Is there an exercise thread for this week yet? Feb 14-20, 2016

[Laurie4b]

I didn't see another thread, but if there is one, I can delete this. 

 

Yesterday was a rest day for me. 

 

Today is kind of challenging. Weather requires exercising inside the house. Blah! Zumba class is cancelled, so I am just aiming to get in 10,000 steps. I've done some Zumba songs on Youtube. I am hoping typing this out will motivate me to do more till I make my step count.  :glare:

 

Tomorrow, I will be working with a personal trainer for an hour. I am excited. I already had the testing done and hit it out of the park with the quad strength, but hamstrings are less than 1/2 as strong as they should be! That imbalance is common, though maybe not so pronounced, and can lead to knee and back issues. So tomorrow, I learn to deadlift! 

 

ETA: I did make it to 10,000 steps. Like. pulling. teeth. but I did it. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Laurie4b

[Luckymama]

Yay deadlifting :party: One of my favorites!

 

Yesterday I refused to be gymtimidated by the guys in the weights section while I did my thing (lat pulldowns, rows, bicep curls, hammer presses, a twisting pulling core thing using the cable machine which strengthens my shoulders, assisted pistol squats using TRX bands). I worked hard for almost an hour before stretching.

 

:D

 

Today was a day totally off. We were supposed to spend the day visiting a college two hours away, but the special program was cancelled due to weather when we were halfway there. So I decided this would be my day off this week.

[Meadowlark]

Oh you guys, I'm doing the Jillian Michael's Bodyshred program right now. All I can say is....It's HAAAARD! I've been exercising faithfully for almost a year, and this is just killing me. I'm only on week 3 of 10! My knees are also killing me and I really don't want to give up, but I don't want to trash my knees either. 

 

Has anyone else done this program and lived to tell about it? ;-) YIKES!

[Laurie4b]

Oh you guys, I'm doing the Jillian Michael's Bodyshred program right now. All I can say is....It's HAAAARD! I've been exercising faithfully for almost a year, and this is just killing me. I'm only on week 3 of 10! My knees are also killing me and I really don't want to give up, but I don't want to trash my knees either. 

 

Has anyone else done this program and lived to tell about it? ;-) YIKES!

 

I would opt to save your knees until you find out what's wrong. If you tear something, you'll be off exercise for a lonnnggg time. (But I totally get how you want to get to the end of something you set out to do.) 

 

One possibility:

 

When my knees started hurting occasionally in Zumba, I decided to go get them checked out just to be sure by an orthopedic doc who specializes in knees. (The pain wasn't constant, but when it was there, it got my attention, KWIM?) In my case, knee pain was from an imbalance of strength between my quads vs. hamstrings, abductors,& glutes (posterior chain). It's a common condition, but when it's there, the quad exerts force on the knee that isn't countered by the other muscle groups, so the knee gets pulled a little off track. Ow! I would feel it particularly during any kind of squatting motion. 

 

The cure is lots of exercise targeting those muscle groups: glute bridges, hamstring curls (I used a Swiss ball at home), clamshells, etc. I'm having to up my gain with the weight training. 

 

You can also try buying one of those knee stabilizers. They sell them at Walmart, drug stores, etc. They are like a piece of wet suit with a hole cut out of the middle for your knee cap. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Laurie4b

[KathyBC]

Oh you guys, I'm doing the Jillian Michael's Bodyshred program right now. All I can say is....It's HAAAARD! I've been exercising faithfully for almost a year, and this is just killing me. I'm only on week 3 of 10! My knees are also killing me and I really don't want to give up, but I don't want to trash my knees either. 

 

Has anyone else done this program and lived to tell about it? ;-) YIKES!

No experience with that one. My only suggestion is when my knees hurt, I've been trying to use my glutes more, which helps. But I agree with Laurie4b, save your knees! Modify if you can, build in some rest days?

[KathyBC]

Went to exercise class last night. Some of the things that were bugging me were better. I was thinking it was nice to leave on a more positive note. But when I gave the instructor the thank-you card she looked crushed and told me she wanted me to keep coming.  :unsure:

 

Tried out the Zumba Mix dvd, with dances from around the world. Took forever (90 minutes), but it was fun and a good workout. Nice to have tried.

[Kim in Appalachia]

Monday was a 4 mile run.  I had some stomach thing over the weekend, so I took it easy.  Also, no Monday night yoga because it we concert night.  So my dh and I had a nice dinner, then went to listen the the youth symphony.

 

This morning was yoga.  I had a hard time because I was upset.  My ds13 told me that there will most likely be no baseball this year because the middle school has no coach.  He has been waiting all year for this.  All his birthday presents revolve around baseball gear.  I know he's upset (but not saying much yet).  I'm angry. I'm so sick of living in this wasteland. :(  Rural living really sucks.  There is no way around that.  I don't believe we will make another year here.  We should have left much sooner. 

