Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Fight Club

since robin went and done shared her secret fight club training
i figured i ought to share mine, too

i love the gym i go to
and, honestly, it's the only time i've been able to stick with a fitness routine

this gym is small
the trainers know my name
and they probably know my phone number by heart
since they call almost everyday to check in
and make sure i'm not bailing on class

(oh how they know me...)

anyway, i cannot say enough good things about smaller gyms
go to one
you will love it.

this fight club actually has a name:
FGT
which stands for functional group training.

each day is something different
so our muscles never get used to the same moves

we do things like flip huge tractor tires
use the TRX straps
and other normal things like sprints,
bear crawls, and crab crawls.

basically, it's using your body weight
which is fantastic because hello, you could do most of the moves anywhere!

and there's nothing like feeling how strong you are..

so i tried to remember the moves from an earlier class
because today's would have been impossible to describe...

obviously, your ten minute warm up should be done in ten minutes, not one minute...

you should know i'm ALWAYS drenched in sweat after fight club.
like, dripping in it.
like, it sometimes grosses me out...

but, then i remember that i worked my ASS off
and i SHOULD be sweating.
because this shit is hard
and that's why it works!

(:

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Fight Club: June 5

For the past few weeks, my stupid alarm has gone off at the ungodly time of 6am and I have been going to bootcamp Fight Club.

Oops.

We typically do about 2-3 circuits, 3 times each. Then on "Fun Thursdays" we usually have some sort of obstacle course race. Which actually is fun (and not "fun" in the way that some sadistic trainers use it).

We did this this circuit this morning and it should take about 20 minutes (15 if you don't take any breaks, but let's face it, sometimes you gotta breathe move to the next position). I think he times a 15-30 second break between each move and maybe a minute between each repetition.



  • 1 min jumping rope: just to get your heart rate up
  • 1 min plank: on your hands, not on your elbows aka push up position, butt down.
  • 1 min alternating curtsey squats: right curstey, middle/regular squat, left curtsey, middle squat, etc... we held a dumbell at eye level while doing this. don't let it drop, you'll get a nice shoulder burn while doing the squats.
  • 1 min '180' burpees: burpees (with a push-up, no girly ones ;)) but when you jump up, turn 180 degrees. alternate which direction you turn (i.e. don't always go clockwise)
  • 1 min bicycle crunches: because, what's more fun than riding a bike?
What's your Fight Club plan for the summer? 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Bootcamp Day #1


I did it! I survived the first day of boot camp!
It was much better than I was expecting :)

 To be honest, I was really apprehensive about starting boot camp, 
as I said earlier, my fitness level is not what it used to be 
and I tend to over think everything; I was being a big scaredy cat.

Worried that I would be the slowest one,
Worried that I would be the weakest one,
Worried that I would be the whiniest one
(ok, I guess I have control over that one)

(source) 

But it was great!
It was a good workout, the leader was super encouraging
and the other participants were also really friendly.

Yesterday was a mix of a little bit of everything.
We ran some laps, did a cardio circuit (high knees, jumping jacks, zigzags, pushups, repeat), 
squats, lunges, more push ups and some moves targeting shoulders, triceps, biceps and core 
(presses, curls and dips.. oh my!) 
Little. Bit. Of. Everything.

(source)


 The leader wants us to set a goal for the next month. Most girls said something like 
“to tone up” or “to not quit”, but I want something more substantial and SMART
I thought about saying "I want to lose ___ pounds",
but let's be honest here (and we can be honest, right??) 
 I'm gonna get super buff... like bench-pressing-a-rhino-while-yogging-uphill kinda buff
(Ashley, you with me on this? Let's find some rhinos...)

And we all know muscle weighs more than fat, 
so judging my progress purely on my gravitational pull isn't sufficient for me.
So I'm gonna go for a loss of __% body fat.
I have a number in my head, but don't want to say it aloud until I do a little more research.
  My bathroom scale is AMAZING and tracks everything, so it should be easy to judge.




