Aphrodite, *00:38:11
Well, finally the e-mail with my first instructions for this week's workouts arrived today. I had to fetch it from my spam folder... Since it was in German, Gmail decided that it was reason enough to put it there.
Surprise, surprise, the content of the e-mail wasn't the workout of week #1 as I expected, but of week #2. What happened with my e-mail from week one? It is a mistery. I cheked the bin and spam folders and it wasn't there. I guess it got lost in cyberspace. Anyhow, on this e-mail was a link where I could revisit the first week's instructions so I think of it as a 2 in 1 sort of thing. As expected, the HIWOD for week one was Aphrodite.
Since I got the second week's e-mail, my instinct was to follow the instructions and do the second week's HIWODs. However I thought it through and realized I can still do a proper week one and save the instructions for next week. Let's face it, my "pre-Freeletics week" was lacking a bit of the high intensity part of the workouts... I know, I'll be recieving e-mails one week ahead everytime, which annoys me and my *slight* OCD, but I think it's best if I really do every week properly rather than jumping forward to week #2 without having done a full and decent Aphrodite HIWOD.
This being said, and to have proof of my progress, this is me at Week 1, day 1:
You'll notice my lower left rib is protruding... well, that's just the way it's always been. It's more notorious on the side picture (on which I don't know why I closed my eyes).
Height: 1,70 mt
Weight: 63 kg
BMI: 21,8 (normal weight)
Gluts: 98,5 cm
Hips: 86 cm
Waist: 75 cm
Bust (more like back but well...): 90 cm
Bicep contour (left and right): 29 cm
Height: 1,70 mt
Weight: 63 kg
BMI: 21,8 (normal weight)
Gluts: 98,5 cm
Hips: 86 cm
Waist: 75 cm
Bust (more like back but well...): 90 cm
Bicep contour (left and right): 29 cm
I was surprised to see a "share" button on the page with the instructions so I guess it's ok for me to share the link to detailed Aphrodite instructions here.
To sum up, Aphrodite is, with no breaks and against the clock:
WORKOUT STRUCTURE
I like that the e-mail contains detailed instructions as to how to perform each exercise. I realized I was doing burpees "wrong" since I tought they implied doing a strict push-up and it specifically says "Get back up (however you want to, not necessarily a strict push-up) " The modified version of the burpee is also not as I was doing it (girly style push-ups with knees).
| 5 Rounds | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 |
| Burpees | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Squats | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| Situps | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
I like that the e-mail contains detailed instructions as to how to perform each exercise. I realized I was doing burpees "wrong" since I tought they implied doing a strict push-up and it specifically says "Get back up (however you want to, not necessarily a strict push-up) " The modified version of the burpee is also not as I was doing it (girly style push-ups with knees).
I said to myself I had to finish the HIWOD in under 40 minutes, and I did: 38 min 11 sec. I'm so proud of myself today and the seweat dripped like never before =)!
Dear Catalina,
ReplyDeleteI am interested to hear if you focussed first on form or on speed?
I have the feeling that the Freeletics guide does not properly convey that form is much more important than speed. I made the mistake of knowing this very well, but still going for speed in my first Aphrodite. The pain from this was quite uncomfortable and had nothing to do with the muscles that you would expect to hurt. Basically I had a lot of back-muscle pain. Probably from jerking myself up and falling down roughly during the burpees.
As it turns out, Burpees seem to be the crux for most people starting Freeletics.
Cheers
Philipp
Dear Phillipp,
DeleteEven if the guide says that you should do the exercises "the right way", I think one instinctively wants to do the best time one can. The whole measuring system of Freeletics is beating your times, so it's instinctive to try and make it as fast as you can right from the start.
I agree the guide, specially the first weeks, should try to emphasize more that it's very very important to perform the exercises in the right form, and not focus so much on timing while you are learning a new exercise. I have found that, once you do a certain movement so many times in a certain way it's super hard to change that later on.
In my personal case, I had very weak arms/pecs/back at the beginning so I had a lot of trouble doing the burpees. I did try to go as fast as I possibly could, but I also put a lot of effort in maintaining the form the best I could. The thing is, my body "learned" to do the burpees in a certain slow/easy way and now I am way stronger and I know I could go much faster but when I try to speed it up, I find it very hard because "my body doesn't know" how to go down in one single movement. I first have to get in a push up position and then I can lower my chest, while in the videos you just jump backwards while lowering your chest in just one continuous motion... That I'm still working on!!!
I hope this was helpful =)
Cheers!
Thanks Catalina,
ReplyDeleteVery helpful indeed. I would suggest looking at the Videos of Christian Wenzel, e.g. his Burpee demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOcoAXrKyrs
While these Videos are in German, just looking at him going through the motions slowly helps a lot to reflect on ones own technique. Essentially he follows a modified version of the Burpee with a narrower stand and a flowing motion without letting yourself fall down.
Since he has a specific German dialect, having the captions translated sadly does not help, but I think his demonstrations might be helpful either way.
Burpee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOcoAXrKyrs
Aphrodite Speed vs. Form: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLttECRAZuU
Metis Speed vs. Form: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKYeaSXbQk
I hope this might give you some helpful indications.
I surely know that my Aphrodite tomorrow will be considerably slower. My back will certainly be happy.