I Gotta Feeling! And It’s Name Is Cloud 9.

See that cloud right that at the top?!? That is Cloud 9 and I am on it!

5 pull-ups this morning!

I made my GREAT goal!

Today is my end of the month as I have no time in my day to make it to the gym tomorrow. I made my end of month test this morning and I feel so ‘great’ about it!

I’m also going to tell you this. I looked in the mirror this morning and thought, ‘This is it!’ I have reached MY perfection. Not only do I feel fit, I look fit and I am smitten with myself. I’ve told you all before it’s NOT all about the bikini. That’s NOT the end goal, but it IS a bonus for all the work you do in achieving fitness.

In April, I took the month off of training because of some personal set-backs. May was about training for pull-ups and about getting it all right back.

I did it!

I got it right back.

I am feeling AND looking good. It is a damn good feeling! One, everyone should have. To be in love, love, love with their own body for its function and its form.

I did ‘pull’ myself up indeed. WAY up! For that, I am joyful!

Blood, Sweat and Tears of a Workout…..Or At Least the Sweat Part.

This morning’s workout was a hot and sweaty one!  Well worth the hard work.

TWO PARTS:

PART ONE: Cardio – 25 mins.

Warm up at 4.0 for 3 mins

Ran at 7.0 for 10 mins peeked at the clock and nearly died (that clock kills my running mojo everytime!!!)

Walked at 4.0 for 3 mins

Ran at 8.0 for 4 mins

Walked at 3.0 for 5 mins.

My best?  Nope, but respectable enough. Especially with what follows.

PART TWO:

Functional Training – 4 exercises/4 sets

150 High Knee Jump Ropes

30 Exercise Ball Star Knee Tucks (arms folded on ball, opposite knee to opposite elbow)

20 Lunge with a Medicine Ball (cross body twist at bottom, shoulder press at the top)

20 One Legged Deadlifts with Medicine Ball (swing knee through and up and shoulder press at top)

Try for to go through this series as QUICK as possible.

Stop Being Afraid of Your Own ‘Ohm’!

Yoga class today.  Our teacher always wraps up with by uniting our class with three chanted ‘ohms’

Exhale slowly, Breath In and ‘Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmm.’ Repeat. …

I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t a fan of the ‘Ohms’ at first.  It’s borderline cheesy and slightly uncool.  I thought.

However, because my neighbor’s ohm’d, I ohm’d.  Quietly and begrudgingly at first, but I ohm’d.  As the weeks went on the more enthusiasm my neighbors ohm’d with, the more enthusiasm I felt I could ohm with. I grew to like the ‘Ohms’.

Today was my first week back to yoga in six weeks.  I couldn’t find any of my favorite regulars to sit by so I sat by some other nice looking yogis.  When the class came to an end, it was time for the ‘Ohms’.

On ohm one my neighbors were so quiet!  I couldn’t hear their ‘ohms’!  I wasn’t sure how ‘Ohm’y I should be?  I felt lost.  And then I got it.  They were afraid of their ‘ohms’ as I had been. I had to Ohm for them as someone had once Ohm’d for me.

Even something so simple as not being afraid to ‘ohm’ is a powerful tool and lesson.

Sometimes you have to use your voice to free yourself.

Sometimes you have to use your voice in order to free others.

Who cares what’s cheesy and uncool?  Stop being afraid! If not for you, for the person next to you!

‘Ooooohhhhhhmmmmmmm’.

4 Pull-Ups Today! Oh Yes, Oh Yes, Oh Yes!

It went like this: one, two, three and fooooooour.  I barely got that last one out, but I did!  Four pull-ups today!

TWO PART WORKOUT: …

PART ONE – BACK, SHOULDER and BICEPS

4 Supersets of: Squat with Dumbbell Shoulder Press Pull-Ups

3 Giant-sets of Seated Row Lat Pull down (wide grip) Bicep Curls

3 sets of Bent Over Rows

PART TWO – CARDIO: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

Today I did a ladder style of 25 minutes.  I did my weights first and I was a little tired, but managed to push through at times when i did not want to.

