Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Weights last night, snowshoe run this morning

I started a new lifting cycle last night. This cycle will last for 9 weeks, lifting just twice per week. Each workout is a full-body workout, unlike the last cycle. The primary purpose of this cycle is to maintain strength while droping body fat.

Last night started with dumbbell snatches. I had never done snatches before, and I warmed up with light weights until I got comfortable with the movement. By the time I got the lift down, I was really enjoying them. After that, I did some squats and step-ups for my legs, some bent-over rows and incline bench presses for my upper body, and then woodchops and 3-point planks for my core. It was a fairly quick and hard workout.

This morning, I went out for a snowshoe run before work. For the first time this year, a common 4-mile loop that I use was in "fast" shape. The loop was mostly icy or a crust over compacted snow, and I finished the loop in under an hour for the first time this season.

Tonight, I'll do some treadmill interval work - short and hard.

Later tonight, a 2-day snowstorm will start. I should still be able to do a snowshoe run tomorrow morning, but tomorrow night's workout might be running the snowblower rather than lifting. Total accumulations from the storm should range from 6"-14", and the ski resorts may see more than that.

2 comments:

David Ray said...

How do you keep track of all those workouts? Have you got an agenda you're carrying around and marking off each lift? Just curious again.

I'd love to try some snowshoeing.

Damon said...

For each book I buy or program that I use, I enter them into Excel and take a copy of the workout to the gym with me. It's pretty straightforward and after you do a particular workout a few times, you don't even need the sheets anymore. It's just a matter of what's the lift, how many sets, how many reps, how much rest, etc.

Snowshoeing is fun and it works a lot of muscles in your lower legs because your feet land at different angles all the time. Even though the speed is slower than running in shoes, the value of the workout is, minute for minute, superior to straight running, IMO.