Category Archives: Fitness

Butt, Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Monday Morning Blues

February 4, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

For my 43 today, I took a move that works your butt and by using my BOSU like this

turned into a true challenge!!! Trying to stay balanced really amped up the difficulty level!

I did a “hydrant” kick. Start on all 4s:

Push one leg straight up with a 90 degree bend in your knee.

From this lovely position, move your leg across your other leg and touch the knee to the floor.

Return to 90, drop the knee straight down and repeat until you reach desired # of reps – 43 for me. Of course, I can’t walk around unbalanced (any more than I already am!) so I did a second set of 43 with my other leg. My butt was burning and my core got a great work-out!!!

Today was another day of Les Mills Combat – Combat 30. Since it was a short work-out (30 minutes) I decided to do more today. So I ran!!!

For some reason after I dropped both boys off at school this morning, I was in a bit of a funk. Not sure why – we had a great weekend, enjoyed the game with friends last night (and I didn’t care about the outcome) – just a bit blue…

So, I did what any blue frog would do – RUN!!!

I decided to really push myself and see how far I could run in 43:00 minutes. I set the incline to 1.5%, started at an 8:00 minute pace (7.5) and increased 0.1 every 45 seconds. Outcome: 43:00 minutes = 7.3 miles!!! (sub 6:00 pace overall).

I think I outran my funk!!! (or I’m just too tired to know any different!!)

Now, since I put off grocery shopping and other errand running over the weekend, I’m fixing to head to the dreaded

Good times for sure!!!

Happy Monday (hope you aren’t fighting off the blues, too)!!!

Kim

4th day of February = 4x 1 minute wall sits – DONE!!!

Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Super Day Sunday!!!

February 3, 2013 Kim 9 Comments

Yikes!! Today’s 43 was one of those times when I sort-of wished that I was closer to 20!!! The move itself wasn’t too bad – it’s just the act of knocking out 43 that really pushed me!!

I did plank up-downs today. 43 times!!!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtiZCco5xJ4′]

I did my best to keep my body straight even during the up-down part but it was definitely a challenge!!!!

And the rest of the work-out…..Day Off!!!! I’m continuing with my daily wall sits for the month of February – today I did 3 of them for 1 minute each. My quads should be getting stronger by the minute!!!

I keep hearing about some large bowl Super bowl something? Maybe these?

I’m just kidding – I know that today is a huge football game!!! I just don’t get into pro-football much. I’m trying to decide which team to cheer for.

I love this place! Chris and I visited here the first month we were dating!So pretty and so close to Napa and wine!!! Oh, wait – football.

Well, I also like this city:Another gorgeous place! I guess I can’t pick my team based on the beauty of the city or where I have or haven’t been. Hmmmm….

I’ll just support them both and enjoy time with friends tonight.

I do sort-of wish that we were here

New Orleans during Mardi Gras?! Oh, wait – not a great idea!! Been there, done that and now I’m a responsible grown-up!!!

Happy Sunday – hope it is a Super day!!!

Kim

Biceps, Circuit, Fitness, Shoulders, Squats, Triceps

Groundhog as Meteorologist (at least today!)

February 2, 2013 Kim

Today’s 43 was another circuit that I thought would be fun – you know I love to work as many different muscles as possible!!! This one was pretty much a total body circuit!!

Sometimes it is more challenging to keep the legs stationary than it is to move them! The single leg squats require core strength to keep your balance. Adding the hops and weights helps get your heart rate up! Score on many levels!!

I liked this circuit as a 43 – it went really quickly, too. 43 reps = 129 of each of the arm exercises!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9pfYrxxyDc’]

After the circuit I still wanted to do a bit more today so I did one of my 10 Minute Solution DVDs – Ultimate Boot Camp with Jessica Smith. I only did 3 of the 5 sections: Fat Fighting Skills & Drills (intervals of high intensity cardio – loved this section!), Ultimate Total Body Training (power, strength & endurance moves combined – loved!), and Six Pack Ab Attack (duh – core!).

