Tag Archives: core

Focus on the Core (6/15-6/21)

June 21, 2014 Kim 36 Comments

This week I decided to make the daily 44 all about core work!!! I try to do some core work every week but this week I hit it even harder.

Sunday 6/15 – 44 oblique crunches with a leg lift.

I liked this move!!! I counted a left-right as 1 rep so it turned into a total of 88 crunches!!

Monday 6/16 – 44 alternating leg kicks while in a V-sit position.

This move required a lot of balance which is even more of a core bonus!! (I counted a right-left kick as 1 rep)

Still trying to lift weights consistently so it was Chalean Extreme Burn Circuit 3 (lots of shoulder work).

I also got in a nice hard run!!!
9 miles in 57:49 (6:26 pace) followed by 1.75 easy miles. I haven’t been running hard much lately but I still try to occasionally push my pace just to make sure I still can.

Tuesday 6/17 – 44 plank hold with a double knee tap.

I must be holding my breath in the bottom picture because my face is really red – oops!!!

I decided to follow Monday’s hard run with an easier run.
10 miles in 80:07 + 1 super easy mile.

Wednesday 6/18 – 44 “rope climbs” with legs extended.

This was a great move for keeping constant tension on the abs!

Lifting day – Chalean Extreme Burn Circuit 1 (last time through this circuit – next week I will start the Push Circuit!!).

I wanted a little more after lifting so I did The Firm – Skills, Drills & Thrills. This is a nice workout with a mix of cardio and toning using the wobble disc –

Thursday 6/19 – 44 plank with elbows on the wobble disc – step out with right leg, back in then pull the right knee in – repeat on left side for 1 rep.

I should have timed how long I had to hold plank while doing this – oh, well!!

And, I’m still trying to bump my running miles up so it was another day of running.
13 miles in 1:42.13 + 1.4 easier miles.

Friday 6/20 – 44 knee crunches while holding boat pose on wobble disc.

Can you tell how hard it was to balance? My arms were flailing the entire time just trying to keep me from falling over!!!

The only workout for the day was Chalean Extreme – Burn Circuit 2 (all about biceps and triceps) – I can finally do all of the tricep push-ups on my toes!!!

I knew that I had a long day of cleaning, moving furniture and ironing ahead (8 hours is what it ended up taking) so I didn’t do any cardio after the lifting!!! That ended up being a good choice!!!

Saturday 6/21 – 44 grab & crunch with medicine ball!! This was a fun new move. Start by laying on your back with your knees at 90 and a medicine ball (I used an 8 pound ball) resting on your legs –

Crunch up and grab the medicine ball –

Take the ball with you and extend arms over head –

Crunch up and place ball back on legs to complete 1 rep –

Not only did this work my abs/core – I felt this in my hip flexors a lot!!!!

I had planned to run again but woke up with a stabbing pain in my eye (gotta love sinuses!!!) so I decided to skip the run for now.

I just realized that my total mileage for the year (hard and easy miles) is just over 900. That is more than I had for all of 2013 – maybe learning to run easier is paying off!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Running Because I Want to Not Because I Have to

October 19, 2013 Kim 50 Comments

Because I was so excited to do weighted burpees on Thursday, I didn’t do Nellie’s (Brooklyn Active Mama) Wednesday workout yet – so today I did 44 toe touches.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyo4p5cw-7c&feature=youtu.be’]

This is a move that you will feel after just a few!!! 44 of these were a challenge!!!

And – because it’s been a week since the last time I ran, I ran today. All week long I’ve thought about how far I would run today – I thought about doing 50 miles (on my treadmill, of course!) just because I know I have it in me. Then I thought about running 25 so that I could complete the 50 (over the course of a week but whatever….).

However, this morning, I ran the way I felt – because that is what running is all about for me!!! I did 7 miles in 45:43 (1.5% incline) and then another 1.5 miles at a nice easy pace to cool down.

I have realized that I am not a person who like to follow a running training plan at this point in my life. I just want to run for the pure enjoyment I get from running.

I know lots of people thrive on training plans and knowing exactly what each day will bring but when I run that way, I start to resent everything about running – and I hate that feeling.

Some days I want to run 5-9 miles at a quick pace just because – so I do!

Some days I feel like doing some intervals – so I do them!!

Some days – the idea of running for 3-5 hours is my idea of a good time!!!

Some days I don’t want to run at all – so I pick a different workout and I am completely OK with it.

Today, I decided that I don’t have to prove anything with my running – I just want to continue to enjoy it!!! And one day, that might mean lacing up my shoes and running 50 miles just because I want to!!! (today was not that day!)

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Biceps, Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Things you Have to See to Believe

September 24, 2013 Kim 70 Comments

Today for my 44 I did a move that was for my biceps and shoulders but because I balanced on 1 leg, I also got in a great core challenge. I did a single arm bicep curl to a shoulder press with the opposite leg up.

I used a 10 pound dumbbell and it was challenging to complete all 44 reps. And, I can’t be uneven so I switched sides and did 44 more.

This was a good move to really get my blood flowing early.

