First SUSPENDED plank!
I did my very first suspended plank today! Lasted all of 4 seconds. Heck, just getting my feet properly in the loops and rotated over into position without slipping out of the TRX trainer was a first!
I'd tried once before when I first got the trainer, and found it to be absolutely impossible. Could NOT do it. Worse, the DVD said that unless you could do a full regular plank for at least a minute, you shouldn't try to go suspended.
But I CAN'T do a regular plank... the position my feet are in for that stretches them in a scream provoking and painful manner. I tried briefly last fall and set my foot progress back a good while. So I had thought that with my feet suspended, maybe I could do it.
Then I couldn't because my core was too weak!
So I always substituted kneeling planks for as long as I could hold 'em instead. I don't know why I tried the suspended plank today... just did.
I was so jazzed that I managed to get my body up for even those few seconds, I rested and then tried again! I made 10 seconds. My heart rate went from 106 to 125 bpm! I know, seems so pitiful. But I was practically dancing, because I can DO it!
Oh yeah... I also managed 12 lunges on each leg with the trainer assist. Progress forward!
According to my heart rate monitor, I burned 350 calories for the 35 minutes I did on the trainer. Average heart rate 111 bpm (64%). Max heart rate 143 (83%). 25 minutes in the light aerobic zone... 8 minutes in my regular working aerobic zone. I managed Nordic Track skiing for 20 minutes after. Supposedly that burnt 275 calories... hard to believe, but my heart rate was up, so maybe. Average heart rate 137 bpm (79%) and max rate 147 bpm (85%). Had to stop after 20 minutes, my feet were going numb.
Made a wonderful Gourmet Nutrition v2.0 Pina Colada smoothie in my new Vita-Mix with green tea, light coconut milk, fresh pineapple and banana for my very necessary post-workout meal.
Way to go! I've never even attempted one of those!
Andrew is getting fit's last blog post..A stagger up Jacob’s Ladder!
Amazing feeling isn't it?
Jessica's last blog post..The Magic Week
Yes, it was amazing! I would never have guessed I'd be able to attempt it so soon.
I think I'm going to have to chill some on trying to do the TRX trainer full workout twice a week... at least with the exercises that have me on my feet. Noticeable flare-up in my feet today.
Time to break out the core exercise DVD and see what I can accomplish with the mat exercises and the TRX. If I do those once a week and the regular workout once a week, maybe that will work better. And I may alternate some with the fitness ball DVD.
I am really feeling my core this morning!
How do you find the TRX trainer. I'm looking into one as an alternate to exercise ball workouts. How do you find it?
Geosomin's last blog post..oooh...I think I want one of these
I find it tough, yet fun. You can do the DVD workout, or I sometimes just take an exercise at a time and do sets/reps, much like I would with dumbbells or weight machines at the gym. Either approach gives me an excellent workout!
How it challenges you depends on your fitness level, it is a MAJOR challenge for me, I am seriously trembling from most of the exercises afterwards! But then again, I have never done a lunge before in my life! However, on the Precision Nutrition forums I hang out on, there's a very fit guy over there who got one and he has been loving it too for helping his core strength.
The good part is that it is adaptable from a beginner level (me) on up to a level that's likely to be tough for even the most hardened fitness junkie ever. So I shouldn't think one would run out of challenges with this apparatus. I very highly recommend the Trainer Basics DVD (sold separately) for modifying the exercises to be more or less challenging.
The construction of the trainer seems sturdy, adjustment is as simple as they say! The door anchor works well and the DVDs are easy enough to understand and follow. Setup is simple and it's a very compact bundle. I have to be away for a weekend later this month and I'm seriously thinking about bringing the TRX to the hotel and getting some kind of workout in.
When I feel I have the exercises and form down better, I'm looking forward to taking it outside to the backyard and trying things suspended from a tree branch.
Hope that helps!