Category Archives: Core

Friday = Funday!!!

January 11, 2013 Kim 6 Comments

5 straight days of 5:00 AM alarm – YUCK!!! But it’s Fun Friday!!!! And, no alarm for the next 2 days!

Today for the 43 I worked my core and my upper back! I did a Kayaker move: Position yourself in a V-Sit (legs extended if possible) and hold that for the entire time. Holding a body bar (mine only weighs about 5 pounds), row – pull the bar toward you and squeeze your shoulder blades then extend your arms and push the bar straight in front of you.

The row wasn’t too bad but holding the V-Sit for the entire time….made it through all 43 even though I was shaking by the end!!!

See - Exercise IS fun!!! — See – Exercise IS fun!!!

This picture is just because those 2 are so very silly!!! I’m not exactly sure what Jordan was doing in the background of these pictures but Hunter seemed to think it was funny!!! Look – he is still keeping his legs up while he laughs – double core bonus!!!

After the 43 I did Les Mills Combat – HIIT Plyo. High intensity for 30 minutes!!! I really liked this one even though it meant more burpees!! (I’m not sure why I hate those so much but I keep doing them because I know they are good for me!)

I had a little more time so I pulled out one of my 10 Minute Solution DVDs – Blast Off Belly Fat. I did 2 sections – Belly Fat Blaster and Ab Ripper. The first section was all standing core work – awesome!!! The second one was a mix of standing, crunches and plank work! I like these little 10 minute programs because they are nonstop for the entire 10!

Today in the library we are doing inventory – every single book will be scanned by the end of the day!!! Gonna be fun, fun, fun!!!Sponge Bob – I’m pretty sure that my boys (Chris included) can quote every line of every episode!!! Awesome, huh?!

A friend had this quote on Facebook and I borrowed it because it is exactly me!!This quote pretty much sums things up – all of the challenges I do are to try and improve myself not to show-off or compete with anyone else.

Some library humor in honor of the day ahead!

Happy Fun Friday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Exercise Fun with My Boys!!!

January 9, 2013 Kim 4 Comments

Today’s 43 was a true breeze (compared to yesterday!!!) It was a great exercise to really work deep into the abs – the especially obliques!

The move: sit on a stability ball with hands clasped behind head. Alternate opposite knee to elbow (like an oblique crunch on the floor but you have to work harder to maintain your balance on the ball = bonus core work!!!). I counted 1 rep as a right knee lift and left knee lift – 43 each side!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4olEhbnJlRg’]

Here’s Jordan’s best attempt – you can hear Hunter cackling in the background – not sure why he was laughing so much at Jordan trying the move since he had even more trouble!!! Funny boys!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-rWAhx7MPg’]

The boys were silly for sure – the longer they tried the move the more they laughed. I just kept filming them because I love when they are having fun and laughing (especially the true, deep gut laughs)!!! Plus, they were getting extra reps with each demo!!! (sneaky Mom)

I did another day of Les Mills Combat – Combat 45. This one was fun – I will like it more when I learn it a little better and when I’m back to being able to do all the moves at the highest impact level!!!

This afternoon we will see a lot of Chris’ family – sadly it is for a funeral. (One of Chris’ aunts passed away Sunday evening.) It’s always good to see his extended family but I like it better when the occasion is a reunion or graduation party or some other fun event.

Off to a 1/2 day at the library – sad when they need a sub for the sub!!!

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Packing Up

January 5, 2013 Kim 1 Comment

My shoulders are burning from today’s 43 – get a pair of dumbbells and try it yourself!!! The move was fairly simple – hold both arms up at 90 degrees (with a dumbbell if you want to really up the challenge!). Keep the left arm stationary, press the right arm up and twist your body to the left – hold for a 2 count. Return to start.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4teQ6eZJioA&feature=youtu.be’]

In the demo I only did 3 reps per side. You know I really did 43 with my right side and then another 43 with my left. I used 10 pound dumbbells and even just holding my arm at 90 was brutal – the press was a total killer! Now I know y’all want to bust out a few!!!

Day 11 of the 12 Days of Fitness today. The new move – weighted squats. I used 25 pounds and held each squat for a 3-count. Only 1 more exercise to add to complete the series!

Today I also did an amazing ab/core that I got from Tamara at Fitknitchick. It is just 6 abdominal exercises and you do each one for a minute – as many reps as possible. I set my Gymboss timer for 2 intervals – a 1 minute one and a 10 second one.

