Sprints, Upper Body & Core

Today was intervals and weights with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  We started with springs of course!  After a quick warm up, then minute run at 6mph, I did 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9.5mph, and 10mph 30 second sprints with no problem.  During my 10.5mph sprint I felt my right hamstring tighten up.  I decided to go ahead and try 11mph but at 18 seconds into the 30 second sprint my hamstring said no and I quickly bailed off treadmill.  Cristina had planned for me to do box jumps and other leg exercises but did a change of plans on the fly.

Instead we focused on arms and core.  I started with alternating 12 assisted pull-ups and what I can the caterpillar crawl for 15 hands forward then 15 hands back.  I did three sets of each.

Another exercise set was 12 chest presses with crunches on the ball followed by 14 opposite leg and arm lifts in plank.  The plank move looked easy but I quickly found out it is tough really focusing on balance and core strength.  As soon as I was done with three rounds of that set, I told Cristina that I obviously needed to do those because they were tough.

I also 12 chest wide bar pulls with 12 weighted leg kicks.  When Cristina was setting up the weights for the leg move, I said "5 pounds?!?!?!" She said just try it.  Well it was actually 7.5 pounds and I quickly found out why she went light weight.  Balancing on a bent leg with weighted leg bent and off ground, then kick forward extending leg from knee down isn't easy!

Here's a look at those exercises so you can try them too.

With the hamstring flare up I got a little extra stretch time on it.  Yes I give in.  I'm going to Airrosti to get it worked on.

What Is It You Choose Today?

After a tough CrossFit workout Saturday with CrossFit Low Oxygen, I so needed a yoga session yesterday.  Plus I'm super stressed with a lot to do and not enjoy time.  Let's just say the tension in my neck is well a pain in the neck!  The 2pm class at Core Power Yoga Highlands location is a CorePower 1.  It's in a warm room and a little slower than the CorePower 2.  I enjoy it because it is a great chance for me to really focus on form and connecting moves to breath.

As today's class started, the instructor Cara said "What is it you choose today?"  Here we go I thought, that's my keyed in phrase of the class.  Then she said if you choose compassion for yourself at in point in class, feel free to go into Child's Pose.  That would be the first pose starting with a "C" that would stand out to me in class.

Starting the class in Child's Pose, gave me a moment to let it all go and realize I was right where I needed to be.  Spiritually, emotionally, physically, and stress level wise I needed to be in that class.

Child's Pose
Photo courtesy Core Power Yoga

The next "C" pose was Crow.  This is a tough one and extremely challenging for me.  Today was the first time since I started going to Core Power Yoga at least once a week since early May that I could hold the pose.  It wasn't for long but I got it.  Everything just clicked for me and I challenged myself to get Crow Pose.

Crow Pose
Photo courtesy Core Power Yoga

The third "C" pose was Camel.  I can actually do this pose, but because it opens up your heart, I'm often flooded with emotions and sometimes a little dizzy coming out of this pose.  But the clarity that suddenly replaces that overwhelming emotional floodgate is simply cool to me.

Camel Pose
Photo courtesy VeganBodyBuilding.com

So what did I choose today?  I chose compassion, challenge and clarity all wrapped up in a 60 minute yoga class.

Blast It In 30

Yesterday I did my Wednesday regular of Mad Abs and Dirty 30 classes at Pura Vida Club.  Cyndie taught Mad Abs.  We used the body bar and did sets of exercises for 30 seconds to a minute.  For example, in plank for a minute then superman pose for a minute.

One of my favorite moves was a tricep curl to crunch or sit up.  Stay laying down on your back, knees bent with feet of floor, and hold body bar up in air even with shoulders.  Then curl bar back over head, return to start position, and rolling up into a seated position, then roll down slowly really focusing on abs as you return to start position.

After the 30 minute Mad Abs it was time for Dirty 30.  Tim had us do the series twice.  It's tough but a routine you can easily do in the gym by yourself.  Here's the workout:

150 Jumping Jacks

25 each leg Lunges (front, back, walking, jumps - whatever you want to to)

10 Burpees (with push ups in plank position)

Run 1/4 mile

15 Plate Squats (squat with weight low then as you stand up, push weight up to chest then overhead)

6 each arm Turkish Get Ups (start laying down w/ weight in hand & arm extended to ceiling, roll up to seated position, use other hand to help you stand up, then return to starting position)

50 Frog Thrust (start in plank, jump feet to outside of hands, then return to start position

Have fun getting through two rounds in under 30 minutes!  I got through in under 25 minutes.

