Thursday - MM Endurance # 1/Stretch

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I did Montenegro Method Endurance Workout # 1 - still tough, but went better than Monday b/c I knew what to expect. These are great workouts if you want something that will get you sweating and breathing heavy and feeling worked out in under 30 minutes. Also good for travel since no equipment is needed and not much in the way of space is needed either. The format reminds me a lot of Jillian's 30 Day Shred - but I think these workouts are more challenging than Jillian's! Marta Montenegro is also not as annoying as Jillian, either! And, there is no "appearance" talk - it is all about training like an athlete talk and being strong in mind an body.

Ok - I think I have the exercises for each circuit in "general" -

A knee raise exercise - each time you run through the circuit you do a little different variation of this move -

A squat exercise with variations - variations are "walking squats", squats w/ plyo, etc. each time you run through the circuit you do it a little differently

A side lateral lunge exercise - variations for each circuit

A front/rear lunge exercise - (variation for each circuit)

A burpee exercise with variations for each circuit

A push-up/plank exercise with variations for each circuit

You run through the circuit 3X. Each exercise is probably about one minute (roughly). It is the type of workout where you can go at your own pace and don't need to match Marta's pace. I really didn't think that I could get so much out of a workout that is under 30 min - but I'm tired when I'm done!

I thought I would add on Power Workout # 2 (the Power DVD has 4 10 min segments on it) but I was wiped out/fatigued from the Endurance circuit and didn't want to compromise my form as a result of fatigue, so I skipped that and went straight to a stretch. I did Margaret 's Limber for Life stretch routine - basic athletic stretches done with a strap as a prop. Some fluid movements, some static movements. Overall, a nice stretch

Sooooo I'm thinking of tweaking my already previously tweaked rotation. I think I may drop the Couch to 5K and just focus on the Montenegro workouts. I can do Couch to 5K in the fall when the weather is better for outdoor running (at least on occasion!) The MM Endurance workouts are tough and stress a lot of the same muscles/joints, etc. stressed by running. I think I want something more balanced. So....I'm thinking of ---

2 Montenegro Method Endurance Workouts per Week

1 run/walk per week

1 Montenegro "strength" workout per week (using either the Power DVD or the Strength DVD - Strength DVD has 3 30 min routines - one for lower, upper and core)

1 Margaret Strength per week (this has a totally different approach than MM - so may be good to throw in)

1 - ? per week. This can be an open day where I pick a "whatever" I feel the need to focus on day. I could do another Montenegro Strength here or something else.

This way, I'll get a chance to not only use all the MM workouts in a rotation but I'll probably save some wear and tear on myself by limiting the running - running is good, but I think combining it with the MM endurance is not good for me

So---- thinking of something like this:

Sunday - MM Endurance Circuit

Monday - MM Strength Circuit or MR Strength or "whatever"

Tuesday - Run/Walk

Wed - whatever I didn't do on Monday

Thurs - MM Endurance Circuit

Friday - Whatever I didn't do on Monday/Wed

OR

Sunday - MM Method Strength, MR Strength or "whatever"

Monday - MM Endurance Circuit

Tuesday -whatever I didn't do Sunday

Wed - Run/Walk/Bike

Thurs - Whatever I didn't do Sunday or Tues

Friday - MM Endurance Circuit

I will add on Pilates, yoga, stretch after each workout to keep limber! The good thing is the MM workouts are 30 min or less, so there is enough time for me to add on another 30 minutes of Pilates, yoga, stretch.

Take care!Donna