Tag Archives: Olympics

I Love the Olympics but I’m not Loving the Coverage

February 16, 2014 Kim 64 Comments

Yesterday Chris and I went to Dick’s to get a new pull-up bar since ours was worn out. (The boys, especially Hunter use it a LOT and the handles had lost all padding – good problem to have!!) Anyway, while we were there, I saw a box with these 4 balance balls –

looks how great these are — looks how fun these are

and felt like I NEEDED them!!!

I decided to use them this morning for my 44. I thought push-ups with each hand and foot on one would be a great move!!!

This was definitely a challenge!! I can’t wait to incorporate these fun little gems into more moves!!!

And, the 44 push-ups this morning put me at a nice round 450 push-ups for the week for Taylor’s February challenge. The goal this week was 400 push-ups and in 6 days I did 450!!! Glad that we are going back to lunges next week – lunge jumps actually!!!

I also did a quick Turbo Jam workout – 3T (Totally Tubular Turbo). This is toning with a resistance band – I can tell I haven’t done much with bands lately!!!

I’ve written about the Olympics a couple of times in the past week because I love watching them!!!

However, I have to say that the 2014 Olympics have not been my favorite and I think it is because of how very little is being shown on TV. I think that NBC has done an awful job with the coverage this year.

Clearly, I’m not the only person who feels this way!!!

Just yesterday, the entire morning on NBC Sports Network was devoted to hockey. It was fine during the United States vs Russia game (way to go U.S.!) but then they kept showing other teams. Why didn’t they use any of the time to show the other events that are going on?

Then during the prime time coverage on NBC, the first 30 minutes were devoted to a replay of the last part of the hockey game after the announcers already told us exactly what had taken place.

And, I’m disappointed that we aren’t getting to see any medal ceremonies. I have had the Olympics on a LOT in the past week and I think I’ve seen 1 medal ceremony. I love watching the athletes receive their medals and sing along to whatever their National Anthem is.

Have you been watching the Olympics?
Are you disappointed with the coverage?

Happy Sunday!

Kim

BOSU, Butt, Fitness, Hamstrings, Triceps

Is Curling Really a Sport?

February 12, 2014 Kim 94 Comments

Today’s 44 is a move that Kristin (Stuft Mama) did with her class and showed on her blog. I had to try it because it uses my favorite piece of equipment -the BOSU!!! It is a triceps dip with alternating kicks.

Start with your hands on the BOSU and feet on the ground –

Dip (triceps) and kick right leg –

Go back to start position –

Dip and kick left leg –

Since I counted a right kick and a left kick as 1 rep, I had to do 88 tricep dips to complete the 44!!! My arms were shaking!

The February challenge with Taylor (Lifting Revolution) is a fun one! Last week we did 100 walking lunges every day. This week it is 400 push-ups split however you like. Yesterday I did 135 push-ups and today I did 80 so in 2 days I’m over half-way!!!

And, I added in Les Mills Combat – Extreme Cardio Fighter today. 60 minutes of kicking, punching, twisting and just plain fun!!!

Curling – is it a sport or just a past-time? I don’t even get the concept. Chris keeps saying it is like Shuffleboard. Well, I’m pretty sure that shuffleboard is a game they used to play on The Love Boat so I’m not convinced it is a true sport.

pushing the stone

Here’s what I’ve figure out about curling – one person pushes the stone.

The rest of the team does a sweeping motion to speed up (or maybe it slows it down?) the stone. Pretty sure the object is to get the stones into certain parts of the ring or something and try to knock your opponent’s stone out of the circle.

What I do know is that there is ZERO cardio involved and I’ve never seen any of the participants even come close to working up a sweat.

In the 2010 Vancouver Olympics one of the competitors was actually 6 months pregnant – So, if you compare curling to some of the other events in the winter Olympics, is it really a sport?

Ski jumping – look at the strength required to hold the body in the jump position!!!

Snowboarding – Half Pipe: These guys (and girls) are flying up to 15 feet in the air on some of their flips. And, then they have to land the jump and do another and another and another….

Have you seen how fast these athletes guy down the mountain while still dodging the gates?! Look at the leg strength required to hold the position without falling!!!

The amount of athleticism required to perform some of the jumps, holds and other tricks that the ice skaters perform is amazing!!!

All of the skating races seem brutal – short ones, longer ones – just staying in the low position requires tremendous lower body control!!

Then we go back to curling – at least they can wear “fun” pants!!!

