Saturday Workout Report (Virtual Veronica Edition)

[the_gneech]

A problem with the Bowflex routine is that except for the rows, there's not much in the way of cardio workout there. It's all strength. And while strength training is a wonderful wonderful thing, it doesn't do much good to have big ol' Popeye arms if I can't climb a single flight of stairs without puffing like a steam engine, ya?

My original plan was to jog on off days, but since the shifted schedule didn't work, and I never feel up to jogging at night, I started looking for other options, including the DDR. If my goal is to go back to Kung Fu eventually, in particular, I need to get myself able to do a solid 15-minute run or jumping-jack type workout without collapsing in a heap.

To that end, with the generous permission of lythandra, I fired up her copy of Yourself!Fitness and created a "client account" for myself, setting up Saturday mornings as my cardio/weight workout. Alas, these are rather harder to make workout reports for, because the trackable data looks something like this:

     Calories burned: 388

Whee. :)

However, I can tell you this much: I was as winded at the end of this workout as I ever was at the end of a Kung Fu class. The main difference is that I was able to keep up with this workout, which is not true of Kung Fu class. Since I presume it increases the intensity over time, this looks like it will be a useful tool. And definitely less risky than jogging. 0.o

-The Gneech

PS: The virtual trainer gal is actually named "Maya," not "Veronica" -- but I like alliterative names. So sue me!

Comments

[the-lizard-rat.livejournal.com]

In The Groove 2 is so much better than DDR, trust me. You might want to try some of those songs for a better workout :) Better display, hetter songs, hell, better everything (including one song that speeds up to 555 beats per minute).

Lizard Rat out.
Random in Albany NY

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I'll keep that in mind!

-TG

[kamau-d-lyon.livejournal.com]

Cardio workout is a must in any balanced exercise program. As I try to maintain my fitness for the Navy I do a combination of calisthenics (push-ups, crunches, leg lifts, etc) and 30 minutes of cardio. Before going AT for training I'd been using jogging and a tread mill for the cardio. I found, while using the base gym, that an elliptical worked great and also allowed me to do some reading or watch TV while doing the cardio. Just last week I found an elliptical on sale at Sears and bought it. It's a NordicTrack Elliptical, CX990 which is currently on a close out sale for a third of its normal price. The elliptical is low impact and allows as good a workout as jogging. I found while on base that it became my machine of choice for our gym (as opposed to outside) PT days.

[asinine-lol.livejournal.com]

You do not have Popeye arms. You do _NOT_ have "big ol' popeye arms"

Is there a workout for an inflated head? roflcopter

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I'm just reporting what other people said (http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_gneech/971620.html)!

Besides, I was waxing rhetorical. :P

-TG

[frustratedpilot]

These days I'm afraid she's not even sure
That her name is Veronica--Elvis Costello

[confusedoo.livejournal.com]

cardio is the bomb-diggity. Lifting weights is nice and all, but I never really feel like I've worked out unless I've pushed myself to panting and sweating. It's also the main way I shed the pounds.

[hbar98.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm thinking about getting Kinetic since I've been reading your success with DDR and whatnot. Maybe it'll help me. Who knows.