Cynergy!

Today was an active day of rest so I enjoyed Cynergy without having ridden first. I am beginning to notice the flexibility gains from the Cynergy Class and my Hot Tube Stretching routine. Only a couple of months ago I couldn't even grab my hands behind my back, and now I can grab and lift them about 4 inches off my back. I also feel my handstring becoming looser, but my calves are still tight

Yesteday I singed up for a class to help me become cross certified in Health, and will have to change my routine as of January 24th. On that Monday I will have to do my core cycle routine at Healthtrax somehow proir to class, and begin my workout at around 4:30. I have already changed my workout on Thursdays due to the highly intense training on Tuesdays and Wednesday, Thursday is now an active day of rest with Cynergy. I had planned to swim prior to the class, but for family reasons I could not today.

So as of Jan. 24th I will be on the following weekly workout schedule:
Monday: Core and Weights with a swim at 4:30 PM. Class at MxCC at 7:00pm
Tuesday: Cycling at Newington Cycle at 6:00 PM
Wednesday: Cycle at Cycle Concepts at 6:00 PM
Thursday: Swimming and then Cynergy at Healthtrax at 4:30
Friday: Active Rest: Core and Weights with a short ride (20 minutes sub max) at 5:00 PM
Saturday: Spin Class at Healthtrax at 7:00 AM.
Sunday: Active Rest: Swim - Core - Weights at 9:00 AM

Add in Yoga for 20 minutes on Mondays and Wednesdays at School, and this should provide me with a good diverse finish to the winter training.

Wish me luck!
T

1:06 minutes of Hills: Spinervals

Tonight after registering for a class at MxCC in Middletown, I went to Cycle Concepts in Rocky Hills for 1 hr of Hills; Spinervals volume 24. Two nights of intense workouts has my legs depleted but feeling strong. Tomorrow will bring an active day of rest with 30 minutes in the pool and then Cynergy class for another core workout. (Much needed by the by). The good news was that both cycle workouts were much different in their structure of intervals to rest. Tonight were longer bouts with longer rest, and last night were short rest to work ratios with more sets.
I have to just keep on keepin on.

50 min. of "Lean and Mean" Spinervals

I went to Newington Cycle last night to cycle training indoors. The group decided to do a 50 minute Spinerval Session called, "Lean and Mean". These sessions included both large chain ring X 12 progressions and High Spin Rate intervals, but there were no long duration intervals (aerobic in nature), but Troy gave us plenty of rest. Troy is the Spinerval coach on the DVD's we put in the Big Screen. There were a lot of newbies last night, making their new year's appearances. Parker left for Texis to ride outdoors, and the rest of the 10 +- riders were long term riders. The newbies had that stuck in the headlight look on their faces about 10 minutes in. Like, what did I get myself into here. I remember that feeling, although the first session were light compared to last nights version. Several of them had to get off their bikes to 'Adjust' or whatever a couple of times during rest periods. For me, it was a nice affirmation that I am more fit now than when I started. By spring I should be "Lean and Mean"...:-}
T

Cyclo-Core Workout

Last night was another edition of Cyclo-Core bicycle specific resistance and core training at Cycle Concepts in RH, CT. As I continue to progress I am able to finish more routines without failing, but still have some ways to go to finish all of them. By the end of March, I should be good to go. Tonight is indoor training in at Newington Bike. Hopefully aerobic training as I know Wednesday is Hills.

Active Rest Day - Swimming

Took today as an Active Rest day, so I decided to swim for 20 minutes. I choose to swim the breast stroke because it uses the completely different muscle groups from those I use when cycling. The movements of the arms promote chest and back expansion as well as lengthening of the torso. The lower body is a adduction, mostly, of the thighs and a rounding motion 'abc' of the ankles. The complete stroke is like doing full body crunches and works the entire core. It just so happens that the places where I have the most 'fat' left is in the areas where cycling is not focused on, and the breast stroke is. I will be trying to get more swims in over the next month or so. Moving from 1 to 2 swims a week to 3-4 swims. I will also try to build my endurance from 20 to 45 minutes over time, (time permitting of course).
This should help with those problem areas, HOPEFULLY!

T

Saturday Spin

Today I was still feeling the effects from as long ago as Wednesday, but made it to spin class at Healthtrax anyway. It was a somewhat moderate workout for 45 minutes but worked for me. I then went upstairs to lift and do my regular ab workout, and of course my HOT TUB stretching routine. My legs now feel strong and great, ready for a Hard days to come...

Happy New Year!

On this New Year's Day, my son Brian and I got to go to Healthtrax together, and enjoy a workout, albiet an easy one. I still felt a bit sore today, so another active day of rest is probably a good Idea. We then went to the Mall and bought a pair of sneakers for him that have the Nike+ system for his Ipod. I have written about the Nike+ for pelink4u.org before when I bought it some 3+ years ago. His girlfriend Stephanie also was able to get 3 pair of new shoes and Dieshmann's.

My New Year's resolution is to eat only non-processed foods and reduce the portion size especially with regard to protein in my diet. My overall goal remains the same until I reach it, but needed to make alterations to my diet to make this happen a bit quicker.

My dad is a vegan, and eats nothing with eyes or has a a mother. I am going going to go to that extreme, as I still enjoy the meat in my diet and don't want to loose muscle mass in the process of loosing body mass (FAT). Although it may take me twice to three times as long to loose the weight, I do have the time!

My dad gave me two books on the effect of the vegan diet on Heart Health: I am halfway through one of them, and some interesting data from various studies is used to justify the need for this extreme measure of those patients with heart disease. so far the book has provided no additional insights into heart disease other than what I knew already, and uses mainly empirical data to support the books premiss as of this point in the book.

On a less healthy note, I share a cigar after dinner last night with my brother, brother-In_Law Bobby and Frank (Bob's neighbor) . My bother and I smoke a CAIN by Oliva Robusto. this cigar is currently my new favortie smoke! It has a medium full body with plenty of flavors that show themselves throughout the cigars long smooth smoke. The almost creamy finish is wonderful and can be smoked all the way to the end without the harshness that ruins most other smokes. We were relegated to Bob's garage, and it was extremely brisk outside, but NICE! It may also have added to the extremely long white ash the cigars provided. The following pictures were taken via Frank's iPhone.



Am now going to take a week off of smoking Cigars, and only have one a week for a while. Although this is not my NY resolution, I think it wise.

Here hoping everyone has a healthy happy NEW YEAR!