balance...needed to use a chair.
- Back-wide front pull ups: suck
- Legs-groucho walk: no big deal.
- Legs-calf raises: used weight here. No big deal.
- Back-close overhand pull ups: suck
- Legs-80/20 Siebers speed squats: Really have to focus on keeping the "20" leg to the side and keeping the knee/toe aligned. Good form is critical to not hurting your knee.
- Back-switch grip pull ups...yeah right. Dogged these and didn't even care.
So, I'm glad I actually got through the workout, but I'm disappointed that I didn't get more out of it. I will probably do a walk through of the workout just to get the forms right and get straight exactly what I need (chairs to balance, etc.). Once again, watching the TV makes things worse, especially when you are trying to balance. I need to find some other focal point.
