Hi there!
I dropped off again, I need to reestablish a good habit. To be fair, it was a really hard week for me. I've mostly been off from work and relaxing, but last week I was in a bad car accident, I was at fault but the person in front of me stopped at a blinking lights area because he thought it was a red light
so he was stopped on a 45 mph road and I just couldn't respond quickly enough. Anyway, my 'good' leg (not my bad knee leg) was bruised up really bad from the airbags, but otherwise I feel just fine, and there were no injuries from the other party either, so that's good. But my car was totaled, and it was a brand new car I got in April! So now I'm carless but my loving hubby is driving me around so that's great. When the settlement comes in (and I have gap insurance) I can think about getting another car.
Anyway, here are my workouts since my last check in:
Friday-I finally tried out Strong Knees and it was about what I expected, pretty much all the same PT exercises and stretches that I was given. I was a bit sore from the last couple of days so I did the main work on the DVD and called it a day.
Saturday-Barlates Pilates Magic Circle Mat and Barre except for the standing thighs (but I did to the standing seat since it is much less knee bending). This was tough! I love these workouts.
Sunday-Firm Sculpted Buns, Hips, and Thighs. I used to love this one when I was younger, I remember it being really tough, but I used much heavier ankle weights (I think like 5# or more?) and now that I don't want to go so heavy on weights, and some of the tougher abs sections are complicated with a lot of knee bending, so I'm modifying, and I'm finding I don't enjoy this one as much.
Mon-Tues-planned rest days
Wednesday-Happy New Year!! I have been trying to keep my workouts shorter and more split style, but I wanted to ring in the new year with a real total body workout. I have been doing research about bad knees and workout recommendations on old GD threads, and frequently came across Margaret Richards Getting Better, which is performed all sitting or on the mat. The workout was kinda boring but I can say that for all MR that I've tried, BUT also like all MR that I've tried it is really effective! I STILL have DOMS in my arms from this workout. The abs weren't worthwhile but the lower body work was pretty great too. I definitely want to incorporate this at least 1x a week until I get stronger!
Thursday-I pulled out an oldie, Ana Caban Pilates Abs (Gaiam) and it was good but actually not as challenging as I expected, I think I am just used to the fast pace and tougher sequences from Barlates. But I was reminded at the nice Gaiam productions and I decided to pull out one of Rodney Yee's yoga for a little stretching to nice music, for an overall 45 minute workout.
Friday-I've been tentatively feeling better in my knee, so I decided to try a barre workout again, so I pulled out Pure Barre Results Abs, since my notes said the standing thigh work was pretty short. I skipped the arms since they were still sore from MR but I did the remaining 50 minutes. OMG it was nothing short of exhilarating doing a workout that was both very challenging AND very fun. I can't seem to get that with any of my workouts without cardio and much standing. I was careful to ice my knees but today I continue to feel really good, so I want to continue doing barre work at least 1x a week. I also read on GD that barre is restorative to the knees because of all the quad work, so I feel like the more I can do it while not irritating my knee, the faster I can recover. Hopefully? Or else I'm just excited at more sweet hard+fun workouts
Yesterday-MR Getting Better the arm work again (even though I STILL felt a little DOMS in my upper body!) and 10MS Tighten and Tone Pilates with the band, the abs section, plus some yoga stretching for a 45 minute workout.
Today-Ellen Barrett Studio Fat Burning Fusion. I used to adore this workout but I haven't pulled it out in about seven years per my DVD notes
but it seemed like a good choice with my knee, and I loved it! I did modify a little bit but I still got in a great workout. I noticed today for the first time in a few weeks that I actually felt no knee pain at all this afternoon while I was walking around shopping. I've been on about a three-day feeling pretty good (1-0 pain) steak so I'm starting to feel really optimistic that I have a good formula going. That also tells me that the barre was not detrimental, and may have even been helpful, for my knee pain. I am definitely going to try it again next week.
Tomorrow-Tues-planned rest days!
Eventmom I remember there was a barre series on Cody App that I was interested in, but then they changed it and you could no longer purchase series, LOL. But I probably didn't need any more workouts anyway.
Buzzer I just love the full length Firm workouts and the appetite doesn't come up all at once, it sneaks in slowly LOL. I would really like to get back to them, but I think incorporating barre more will help with my knee, then I can hopefully transition into more Firm with some cardio, even if I keep it all low impact.
I totally agree with you that Firm Vol. 3 is especially hard and I think it's a tad longer than the others!! I'm glad you're feeling better. I definitely woke up with some kind of sore throat that hopefully won't turn into a cough.
OMG the house epic continues to drag on, the current news it that we will hear something by Wednesday or so of next week.
We are supposed to settle in about 2.5 weeks. It is definitely an ongoing stressor but hopefully we will get the house!