Category Archives: Shoulders

A Happy Heart

February 20, 2014 Kim 1 Comment

Today’s 44 is one of those moves that looks like it’s no big deal but after you do a few you will feel it for sure!!!

Start with weights in each hand and arms in an upright row position –

From this position, flip your arms out and up over head –

Roll your arms back in front of you to the start to complete the first rep. I started with 8 pound dumbbells but dropped down to 5 pounds after the first 22 because I could feel myself trying to swing the dumbbells. 44 of these were a challenge!!

Today is the 4th day of 100 jumping lunges – not my favorite but such an effective move – thanks, Taylor for really challenging me!!!

And, another day on the treadmill – always a happy thing!!! Today was a quick 7 miles (1.5% incline – 47:51) and then 1.5 easy miles to finish up.

Some days my heart is happy to the point of overflowing!! Today is a happy heart day for sure!

This week has been a week of exciting new things for both of my boys.

Hunter has really been busy with cello stuff this year – school, Youth Philharmonic, private lessons, group…..In early January he submitted an entry to the Topeka Young Musician Awards. Only 4 sting instruments (from all the 7th graders in Topeka) advance to the next level. We found out Saturday that Hunter is one of those 4!!!

picture from last year

Hunter is nervous because this will be his first big solo in front of a large audience but he will be great. The winner gets $200 and 2nd place $100 – he’s hoping to get his first cash prize!!!

Jordan did something at the beginning of this week that is completely outside of his comfort zone – he auditioned for a play with the Topeka Civic Theater. Jordan is very quiet outside of our home except with a few good friends but a friend who has been acting for years talked him into it because it is his favorite book, movie…..

We found out yesterday that he has a couple of roles in the play!!!! I’m so proud of him for even trying out and now he will be doing something that makes him nervous but that he is excited about!!!

I’m proud of both boys for even trying these things and I’m proud of them for being willing to push themselves outside of their comfort zones to perform in front of others!!!

Every day these guys make my heart happy!!!

Happy Thursday!!!

Kim

Fitness, Quad, Running, Shoulders, Thighs, Treadmill

Do Clothes “Make” Us?

January 21, 2014 Kim 104 Comments

Today’s 44 was a combo move (my favorite kind of exercise!). The lower body was just a plie hold and the upper body was a lateral raise.

Lateral raises are hard for me (shoulders are my weakest area!!!) so I only used 5 pound dumbbells. I felt the burn in my quads and inner thighs by the time I finished all 44 reps.

Today I did something I rarely do – I ran for the 2nd day in a row!!! There really is a lot to be said for running easier!!! Yesterday I ended up running 13.1 miles (1:46.20) with 1.3 easy to finish it off. Today I did 7 miles (59:36) with an easy cool down mile.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase – “Clothes make the man/woman/child.” Is this really true?

I think that I’m the same person no matter what I have on – a formal dress, jeans, or sweaty running stuff. But I do wonder if unconsciously we act different in different types of clothes.

Are we more confident when we are all dressed up? I think that I actually feel the most confident when I’m in my workout clothes!!! Of course, that could just be what I tell myself since that is my normal dress code these days!!!

I also started wondering if we are more productive based on how we dress.

In the winter I pretty much live in fleece!!!

OK - maybe a little nicer than this stuff but still - yoga pants and fleece tops!! — OK – maybe a little nicer than this stuff but still – yoga pants and fleece tops!!

Does being so comfortable make me less productive? Or am I more productive because I’m comfortable?

I used to dress up every day and I still have a closet full of nice clothes and shoes and all the accessories required to pull it all together. Maybe I should try a test since a lot of days I can get my work done from home and see if dressing up makes me more productive!!!

Besides running things in our home, I work semi-full time with our business – cleaning, doing set-ups, showing the venue, paperwork, marketing, etc. All of those tasks require different attire – I can’t wear my cleaning clothes (workout gear) when I do showings and vice-versa. Since a lot of the work is done at home it really doesn’t matter what I look like – or does it?!

Do you think that there is anything to the saying – Clothes make the woman?
What about – Dress for success?
Do you dress up even if you are just going to be home most of the day?