Partner Mad Abs & Weighted Dirty 30

I know when I walk into the room for Mad Abs and Dirty 30 at Pura Vida Club that I'm in for an intense workout hour.  Today's workout was a killer as usual.  For Mad Abs, it was a new instructor for me.  Cyndie had us partner up so I got to partner with my friend Amanda, who's a Pilates instructor at the club.

We started sitting next to each other in a V-sit (feet on floor or off) and taking a medicine ball to the outside, tap it on floor then toss over to your partner to do the same thing for 30 seconds.  Then you spin around on the floor and do the same thing for another 30 seconds to work the other side.  Then we sat on the floor facing each other with toes touching, one person takes ball, lays down on floor then crunches up to seated position and toss ball to partner who does the same thing.  We did this for 30 seconds.  Next is the leg push down.  You lay on the floor, legs extended straight in the air, and grabbing on to partner's ankles.  The partner standing up pushes your feet/legs toward the ground. You do that for 30 seconds.  Then you extend one leg hovering above the ground, the other leg extended and do single leg push downs for 15 seconds then switch to other leg.  Then you switch positions with your partner.  Do that series a second time....and that's just the first series we did in Mad Abs.  Other series included tossing the ball, crunching up to do punches, mountain climbers, and moving planks.

Next on to Dirty 30 with Tim.  He did Tabata style today.  We did each exercise for 20 seconds then moved on to next exercise or rested for 10 seconds.  We also did each exercise with some sort of weight.  Here's the series:

With body bar (I used 12 lbs one):
   Row Lunges - start and stay in a lunge and row body bar with straight arms alternating sides
   Squats - Wide grip on body bar and power squat
   Rest
   Repeat but lunge with other leg for 2nd round
   Repeat a 3rd and 4th time alternating lunge positions
   Rest after 4th round is active rest as you move to next exercise station

With weighted tube:
   Bazooka lunges - gripping tube, lunge forward and bring tube up to shoulder as if you were holding a bazooka. Bring tube down as you step back then lunge other side taking tube up to other shoulder. You want a quick pace on these.
   Speed skate - move side to side in a speed skate motion, extending tube out side to side and not up.  Again you want quick pace.
   Rest
   Repeat 3 more times
   Rest after 4th round is active rest as you move to next exercise station

With weighted handle ball (I used 14 lbs one)
   Kettlebell Swing - squat then swing kettlebell up to shoulder height as you stand up.  You should feel this in glutes not shoulders.
   Lean Over Row - lean over and stand on one leg with other leg extended (you look like a T), with ball or free weight in hand of side of your standing leg, row elbow up then down
   Rest
   Repeat but do lean over row on other side
   Repeat 3rd and 4th time alternating lean over row sides
   Rest after 4th round is active rest as you move to next exercise station

Repeat entire series again.
 

Raising The Barre To Lift & Tone

I've had a few friends tell me they are huge Pure Barre fans.  Well, when Pure Barre offered three classes in a Groupon recently I decided I would give it a try.  I took my first class today....and loved it, shaky legs and all!

The technique uses small isometric moves to lift and tone with moves based in the principles of ballet, Pilates, and dance.  Each strength series is followed by a stretch series in the class.  That process creates long, lean muscles without the bulk.  Think of a ballerina's body - long, lean, and toned.  That's the goal!

As a newbie I didn't feel out of place at all, except that I didn't have on the cool sticky socks that everyone else in the class had on.  It doesn't matter your flexibility.  You're too focused on the small intense movements to even notice what others in the class are doing!  I couldn't believe the class flew by so quickly.

There was one series where we were at the barre, standing on one leg, doing a series of movements leaning on barre and other leg extended out and lifting, squeezing, lifting, and squeezing.  Once we went up on our toes on the standing leg, my leg starting shaking so badly I actually thought I was going to collapse.  That's actually a good thing.  Pure Barre targets the tough areas for women - abs, butt, and thighs.  Don't you want a toned tummy, lifted tush, and no cellulite tight thighs?  I do and adding Pure Barre into my workout regiment.

Here's the great thing.  There are locations across the country and you can do a single class.  Give it a try....bet you'll feel the sweat, shake, and some soreness from the first class like me.  I'm hooked and can't wait to take my next class!

Mad Abs & Dirty 30

Today was one of those days that half the battle is getting to gym.  Well I made it and pushed it hard for an hour with Mad Abs and Dirty 30 classes at Pura Vida Club.  Sarah started her 30 minute Mad Abs class with a plank series.  In the class we used the Bosu ball, body bar, and gliders for full body movements that focus on the core.

