Tuesday Circuits - With All New Stations

Classes at the fitness center run for 6-8 week sessions. Most classes keep the same format and schedule from session to session, and you don't have to "enroll", but the session gives the staff a week (or half week) to not teach.

The circuits class changes the stations for every new session. Today was the first day of the new session, so we had all new stations. Matt was the instructor (as has become the pattern for Tuesdays).

I started with "wall sits with a weight over your head." Basically sitting against a wall in a squatting position, this stresses your upper legs and abdominal muscles.
Holding the weight (I used a 15-lb dumbell) above your head works your abs even more.

My next station was one-legged squats. Picture a flamingo going down and up on one leg. We are allowed to hold onto the bar while we do this.

I don't remember all the stations, but I'll be doing this class twice a week for the next six weeks so I will try to describe them as time goes by.

Weight = 189 lbs.

Monday 4.5 Miles Solo

I ran about 4 1/2 miles today at lunch. I expected there to be someone to run with from the fitness center but Rick hurt his leg and none of the other regulars were around. Maybe they are ashamed to show their face after Chris beat them at St. Malichi on Saturday.

So I ran a loop I've run many times, out past Cleveland Browns Stadium, behind the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, onto a path that runs alongside Burke Lakefront Airport, and then back on the South Marginal past the muni lots and through public square.

No the muni lots don't actually have a webpage, that's a link to a Cleveland Browns fan forum that I found while checking to see if they did.

Weight = 189 lbs.

Friday 3 Miles

I ran an easy 3 miles today (2.895 according to Gmap) with regulars Kevin D, Milica, Rick, Vicki, Pete, and newcomer Dan. The pace was relaxed and we stopped about the 2 mile mark so that Kevin, Milica, Vicki, and Pete could pick up their race packets for the St. Malachi race tomorrow.

The talk of the run was whether or not they all could beat Chris, one of the instructors at our fitness center.

Weight = 186 lbs.

Thursday Circuits

There was a group going to run outside but it was too cold, plus there was the option of circuits. I did circuits class again today. Taught by Chris. Chris is younger and a little more focused than Matt.

It was a good class but sparsely attended. Only 8 participants including the instructor.

We finished up with a group exercise of 10 push-ups, 10 dips, 9 push-ups, 9 dips, and so on counting down to 1. This is a staple of the class whenever Chris teaches. Today's twist was once we got down to 5 push-ups, we were supposed to do push-ups with a clap in between. I tried but I cannot do this. I think I got 1 clap but then I fell to my elbows, couldn't get my hands back out quick enough.

I'm going to have to work on this.

Lots of people from the fitness center are running the St. Malachi 5-Mile Race this Saturday. Good luck to them.

Weight 185 lbs

Tuesday Circuits

I went back to Circuits today. Matt taught again. Here are the stations as best I remember them:

1. Dips
2. Bicep Curls (8 top half, 8 bottom half, 8 full)
   
3. Squat Kicks
4. Bent-Over Row
5. Ladder Agility Drill (like running through tires in football)
6. Front Raises with Body Bar
7. Pushups with feet on bar (raised)
8. Lateral Raises
9. Calf Raises
10. Alternate Run In Place / Jumps
11. Seated Military Press
12. Incline Bench Press
13. Side Bends (with weight)
    
14. Alternate Squats / Wall Sits
15. Squat Thrusts (with a pushup and a jump)
16. Crunches with medicine ball over your head
17. Stationary Bike
18. Decline Bench Press
19. Alternate Leg Lifts / Crunches with legs raised

Now of course each class you may end up starting at a different station, but unless you rotate backwards (like we did today), you will do the stations in this order.

Weight = 187 lbs

24 Hour Treadmill World Record

Congratulations to the guys from Team Good River for smashing the world record for a team of 12 guys running the most miles (261.75) on a treadmill in 24 hours!

Sore Calves

I took Thursday off but my calves are still very sore from Tuesday's circuits class. I am probably taking Friday off also.