It’s the Eye of the Tiger, It’s the Thrill of The Fight!

I’m not going to lie and say my workout was perfect and amazing and it’s like I never took a month off.  It’s evident, I took a month off.

BUT, what I will tell you is that this morning’s workout was very good in the sense that I got the FIGHT back.  The ‘Yes, you can do this. Now, push, push, push through the ‘No I can’t.”

This morning’s workout:

25 mins on the treaddy:

3 min warm up

2 min. run at 13 kph

1 min walk at 6.0

4, 1 min runs at 15.0 kph with recoveries at 1 min each walk at 6.0

2, 1 min runs at 16.0 with recoveries at 1 min each walk at 6.0

2, 1 min runs at 17.0 with recoveries at 1 min each walk at 5.0

Cool down which was the remaining 2 or 3 mins walking at 5.0 kph

Back, Biceps and Shoulder Workout:

Tbar Raises – 4 sets supersetted with 25 Lb. Plate Front Raise

Assisted Pullups – 3 sets supersetted with

Crossbody Shoulder Lift and Twist (I need to look up the proper name to this excercise)

Lat Pull downs – 3 sets suppersetted with

 Bicep Cable Curls

Donzo!

And yes, there is a thrill to the ‘fight’ or the push WHILE you’re working out, but I think there’s another BIG thrill to the fight and that is when you are DONE….and you DID It!!!  And I am done with my workout today and I DID do it!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Stop Dancing the Merengue With Your Face!

Stop Dancing the Merengue With Your Face! Yes, that’s exactly what my instructor said, as he laughed and laughed!

Apparently, I am very expressive with my face when I dance….as in I make a very giant smile when I get a difficult step or transition right, but I also make a confused, concentrating look when I’m a bit lost….which is often.  So I am now focusing on facial awareness…..and small…er steps, and stop bouncing, and feeling my body through-out the move and not having a dead-man’s grasp.  🙂  Oh yes, I am far from a good dancer!!!!

Oh well!  I’m having fun trying and I think the Merengue is awesome for your abs – YOU have a go at it and see.  It’s not easy!! Just try not to dance with your face…..and believe it or not, that is more difficult than it sounds.  (wink!)

No One Is Going to Fit Into Those Jeans FOR you.

No One Is Going to Fit Into Those Jeans FOR you. People have asked me, ‘How do you get motivated to exercise? Aren’t there days where you just don’t want to?’  Yes, there are days when I just don’t want to, and yesterday was one of them.

 

Here’s the basic motivation that got and gets me going.

1) Moping is not productive.  Doing nothing gets you nothing.  FACT.

 

2)  Being fit and looking great feels REALLY good.  Reaching a goal you’ve set for yourself is really empowering and self satisfying and also feels REALLY good.  The thing is no one is going to do those things for you.  No one is going to do 10 pull-ups for you and give YOU the satisfaction.  No one is going to make your butt look incredible in that great pair of jeans.  No one is going to run the mile for you, and no one can push through the workout for you and give YOU the self-satisfaction.  YOU have to do it.  END of story.

 

3)  It’s only 30 minutes.  This is MUCH less time than the hours you will feel guilty or fret about not fitting into your jeans.

 

So, today I went to the gym and restarted my exercise program.  It amazes me how much speed and or strength you lose so quickly!  That’s OK, though because I’m going to get it right back!  (Wink!)

 

My workout went like this:

25 mins on the treaddy with a 3 min warm up and 3 min cool down.

5 mins running at 11.0 kph with 2 min walk at 6.0 kph

 

I then tested my pullups and did 7 assisted pullups with the pin at 25 pounds.

That’s the official starting point!

 

Here’s the visual exercise and explanation:  http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercises.asp?exercise=272

It’s May and Thank Goodness That Rotten Month of April Is OVER!

It’s May and thank goodness that rotten month of April is over!  (wink!)  I took the month of April to mope and eat ice cream.  Yes, even fitness fanatics fall off the bandwagon on occasion.  Please know, I had good reasons (yes, plural ranging from divorce to financial concerns to some health issues that had my hormones in a wild tizzy).  Sometimes moping is a necessary evil just to get it all out of your system.  That said, I’m ready to get ‘back’ to it.

Hence, there’s no better month to have a back focused goal, right?

More specifically testing our strength with PULL-UPS!

Don’t be scared, I can’t do a single one yet either.  No worries.

The overall goal is always about improvement so we only have gains to make, right?  😉

Good Goal – 2 Pull-ups

Great Goal – 5 Pull-ups

Awesome Goal – 10 Pull-ups

Just a little something to note:  Today, my kids were on vacation from school.  It’s Costa Rica’s Labor Day holiday so I did not make it to the gym to test my beginning level.  These are blind goals and may have to be adjusted tomorrow.