Saturday Boot Camp: No, Can’t, Sh**t

Someone cancelled out of boot camp last night, and my other participant was half an hour late this morning. So by the time she arrived at the park, I had already completed the warm-up & four rounds of the first set of exercises below.

I let her know the bar was moved up (generally this elicits a rather loud “oh no”), and that I had three rules:

–You are not allowed to tell me no, nor what you will or won’t do.
–You are not permitted to say “can’t”. That means you’ve already given up and that makes for a crap workout.
–You can’t say “sh**t” (it’s her favorite word).

Anne is a friend from church. She also works at my doctors office, knows my PCP and my weight loss doctor. Anne started seeing my personal trainer last year (I drug her to a session). Admittedly – I get after her quite a bit to be more active – she gets mega props though: she’s lost somewhere between 50 & 60lbs! For a woman who recently turned happily 60, that’s incredible!

Saturday Boot Camp WOD

Warm Up
Forward Lunges: 15 reps (each leg)
Side to Side Squats: 15 reps (each leg)
10 Incline Push Ups

Set 1:
Quick Step Ups: 20 reps (quick breather) and 20 reps (3x)
Incline Push Ups: 15 reps (3x)
Incline Jump Backs: 15 reps (think half-burpee with a bench) (3x)

Fourth Round: 30 seconds of each in set 1

Set 2:
High Knees: 30 seconds fast (3x)
Jumping Jacks: 15x (3x)

Fourth Round: 45 seconds of each in set 2

Set 3:
Dumbbell Swings: 10lbs – 30 reps (2x)
Toss & Squat: 6lb Medicine Ball – 15 reps (2x)  Anne ate the ball once

Throwback Thursday: McChubby vs McSassy

A Fraction of my Sneaker Porn Collection

I didn’t intentionally set out to have a zillion pair of sneakers out on the porch (technically more sneakers could be found in a bin, in a box over in the storage closet, in a plastic garbage bag, or in a New Balance box which presently doubles as a door stop device). The sneaker pile is a daily reminder I no longer weigh 360ish pounds…

33inches (and a carpet)

McChubby v McSassy

Just Do It

 

Workout of the Day: Monday Madness

Hey! Check out the Workout of the Day for today, Monday August 12, 2013.

http://spfitdet.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/workout-of-the-day-monday-madness/

Share you thought son what you think!

Only Your Best. No Excuses. Never Quit.

I Did Something Dirty Today: Outdoor Workouts

I think I mentioned recently I have an increased fondness for outdoor exercise – boot camp or my regular routines, really doesn’t matter. The entire concept is just so different from the confines of a gym. There’s no TV, no stench, no shared equipment, no waiting for someone to get out of the way. It just…works.

It is a little dirty…not in the XTina kind of way…and not in the “Hey [beeeeeep]…you did NOT just walk away from your machine without wiping it down” kind of way. It’s dirt. Real dirt. Dirt that says, “I did something dirty today”.

(All of this is just cracking my friends up who know how OCD I really am.)

Today at Boot Camp there were inchworms, plank jacks, squat thrusts…all movements which require touching dirt. I had dirt on my arms, in my gloves, in my fingernails (eew), all over my face, got a little grit on my teeth, dirt in my socks, something in my hair (I think it was alive, and I really don’t wanna know).

Although I won’t be out making mud pies anytime soon, I did enjoy the workout and can’t wait until tomorrow.

This is a picture only a CSI could love. That’s what I found when I finished my squat thrusts.

Saturday Boot Camp: Rubber Bands, Wieners & a Squirrel

We’ve had rain off and on since late last night, early this morning – but it held off for Boot Camp. I had intended on going either way. It was muggy, but tolerable, and there was a cool breeze to make one feel clammy and cold (whoo-hoo!). For those of you who opted not to make the time, just wanted you to know I met three lovely black women of different sizes being tortured by another. The first gal to show up of the three had some more curves, she cheered me on when I came around my last corner. I cheered her on one of hers. Anyway…

Armed with my hot ‘n sexy Trader Joe’s canvas grocery tote I hit the track.

I stumbled on a portable fitness kit not too long ago. It came with two rubber resistance bands (heavy & medium), handles, an ankle strap, door attachment, and jump rope (ain’t happenin’).

Rubber resistance bands are great to add-on to your exercise routines, and they’re very portable. Just like dumbbells/free weights, the bands come in several different strengths from light to heavy strength and you can do just about every exercise with the rubber bands that you would normally do with free weights.

They’re also great in situations where you need to tie up a friend.

