Category Archives: Core

BOSU, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Lunges, Squats

A 43 with a bit of everything…

December 19, 2012 Kim 1 Comment

Today I used my BOSU for the daily 43. You know I love my BOSU!!!

I used it for some lower body work (totally not following DRs orders :Wink: ) but I also worked my core, my balance and got my heart rate up – total win on the 43!!!

One of my favorite 43s so far:

Start with both feet on the BOSU
Step forward with the right foot into a front lunge and hold
Step right foot back onto BOSU – squat and hold
Step right foot backwards into a reverse lunge and hold
Step right foot back onto BOSU – squat and hold

The above is 1 rep. I did all 43 with my right leg moving and then switched and did 43 more with my left leg. (Quick math – 86 lunges/leg + 174 total squats on the BOSU)

The following video is more for entertainment than to demonstrate the move!!! Hunter struggled with this move but I didn’t have the heart to ask him just to record me.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khm1oe2m5iA’]

(Jordan clearly enjoyed this enough to stop playing on the computer long enough to watch and laugh!)

I know the date is old but this is sort-of how I feel when some of the kids ask me about finding a certain book – duh, uh, um…? (clearly I’m not familiar with the library yet!)

I have sanitized my hands till they are about raw this week. Working at a primary (preschool – 3rd grade) school is a total germ-fest for sure!!!

I’m excited about another day of fun! Hope y’all all have fun on the agenda today!

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

Cardio, Core, Fitness

WOW – WOW – WOW!!!

December 18, 2012 Kim 4 Comments

The 43 for the day was at least a little cardio (since my cardio is pretty much non-existant these days). I did mountain climbers!!! Just doing 43 seemed too easy (and we know that wasn’t going to fly!!!).

I did 10 mountain climbers = 1 rep for a total of 430 mountain climbers.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEc3Yji4C2Q’]

The bonus here – extra work on getting my plank hold-time longer!!!

Instead of pilates today I did Kathy Smith Tummy Trimmers. This DVD has 5 sections, about 10 minutes each. I did Core Abs, Boot Camp Abs and Stability Ball Abs. I liked the stability ball section best – it had some different moves. I’m sure my abs/core will be sore for a few days!!!

So, yesterday I started my long-term school librarian gig. All I can say is WOW!!! Who knew?!! (I guess all the school librarians out there!)

I may have looked a little like this guy by the end of the day yesterday! It was non-stop action!!! At least yesterday, the lady who I’m temporarily replacing was there to help me. Today……All I can say is let’s hope we have a lot of this:

and very little of this:

I’m sure it will be OK. As the head librarian told me – “there really isn’t much that can’t be fixed!!!”

So, I’m hoping for the best today!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

Core, Fitness

The Librarian

December 17, 2012 Kim 2 Comments

Today my 43 really worked my obliques! I used my stability ball again. I put my back on the ball and my feet on the wall at a right angle. With my hands behind my head, I crunched to the left and reached my right hand outside my left knee and then crunched the opposite way to make 1 rep. So, in order to complete my 43, I actually did 86 oblique crunches!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db7XC_BLwVQ’]

(The boys helped me out over the weekend with several demos. I wanted to be ready for the busy week ahead so we made the videos and then each morning I can do the actual 43.)

After the 43 I did some Pilates but I actually mixed it up and did some new stuff. First I did the mat segment from Burn & Firm Pilates – 10 minutes. This DVD uses hand weights with the pilates work which is kind of nice. Then I did the mat segment from Fat Burning Pilates – 15 minutes. Finally I did the total body segment from Pick Your Spot Pilates – 10 minutes.

All of these were still non-weight bearing! It was a nice change of pace on the pilates front because all of these work-outs have ab, butt and thigh work all mixed together instead of in separate sections.

Can you guess what I’m going to be doing this week? I’m not technically the librarian but I will be working in the school library. I’m not going to be at Hunter’s school – I will be at one of the other elementary schools in our district. I’m filling in for the library aide – this week and then most of January. I’m super excited!!! I love everything about books and I think this will be a really fun job!

Between spending my days in the school library and my evenings tutoring algebra (finals week for high school) – this week is going to be BUSY!!!

I better get going – still need to get dinner in the crock pot before we all leave for the day!

Happy Monday!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Thighs

Epic Camera Fail

December 15, 2012 Kim 2 Comments

Today I thought I would give my upper body a little break with the 43 and do a leg exercise. (It has been hard to come up with non-weight bearing moves that still offer a challenge for my lower body!!!)

I took one of my Pilates moves and turned it into the 43. I did a leg lift that included complete range of motion.

Lie on left side – body in a straight line – propped on left elbow
Point right toes and place it slightly in front of left foot
Lift right leg straight in the air
Flex right foot and lower leg behind left foot
Point toes and raise right leg in the air
Flex foot and lower in front of left leg

The above is 1 rep. This move should be performed in a smooth, controlled manner. And, of course, I did 43 with my right leg and 43 with my left leg!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXWKEP31WWs’]

(I left my socks on because my feet get cold!!!)

After working my legs – and I felt it for sure – I decided to work on my plank hold again. I did another 3 minute plank – I’m not sure I will ever be able to hold it longer than that. (makes my wrists hurt)

Last night was Hunter’s cello bash (and by bash I mean LONG concert – good but LONG – like 2.5 hours!) and I had big plans to post a video of him playing his duet. Ummm….apparently, if you don’t charge your camera battery in advance then you get a message that says – battery exhausted. I tried using my iPhone but I couldn’t zoom in and blah, blah, blah – no video to share.

Here is a close rendition!

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

Oh, maybe not – but he did a great job as did all of the cellists last night!

Tonight we are going to our first Hanukkah party – I’m very excited!! Love to learn new things!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Hunter – You’re so Smart!

December 14, 2012 Kim 1 Comment

Today I was happy to take Hunter’s advice about my 43! I did a sit-up with a stability ball pass from arms to legs and back to arms to make a complete rep. I was going to use an 8 pound medicine ball and after a couple of ~~dangerous~~ attempts, Hunter said he wouldn’t take any pictures if I used the medicine ball! REALLY GOOD CHOICE!!!! Thank you, Hunter!!

The 43 was plenty challenging using a stability ball! I started with my arms and legs fully extended and the stability ball in my hands:

I did a full sit-up and passed the ball to my legs:

Legs & arms fully extended — legs & arms fully extended

Then I did another full sit-up and passed the ball back to my arms and into extension again.

2 passes (2 sit-ups) = 1 rep so really 86 total sit-ups – No wonder it was a hard 43! And, Hunter saved me from any ~~death~~ injury!!

Yesterday I got to spend quality time with Hunter at school. The 6th graders have study hall at the end of the day and yesterday, because they had taken tests in a couple of classes, no one had any homework. I let them have free time with their electronics and other equally “educational” items.

Hunter pulled out his Rubik cube and the entire class was very impressed!! (He can solve it fairly quickly!!) One of the other boys said, “Hunter is smart. I bet he is really in high school.” Another student said, “He’s probably already out of high school!!!” It was funny!!! (and made my mommy heart proud!!!!)

Today is a shopping day!!!! I can’t wait! Chris and I are going to finish up our Christmas shopping!!! I’m sure I am far more excited about this than Chris – but I do have a plan so it’s not like we are just doing random shopping ~~for me~~!!!