#lower focus

I remember feeling this workout was impossible. I don’t think it’s impossible now. However, it is tough and it is an incredibly lower body workout. I took a few breaks but it had to do with mental strength more than anything.

It’s amazing just how much stronger my legs are. They are harder and just completely different, which is pretty awesome!

O MY GOD! My legs are still shaking. That was a great workout. My one knee might be totally screwed up, so next time I need to put the brace on, but wow, that was a good workout. I also got the most sweaty. Sadly, its double day Friday, which means after I cool down and get some water, its back to do Cardio. My family is going for a walk tomorrow and I might have to crawl down the stairs to get to the car!

But with the completion of lower focus, I have officially done each of the alpha level videos (minus stretching). My verdict is that I like them a lot. My least favorite is abs, and I think I'm going to use the ab days as my own running/ab workout at the gym instead of doing the video. I will incorporate some of the moves into my own existing ab workout, but too many of them hurt my hip and I hate popping it back into place. I also hate Total Body Circuit, but its just because I can't do half of it, but I know I will improve, so I look forward to seeing my progress. 

Alpha Day 5: Lower Focus & Cardio

January 9, 2015

SONOFABITCH.

That was not pleasant.

Yes friends, I finally reached the dreaded "double" day and it wasn't fun, I can tell you that much.

I was waffling between doing them both Friday or doing one Friday and one Saturday (which is an option Shonti* gives you) but decided to go ahead and get them out of the way for several reasons. One of which being I'm in a second floor apartment and I didn't want to be waking people up on a Saturday morning jumping around like I'm auditioning for the national tour of STOMP. I had plans Saturday afternoon, so that was also out. Plus, my body is going to NEED that extra rest day for sure, for sure. But we'll get to that. Let's talk about Lower Focus.

Lower Focus, A Summary: UGHHHHH

Hard. Duh. Basically your calves and thighs are going to be ON FIRE the whole time. Lots of squats, lots of lunges, lots of variations thereof. And as with every T25 workout, your heart rate is getting elevated.

I was in real, honest-to-goodness pain during the calf portion of the workout. As I said in previous posts, my calves have been tight all week because there's SOOO MUCH JUMPING, and this basically took gasoline and a lighted match to what was left of them. I was making all kinds of whiny, pathetic noises. Especially during the last like 5-10 seconds of the one-legged calf jumps. HOO BOY.

Oh, here's another fun thing: TWO BURNOUTS. There's one about halfway through, and another at the end. Your legs will be shot. I had to modify, especially during the second Burnout. I was also trying to be aware of how tired I was getting and modify more because i knew that I HAD TO DO CARDIO AGAIN RIGHT AFTERWARDS.

I've already reviewed Cardio, so I won't do it again, but needless to say it is ROUGH GOING after you blast your legs to do all that stuff again. If you'll remember there's lots of JUMPING (have I mentioned the jumping?) during Cardio. Jump kicks, sumo squats, so many jumping jacks, fast feet, standing mountain climbers....all torture on my legs. 

But Y'ALL. The feeling I had when that hour-long session was over was GREAT. i was covered in sweat and praising Jesus that it was over, but I felt amazing mentally. Now, my poor body on the other hand...

That's why i'm glad I went ahead and did the second workout Friday. Because I was already HELLA HELLA SORE. My hip flexors are especially feeling it. I need this extra rest day. Plus it's just so nice to start your weekend free and easy with no workout hanging over your head.

So, with all that said, if you're reading this in real time, have a fabulous weekend!

And as, apparently, it's becoming tradition that I go out on a post-something selfie, here I am all sweaty and breathing a sigh of relief that it's over.

I finished Alpha!!!! 

10 weeks not missed works, how can I not be proud of that. This program just fits my lifestyle so perfect. I don't know if I could have done it with anything else. It was tough, but you are only competed with yourself so you can do it! Today's workout was difficult with two of the hardest workouts in the series back to back but I did it. Doesn't matter how ugly it was, it was completed. Next week I tackle Beta and I am sure it will be rough, but I know to keep pushing I will improve and just keep doing it until I can say nailed it!

Saturday, I am going for a run and I haven't run since June. I told myself after I was able to confidently do Alpha I was going to see if it improved my running time at all. I am putting my goal at 5k in 30 minutes. I am doing this because that has been a fitness goal for a long time and I know my willpower and leg power have greatly improved. My fastest time in 30 minutes to date is 2.84. So I think I can do it, I just have to push and believe.

I will also update my stats tomorrow and share what my progress from Alpha week 1 to Alpha week 10 was. I didn't lose a lot of weight, but I lost several inches.

As far as the rest of the day goes my dad had prostate surgery to get rid of the cancer there, but the Doctor said there is nothing to worry about, so hopefully everything goes well.

I don't know why I am always so negative to myself about some of these workouts. Maybe it's the competitive part of me not being able to follow along as well as I would like, but when I take a step back I realize I'm fine I have made tremendous improvements. Yes, I still fall out of some of the exercises, it is a lack of strength and balance but both are getting better. I was able to do over 20 calf hops this morning and once again that's double what I could do the week before. Sometimes we just want results fast and I should have learned by now they seem slow at first until you look back and wonder where the time went. I am making great progress!  My body is changing, my mindset is changing, my willpower is growing and I am doing just fine. My quads are also burning and glutes are on fire, but that's just a job well done.

Wind dancers Low focus