Workout Partners are Awesome

I typically like working out alone and have always looked at those Find a Workout Partner articles and thought, not me, I don't really need a partner, I'm cool working out on my own. Well, maybe I was wrong, because over the last few weeks I have come to really appreciate my workout partners and I've learned that a love for exercising alone is not incompatible with having workout partners. So here I am writing my very own Workout Partners are Awesome post, because my workout partners are definitely making my road to Louisville easier and I think they're pretty awesome!

Besides making exercising more fun, exercise partners also significantly increase the likelihood that you'll actually work out. Maybe it's the fact that you don't want to disappoint your partner, or maybe it's just better to run 10 miles if you know someone else is doing it too. Either way, having a partner limits your lazy side's ability to win the battle of to do or not to do. A partner also pushes you to work a little harder than you would on your own. When you work out alone it's easy to slack off or convince yourself you've reached your max, but with a partner you'll push yourself just a little harder and longer, because your partner might be motivating you or maybe you're secretly trying to show off your skills or compete with your partner.

My partners have done all of the above for me this winter and I know I'm going to depend on them as I get ready to tackle the Ironman and possibly some other athletic endeavors this year!

Let's start with the Pacers Fun Runs. Like I said, I like exercising alone and that applies specifically to running, so I have been hesitant to join Pablo on his weekly runs with Pacers. Two weeks ago though, I changed my mind. Why? First of all, I've noticed a significant increase in my completed runs when I run with the group and second, the beauty of a group run is that you can make it whatever you want. Feeling social? Run with a pace group. Feeling anti-social? Run the same route as everyone else but on your own. You start the together and end up at the same place and if you're in Alexandria on a Tuesday, you get to wine taste together too. The results: you push yourself a little harder and in my case do a 4 mile run at a 9:25 min/mile pace (I'm a 10 min/mile runner on a good day on my own!)

Another awesome example is actually the incident that prompted me to write this post. A few days ago we woke up to 9 degree weather (-22 Celsius) and I was not in the mood to leave the house for an hour in the pool. I had a snow day from work, it was brutally cold and my warm bed was calling my name. Pablo let me sleep an extra 30 minutes and then he started nagging me to get ready to go to the pool. I was super tempted to tell him to just go on his own, but I knew it would not only disappoint him (this Ironman journey is after all a journey we decided to embark on together), but I'd also disappoint myself and probably kick myself in the butt when I would either have to own up to skipping a workout or have to venture out to the pool by myself.

So there I went in the cold and when I first got to the pool, I just was not feeling it. I felt slow, my arms hurt and my lazy side announced that I would just swim for 30 minutes, maybe at the most 45. As I continued my laps however, those complaints and negative thoughts slowly melted away....I remembered how it usually takes me about 750 meters to get in my groove and by 900 meters I felt like I had grown gills and my arms were gliding much smoother through the water. I was even practicing flip turns and before I knew it I had completed my planned 2000m workout.

I could go on and on sharing examples of the ways Pablo, Emily (my yoga buddy), Pacers and the DC Tri Club have helped me, but the main point is they're awesome and I highly recommend finding workout groups and partners. My internal motivation to train for this Ironman is definitely there. I want it and I know what I need to do to get there, but sometimes when it's cold and miserable outside or when it feels like the couch is calling my name, it sure is nice to have training partners to keep me on track!

Happy New Year!

I hope you've had a wonderful start to 2014!

I had a nice trip home followed by a wonderful trip to Mexico, but I'm not going to lie; working out while on vacation is hard! I'm not setting any new year's resolutions this year, but I would like to get better at working out while traveling. I love to work out, I love to travel, now I just need to merge the two!

My lack of workouts, and excessive eating, has taken a bit of a toll on me and my post-holiday weight is almost 6 pounds more than my lowest weight of 2013! I am however not really bothered by it at all, which is a huge mental milestone for me! It could be because I know that Ironman training will quickly take care of those extra pounds, but I'd also like to credit my new "it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle" mentality. My old self would have freaked out about any weight gain in the off-season, but for the first time ever I am not beating myself up and you know what; it feels great!

I am by no means ignoring the weight gain or allowing it to increase past this point, but I am being realistic; it's the off-season, it's the holidays and I'm doing more strength training than cardio, all of which has resulted in some weight gain. The biggest thing is that I'm still down 12lbs from my heaviest weight and while my last DEXA scan showed a total weight loss of only 1.5lb, it also showed a 5lb decrease in body fat and a 3.5lb increase in lean muscle, which is AWESOME! That just goes to show that muscle does actually weight more than fat and that the scale alone is not a good indicator of progress.

My goal this year is to gain about 6lb of muscle and hopefully shed 10lbs of fat, which should bring me pretty close to my ideal racing weight. I don't want to bore you with the details of my plan, but if you're interested in a similar plan, send me a message and I highly recommend (yes I've recommended it before and will continue doing so because I just love this book) reading Racing Weight.

