Cardio Friday

We'll see if HIIT works for me.

My husband remains skeptical that starting out with just 5 minutes of HIIT three days a week will amount to anything fitness-wise. Perhaps 5 minutes isn't enough. It wasn't enough today. I had my son in tow (my husband decided he needed to fulfill an urge to go winter hiking on Storm King Mountain) so I knew my workout would have to be shorter anyway.

The Precor ellipticals don't allow you to punch in time less than 10 minutes, and then it automatically adds a 5 minute "cool down" period. Okay, I can use that. I walk for the first 5 minutes at roughly 150 Strides Per Minute just to loosen up. Usually my glutes are sore after Leg Day, but today my hammies are stiff, a sure sign that I'm doing those Smith SLDLs correctly.

Today's Selfie

I move from 150 SPM to 250-270 SPMs for the next 30 seconds and then drop back down to 150 for the next 30 seconds. I repeat this for the next 5 minutes. I'm a little breathless, but I can do more. So I continue doing this for rest of the 5 minute "cool down". Now I'm a bit sweaty, and a bit more breathless. Now I'm suppose to be done for the day and go home. I stretch at the Cage and toss a few side kicks. I still have an hour and a half left! Both Nexersys stations are vacant and I love boxing this machine so I wrap my hands and stuff them into my stupid pink gloves.

I can't decide whether I'm doing 12 rounds of Follow Me or a different combination. When I inadvertently hit 9 rounds, it's set. I'll add another 3 rounds of Sparring afterwards if I feel up to it. It's 3 minutes of punching and kicking, followed by 1 minute of resting. Nine times. Again, I'm punching too hard and some of my blows don't register at all, and the warning buzzer's cautioning me that I could break the machine. Not likely I tell myself. Heck, much bigger guys whack this thing. I'm just a wee woman. Because I'm used to whacking this system after an hour of cardio, I have a lot more energy and power than I'm used to. Afterwards, I program in 3 rounds of Sparring just for fun. Then I can really wail on it. And I do. I'm thoroughly drenched by the time I'm done. And very happy. I don't even care that the scale reads 113.6 lbs. I retrieve my son just as the two hours are up.

Friday Cardio Workout:
5 min walking warm up, 10 minutes HIIT (30 seconds at 150 SPM, 30 seconds at 250-270 SPMs)

Nexersys Boxing System:
9 rounds Follow Me Avatar, female beginner
  Accuracy 81% / Strikes 101% / Avg Power 130% 
3 rounds Sparring Avatar, female beginner
  Strikes 206% / Avg Power 91% / Points 922

Photos posted for actual stats: 

Follow Me 9 rounds

Sparring 3 rounds