Have you ever done a boot camp? 
Do you have any pre-summer-slash-bathing-suit workout plans?
What % body fat do you think is realistic to loose in 4 weeks? 
I tried to find sources online for a good "one month goal" but couldn't find much. 
I'd love to hear your opinion!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Running, week #3


I have a confession...
The original 4 week running plan was a little too
...um... "intense" for me. 
It appears I overestimated my starting fitness level. 

Modifications had to be made. 
And I'm ok with that. 
As long as I keep doing *something*. 


I'm proud to share that I did run/walk/jog/elliptical/frolic
23 miles this past week. 
And also attended a few pilates and yoga classes. 
And apparently burned 2572 calories. 
Take that, laziness.


Bootcamp starts next Monday, 
and I won't have the time or energy to 
continue with a 4-day-a-week running plan.
So I am abandoning the official "running plan".
But unofficially, I will still be working on my cardio. 

In case any of you were actually interested in running plans, 
or planning on following along, 
here are a few links to awesome running plans 
that I was drawing my inspiration from: 

I have to admit, 
my body has not changed much in the past two weeks.
Which could be slightly discouraging, but
I have noticed a definite change in my energy levels 
and overall 'tude the past two weeks.
So while I can't see the outward effects yet, 
my insides are happy :)  
Don't we all love happy insides?!






Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Monday, April 9, 2012

Running Plan - Week #2


My roommate and best friend's wedding is exactly 8 months from today.

Last year on her birthday


I was told that as a bridesmaid, my only duty was to "stand there and look pretty".
I told her that I was really good at that ;)


At our friend's wedding 

I also told her that I would be her workout buddy in the upcoming months, since I'm her only local bridesmaid (everyone else is back in SoCal, where we're from).

Last week, we signed up for a bootcamp together. I don't feel ready for a bootcamp yet, but it was a great deal (hellooooooo, Groupon!) and its super close to our house (15 minute walk or 3 minute drive)... so how could I resist?  It's always way better to make a fool outta yourself when you have a friend to laugh along side you anyways.


Since the bootcamp doesn't start for a few more weeks, I will continue with my running plan for now.
Enjoy :)


My Running Plan - Week 2

1st Workout
Warm up: Walk 5 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 1.5 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 8x
Cool down: Walk 5 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

2nd Workout
Warm up: Walk 5 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 2 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 7x
Cool down: Walk 4 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

3rd Workout
Warm up: Walk 5 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 2 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 7x
Cool down: Walk 4 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

4th Workout
Warm up: Walk 5 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 2.5 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 6x
Cool down: Walk 4 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Get it. 




Wednesday, April 4, 2012

55 Days to Awesomeness

I started going to the gym last week and it has been tough. Physically and mentally.

You see,
I used to go to the gym 3-5 times a week.
I used to work out with a personal trainer.
I used to be some sort of fit.

Then life happened...
work happened....
boyfriend happened....
excuses happened...

But you gotta start somewhere... and I'm positive it will get easier each time I go. I'm going to try a "4 week Beginners Running Program" to get back into that cardio groove. The plan calls for 4 work outs a week. I plan on doing Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then either Thursday or Saturday, depending on work.


(Right now, I feel more like the bottom picture...)



Week 1

1st Workout
Warm up: Walk 10 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 1 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 5x
Cool down: Walk 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins


2nd Workout
Warm up: Walk 10 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 1 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 7x
Cool down: Walk 5 mins
Total Time: 29 mins


3rd Workout
Warm up: Walk 10 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 1 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 5x
Cool down: Walk 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins


4th Workout
Warm up: Walk 10 mins
Run/Walk Plan: 1 min run, 1 min walk, repeat 7x
Cool down: Walk 5 mins
Total Time: 29 mins

Currently my mantra... I may not be doing as *much* as I used to...
 but I'm doing something... which is better than nothing... BAM!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Robin's Wednesday Workout

1. Run 1 mile in 110 degree heat

2. Do this yoga/pilate video


3. Eat vegetables and shower

4. Tell Ashley about it