Category Archives: Butt

Is it about the Journey or the end Destination?

July 15, 2013 Kim 38 Comments

Today’s 43 was the move that I used for G in my ABC Boot Camp – Groaners!!! I think that this move is really called a thruster but I changed the name to make it work for my letters (and there was a bit of groaning involved!!).

Start in plank – jump feet in to hands out wide – jump back to plank.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRU37_50b0c’]

I think the jumping involved in this 43 helped work out some of the residual soreness from my long run the other day!!

Today was 6 am Boot Camp and it was pretty tough!!! We did 3 mini pyramids (I had 4 planned but I didn’t want to go over the 45 minutes!!). Even though I made it up, I’m sort-of dreading repeating it tomorrow at the beach – well, not really but I know that I will be feeling it!!

I’m also participating in a fitness challenge with Taylor @ Lifting Revolution. I don’t do many challenges but I like the way this one is structured – 6 weeks, 6 different workouts (1 per week to be done 3x), a couple of new recipes – it fits in perfectly with the way I like to work out!! Today was the first day and this week’s workout is challenging!! It only took about 30 minutes or so to complete the whole thing but it was intense. I still have 2 more times to repeat it this week – can’t wait!!!

So, what do you think – journey or destination? I think that it varies at different points in life. I know that if you look at all of the inspirational quotes they all say the same thing –

However, I think that there are some times that the destination is the best part!!! Especially when the journey involves thisfor this amount of time and miles!!!But the destination is so worth it when it iswhich means lots of time enjoying my favorite happy place!!

I’m not gonna lie – I am not the most fun person to travel with!! I just want to get there!!! Stops are short, infrequent and only when necessary!!! I’m not one of those people that likes to detour and check out all the sites on the way. I’ve tried to be more like that when traveling and all it does is make me grit my teeth – I just want to keep trucking along until we are at the final destination!!!

Now, there are lots of other areas of life that I’m all about the journey!I think my fitness journey is kind of like the above quote – it’s a journey that will never end because I want to continue to try and improve my fitness level every single day!!

The same could be said about my role as both a wife and a mother – it’s about enjoying the journey!!I like the above quote – because I think that in many areas it is true – the journey is the destination and it should be enjoyed and treasured at every little stop. It’s not about rushing through to get to the end but stopping frequently along the way!!! (as long as we aren’t talking about a mega long car trip!!!)

What do you think – journey or destination?
Long car trips – stop and sight see or just get there?

Happy Monday!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Quad, Squats

The Power of ONE

July 9, 2013 Kim 37 Comments

Today for my 43 I did a move that I knew was going to be included in my workout (with over 150 reps!!!) – I figured that an extra 43 would be good for me – sometimes I’m sort-of ~~stupid~~ crazy like that!!!

I used my barbell –

and did squats.

get ready - once again eyes closed to prep!! — get ready – once again eyes closed to prep!!

And, just to show that I really do know to put all my weight in my butt (even though the picture above looks like I’m tilting forward) –

I prefer doing the pictures before I work out (when I’m a little fresher!!) but today these were after my 43 squats and after my workout so my legs were shot!!!

I did Body Pump – Pump Revolution which is almost an hour of lifting (high reps!). There was a second when I first got up that I thought about doing the workout as planned but using lighter weights. However, I decided that doesn’t help me accomplish what I’m trying to achieve which is to get stronger. So, I pushed myself with heavy weights and now I’m glad I did!!

Today was also Beach Boot Camp – the workout was fun and different – it was partly inspired by my love of Turbo Fire and partly inspired by the current month (July!!). I just included 7 moves (since July is the 7th month) that we did for 13 reps (2013!!) and then we repeated the circuit. We only made it through 5 sets today (appointments for some) but the goal would be 7 sets!!

When Jordan and I left the swim beach after the workout (he has gone to all of the beach boot camps except 1 – last Friday because he was wiped out after a late night of fireworks Thursday night), I told him I was a little bummed that only 1 person (besides he and I) came to workout this morning. His response –

Not gonna lie – it was a proud moment for me!!! Not because of the workout but because he has the wisdom as a 14 year-old to realize that making a difference in the life of one person is just as important as making a difference in the lives of 100s of people!!!

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in thinking that I need to try and get more people to come to boot camp or in trying to grow my blog that I forget what really matters.

Boot camp is just something that I thought would be fun this summer (and it has been!!). What I didn’t realize when I started was how much I would enjoy the days that Jordan goes with me and participates in my class!!

So, even if I only have a few people in some classes (I know that lots of people are on vacation and 6 am is just too early for some to get up in the summer!!) – Boot Camp has been a huge success because it has been good for Jordan (and for me!!).

