Week 5 with the ImpactR, with the theme of ‘Just Do It’, the usual day-by-day account of the week, fav and least fav exercises, and 3 more weekly goals going into the final week of this 6-week challenge!

JUST DO IT

Going into week 5, I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was a busy and hard week for my family, and at the start of it I wasn’t quite sure when or how to even schedule my sessions with Deanna. As always, she was amazingly kind, understanding, and flexible. But after Week 4’s mantra of mindfulness and reflection, this week felt very much…not like that.

I guess it just goes to show that there is ebb and flow to everything in life, including a fitness routine. It’s not always going to go super smoothly or feel like a complete forward progression. Sometimes getting into a new routine feels like two steps forward, one step back, and that’s ok. The overall momentum is moving forward, and that’s what counts.

My attitude for this week was very much let’s get this done and just do it. And we did! All three sessions for Week 5 got completed, and they kicked my butt – but as always, in a good way.

WEEK 5 DIARY

Day 1 – May 17^th, 2021

We started Week 5 off very much in the vein of this week’s theme of Just Do It. 9am (8am for Deanna!), mat rolled out, ImpactR ready, let’s go. Deanna shared how she’s a big believer in starting your week off strong, and it felt great to start this week off with an ImpactR session.

I felt very challenged today! By the end my legs felt like jelly. Stairs were a bit challenging for the rest of the morning too. I found myself sometimes modifying the exercises to challenge myself more, and other times modifying a move to be simpler because I’m not quite there yet. Both are good. I’m enjoying listening to my body but also pushing it and challenging it beyond what I initially think I can do. We got through two whole cycles of Deanna’s workout, and had time to squeeze in some extra arm rows at the end, wahoo!

Fav exercise of the day – Plank jacks! I still find these quite fun, and it’s even better when you get into a rhythm and hit a groove.

Least fav exercise of the day – Forward lunges while also lifting the ImpactR. These feel hard enough on my legs, but the arms…my goodness. My arms cannot lift the ImpactR while straight, so I had to modify it into a press up move while doing the lunge. Working on it, but there’s certainly room to grow.

Day 2 – May 19^th, 2021

I do believe this week’s sessions are making me sweat more. It’s no bad thing! Today felt fast-paced and challenging, but easily modifiable. Deanna makes the biggest difference in pushing me harder than I ever would myself. I’m positive that I wouldn’t keep the same pace, or push myself to do harder modifications of exercises, if she wasn’t there challenging and cheering me on.

Fav exercise of the day – Definitely one leg deadlifts. These involve bringing the ImpactR down while at the same time lifting one leg up behind you, and it’s a real balancing act. I find it really fun to embrace that balancing challenge.

Least fav exercise of the day – Sit-ups with the ImpactR are still very difficult! I honestly felt each time like I wouldn’t be able to finish the reps, but somehow was able to push through and get them done. I’m sure that was largely thanks to Deanna’s encouragement.

Day 3 – May 21^st, 2021

This week has definitely felt on another level, and Day 3 was no different. Less breaks and lots of reps. Today I was noticing how some movements started off feeling almost enjoyable, but as more and more reps were completed began to feel…less so. LOL. That’s a roundabout way of saying I could feel myself getting more tired with the number of reps, and as the workout progressed they felt more and more challenging. We pushed through til the end though. After all, 15 minutes really isn’t too long. And you can do anything for 15 minutes, right?

Fav exercise of the day – Glute bridges, or maybe even rapid slams! I do like getting into a rhythm with the rapid slams, and glute bridges reminded me of gym sessions using barbell weights to complete this same move.

Least fav exercise of the day – Today it was the seated chest press. Sitting down really ups the challenge of this move and helps activates those arm muscles.

UPCOMING WEEKLY GOALS

1. End the week strong! Push and challenge maybe even a little bit more than might feel comfortable (I’m sure Jeremy getting involved will help with this, eek).
2. Add a bit more force into slams – I haven’t been focused too much lately on this as I’ve concentrated more on engagement and control. But for this final week I want to give a little bit of extra effort.
3. Try to match Deanna’s reps!

FINAL THOUGHTS

It feels crazy to me that we’re almost to the end of this 6-week challenge! I’m proud that we were able to continue the momentum and get this week done, even in the midst of a busy and difficult time. I feel like this week proved to me that 3 15-minute sessions really are accessible and manageable. They’re not too overwhelming to fit into a week’s schedule and can truly make such a difference!

I always feel better after a session and taking even just 45 minutes a week to take care of myself and build up strength and stamina is a really good thing. I hope this helps encourage you to prioritise a bit more time to your own fitness journeys!

THE SERIES

If you missed the earlier posts of my ImpactR Fitness Journey series, make sure you catch up with Week 1’s introduction, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4!

Stay tuned for something super exciting coming at the end of Week 6 as well!!

