Man, I Feel Like an Athlete

In a previous post, I mentioned that I would be checking out some new spring classes that will be offered at my local Crunch Fitness.

I decided to try the Athlete's Workout class and I have to say that class was TOUGH. Buuuuuut, tough in a good way because I like to do more in my high intensity (HIIT) workouts. Plus, I like doing HIIT workouts because they add a little more excitement than the standard cardio and weight lifting exercise. The instructor, Leidy, has you constant moving, sweating, and try surpass mental blocks for 45 minutes. Plus, her music choices are very up tempo so your heart is going to be pumping hard to keep up with the musical beats. This total body workout was so intense that my butt, arms, shoulders, back, and chest are still burning today. The gym should defiantly extend this class for 15 minutes in order to have a nice hour fat-buring HIIT. 

Here are some stats, according to my Fitbit Surge. 

One cool thing about this class is that I rarely make it into my peak zone, unless I'm during sprints. According to Active.com heart rate calculator, 85% of my max heart rate is 157 beats per minute. So, next week I will try to spend more time in the peak and cardio zones.  Usually, this is not a huge problem for me, but my back has been bugging me for the past couple of days.  

That is it for me. I think The Acrobat's Workout will be the next new class that I will try out. Hopefully, I will not break my neck. 

Spin out the tiredness

35:47 min; average bpm 132; 3, 015 "steps"; 401 calories burned

This week really has been brutal on me because of a lot of all-nighters at work. On Wednesday, I wanted to do some kind of workout after teaching my Genetics class. The funny thing is that I was all about working out, yet I slept on the M31 crosstown bus and almost missed the stop for my gym. I guess that I was more tired that I had thought. 

Since I could barely keep my eyes open, I figured that lifting heavy weights over my head and chest would not be a good idea. As fate would have it, I arrived to the gym 15 minutes before "Ripped Ride, " a newish 45 minute spin class. 

I thought that this class has a cool concept, because I am often annoyed that many spin classes do not try to incorporate some aspect of an upper body workout. Yes, I know spinning is a lower body workout but you can still do things for the upper body for a full body workout. 

In the saddle with my weight.

The instructor, Tyler, was pretty energetic and fun. Also, his music selections was pretty on point for the pace and activity level of the class. It's kind of weird/interesting that Tyler does not spend anytime on his stationary bike, but that does not bother me. I only wish that there were one or two more tough "hills" in the class because my average heart rate was not as high in this class as it typically is for some the other spin classes that I have attended in the past. Also, I would like an option to use heavier weights, maybe 5 or 10 pounds, because doing curls with 2.5 pounds weights does not do too much for me.   

So, I think that that I have found my new Wednesday thing to do after teaching Genetics and before conducting biomedical research. 

After attending spin class, showering, and eating a healthy lunch (a Cobb salad without cheese and bacon), and feeling pretty high on life, my department put out the leftover cookies from a seminar and there goes all of the calories that I burned in spin class. BUUUUUUUUTTTTTTT, those cookies (especially the brownie-like ones) are so delicious. Plus, you have to "treat yourself" here and there.