Category Archives: Back

Fun with Workout Toys (4/5 – 4/11)

This week I used a variety of pieces of equipment and other workout “toys” for some of my moves – always fun to use items in different ways!!

Sunday 4/5  45 cross behind lunges (curtsey style) off of step – plyo move.

start
start
hop back to curtsey lunge with right leg
hop back to curtsey lunge with right leg

Push off and hop back to top.

hop to lunge with left leg
hop to lunge with left leg

I need to start incorporating more plyo moves into my workouts again!!!

Monday 4/6  45 double step – plank jack/tricep push-up.

I set my steps up end-to-end and put my feet on the taller one with my hands on the shorter one –

set-up
set-up
jack feet out
jack feet out
as you jump your feet back in go down into a push-up
as you jump your feet back in go down into a push-up

This move was hard – the tricep push-up is what killed me!!!

I ran 10 miles (74:28) followed by an easy mile.

Tuesday 4/7  45 V-sit on vertical foam roller with open/close arms.  This move is a variation of a move from Lindsay (Cotter Crunch) and her 3 New Core Moves – she did the move as a stationary move focusing on holding.  I knew I couldn’t do 45 long holds so I adapted it.

start with arms out and legs out a little
start with arms out and legs out a little
bring arms in and pull knees in
bring arms in and pull knees in

This move might look easy but it was HARD!!!

I did Denise Austin’s Personal Training DVD – always a fun workout for the entire body!!  I even did the stretching segment!!

Wednesday 4/8  45 hinged barbell pulls.

start
start
pull arms up (row)
pull arms up (row)

The key to this move was keeping everything still except the  arms.

I only had time for 6 miles (44:17) followed by a cool down mile.

Thursday 4/9  45 side plank with a leg sweep front-back-front.

start
start
move top leg to the front
move top leg to the front
sweep leg to the back
sweep leg to the back

Move the top leg back to the front to complete the rep.  This took longer than I expected – I had to pause a couple times before completing all 45 reps.  And, then I had to flip over and do some more!

set-up
set-up
 move top leg to the front
move top leg to the front
 sweep leg to the back
sweep leg to the back

Bring that leg to the front to complete 1 rep!  I guess I didn’t use any cool “toys” for this move – oops!!

I did Les Mills Combat – Ultimate Warriors – 60 minutes of fast paced punching and kicking!!!

Friday 4/10  45 shoulder presses with a chair.  I was a slug and slept till 6:00 so I didn’t get my workout done early.  I had my 3rd day of cleaning/set-up at the venue for the past 4 so I decided to do my 45 once I got to the venue.

I used one of our chairs – Screen Shot 2015-04-11 at 2.04.53 PMI held it in front of my chest with both hands (by the front legs) and pressed my arms overhead before lowering to a 90 degree bend.  Sort of a fun way to work my shoulders!!

Saturday 4/11  45 sidearm triceps extensions.

arms in
arms in
extend (palms face back)
extend (palms face back)

Can you tell the pictures are after my run?  I put my shirt back on for them since I’m not super happy with my abs these days.

I ran 10 miles (73:50) followed by 1.5 easy miles.

Do you like to experiment with new uses for standard equipment?  
I like to use different pieces of equipment especially in new ways!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Taking it Easy (3/8 – 3/14)

This week I took several days off because my legs were tired and I’m trying to rest some before next Saturday!

Sunday 3/8  45 sit-ups with my feet propped on the door.

ready
ready
up - reach
up – reach

Monday 3/9  45 rear leg lifts with band.

ready to lift right
ready to lift right
lift with slight pull on band
lift with slight pull on band

After one side has been worked over, it’s time to switch and hit the other side.

left leg ready
left leg ready
lift & squeeze butt
lift & squeeze butt

I did Turbo Jam – Lower Body Jam & Ab Jam – both fun workouts!!

Tuesday 3/10  45 reverse lunge to warrior 3.

lunge back with left leg
lunge back with left leg
push off right foot and lean forward
push off right foot and lean forward

I love how many muscles are involved in these 2 moves.  And the balance challenge always makes me happy!!!

lunge back right
lunge back right
push off with left and lean forward
push off with left and lean forward

I did a 9 mile run in 68:35 followed by 1.2 easy miles.

Wednesday 3/11  45 crunches with a medicine ball toss (8 pound).

This was the start of taking a few days off since my legs felt tired.  I still ended up with almost 20,000 steps after a day of cleaning and setting up at the venue.

Thursday 3/12  45 bent over tricep pulses.

ready
ready
lift
lift

An easy move on another day off  (other than 8 hours on my feet while ironing table cloths).