After than I went straight into Tim's Dirty 30.  It's 30 minutes of doing cycles of a exercise series.  This class is tough!  Today Tim had us do a series of five moves starting with 10 reps each then repeating the cycle with 9 reps, 8 reps all the way down to 1 rep of each move.

Here are the moves in a cycle:
Bent Over Plate Row - bend over at waist with 25 or 45 weight plate (or use two), arms extended, then pull elbows back in a row movement.

Push Ups - on toes, military style.

Forward Lunges each leg - Tim gave me a great tip.  If you do these in place then lean forward slightly.  You'll feel it in your abs more and save your back.

Burpees - Plank, jump feet to hands, then jump up reaching hands to ceiling, returning back to plank

Turkish Get Ups (TGUs) - I did these with 3 pound weights.  Start on your back with one arm up to ceiling with weight in hand.  Use the other hand to help you sit up, then stand up, all while keeping the weight high reaching up to the ceiling, then go back to start position in the reverse of how you got up.

You can do the moves in any order but do them in same order for each cycle.  If you are short on time and need to blast it out this will do it!

Butt By Bell!

While in San Antonio I got a chance to workout with my long time trainer Gregg Bell.  I knew I was in for a hard workout when it began with a warm up run then immediately into assisted pull ups (stepping up on a bench, doing pull up with a leg kick back and then down).  From there it was mega arm and back work then abs and glutes.

In my session we did several great moves including the kettle ball squat and what's called the butt blaster.  The key to the kettle ball squat is to keep a flat back (don't arch) and don't swing the ball, use your abs.  The butt blaster is just a plain ole killer for your booty!

Strength of a Trainer

Since I traveled to San Antonio on Thursday I didn't have time to workout.  But being in heels for 19 hours certainly counts as a workout!

This morning I worked out with my longtime trainer and friend Gregg Bell.  It was a full out core, legs, and booty strength training session of cable pulls, kettlebell, squats, lunges, chest presses, and abs.  When I lived in San Antonio I would workout with Gregg two to three mornings a week.  I relished the workouts because for me they were always much more than just a physical strength training session.  It was friendships that developed in our morning workout crew.  It's amazing how close you can get with people when you are pushing your physical and cardiovascular capabilities.  So today was a great chance for me to workout with that morning crew and catch up.....and get my butt kicked by a great friend.

I titled this blog "Strength of a Trainer" for a reason.  There have been many ups and downs in life and fitness has always been a priority and in many ways an outlet for me.  For 10 years, during those workouts with Gregg he truly was (and still is) an inspiration, coach, teacher, friend, counselor, cheerleader, and sometimes just shoulder to cry on.  There have been moments where he's just let me sob while on the spin bike....yes there have been a few of those days crying over boyfriends as the relationships don't work out.  But also those moments of going on a run and sprinting to finish line, even if it's just part of the training session.  It's those moments of pushing yourself with someone else cheering you on and believing in you, even when you don't necessarily believe you can.

Gregg is the one that got me into cycling and I'm forever grateful because I love the sport.  Never would I have thought when I walked in to Gregg's boot camp class at the Concord Athletic Club in San Antonio that I would be ten years later continuing to push my fitness limits in this year long challenge.  They say that it takes a village to raise a child.  Well, in this year long challenge in a sense it takes a village to keep me inspired and motivated.  I'm lucky to have the strength of a trainer in a longtime friend....that's willing to kick my butt every time I'm back in San Antonio!  

Kick Butt Pilates & Kinesis

Monday workouts for me mean I'm going to get my butt kicked by my Pilates and Kinesis trainer Erin at Pura Vida Club.  I've been working out with her almost every Monday since November.  It's an hour and a half workout starting first with 30 minutes of Kinesis then hour Pilates.  Erin is a former collegiate Lacrosse player and did her Pilates training in California.  She's a combination of competitiveness, caring, and just plan old going to push you farther than you think you can mentality.  So today Kinesis starts with jumping rope then quickly into a series of moves with cables, lunges, squats, core moves.  Kinesis is a resistance training that has strength, cardiovascular, flexibility, and balance benefits while burning up to 30% more calories than traditional strength training.  I was an absolute sweat monster after 30 minutes.  We did some new ab moves using bench and Bosa ball so I'm probably going to be sore tomorrow!  In Pilates we did today's session on a piece of equipment called the Cadillac.  Lots of focus on hamstrings, abs, and shoulders today.  Plus a lot of stretching including splits....not quite as flexible as I used to be so the stretching is huge for me.  If you're looking for a workout that will kick your butt and get strength, cardio, and flexibility in the session then the combo of Kinesis and Pilates is for you.  Erin kicks my butt but I love the training!  And yes I'll be sore tomorrow....