Day 2 : Mad Dogs and Englishmen

For those who have never heard it, this is the name of a song by Noel Coward "Only mad dogs and Englishment go out in the midday sun"(not my generation, but much later the name of an album by Joe Cocker - that's my generation).

This can also be said for going into my garden on a Japanese August morning (yes, I'm a Brit) - I had a couple of hours extra sleep and didn't get outside for my skipping until 9.10. Boy, was it already hot by that time. The skips took half an hour to do 600, with rest and drink breaks squeezed in. My left calf definitely didn't want to cooperate so they were more like 600 hops on my right leg. My style is improving, though. And while I'm being musical, to quote John Lennon, "I'm got a blister on my finger" (at the end of "Helter Skelter" on the "White Album" (yes, I know I'm dating myself further)) - the skipping rope was rubbing away without me noticing it yesterday.

This is what I looked like after the 600 skips!!













The squats were not too much of a problem but I'm not squatting low enough yet.

But the push-ups absolutely defeated me. I have always had trouble with these and I really don't have the upper body strength to lift my own weight. Compounded by the regular aches and pains plus some extra stiffness from yesterday, I just lay on my front in frustration and couldn't move (up). I'll try again this evening.

And the crunches come in the same category as the squats. As long as I don't have to curl too far (and I guess I'm the judge of that), I can manage them (I can certainly feel the effect).

I've had a lot of cold tea so far today but don't even feel like eating after the exercise.

Thanks for all the support so far. I think I'm going to need it!!