Friday 3/13  45 pike and row on BOSU.  This move is another one that Nellie (Brooklyn Active Mama) shared in her Weekly Wednesday Workout.

Wrap the band around your foot a couple times – I also ended up choking up on the band to have enough resistance.

start by leaning back (work the core!)
start by leaning back (work the core!)
pike your leg up and row (pull shoulder blades together)
pike your leg up and row (pull shoulder blades together)

This was a fun move because it worked so many muscle groups and had an incredible balance challenge!!!

ready to work the other side even though my abs are burning
ready to work the other side even though my abs are burning
Lift leg and pull arms back
Lift leg and pull arms back

Saturday 3/14  45 squats on a 30% inclined treadmill.

ready to start
ready to start
down
down

I really liked this move – and it was perfect since I had just finished my run!!!

have to work the other side - sorry for the backside view
have to work the other side – sorry for the backside view
down
down

(It’s been awhile since I did pictures with my shirt off but just keeping it real – back fat and all today!!!)

I did this move after running 5 miles – 36:54 followed by a nice easy mile.

4 days out of 7 off is a lot for me but I think it was time to rest!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Heavy Running Week (1/18 – 1/24)

This week I more than doubled my total miles for the month – a mega long run will do that I guess!!

Sunday 1/18  45 arm lifts (elbows bent) to side while in elbow plank.

Ready
Ready  
lift right arm
lift right arm

Return to plank –

lift left arm
lift left arm

I counted a right and left lift as one rep – this was HARD!!!

Monday 1/19  45 shoulder work – extend arms straight up in front – open them to the sides – lower – repeat.  I only used 5 pound DB because my shoulders are weak!!!

lift arms straight up in front
lift arms straight up in front
Open arms out to sides
Open arms out to sides

Slowly lower the weights back down to complete the move.

This was a running day – 6 miles (47:10) + 2.1 easy miles.  I wanted to see how much sweating would burn my face – it wasn’t too bad!!

Tuesday 1/20  45 plie – jump to squat – jump back to plie – stay low the entire time.

start in plie
start in plie

From plie, jump to get into a squat (point toes forward) –

squat
squat  

Obviously I kept the squat fairly wide!!!  From the squat – jump back to a plie position.  Since you stay low the entire time, your legs will definitely start to feel the burn!!

I did a DVD that I hadn’t done in awhile – Jari Love’s Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore.   This was about 70-75 minutes of hard work.  I liked the mix of cardio and weights.  Because Jari Love uses high reps for all moves, my heart rate stayed high the entire time!!!

Wednesday 1/21  45 miles of running!!!

Screen Shot 2015-01-24 at 9.44.42 AM

This took 6 hours, 35 minutes, 18 seconds!!  Normally I do this on my actual birthday but this year I figured as long as I did it while I was 45 it would count!

Thursday 1/22 – 45 single leg calf raises.

down on right leg
down on right leg
up
up

I thought this would be a nice stretch after Wednesday’s run.  Ummm….it was hard to do 45!!!  And, of course, I had to switch legs.

down
down
up
up

Friday 1/23  45 heel taps while in a prone position.

lift legs and squeeze
lift legs and squeeze  (nice photo bomb – Jordan!!)
tap heels together
tap heels together

This is a great move for your lower back since you are working to keep your legs up the entire time!!!

Saturday 1/24  45 shin strengtheners.

lay on back - legs up - point toes
lay on back – legs up – point toes
flex toes
flex toes

I used to do this move a lot more to help prevent shin splints.  You can also turn your toes out to the sides or in.  Another option is to vary the speed that you use for this move.

I decided to do an easy workout to try and workout the residual soreness in my quads from the long run so I did – Fat Burning Pilates. I think that is was a good way to get a little movement today!!!

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

Accepting Limitations (12/14 – 12/20)

Yesterday at physical therapy  we talked some about limitations and accepting the fact that sometimes we never “get back” to the point we used to be.  I told the therapist that I was not ready to give up on long runs or fast runs so I need to pursue this whole leg issue further.    I will continue to do the strengthening moves and work on good alignment but I think it is time for the next step – visiting my orthopedic surgeon.

Sunday 12/14  45 torso and leg lifts while laying face down.

ready
ready
lift and squeeze
lift and squeeze

By holding my hands back instead of in front this changed the move and degree that I could raise.  When I do a basic superman I never get quite as much lift!