I love this handy timer!!! After 1 minute, it immediately starts on the 10 second rest count-down and then BOOM – you start on the next 1 minute exercise.

The AB plan:

standing oblique crunches
walking plank
feet elevated crunches
V-sit with alternating side rotations
side plank with hip drop
reverse curls

Tamara suggested 30 seconds per side for the side plank. I changed it a little – I did the entire series 2x and did a left side plank the first time and a right side plank the second set. This was a great work-out!!!

Today is going to be a work day here – time to pack up all of the Christmas decorations and trees for another year!!! It will be a chore – good thing the boys are ~~volunteering~~ ~~willing~~ ~~gladly~~ going to help!!!! There will be 100s of trips up & down the stairs hauling ~~crap~~ all of our decorations and my cookbooks!!! Chris gets to miss the fun – drill weekend for him. I guess I will let it slide since technically he is working, too!! (plus he had to get up at 5:00 again this morning and I slept till 7:00!!!)

Good-bye trees!!! I’m ready to put the stuff up but I really like having the tree lights in all of the rooms. Maybe I should string lights up all around the inside of the house…hmmm.

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Biceps, Butt, Core, Fitness, Lunges

Back to Reality!

January 3, 2013 Kim 2 Comments

This morning when my alarm started screaming a little after 5 – all I could think about were the words to this song.

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

I, however, was not dancing around like Will! (Cannot lie – I always liked Will Smith in The Fresh Prince!)

So, I ~~jumped out of bed~~ rolled slowly out of bed, and got on with my daily 43. Today I used my kettlebell again – love it!!! The sequence for 1 rep:

right knee lift with KB pass under
left knee lift with KB pass under
right lunge with KB pass under
left lunge with KB pass under

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72jW0_PWL6U’]

Hunter helped me out with the demo yesterday afternoon. We took a couple of plates out for him. This morning I did all 43 reps with the 20 pound kettlebell and I tried to lift my knees to chest height and go into a deep 90 degree lunge – I was sweating for sure!!! What I really love is the number of muscles that I could feel working – legs, butt, core and arms.

Today was day 9 of the 12 Days of Fitness. (I sort-of have to sing the song to remember how many of each exercise, especially when I’m doing this at 5am!!) Today we added in lateral lunges (I used 25 pound dumbbells for this move.)

For the rest of my work-out, I pulled out an old classic – TaeBo! I did the Ab Bootcamp DVD from Billy’s Bootcamp series. It is 35 minutes of solid core work and I’m sure that tomorrow I will remember the work-out!!!

Gotta get moving – boys back to school today and I’m back to my long-term library gig! First though, Hunter has an 8:00am orthodontist appointment – who scheduled this thing?!?!

Everyone has to face reality after the joy of Christmas break – so let’s do this!!!

Plus, you know what today is, right?

Happy Thursday (or Thirsty Thursday if you like!)!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

2013 – Off to a Great Start!

January 1, 2013 Kim 4 Comments

Even though it was after 2am when we went to bed this morning, we were still up by 8 – crazy!!! No need to sleep the day away I guess (although I think a nap might be on tap later today!).

For the 43 today, I went way back to my days as a college track coach – sprinter abs. It is similar to a crunch: keep your core contracted and move your feet and arms sort of like you are running. (maybe the video will help – my brain is sort of mush today!!!)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTMV5ATLrNg’]

I counted a right knee and left knee as 1 rep. This was a quick 43 but I definitely felt it.

I’m still keeping up with the 12 Days of Fitness – today was day 7!

I wore my new running outfit for the first time today!! MizFit running skirt and sports bra – super cute. (I was getting frustrated with the picture taking – hard to get a shot that didn’t make my gut look disgusting!!!)

Because last night had a lot of this:

I needed a good work-out today. Plus, I always start the New Year with a run!!! 4 weeks ago when the DR said no weight-bearing, blah……for 8 weeks I knew that would never work! I also knew that I would run today – gotta ~~sweat out the tequila~~ start the New Year right!!

Chris said – how about 1 mile? Really?!! I’ll just do 5. I did run 5 miles (on the treadmill at 1.5 incline in 40 minutes) – I am out of shape!!! It was awesome to run again – hopefully I don’t pay a high price in the next day or so! (I’m sure it will be fine!)

We had a great time last night (into the early morning) bringing in the new year with friends! I’m looking forward to a great year! I truly want to enjoy every part of my life this year – the small, daily things as well as the big “high-light” events!!

Happy 2013 – I hope y’all are all off to a great start!!

Kim

Day With KT