[Luckymama]

Oh Kim :grouphug:

 

So much rain. I'm going to the gym after we finish calculus for some cardio and stretching.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Kim- poor kid. Here it's any academic thing that gets dropped. ~sigh~

Sunday I got 10,000 steps. We were on a little trip so counted it good. Yesterday was spent driving but I did a longer yoga practice on my own last night to dekink. This morning was super time crunched so I did about 2.5 miles. Didn't seem like much but that's life. Yoga tonight.

[Laurie4b]

 

This morning was yoga.  I had a hard time because I was upset.  My ds13 told me that there will most likely be no baseball this year because the middle school has no coach.  He has been waiting all year for this.  All his birthday presents revolve around baseball gear.  I know he's upset (but not saying much yet).  I'm angry. I'm so sick of living in this wasteland. :(  Rural living really sucks.  There is no way around that.  I don't believe we will make another year here.  We should have left much sooner. 

 

That's so hard when your kiddo is so disappointed and there is nothing you can do about it. Sorry that is happening. 

[Laurie4b]

Today, I had an hour of personal training. I bought 3 hours with some Christmas money. First hour (a few weeks ago) was an evaluation of strength because I wanted to gain muscle mass. I maxed out on the quad strength, pressing 1.9 times my body weight and I'm pushing 60, so I was pleased with that. OTOH, hamstring strength should be about 2/3 of quad strength. Mine was about 1/3!  :ohmy:

 

So today, the trainer gave me lots of stuff to get my hamstrings, glutes, and abductors contributing their fair share. We did deadlifts, one-legged deadlifts, goblet squats (the kind with the weight on the ground), some kind of cable pull with the leg, and ended up with a sequence in which a resistance band was wrapped just above my knees and I did a glute bridge, then double clam shells, then back down. I did my own upper body lifting afterward. I am one wiped out chickie. 

[Laurie4b]

Today, I'm planning to stretch out some of the areas worked hard in personal training yesterday and to go to ZUmba. I should hit 10,000 steps without too much problem. 

[Luckymama]

It's a busy week so I only had time for a training session today.

[Raifta]

Today was a rest day because yesterday did 40 minute strength training workout with DVD, followed by 20 minute shoveling and then 2 hours of volleyball in the evening.  

 

All this talk of going to the gym has made me think that perhaps the money I've been saving away needs to be used to purchase a gym membership or at least go to some classes.  I am so incredibly bored of being in my basement either on the elliptical or doing yoga or strength training with a DVD.  So bored.  So very bored.

 

Plus it would be nice to see other people (besides my kids) once in a while.

[KathyBC]

Did 30 minute toning dvd after work yesterday, then went to my first live Zumba class last night. Amazing!! It was a substantial amount of effort... and I enjoyed it. Crazy. Who is this person? :D

 

Rest day today.

[Laurie4b]

Did 30 minute toning dvd after work yesterday, then went to my first live Zumba class last night. Amazing!! It was a substantial amount of effort... and I enjoyed it. Crazy. Who is this person? :D

 

Rest day today.

 

Zumba is something I rarely miss. Every once in a while, I decide not to go when I could, but generally, even if I'm not "feelin" the desire to exercise, I can get myself to go because it ia always fun once I get there! Glad you enjoyed your first class!

[Luckymama]

Today was a rest day because yesterday did 40 minute strength training workout with DVD, followed by 20 minute shoveling and then 2 hours of volleyball in the evening.

 

All this talk of going to the gym has made me think that perhaps the money I've been saving away needs to be used to purchase a gym membership or at least go to some classes. I am so incredibly bored of being in my basement either on the elliptical or doing yoga or strength training with a DVD. So bored. So very bored.

 

Plus it would be nice to see other people (besides my kids) once in a while.

I have totally stepped up my exercise since joining the gym (an Anytime Fitness within walking distance of home) last January. I had been in your shoes, bored with the elliptical and various videos. Now I lift free weights, use cable machines, take a bodyweight bootcamp class, and (yes) use an ellipical plus a bike and rowing machine.

 

I still hate treadmills and prefer to do my walking outdoors. In nicer weather (which is pretty much anything dry-ish over 35 and under 85 degrees) I will walk the two miles to the gym to lift.

[Luckymama]

Today will be double sessions: 50 minutes of mixed cardio (elliptical/bike/rowing machin) while dd is at class and the bodyweight boot camp class this evening with dh.

[Laurie4b]

Now I know why they call them deadlifts.  :glare: I will not be moving much tonight. 

[Laurie4b]

Good morning to all! What are your plans for today?