Boot Camp WOD:
Rubber Bands
-50 Sides
-50 Fronts
-50 Triceps Extensions
-100 Curls
-30 Box Step Ups
-30 Incline Push Ups
-30 Modified Pull Ups (I can’t pull my body weight up unassisted)
-1.5 mile run (1/4 mile x 6)

I did try to do crunches dangling, but my shoulder kept popping. Since I’ve dislocated it twice I really didn’t want to do a third time.

Final note: while at the park, an older lady came and brought her two little dogs to run around and play on the field. They were little Wiener dogs, and so darn cute! Funniest thing though: I came around the last curve to see one of them tear across sidewalk after a squirrel!

Monday Moves: How to Be Safe in the Heat

It’s damn hot!

In my neck of the world, 8 counties are under weather advisories. What does this mean? High temperatures from 90-95 degrees over the next two days. Heat index of 100-102 (that’s the “Feels Like” section on your weather app). Hottest times are from 2-7 pm each day. Possibility of heat exhaustion or heat stroke (or in the case of a friend of mine: sun poisoning), or heat related illnesses.

If your plan over the next few days involves outdoor workouts, take the following steps to insure you’re safe in the heat:

Drink plenty of water. Drink 12 ounces of water two hours before your workout, and another 12 ounces 30 minutes before your workout. During your workout consume 4-8 ounces every 15 minutes.  Drink 12 ounces 30 minutes after your workout.

Drink more water in high heat/high humidity situations. Drink more water to lower your body temperature to avoid heat related illnesses, and to replace what you’ll lose while sweating.

Avoid caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic, which can drain water from your body. Limit yourself to one or two caffeinated drinks per day, and drink one glass of water for each caffeinated beverage you drink. I’d suggest two in this type of weather.

Consider early morning or late evening workouts. If you enjoy outdoor workouts, consider getting out early in the morning – between 6:00a.m. and 8:00a.m., or late evening between 7:00p.m. and 9:00p.m. You’ll avoid the hotter temperatures of the day. Also, you could plan to be in the gym where it is air conditioned for the heat wave.

Other suggestions put out by the heat advisory: Stay indoors and in an air conditioned room/environment. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ANIMALS OR CHILDREN UNATTENDED IN A VEHICLE!! I scoped several parking lots today while on a walk. I will smash car windows and happily endure being arrested for your stupidity.

If you have any additional suggestions on being safe in the heat, post a reply below or send us an email at spdiaries@gmail.com.

Boot Camp Sunday: How to Modify Push-Ups & Squat Thrusts

I learned a few things today:

• Suntan lotion is ineffective outside if you miss your ears (oops).
• Leg lifts on a faux concrete table make the bum hurt.
• Gloves are helpful if one desires to not have little pebbles crushed into the palms of their hands while dong long armed planks.

Today’s Boot Camp Workout (insert loud “tad-daaaah!” here):

My warm up was a road cycle to the park with a 12lb back pack followed by 1/2 mile brisk walk (twice around the track).

Circuit One	Circuit Two	Circuit Three
25 Squats x 2	15 Table Squat Thrusts x 3	Jump in Place 45 Seconds x 1
15 Chest Push-Ups x 3	15 Walking Lunges x 3	Run in Place 60 Seconds x 2
25 Step-Ups (small) x 1	20 Leg Lifts x 3	Long Arm Plank 60 Seconds x 3
20 Step-Ups (tall) x 3		Lap the Track x 2 (1/4 Mile)
Lap the Track x 2 (1/2 Mile)

Chest Push Ups
These are modified push-ups that do not involve the knees (aka: “girl push-ups”). You can use a table at home, a park bench, anything that is off the ground. You then plant your hands on the edge of the table or bench about shoulder width apart, and straighten your legs. Your body should be at about a 45 degree angle. Your butt shouldn’t be high in the air, your knees should not be bent (like the faceless guy to the left). Once you are in position, lower yourself down and push yourself up. Do this for 15 reps.

Table Squat Thrusts
This is a modified version of squat thrusts. I’m certain someone somewhere has a name for it, but until I’m notified of it, it shall be deemed Table Squat Thrusts. Plant your hands on the the bench of a picnic table (the part you sit on) or the last riser of a bleacher, box, or whatever other object you would like to use. Draw your legs up under you in squat position (you’ll look like you’re going to do a leap frog move). With your hands on the bench, drive your legs back so they are straight and bring them back under you to squat position (this picture here demonstrates how a regular squat thrust is done, just add a table or a bench). You can bring yourself up to standing position or stay in squat position.There is some impact on the knees, so if yours are a little crummy adjust how hard you drive your legs back.

