Category Archives: Calves

BOSU, Butt, Calves, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Lunges, Quad, Running

Increasing the Daily Reps (9/14 – 9/20)

September 20, 2014 Kim 32 Comments

This week saw in a change in daily moves from 44 to 45. What’s one more rep of anything?!

Sunday 9/14 – 44 heel raises while doing a wall sit and holding up a 20 pound kettle bell.

Not gonna lie – my quads were burning by the time I finished these!!

Monday 9/15 – 44 super burpee (had to have something big for my last Daily 44.)

To do the move: jump back into plank – push-up – jump legs in and right – jump back to plank – jump legs in and left – jump back to plank – jump feet in to hands – jump back to plank – plank jack – jump up to standing – do 8 fast feet. Hooray – 1 rep is done!!!

10 of these would have been OK but 44 was tough!!!

And I’m finally back to normal workouts!!! I started a new program – PIYO – Align the Fundamentals. Not sure how much I’m going to like it but I will give it a try!!!

Tuesday 9/16 – 45 minutes of running (to see how far I could get).

I did 7.43 miles in 45 minutes (7:23, 6:17, 5:51, 5:34, 5:39, 5:54, 5:50 and 6:01 to finish the 8th mile)

I haven’t run hard like this in awhile so I paid the price for this run for the rest of the week – stairs were rough until yesterday and my shins were very tight!!!

Wednesday 9/17 – 45 crunches while on a BOSU with a stability ball between the ankles.

You can see in the pictures that I had to keep my hands on the side of the BOSU – I didn’t hold the entire time but I sure did have to hold a lot for balance!!!

I also did 2 more of the PIYO workouts – Define Lower Body and Define Upper Body.

Thursday 9/18 – 45 plie with hands touching the floor – spring up onto toes and reach hands up.

up onto toes - reach hands up — up onto toes – reach hands up

This was another day of PIYO – Sweat. I looked ahead at the way the program is laid out and it just repeats the same workouts from this week over and over for a few weeks – not sure that I will do this program as it is written!!!

Friday 9/19 – 45 curtsey lunge with hop to opposite leg and another curtsey lunge – stay low the entire time. (right-left = 1 rep)

Then I did one of my favorite workouts – Turbo Fire!!! I did Fire 55EZ (not to be confused with easy!!). Fun way to start the day.

Saturday 9/20 – 45 mountain climbers in low plank.

I let Hunter do the demo since he is the one who told me about this lovely move!!! It was hard but I liked it!!!

So, this wasn’t a super hard week of workouts but it was nice to be back in the routine!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Calves, Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill

Do You Love a Good Surprise?

February 22, 2014 Kim 38 Comments

Today’s 44 was a fairly simple move. Plie calf raises while holding your arms straight out (I held 5 pound dumbbells for this).

I tried to hold each calf raise for about 2 seconds – lots of wobbling!! And my arms were burning my the end!!!

I did a quick 4 mile run (1.5% incline – 26:36) and my 100 jumping lunges. The workout had to be short because I have to hit the road!!!

Surprises – I think that everyone has different thoughts on whether or not they like them or hate them. And, I guess it depends on whether it’s a good surprise or a bad surprise!

Today I’m planning to surprise one of my very favorite people and I can’t wait!!! I’m making a super quick trip to Texas (driving down today and home tomorrow) – about 15 hours of driving for this surprise.

My sister-in-law, Stacy

is running her first marathon on Sunday in Ft. Worth. Last fall I thought about running this weekend, too. I was going to run the 50K (31 miles) instead of the actual marathon.

However, the more I thought about it, the more I decided that this weekend was Stacy’s!!! I talked to her earlier in the week and told her I wasn’t going to run after all (and she thinks that I’m not coming because of that!!!).

Going down just to watch and support Stacy will be much better!!! This way instead of thinking about my race and not even getting to see her, I will be there to support her 100%!!

Now, I just need to find a cowbell! Shouldn’t be too hard on the drive today!!!

Do you like surprises or would you rather know in advance what’s coming up?

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

Butt, Calves, Fitness, Squats

Snow Days – Productive or Play?

February 5, 2014 Kim 1 Comment

Today’s 44 was actually a simple move (some days I need it to be a little easier!!). I think it is a ballet stance (1st, 2nd….???) – anyway start with your heels together, toes slightly turned out –

From the start, squat down and reach your hands to the floor –

Then stand up on toes and reach to the sky –

See, a nice easy move – more of a stretch than anything!!! Maybe these should be called a ballet squat & reach (closest I will ever come to ballet!).

