Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Answer to Comments in Last Post

I made a post about P90x a while ago. I think it is good, but nothing different really to what I have been saying all along about mixing it up and increasing your intensity level so your body doesn't get used to the same training every day. Sandy, I would use bigger weights. I use 10lb dumbells and you won't bulk up, I promise you. DON'T BE SCARED OF THE WEIGHTS! Your baby weighs more than 2lbs and we have  no problem picking them up. Shopping bags weigh more. The key is the amount of reps. At the end of your rep you want to feel it. If you are doing 2 x 10 reps then at the end of the first 10 your arms should be feeling the strain, a short break and then the second rep.

For triathlon training I did some research on the internet. I started by just doing the same I was doing anyway on my cardio days. A run or a ride but then I would be doing a 10km run to work on stamina or a 15km ride with a big hill climb. Then about 10 weeks before the tri start doing 2 things a day. You need to get your body used to the strain the intensity puts on your muscles. After every ride run for 10mins to get your legs used to the change in motion. Run to your swimming pool, go for a swim and run back. Swimming uses your WHOLE body and the feeling of running after a swim is quite different!

About 6 weeks before the tri I was doing at least 2 if not 3 things a day. A week looked a bit like this:

  1. Monday - 10km ride then 3km run in morning (Sometimes a 500m swim in the evening)
  2. Tuesday - 14km ride with hill climb in morning then a very short 5 or 10 min jog
  3. Wednesday - off
  4. Thursday - run 4km to pool, swim 500m, run 4km home
  5. Friday - yoga and gentle flat ride
  6. Saturday - 8km ride, 4km run 800m swim
  7. Sunday - trail run 5km to 10km
I would sometimes have 2 rest days a week. If you can run 10km then you can do a short/sprint triathlon. It is like anything you just have to train for it.

I find if you have a goal then you are more likely to succeed. And friends really help. There were 5 of us doing the tri and we all pulled each other along. Amy K was the best motivation, she was so positive and up beat about  everything and having a friend like that to pull you along is as important as the training itself.

If any of you are wanting to train for something, whether it be a 5km fun run, 10km, half marathon, a triathlon then let me know and I will give you support, training tips etc!

HAPPY BLITZING!!!
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3 comments:

  1. sandyMay 26, 2010 at 8:00 AM

    Hey Amy,
    Nice post :) I definitely agree on what you said "mixing it up is the most important thing", Even before I started doing the P90X, I was changing my routine frequetly as you said and that kept me going, first you dont get bored so fast and second it makes it even better for your body as it doesn't adapt that fast..

    Well done on the training!! Really really good!! Honestly I don't run outside (I run like 3km on the treadmill in about 30min), I know its bad for the back to run on the asphalt and I haven't found a good place for running, but once I come back to Croatia there is this big park (forest) next to me and I will start running everyday!!

    As for the weights, I just bought these 2kg dumbbells, so I'm gonna workout with them for this month then I will buy 4kg dumbbells for the next level :D sometimes when I do a certain workout on just one side of the body then I would hold the 2 dumbbells together in one hand :) is that ok? :D

    Anyway I can tell you that I already feel my muscles beneath my fairly thick skin (still just a couple of kilograms to uncover them) and it is a great feeling :D to have muscles!!

    I told you I might be coming to Canada this fall, so before returning to university I wanted to take a course for a fitness trainer :) I became addicted to working out!!

    Cheers!!

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  2. shielerMay 27, 2010 at 8:42 AM

    Wow, where in Canada are you going? 2kg is not too bad...I thought you had said 2 lbs which isn't even 1kg.

    You are doing so well! I love running outside, it gets me out of the house with the dog and Callum. Invest and a good pair of trainers to protect your joints and back.

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  3. sandyMay 27, 2010 at 9:19 AM

    I think Mississaugo, Ontario :) still not sure, we will find out once we get to Croatia..I think BC is on the other side right???
    Yeah for now I'm training with 2kg and then I will increase once I get used to it..
    This is the plan, good trainers and out in the fresh air :D can't wait!!!

    Ttyl :)

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