Benefits

Watching American Ninja Warrior last night off my DVR got me thinking about "useful" muscles vs. "mirror" muscles, i.e., the ones you work on just to show off. Top finishers of the course varied in their physiques, but they were all super strong. Some had phenomenal muscles, and others were so long and lean that their actual strength was hidden. Until it came time to perform. And then it was strength and endurance that made good things happen. Sometimes there was bad luck, or bad timing. The one generalization I can make is that the lighter people had an advantage over those with more mass. Obviously, having long limbs helps immensely, but wasn't critical for finishing. And if a competitor had the length disadvantage, then being ridiculously strong for their size was a major bonus. Well, duh...

I'll never compete in anything like ANW, but I want to be super strong. I work hard on my endurance as well. Today, I do 15 rounds of whacking the machine, followed by 30 min on the elliptical, and then 31 hammer grip pull ups. Because the only way to build endurance and strength for me is to keep pushing long after the hunger pangs and vague feelings of fatigue. I'm surprised at how often I can push past all that. It's very gratifying!

But let's hope I'm not so tired that I forget how to float at tonight's swim lesson. 

Thursday Workout

10 min warm up
Elliptical 
96 cal
0.84 miles

15 rounds Nexersys

30 min elliptical
Prgm 1
275 cal
2.47 miles

HGPU 31

Photos for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner

5 rounds Intermediate

5 rounds Advance