4/2/1 Lower Body Circuit

Yesterday I skipped my post so that I could get more sleep to wake up early this morning for my workout. And then this morning I opted to sleep an extra few minutes and skip the workout.

You know, sometimes that’s just the way it goes.

So this morning I woke up leisurely, had tea first (instead of chugging lukewarm tea in my classroom as I get ready for the day), and had plenty of time to get ready. Don’t get me wrong; I still love the morning workouts, but I wasn’t upset to opt for more sleep today.

I do need to share yesterday’s workout with you, though, because that one was a doozy. Oddly, it didn’t feel too tough throughout, but Terry and I are definitely feeling the burn in our quads and hamstrings today.

 This workout challenges you to slow down the tempo of your reps—four counts contracting, two counts at peak contraction, and one count to return to neutral. I love the extra challenge, and it builds endurance and stability.

Yesterday should have been a WIAW, but let’s just say it wasn’t a bad day to skip—I have no photos of my food, and the food wasn’t spectacular in the first place. Today, though, a few of my coworkers and I went to The Counter for dinner and then scooted back to the high school to watch a few of our students perform in a choir concert. I had an organic bison burger with roasted bell peppers, grilled onions, and gruyere cheese, plus sweet potato fries and chili fries. It's always so fun to spend time with other teachers and share hilarious stories from the classroom. 

Speaking of work, I also took some time yesterday and today to get a little grading done at Starbucks. Even though I don’t drink coffee, I love the ambiance of coffee shops and feel particularly productive in the white-noise environment. I can grade, blog, or read with minimal distraction. Plus, who can resist a little midday people watching? I’m always fascinated by the diversity of people in Stabucks—teenagers who giggle and gossip, businesswomen meeting each other for an afternoon meeting, grad students listening to music on their laptops, young dads trying to get their toddlers to stop touching all the merchandise. Perfect entertainment for when I need a break from grading my endless stack of papers.

The end of the semester is quickly approaching, and the teachers are just as stressed as the students. On top of regular lessons, we’re juggling test prep, parent concerns, students begging for extra credit, loads of work to grade, and prep for next semester. I’m looking forward to the three-day weekend so I can get caught up on some of my work. (Perhaps another trip or three to Starbucks?)

I’m also terrified of getting whatever virus/cold/flu is going around the school. Several students have been out or just super sick in class, and I’m hoping to grab a flu shot ASAP. I’m not sure how strong it’ll be when I encounter 150 students daily, but I can at least try.

Work-related stressors aside, I have to say that this first semester was extremely rewarding for me professionally. I think I really grew as an educator, employee, and working adult. I worked harder than I ever have, and I felt more organized and more professional. I think a lot of that sentiment has to do with the fact that I’m no longer coaching. While I loved working with my cheerleaders, my attention was split; now I focus solely on teaching, which is important for a “new” (fourth-year) teacher. I am honing my skill rather than just treading water, and I like the feeling of improving instead of improvising all the time. 

And with that said, let's gear up for Friday! We're hoping to complete the same full-body circuit we did last week. Other ideas for the weekend?

• Cardio workout on Saturday (since I didn't do it today)
• Grading and planning
• Homemade soup
• Perhaps a movie

Any fun weekend plans? And how do you feel about coffee shop productivity?