Category Archives: Core

Core, Fitness, Plank, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill

Too Busy for a Deployment – Thanks Anyway!!

March 4, 2013 Kim 25 Comments

For my 43 today I borrowed a move from Fitknitchick. On Friday, she had a really great circuit that she shared on her blog. I just took one of the moves from it and turned it into my 43.

The move is an elevated plank knee-in. You start in plank except your feet are on the wall. The higher your feet, the easier the move will be. I tried (key word being – tried!) to keep a level plank because you know I love a challenge! From that crazy position, you alternate bringing your knees in to your chest.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adPwOI7pVWA’]

I counted a right knee & a left knee as 1 rep. I’m not gonna lie – this was a HARD 43!!!

Then, I did a bit of Les Mills Combat – Combat 45. I know that the other day Combat 60 Live was my favorite but today this one is my fav!!! I love some of the jumping kicks in this one!!!

I decided to test my Achilles on the treadmill today! I ran 5 miles with 1.5% incline (6:15 pace) – with an easy mile after to cool down. I’m not hobbling right now so hopefully the week without running helped!!!

About the time I finished my run, Chris sent me a text about an upcoming deployment. I’m pretty used to this kind-of thing by now!! However, he said they need some crews.

Ummmm……HELLO!!! I’m running a 50 mile race and you are supposed to be the head of my road crew!! Then we have Jordan’s birthday and stuff…..Can you just tell them we are kind-of busy?? Nope!!

Deployments – what can I say?? The best part of a deployment?

Coming home!!!

Oh well, several months to get it all worked out!! In the meantime – gotta make every minute count!!

Happy Monday!

Kim

BOSU, Core, Fitness, Push-Ups, Shoulders

Short but Intense Workouts (HIIT)

March 2, 2013 Kim 6 Comments

Since Chris is at drill this weekend and the boys decided to both sleep in (which left me with no one to film me), I did my 43 after the rest of my workout – big mistake!!! (or maybe I should have picked an easier 43….)

I pulled out my BOSU (yippee) and used it like this today.

I did a push-up then plank walked 1/4 around the BOSU for the next push-up and continued until I had complete 43 push-ups. The hard part was trying to keep my body stretched out in plank and not hike my butt in the air.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg9GTkuDVsw’]

The demo today is actually my final four (#s 40, 41, 42 & 43) – good thing because you can tell that my form is going downhill fast!!

My workout today (completed before the 43) was Les Mills Combat Power HIIT. This is probably the Combat workout that is the hardest for me! It is only 30 minutes so you would think it’s no big deal – but you would be wrong!! The first section consists of power moves that integrate lower body and upper body (mainly shoulders) using dumbbells (I’ve been using 15 pound DBs for this). Then there is a fast pace plyo section with jumping sumo squats and jumping lunges included. The final standing section is burpees with squat jumps or tuck jumps (I mix it up). Then a plank section which is killer! The best part? The cool down/stretch!

Every time I finish the Power HIIT work-out I feel like I have really accomplished something. At the very least, I know that I have pushed myself as hard as I can!!!

HIIT – high intensity interval training

I love HIIT workouts especially on days where I’m limited with time. I used to think that if I didn’t work out at least an hour it wasn’t really a workout. Since I’ve discovered the love of HIIT, I’ve completely changed my mind. 30 minutes is probably about the max for HIIT if you give 100%. (at least for me!)

Gotta get moving with the day!! Sun is shining and it is supposed to be above freezing today – WooHoo!!!

Happy Saturday! Try some HIIT if you are short on time today!

Kim

Core

406 Wall-Sits (1 minute each) – DONE!!

February 28, 2013 Kim

Today was a Pilates kind-of day! I even did a Pilates move for my 43. Double-leg drops – great for about the first 15 then….

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ6Lp38H-Dk’]

I tried to do a smooth 2-count down and 2-count up until I reached finally reached #43.

This was a rest day for Les Mills Combat but I didn’t want to take the day completely off. I did a Crunch DVD – Fat Burning Pilates. I’m happy with my choice to do something but I knew I wasn’t up for a hard-core workout!! I needed a bit of a break!

At the beginning of February I started a new self-challenge. I decided to pick an exercise and do it every day for the month of February equal to the day of the month.

For some crazy reason, I choose to do 1-minutes wall-sits. Fine for the first few days but the past week and a half have been HARD!!!

Some stats – 406 wall sits = 406 minutes = 6 hours 46 min

February: 24(hours) x 28(days) = 672 hours 672(hours) x 60(min) = 40,320 minutes

406/40,320 = 1%

That’s right!! I spent 1% of the month of February sitting on the wall with my quads burning!

