Challenging New Years

Without a doubt, all of us have read at least one blog or article or watched one program about setting New Years Goals.  I am not about to weigh in on the advice from the various pundits.  But I will tell you what I have done and am in the process of doing.

1. I gained weight during the holidays,  I always do.  I eat more (and not “good for you” more) and I train less; not an unexpected result.
2. I feel sluggish after the holidays as a result of #1.
3. I start back into the training at an easy pace.
4. I pick a date to get back to a healthy diet,  and usually I allow myself to keep cheating until January 1st (let’s be serious, with treats everywhere at home and at work it is hard to resist).
5. I read a lot of workouts and climbing technique articles over the break and get excited to implement them into my training.
6. I implement the new workouts.
7. When I ramp things back up, I suffer for the first few workouts.

And this is where I am at…Ramping things back up and suffering a fair bit today. I am very sore from an enhanced bouldering/ice climbing workout I did yesterday and today I really looked forward to yoga in the morning but not to the cardio and weights at noon.  This was my noon hour work out.  I used a Freemotion 770 treadmill, a Progression vibration trainer, adjustable bench, Bowflex adjustable weight dumbbells and a barbell and easy curl bar.

Warm up on vibration trainer

Cardio
5 min warm up walking on treadmill

Then three rotations of…

2 min 4 mph at 11% incline
2 min 6 mph at 9% incline
2 min 8 mph at 3% incline

2 minute cool down walking

Weights – max lift, 8 reps each,  three rotations

1)      Flat bench flys
2)      Bent over barbell rows
3)      Incline dumbbell bench
4)      Single arm dumbbell row
5)      Easy bar  bicep curl
6)      Single arm over head Triceps press (each arm)
7)      Hammer curls
8)      Triceps skull crushers
9)      Upright rows
10)   Bench over flys

Cool down on vibration trainer

To be honest it did not feel too bad,  although I will admit the third rotation on cardio and weights were a bit of a chore. Part of me wanted to quit with the rationalization, “ah I will start the full workouts in the new year.” Another part of me shouted, “you can’t quit on a mountain so what makes you think you can quit during your training!” That side obviously won.

Happy New Year!