This was a great work-out for me. Each of the 10 minutes were non-stop activity and Jessica actually put together some moves that were new for me (love when that happens – sometimes it seems like all of the work-outs use the same ‘ol moves!!!)

So, in case you didn’t get up and watch the news

the famous ground hog did not see his shadow so spring is on the way!! And we all know that just like our local meteorologist – this guy is totally accurate (at least 50% of the time!!!)!

Cute tradition! And if you live in or around Punxsutawney, PA I guess it is a pretty big deal! Maybe Topeka should come up with something fun like that…hmmm……

Well, no matter when spring arrives these little guys always make me smile!

Happy Saturday (in the middle of winter!)!!

Kim

Fitness, Lunges

50-mile race, Firm in February, 5th graders & Fun Friday!!!

February 1, 2013 Kim 23 Comments

The letter of the day is F!!!

My 43 was an alternating lateral lunge with 5 pound dumbbells that I picked up one on rep and put back down on the next rep. (Picking up and putting down the weights is a great way to make sure that you get maximum benefits from the lunge because it forces you to get low!) I counted a right lunge and left lunge as 1 – so it was 43 lunges on each side!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRsW4MVzmWY’]

(Poor planning on my part – early morning and no video so I got Chris up at 6:15 when I finished my work-out so he could make a demo before I showered!) He got to sleep in because he is off today – I was up at 5:00!!!!

The rest of my work-out was Les Mills Combat. I doubled up today!! I started with HIIT Power – always brutal!!! Then I did Combat 30 – good but easier than the first!!

Registration opened up today (and I signed up this morning!!!) for the Heartland Ultra-marathon!! There is a 100 mile race and a 50 mile. I’m just going to do the 50 (hopefully next year I will be ready for the 100!). The race isn’t until October but I wanted to sign-up on day 1! WooHoo – 50 miles!!! (Anyone want to pace some miles on October 12, 2013? Let me know!!)

For the short month of February, I thought it would be fun to add in a challenge move every day. I love all of the challenges that different people offer in the blog world but it is hard for me to follow them completely in addition to doing my own work-outs and running. I decided to just do something new for myself by picking 1 move and doing it each day in the month of February for the # of reps that goes along with the day of the month.

My move – Wall Sit for 1 minute!!!

Look – I can even do it after my shower. Really, that was my whole idea – something that I could just do at different times in the day not just during my sweaty work-out. By the end of the month it will have to be at a lot of different times of the day – no way will I be doing 28 minutes worth all at the same time!!!

If you decide to pick a move of the month and play along let me know!!! We could motivate each other!

Today I have a full day of 5th grade!!! Reading, math, science, social studies……Friday!

So many things (all starting with F) – but one of the best – Fun Friday!!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o1dJqRpmP8′]

Have a great Fun Friday!!!

Kim

Let me know if you want to play along on the daily February move!!!

Boxing, Fitness

The Knock-Out Punch

January 31, 2013 Kim 2 Comments

I have been enjoying my Combat work-outs so much that I decided to do some boxing for my 43 today. I used Hunter’s punching bag.

And, happiness – I wore my pink boxing gloves!!!

For the 43 I started with a right stance and, using my right arm did a jab, hook, uppercut series plus a left cross. (I feel like my punching technique has improved thanks to the hints I’ve gotten from the Les Mills crew.) Of course, I had to switch my stance after I got to 43 and do another set with a left jab, hook, uppercut, right cross. As a bonus, I did 43 alternating jabs to finish!

Boxing makes me feel powerful!!! I didn’t think I would like it as much as I do!

I also did a Les Mills Combat work-out – Combat 45. Great work-out – especially the jumping side kicks and the jumping knees!!!

While I was punching and kicking today, I was thinking about things I would use a knock-out punch on.

My first thought was this: But then I would have missed out on my work-out opportunity of the day and that would not have been cool!

Then I thought I would knock-out all of the daily aches and pains I experience thanks to getting older!!!

But even that is a totally selfish thought use of my knock-out punch!

What I would really, really like to use it on is Cancer. Cancer sucks!!! The last 1.5 – 2 years it seems like many people in my circle of friends, aquaintances, etc. have been hit hard. So, I would say –