I had to make tally marks to keep track!! So thankful for my phone to use as both timer and entertainment!!!

Chris and Hunter have also participated in the February daily challenge – Chris with push-ups and Hunter, burpees. They still have 28 for today and then they will be challenge winners!!! Way to go, guys!!

Time to think up the next fun challenge – love having little goals!!!

For now though, I have a school newsletter to pull together, type, print and get 400 copies made before 3:30 today!!! Gotta get busy!

Happy Thursday!

Kim

Back, Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Exercise: Fun or Dreaded?

February 25, 2013 Kim 14 Comments

Today’s 43 really made me push myself!! I did plank rows – which means I stayed in the plank position while I did 43 rows with each arm (for a total of 86 rows)!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A631XqSoj4′]

I wanted to maximize the core work so I tried to keep my body as still as possible during the rows – not easy!!! (but done)

Today was Combat 60 Live – Ultimate Warrior (fun, fun, fun!!!) which is part of the Les Mills Combat program. I sort-of wish that particular work-out was even longer than an hour – so much fun and yet when I finish I always know that I have gotten a great work-out!

I’m forcing myself to take a week or two off of running to see if my Achilles will heal up. I have had Achilles problems (not that kind of Achilles!!!) since grad school and my days of heavy road racing – it comes and goes but usually if I will give it a bit of a break I can push on through!

I tried a quick new work-out today – LOVED it!!! I did work-out #1 on Zuzana’s (from BodyRock) new DVD series.

10 burpees (touch your stomach to the ground each time then jump into the air at the top)
10 tuck jumps
10 burpees
20 jumping lunges
10 burpees
30 kick ups (start in crab position & kick legs up – one right & one left = 1)
10 burpees
40 jack kicks (jack your feet out then in, kick leg high to the side – alt. legs)
10 burpees
10 burpees

Next time I think I will set my own timer – I stuck with Zuzana today but I had some down time and I would rather push the whole time!! Either way – less than 10 minutes to a great work-out!

Do you enjoy your work-outs or are they just something to be endured so you can check it off the list?

People that know me know I love to exercise. I don’t know if I’ve ever said I “have” to work out. Usually, if I have a day where I feel like that, it means I need a day off!!

But, I’ve had many people say, “I wish I liked to work out like you do.” Why??? Don’t work-out like me if you hate it!! Find something that YOU like!

Anytime someone tells me they wished they liked to run or lift weights, I always ask them what they do like to do. If it’s not something you like then it will just be work!!! I don’t ever swim for exercise because I hate swimming (I think the pool or lake should just be used to cool off while tanning). If that were to be my work-out I would dread every second of it and it wouldn’t benefit me much at all.

I always feel bad when I can tell someone is going to the gym just because they feel like they “should.” Even with my boys, I would love them to be runners but I don’t think they really enjoy it – no problem, but find something you like and do it!!

I know that MizFit is a big advocate for making fitness fun – she calls it Playout (instead of workout – get it?). I love her approach to making it FUN!!!

So, any of you who dread your work-out times, maybe it’s time to make a change! Make it fun so you will enjoy it (or at least not dread it!!).

Happy Monday!

Kim

Core, Fitness

SLEEP – Why Can’t we be Friends???

February 20, 2013 Kim 14 Comments

Today’s 43 targeted the lower abs (one of the hardest areas to work, I think). I laid on my back with my legs straight up at 90 and feet flexed. The actual move is small – lift your hips while pushing your feet up to the sky.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkMZ7fOhIMg’]

I tried to make sure that I wasn’t using my hands to push off – all core. A simple, quick 43 today!

Then – more Les Mills Combat!! Combat 45 – another fun, but intense work-out. I’m pretty addicted to this Combat program!!! I think they are all great work-outs but also very enjoyable!!

SLEEP – such a simple word!! Why is it so difficult?! I have always had a few issues with sleep as well as a few requirements: completely dark, cool, quiet. Seems reasonable -right?

So, why can’t I sleep???

Hot, then cold, oh wait now I’m hot again!!! Sweating during a work-out is awesome, sweating at night, not so great!
2-3 trips to the bathroom! I have always been a huge water drinker – all day long. I don’t drink different amounts now, my body just handles it differently!
Comfort – there is no single position that I can stay in for more than about an hour. If I sleep on my back, it hurts. If I sleep on my right side, my elbow hurts.
My brain won’t shut off!!! I don’t usually feel stressed about things when I go to bed but during the night I have 1000s of thoughts that run through my head over & over & over again!!