So – what do you think? Is curling really a sport or is it just a hobby?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness

Celebrating Russia (host of the 2014 Olympics)

February 10, 2014 Kim 90 Comments

Today’s 44 was fun even though I look like a total dork!!! I did a roundhouse with a back fist.

I did all 44 on my right side and then switched to the left for another set. This got my heart rate up and worked my butt and core!!!

I didn’t do Michelle Bridges today – I’m going to keep doing the program but not 6 days a week – it is too hard to balance those workouts with my running so I’m going to mix them in a little differently this week and see how it goes.

The Olympics have always been one of my favorite times – I like the summer ones more but still enjoy watching as much of the winter ones as possible!!!

We decided that we should have a Russian meal to celebrate the host country of these Olympic games. Good thing we have such a great resource with the internet!!!

For the main dish I made cabbage rolls (in the crock pot!!) – I used ground beef and brown rice as the filler. The boys liked this – I think next time I won’t boil that cabbage first since it cooked even more in the crock pot.

As a side dish, we made zucchini pancakes. This is the first time that I’ve ever tried a savory pancake and these were really good!!! Might have to make them again!!!

And, I’ve said many times that I don’t bake but I felt like a Russian meal wouldn’t be complete without Russian Tea Cakes. Surprisingly, these came out OK!!!

Of course, since we had a Russian meal there had to be a bit of Vodka! We weren’t going to do straight vodka shots though!!!

Can’t do the Russian thing without a bit of Vodka even if it is in the form of chocolate cake!!!

(no vodka for the boys!!)

Hunter decided to make a sandwich with a couple of the pancakes and his cabbage roll-up.

This was a fun way to “travel” to Russia and also to try some new (to us) dishes!!!

Did you watch the Opening Ceremony Friday night?
Summer or winter Olympics?

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Cardio, Fitness

The Balance to My Crazy

February 8, 2014 Kim 46 Comments

For my 44 today I decided to do an Olympic inspired move!! We were watching the men’s 5000 earlier and so I decided to be a skater, too. (minus the ice and skates!!!)

I counted a right and left as 1 rep and this move went quickly. Fun way to get my heart rate up a bit.

I haven’t been talking about my workouts a whole lot lately because it is pretty repetitive – Michelle Bridges and running!!!

Over the past few weeks I’ve mentioned a time or 100 that I’m a bit stressed these days. And the whole stolen identity didn’t help!!!

Yesterday morning was one of those times that it all seemed to be spiraling out of control. It didn’t help that I had been awake most of the night feeling sick so I wasn’t 100% but I also wasn’t sick. I think it is just stress spiraling out of control!

Thankfully, for all of my stress and craziness, I have Chris to keep me grounded. The things that bug me don’t seem to phase him as much.

He has always said he’s Teflon Turner –

and that things just slide off him. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care – he just knows how to let the little things go and do what needs to be done without going BAT-SHIT CRAZY!!!

I might never be Teflon and things might never slide off me like they do Chris but I’m going to try a little harder to just roll with things!

What about you – are you the Teflon kind or more like me where everything piles up?

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Fitness, Plyo, Squats

Are Kids Smarter (and Stronger) Now than 25 Years Ago?

November 24, 2013 Kim 52 Comments

Today I did a quick 44 but it was a challenge!!! I did single leg squats with a hop. I started on my right leg and did 44 squats with a hop – they went OK and I only had to tap my left foot 2x to keep from falling.

My left leg squats and hops didn’t go as well – I had to tap my right foot down a lot.

I like moves like this that make me have to work to not fall over!!!

Last night Hunter and I were talking about college and scholarships. I told him that I went to college with a full scholarship – both academic and athletic.

Hunter’s response – I guess academic scholarships are a lot harder to get now.

What?! I think I just got slammed.

He said well kids are smarter now and there is more competition for athletic scholarships than when you went to school.

What?! Maybe you should stop talking, Hunter.

Then he started in on way back then.

What?! I’m not that old (well maybe I am but still!).

He wanted to know my SAT and ACT scores – I can’t remember my SAT but my ACT was 31.

Hunter also said – well you got an athletic scholarship but were there any really good runners at your school?

One of the people on our track team was late coming back to school in the fall of 1988 because he was running in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. He ran for Jamaica and won a silver medal in the 4 x 400m relay (the US won gold). Plus, a couple of the years that I ran we were the NAIA National Champions!!!

At the end of all of this, Hunter still tried to tell me that it is harder to get scholarships now than (way back) when I went to college!!! Silly Boy!!!

Happy Sunday!!! I’m off to take my non-scholarship deserving self to tackle my to-do list.

Kim