Week 1 - planning and striving

This week is for planning the next four months program and making out how to implement it. This is also the time to get even more inspired and for that I am going to need all the support I can get! I have a feeling I will be able to have results but of course one is always optimistic in the beginning. There will be ups and downs and I need to prepare myself for that.

In this post I'll go through what workouts I have planned for this week. So can I start by working out six days of the week? No. I've had a wedding and a holiday so I can't just jump into the same routine or amount of exercise. Besides, this will be different from my earlier routine and my body needs time to adjust to it. Four months is a short time so I need to squeeze this adjusting period but have some day offs instead. This week will also give me a chance to try out my starting point.

Monday
BODYPUMP 60

Tuesday
squats x 50

Wednesday
on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
squats x 50

Friday
RVP 30
Girya 30

Saturday
interval jogging 30 min + agility 15 min
stretching 30

Sunday
squats x 50

Yesterday I returned to BODYPUMP class after a 2½ months brake. I started by taking off 1-2 kilos from the weights that I usually have. With squats I took 3,5 kilos off from the weight, now that I'm starting over I want to make some clean squats. I'm pretty sure I used to cheat a little with the 17 kilos I used to have on. Feelings today from the exercise: oh dear it HURTS! My little triceps, pecs, biceps and extensors! My buttocks and thighs are only a little sore. I will list my starting point weights here. These weights are the total kilos I have on, so for example in squats I have 5 kilos in each end. Yes, it would be lovely to have 10 in each!
Squats 10 kg
Pecs 5 kg
Back 10 kg
Extensors 5 kg
Biceps 5 kg
Step squats 10 kg
Triceps 4 / 5 kg

My objective after four months is to at least get back to my earlier weights (marked with bold) and to improve more at least in squats, back and step squats (target marked with italics).
Squats 17 / 20 kg
Pecs 7 kg
Back 12 / 15 kg
Extensors 5 kg
Biceps 5 kg
Step squats 10 / 15 kg
Triceps 4 / 5 kg

Squats and step squats are to improve most! Our thighs are on strain when skating and squats are an easy way of improving the muscles. But why improve back muscles in bodypump? Our core muscles keep us in an upright posture and those are important support muscles to help with a good balance. Not to focus too much working with the back I've listed RVP (reisi, vatsat, pakarat = thighs, abs, buttocks) that has a great part of abs. That is without any weights. In future I will add also korsetti (focusing in core), if it fits in my calendar.

On day offs I will still do 50 squats to make sure my sweet little thighs are keeping up with the progress. I just did 50 in at work, everyone who's with me: no cheating! You can do them in at your work on your brake, I did them in the bathroom. No excuses! Next week I will add some to those day off squats, I'm gonna feel how many after this week. You might have also noticed the girya on Friday. Working with a kettlebell is funfunfun! Kettlebell exercises also include squats in different form. I'll tell you more about it on Friday when I have a fresh view of the class.

Hop on! Do it with me! Share your ideas, your weaknesses, your lack of time and energy, inspiration, anything! We need each other, that's for sure.