Category Archives: Shoulders

Butt, Chest, Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill

Dumbbells & Balls & Combat & Treadmills – Oh My!!!

January 15, 2013 Kim 11 Comments

For my 43 today, I did a move similar to one that I saw on the Biggest Loser last week!!! It is one of those great exercises that uses lots of different muscle groups!! (my favorite kind of exercise!)

Start with your upper back/head on a stability ball and dumbbells in your hands (I used 8 pounds today). Do a chest press – stand – do a shoulder press- lay back down on ball and repeat.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dszS-yLSQ0′]

Loved this exercise – will definitely do it again!!!

After I took Hunter to school, I came back to the still sick Jordan and did the rest of my work-out. Today was HIIT Power with Les Mills Combat. This work-out is only 30 minutes but it is intense!!! (It also has 40ish burpees with push-ups and squat jumps or tuck jumps!!!) Fun times!!!

After I finished the Combat work-out I wanted to test my hip on the treadmill. I only ran 3 miles (+ 1 mile cool-down) but I felt good and pushed the last mile (even though I’m not supposed to!!!). Total for 3 miles – 20:34 – WooHoo!!! Happiness!!!

I can’t wait to start increasing my mileage!!!

Can you tell I’m enjoying my morning off? I got to sleep past 5:00 am and spend a little extra time working out – Yippee!!! I am just working afternoons for a couple of days so that the person who I have been working for can ease back in to her job (and I can ease on out).

I don’t know about where y’all live/work but here the flu and other illnesses are OUT OF CONTROL!!! Yesterday at the school I have been working at there were over 60 kids home sick (plus at least 10 staff members) That is about 15% of the school – YUCK!!!

Happy Tuesday!!!

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

Fitness, Shoulders

Friday, Friday, Friday – 3 Favorites

January 4, 2013 Kim 10 Comments

The 43 today was one more kettlebell move!!! I feel like I turned this week into – Theme Week! Today I thought it was going to be a super easy move – WRONG!!! (I guess it could have been easier if I took a couple of the plates out of my KB but I left it at the full 20 pounds!)

I started with the KB in my right hand – passed it behind my body to my left hand – passed it in front of my body back to my right hand – did an upright row with my right hand/arm for 1 rep. The row was the killer part!!!

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

In the demo (made the other day), I switched directions after just a few reps. This morning, however, I did 43 with my right hand then switched and did 43 more with my left. Good stuff!!

Today for day 10 of the 12 Days of Fitness we added in 10 overhead presses (I used 15 pound dumbbells). Just 2 more days and I will have successfully completed this fun challenge!!!

For my work-out I picked something that would be more like a recovery day! I did a FIRM DVD – Cardio Sculpt Fusion. This was a fun mix of cardio, body sculpting and dynamic yoga/pilates stretches. I enjoyed it a lot and still got in a good work-out!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_-v_51d5No’]

This is one of my favorite songs (and bands!)!!! Just hearing this song makes me happy, happy, happy!!! (even when I have my toes in the snow instead of sand!!) Jordan gets on to me every time I sing it – “Mom, you’re cussing!!” Not cussing (this time!) – just singing!!!

Chris is my favorite person in the whole world!!!

Yesterday, even though he also worked all day, when I came home from the library (checked in and out books to over 300 kiddos yesterday!) he said he would make dinner! (He probably cooks as often as I do!) Last night he made chili which was awesome because it is cold here!!!

Cowboy Boots – Love them!!! At least while my toes are in the snow I can wear my fun boots. I wear them with everything – jeans, dresses, leggings….In fact here are the ones I’m wearing today – happiness!!

I’m not sure that Friday is my favorite day – that probably changes daily – but it is always sure to be a

Happy Fun Friday – hopefully y’all have some of your favorite things to enjoy today!!!

Kim

BOSU, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Fun Times – Games, Friends, “Work-out Tools” & Bells!!!

December 21, 2012 Kim 2 Comments

I love the fact that both of my boys have totally embraced my daily 43 and are willing to help me by filming me or doing the demos themselves!!! I REALLY love it when they pick the move of the day!!!

Today’s 43 is compliments of Hunter. He told me I should do classic boxing (classic according to Hunter). Perfect – what would that be? Duh….. (sometimes my boys think I don’t know things – shows what they know!!!). Classic boxing: jab-jab-punch-jab-jab-punch-uppercut-hook.

right jab
right jab
left punch
right jab
right jab
left punch
right uppercut
left hook

Well, I decided that I wanted to make the “classic boxing” a little more challenging so I added this:

Much better!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krPD8W3BoEo’]

Of course, after I did the first 43, I had to switch sides and do another 43 using the opposite arm for each move!!! Thanks for a great idea, Hunter. This worked my core, arms, legs (I kept my knees slightly bent in a semi-squat on BOSU) and got my heart rate up!!!

Yesterday was a perfect snow day!!! The boys and I spent about 3 hours playing Monopoly (I won!! Chris thinks I’m awful but it is all in fun). Last night, Chris and I met up with some great friends for drinks and dinner – good times!!!

A good friend posted this on my Facebook page yesterday:Um….yes, please!!! See, here is my “work-out equipment” ready to go!

The other night a friend of mine gave me an early Christmas gift. The best part?

I can’t even begin to tell you how much this bell entertains me. Chris, however, doesn’t seem to find it quite as much fun – not sure why?!?! I think it will grow on him!!! (or he might try to hide it…hmmmm)

Gotta bundle up and do some last minute errands and hit up the grocery store (not sure how that venture plays into Fun Friday since it will be a crazy mess – maybe I should take my bell with me!!!)

Enjoy your Fun Friday!!!

Kim

Cardio, Fitness, Shoulders

Yikes!!!

December 13, 2012 Kim 1 Comment

Today’s 43 was one of the most difficult that I have done in awhile. I think it is because it has been 10 (long) days since I ran or did any cardio at all and it shows!!!

The move – plank jacks. In the plank position, (because clearly I didn’t get enough of that yesterday!) jack your feet (jump them open and closed like a regular jumping jack). I did 10 jacks = 1 rep. (If math is not your thing, that is 430 jacks!!!!!) This move requires cario endurance plus strength to hold yourself in plank for a LONG time.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbKgUv7X3Uo’]

It was good to get a little cardio and technically, this wasn’t a true weight bearing exercise (at least not on my hip!). But, YIKES!!! I was sucking air big time. Hunter said, “It’s only been about a week since you ran.” 10 days, brother!! That is a long, long time and when you are my age (43) the you lose it a lot quicker!

Usually, I write this after I have finished my entire work-out for the day. However, I have a couple of things I have to do this morning and then I’m subbing this afternoon (for Hunter’s homeroom teacher!!!) so I’m doing my post with the intention of still squeezing in some pilates later. Even if I can’t do all 3 sections, I will get some pilates in!

This seemed appropriate today. If you don’t try – you won’t succeed! (Plus, Michael Jordan is one of my all-time favorites!)

I can’t wait to be in Hunter’s class (and I’m sure he feels the same way!). Tonight is all about Algebra – several hours of tutoring tonight – almost time for semester finals!!!

Happy Thursday!!

Kim

11:25 Pick your Spot Pilates: belly, butt & thighs – Done!!! Now I can enjoy my afternoon with 6th graders!!!

Day With KT