Confessions of a couch potato - Part 3

Monday 9th March Strength and Flex Week 1-3

I’m really pleased I’ve introduced this routine.

It has a good warm up section, motivating strength exercises and a lengthy and effective stretching section.

I experienced some muscle ache after the strength exercises but not too painful. The hardest exercises for me were probably the squats.

Tuesday 10th March Couch to 5k Week 2-1

The runs in Week 2 begin with a brisk 5-minute warm-up walk, then alternate 90 seconds of running, with 2 minutes of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.

It’s still dark when I leave home. I’ve started waking at 05:00 am, to try to get out early.

I thought I’d run in a different, smaller park today. More trees, more birds, but steeper hills. I liked the first two!

Thursday 12th March Strength and Flex Week 2-1

I have downloaded Podcast 2 for week 2, let’s see what surprises we have this week

Warm up is still the same

Check your posture

5 shoulder rolls as you walk

10 chest presses as you walk

10 arm rows as you walk

10 knee bends as you walk

I’ve found a quiet corner of the park to do these in now.

Strength workout

10 standing press-ups – option to increase difficulty

As I found the standing press ups a bit too easy I’ve started performing these almost horizontally by resting my palms on a park bench.

I struggled with these, I only managed 7 maybe eight reps. Press ups have never been easy for me.

10 pull-ups – option to increase difficulty

I pushed my feet further under the railings to increase the difficulty but I’m finding these exercises to easy. As I’m quite tall 6’ 4” (193cm) I’m struggling to find railings at shoulder height.

10 deep squats, getting easier.

Flexibility workout

Thigh stretches

Calf stretches

Seated hamstring stretches

Chest stretches

Upper back stretches

Triceps stretches (new)

Cool down

Friday 13th March Couch to 5k Week 2-2

Some mornings I’m finding the runs do-able, other mornings I feel like stopping before I have even started. I have some real mind games going on. Definitely a battle of wills. I’m still struggling with hilly ground. I decided to run several laps around the level ground in the woods.

Sunday 15th March Strength and Flex Week 2-2

A good workout today. I increased the press ups reps, I nearly managed to do a full set.

Still searching for suitable shoulder height railings.

Monday 16th March Couch to 5k Week 2-3

Still plodding laps around the almost level ground in the woods. There are some inclines which I puff and pant up.

After my runs and workouts I found my head and neck were getting very cold as I cooled down and this is the most likely cause of my colds. I have now started wearing one of my motorcycle neck tubes and a woolly hat when exercising. I will post the outcome in a later blog.

Tuesday 17th March Strength and Flex Week 2-3

Final day of week two. Feeling stronger and fitter already.