Attila's Bum Knee Workout; or, Sweatin' To The Oldies Has Merit!

Limping is becoming normal, and I don't like it.

Luckily for me, Attila has some new, nifty, non-knee-using workouts for me. I managed some half-squats the other day, so she ramped up the intensity of the NKU workouts yesterday.

Good-Mornings are always good, and they don't require the bending and stretching that could screw up my already bum leg. They're especially good when Attila ups the weight *and* the reps.

We also worked shoulders:

Grab a pair of eight pound weights. Lean over slightly, and swing the weights, arms bent slightly, up to shoulder height. Then swing them back parallel to your body. The swing must be a controlled swing, or else you'll eff up your shoulder to match your knee. Do three sets of twenty. Scream like a girl during the last set.

Keeping hold of the eight-pounders, press out from your shoulders while standing up straight. See "scream like a girl" for all three sets of twenty.

Still holding those (redacted) eight-pound weights, lift your arms straight out from your sides, elbows soft, hold for a count of two, and return. Ibid on the "scream like a girl" thing.

And we worked itty-bitty butt muscles as well. These, I joked, must've come from "Sweatin' To The Oldies"--and Attila blushed and said, yes, they did:

Put your five-pound ankle weights on. Kneel, and kick one leg out behind you, straight. Now bring your knee up to your chest. Do twenty. Be amazed at your butt muscle's protests.

Do the other leg.

Now, keeping your leg bent, lift that leg like you're a dog at a fire hydrant. (Sorry; there's no other way to put it and make it clear.) Do three sets of twenty, or 20/25/30, and voice your astonishment that there is apparently an itty-bitty muscle on the side of your butt that hasn't been worked in three years. Feel the burn, and I'm not joking.

She also had me work through the Horrendous, Worse Than Isometrics ab exercises, like V-up, pause and hold two seconds, return in a controlled fashion.

Honestly? I was sweating as much during this workout as I did during any of the interval training we've ever done (though the barfing feeling didn't surface). My shoulders are sore, and my ass is saying, "Missa Golightly! I protest!"

Two days ago, I saw a woman jogging down my street. I was seized with envy. Eventually, I'll get back there, but gosh it feels like it's taking a long time.