And, I know that my blog won’t ever affect that many people but if even just one person feels better after reading my blog than I am happy!!! (Occasionally that person is me, because the act of writing things down makes me feel better sometimes.)

So, no matter how many people you come in contact with during the day, remember that making one person smile or feel better about themselves is enough!!!!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Kim

Butt, Core, Fitness, Lunges

So Many Workouts, So Little Time

July 6, 2013 Kim 10 Comments

Today for my 43, I did a side lunge and a knee lift with the opposite leg.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoRINZNPczY’]

The nice thing with this move was that it required a bit of mental work, too – I had to think about each part of the move as I did it otherwise I leaned the wrong way or lifted the wrong part!! Plus, the knee lift was a small bonus for my core and hip flexors!!

I did all 43 to the right side first (with a left knee lift) and then switched and did 43 lunges to the left with a right knee lift.

Today I did another round of Les Mills Body Pump – Pump and Shred. This workout is 45 minutes of lifting including a squat track (about 5:30), a chest track (5:00), back track with dead lifts and clean & press (5:15), lunge track with more squatting (5:00), shoulder track (4:45) and core work (4:00). One of my favorite parts of the Body Pump workouts is the final stretch – they always include at least 5 minutes of stretching and after all of the lifting it is a treat (even for someone, like me, who doesn’t really like to spend time stretching!!). I am enjoying these workouts so far, as they get me in the mood to stay in shape and actually stick to it. Plus, with the awesome inner chest workout that I am currently doing, I have a feeling that I may be seeing positive results sooner than I think. It’s all about being consistent with it.

One of the many things that I love about reading other blogs is the AMAZING workouts that so many bloggers share. My Pinterest workout board is getting bigger and bigger!!

412 pins – of those, I’ve probably only done about 30. I’ve pulled some ideas out of different ones for my daily 43 and even for my boot camp but there are still LOTS of great workouts that I want to try.

Plus, I have a few workout DVDs to choose from. I’ve done all of them at least once but still want to do them again (and again!!!). I have a nice variety of really intense workouts (Insanity, P90X, Body Pump), Pilates and Yoga, shorter workouts (lots of the 10-minute option DVDs where you can do from 1-5 of the sections), Tae-Bo (love!!), The Firm, some Denise Austin (old school!!), Biggest Loser workouts, Jillian Michaels, Cathe Frederick…..

This summer I have been creating a lot of my own workouts for my Boot Camp classes. I come up with 3 new classes a week so that takes time to figure them out, practice them and then teach the 6 classes (and I do the workouts every time!!).

And, then there is my top favorite option – RUNNING!!! I don’t run as often as I used to because I’ve found that when I run too much I end up injured (usually with a stress fracture – I’ve had 6 or 7 in the last 10 years) but I still love running!

So, while I have MANY options every day, I don’t have enough time for all the workouts I want to do!!! Sometimes even when I really want to do a workout or challenge, I have to realize that time is still a limited resource and I can’t do it all!!!

One of the workouts that I really wanted to do and just couldn’t make it work with my current schedule of running, boot camp, lifting and, at the time the program started, I was finishing Insanity Asylum – is Tina’s Best Body Bootcamp program. I signed up (paid and everything!!) for this round (I even have the badge on my sidebar!) but when it was time to start I realized that I couldn’t add it in and give it 100% with the other workouts that I have going now.

It was really hard for me to let myself off the hook and know that it was OK to save it for another time but I know that was the smart choice!!!

What is the thing you wish you had more time for?

Mine is obviously fitness/working out but I know that it is not just about time but about physical energy which is also not limitless!!!

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Biceps, Butt, Fitness, Hamstrings, Running, Shoulders

Music and Running

July 3, 2013 Kim 33 Comments

Today’s 43 was pretty much good for my entire body!!! I did a clean & press with a dead-lift. I used my Body Pump bar with 10 pound plates on each side (I had 15 pounds/side but realized after 3 reps that I would never be able to make all 43 with proper form at that weight!).

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QoK3fDshhs’]

I would like to really increase my weight on these but that shoulder press kills me!!!

Today’s Boot Camp was fun – I set up a circuit with 18 stations and all sorts of equipment (medicine ball, stability ball, step, jump rope, agility ladder). We did 50 seconds and then had 10 seconds to move to the next. We went around the entire circuit 2x and the 2nd time was supposed to be FULL effort since everyone knew the moves then!!! I love short little bursts like this because it makes the time go quickly!!!

