Brutal Workout, yet fun

I've no idea why I like such workouts - but I feel so good afterwards and am rarely sore the next morning... Tonight we did the following:

Warmup: Ran or power-walked for 6 minutes (I did 50/50, I am NOT a runner)

Then we each did one set of the following. Each "set" lasted for 2 full minutes - how many can you do in 2 minutes while keeping good form? We each had a partner and 1 partner would do the exercise while the other counted, then partners would switch places. A bit of friendly competition always enters when we do it this way which is a healthy thing.

Pushups (modified or full)
Crunches (any style desired)
Squats (body/air)
TRX Rows
Box Step Ups (knee high box)
Dynamax Ball Slams
Lunges down the track (or TRX)
Kettlebell Swings
Standing Plate Presses (25 or 10 pound plates)
Jumping Jacks

It doesn't look so hard on paper...doing it is quite the workout, fun stuff! This is a free class at my gym, it is a 6 week class that is based on the Murphy

We started the 6 weeks with the Murphy (All of us actually chose the the "intermediate Murphy", with the repetitions cut in half and running only 1/2 mile to start and 1/2 mile at the end), then for six weeks we meet for two 1 hour workouts a week to do exercises meant to make it possible for us to do better at the Murphy at the last session. Not bad for a free class :)

I dunno, that looks plenty hard on paper to me! Nice job.

Even better is that I can see the payoff. I've had to change my riding schedule so I don't tweak overuse injuries, but I am becoming leaner and can tell a difference on the bike. I could REALLY tell a difference on the mountain bike when I finally returned to it two weeks ago.

Tonight's workout might mean I don't ride to work tomorrow though - no rest day since Monday and I want to mountain bike Saturday and do a long ride and perhaps a Bosu class Sunday. Tomorrow might need to be the rest day that I should have taken yesterday...

I have been thinking of doing Crossfit. So you really notice a big difference riding. Hmmm I am a beginner road rider. May I ask specifically what the benefits are you see from doing this re riding your bike?
Thanks

This isn't "Cross Fit" (I think that is a license thing), they call it "metabolic training" at my gym which is a sports and fitness research based university facility. Disclaimers are good :) They also don't use the somewhat military approach I've heard that crossfit instructors seem to be known for.

Personally, for me, I think the benefit is from good old-fashioned circuit training that has been paying off in unexpected ways (to me). For example, when I first moved to this gym in February, one of my knees was so shot that I really thought that I wouldn't ever really be able to run again without some drastic measure. That's changed, while I don't LIKE to run, apparently I can sprint. That is kind of cool ;)

As far as bike specific improvements, my core is stronger, my upper body is stronger, and I think my glutes are getting stronger as well - all of which translate to being stronger on the bike. My legs were already quite strong. Upon returning to the mountain bike after being off it for 8 months (injury recovery) I found that I was stronger and had more endurance than I expected. I was still road riding during that time period, but not trail riding.

Cross training is important, and there are many different ways to do it :cool: I also like to do weights but it is good to mix things up.

Thank you for your feedback. I am glad you are back on the bike!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kiwi rider

Thank you for your feedback. I am glad you are back on the bike!

---

I am glad it was helpful, it really has been surprising to see how much improvement this kind of workout has provided me in a rather short time period. I think our bodies benefit greatly from having a wide range in our fitness "library".

I agree, Catrin. The 2 classes a week I take are very similar to what you describe. I quit going to the Tuesday class, because of the instructor's "military" demeanor (ha, don't tell my son). Yesterday, I decided to ride my bike to the gym at 5 AM, for the 5:30 AM class. I will only do this on Thursdays, not on Monday, after a weekend of riding. I was not happy when I saw the military style instructor there, subbing. But, the class was a little more cardio oriented, so it wasn't so bad.
Some of the other class members were amazed I rode my bike to the gym. I find so many people see exercise as something you only do at the gym. While this is not true for everyone there, the people who run outside/ride weren't there yesterday, for some reason. I got constant questions about how I was able to ride there!
(7 miles, which is the long way, but the way I drive involves a highway traffic circle that is deadly, though only 3.5 miles)

I will ride to the gym, but not for that class, it is just too much for my legs to have an hour long class like that and then ride 14 miles home. I will if doing my own thing or if I am going to Bosu class.

I did ride to the gym today for an advanced Bosu class - and it kicked my behind. I am glad I went though, I wanted to get an idea of the style of the trainer as I've not been in one of his classes before. HARD, but he keeps an eye out for those who need modification. I like/need an instructor who will push me hard - but who also gets we aren't all 20-somethings...

I am here to say that Sumo Deadlifts with two kettlebells is very different on the Bosu than on the floor, especially since I've only done it with one kettlebell in the past :eek: I did it though :cool: BTW, I liked the instructor, I will take more of his classes. There is really only one there that I avoid - and only because his energy level/motivational style combined with my tendency to get into the zone and forget that I am no longer 30/not listen to my body is a bad combination.

Ride home kicked my...

That workout sounds awesome!!

This morning, I found out that I will never be a boxer :eek:.
Millions of punching moves with little weights, jumping jacks with little weights, lunges with one foot on the ball and weights... you get the point.
I am seriously tired from my riding in the Berkshires and now this class.
Total rest day tomorrow.

:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kiwi rider

I have been thinking of doing Crossfit. So you really notice a big difference riding. Hmmm I am a beginner road rider. May I ask specifically what the benefits are you see from doing this re riding your bike?
Thanks

---

"Crossfit" is just one trademarked brand of high intensity, multidimensional physical fitness program. There's lots of good stuff out there. Most gyms offer some version of this. The thing about Crossfit is that it appears that the quality of the training really varies from super supportive to super competitive. I do pretty much the same thing, minus the super competitive focus to push for more and bigger, at my gym which is a physical therapy facility. They call it "functional fitness".

here is TE discussion on Crossfit

Benefits - better core, better all over body strength, less prone to injury, more flexibility... and that's just for starters.

Here' what we did in Functional Fitness today
Russian single leg goblet squats
dumbell row/punch
clock lunges @5 o clock
cord squat/chops
slider mountain climbers
row/kickback
stability walkout w/knee tuck
stability ball triple thread ( pelvic lift w/knee tuck)
single leg medicine ball slams
med ball toe touches
med ball v-up with press
push up with shoulder touch (pushup, touch one hand to opposite shoulder, then reverse)
20 of everything ( that's each side, not total.:))
then 2 minutes of quadmill.
And THEN after two rounds of that, 20 each of pike, alternate leg pikes, boxer crunches, superman and one min of front and side planks. WHEW.

Yep, that sounds like what they call "metabolic training" at my gym - similar kind of stuff. After a really hard workout like we had on Thursday, he moderated things quite a bit today. He doesn't do this often but it is fun. We went outside and "played games" but it was quite the workout that featured lots of different things with dynamax balls, a bit of running, pushups, etc. Back to our usual this Thursday. It was nice to be outside, especially since the big broiler in the sky will be kicking in...

We were introduced to "slosh pipes" at our 6am class yesterday morning. These are simply PVC pipes that are filled with water, and of course come in different sizes/weights. We did squats, lunges, and something he called "Good Mornings" with them while holding them in our arms. The instability of the water certainly added a new dimension to those exercises.