We are back to the grind, back to business. And business is good. And by business I mean the business of sweat.
My big goal in the short term is to focus on 2 primary things: lowering my overall body-fat percentage while maintaining a high power to weight ratio, and boosting my cardio capabilities back up to at least where they were before my surgery. No small task. But the Sac Fitness Fairy had a plan to smack me into motion.
I got to Ultimate Fitness a bit later than normal and decided to do some jump rope to warm up, since it is more of a full body movement than running on a mill. I went back and forth between a few minutes of rope and active stretches. Then the fun began.
To get things ramped up, SFF put me on 90s. Basically 90 seconds on the treadmill at an aerobic pace, then 90 seconds of rope (which basically ends up throwing anaerobic unless you’re REALLY efficient… which the Panther is not). As little rest in between each 90 second segment as possible. We did that 5 times for each set of rope/run. It was brutal but fun.
Then we went for a walk. Basically I had to carry a 20lb plate overhead and walk-lunge to the other side of the gym (after a few times we switched it to about 75% of the distance). At the far end I dropped and did 5 burpees (oh how I’ve missed you). Then walk-lunge back with the plate, and do a set. Each time through the set changed. First it was 12 mil press with bells, 20s. Go for a walk. Then mill press with 15, 12 reps. Go for a walk. Then standing flies with 15s, 12 reps. Walk. Then standing fly with 20s. Walk. Then a situp press with a 20lb weight with one leg straight, 10 each side. Walk, then situp press with 15s, 10 each side. Yet another walk. Then no hand candles to v-sit, 10 reps, one final walk and one last set of candles to v-sit.
Walking lunges with a plate overhead are an amazing full body exercise. By which I mean they are grimace inducing. You’re working your arms, shoulders, core, back and legs. I tried very hard to really focus on utilizing my hamstrings as much as possible, but by the end it was all I could do not to wear the 20lb plate as a hat, so form was getting a little vague (which was why we shortened the distance, walking lunges done wrong are hell on the knees). This type of in between style of workout is very good at hiding numbers. I believe I did over 50 burpees total, which for me is impressive considering how much I hate just doing one.
It was a fantastic workout, and I sweated so much that it was actually pouring out of my shoes. Gross? Definitely. Awesome? Also definitely.