After boot camp, I decided to take advantage of the incredible weather that we are still enjoying (65 at 7:00) and go for a run! I ran 5.67 (I still can’t believe that I stopped at such a random # but I was at my driveway and ready to walk!!!) in 47:23 which is 8:21 pace. Considering the issues I’ve had the past couple of months with running – I was very happy with this run (and actually felt pretty good the entire time). Now, if I could just figure out how to get rid of some of the hills!!! (seems like way more steep up-hills than down hills – weird!!)

Anyone who has read my blog for very long knows that I love running on my treadmill – it paces me, I can control the hills (or lack of hills), I can watch all my favorite DVRed Reality TV shows and I keep myself totally entertained by playing games with the speed while I run.

However, I’m trying to transition at least some of my runs back outside in preparation for my 50 miler in October!!

One thing that has helped lately is the nice weather!!! And the scenery around here isn’t too bad either – I follow the lake a lot of times. It’s nice to see plenty of other people out walking (often with dogs), running and biking!!!

But – the biggest help is MUSIC!!! I tried using my iPhone but the long cord for the headphones always drove me crazy!!

Then I bought these:

This is actually a Sony mp3 headphone and it is awesome!! It came with 3 different sizes of earpieces and the small ones fit perfectly in my ears (without hurting them – a small miracle!!) and they don’t slide around at all. The only downside I’ve found is that when I sweat (a LOT when I run), having the earpieces in my ears on top of the sweat makes my ears feel all stopped up but now that I’ve used these a couple of times it seems to be getting better.

I love this little device!!! Having some tunes while I run helps keep me entertained and sometimes the songs even motivate me a little. Like today – the song that came on during the last 1/2 mile (I just have my play list on shuffle!) was old school – Salt n Pepa – Push It!!! (college day memories!!)

Now I’m not stupid (I know what the song is about) – but today I used the words to “push it” harder and finish my run with a sprint!!

And, of course, there are plenty of songs that come on that I feel the need to sing along to! Probably not a good thing since my ears are semi-stopped up from sweat and who knows how loud I end up singing and it’s a given that I don’t sing in tune!! I just figure it is adding to the workout challenge because it is pretty hard to run and sing!!!

Some of the tunes that I enjoyed (and anyone within hearing distance) today while running:

Rockin’ the Beer Gut
Redneck Woman (Gretchen Wilson)
Play that Funky Music (Wild Cherry)
It’s Tricky (Run DMC)
If I had $1,000,000 (Barenaked Ladies)
Sin Wagon (Dixie Chicks)
Single Ladies (Beyonce)
Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band)
and of course, Push It (Salt n Pepa)

See why I feel the need to sing?!

I think that the Sony mp3 might be a good giveaway for me to do later this summer!!! (look for it around the time school starts – mid August here!)

What are your favorite running tunes?

You can tell that I’m pretty old school – I don’t think any of my favorites are very recent – many are from previous decades!!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Biceps, Butt, Fitness, Triceps

Building up Our Memory Banks

June 30, 2013 Kim 20 Comments

Today’s 43 was inspired by one of my Turbo Fire workouts from the past week. I did a speed bag move on the right and then kicked with my left leg. Of course, after finishing 43, I had to switch sides and do another set with the speed bag on my left and a right kick. (imaginary speed bag!!)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SrYWJ1pm3E’]

I wore my weighted gloves to add a little to the speed bag challenge – I think they only weight a pound each but at least it was something! This was a fun 43!!!

I feel like I haven’t done much weight training lately so I decided to do Les Mills Pump. I did Pump and Burn which is one of the shorter workouts (just over 30 minutes). Probably a good choice since I finished about 30 minutes ago and my arms are still shaking!!! I think there’s a good chance that I will be sore tomorrow!!

The past week, the boys and I have spent almost every minute together during our trip to TX while Chris was on his own trip for work. I started thinking about all the things we have done and how much we have laughed together – a lot!!! Knowing that my boys are having fun and that we can all laugh together makes me HAPPY!!!

I watch the boys and know that when they are grown and no longer live with us they will have 1000s of happy memories from the time spent at home and with their family!!!

Whether we are spending hours together in a car, playing one of the 100s of games that we have played over the years (Monopoly, Life, Uno, Skip-Bo, Head Bandz……..), sharing a meal together

or just hanging out – I want the boys to keep storing up these fun/happy memories!!!

Last night we added more memories!! A week of firework fun has begun!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Rp7azuDgs’]

So, even though sometimes I have to give up things that I would like to do – FitBloggin’ conference – in the big picture, the things that matter are these everyday fun times that I get to be part of with my boys!!!

There are huge chunks of my growing up years that I have completely blocked from my memory and I want to make sure that my boys have full memory banks of awesome family times!!!