Monthly Archives: November 2013

Biceps, Core, Fitness, Lunges, Plank, Running, Treadmill

Almost Time to Bring out the Trees!!!

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Today I did another one of Allie’s moves from her Trifecta Arm video – she called this one “pick up the baby.”  I called it HARD!!!!

Start in a plank with dumbbells (I used 10 pounds) – step right foot in, stand and lunge with a bicep curl – step right foot back to plank – repeat on left side = 1 rep.

44 of these and I nearly called my workout for the day done!!!  (just kidding – sort of!)

I did Jillian Michaels Hard Body – Level 2.  Umm….this was the first time I’ve done this part and it was a great workout!  Lots of plyo moves with weights, some balance challenges and some core work – awesome!!!

I decided to get in a quick run – last week I had a great week of long and slow but every once in awhile I like to push my speed a little.  I did 4 miles at 1.5% incline in 24:27 then 0.6 miles easy to cool down.

Screen shot 2013-11-25 at 7.09.12 AMToday is deep clean day – baseboards, corners, under furniture – I can hardly wait!!!  (well, that might be exaggerating a bit!!)

But, it’s for a good cause – 

family
family

Some of my favorite people  are coming later this week to spend Thanksgiving with us!!!  And that is something I truly am excited about!!!

Screen shot 2013-11-25 at 7.14.37 AMAnd then I can turn my super clean house into a Christmas wonderland!!!  I’ve made myself hold off on decorating this year until after Thanksgiving and I feel like I’m missing out on trees and lights but it will be worth it soon!!!

I love having Christmas decorations all over the house!!!  Christmas trees in every room and Santas galore – it is awesome!!!

 

Have you decorated for Christmas or do you wait until after Thanksgiving?

Happy Monday!

Kim

 

Butt, Cardio, Fitness, Plyo, Squats

Are Kids Smarter (and Stronger) Now than 25 Years Ago?

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Today I did a quick 44 but it was a challenge!!!  I did single leg squats with a hop.  I started on my right leg and did 44 squats with a hop – they went OK and I only had to tap my left foot 2x to keep from falling.

My left leg squats and hops didn’t go as well – I had to tap my right foot down a lot.  

I like moves like this that make me have to work to not fall over!!!

Screen shot 2013-11-24 at 8.36.44 AMLast night Hunter and I were talking about college and scholarships.  I told him that I went to college with a full scholarship – both academic and athletic.

Hunter’s response – I guess academic scholarships are a lot harder to get now.

What?!  I think I just got slammed.

He said well kids are smarter now and there is more competition for athletic scholarships than when you went to school.

What?!  Maybe you should stop talking, Hunter.

Then he started in on way back then.  

What?!  I’m not that old (well maybe I am but still!).

 Screen shot 2013-11-24 at 8.42.16 AM

He wanted to know my SAT and ACT scores – I can’t remember my SAT but my ACT was 31.

Hunter also said – well you got an athletic scholarship but were there any really good runners at your school?

One of the people on our track team was late coming back to school in the fall of 1988 because he was running in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.  He ran for Jamaica and won a silver medal in the 4 x 400m relay (the US won gold).  Plus, a couple of the years that I ran we were the NAIA National Champions!!!  

At the end of all of this, Hunter still tried to tell me that it is harder to get scholarships now than (way back) when I went to college!!!  Silly Boy!!!

Happy Sunday!!!  I’m off to  take my non-scholarship deserving self to tackle my to-do list.

Kim

Core, Fitness, Plank, Running, Shoulders

Sore not Hurt!!!

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Today’s 44 was one of those that seemed like a great idea until I did about 10 – then it was just HARD!!!  I used a stability ball and got into the plank position (feet on ball).  Then I alternated bringing my knee to my elbow (a right and left was 1 rep).

The last 20ish were rough – I had a hard time staying in plank because the ball kept rolling around (maybe I wasn’t holding my core tight enough)!!!  Fun times!!!

Screen shot 2013-11-23 at 8.22.04 AMThis week I’ve actually been doing a little experiment with my running – and it has been great!!!

3 mornings – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – after my first workout and getting the boys to school I have hopped on the treadmill to log some miles.  I have forced myself to slow my pace so that I can increase my mileage.

