The Week In Workouts

It’s been a busy week, but I’ve gotten lots of workouts in, and there’s lots to catch up on.  Let’s see… where to start… where to start?  I should probably go back and figure out where I left off in my last “Week in Workouts” post, but it’s late, and I’m tired, so screw it.  I’ll just do the past week.  Want more?  Tough.  File a complaint with the blog police!

Saturday, 3/12/11: I took Richard Simmons’ class at Slimmons, and he played all-new music.  It was a very good class, and not overly packed, which was nice.  Since Richard was out of town during my actual birthday on the 5th, he called me up at the end of this class, along with 4 others, and led everyone in a group performance of “Happy Birthday.”  Having 75 people sing to you is a great way to start your weekend – I highly recommend it!  For anyone that isn’t familiar with Richard’s classes, they’re a fantastic workout, and tons of fun.  There’s 45 minutes of cardio/dance aerobics (very similar to Sweatin’ to the Oldies); then about 10 minutes of toning with free weights, then 10 minutes of sit-ups and push-ups, then Richard gives a little 5-minute pep talk to end the class.  And, yes, anyone can go, and it’s only $12.  Twelve dollars.  To work out with Richard freakin’ Simmons.  Yep, it’s the deal of the century!

Sunday, 3/13/11: 50 minutes on an exercise bike.

Monday, 3/14/11: 50 minutes on an elliptical.

Tuesday, 3/15/11: Boot camp class with Craig Ramsay, and it was tough.  Before class started, Craig says, “Hey, let’s go to my car, and grab some kettlebells.”  My reaction?  “Oh, crap.”  And, of course, I said it out loud.  My experience with kettlebells has been very minimal, but enough to know that the next hour was going to be brutal.  Kettlebells are weights that are designed to be swung around in all sorts of crazy ways, meaning you’re working tons of muscles at once (here’s some basics on kettlebells if you’re unfamiliar).  Sure enough, the hour was pretty brutal, and I left barely able to lift my water bottle to my lips.  The next morning, my shoulders were still very sore.

Wednesday, 3/16/11 – Nightswimming:

“Nightswimming deserves a quiet night
I’m not sure all these people understand
It’s not like years ago,
The fear of getting caught,
Of recklessness and water
They cannot see me naked
These things, they go away,
Replaced by everyday”

Those, of course, are lyrics from R.E.M’s 1993 song “Nightswimming” (listen to it here). That song ran through my brain on a loop on Wednesday, because I decided to break in the new Speedo swimsuit that I bought a few days ago at the pool, and, coincidentally, it was the first time I’ve swam in that outdoor pool at night.  Man oh man, I’m in love!  I haven’t worn a Speedo in about 16 years, since I swam on my high school’s swim team, and it makes all the difference in the world.  Being aerodynamic in the water rocks!  I had a great workout, and felt sleek and fast.  I was still sore from the kettlebells… But I had a productive 50-minute swim nonetheless:

• 1000 yards warm-up (200 free, 200 IM, 200 kick, 200 pull, 200 IM)
• Descending ladder, all free (400, 300, 200, 150, 100).  The 100 was an all-out sprint (1,150 yards total)
• 3 x 50 yard free all-out sprints (150 yards total)
• 200 yard cool-down
• TOTAL:  2,500 yards (that’s exactly 100 lengths of the pool)

Thursday, 3/17/11: My friend Chris asked me the other day if I’d be down with working out together in the mornings.  I love working out with friends, and since we live in the same neighborhood, I jumped at the chance.  We decided to go running on Day 1, and met at 7am at a local park.  Chris calls it Porn Star Park, because in the summer, he’s noticed it’s very popular among the big-fake-tittied, scantily-clad, bottle-blonde crowd, and Chris is convinced they’re all porn stars.  He very well may be right: 90% of all pornography is filmed or produced in the San Fernando Valley, where Chris and I, and 1.75 million others, live.

Anyway – I brought along my camera to snap a few pics, but really, there’s not much to see.  It’s a big park, near a freeway:

Due to a slightly groggy brain, thanks to the very early nature of the workout, I failed to note what time we started or stopped, but my guess is that we were running for around 50 minutes.  Based on the signage at the park, I’d guess we went about somewhere between 3.2 and 3.5 miles, but, again, I didn’t really pay attention.  It was nice to catch up with Chris, though, and I look forward to working out with him more.  Just in case you’re wondering, there were no Porn Star sightings, but, of course, I certainly wouldn’t recognize anyone anyway.  When I hear “adult film,” my mind goes to Merchant Ivory films, doesn’t yours?

Friday, 3/18/11: Well-deserved REST DAY!

And since I’m sharing every single thing I eat this week, to show how I log my food, here’s my…

Food Log for Friday, March 18, 2011:
–Breakfast: 1/2 cantaloupe; 2 hard-boiled egg whites
–Lunch:  Sandwich (whole wheat bread, turkey breast, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumbers); 2 pickle spears; fruit cup; 1 Kashi granola bar
–Dinner (Lotus Vegan restaurant):  1 fresh roll (lettuce, carrots, scallions, mint wrapped in rice paper, with 1 tsp peanut dipping sauce); shrimp salad (cabbage, mint, scallions, red onion, other veggies I’m forgetting, soy shrimp; some sort of oil-free thai chili dressing)
–Snack:  15 Runts (candy from a gumball machine at the movies; I was really craving something sweet, and 50 cents for a palm-full of candy seemed better than a $4 huge box of something from the concession counter.  FYI, the banana Runts are my favorite.)
–Beverages:  2 glasses hot tea; 2 water bottles (64 oz each); 1 liter sparkling water; 34 glasses water; 1 more liter sparkling water

Keep it up, David!