Warm Up – walk 3 minutes at 4.0 mph

Jog 2 mins at 8.0 1 minute alternating the following speed intervals with rest intervals at 4.0 mph.

9.0, 10.0 11.0, 12,0, 12.0, 11.0, 10.0

Donzo!

P.S. I’ve had a few people request that I make a monthly calendar of workouts that would work towards the 30 day goal.  That way it would be easier for you guys to follow along.  Look for that to come next month and right now, I’m thinking next month’s goal will have to do with….Stairs…or maybe Hills.  Ready for that?  🙂

Breakfast! Come On Over and Get it While It’s Hot!

Breakfast!  (That’s mango there on the side by the way.)

Are You A Pace Setter or Do You Like to Be Paced?

 I had a girlfriend over for dinner Monday night and this was the discussion that came up.  She and her husband went to a personal training session together and ran laps of stairs.  She took the lead naturally until the trainer said to her husband, ok now you lead.

He said, ‘No that’s ok, I prefer to be paced.’

She then asked me, ‘Which do you …prefer?’

I had a hard time answering.  I’m not sure!

 I like to exercise by myself, I KNOW that.  I don’t do the group thing often…in fact next to never.  I replied that I like to set the pace if it’s an activity I’m confident in.  If it’s something new than I’d like someone else to set the pace.

I’m not sure that’s how I really feel about it though.  Do you know? Are you a pace setter or do you like to be paced?

Today’s WO:
20 Min run on the treadmill at 11.0 kph.
5 minute warm up and cool down at 6.0 kph

Couch Crash Versus Joy Jog. The Better Choice is Obvious…..At Least It Should Be.

Saturday and Sunday, I wasn’t able to get out to the gym and I wasn’t feeling up to something intense.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  I did not use that as an excuse to skip my workout entirely and crash on the couch.  (I know some of you do that!  No excuses!)  …

 

Instead I went out for what I am calling a ‘joy jog’ through my neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday.  A run for fun….well, almost fun. (wink!)  No clock, no pedometer, just me and the open air of Costa Rica. (sigh!)

 

Love those mountains!

This Bell Tolls for Thee! (As in YOU…and in a good way, so no worries!)

‘No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.  If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were.  Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and theref…ore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.’ ~John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions

(WARNING:  I’m going to get a little esoteric today…)

We are all connected. If a man’s death diminishes me then so another’s success, win or elation of another enhances me.  Right?  That’s the positive version.

Today I did 3 unassisted pull-ups!

On my own!

That is a HUGE accomplishment for me!  It makes me want to ring my bell of glory (that’s the one they use at weddings, for liberty and other happy events, not funerals).  Let me tell you this, dear readers, this bell tolls for thee.  Thank you for being involved in mankind, reading my posts, and having your own fitness wins.

Today’s Workout had two parts.

Cardio WO: HIIT on the treadmill for 20 mins.

Warm up – 4.0mph for 3 minutes

8.0 jog for 2 minutes

Alternating 4.0 mph and the following levels for 1 minute increments

10.0, 11.0, 11.0, 12.0, 12.0, 11.0, 10.0 Cool down walking at 4.0

 

Back WO:

Pull Ups – 3 sets as heavy as possible weight also super-setted with

Squat and Press – 3 sets

 

Lat Pull downs – 3 sets giant-setted with

Bent Over Row – 3 sets

Front Extension with plate –3 sets
Donzo!!

20 Minutes of Jump Rope Workout!

20 Minutes of Jump Rope Workout!

100 Skipping Ropes

100 High Knees Repeat five times. …

100 Skipping Ropes

100 Alt. Wide Feet Out/Feet Together In Jumps

100 Skipping Ropes 100 Scissor Jumps (1 foot forward/1 foot back alternating the forward foot each jump)

Repeat until time!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!!

This was a day of rest and relaxation!  It even included a Mango Margarita for me!  🙂  Sometimes a little cheat-food or drinks with your girlfriends is good for your soul.  Operative word being ‘little’.  Cheers all!