Happy Tuesday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Resistance Bands, Shoulders

Sunday Morning Cartoons

January 19, 2014 Kim 41 Comments

Today’s 44 started off nice and easy but the last 10 or so were rough!!! I used a resistance band –

Double the band under and sit on it in V-sit –

I stayed in this position and did a shoulder press –

Like I said, this started off fine but from about 30 on I struggled!!!

This week has been a bit intense so I thought some of the old-time Sunday cartoons would be a nice change of pace!

Hmmm.....too much computer time?! — Hmmm…..too much computer time?!

HaHa - pretty much true! — HaHa – pretty much true!

Lucy - so helpful!!! — Lucy – so helpful!!!

Cathy - one of my all time favorites!! — Cathy – one of my all time favorites!!

OK – maybe they weren’t that funny but we can all do with a good laugh!!!

Happy Sunday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Thank You, Friends!!!!

January 15, 2014 Kim 68 Comments

Today was another resistance band move for the 44. The move is a twist and designed to work your core but because you have to hold the band up in front of you it also is a great shoulder burner!!!

Oh – I counted a full rotation (right-left-right) as 1 rep.

Because I’m trying to work through some of my workout DVDs that I don’t do very often – I pulled out one today that I haven’t done in years.
Shelly McDonald – Caribbean Workout – Abs, Buns & Thighs

This one is funny because it’s made up of 3 segments (I did all 3 for just over an hour long workout) but you can tell that each segment was a 30 minute TV workout at one point (obvious when they had a cut to commercial!). It is more old school aerobics (lots of grapevine, step touch, the pony….) but it is all worth it because of the views!!

It is filmed on location so I could sort-of pretend that I was on the beach enjoying views like this –

But now it’s back to reality and 19 degree temps outside!!! Oh, well it was nice for an hour!!!

First – thank you for so many kind words and shared experiences/situations to yesterday’s post about friendships!!!

Chris’ response yesterday was that I can’t let those failed friendships control me because it is a 2-way street and when the other party doesn’t make any effort to maintain or reconcile a friendship then there is nothing I can do.

The overwhelming response yesterday was the fact that effort should be made on both parts and I agree 100%!!

It is never fun to be the one making all of the effort in a relationship!!! I know that sometimes things just have to be let go – doesn’t ever make it easy though!!!

Anyway……

Even without knowing the entire back story I felt like many of you understood the situation perfectly – a lot of you because you have had a similar experience for which I’m very sorry because I know it is hard!!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

Cardio, Core, Fitness, Quad, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill

My Biggest Failure – Friendships

January 14, 2014 Kim 119 Comments

Today I did a box plank jump that Taylor (Lifting Revolution) demoed (along with some other great moves I can’t wait to try!).

To do the move, get in plank with your feet on the box (or stool if you don’t have a box). Hop your feet down in front of the stool and back up.

Not gonna lie – this move sort of scared me. It took me several practice hops to feel like I had any sort of rhythm. Talk about a great all-over body move – TRY IT!!!

And – another running day!!! 1.5% incline – 8 miles – 59:51 plus 1 more mile nice and easy to cool down.

Sometimes I look at my life and wonder if I’m a complete failure at friendship!!!

The past few years have really made me question my ability to truly form relationships with others.

Chris has heard me question this characteristic a few times (way more often than he prefers probably!!).

I just can’t figure out why I seem to fail at friendships!!! I’m not talking about the acquaintance type of friendship but the close relationships – the type of friendship where there are no secrets and no need for pretending. The friendships that you think are the forever kind.

I have always been very independent and able to fend for myself so I’m not really a “needy” friend.

Sometimes I wonder if the fact that I don’t even have a functional relationship with my mom plays a role in the whole friendship thing.

I completely understand that people change over time but I also think that true friendship is stronger than those changes. However, I’ve learned (been told) otherwise in the past couple of years.

I don’t think friends have to talk every day or even every week – I think that true friends just pick up where they left off. Until one day they don’t.

This past fall has been a huge time of transition for me. I don’t know the first thing about owning a business and between trying to figure it out and keep it running (without hiring anyone), working out, blogging and most importantly, keeping up with my family, I haven’t done much with anyone and that has cost me at least one friendship.

I don’t really know what to do to change any of this. I just know that I feel completely inadequate as a true friend at this point in my life. Part of this is my own feeling and part of this is based on the demise of a friendship that I thought was one of those “till the end of time” ones.