Core Strength Training

About a year ago I bought some adjustable dumbbells from NZ site Trademe (trademe is a bit like ebay). I think they cost me something like $60. Total weight of 32kg (16 x 2).



Since then I've used them only sporadically - so far. However I think by using some structure, and reporting via this blog, will help.

Here is the core strength program I have decided on.

3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri). It is important to have a rest day to allow the body to recover.

Two sets of every exercise, 15-20 reps of each with 60 seconds in between each one. The figure in brackets are the weights I'll try to start with.

Back Extension
Crunches
Side Crunches
Hip Flexor
Forward Lunge with Dumbbells (2 x 8)
Pushups*
Dumbell Chest Press (2 x 16)
Calf Raises with Wall
One-Arm Dumbell Rows (1 x 16)
Lying Dumbell Fly (2 x 10)
Seated Dumbell Shoulder Press (2 x 10)
Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curl (2 x 10)
Seated Dumbell Tricep Extension (1 x 10)
Stretch After Strength Training

Almost as good as going to the gym?

* Want to kick start the 100 pushup thing again. See how I with a week of this first though.

Landscape Road Hill Climb

Absolute cracker of a day today. Did plan to head out this morning but made it mid afternoon instead. A hill climb in my local streets today. Not too long 6.49km in 30:29 (4:41 min/km) legs a bit cooked from yesterdays longish run but did OK.

Nearly all of my runs start from home in Peary Road which is in Mt. Eden, Auckland. Peary Road is a nice street quite close to the city. I even walk to work some days. We moved to Peary Road in March this year.



At the East end of Peary I turned right and head up Mt. Eden Road. This hill isn't too bad. Good bakery near here (Wild Wheat) but I'm being good today.



The route turns left into Landscape Road. This hill is quite steep when you are running up it - reminds me of the steep sections of One Tree Hill and Mt. Roskill in particular. I can tell because my stride gets quite short to handle the incline.



The rest of the run is pretty sedate - http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route?r=259424291301.

Started raining when I got home - so I was quite please to get back in time.

Rest day from running tomorrow but am going to do some core exercises (i.e. weights) instead.

Two Is Better Than One

Weather in Auckland was supposed to be great this weekend it ended up raining a little in the morning and merely overcast.

So...went running round the block today - then did it again for good measure. Total run today was 7.53km x 2 = 15.06km. Time was 1:14:58 and 4:57min/km. Second lap was old map running (shuffle) stuff. Quite out of shape!!! But felt really good I did the second lap rather than caning out at the half way mark.

This course - http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route?r=204374141 - rolling terrain.

I have a hill run to try out for tomorrow morning. Even got a couple of photos prepared ahead of time.

Earlier in the week I treated myself to a new pair of headphones to go running with. Pair of Nike Flow from Dick Smith's for $30NZ. Overall they worked pretty well in terms of staying in the ears.

Stop the rot

Got on the scales this morning with a rude shock 88.4kg. Hells bells. Keep this up and previous observations will be coming home to roost.

I'd say it was wet weather, the flu, and real life getting in the way but in all honesty its just being slack.

So today I went out for the first run in about a month. Plodding along (or it felt like it) - but it was better than expected at 7.63km @ 4:52 min/km. (37:20min). Obviously didn't go crazy on the distance or pace. I got rained on but that wasn't bad - just pleased to be out. Tomorrow I'm going to make time to go out running too - might be an early one!

Did a route in Mt Eden - with a couple of gradual hills.

I'm also kick-starting a core training program today - and will post on that shortly.

Not stoped - just paused

Haven't done much of anything really for the couple of weeks aside from some walking. Still on a positive have been watching the diet - weighed in this morning at 86.1kg which wasn't too bad.

Miserable weather most days - and far too easy to want to stay inside.

This weekend is all about coming up with a new running program. That and some core-training too - no excuse for this as it doesn't rain inside. I'm going going to kick back into the pushup program next week picking up at Week 4/Day 2.

carpe diem