And, today was one of my favorite workouts for Garage Boot Camp – Pyramid. I love this one because it is non-stop for the entire time. There are a total of 10 exercises and each round you add one (10 reps of everything each time) – round 1 is easy (10 squats), round 2 (10 squats, 10 jumping jacks), etc. until you have 10 reps of 10 exercises. After you get all 10, you start back down the pyramid dropping one off each time – fun stuff!!!

Do you ever glance at something or someone and then do a double take because you can’t believe what you just saw?

Well, Sunday morning, Chris and I were at Wal-Mart (ugh!!) and after Chris got in line I ran over to check on something. I happened to glance over and a lady was wearing a tiny little bikini with a tiny little skirt (she wasn’t so tiny)!!!

Not the lady I saw because I didn't get my phone out in time not to get busted! — Not the lady I saw because I didn’t get my phone out in time not to get busted!

I looked back thinking I hadn’t seen correctly but she was definitely wearing a little bikini!! I moved on a bit and next thing I know this man says, “What you don’t think it’s the right weather for a bikini?” Oops – Busted!!! I thought I had been a little less obvious in my double-take!

I do have another “fun” picture for you. Our event venue also has 3 apartments upstairs. They are separate from the event part and I don’t go up the stairs to them very often. However, one of the girls moved to Colorado and we have been showing the apartment some. I couldn’t believe how very disgusting the stairs were (they have cats & dogs). Yesterday I couldn’t take it anymore and swept for them –

You’re Welcome for that visual!!!

What have you seen recently that you couldn’t believe?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Sleep-In Saturday

August 31, 2013 Kim 28 Comments

Today’s 43 was actually really fun! It involved my stability ball – I put my upper back on the ball with my feet on the floor (sort of a reverse table top), clasped my hands together and started with them overhead, then I did a slow twist to the right, to the left and back to the center for 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ2Z_aWJpB0′]

Even though the main target in this move is your core (especially obliques), you will start to feel it in your butt & hamstrings because of holding yourself up!!

When the boys were younger, every Friday night when we tucked them in we would remind them – “Tomorrow is Sleep-in Saturday!!” I’m not sure it really ever worked for them but at least they knew that we (Chris & I) weren’t going to get up as early as we normally do.

Last night when I fell into bed, I was so excited to remind myself that it was sleep-in Saturday.

And that (see above) is pretty much how things went!!! I guess I sort-of slept in since I woke up at 6:25 (instead of my normal 5:00) but I was really hoping for closer to 8:00!!!

Oh well, up and getting stuff done for the day – always a good thing!!! Chris & Hunter left at 7:30 for a gun safety class so they didn’t really sleep-in either.

At least Jordan got the memo!!! He is still snoozing away!!! (all those early mornings for band are taking a toll on him!)

One day I will sleep-in again but not today!!!

Do you have sleep-in Saturday? How late do you sleep when you sleep-in?

Happy “Sleep-in” Saturday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

You Need Soap!

August 12, 2013 Kim 49 Comments

Today for my 43 I tried a move that Kat @ Sneakers and Fingerpaints did as part of her core challenge for the month. The move is called a Squirm and it is a great move to really work your entire core!!!

Start on your back with knees bent, contract your abs and crunch up – hold the crunch and alternate reaching your hands to your feet (you will be squirming!).

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQERK6UDdog’]

I counted a right and left reach as 1 so it took a little while to complete all 43. My obliques got a great workout and since I had my abs contracted the entire time, my whole core was feeling the move by the end!!!

Today was boot camp in the garage thanks to thunderstorms!!! We did one of my favorites – Tabata Bootcamp. I love how effective this workout is – short bursts at maximum intensity!!!

I also started week 5 of Taylor’s challenge. This week’s workout is intense!!! It is called – The Race Is On and it is a definite challenge!!! I love the workouts that Taylor has included in this challenge – most are under 20 minutes and don’t require any equipment (or very little!). They are great as an entire workout or as a supplement for the rest of my workout!!

So, earlier this summer when the boys and I took our trip to Texas, Jordan caught me off-guard with one of his comments.

There was some traffic at one point and I’m sure that there must have been some crazy drivers doing stupid things and I might have said a cuss word or two. Well, Jordan is very anti-cussing and he looked over at me and said – “You need soap!”

I looked at him –

and then just busted out laughing!! Ever since then, it has been a bit of a joke – any time Jordan hears a bad word (no matter who says it) he looks at me and says “soap“.

So, the other night, Jordan took his shower and then came into the living room with Chris and I. We were watching the very end of some show and Jordan just started ringing the drink bell repeatedly!!!

It was pretty annoying because it was right by my ear. I was trying to be nice – but after about 5 minutes of the annoying bell I said something to the effect that I was going to throw the damn bell in the trash if he didn’t stop. Next thing I know, Jordan pulls a bar of soap out of his pocket and sets it by the bell (and he has this huge grin on his face!).

Chris and I both just about fell out of our chairs laughing!!! Jordan was so proud – he knew that he could break me and he was ready!!!!

I really do try not to cuss around the boys a lot but sometimes…..At least I don’t really get my mouth washed out with soap! Growing up I did plenty of times (and I didn’t even cuss then!!) and it was always with the worst soap ever!!

Nasty and gritty – not fun!! I have never washed my boys mouth out with soap because I have awful memories of having it done to me.