Goats, Ninjas and Switching Things Up. Way Up

Lately I've been doing the same basic workouts: cardio followed by weights. Some days I do more cardio, other days I do less. One day, I concentrate on my arms, another, my legs. And so on, and so on. It's what I think I need to do to see the most results in the least amount of time and I think it is working.

But there are only so many times one can go on an elliptical, only so many times I can stare at the wall or out the window while the timer counts down. Only so many times I can stare at my weightlifting guide and figure out which ways I want to torture myself.

This past weekend we went rock climbing at an indoor climbing gym. It was something I always wanted to try and when friends suggested that we go, I was all over that in an instant. The nice part of it was that said friend didn't give me time to think about how I'd been at the gym the day before, and how my legs were sore from a rather strenuous workout.

Yup. Had enough. Coming Down

This is me, heading for the top!

So, my hubby and I put on our comfiest, stretchiest, least likely to get hung up on things clothes and headed out the door. My legs were unhappy. I normally get most sore two days after I work out but they were already aching and this was one day after. "Active recovery" I thought, and got my game face on.

One thing I've learned.... I'm very good at falling off the wall. Another thing? It's not how strong your arms are. It's about how strong your legs are. Because, you see, you don't pull yourself up the wall with your arms as much as you get your legs under you and then PUSH up with them. And I pushed up with my very sore legs. In between falling off the wall, that is.

Both hubby and I went up and down the walls a few times. We tried our hand (leg?) at a few different routes that varied from straight up and down with big things to hold onto, to slanty back out over our head routes with teeny itty things to hold onto. I learned my husband is some sort of rock wall ninja and that apparently one can cling to the wall with fingers while one dances one's feet back and forth to make sure they're in a good position. 

I think my husband might be part mountain goat. Or a ninja. 

I also know I am not.

Down safe and sound

Where Did The Time Go?

You blink and suddenly two years goes by. Okay, maybe not quite two years but so close. Things have changed so, so much.

In the last two years we've moved 1600 kms. The kidlets have grown up and are no longer living with me and the hubby and I bought a house. That, along with me starting a new career and a number of other changes has kept me on my toes. But finally, things are starting to settle down and I'm getting down to a routine that I think I can maintain.

One thing that did take a back burner was my fitness. I did get more into kayaking and now have a whole ocean to explore which is incredibly exciting. I also got my hands on a rather large, rather marvelous weight machine. That, along with my trusty elliptical and some free weights, has formed the basis of a rather nice little home gym.

I've started working out a lot harder and more frequently than I did in the past. We go to my husband's work gym three days a week and I work out at home two days a week. We take Fridays and Sundays off just to have a bit of a rest although I'm trying to make sure that I don't just sit on my ass and do nothing on days that we aren't going to the gym.

I have some weight to lose; that's for sure. Previously, my work was fairly active. I was getting a workout either from being on my feet all day or from moving heavy bags of pet food and cat litter but I switched to a desk job and stopped monitoring my weight. It crept back up over time but now I'm working on losing it. I just hope that this time it stays off.