Monday 12/15  45 side plank crunch (bring top knee in).

ready to work
ready to work
crunch in
crunch in

I liked this move!!  And, of course, I had to flip over and do another set of 45.

side 2
side 2
crunch
crunch

I ran 9 miles – furthest run in awhile in 71:10 followed by 1.5 easy miles.   I spent over an hour and a half on the treadmill which is a record these days.

Tuesday 12/16  45 burpees with plank jack push-up.

Yikes – I haven’t done many burpees or push-ups in awhile and this was tough!!!

After that I went with an easier workout – Burn & Firm Pilates.

Wednesday 12/17  45 overhead circles with medicine ball (8 pound).

try to keep torso straight
try to keep torso straight

I circled clockwise for 45 reps and then switched direction for another set –

harder than it looks
harder than it looks

This move is good for your core but I also felt it in my forearms later in the day!!!

I ran a slowish 5 miles – 43:27 followed by 3.5 easy miles.  My leg was very achey after this run!!!

Thursday 12/18  45 double crosses (for core).

right over left
right over left
open
open
left over right
left over right

This was hard for me!!!  I counted a right over left + a left over right as 1 rep.

I did one of my DVDs that has lots of 10 minute workouts – Quick Fix Toning.  I did 6 sections for a nice full body hour workout.

Friday 12/19  45 leg lifts to back on a diagonal (a therapy move).

ready
ready
lift and squeeze
lift and squeeze

I’m really working on staying straight and not tilting my body on these moves while strengthening my hips.

ready for the other side
ready for the other side
lift
lift

I did an 8 mile run – 64:31 followed by an easy 1.5 miles.

Saturday 12/20  45 clams with a band.  My therapist wants me to do clams more often but I told her I never really feel them – she said to use a small band – I definitely felt them today!!!

ready
ready
open top leg
open top leg

My hip was burning by the time I finished all 45!!!  Then I flipped over to do more!

side 2
side 2
open
open

So, I’m struggling with the fact that even though I can run it might be making my leg worse – this week it has hurt a lot more than last week.  I  don’t want to do any permanent damage but I need to run!!!

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Something Is Better than Nothing

Basically this week has been one of very minimal workouts.  But…I still did a 45 everyday!!!

Sunday 11/16  45 low duck walks.

Duck Walk

Duck Walk

So, this is a move I actually did while we were cleaning the apartment – the layer of filth was deep and after I scrubbed all the walls I duck walked the entire perimeter of the apartment cleaning the baseboards and floor line.  (this ended up being way more than 45 duck walk steps!!!)

Can you see the dirt on the baseboard?!

Monday 11/17  45 roll-ups with one leg straight and one bent.

left leg out - ready to go
left leg out – ready to go
roll up
roll up

(keeping your hands under your back helps you remember to keep your back pressed to the floor!!)

right leg extended
right leg extended
roll/crunch up
roll/crunch up

This was a new (to me) move and I liked it!!!

Because I new that this was one of my last chances, for a few days, I tried to run.  Didn’t happen.  I walked 4.5 miles with a 9% incline after running 2 miles super slow.

Tuesday 11/18  45 single arm reverse curls to shoulder press while standing on upside down wobble balls.

ready
ready
right arm - reverse curl (curl with palm down)
right arm – reverse curl (curl with palm down)
press up
press up

I did all 45 with my right arm then switched and started over.

left arm curl
left arm curl
press
press

I had to work my arms since I knew it would be the last time for a few weeks!!!

I walked 6.5 miles with a 10% incline – fun times for sure!!!

Wednesday 11/19  45 raises (upper and lower) while on stomach.

easy part
easy part
lift and hole 3 count
lift and hold 3 count

I don’t work my back enough but I really liked this move!!!

Thursday 11/20  45 inner thigh lifts with foot touch (non-lifting foot on wobble ball).

ready to work the right leg and balance on the left
ready to work the right leg and balance on the left
lift right leg - touch foot with left hand
lift right leg – touch foot with left hand

This move went quickly.  I had to do 45 on each leg of course!

balance on right leg, lift left foot
balance on right leg, lift left foot
lift foot up - touch with right hand
lift foot up – touch with right hand

Friday 11/21  45 flutter kicks while on back (right – left = 1 rep).

"easy" part
“easy” part
right foot up, left foot down
right foot up, left foot down
left foot up, right foot down
left foot up, right foot down

This move went quickly and is a great way to work the core.

Saturday 11/22  45 leg extensions with the figure 8 band.

right leg
right leg
extend
extend

And, I had to work my left leg!!  (I held the band in my right arm still because when I tried it in my left it rubbed right over my stitches.

Left leg
Left leg
extend
extend

I’m hoping to add in a bit more next week – I hate not working out!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim