Tag Archives: squats

Catching Up

April 17, 2013 Kim 21 Comments

Today my 43 ended up being my work-out, too. I decided to use our stairs to really work my legs. I went up the stairs sideways skipping every other step:

On the way down, I stayed sideways but didn’t skip steps.

Because I didn’t want one leg to get more work (or be stronger!!), I did 2 sets of 43 – one leading with my right leg (left leg pushing off) and the other leading with my left leg (right leg pushing off).

The move is like a sideways squat (just on an uneven surface) and it took 7 “squats” for each trip up the stairs so I did 301 “squats” with each leg!!! Not too shabby – plus I kept the pace pretty quick so I got my heart rate up!!

Then I decided to try a plank hold on my elbows instead of with my arms extended. For some reason, this one was harder – 3:30 today.

Since getting home yesterday around noon, I feel like I have been going non-stop and today is jam-packed!!

Last night Hunter played in the district string fest – 6th, 8th and high school orchestras.It was pretty cool to hear the difference a few years can make! Plus the 6th graders are from 6 different schools in the district and only had 1 practice all together – pretty impressive!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rh1DF4duNg’]

The finale was God Bless America (love that song!!) and all of the orchestras played together on it – I just recorded part of it since it was long.

I missed a lot over the weekend with the sleepover and all but thankfully Chris took some pictures of the cake making and birthday celebrating!!Looks like fun was had by Jordan during the afternoon and Hunter and his pals that evening!!

Now I’m off to tackle a mile-long to-do list which includes a dentist appointment, DR appointment, afternoon spent subbing PE…….

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Cardio, Fitness, Push-Ups, Squats

What do I do with this thing??

April 9, 2013 Kim 22 Comments

Today’s 43 was Jordan’s idea!! He suggested this on Saturday morning but I decided to save it until today! Since he came up with the idea, I ~~made~~ let him do the demo for me!!

The move – a push-up with a double jump squat x 43!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huqYmBztdq4′]

So, I didn’t do it exactly like Jordan – I stepped back into the push-ups instead of jumping. I didn’t want to do them burpee style because I really wanted to make sure that I had good form on all 43 of the push-ups! This one was a nice mix of upper body, lower body and cardio – great idea, Jordan!!!

The rest of my workout was fun – Turbo Jam style – Cardio Party 2. I can’t say it often enough – I love to work out with Chalean!!!

So, over spring break (we stayed home and it wasn’t very spring-like since it snowed) I pulled out a puzzle. I thought the boys might help – Hunter helped with the edge pieces and Jordan would periodically come in a tell me how hard puzzles are!! The puzzle that I started was 3000 pieces!!! It took me 2.5 weeks but I finally finished it – The problem now is what to do with it. I don’t want to take it apart yet – too much work putting it together. But… it is on our dining room table. We have glued puzzles before (and had them framed) but I don’t know where I would put this one – it’s huge 4′ x 2’7″. So, for now it is still on the table!!!

Do you like puzzles? What is the biggest one you have ever put together? (I think this was the biggest one I’ve ever done.)

Happy Tuesday!!! I’m spending the day subbing 5th grade!!!

Kim

Fitness, Lunges, Quad, Stairs

6:00 AM on a Saturday?!

March 30, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

It is rare for me to be up before 7:00 on a Saturday (especially when I stayed up till midnight watching basketball) – however today is for a good cause – Hunter has a Cello Competition in Manhattan this morning so off we go!!! I wanted to get my workout done before we left because the rest of the day is going to be full!

For the 43 today I did a Plie Squat and lunge combo. Start with a plie squat:

Turn to right lunge:

Lunge right (closing your eyes takes away the pain!)

Back to plie:

Left lunge:

Those 4 moves = 1 rep x 43. I stayed in a low squat/lunge the entire time so my quads were on fire by the time I finished all 43!! Thanks to Chris for posing for the pictures last night!!

I wanted to do a pretty quick workout so I did Les Mills Combat – Combat 45. It’s been a couple of weeks since I did some Combat and I always love it (even if it is at the butt crack of dawn!!).

Yesterday afternoon was beautiful!!! I went on a 2 mile walk with a neighbor and one of her dogs (a cute little Papillon who wasn’t really into walking and ended up being carried over half the way – silly girl!).

Then Chris and the boys and I played tennis for about an hour – always fun because Chris is the only true tennis player in the group the rest of us just run around a lot!!

Jordan - always has something crazy going on! — Jordan – always has something crazy going on!

Hunter - what are you doing? — Hunter – what are you doing?

