Progress To Be Proud Of

Yesterday's routine is one I've done a few times before. It was actually one of the first, way back from Day 8 of Operation Sweaty Summer! Knowing it was an old routine, I walked into the garage 100% confident that I could lift heavier and finish faster.

Ha! Wrong on both counts...

The first move was the same; low jack press with the 25lb dumbbell. I was over-confident in the second move, side lateral raise + lunge, and started with 12lbs. I quickly learned that was too much. Dropped down to the 8lb kettle bell I'd used in the original routine. Boy was that a blow to the ego...

Third move, the fireman's lift, proved awkward. My sandbag weighs 30lbs, but the shape gets completely wonky when I throw it over my shoulder. After a few tries, I swapped it out for that trusty old 25lb dumbbell. The fourth, and final, move was the lunge + single arm press. I knew lifting 25lbs, single handed, above my head would NOT work. So I tried 20lbs. Nope. 15? I did 15lbs for the first 15 reps but had to drop the weight... AGAIN! Finally found the sweet spot at 12.5lbs; which was a number I could get above my head (safely) and control the movement the entire time.

After all the weight shuffling, I was hit with another dose of reality when I checked my time at the end of the first round and read 11:08. GREAT. Not only am I weaker than I think, but I'm also slow!

Before anyone gets on me for comparing, I'm competing with myself. Every time I hit that concrete, I'm out to best MY previous times or beat MY own personal records. I'm fiercely competitive and I hate losing: especially to myself!

I took a couple of minutes to compose myself and clear my mind after that first round. It would have taken me all day to finish that workout if I'd let that negativity hang around. Finished the next two rounds faster, then I did my finisher. Those bike sprints nearly killed me, I tell ya!

First time I did this workout, I finished in 25min. But you know what? 75% of the moves were modified. 8 months ago I had no balance and needed the wall as a support for the lunges. 8 months ago I used a static lunge position on the arm raises and presses. 8 months ago my fireman's lifts had 50% fewer squats and lifts.

And yesterday? I did 180 weighted squats, 45 low jack presses (w/25lbs), 90 side lateral raises + lunge, and 90 single arm presses + lunge. NOT. A. SINGLE. MODIFICATION. My balance has improved by leaps and bounds! I did every lunge in the middle of the floor, with no walls within reach. So what if it took me 32 minutes this time. 38 minutes when you add in the bike sprints.

As it turns out, I didn't set a new low, I set a new standard. This new time is just a jumping off point; a time I can look forward to absolutely smashing in the future. In 38 minutes, I proved that I have come so very far, but also that there is still work to be done.

Now is not the time to rest or get complacent in my goals. After this morning's weigh in, I'm now two weeks removed from the holiday weight I put on, which is GREAT news! I'm making progress, and I'm damn proud of it.