Squad Day 68: Total Body Butt Kicking
I am remarkably, minimally sore today. Considering yesterday’s workout had me repping every move to failure, including the boxing drills, I am surprised. But where the muscle aches are missing, I am exhausted. I did not go to bed early last night like I planned, and I’m incredibly tired. I do know better, it’s the week before my cycle, and I am usually very fatigued right about now, and paired with my tired muscles, I am finding it hard to wake up today. Tonight I will be in bed before 10pm, and nothing, and no one, will stop me.
Today’s workout is Total Body Strength, and I’ve been warned by another Valkyrie that this final week will be intense, every single day. A quick check in with the Blade Calendar confirms, every workout every day is 30+ minutes long. There will be no short days here, no 15 minute comforts. Every day is Full Throttle, Go Big or Go Home, Hand Me My Butt, kind of workouts.
But first, tea.
Dare I do my Mindstilling before I even work out? I should, in the books, Nesta practices her Mindstilling in the morning before breakfast, after Training at lunch time, and again before climbing in bed. Not to mention her many pauses to breathe deeply throughout the day, any time frustration hits. I just feel so tired today I’m afraid I’ll fall back to sleep! I’ve been meaning to get better about Mindstilling multiple times a day, and especially after the high stress of last week, and utilizing it during those high stress moments really helped me get myself together, so I know it’s worth the time and effort and incredibly valuable. Maybe I wont start this week, I’m so exhausted no matter what that I’ll probably nod off after three minutes of listening to Becca’s voice telling me to breathe into my body and chill.
I think that I’m definitely working out inside for the Winter Season, 34 degrees and an icy porch is not my preferred workout space. I was wondering how I would handle it when winter finally arrived, and I think the solution, at least for now, is to don my summer workout gear and just do it inside. I’m unprepared, not the right layers or shoes, to workout in the true cold. Perhaps next year, I’ll have a dedicated covered space so I can train outdoors regardless of the temperature, but still be protected from the worst of the elements. I need to get my hands on some barefoot winter boots, warm enough to keep the cold from my toes but thin enough that I can still feel the ground underneath me and train properly. The cold air certainly motivates and assists in waking up and getting moving, that’s for sure.
Alright, let’s get to it, I’m not getting any more motivated to workout by sitting here.
There really wasn’t a single aspect of today’s Tabata workout that was easy. Every move challenged me. I don’t know if it’s the exhaustion, the snow storm outside, or the residual soreness from yesterday, but I was grinding my teeth through each move. Oh, and did I mention, that every active rest we had was a plank variation? Yeah, that was terrible.
Sam, being the Villain Trainer she is, ominously threatened for what the first week of Valkyrie will be, and I muttered to myself “good thing I’m repeating Blade,” with a sly grin, because I don’t have to die for Valkyrie month yet. Valkyrie month is building again on the strength and Boxing Drills, and adding in Sword play. Based on the number of times I’ve absolutely rocked my noggin accidentally punching myself in the head during boxing drills, I’m gonna hold off on the next phase.
That minimal sore I was talking about? Yeah it’s ramped up to full blown hobble. My legs are so wobbly from the step-out-squats, and my hips are exhausted by the standing weighted marches. My shoulders probably have terrible things to say about the Pivot Reach Across things we did, but I haven’t had to grab anything overhead yet, so that’s to be determined later.
I stepped out into the snow storm immediately after finishing my workout. The furnace kicked on during the last set and I was drowning in sweat and choking on the heat. I stripped off my T-shirt and stepped out in my sports bra and just smiled at the kiss of cold on my sweaty skin. I also may or may not have grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed my face with it. Don’t knock it ’til you try it, it was glorious.
Winter Court Outside
Looks like Yrsa and I are due for a snowy stroll this morning. The Floof loves the fluffy cold white stuff just as much as I do, so as long as I don’t slip and fall on my butt from her yanking me around, we’ll be having a grand ol’ time.
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