I am a 44 year old wife, mom and athlete. I started running in high school and have loved it ever since. As I got older, I had to stop running every day so I added in weight training and all sorts of fun work-outs like Insanity, P90X and Turbo Fire. I'm a certified personal trainer and I love all aspects of fitness.
I think that we all have something about us that makes us hardcore.
There is at least one area (for some it is many areas) that we can push through any fear, all pain and succeed!!!
I know a couple of things that is not my hardcore – cold (I’m a complete wimp and freely admit it!!) and, at this point anyway, running a 50 mile race.
However, I do think that with fitness in general I’m pretty hardcore. There are very few moves/exercises that I won’t at least attempt – usually I try for 45 reps!! (at a minimum!) Sometimes I’m not successful and have to attempt moves multiple times but that is the fun part.
Ummm….not me – thank you google search for random pictures.
Even when I fail at a move (still haven’t mastered the one arm push-up!!!), I keep going back for more because eventually I will get it!!!
What is your hardcore? Can you do a one arm push-up? Can you do the move that mankofit is doing in the picture above?
I was skimming through a book called 365 Ways to be Happy. Some of the things are kind of silly but there are some really great concepts in the book.
Since I’m focusing on happy and positive things I thought it would be fun to occasionally share about it. Even though we have all heard some of these things before I think the reminder is always good – I know I need to hear some things almost daily!!
When we rely on others for our happiness we end up expecting too much of them. The only way to find happiness is to be content with ourselves.
Some days that is no problem and other days that I struggle with being completely content with myself.
Are you content with your life (at least on the whole)? Do you think other people can make you happy?
I’m happy being with my family but I also don’t want them to feel responsible for keeping me happy!!!
This week the workouts were wimpy and practically non-existent!!! I can’t remember the last time I’ve started January with so few days of working out.
Oh well, a little is better than zero!!!
Sunday 1/4 – 45 squat with one leg propped up to the side.
ready to squat on left legdown
And, of course, I had to turn around and get the other side.
ready for side 2down
This move was also a nice hip opener.
I did an easy 5 mile run (40:30) followed by 1.25 super easy miles.
Monday 1/5 – 45 hops – front, back, out, in.
Quick and easy but better than nothing!!!
Tuesday 1/6 – 45 side running motion with one leg on a higher step.
readyup and run (hard to capture a picture)
I really did bring my knee up in more of a running motion – this was after the basketball game and I was ready for the day to be over!!!
I did the move with both legs on top (switched directions) but didn’t take a picture of my backside:).
Wednesday 1/7 – 45 side lying leg front and back (toe down in front and heel down in back).
move leg to the front and turn the toe downmove leg back with the heel down
And, don’t think I only worked one side –
Side 2 – move leg to frontleg back
By flipping the toes up and down, this move was a great one to work all parts of your hips!!!
Thursday 1/8 – 45 side knee lift with a side bend (band around ankles).
lift right knee and bend to the rightLift left knee and bend left
I counted a right – left as 1 rep for this move.
And, I’m thinking that 6 hours of putting up Christmas decorations including about 100 trips up and down the stairs should count as at least some sort of workout!!
Friday 1/9 – 45 alternating heel taps with hands reaching up and down. (I got this idea from Nellie on her Weekly Wednesday Workout and did my own variation).
Ready to startright heel tap – reach arms overheadleft heel tap – reach arms down to sides
I tried to keep this move a nice fluid move with my legs while my arms did a semi-circle as the went up and then down.
I actually ran – it was rough but better than nothing.
6 miles in 48:58 followed by 1.3 easy miles.
Saturday 1/10 – 45 chest press with leg abduction (band around ankles).
readybring arms down and open legs to sides
I liked this move since it worked so many large muscle groups!!!
I decided to try another workout – Cross Training for Fitness. I made it through 3 of the 15 minute sections before deciding I was done.
I have had a sore throat and sinus drainage all week which has hampered my workouts but I’m thinking that I’m at the point where I just need to suck it up and start pushing through!!! It’s amazing how quickly you can lose your current level of conditioning when you take some time off!
BTW – I do have on sweats/yoga pants/fleece and fuzzy socks in pretty much all the pictures – when it’s cold I live in this stuff. The minute I get home from any activity I put on my warm comfy clothes!!!
2015 is off to a great start!!! I can’t wait to see all the fun things that are coming this year!
Nothing spectacular has happened but life really is good – this year I’m making an effort to see the positive instead of focusing on the negatives.
* Instead of hating the extreme cold, I’m happy that my truck has a heated steering wheel – best invention ever!!! Normally my fingers hurt anytime I’m driving around (thanks Reynauds) but not anymore!!!
* I got a new phone this week – for FREE!!! I love the new AT&T program!!! Now I can see my phone without squinting since I bumped up to the iPhone 6 plus (from the iPhone 5)!!!
* I haven’t been working out this week (fighting a super sore throat/respiratory thing) which is not the way I normally start January but I have enjoyed the extra time to do other things in the mornings!!!
* I ordered a magnet for my truck – Having the magnet on the back of my truck has made me a kinder driver. I haven’t honked at anyone this entire year (usually I honk on most outings – lots of idiot drivers here!!).
* Jordan wanted to change his look this year (he asked for new clothes for Christmas so he and I went shopping together – so much fun!!) – He has been wearing pants and nice shirts every day to school and looks so dang cute!!! (just a year ago he wore white Nike shorts and a plain T-shirt every single day!)
Last night we went to the high school basketball games – fun times for sure!!!
Watching the athletes (girls, boys, cheerleaders and dancers) I was thinking about the importance of a conditioning base for any sport or event.
No matter how many baskets you can make, you have to be able to run up and down the court without keeling over!!!
In my previous life (the one before I had kids!!), I taught middle school science and coached 7th & 8th grade volleyball, basketball and track. In volleyball – we ran! In basketball – we ran!! And, of course in track – we ran!!!
The one thing that I always stressed to all of my athletes is that we were running for conditioning NEVER as a form of punishment. I tried to make it fun!!
When we did suicides, I ran with the kids. I always told them that if they could beat me they only had to do one!! (For the record, no one ever beat me:)
I think so many people just want to learn the moves or play the game that they forget that conditioning is at the heart of every single sport.
And conditioning is pretty great – it is what keeps us fit and healthy!! I’m all about being fit and ready to take on any challenge.
What’s your favorite form of conditioning? Want to do some suicides with me?
(I’m a complete wimp and freely admit it!!) and, at this point anyway, running a 50 mile race.
