Pneumatised!

It’s probably about time I resurrect my training blog. Although I haven’t been writing about my training the past few years, I have been trying to keep up with martial arts, running, and general fitness training overall. I have a few writing projects on the side that I’d like to work on, and that means sometimes blogging about my training doesn’t take priority. It’s much more important that I get the training.

It’s been a bit rocky for me in terms of martial arts training, mostly because I need to maintain a higher base level of strength in my legs (i.e., quads, hamstrings, calves) just to do any kind of serious kicking training. This is due to the torn meniscus I still have. (I checked recently and there is still no way to fix it – my taekwondo Master says I need to order a new knee on ebay… lol) There are still a lot of other goals I have in life (I’m currently studying a few different languages on top of some other subjects of interest), and it’s hard to find a balance between that and working out on top of taekwondo training. Basically, the torn meniscus has caused a time sink for me. 🙁

In any case, I still think it’s important to maintain a good level of fitness. Exercise is still very important to me.

Today, I managed to get up early enough to make it out the door in the late afternoon to try a bit of running and then a workout at the gym. My normal workout routine when I have the time is running first, then at the gym, some cycling. After, it’s weight training.

I felt lame today. I could barely run a half mile. My allergies are a pain when it comes to running in the winter. I think the cold dries out the congestion in my breathing passages making it hard to breathe the minute I try to run faster. (See my previous blog, “Allergies and Running in the Winter”.)

At the gym, I only managed ten minutes of cycling. So very lame. I got to about three or four minutes, then my quads just started whining at me (okay, not literally, but that’s what it feels like in my brain). This is sad considering I used to do 30 minutes of cycling after taekwondo training or after at least a mile of running. *sigh*

The weight training went considerably better. Surprisingly, I didn’t lose as much strength as I thought. I lost some in the biceps and forearms. I managed to do the leg press at the normal weight, but I had to push through more than normal. It was the same with the squats. I figured the leg press and the squats weren’t too bad, but the cycling was worse because the cycling requires proper breathing to help the muscles work through the exercise. I was still a bit congested when I got to the gym. 🙁

After the weight training I had some time to do some basic taekwondo kicking. Nothing too strenuous on the knee. I just went through the motions carefully and focused on technique. Trying to do kicks after weight training is hard. Every kick feels like there’s a dead weight attached to you. The reason should be obvious – the muscles are already tired from the weight training. However, because of my torn meniscus, kicks feel better for my knee after I do weight training.

After the gym, I did a little bit of running on the way home. It’s -4 degrees Celsius out, and I’m not going to dawdle my way home. 😉 Strangely, I don’t mind running after weight training. It’s not recommended if your goal is to try to improve your speed, but it’s actually quite helpful with loosening up and relaxing the muscles and your body after weight training. The hamstrings get a little tight when I run after weight training, but that’s normal. Unfortunately, that tightness kicked in a little earlier than I would have liked, so I walked it out for most of the rest of the way home.

I felt lame today, but overall I feel good. My muscles feel suitably worked out and firm. 🙂 As long as I keep up with a regular workout, the muscles will get stronger. 🙂

Below are my workout notes (I use a handy app called Memoires on Android):

Running to the gym

Cycling 10 minutes 3.62 miles 65 calories

Skipping reps, right, left (right weaker)
Calf raises reps each leg/standing calf machine single

Chin-ups (military – overhand) 50 counterweight, single
Pull-ups (underhand) 50 counterweight, single
Parallel pull-ups 50 counterweight, single
Dips 40 counterweight, single
Lateral pulldown 60
Seated leg curl 52.5 each leg
Hip adductor 100
Hip abductor 90
Pullover
Decline leg press 90
Squats 90
Lunges
Incline chest press 45 (machine) 8/8 (dumbbells)
Pectoral fly (machine) 8/8 (dumbbells)
Rear deltoids (machine) 8/8 (dumbbells)
Lateral raise , single (machine), 8/8 (dumbbells)
Shoulder press (machine) 8/8 (dumbbells)
Front shoulder lifts 8/8 (dumbbells)
Bicep curls 10/10 (dumbbells), (bar)
Wrist strengthening 12/12 (right arm weaker)
Wrist twirls 12/12
Back strengthening 25 (weighted)
Leg lifts set of 30

I passed on the skipping today. I forgot to bring my skipping rope to the gym, and by the time I got home I was just too tired. Next time hopefully. 🙂

~~~C