If you have an exercise you’d like to do but your body is saying “NO WAY”, drop a line to spdiaries@gmail.com. We can find a modification for you!

Tuesday Tip: How Not to Break Your Neck Standing Upsidedown Against a Wall

Today’s workout comes from Jillian Michaels’ Slim Down program (apparently that was an Ambien download in April…). I couldn’t do the circuits three times, but I did do:

-Static Lunge w/Reverse Cable Fly: I used a rubber tube and went as low as I could (knee damage). 20x each leg.
-Clock Lunge: Starting the 12 o’clock position, go around the clock. Again, as Low as I could go: 3 revolutions per leg.
-Standing Mountain Climber w/3# DB’s: 20 each side.
-Skaters: These were awkward because my ability to balance while in motion is a little off. 20x each leg.
-Plank Twists: Oh. My. G<>>>. 25x each side.
-Squat Swing w/8# Ball: 20x
-Plank Row w/3# DB’s: 20x each side.
-Mountain Climbers (floor): 60 seconds (almost ate the linoleum!).
-Side Plank: 30 second per side. By this point I had the market cornered on shaking arms.
-Cross Over Lungs w/Hammer Curls 5# DB’s: 25x each side.
-Jumping Jacks: 60 seconds (not quite sixty seconds. I had to stop twice to breathe.).
-Squat Jack: 20x. These were hard, only because I didn’t want to tear up my knees…which are already tore up.
-Oblique side Crunch: Someone had to be laughing their a$$ off watching that. 25x per side.
-Pendulum Lunge w/Hammer Curls 5# DB’s: 25x per leg.
-Hamstring Curls on Exercise Ball: Well…all I can say is I tried. Sloppiest thing I ever did. But I did 15×2.

I saved the best for last. Jillian calls this exercise “Shoot ‘Em Up” (she said she couldn’t think of another name). You’re supposed to crouch down, put your hands in front of you, have your feet a couple of inches away from the wall, then shoot your butt up to the ceiling. After, you kick your feet up onto the wall using your quads. Arms stay locked during this exercise. I couldn’t kick my feet up, but I did get them up and did 10 reps. I made the trainer who was in the building take a picture for proof. I’m seriously STOKED!

Monday Moves: Tread ‘n Crunch

I do not get how long distance runners can handle the humidity outdoors. I am all about (insert dramatic air-circle pattern here) AC.

Tonight’s workout consisted of not one, not two, but three (yes…three) treadmills. The first one had touchy/feely issues (kind of like my ex-husband…). I had to poke the icons in just the right places in order to make it to the next screen (rumor has it this could lead one to a new level in Candy Crush Saga…or straight into a bad joke). When the program finally started and the belt began to move, it was slooooooow. I was puzzled because it was set to start at 3.7. I tried to adjust the speed. The display wouldn’t respond. I tried to pause the machine, the display got stuck on pause and wouldn’t resume when I poked it do so. I had to wait for it to time out.

Because I’m incredibly stubborn determined, I went through all that up there a second time. And again the belt moved super slow, set at 3.7. I was totally puzzled. Another minute or two went by and I figured it out:

Kilometers. Seriously. Matchbox cars in the hands of three-year-old boys move faster.

Finally I’m on my way, the machine is going. I walked a quarter mile, bumped the speed and ran a quarter mile. Wash, rinse, repeat. BUT…(you knew it was comin’) – a message popped up on the display with “User cannot be detected, press “OK” to continue”. I’m RUNNING! Try to poke the icon when you’re zippin’ along at five miles an hour. After the third pop up, I moved to the next machine.

There are seven or eight treadmills in the gym I go to (it’s small), and they were all filled. There was a gal to my left, a tall guy on my right (the display worked for HIM) – and we were all into doing our thing when BOOM! Power cuts off. Our three treadmills just abruptly stopped. No slow down. No “Danger Will Robinson! Danger!” signpost/popup. Just. Stopped. Period.

I almost fell off. I don’t know where the little gal to the left went, I suspect she flew off her machine. The guy to my right says, “Your machine stop?” Really?? He had a big white pair of Dr. Dre Beats headphones on and I swear: Princess Lea came to mind.

That led to my third and final treadmill of the evening. 5.0 miles in a little over an hour. On my way out I got onto the Leg Raise Dip thingy and did 25knee raises (on the floor they’d be crunches). I was fairly impressed…even if I could only do five at a time with a 30 second suffocation-preventative break in between.