Screen shot 2013-11-23 at 8.23.53 AMI’ve mentioned many times that I can’t run every day anymore because of the many injuries (mostly stress fractures) that I’ve had over the past few years.  Chris always says that the problem isn’t just running but that I tend to run too hard.

So, this week, I just ran!
     Monday – 12 miles
     Wednesday – 10.5 miles
     Friday – 16.5 miles
     Week total – 39 miles!!

I think that running on semi-tired legs is going to help me later (if I decide to try another ultra!!!).

The best part about my experiment?!  My legs were a bit sore after each run (part of why I’ve forced myself to stretch this week!) but I completed all of my runs without any pain!!!!  

Maybe Chris has been right all along – just don’t tell him!!! :Wink:

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

 

 

Core, Fitness, Triceps

A Valuable Lesson

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Today’s 44 was all about control.  I used my favorite piece of equipment – 

BOSU
BOSU

and did a walking movement by lifting my right hand and left foot, holding then switching to the other side.

start
start
right hand & left foot up and hold
right hand & left foot up and hold
back to this position
back to this position
Left hand & right foot up and hold
left hand & right foot up and hold

This was a fun and challenging move – great for core and triceps.  I had a few wobbles before I finished all 44.  (I counted the  above sequence as 1 rep.)

I used another DVD that I rarely do – Crunch – Fat Burning Fitness – this one is sort-of dancey but since it was just me and the TV I did OK!!!  When the instructor said more hip swing I just added in some jumps – worked out perfectly!!!

Screen shot 2013-11-22 at 6.40.10 AMOne morning this week when I was driving the boys to school, we passed a couple of cars that had crashed (the front car slowed and the back car hit it) shortly before we got to that spot.

Thankfully no one was hurt!!!  The lesson I learned – don’t dress like this to drive:Screen shot 2013-11-22 at 6.50.05 AM

OK – this might be  a slight exaggeration but the lady driving the front car was in her nightgown and robe – about 1 block from the middle school and high school right at the time that everyone was headed that way.  

Do you ever drive anywhere in your robe?  NO for me – I always look like a rag for the morning school drive but it is in sweaty workout clothes.

 Happy Fun Friday!!!

Kim

Biceps, Core, Fitness

Stretching – Good for the Body, Great for the Mind

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Today’s 44 was fun because it is primarily an arm move but it also  works the core!  This move is from Allie @ VitaTrain4Life.  She did an awesome arm workout for us yesterday and I borrowed one of the moves for my 44.

The move is a bicep curl with your legs lifted (that’s why your abs get involved!!).

I think the hardest part of this move was to try and keep my arm movements controlled.

I pulled out a DVD that I tend to forget about today  – Exhale Core Fusion Body Sculpt.  I forgot how great this workout is.  It is 5 10-minute sections (although a couple are a little longer) of slow moving work.  
     Upper body
     Thighs
     Butt
     Abdominal
     Stretching

I’m not sure which of the sections was the hardest – they all seem like they should be easy and innocent but they really work the designated areas!!!

The final section – stretch – is one that I tend to skip in lots of workouts.  However, today I decided to spend the 10ish minutes and tried to completely relax into it.

Screen shot 2013-11-21 at 6.51.54 AMUsually I will spend about 10 seconds in the corpse pose and decide I don’t have time for that.  Today, I don’t know if my body was telling me it needed the time to relax and prepare for the day or what but the stretching was awesome!!!  I enjoyed the entire time both physically and mentally!!!

Lately I’ve read several posts about stretching – Kris on Fitness had a great one yesterday talking about stretching to help prevent injury and how as we age it is a vital part of fitness.    Abby @ Change of Pace wrote a  post about the “torture tools” that are available (foam rollers, sticks, balls, etc.) to help with preventing injuries and the value of taking the time to use them.

Even knowing about the importance of stretching to help prevent injuries has rarely been enough to make me stop and do it.  

However, today I discovered that being willing to spend a few minutes calming my mind after working out can be very enjoyable – who knows maybe next time I will do 15 minutes!!!

Do you enjoy stretching?

Happy Thursday!

Kim