StrEndurance and weight training 12/27/11

Day 27. Oh, boy that StrEndurance Workout B was tough after Tempe ride. But I am sticking to this program! Christine Chinni’s testimonial from the other day was so powerful. (Thank you, Christine!) She used StrEndurance last season and made an impressive performance. What I liked even more was that she mentioned that it was her first injury-free season since college. It would be cool if I can go faster, but exercising injury-free is probably more important to me at this age. I recall Coach was mentioning that this kind of strength training program is important aging athletes. Well, I am not too sure if I am qualified to be called athlete, but I sure am aging! (More on this at a later entry.)

I have been buying books and downloading programs off Internet and paid a personal trainer to design weight program for me, yet I think StrEndurance is the best option at this point. First of all, it is designed for endurance athlete to fit off-season and during season workouts in mind. No more celebrity workouts! And I can do all this at home with what we have at home. Tony is sort of mild version of Rick Sobona as he was into body-building when he was younger (before he took up cycling). On top of what Tony stashed, I picked up a lot of toys to add to the collection over the years. The other day, my trainer asked me to make a list of fitness equipment available and here it is:

Stability ball
Exercise mat
Yoga mat
BOSU
Total gym 1500
Medicine ball 6, 8 lb
Yoga blocks
Stretch flat rubber strips 3 colors
Scooter
Kettle bells 10, 15 lbs
SPRI Resistance Band: yellow green red blue purple
Pairs of Dumbbells 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30 pounds
Barbell with various heavy-looking plates
Foam roller
T roller
Jump rope
Fluid and mag trainer, roller
Ab Roller
Step Aerobic Trainer

But folks, all we need in StrEndurance is stability ball, exercise mat and a few DB’s!!! Set up and taking down takes no time at all. The disc has techniques section to go over each exercise, but the exercises are fundamental using body weights. I don’t know why I am keeping gym membership anymore! (No, Lifetime Fitness, I know. That will be another entry.)

Weight training is my weak point. As you noticed at the beginning, I didn’t complain 2-hour ride of the workout. 25 minute StrEndurance is what I said was hard! I went on and on about how I don’t need external motivation to get work out done in yesterday’ entry. I do leave no room for an excuse to skip workout even by having a secondary gym membership at 24-hour fitness! However, weight training is the first one to receive potential excuses. So StrEndurance being longest 40 minutes is music to my ears. But, boy, I look at the count down, oh, so desperately.

Today Coach revealed the details of Super 6 program. I am glad StrEndurance is part of it. Nancy Hill told me that she is featured in it, too. So I have that to look forward to. Now today’s question is if I should/can commit to Super 6. Time to entertain what my goals are for 2012 seriously (an entry about that soon). I am having too much fun with this challenge while interacting and training with fellow participants. That could be a deciding factor.