Thursday, July 7, 2011

A wrinkle in my fitness plan and knee pain doing lunges

Yesterday I did two classes in a row -BodyStep and BodyPump. For BodyStep I again added a riser to the step and it went went. I'm still avoiding most of the higher impact stuff for bladder control issues and because my heart rate is high enough, but I'm adding in bits here and there and it feels great! I followed that class with BodyPump and this time I upped the weights. I started with 1kg on each end of the barbell. This time I put two kgs on each end of the barbell. For the heavier weights, initially I was putting 2.5 kgs on each end, now I put 3.5 kgs on each end and I was able to do it fine. This morning I'm actually feeling less sore than the first time I took that class, so it was a good decision.

The two classes back to back work for me as they are two completely different routines - one is completely aerobic. One is completely strength and I don't think doing cardio before strength makes me more tired or weaker.

The first class starts at 9:30 am. The second class starts at 10:45 am. With the first class, you need to set up our mat, step with risers and so on. For the strength class I need the mat and step with 3 risers and then the barbell two to three sets of weights and clips and hand weights. So, it takes a wee bit to set up and to clean up after each class. I say this because that's where the wrinkle comes in.

With our gym membership we purchased the KidSpace option (it's not included in standard membership). It's a great deal and I'm not complaining for $5 extra a month we get the childcare which is a bargain. What I didn't remember or was unaware of was that there is a two hour time limit per day use of the KidSpace area. Now, for me normally this is no big deal. I do one class a day. Except on Wednesdays I do that double class. I do that for several reasons - one, for some reason, that BodyPump class isn't filled up immediately unlike almost all the other times and two, it's more convenient for me to make one trip into the gym than two separate trips in. Now, if the two hour long classes really only took 2 hours total, I might be OK, but of course, that's not how it works. What happens is taht I drop my son off a few minutes before 9:30 am and go downstairs to set up for class. Class ends at 10:30 (or a few minutes later) and then I have 15 minutes to go to the bathroom and set up for the weight class which means adding risers to the step, getting a mat, getting the barbell, getting the three sets of barbell weights and hand weights, putting it all together and so on. Class starts at 10:45 or a few minutes later and then ends at 11:45 am (or a few minutes later) and then all that stuff I got out, needs to be put away. So, yesterday I dropped my son off at 9:25 am and picked him up at 11:50. That's 25 minutes over the maximum time allowed. I got charged $5 per every five minutes I was late for a $25 fine. I was NOT happy.

And how do I fix that? I can't really change when I do the step class as they only offer that class twice during hours I can easily go - and I go to both of those classes Wednesday and Friday. I try to get into other BodyPump classes and they are full within minutes of opening up and since these are my favorite two classes I really don't want to give one of them up. Well, one option is to leave my son at home with my older son. My older son will be 15 in a month and is completely capable of watching the 6 year old, but of course my younger son would prefer to go to the gym with me. Or, I could try this (if it is allowed to check a kid out and sign back in). I could set up for the step class before taking my son up to class. That would buy me a few minutes. Drop him off and leave the class a few minutes early when they are doing the finally 4-5 minutes of stretches. Go up, sign him out, and then come back downstairs and set up (with him there) for strength class (and throw in a few stretches). See if he needs anything, chat with him a bit and then take him back up stairs a minute or two before the strength class starts and then leave that class a few minutes early during the stretches to check him out and then come back downstairs to put away my stuff. That way he would be in the class for 2 hours only or a few minutes shy of two hours. Seems a bit crazy, but it would only be until summer is over or when I go back to work (if work starts before summer is over). Now that I type it out - leaving him at home with my older son once a week is sounding more and more appealing!

Another thing that is plaguing me is that I simply cannot do lunges. I feel unstable, I cannot bend my knees properly and they hurt when I try. I think I'm doing everything correctly, but it just didn't work! I used to feel the same about squats, but I learned better form and now I can do them fine with no problem, but if something is hurting me with a single lunge, something isn't right. I keep looking and reading and trying to fix the problem, but I can't pinpoint it. Some sites suggest that for some people their body alignment doesn't allow for it, but it's probably more likely that I'm doing something wrong - no my knee is not surpassing my toes, my legs are wide apart and hip distance spread, but then I can't lower like at all - so strange!

And, that's it. Time to get some breakfast and to get ready for class! Dragging my older son to the gym with me today too!

Stats for 7/7/11:

Beginning weight: 255.6  Now: 198.2
Exercise total hours in 2011: 211
Total miles walked/biked in 2011: 573/1000

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