Tag Archives: basketball

Conditioning Is Key!!

Last night we went to the high school basketball games – fun times for sure!!!

Watching the athletes (girls, boys, cheerleaders and dancers) I was thinking about the importance of a conditioning base for any sport or event.

No matter how many baskets you can make, you have to be able to run up and down the court without keeling over!!!

Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 9.17.00 PM

In my previous life (the one before I had kids!!), I taught middle school science and coached 7th & 8th grade volleyball, basketball and track.  In volleyball – we ran!  In basketball – we ran!!  And, of course in track – we ran!!!

The one thing that I always stressed to all of my athletes is that we were running for conditioning NEVER as a form of punishment.  I tried to make it fun!!

Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 9.29.34 PM

When we did suicides, I ran with the kids.  I always told them that if they could beat me they only had to do one!!  (For the record, no one ever beat me:)

I think so many people just want to learn the moves or play the game that they forget that conditioning is at the heart of every single sport.Screen Shot 2015-01-06 at 9.25.21 PM

And conditioning is pretty great – it is what keeps us fit and healthy!!  I’m all about being fit and ready to take on any challenge.

What’s your favorite form of conditioning?
Want to do some suicides with me?

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

How do you Know if you Are Pushing Too Hard?

Today I went with a basketball inspired 43 in honor of the NBA Finals!  We (all but Jordan) are rooting for the Spurs!!!

The move requires a medicine ball (I used an 8 pound ball), or you could use a dumbbell, and has several parts:

  • lunge forward with right leg
  • pass ball under right leg
  • lunge back with right leg
  • pass ball under left leg
  • bring feet together
  • jump and press ball overhead

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zD5fdvqdiY’]

After completing 43 as listed above, I had to switch and do the lunges with my left leg for another set!

This was really a great combo 43 – worked my quads, calves, shoulders and even my upper back some work – plus because I moved fairly quickly, I got my heart rate up!!!

I woke up around 4:30 this morning to a pretty heavy rain so I wasn’t sure if anyone would come to Boot Camp this morning.  However, since today’s workout was at my house, we had the garage option (necessary today since not only was it raining, there was some thunder and lightening!).  I had a few show up and we had a good workout.  Today we did a really fun workout – Tabata Boot Camp!!!

After that I had Insanity Asylum – and I was sort-of dreading it today.  Today was Game Day (60 minutes of every possible sport) and Overtime (15 minutes designed to kill really challenge you).  Game Day actually  goes pretty quickly because you keep changing the sport (really it’s just moves that might be used in different sports).  And, I felt like I accomplished way more in Overtime today than last week – but the moves are still beyond brutal!!!!

Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.18.37 AM

 

I feel like the past few weeks, I have been living by the above motto.  Doing Insanity with Shaun T – you hear the phrase “Dig Deeper”  a LOT!!!  And, even though I’m in my basement living room with no one around (except Jordan who usually watches me to make sure I don’t die cheat) I feel like I have to push a little harder every time I hear those words.  Move my feet faster, jump higher, eek out a few more push-ups – doesn’t matter what it is, I just try to push myself even more!!

Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.18.06 AMI agree that you have to work hard to become who you want to be but at what point do you decide that maybe you need to back off just a little?  Do you have to change your goals and “settle” for less or do you just change the time-line for your goals?  

Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.22.56 AMWe see quotes like the one above, or hear fitness professionals telling us to push as hard as we can and then push just a little harder.  But sometimes you need to hear – Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.42.26 AM

We all have different limits and amounts that we can tolerate.  I like to push myself hard almost everyday.  By pushing hard – I mean to the point of saying “I’m done.  I can’t do another _________ (rep, lap, mile, whatever).”

Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.21.11 AMFor others, pushing hard is something that can only occasionally be tolerated either because of health/injury or sometimes because of not being mentally prepared for the pain of pushing your limits.  And, there are some, who are willing to work but only to a certain level and have absolutely zero desire to push themselves any harder.   Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.27.40 AMPushing too hard for too long can lead to overtraining or burn-out.  (click the link for a great article in Runner’s World about overtraining).  

I’m pretty sure if you look, or even feel, like thisScreen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.27.22 AMthen it is probably time to ease up and give yourself a little slack.

Screen shot 2013-06-17 at 9.22.37 AMSo, just because you see or hear the message to push harder all the time, remember to do what is right for you and your own personal limits.  Sometimes you feel weak because you have pushed harder than you should and it is time to back off a little.  It’s all about knowing your body and listening to the messages it gives you!!

Do you feel like you ever push too hard?  Is it easy for you to back off when you need to or do you try to push through?

Happy Monday!!!  I’m going to cut myself a little slack today – I hope you do the same if you need to!!!

Kim

Weekend – Fun, Family, Friends

Today I took a move from my Combat workouts and turned it into my 43.  This was total cardio – plyo style!!

I did a double right knee (bounce on left foot), double left knee (bounce on right foot), then a double knee strike (jump with right knee in front), double knee strike (jump with left knee in front) = 1 rep.  Confused?  Check out the demo:

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVQ0SK-409k’]

(Because I’m a complete dork, I switched front knees once but it still worked out the same in the end!)

