I knew I was out of shape, but didn't think it was THIS bad!!

Attempted my first full workout (Core Strength) just now.

I couldn't complete the fore and aft lunges (warmup) - my thigh cramped.  I was able to complete all the other warmup exercises.

Now, for the workout itself (Workout A, Core Strength) -

Back extension - I wasn't keeping hard track of the time, but I was pretty close to 30 seconds (maybe 32-33).  Completed 18 reps.

Kneeling roll out - I was only able to complete 5 reps before my knees were hurting to badly to continue.  I need to find some sort of pad for this one.

Leg raise - I was able to complete 12 reps.

Suspended crunch - completed 8 per side, alternating, before my form fell out.

Side plank - I was only able to do 5 seconds on either side - too wiped out from the prior exercises.  (on my elbow, no reach/tap)

V-sit - I wasn't able to do one single rep - too wiped out.

 Not TOO bad for a first workout and starting from ground zero, I suppose...but sort of disheartening, as well.  

Honestly, I think even the 'easy' sets may be too much for me at this point - any suggestions on progression?  Just keep trying on the 30 second sets, or try for a set number of reps in good form? 

I'm going to have to seriously re-evaluate my diet / meal frequency, as well - not having eaten for several hours before the workout (about 8 hours since my last meal) probably didn't help me, either.

I''m thinking it's a good thing that I didn't get the Force program - it might have killed me!!

No worries man, give yourself some credit; you've started a program and that is heads and tails better than the majority of people out there.  Just keep plugging away and you'll get there.  It doesn't really matter what your starting point is, just keep striving to make progress every workout.  Even it is just one more rep or one more second in the side plank, it shows that you are getting better!!  Also, don't let your pride get in the way of good form; it's better to knock out a few reps with good form than crank them out with poor form and risk injuring yourself.

Good luck, keep us updated on the progress!!

Definately eat a small snack about 30 minutes before your TRX workout, something with some sugers (cookie, etc) and some protien (cheese, milk, etc) or something that combines both (grits, porridge). I like to do my TRX workout first thing, but I can't work anywhere near as hard as i like if i've not eatten anything, infact i sometimes can't do anything if i've not eatten. Just make sure it's not so much, you don't want to have to end your workout to clean your breakfast off the floor.

Make sure you are regressing the exercises fully. Using the vector principle stand up almost straight for standing exercises (eg back extension). Using the pendulum principle for horizontal exercises start with your feet touching the wall/door if you are using one of those as an anchor point; or even behind the anchor point if you have an overhead anchor. Also the Stability principle, keep as wide a base as possible while keeping good form.

For the crunches why not try just going to middle rather than to your sides? It's easier for a beginner since you don't have to get used to the swinging of the TRX as much.

For the side planks abandon the TRX and just place your feet on the floor. Once you can do that for 20 seconds graduate to the TRX.

 I don't know what the V-sit or the Kneeling roll out are, so i can't help with them, except to follow the 3 principles.

Most of all, don't worry and keep at it! It takes a little getting used to the TRX, same as any new exercise style. If you remember the first time you did a push up you'd probably remember how you felt almost the same as you did now (I know I did). After a week or two using the TRX you should really get a feel for how to stablize properly. When i first tried to use the TRX it was a miserable failiure, i tried to do the big one (suspended incline press) and couldn't even get into the start position, now i can do 20 in one go (when i'm lucky ).

Hope all this is helpful to you,
Max

Thanks, guys, for the encouragement!

I'm *not* giving up!   I *am* going to work slower, though, and make sure that my form is good - quality over quantity, right?

Unfortunately, I only have the door anchor to work with at the moment and in a cramped area - I'm trying to figure out a way to get a ceiling anchor in place.

Thanks for the tip on doing the side planks unsupported - I honestly didn't think of that.  I may just give it a try.

I can't take credit for thinking of doing non-TRX side planks though, Frazer suggests it on the Force Trainer DVD.

Also do it all as easy as possible the first couple of times, only once you're no longer exhausted by the end of it should you start progressing to harder levels.

 Regardless of who thought it up, you passed it on, so thank you!

 Another workout this morning -

Warmups:  Completed all the exercises, but I could tell that I'd worked out 24 hours previously!

Exercises (stuck with Workout A and concentrated on form):

Standing back extension: 15 (down from 18, but better form)

Kneeling Rollout: 9 (up from 5, found a pad to use)(these HURT the lower abs)

Leg Raise:  13 (up from 12)(these really hurt the lower abs, too!)

Suspended Oblique Crunch: 6 (down from 8, but better form.  Stopped when form deteriorated)

Suspended Side Plank: 30 sec/side (on elbow) (up from 5 sec/side)  Wasn't able to reach or tap, but I held the plank.

Reaching V-sit: 0 (no change - too wiped out)

So...slight improvements in a couple exercises, slight decreases in a couple exercises, MUCH BETTER FORM in all exercises, so I'm happy.

(But I think I'm gonna take Tuesday off!! )

 Hey Mike

 Glad to hear that the next time through went a little better. Be sure when you're doing the rollouts to not roll out so far as to feel it in your lower back. With the side plank, try to bridge the gap between the held plank to the full taps by using the following progression. From the plank position with your  hand on the ground, lift the hand to your hip and then return. If that goes ok lift it up to extended reach and then return it to the ground. Once you are successful with this, start with your hand on your hip and bring it to the ground - while it is on the ground do a slight pike before lifting the hand back up into the reach position toward the ceiling. Be sure to keep your eyes on the hand the entire time. This will help your progression to doing the full side plank with reach and taps with the pike without having to have your hand stabilize you on the ground at all.

