It’s been almost four weeks since I bought my new trainers, during class, I immediately discovered that they were indeed helping my calf injury.  The impact during Body Attack, was less.  I wasn’t pounding the ground as hard as I had been, and, as such – the pain in my leg was lessened.

Lesson 1 –Trainers have a shelf life!

Correct footwear is essential and, although you might not realise it, trainers DO have a shelf-life and they need to be monitored to ensure that you’re not running/working out on ‘dead’ trainers.

I’m pretty sure my old trainers played a big part in my injury, and now look, six weeks in, I’m still sore and suffering.

How do you know when it’s time to part ways with your old trainers? I’m sure some people ‘just know’, I had a feeling, but wasn’t aware of just how important footwear is, so thought I could ‘get away’ with wearing them for a while longer.  I was wrong.

The general rule of thumb is that you’re supposed to change your trainers ever 300-500 miles, depending on your weight, how much you run and how ‘hard’ you are on your trainers.  It is suggested, for runners who log 25 miles per week that they replace their shoes every three to four months.

From what I understand, it’s the mid-cushioning that you need to keep an eye on, as it wears out before the treading will show any signs of wear.

I don’t do a lot of running, I do around three hours of cardio classes per week, so figuring out how many miles this puts on your ‘trainer-clock’, seems to be nigh on impossible.  This leads to

Lesson 2 – Listen to your body!

If you’re starting to feel stiff, sore, achy or you’re not finding running or working out as easy as you have done in the past, consider why that is.  I didn’t listen to mine, and am now feeling the result of that!

Between the 14th and 21st of August, I only did two Body Attack classes – instead of my regular three, or on occasion, four.  I’d chatted to a physio in the UK and she recommended rest.

Let it heal.

Being the kind of person who needs to keep at something, or I lose interest, and since I was on a successful roll with my exercise, I only partly took her advice.  I reduced the exercise to twice a week – spread out (rather than back to back classes).

During the class on the 21st, I was a little better, my leg felt a bit better, but still niggled throughout, especially during the group running track.

I did another class on the 24th August, but, since then, did zero.  It was hard and of course, my diet started to slip, baking and cooking for the baby shower – all of the left overs.

No exercise plus slipping ‘diet’ standards have left me feeling very disappointed in myself, but also resolved to pull it all back on track.

I have just under two weeks to go to Singapore, 13 days.  I’m determined to behave myself between now and then.

I exercised yesterday for the first time in around eight days, more ‘leg rest’.  It still hurt, I think I may just have to bite the bullet and go see a doctor if it doesn’t improve in the next few weeks.  6-8 weeks was the bracket of recovery time I was given, it’s been six weeks…

I’ll give it to after Singapore that’s four more weeks.  If it’s not fully healed, upon my return, y’all have my permission to drag me to see Dr Tiffany!

Lesson 3 – Don’t get bored, try something new!

Yesterday’s exercise was a new Les Mills class that I thought I’d have a crack at, something that Sam used to do at home, something that Paul (Magz and Sam’s friend) teaches at home and something that I’ve been somewhat intimidated by until now, another Les Mills programme,

Body Combat!

Well now, it certainly was different! Though, I can’t say I found it as hard, or physically challenging in a lot of ways, as Body Attack.

That’s not to say that I didn’t find it a work out, or that I didn’t sweat – because I did, on both counts.  They are just two very different classes, aimed at exercising different parts of your body.

Body Attack, I, personally find a lot more energetic, high impact, cardio.  It’s exhausting, there’s a lot of movement, it’s fast-paced, lots of big movement, running, jumping and I find each class pushes me to my absolute limit.

It kills me.

Body Combat, I didn’t find as physically challenging.  Wait – that’s not to say it isn’t, but, perhaps, my last couple of months training with Attack, has brought my stamina up to a level where I can endure an hour of Combat.

What I DID find challenging, however, was that the Combat moves and tracks work different muscle groups to those that we use in Attack.  Body Attack moves tend to be verticle, knee’s up and down, arms up and down.  Combat, tends to be largely horizontal, punch forward, kick forward and back, also to the side.  Waking these muscle groups, most definitely hurt.

Balance is another key part of Combat, there’s a lot of kicks, standing on one leg etc.  That, also hurt and was probably my greatest challenge.

I liked the class, I enjoyed it and I definitely hurt after it (and was that familiar shade of beetroot) – I was also doing less ‘options’ than I do in Attack (partly cause there weren’t any low options offered, I kinda made my own in places).  I can’t say I loved it like I do Attack, but it’s definitely something I’d go to again.  In fact, Sam is lacking a Body Combat partner now that he’s over here away from Paul.  Maybe when I get back from Singapore, I’ll drag him along on a Wednesday night for a Combat class!

Next week, I’d like to try a Body Step class, I was going to do it today, but slept in.

It’s been a pain in the backside this week.  I can barely stay awake.  That’s another story, and no Pierce, I’m not pregnant 😛