This 43 was fun and went quickly!

Hunter did a great job at his cello contest yesterday.

so serious
so serious

He was waiting for the judges to tell him to start – nervous?  I caught his eye and got him to smile for the next picture.

fixin to play - love the smile!
fixin to play – love the smile!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCg0_3n7pHE’]

Considering that he had only practiced with the accompanist once before yesterday, he did a great job!!  At one point he forgot where he was but he smiled and found his way again.  He was the only one of the kids who played from memory yesterday.

I better get in the kitchen  and get busy with lunch prep:

  • barbecue brisket
  • cheesy potatoes
  • green bean casserole
  • oriental slaw
  • strawberry cheesecake

We have several friends coming over to spend part of the day – always fun!

And, more basketball later this afternoon.  Screen shot 2013-03-31 at 9.26.56 AM

Happy Sunday!  And Screen shot 2013-03-31 at 9.03.23 AM

Kim

 

Running a Pyramid

Today’s 43 was quick and fun!!!  I did a straddle jump on a bench.  Start by straddling the bench with your hands on the front of the bench.  Jump both feet up on bench then back to floor.  Repeat (x 43).

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

This is one of my favorites!!!  I think I will do more of these jumps soon!

For my run today I did a pyramid!Screen shot 2013-03-23 at 10.25.11 AM

OK – not that pyramid but it sort-of felt like it on the way up!!!

Screen shot 2013-03-23 at 10.40.24 AMYou can see that I increased my speed every 2 minutes (until I finally got to the top!) and then I decreased every two minutes on the way back down – much better!!!

This was fun and different for me – I usually try to get my fastest miles at the end of my run instead of  during the middle so this is a good change.

1.5 % incline – 44:11 = 7 miles   + cool down of 20 minutes  for a total of 64 minutes (8.4 total miles)

I like to do different things with my speed (or incline) while I run – probably why I don’t get bored on my treadmill very often!!!

Screen shot 2013-03-23 at 10.48.15 AMI can’t believe how fast spring break has gone!!   Even though we just stayed home, we had a great week together!!!

This weekend, we are all about basketball!!  My bracket took  several hard hits but I still have a chance to win and it’s fun to watch some of the underdogs do really well!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

 

 

Fascinating Fun Friday!!

Part of the idea for today’s 43 came from Marcia who said curtsey lunges were one of her favorite exercises.  I paired the curtsey lunge up with a couple of other moves and got a nice little  43.

I did the curtsey lunge and while holding the lunge did a bicep curl (I used 10 pound DBs today) then I stood and lifted the back leg while squeezing my butt = 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1gfw0ZXP4′]

Besides the fact that I nearly lost my balance during the demo – it was great!  This 43 was pretty challenging – my quads were burning and I got my heart rate up since it was upper and lower body combined!!!    43 on the 2nd leg was the real kicker!

At one point I stopped for a second to stretch and told Hunter that this was a hard one.  He said, “You can do it.  You’ve done all of them so far.”  So sweet!!  Of course, he didn’t look up from what he was doing at the time.  (This is one of his favorite morning activities before I take him to school – not filming me or even watching me sweat – learning new techniques with his cubes!!)

learning yet another method to solve one of the cubes!
learning yet another method to solve one of the cubes!

Thanks to Hunter and his encouragement, I made it through another 43!

Today I decided to do a low-impact type workout (especially after yesterday’s crazy Tabata madness!) since I have a super long run planned for tomorrow.  I pulled out an oldie – Denise Austin:  Fat-Blasing Yoga.  I don’t do yoga often but I have found a few DVDs that I really enjoy.  Angela just did a great post about the benefits of yoga for runners so I figured today was a good day for it.

I actually have a # of Denise Austin’s DVDs – sometimes I just follow along without the sound but she does have some really great workouts.  The yoga one is a nice mix of strength work and stretching.  At the end there is a 15 minute section that is primarily core using a stability ball.  It was a nice break from running, jumping….

real clothes don't happen often anymore!
real clothes don’t happen often anymore!

Yesterday I actually put on non-workout clothes!!!  Sad part was that it was to go to a funeral (a friend of mine lost her Dad this week).  Her dad served in the Navy during World War II and so at the cemetery they had the military service – 2 Navy men – salute as casket is carried up, Taps and the flag (unfold, refold then present it).  Military services always sort-of get to me.  Screen shot 2013-03-15 at 9.59.37 AMI told Chris that I never want someone to hand me that flag – so do what you need to do to make sure that doesn’t happen, OK?

Well, it is going to be Fun Friday!  Even though it is still in the 30s right now, we are supposed to get up to 80!!!  I can’t wait.

Chris is off today and the boys will be on Spring Break when they get home this afternoon.  I have a friend who is just starting to sell Origami Owl jewelry so I’m going to her party this afternoon.  And, it’s basketball tournament time!!!!  (Even though my teamScreen shot 2013-03-15 at 10.05.45 AMis already out – still love the tournament!)

Happy Fun Friday!!!

Kim