What kind of sunglasses are those??? and - serve — What kind of sunglasses are those???
Oh- tennis glasses!

Fun times for sure!! Hunter wore his new basketball shoes because he wants to break them in a little before he starts basketball camp on Monday night. Tennis – basketball – both involve a ball – who needs special shoes??

Since I was the one who stopped and took a few pictures, there are none of me (funny that happens on vacation a lot, too) – maybe we should work on that!! Nah!

Jordan and I decided to enjoy the weather and just walk home from the courts – another 2.5 mile walk around the lake!!!

I think my post title yesterday was pretty accurate – it was definitely a Fun Friday! We finished off the night with some Chinese food, rum drinks and the NCAA basketball tournament! Bummer that Kansas lost but I still have Duke winning the whole thing so I have a chance to win!!

Now – I’m off to listen to some awesome cello music!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Fitness, Quad, Squats

Making it Count in March

March 1, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

Today’s 43 was inspired by a post I read the other day over at evilcyber. The idea is to make sure that you are strong enough to do squats safely before doing them. Simple squat test – stand without using your hands to push you up.

I decided to use that simple move to do a squat & hold move with my stability ball. I started by sitting on the ball (I kept my hands behind my head for a little added challenge)

from here, I stood but only part-way , so that I was in a semi-squat.

I held the partial squat for a 2-count and then lowered down just enough to barely touch the ball before repeating. 43 of those and my quads were burning!!!

Today I was back with Les Mills Combat for Combat 60 Live – Ultimate Warrior. Like I said the other day, I think this one might be my favorite!!! Then I did some Jillian Michaels – 6 Weeks to a Six Pack, Level 2. Not gonna lie, I thought about just doing the circuit through one time but I gutted it out for the whole thing and I’m glad I did (now that I’m finished!!).

I’m happy that March is here and February is done for another year!! I feel like I always start March on the count-down:

how many days till spring break
how many days till NCAA basketball tournament time (my favorite!!)
how many days till spring
how many days till Easter
how many days till summer

But, in keeping with my goal for 2013 (live in the moment), I don’t want to spend March counting down the days this year. I’m going to spend it making sure that each day, each moment counts.

Jillian Michaels said (in the DVD that I just finished sweating to), “If you’re going to spend your time doing this work-out, Make it Count!!!”

I think that statement can (and should) apply to all areas of life (not just fitness) – make it count!!!

So, my plan is to make every minute of March count!! I think that will include:

finding the positive in every day
less complaining
being spontaneous
working towards a goal (for what to do with my life now that I don’t work full-time)

Because it is March and March Madness is quickly approaching I figured a basketball quote would be very applicable: You only have one shot – make it count!!!

How will you Make March Count?

Happy Fun Friday!!

Kim

Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Squats, Treadmill

So Many Kinds of Love

February 14, 2013 Kim 6 Comments

Today started early (although not as early as I had planned since I could not sleep last night!!!) because I’m off to the school to help do inventory in the library!!

Of course, I still did my daily 43!!! Jordan helped out yesterday afternoon and let me take a couple of pictures of him.

I did an Iron Squat! Start by holding a medicine ball in both hands (I used a 9 pound ball).

Squat down until your elbows touch your knees (or quads!).

squat - touch elbows to knees - butt back! — squat – touch elbows to knees – butt back!

Stand, squeeze your butt as you do, and push the ball overhead.

squeeze butt to stand & push ball overhead

Repeat! 43 for me.

After finishing that I was going to do HIIT Power but I wasn’t really feeling it so I did something I’m horrible about doing – I ran – nice and easy!!! I just ran for a total of 33 minutes and really tried to relax and enjoy it instead of feel the need to push hard. (I have learned a lot by reading so many running blogs – feeling the need to run hard all the time is probably why I can’t run every day – DUH!!!)

I’m sure that this will sound bad but I’m really not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day! For starters – I only have 1 true Valentine. My boys don’t have any but they always have school parties!!! I just think it’s a funny holiday – I guess the whole point is to remember to show love.

I started thinking about all the different kinds of

There is the love of material things. I’m always saying I loveor

But those are just shoes!!!

There is the love of places:

and we all know I love

I also love pretty sunrises (or sunsets):

(It was a little cloudy earlier but you can see some of the colors showing through!)

The love of food:

(Chris left these for me this morning cause he knows every once in a while nothing else will do!!!)

Then, there is the love we have for people! I love my grandparents for so many reasons!This was several years ago. (My Poppa is 98 now!! And, my Mema died 2 years ago.)