The Get Micah Ready For Hawaii Project: Week 3 Recap

We introduced some strength training in Week 3! It was very exciting :)

I kept some good core stabilization and shoulder health exercises in like the straight leg raises, Ys Ts As and Wall Angels (which are a LOT harder than they look). I didn't shoot some exercises since I was spotting so you didn't get to see pretty awesome bench dumbbell presses but you will in Week 4! 

Micah did 3 sets of 8-12 reps with weights heavy enough for him to feel fatigued by that 8th-12th rep. I'm a stickler for form so once form starts to break down, it's time to end the exercise (even if rep 8 hasn't been reached).

Micah's ankle was feeling a little tender this week so to err on the side of caution, I made him do some intervals on the bike (which were still wicked hard), some cardio blasts that weren't too much of a burden on the ankle (that would also help strengthen it), and then he ended with one more set of intervals on the elliptical before cooling down. 

Micah was pretty tired on Wednesday when we trained. He hadn't slept well the night before and hadn't eaten in a few hours before the workout. I'm bringing this up for a few reasons:

1. We all have days like this. We can choose to train or not to train. They key is to really listen to your body. If you're so tired you're falling asleep on the way to the gym, you need to take a day off. If you can stay awake at the gym, chances are you can do something. But THEN, you need to figure out how far you can push yourself. 
2. As a trainer, I am hired to push a client harder than they would push themselves (among other reasons). There are times, though, that it is my job to make sure the client gets pushed a little less. Micah is awesome in that he will go 150% during every workout but there are days when it's OK to go at 75%. Some days 75% will still be the awesome workout you needed that day and the 150% workout would have made you call in sick to work. Listen to your body and then figure out where your intensity falls on the scale and work accordingly.
3. About the food thing: my pet peeve is when someone comes to a workout without having eaten something. Your body needs fuel to get through physical activity. If it doesn't come from supplementation (in the form of food or a shake), the body will pull its fuel from your own muscles. Eat something about 30 minutes before your workout that has some protein and carbs (heavier on the proteins if you're doing strength training; heavier on the carbs if you're doing cardio). Have some turkey or chicken breast with half a banana or, even easier, grab a protein shake! Protein shakes largely have the right ratio of proteins and carbs and will be easier for your body to digest. (You'll also need to have a post workout meal 30-45 minutes post exercise. Something low-fat with a 2:1 to 4:1 carbohydrate:protein ratio is key and low-fat chocolate milk is a great example!) My ALL-TIME FAVORITE pre-workout items are half of this protein shake (I drink the other half post-workout); high-quality amino acids to keep your muscles intact and ready to get leaner and Spark! 

Week 3 was great! The holidays are around the corner and Micah will be on his own for some of weeks 4 and 5 so the next post will focus on what to do when you are on your own! In the meantime, enjoy the Week 3 video!