Mixing it up

I know it's always a good thing to mix up your workouts and keep your body guessing, which is great because I must do it for sanity's sake anyhow (a side effect of having the attention span of a 2-year-old?). Sometimes I find it tiring, sometimes exhilarating. This week? Painful!

The Pain Scale. I'm probably somewhere near #3. For now.

Now, I like to say that workout muscle pain "hurts so good," but you know how it is. After a day or two, you'd gladly risk bathing in a tub of novacaine just to not hurt for five minutes. (I used to think a tub of Icy Hot would be better, but after having someone rub it on a large portion of my back and arms, I realized it would be a really bad idea). I have friends who don't work out that don't understand why I still get sore from working out. They think that if you work out regularly, you're immune from the pain. Well, I'm here to tell you that that is so not true!

So what has my week been like so far, workout-wise?

Sunday:

I worked out with my friends, Erin and Dan, at their gym. We did a half hour of cardio and then Dan gave us a tough upper body workout, and schooled me on the squat rack. (I never get a chance to use it because the muscle-heads at my gym are always hogging it. Jerks).

Result: My triceps have been on fire ever since, and I've decided to incorporate the exercises we did into my gym routine. (Thanks, Dan!)

Monday:

I partook (that's a word, right?) in a class at the campus gym called Cardio Interval. Basically it's run like a bootcamp with lots of cardio drills (squat-kicks, skaters, jumping jacks, you name it). Because of the pain in my rear from this one, from now on I'm referring to the instructor as the Squat Nazi. (Lovingly, of course).

Result: My butt and upper thighs are screaming. I also realized during this workout that something I did on Sunday resulted in a pain in my calves. So basically the whole of my lower body is sore. The skaters also did a number on my obliques, which I find a little embarrassing.

Tuesday:
I was supposed to only do cardio since I need to let my muscles rest a bit before my hour-long kickboxing class tonight. I did 35 minutes on the Arc Trainer (I could've done more, but I could feel the blisters forming on my baby toes. I need to find shoes that fit correctly!), and then I broke my promise to myself and did some upper body work, staying away from my triceps.

Result: Everything still hurts, but I don't blame any of it on Tuesday's workout, except maybe for a little fatigue in my upper body, but the only thing still sore up there is my triceps.

Wednesday (today):
Will be kickboxing, my favorite evening of the week! I only hope my muscles hold up. (Does anyone have some novacaine I can borrow? :)





I leave you with this. Because it made me laugh. And because big, ridiculously muscular men think they look great and that women will dig them when really, they look scary and it's way obvious that they're trying too hard.

Do you mix up your workouts?


Happy Hump Day!