Day 9 Boxing and a reunion of the my friend Day 10 the recovery

So Officially this is my second day in the gym and my second session with my PT Lauren.

Firstly we started we some quick warm up exercises with the giant ball swinging it left to right and loosening the back muscles.

So the exercises this week some were modified routines and some new exercises.

8 kg cow bell squats :
The exercise is basically bend your knees keeping the cowbell at your chest lowering yourself towards the ground. Then standing back up then lifting the cowbell above your head. do not bend the back especially for those whom have a lower back issue like me. This time round seemed easier as i knew what I was to do.

Bridging on the half ball:
This exercise is having your shoulders at 90 degrees on the half ball and keeping you back straight. Then you move your legs to the side kind of tippie toeing to the other side alternating the sides. This proved a little easier so Lauren suggested lifting the leg and dropping the knee whilst keeping your back straight. WELL that proved a lot harder and I could feel an instant strain on the body.


So we did this exercises again but this time with a variation 8kg dumbbells
Laying on your back with both legs at 90 degrees then extending it out and pointing your toes as Lauren said
"like a ballerina" it’s essential you push down on your core so that the right muscle groups are being worked.
Whilst moving each alternate leg lift both dumbbells to the air ensuring you keep it tight to your chest.

We did a few other exercises on a machine which reminded me of jumping up on my old surf board.

BOXING:
OK so I have seen this done plenty of times though never knew the benefits which always made me comprehensive. so the idea is to move with the punches rotating through which allows for the work of my lower back without it being subject to too much additional stress.

So it comes to a end of the free sessions they are extremely valuable, will I keep them going yes.

Day 10

I actually don't have the same level of pain at all !!!! which is great to work on being constant i intend to go tomorrow and work out in the morning

So in relation to the diet ok so I didn't do too well whilst I was away I have some improvement to go. it may work better for me to bring lunch in rather then buying it.

Days 3 - 8 Holidays and stairs

So day 3 it was still very hard to walk up and down stairs found myself finding ways to not take stairs.
Now unfortunately the days through to 8 was me on holidays did I take it easy did i pig out sure did.
Is this a problem well no I'm going to the gym again with my PT Lauren if i did nothing sure i would see this as a failure.
Yes i know that i will need to have more commitment but baby steps you don't learn to run before you can walk.

Have i weighed myself no sorry its not a main focus straight away, I want relief in my lower back and the ability to exercises correctly and with a little more confidence.

Day 2

Well today exercise is going to be minimal other then some serious stretching ! Wow my upper legs are sore and tight its very difficult to walk up or down stairs.

Trying to describe all these things is a little difficult but found it just as easy to google upper leg stretches to get more of an idea.

From: http://www.livestrong.com/article/326017-upper-leg-stretches

Heel-to-Bottom Stretch

Cool Running suggests the heel-to-bottom stretch to loosen up the quadriceps on the front of your thighs. Stand erect and bend your leg at the knee behind you. You may need to lean against a wall for support. Pull your heel toward you until you feel a tug in your quadriceps. Repeat this stretch on the opposite leg.

This One is my favourite at the moment it gives some relief to the pain I have.

So onto the food consumed today

Breakfast: ooops Coffee, not cereal I have brought some Yogurt and Mixed Oates.

Lunch: Subway foot long wheat sub with roasted chicken

Dinner: Vegetable lasagna and steamed vegatables

My Personal Trainer Lauren also followed up on my progress via text message.

I had also let her know about my Blog I feel this could be used as an on going tool towards better health.

Day 1

So today was my first day at Fit and Fast gym at the Westfield in Pitt St Sydney.

I'm currently suffering from lower back strain and a massive beer gut. whilst many of my old mates would say the beer gut has had a lot beer into it and some thing to be proud of, its time to get rid of it.

I haven't always been so big only 7 years ago I was in the Royal Australian Navy whilst I wasn't my fittest there but I had some sort of fitness. its easy to blame time and money on this but i seriously was having too much fun getting boozed up.

Hopefully today is the start of the fitter old me and I see some results.

First session spent with my personal trainer Lauren was seeing what my limits are due to my back pain.
Oh WOW I have let myself down A LOT things I would have looked at and said no way lets do something harder were hard. Whilst at first I thought that  me doing a load of running to get rid of my gut was the answer shortly found that my core was so weak that I need to rebuild that first before I started on the losing of the gut.

Today's exercises:

5 kg cow bell squats :
The exercise is basically bend your knees and lowering the cow bell as close as possible to the ground.
Then lifting the cow bell back up above your chest: do not bend the back especially for those whom have a lower back issue like me.

5 kg Lunges:
This exercise is stepping forward dropping the lower leg holding two weights in the air.
now unfortunately due to my back problem, I was not able to do this with some discomfort. I will try these again once i start to get better.

5 kg Sideways lunges:
this exercise is similar to the above but dropping a leg to the side.I found this one a lot easier on the back.
This exercise may be better for some but really should have a PT look over it with you.

A few ground exercises which you don't need equipment for which you can do in the comfort of your own home.
Laying on your back with both legs at 90 degrees then extending it out and pointing your toes as Lauren said
"like a ballerina" its essential you push down on your core so that the right muscle groups are being worked.

The next exercise 
Was on all fours making sure the knees line up with you hip at 90 degrees and the same with your elbow and your shoulders like the exercise above you extend your leg and arm making sure you don't shift your weight too much or any if possible.

there were more exercises but i don't know the names of them will update once i have had my next PT session.

So what else well I need to consider my diet and the food and drink I consume. I will do the normal thing and cut out the high saturated fatty foods and the sugary foods. but this only a small part of it i need to look at my diet and change more.

So from tomorrow I will start having breakfast, something I haven't done in a while and well always seemed too rushed to do it.

I don't know who much I weigh currently will measure myself shortly.

Please share your experiences and any tip you have to help me on my journey and anyone else looking at the same exercise