Category Archives: Cardio

Back, Butt, Cardio, Fitness, Plyo, Squats

I Am Giving Myself Permission to…

December 22, 2013 Kim 57 Comments

Today I took a couple of basic moves and combined them for the 44. I did a squat with a row. But, I wanted to make it even more challenging so I made the squat a jump squat.

I used my kettlebell for the rows – 20 pounds. This move got my heart rate way up there!!!

I don’t always work out on the weekend but since I took the entire past week off I decided to do a short workout today. I did Turbo Jam, Cardio Party 2. It is amazing how much conditioning you can lose in a short time – I was huffing and puffing through most of this workout!

I decided that I want to really enjoy the next couple of weeks and not feel guilty for certain things. So I have given myself permission to:

Sleep until I wake up and skip the normal 5:00 am wake-up alarm. Some days I wake up and feel guilty if I don’t get up super early but I’m going to give myself these couple of weeks to sleep without guilt!
Go simple with meals – use the crock pot as much as possible to make life easier. (I actually do this a lot but sometimes around the holidays I feel like meals have to be more elaborate and this year I’m letting that go.)
Spend time doing things that aren’t productive – TV, computer stuff (not work related), reading.
Hang out – after this Christmas break, Jordan only has 3 more before he will not always be home with us. I want to take advantage of the time and ~~make the boys~~ spend time together playing games or whatever.
Enjoy life and not be stressing or rushing around thinking about lists and things that need to be done. This one will be hard because I spend most of my time thinking about the next thing and the next and the next…

Basically I am going to try and just enjoy the next couple of weeks without getting stressed or feeling guilty (easier said than done!) about things.

What are you giving yourself permission to do? Is it hard for you to relax without feeling guilt?

Happy Sunday!!

Kim

Cardio, Fitness, Plyo

Today Is a Big Big Day!!!

December 13, 2013 Kim 49 Comments

My 44 today is a clue about the day – I asked Jordan to come up with a move and do the demo in honor of the excitement (since it is really all his excitement). The move is a 4-count run and a tuck jump (he did a funny jump but I tucked!).

Jordan wanted to include some flips and burpees and other stuff but I reminded him that I had to do 44 so we nixed that!!

Any clue yet about the day? (Hint, it’s not really a big day for me but Jordan has been counting down to this day for over 70 days!!)

Figured it out yet?

Today – Friday, December 13, 2013 is the day that the new Hobbit movie opens!

I think this is Jordan’s favorite movie (it used to be the Lord of the Rings Movies) and he has been so excited!! Tonight is actually the first home basketball game at his school so he will be there – Pep Band and then he and a couple of friends are going to the 10:30 showing of the movie.

10:30 for a movie to start?! Glad I don’t have to sit through it!! (I’ve never seen any of the LOTR movies or the first Hobbit.)

Last spring when the first movie came out on DVD, we had a Hobbit themed viewing party – the entire meal was based on Middle earth (or something!!).

If you need some background noise today, here is something to get you in the mood for the movie (or to make you want to chunk your computer into the wall if you are like me!!!) –

They’re taking the Hobbit to Isengard

Is this a big big day in your world?
Are you a fan of the Hobbit movies? Lord of the Rings?

Happy Friday the 13th!!!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Fitness, Running, Squats, Treadmill

Let’s Hope that Tuesday Is Better than Monday!!!

December 10, 2013 Kim 69 Comments

Today for my 44 I did a move using my agility ladder – squat-hop-squat. This move is fun because squats are always “fun” but also because of the cardio benefit and the agility work from the ladder.

I counted a rep as a squat-hop-squat each way (so you end where you start).

Then I did the Insanity the Asylum vol.2 workout that I think is the hardest (at least so far) – Upper Elite. The number of reps in this workout are killer – plus all of the push-ups!!! Once again, I had to drop to my knees for some of the push-ups – sort of frustrating but I figure it is better to use good form and full range of motion than to stay on my toes. Plus, all the girls on the DVD end up on their knees so I don’t feel as lame!!!

Yesterday wasn’t a great day! By 10 (AM) I was pretty much over the entire day and the next hour only got worse.

So, I did what pretty much anyone would do in that type of situation. I hopped on my treadmill and pounded out a fast 5 miles!!!

If I can't be on the beach then I'm pretty happy here!! — If I can’t be on the beach then I’m pretty happy here!!

That helped some but mostly I was glad when the day ended especially because about an hour before I went to bed my tooth (maybe it’s multiple teeth – can’t tell) started hurting a LOT again!!! Even with some pain meds, the aching kept me awake past 1:00am – not cool since my alarm goes off at 5:00!!!

I guess I’m finally going to have to break down and call my dentist – I really thought that my ignoring tactic was going to work out.

Here’s to a better day all around!

Happy Tuesday!!! I hope that no matter what your Monday was like you have an incredible day!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Plyo, Shoulders

Trying to Keep it Classy

December 5, 2013 Kim 58 Comments

Today’s 44 was just a hodge-podge of moves combined to make a challenging 44!! I used my agility ladder –

I forget about this when I'm not using it everyday! — I forget about this when I’m not using it everyday!

I jumped back to a plank with my feet in the middle 2 rungs – jacked my feet out to the outside rungs then back in to the middle – jumped into a squat (sort of squat and not sure why I kept checking my butt out) and repeated!

This move worked my entire body and got my heart rate way up – perfect 44!!!

On tap with Insanity the Asylum vol. 2 today – Back and 6-Pack (I hope it works!!). This workout was only 40 minutes and, like the name implies, full of moves for the back and abs – complete core work today!!! The funny (not in a HaHa kind of way!) thing is we did moves similar to the one I used for my 44 just without the ladder – good times!!

We all know that I’m not elegant at all!!!

prime example of the opposite of elegance

And, I already showed you my house which is festive but will never be elegant (just very lived in!!).

But – over at the Governor’s Row House (our event venue) I have been working on putting up some Christmas decorations and trying to keep it simple and classy. It’s a huge learning curve!!!

The previous owner had a few things in the basement and then I’ve added quite a few more – not sure how classy it is but it’s starting to look Christmasy!!!

front room - mantel — front room – mantel

I just put some small ornaments in glass jars to add color on the mantel. And, I found an old tree that had some colored lights – I added a few clear to fill in the gaps – for the front window.

The staircase is pretty by itself but I wound some garland around the rail and put a few splashes of red along the way.

In the front hall I removed a couple of chairs and put a couple of cute little lighted trees.

There is another fireplace in the room with the bar –

The ball room is fun – I put up 2 unique trees I found downstairs, added a couple of tree skirts and am in the process of hanging lights around the top of the room.

only corner of the ball room that is complete

So, hopefully even though I don’t do elegant, it is festive without being tacky!!!

Now, I’m off to climb up and down a ladder a couple hundred times to finish lighting the ball room and then I have to clean the place to get ready for tomorrow night’s event!!

Happy Thursday!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Fitness, Plyo, Squats

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

November 24, 2013 Kim 52 Comments

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!!!

Last 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!).

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

Day With KT