With the reaching V-sit try to do some controlled sit ups to build into it. If you are not able to do this, try the sit up while holding a heavy ball at hip level which will act to counterbalance you a little and should allow you to do the movement. You will be able to progress from here.

 I hope that this helps

Fraser:

Glad to hear that the next time through went a little better. Be sure when you're doing the rollouts to not roll out so far as to feel it in your lower back.

Hi Fraser - 

It did, but I was sure hurting during the abs-heavy exercises!!  I'm going to try a light ABX routine here in a few minutes (on night shift at the moment, so I can get away with it). 

Fraser:

 With the side plank, try to bridge the gap between the held plank to the full taps by using the following progression. From the plank position with your  hand on the ground, lift the hand to your hip and then return. If that goes ok lift it up to extended reach and then return it to the ground. Once you are successful with this, start with your hand on your hip and bring it to the ground - while it is on the ground do a slight pike before lifting the hand back up into the reach position toward the ceiling. Be sure to keep your eyes on the hand the entire time. This will help your progression to doing the full side plank with reach and taps with the pike without having to have your hand stabilize you on the ground at all.

I had my hand on my hip during the side plank - I'll try to do a ground/hip touch the next time and see how it goes.

Fraser:

With the reaching V-sit try to do some controlled sit ups to build into it. If you are not able to do this, try the sit up while holding a heavy ball at hip level which will act to counterbalance you a little and should allow you to do the movement. You will be able to progress from here.

 I hope that this helps

Can you explain the controlled sit up a bit more?  I'm really sure I follow what you mean by that.  Also, how would holding a weight help?  I was able to get a couple of half - reps on the V-sit, but I just didn't have anything left in the tank, so to speak.

Surprisingly enough, My heart rate only went to about 150 and I had recovered back to my normal heart rate in about 10 minutes.  I *did* have a pretty bad headache when I sat down to make my post, above, but *ONLY* when I sat - exercise related blood pressure rise, perhaps?

Thanks for the ideas and encouragement!!

First ABX workout:

Warmups - ok, was able to complete all of them

Exercises:

Single leg squat (1 min): 10/10

Balance lunge (1 min): 9/9

Hamstring Curl (unsuspended)(1 min): 17

Hip abduction (1 min): 21

Chest Press (1 min): 20

Back Row (1 min): 21

Shoulder Raise (1 min): 19

Bicep Curl (1 min): 18

Tricep Press (1 min): 18

Suspended Pullthrough (30 seconds)(2 min rest): 10

Oblique Leg Raise (30 seconds)(2 min rest): 6

Suspended Crunch (30 seconds)(2 min rest): 8

Heart rate (5 min post-exercise): 120 bpm

Mike,

Keep up the hard work brother, you're making good progress!!  Keep challenging yourself and you'll get those results you're looking for.  Who says that moving your own bodyweight through space while holding onto a couple of straps and balancing in strange new positions can't completely smoke you?!?!  No wonder those Olympic gymnasts all look like they should be fitness models or something....

mike.miranda:

Keep up the hard work brother, you're making good progress!!  Keep challenging yourself and you'll get those results you're looking for.

Thanks!  I'm surprised that I'm NOT sore just moving around in normal activity.  It's really tempting to do another workout today, but I know that I need recovery time, too.

mike.miranda:

 Who says that moving your own bodyweight through space while holding onto a couple of straps and balancing in strange new positions can't completely smoke you?!?!  No wonder those Olympic gymnasts all look like they should be fitness models or something....

Man, that is SO true!!  After I finished the ABX workout this morning, all I could do was lay there and huff and puff for a minute or so.

Stay safe over there, bro - and thank you for your service.

That's one thing i never thought about. I'm rarely ever sore from using the TRX. Maybe it's because with being able to use such subtle shifts to ease difficulty i don't over extend myself as much as with weights.

MaxKon:

That's one thing i never thought about. I'm rarely ever sore from using the TRX. Maybe it's because with being able to use such subtle shifts to ease difficulty i don't over extend myself as much as with weights.

I get the soreness from weights and other bodyweight exercises, as well, so it was surprising NOT to have it from the TRX.  There's still soreness (like in my abs doing the exercises last night), but it's not the constant soreness that I would get from the other methods. 

I may need to push a bit harder (that's probably a given), but I'm going to give myself time to get used to the exercises, first.

I set up the TRX again tonight and have done a few light sets.  I di some of the lunge/tri-fly stretches, some back extensions and playing with a back series (low, straight, Y and overhead rows).  I've got a nice 'tired' feeling in my shoulders/upper arms, but no pain.

Good point!  I find that I'm tired, but not sore.  When I lift I get that lactic acid build up in my muscles the day after, but with the TRX I find that I actually feel BETTER the day after a workout.  I wonder if it has something to do with the increase ROM that the TRX encourages over regular lifting. 

The controlled sit up works as follows:

Do not fix your feet under anything to do the exercise. It is a traditional sit up but not moving quickly or with sudden "jerks" to pull out of the bottom of the movement. Basically crunch up to end range and then carry this movement into a full sit up. Try to keep your chin away from your chest. Holding the heavy ball about 12 inches above your hips as you sit up will act to counterbalance the weight of your torso, making the exercise easier.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.