 DISCOUNT

If you’re interested in trying out the ImpactR for yourself, you can save 10% on their website using the code BEKAH10! This is an affiliate link, and if you purchase through a link/using my code I receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you and it really helps to support me in doing this work. Thank you so much for your support!

Week 3 with the ImpactR, talking about showing up, more of my least and fav workout exercises from the week, and a day-by-day account of how the week went.

‘I’m excited to work out with you this week.’ Could there be a better way to start a week of workouts?! This is the kind of energy Deanna brings to our sessions every. single. time. It makes all the difference.

SHOWING UP

 This week’s theme is all about showing up. I genuinely think it’s one of the hardest parts of starting any new kind of routine, especially a fitness routine. Queueing up the workout video, opening the yoga app, rolling out the mat, pulling out the equipment, pressing play…Sometimes those preparatory motions can feel even more difficult than the workout itself.

Once you get going, momentum can be a powerful factor in propelling you forward. It’s especially helpful when you have someone there motivating and cheering you on along the way (thank you Deanna!).

Working out is hard. Deanna said this during one of this week’s sessions, and it’s really stuck with me. She broke down the ratios like this: 80% mind, 10% heart, and 10% body. As surprising as it may sound, working out is a hugely mental thing. To me, that relates a lot to showing up in your workout – in mind, body, and soul – and the particular importance of getting into the right headspace to get started and to keep going.

Week 3 consisted of showing up three days in a row. I am feeling stronger for it, both mentally and physically!

WEEK 2 DIARY

 Day 1 – May 5, 2021:

Wow, well today felt tough. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I haven’t done a workout in 4 days, or if the workout itself was just ramped up again. I imagine it’s probably a combination of both. Today’s workout was challenging and I acknowledge that my core needs A LOT of work. Now that I think about it, core exercises have very much been neglected over the last year+, possibly even more than my arms have (oops). Sit-ups with the ImpactR are very hard work!

Fav exercise of the day – I really like kneeling slams. This involves lifting the ImpactR bar up and down, while kneeling on the ground. This modification on the slam really helps me focus on and engage my core. It’s a fun way to switch up an exercise I’m starting to get intimately acquainted with during this ImpactR journey.

Least fav exercise of the day – Sit up and twists with the ImpactR. As I said, core exercises have been neglected, and this exercise really reveals it. Doing a sit-up while also lifting the ImpactR over my head, and then twisting to the side once getting to the top – very difficult indeed.

Day 2 – May 6, 2021:

Today involved quite a lot of cardio, and I felt like I was pushed for the full 15 minutes. That’s no bad thing. I also really liked combining the arm and leg exercises to target the whole body in one exercise. It’s as simple as adding an overhead press to a squat, and feels very effective!

Fav exercise of the day – I have a love hate relationship with slam jumps. They’re fun when you get into a groove. I could see myself doing this to the beat of a catchy song and really getting into it. But they’re definitely tiring!

Least fav exercise of the day – Those triceps targeting exercises are still getting me every time! One of my weekly goals was for triceps exercises to not make me feel like I’m dying…I’ve still got a ways to go in achieving this one.

Day 3 – May 7, 2021:

I took a quick peek at today’s exercise list before hopping on Zoom with Deanna. I’m not sure it was the best idea LOL. Deanna had mentioned earlier in the week that she thought Day 3 was a tough one and looking at it was daunting. But it didn’t feel as hard as I thought it might have done!

I do feel I am getting stronger, which is encouraging. The first round of military press ups felt easier than they had the week before! Then they got much (much) harder, especially towards the end of the session. But hey, it’s progress, and I’ll celebrate every little bit of it.

Fav exercise of the day – I had fun with the slam push-ups! This was a combination of the Slam, and then putting the bar of the ImpactR down on the ground and doing a push-up on top of the bar.

Least fav exercise of the day – Squat jumps (fairly self-explanatory, involving a squat with the ImpactR on the shoulders, and then jumping slightly after rising up – with the ImpactR still being carried on the shoulders) are possibly one of the hardest exercises I’ve attempted on this journey. My legs were feeling slightly like jelly during the last round!

THIS WEEK’S GOALS

1. Continue to feel more comfortable with handling the ImpactR and improving in grip strength.
2. Stretch more! Try to do more daily yoga.
3. Intentionally take time after a workout to breath and reflect.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Deanna ends a lot of our workouts saying ‘I’m proud of you.’ It gives me all the feels!

This week I felt proud of myself too! Going three days in a row and reaching the halfway milestone of this ImpactR challenge is exciting. I am also really enjoying the post-workout feeling. 3 weeks down, 3 more to go!

THE SERIES

If you missed the earlier posts of my ImpactR Fitness Journey series, make sure you catch up with Week 1’s introduction, and Week 2!

DISCOUNT

If you’re interested in trying out the ImpactR for yourself, you can save 10% on their website using the code BEKAH10! This is an affiliate link, and if you purchase through a link/using my code I receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you and it really helps to support me in doing this work. Thank you so much for your support!