In regards to Chalean Extreme, I consulted Kris about the fact that I'm going into my 5th week of doing the Burn Phase. Ok, I whined to her about it. It gets tiring doing the same thing over and over. However, she reminded me that I've had to modify it 2x's. I asked if she felt I should just go onto the Push phase or stay with the Burn another week. Her advice was to stay with the Burn Phase until I could do a full weeks worth "full out". In Kris' language that's at 110%. I know her. So, that's what I'm going to do. I figure there is no sense asking a trainer for advice if I'm not going to follow it!
So, with modifications this is what I did for Burn Circuit I. I have to apologize, yesterday I said I was going to show Burn Circuit II's modifications. But I meant Burn Circuit I.
The only part of the warmup that I don't currently do are the squats. The rest, I do. I am always cautious of my shoulders, they are a real weak point for me. I had rotator cuff surgery on the right, it was successfully repaired and then 7 years, after that surgey (2006), I tore the same shoulder again. This time, it didn't need surgery, a very small tear. Earlier this year, after I had been lifting for over 8 months, I was noticing it didn't have that same pain it use to have. The orthopedic doctor thinks it's because I "built" up the muscles around the tear and that enabled the tear to repair itself, since it was small. I still am cautious so I make sure I really warm up my shoulders before I lift.
The exercises, for the most part, incorporate both upper and lower body at the same time. So, while I had some limitations, I was able to get a good workout with modifications. Of the 9 exercises in Burn Circuit I, I was unable to complete 1, the sumo squat with hip lift. Since the point is to be in that squat position, I wasn't able to modify it effectively. Plus, you have to balance on one leg and lift the other. I was concerned that my "bad" knee might not deal with that stress well, so I didn't do that exercise.
However, the other ones I did. Mainly I just did the upper body components of each exercise. Push ups I did on my knees. When I started Chalean Extreme, I could only do 2-3 on my toes. Last week, before the doctor nixed any lower body work, I was knocking out 10 without a problem. She does push ups in every workout, so you end up doing them 3 times/week. And my strength has risen fast in performing them. I can hardly wait to go back to doing them on my toes. Kris felt it would put some stress on my knee and would rather I be safe and do them on my knees than on my toes.
The "lunge with core rotation" was a little of a challenge. I couldn't do the lunge part, but by slightly bending my knees, I was able to do the core rotation. For me, it was key to remember to keep my hips pointed forward. I knew I was doing it correctly since I could feel my obliques working during the exercise. The "bench press and leg lower" usually has a band around your legs. I knew that would put some stress on my knee, keeping my legs stretched out, so I just didn't use the band. I did do the "sumo squat with side bend" but I didn't do the squat. But I was able to work my obliques. It's important to realize that this differs from the 1st exercise because in this one my upper body is doing the movement, and the first one the lower body is where the movement occurs.
So, that was all I had to do to modify Burn Circuit I. I felt I had a good workout, at least my upper body did! I will continue doing this circuit until I can incorporate, fully, my lower body.
I'd rather take it a little slower and have my knee fully heal then rush through the workouts, just to get it done and get injured. I plan on getting to the Ironman starting line in good health.
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