Parking Garage Intervals

Thursday I did a high intensity intervals workout with Cristina.  But this time we headed out to the parking garage instead of inside at Pura Vida Club.  Since I'm still dealing with a pulled hamstring, Cristina said no sprints until it's better.  That does not mean the intervals are any less intense.  Using a giant rubber band and the ViPR, Cristina managed to once again kick my butt.  But in this workout I not only had my own resistance to use, Cristina pulled on the band in opposite direction as I tried to run and shuffle the other way.  Each interval was done for 30 seconds with 30 second rest.  Each pair of intervals was done for 3 rounds.

First up was what I call band hops.  I did fast small hops side to side inside of the band with Cristina pull band the other way.  We did three rounds of those on each side.

Next was what I call the sled pull and ViPR slams.  I put the band around my waist and ran forward pulling Christina, who was pulling in the opposite direction.

For the ViPR slams, I slammed the ViPR down as hard as I could in a lunge position then quickly shifted over to other side.

The next pair of intervals was band shuffle runs and ViPR put downs.

Next up band shuffle runs.  I put band around waist and shuffled with left lead for 30 seconds then back with right lead for 30 seconds while Cristina pulled band in opposition direction.

In the ViPR put downs the goal is to get the end of the ViPR as close as you can to the ground and you quickly move forward and backward.  I did the left arm for 30 seconds then right arm for 30 seconds.  On these I need to work on getting closer to ground.

Here's video of band hops, ViPR slams and ViPR put downs.  The ViPR is a weighted tube.

Fell Off A Box

If you were at Pura Vida Club yesterday about 12:15pm then you likely saw me fall off a 2 foot box/stand when I did a squat jump. It was one of those slow-mo falls. I landed on top of the box but shifted weight back just enough that I looked like I was one of those Nestea plunge commercials from the 80s...except there was no pool or water to fall backward into.

I was really tired yesterday and completely brain-fried that I forgot my camera for workout.  If I would have remember it, Cristina would have totally caught that fall on video.  Good thing for me I guess.  Bad for you since you miss out on a seriously good laugh at me.

Once making sure I was okay, trainer Cristina said, "Well, at least you know what it feels like to fall."  Yes I do and then what it feels like to laugh at yourself then get right back up and try again.  I had no problem jumping high enough to easily clear the box but for some reason my brain didn't want to trust I could do it. Determined, I jumped again and again. That first fall was the only one in high intensity intervals session.

I warmed up with a few minutes of walking but instead of doing sprints, since my right hamstring is super tight and bothering me, Cristina had me go to the rowing machine for row sprints of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. I did these for 8 minutes staying under 2:12 for 500 meters pace.  The last one I went under 2:00 pace for part of it.

I stretched out my hamstring on the foam roller for a few minutes.

Then it was over to the 2 foot box/stand.  First exercise was stand on top of box, lunge, step hop on top of box, then lunge with other leg and repeating as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Then repeating two more times.

Next the the box squats. After the fall I did one set of 10 then a set of 6.

The weighted ViPR was next.  Cristina pulled out one of the biggest (i.e. heaviest) ones. She had do a side lunge leaning the ViPR over to the side, then up and quick switch to lunge other side.  I did three rounds of 30 seconds going as fast as I could with 30 second rest in between.

She dropped the ViPR weight for me to do lunge presses. As soon as I tried, my hamstring said no.  So she switched me to fast squat presses - squatting with ViPR at chest level then pressing it overhead as I stood up.  Being bull-headed I tried lunges with press for the second round and powered through but for third round of 30 second interval I went back to the squats.

I wrapped up the 30 minutes high intensity intervals with more rolling of the hamstring on the foam roller. Guess I need to use mine at home more!

Got 30? Go High Intensity Intervals

Yesterday was a high intensity intervals session with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  I love the tough, kick your butt 30 minute workouts.  Cristina does make me laugh though when she tells me I have another round with a smile.

She had me start with a quick walk then jog warm up on treadmill as set up for sprints.  My right hamstring has been a little extra tight for a few days so I did 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off sprints from 6.5 mph up to 10.5 mph, increasing speed by .5 mph for each sprint.  I had an average pace of 8:42 mph.

Next up lateral jumps shuffle and forward hurdle hops.  Let's just say I wasn't exactly Miss Graceful on those!  These drills are not something I normally do, which is great because they are that much more of a challenge.  Cristina had me do 4 passes of lateral then rest, 4 passes of forward (right lead 1 & 3, left lead 2 & 4) then rest, then do two more rounds.

Then to the ViPR, or weighted tube.  I did a squat swing through then hop twist.  Cristina had me start with just squatting and swinging the the tube up before I advanced to adding the 180 degree jump.  I did three sets of 10 of those.

Here are those two exercises:

I finished out with some glute and hamstring stretches. In and out of gym in 30 minutes...and got a workout that kicked my butt!