Day 3 of Michelle Bridges – There were 3 different program options (I think 3) and I chose the Lean and Strong plan. Lots of lifting which is good since I haven’t done much lifting for awhile. Yesterday I also managed to get an 11 mile run in!!

So, the call to cancel school yesterday ended up being a smart choice. The snow started around 9:00am and it was still coming down at 10:00 when we went to bed.

I think that I saw about 13″ as the general consensus. UGH!!!!!

back deck - snow almost up to bottom of chairs — back deck – snow almost up to bottom of chairs

Sometime yesterday evening they made the decision to cancel school again today. The snow has stopped and the current temperature is 3* with a high of about 14 for the day. Actually based on the upcoming week’s forecast, we are going to have snow around for a LONG time!!!

mountain in the cup-de-sac from the plow — mountain in the cul-de-sac from the plow

So – how do you handle snow days? Do you use them to be uber productive or do you treat them as a bonus day?

When I worked full time at a school, I always viewed snow days as a gift – a day to relax and watch movies and play games with the boys.

Now that I’m technically self-employed and the work never goes away I still view snow days as a bonus day to enjoy. No alarms, no rushing around, extra time lounging. Yesterday and today are double treats because Chris even got snow days – rare for the base to close!!!

Today I might have to do a little bit of work stuff but overall I’m going to keep to my rule and let this be a bonus day. I think we are even going to try and get in a game of Monopoly later!!!

My #1 snow day rule is always this – I NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE ON A SNOW DAY. NOT EVEN TO GET THE MAIL!!!!

I’m not a fan of snow. I don’t look outside and think it’s pretty or fun or any of those things. I look outside and just see cold and slick and mess. UGH!!

Snow days – do you treat them as a bonus day or is it a day to be productive?
Do you like snow?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Butt, Calves, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

You’ve Never Been Where?!

January 8, 2014 Kim 96 Comments

Today for my 44 I did rocking squat – it was every bit as awkward as it sounds!!

Start in a squat position –

More than anything this is a nice way to warm-up your shins and calves – and get a little burn from holding the squat!!!

And, it was another happy day on the treadmill!!! I did 8 miles at a fairly steady pace – just a few seconds under an hour or right at 7:30 pace and then another 1.15 miles super easy. I’m hoping to have more running days this year – trying to be smart about it though because I have a history of stress fractures. (in 10 years I’ve had 3 or 4 in my right foot and 1 in each hip)

Somehow I have a 15 year old and an almost 13 year old and neither one of them have ever been to the circus!!!

What?! How did this happen?

And, to make things even worse, neither Chris nor the boys have ever been to a rodeo!!!

I feel like they have been sheltered and are missing out in a big way!!

Of course, then Chris reminded me that they have been skiing, to lots of beaches and for 5 straight summers we went to Hawaii starting when Hunter was 4 and Jordan 6. (The Hawaii gig was because we got to fly Space A, free, on the tanker – and I think it is time for another trip!!!)

But still, the circus is like having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – it is part of growing up!!!

Jordan said, “I’m not going to a circus. I don’t want to see clowns juggling swords with creepy faces.” OY!!!

Maybe I will take them to a cattle auction!! None of them (Chris or the boys) have ever been to one of those either and I think everyone should experience the thrill of a cattle auction!!! (I used to go with my grandparents – good times!!!)

Have you been to the circus? A rodeo? What about a cattle auction?
What is one place you think all kids should experience at least once?

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

Calves, Fitness

Does Simple Count?

December 16, 2013 Kim 75 Comments

Today I went with another easy move for my 44. I used one of my plate weights (25 pounds) and did a seated/weighted calf raise. And, a selfie in the mirror to start the day!

So, the past couple of days I have been trying to pick the easiest moves possible (and ones that don’t require much movement) so that I can still do a daily 44. This morning I started wondering – “Does it really count?”

I’m not sweating, hardly moving so can I call it part of my daily moves? I even thought about skipping it completely this morning but I know myself and at some point today I would have done something and then thrown together a post because I have issues!!!

Most days I’m all about going full speed ahead!!! I want to do moves that challenge me in every way possible and sweat and then sweat some more!!!

However, there are those rare instances (like now) when I actually get sick and just the thought of jumping or running or moving quickly makes my head spin even more.

So to make myself feel better (and so that I can still meet my goal!!!) – I say that as long as I do something, no matter how simple, it does count!!!