Shred Level 2

[Guest guest]

Today was the first time I've attempted 30 Day Shred Level 2 in almost exactly 2 years, assuming my log is up to date and, on this one, I think it is.

I think I remembered this as being super hard and I haven't felt up to attempting it in a long time. I am happy to say that it wasn't super hard now! It was definitely challenging but not frighteningly hard. Level 1 is mostly not challenging enough for me for a really good, intense, short workout now but this one is just about right I think. I'm not sure I loved the strength portions just because it seems like you're mostly in a squat position doing upper body work and it seems like my legs are getting a better workout than my arms. Then again, because I wasn't able to draw on core strength as much as I can when I'm standing, I did have to drop to lower weights than I'd normally do for the various exercises so maybe that means the arms were getting a better workout than I think. I liked the walking pushup, that felt good, but it was much easier than I would have expected. I could have kept going when she stopped! I already have chest DOMS too. There is a lot of chest and back work in this one. I noticed yesterday that just after the workout, my quads and I think my arms too just froze up as I was trying to go up the stairs. It was the weirdest thing. They just seemed to seize. I think I didn't stretch enough so I stretched more afterwards and it helped some but today I definitely have DOMS in my quads too and I almost never feel it there and especially not after level 1. Though what happened yesterday couldn't be DOMS because it was too immediate. Very strange. I felt fine after this workout though (same soreness that I woke up with, nothing weird after the workout) and the stretch isn't any better.

I liked the cardio except for the darn high knees. I hate high knees. I think, but I'm not sure, it is because my hips are really tight and I can't seem to get my knees up very high and I feel like I'm not working out hard enough except I am feeling like I'm working out hard so it is annoying! Actually I liked the cardio except the high knees and the darn squat thrusts. I have no good excuse for hating those except that they're hard. At least you didn't have to stand and jump up in the air and then do the next one, you just stayed bent down to do all the reps.

The abs were better than level 1 but still not quite challenging enough.

Overall though I got a very good workout. I was in my zone for over 11 minutes and the workout only lasts 27, including warm-up and cool-down and I burned 144 calories. It was a quick jolt of intensity to start my day off well. Tomorrow I'm planning to workout in the morning and then my car will be in service all day and I don't have to work so it might actually seem like a real day off since I won't be able to go anywhere! Workout for tomorrow will probably be this one again. I didn't give it my all in every part because I didn't know what was coming next and didn't want to run out of gas early! Now that I know what to expect I should be able to give it more and probably use heavier weights for some exercises. I want to try Level 3 soon too. I don't think I've ever tried it! I would like to preview it first though. I think I can probably handle it but I expect it to be a really good challenge too. I do need at least one or more times with level 2 though first, just to make sure I'm prepared I guess. I'm hoping too that level 3 has some triceps work in it. I've noticed level 1 and 2 don't do anything specifically for triceps, just indirectly with pushups especially.