 

I'm in an active recovery day. For the sake of my accountability, I'd like to get in 10,000 steps, pretty easy going, and including a walk in the sunshine. Also, some classical stretch for posture and for joints. Probably go through the new strength training moves without weights, just to reinforce the body memory and to stretch things out a little. 

[Luckymama]

Nothing today--we're having 25 for dinner after a memorial service (internment---she died last year). The older generation is paying for full catering so we just need to start with clean house :)

 

Yesterday's bootcamp class was excellent. Dh and I were the only participants when usually there are 10-12! We did kettlebell swings, reverse lunges w knee ups, pushups, and an ab thing-----countdown-style, so 20 swings-10 lunges each side-10 pushups. 10 abs, then 19-9-9-9, all the way to 11-1-1-1-------followed by plank-to-plank bridge-plank-plank bridge-plank countdown sequences (30 sec-20-30-20-30, then 20-10-20-10-20), ending with stretching.

 

I will recreate that class when I can't thing of what to do on non-lifting weight days.

[Kim in Appalachia]

Wednesday was a 4 mile run followed by a modified half Primary.

 

Thursday was 90 minutes of hot yoga.  I will say that I had never considered myself a "join the gym" type person.  I like being alone and, for the most part, I run outside.  But I love going to yoga class. If it wasn't an hour drive I would join the yoga studio (which is much more expensive option than a gym, being around $90 a month). Besides the "hot" part that I can't recreate at home, I enjoy the instruction and seeing other people as into it as I am.  

 

Today was a 4 mile run, followed by yoga.  I was able to run outside. It was dry and warm, but a bit windy.  Still it was great to get out there.  

[Laurie4b]

 

Yesterday's bootcamp class was excellent. Dh and I were the only participants when usually there are 10-12! We did kettlebell swings, reverse lunges w knee ups, pushups, and an ab thing-----countdown-style, so 20 swings-10 lunges each side-10 pushups. 10 abs, then 19-9-9-9, all the way to 11-1-1-1-------followed by plank-to-plank bridge-plank-plank bridge-plank countdown sequences (30 sec-20-30-20-30, then 20-10-20-10-20), ending with stretching.

 

 

 

You go, girl! As for me :svengo:

[Laurie4b]

Wednesday was a 4 mile run followed by a modified half Primary.

 

Thursday was 90 minutes of hot yoga.  I will say that I had never considered myself a "join the gym" type person.  I like being alone and, for the most part, I run outside.  But I love going to yoga class. If it wasn't an hour drive I would join the yoga studio (which is much more expensive option than a gym, being around $90 a month). Besides the "hot" part that I can't recreate at home, I enjoy the instruction and seeing other people as into it as I am.  

 

Today was a 4 mile run, followed by yoga.  I was able to run outside. It was dry and warm, but a bit windy.  Still it was great to get out there.  

 

 

What is a Primary? 

[Kim in Appalachia]

What is a Primary? 

 

 

Primary is Ashtanga yoga.  It's also known as the first series.  It has a standing sequence followed by a seated sequence.  Most of the poses are the ones you think of when you think of yoga.  They are done in the same order every time.  

 

HTH 

[Laurie4b]

Primary is Ashtanga yoga.  It's also known as the first series.  It has a standing sequence followed by a seated sequence.  Most of the poses are the ones you think of when you think of yoga.  They are done in the same order every time.  

 

HTH 

 

Thanks! I've haven't done yoga for about 3 decades so I had no clue. Glad to know!

[Raifta]

Now I know why they call them deadlifts.  

 

Well, even if you weren't moving, you should know that you inspired me to seek out the video that featured a huge amount of deadlifts, so that's what I did today.  30 minutes of strength training with lots of deadlifts.  Also 45 minutes of power walking, or at least as powery as I could get outside in the slush/ice.

 

Yesterday was 45 minutes on the elliptical.  

 

I love having this thread.  It totally motivates me to actually do something so I can post about it.

[Laurie4b]

And just for fun and for Fitness Friday, here's Daisy Ridley's routine: http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/fitness/celebrity-body/4277/daisy-ridley-star-wars-body-workout-fitness-plan/

[KathyBC]

And just for fun and for Fitness Friday, here's Daisy Ridley's routine: http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/fitness/celebrity-body/4277/daisy-ridley-star-wars-body-workout-fitness-plan/

Crazy!

[Kim in Appalachia]

6 mile run today.  I wore capris, and I should have worn a short sleeve top.  This weather is crazy.  I've been listening to Martin Short's book while I run (outside) and it was been so fun to listen to.  He is the reader and he does all of the impressions and crazy voices. I am going to hate when the book ends.  I think it will only make 2 more of my runs.    

[Laurie4b]

Lower body strength training today. I *might* get in 10,000 steps, too. Might not since we have evening plans.