I've been seeing a personal trainer at the gym. This is good for me for a number of reasons. #1, I need accountability to get up of my lazy arse and do strength training and lose weight and be healthy and prepare for sculling school. #2, it gets me out of the house twice a week and allows me to talk to someone. When you work from home you can find yourself cooped up in the house for days straight. Especially in the winter. And when you don't know anyone where you live. And when you use the self-checkout lane at the grocery store, thereby avoiding even brief interactions with other people. I could literally go for days without talking to anyone other than Dr. Nate. And I don't want to start anthropomorphizing pocket lint and the kitchen table. I do it enough with the cats.
So I trot off to the gym twice a week and see Trainer Jim. Trainer Jim is evil, but in a good way. I like someone who pushes me to the limits of what I can physically do. It's the only way to improve, right?
But Trainer Jim said two things today that I didn't particularly like (okay, yeah, here I go with the negativity again, but trust me folks - you would whine about it too...)
#1. He wants to see a food log. Damn. That means I need to be on my best behavior while I'm logging this stuff. No cookies. Although if I wanted to be really truthful with him I would eat the cookies anyhow and just tell him. Or, as is likely, I will be good for a week and then eat cookies AFTER I submit my food log.
#2. He suggested that I start what sounds like the worst possible thing EVER. It's called the 100 Day Burpee Challenge. See? That sounds miserable, doesn't it? My grousing is justified. I haven't done burpees since junior high PE class. Trainer Jim LOVES the burpees. So this challenge is: Day 1, do one burpee. Day 2, do two burpees. Day 3, do three. And so on until you get to day 100 when you have to do 100. But you can't do 20 in the morning and then 20 a few hours later, etc. (believe me, I asked!) until you get to 100. No, you do them all at one time, no matter how long it takes.
But Trainer Jim's "suggestions" are never really suggestions at all. They are more of a command. "You should do" really = you will do or prepared to be hassled about it everytime I see you. So I will do it. Although I reserve the right to whine about it.
Incidentally, I'm a bit confused by the wikipedia description of a burpee. I've never put the push-up at the beginning. I always have just started from a squat position and then gone from there.
So tomorrow starts the challenge. But maybe I'll have a cookie first
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13 comments:
I also always started in the squat position. At this point in my life, while I want to be healthy and fit and toned, I do not thing my goals in life require burpees. Just say no to burpees. Really.
I, personally, reject the burpee. Trainer Jim does not. He also appears to be immune from my whining about them. My plan is to see if, when I see him on Friday, he remembers our conversation about this 100 Day Challenge. If not, then maybe I'm off the hook...
I'll do it. Starting today. Sounds like a good idea. For tracking calories fitday.com is a handy tool.
For rowing, are you going to go to any races? I think that Head of the Rock is over in your neck of the woods.
I have never heard of a burpee, and I never will do one either.
Brando,
I started today, too. By my count that puts day 100 on April 23. Day 1 was easy. I figure the first month will be okay. It's days 30-100 that I'm not looking forward to.
I've never rowed, but have always wanted to. We're living near Philadelphia now (Dr. Nate works for Merck these day), and I think there's a club around here somewhere. Wish I'd known about Head of Rock before!
Jen,
Lucky you that you were not subjected to the horror of the burpee in PE classes.
Hate the burpee. Fear the burpee! I think I despise them more than I despise running suicides.
Oh crap. That's right. I had it in my head that you were in IL. But of course if I could remember your posts, I'd know better.
Well heck, If you're near Philadelphia, you could go to the Dad Vail. I've never been there, but I've heard it's a big one.
There's a place in Philly called "Boathouse Row" or something like that - I've seen rowing crews out on the river there before. Hopefully I can find something a little closer to home - Philly isn't too far in miles from us (maybe 20?) but the traffic is a pain.
Today's a 7 burpie day. I'm starting to think this isn't such a good idea, but I'll do it as promised. When we get into those 60 burpie days, I'm going to be sore. But the silly thing is that we won't get a rest/recovery day. The next day it will simply be 61. And on and on. My ligaments will be tight as guitar strings, and each day it will be more abuse. Every day for months. It might be a good way to get injured. It seems odd that a personal trainer would advocate such a thing.
But I'm still doing it. Let the insanity continue!
I agree - but considering that my trainer made me do 50 of them the other day (5 sets of 10 with a 1 minute break between each set), I don't think he's too concerned. Although I suppose a rest day isn't completely out of the picture - you could just skip a day and then add two the following day.
It's still no fun...I haven't done my 7 yet today and I'm not looking forward to them.
I'm up to 21 today. I'm starting to regret it. I'm just wondering if you're doing it too. Misery loves company.
Yep, today (Thursday) is 23 for me. And I hate it. I hate it a lot. I will admit to forgetting to do them some days (usually on the weekends. I have the number I'm supposed to do that day written down on my work calendar so if I"m not at my desk on the weekends I tend to forget), but I try to make up for it the next. I can do about 12-13 in a row then I need to take about a 30-45 second break to catch my breath. Pure misery. If the 20s are this bad, I'm really afraid of what 50s+ are going to be...
I've quit. I got to 39. A couple days of being sick, and I'm off schedule. Bleh. I'm still working out though, just not burpie style.
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