This week I'm officially back to the grind. Pablo and I have started base training and in about a month and a half we'll start our official half and full DC Tri Ironman program. I'm also hoping to do some fun other races, so stay tuned for a preview of 2014...it's promises to be an adventurous and athletic year!

What are your 2014 plans and aspirations?

I love suspension training!

I've been using the off-season to relax, reduce the smell of chlorine in my hair, shop for a new bike, speed up my run and most importantly strengthen my core. I started Jillian Michael's 30-day shred and occasionally throw in No More Trouble Zones. I've also taken full advantage of Groupon, Living Social and other deals to try out classes and so far my absolute favorite class has got to be TRX!

TRX Suspension Training, in case you haven't heard of it, is a super intensive workout that targets every single muscle in your body. As the Firm Fitness Trainer says TRX exercises = a hard core work out and the ladies at MyThrivePilates have totally been kicking my butt. The classes that I've been taking are only 45-50min and while they fly by it doesn't always feel like it, especially when your muscles are burning and the instructor tells you you're only halfway through a 30-second interval. Seriously, how the hell does it take so long for 15 seconds to go by?

The plank part of the workout is both my favorite and least favorite part. Sometimes I can't help but crash onto my mat in the middle of a set. At the same time normal planks during my Jillian Michael's and PearFitness workouts are now a total joke, which can only mean one thing: my core has gotten stronger.

I can't give all the credit of my new core strength to TRX, but it's definitely been a huge part. I mean just try these 3 moves back to back for 30 seconds each and tell me how you feel afterwards:

TRX Atomic Push-Up

TRX Oblique Knee Tuck

TRX Side Plank with Threading Needle

(Photos courtesy of the Firm Fitness Trainer, who by the way has a sick sick core)

TRX is truly a great strength training workout and while I can't guarantee the quality of your local classes, I highly recommend trying it out!

Update (November 29, 2013):
If you can't afford TRX classes or don't have any classes in your area, I have found a great alternative: Home Suspension Trainer Systems! I've seen these online and at sports stores before, but I've always been skeptical about them. Could a system with a simple mount that you throw over the door really work?

Well, I've only used mine a few times, but so far it definitely works! Admittedly I work harder when I'm in the classes, but that's the case for me whenever I do things in a group versus by myself and even if you just use the system for 30 minutes, you can definitely get a good workout out of it.
There are many systems available (just google suspension training systems). On Amazon they range from $29.95 to $199.95. I'm sure some brands are better than others, but most had pretty good reviews. I decided to get the Sportline Quick Adjust Suspension X-Trainer which was reduced from $59.99 to $28.95 on Active GearUp a price that was too good to pass.

The kit includes:
A door anchor
3 Carabiners which are used to secure the rope to the door anchor and the different attachments to the suspension pods
2 Suspension pods that allow you to adjust the length of the rope
2 Handles
2 Foot straps
1 Foot cradle
Fitness guide and DVD with 12 exercises

Handles

The 2 handles can be used for a wide range of arm, upper body and lower body exercises. Some examples include various rows, chest press, chest fly, reverse fly, tricep press, bicep curls, push ups, squats and various standing ab exercises. YouTube is full of videos showing you how to do the various exercises as it the TRX website.

Side plank with foot straps

The leg straps are ideal for leg and core exercises, including my favorite: the plank and all of its variations. This is what the people in the 3 exercises pictured earlier are using to do the push-up, oblique knee tuck and side plank.

You might also be able to use the foot cradle for some of these exercises. The foot cradle gives you a little extra stability since you aren't working on stabilizing each individual leg.  Doing some of your regular floor core exercises using the foot straps or cradle brings up the intensity, because you have to constantly engage your stabilizing muscles.

My attempt to snap a picture of the foot straps while in plank

Oblique knee tuck with foot cradle

While I still highly recommend trying out TRX classes if they're available in your area, I know those classes can be expensive and think an at-home suspension system is a perfect alternative, especially if you have the discipline and motivation to work out at home. It's also perfect for me in the fall and winter when I find it extremely difficult to leave the house when it's cold and dark. It's also a great way to get a quick intensive workout in while traveling. It's lightweight, which makes it easy to pack and it's super easy to set-up. I definitely plan on taking it with me when I travel home next week!

Getting ready for some hamstring curls using the foot cradle

Note these pictures are taken on a door that closes away from me. While I have used this door before, I try to stick to the recommended set-up, which is on a door that closes towards you, so that the door doesn't fly open while you're working out. In case you're scared someone else will open the door, my system comes with a door hanger that says "Stop! Exercise in Progress. Do Not Enter." For your own safety, whenever you set up your system, follow the system's instructions.