First things first, thank you to Kristina for putting this tabata week together! I'm not going to pretend that it was anything less than a true challenge, but that just makes it all the more rewarding to push through and get it all done. Thanks also to Malissa and Jacqueline for the company and encouragement!
Lessons learned this week:
-I really get a different kind of burn from tabata. I'm in the middle of Fit Round 1 and hadn't been more than mildly sore in a while. Day 1 of this challenge was a rude awakening for me. 2-3 rounds of lifting heavy didn't prepare me for the endurance needed for 8 rounds. Both types of strength training are well worth my time.
-There's a difference between sore and stiff for me. Sore means I should take it easy on those muscles for a while, but I found that gently warming up and then using stiff muscles again made them feel better. Before I throw in the towel and skip a workout when I wake up feeling stiff, I should try a warm-up/stretching routine before reevaluating.
-I CAN push through the pain! 8 rounds of anything seemed impossible when I started, but I know I can do it now. There are still a lot of things I need to work on (push-ups, side planks, pulsing anything), but I can conquer any routine if I really put my mind to it.
Back to Fit next week! Thanks again to everyone else doing the challenge, whether you did every day or just one workout. It's always encouraging to read your posts and check-ins!
Tabata challenge complete!
First things first, thank you to Kristina for putting this tabata week together! I'm not going to pretend that it was anything less than a true challenge, but that just makes it all the more rewarding to push through and get it all done. Thanks also to Malissa and Jacqueline for the company and encouragement!
Lessons learned this week:
-I really get a different kind of burn from tabata. I'm in the middle of Fit Round 1 and hadn't been more than mildly sore in a while. Day 1 of this challenge was a rude awakening for me. 2-3 rounds of lifting heavy didn't prepare me for the endurance needed for 8 rounds. Both types of strength training are well worth my time.
-There's a difference between sore and stiff for me. Sore means I should take it easy on those muscles for a while, but I found that gently warming up and then using stiff muscles again made them feel better. Before I throw in the towel and skip a workout when I wake up feeling stiff, I should try a warm-up/stretching routine before reevaluating.
-I CAN push through the pain! 8 rounds of anything seemed impossible when I started, but I know I can do it now. There are still a lot of things I need to work on (push-ups, side planks, pulsing anything), but I can conquer any routine if I really put my mind to it.
Back to Fit next week! Thanks again to everyone else doing the challenge, whether you did every day or just one workout. It's always encouraging to read your posts and check-ins!