Chin Up Update

Okay folks I am super excited, today I did 5 chin ups in a row on the pull up bar!  I have to tell you it really feels amazing to be able to say that in a little over 2 months I have improved from being able to only do 2 consecutive chin ups to 5.  I have also gone from 0 pull ups to being able to do 2 in a row (they are so much harder).  I feel so strong!  I am well on my way to my goal of 8 in a row.  I love setting and working toward a goal.  What are your goals?

Pull Up Bar

This is not me.  I lost our camera in the summer and am going to buy a new one very soon.  Getting pictures from my I Phone onto the blog has proven to be a pain and I really want to take some great pictures to go on the blog.  Coming Soon!

     Last week I ordered a pull up bar online and I was so excited this week when it arrived.  I decided on the Ultimate Body Press because it had really good reviews and I liked the clean look of it, my gym is in the dining room after all.  So it arrived and Adam installed it for me on Friday night and the whole family was fighting over who got to use it first.

     When it was my turn I pumped out a measly 2 chin ups and I could do 0 pull ups!  Granted I had done a workout earlier in the day but I was a little disappointed in just 2 and 0.  I hopped on the net to check out how to do pull ups and I was introduced to a "walk the plank" technique where you just lower yourself slowly for 8 reps in order to build strength so eventually you can achieve actual pull ups.  I did a couple sets of those and then did some hanging leg circles for my core which worked amazing.

     The kids each did a few sets of assisted chin ups, pull ups and some hanging knee raises and Adam bless him can actually do chin ups and pull ups!  One of the best things about the bar I've discovered is that it is great for stretching.  My upper body was/is pretty sore from being introduced to the new exercise and I must have hung on the bar 6 different times yesterday just to stretch because it feels so good.

     I will keep you posted on my pull up progress.  I will be super pumped when I am able to do 8 straight!

Yoga Thoughts and a Killer Lower Body Workout

I have been doing yoga for a few years now.  I went to a free yoga class once and wasn't very impressed with it, maybe it was the type of yoga or the thought of having to pay to go to classes.  I loathe having to pay for working out, which is why I have never belonged to a gym.  So I just popped over to the library and borrowed, for free, the Yoga Zone - Ultimate Collection 6-Pack and I played the videos on my lap top for a few months until I felt comfortable with the common moves.  Libraries are wonderful!

This year for Christmas I received The Athlete's Guide To Yoga which I had also from the library for the past couple years because it is a great resource for yoga poses.  It contains beginner through advanced moves and the book is broken down into body sections.  So if your back is tight flip to the back bender and chest opener section and pose away. Now I don't have to borrow or renew the book every three weeks anymore, again sorry about that Brant County Library.

I like to do yoga for 10-15 minutes directly after a workout to really stretch out the muscles and then on recovery days I will often do a longer 20-30 session.  I keep my Gymboss set for 45 second intervals while stretching because it reminds me to switch poses and then I am stretching both sides of my body for the same time keeping everything even.

Since starting yoga I have noticed my muscles have become much longer and my flexibility has improved by leaps and bounds.  I am also much calmer and relaxed in all things.  I really recommend giving yoga a try if you haven't already.

Today is a Yoga day, my ass is killing me from yesterdays workout!


Killer Lower Body Workout - 20 minutes

About a year ago I discovered the power of single leg exercises, I had been working out with heavy weights doing squats and dead lifts forever but by taking it to the next level doing single leg exercises I have really seen an amazing difference in my body.  Not only do you work legs with the workout because you have to balance the whole time you're working out so your core gets and amazing workout as well.

Using my Gymboss timer I did 3 sets of 30/10.  30 seconds workout/10 seconds transition and writing down how many reps I've done.

Set                                                               1                  2                 3

Jumping Lunges                                         34                30               32
Pistol Squats, each side                                 8                  8                 8
One Legged Deadlift, each side                     7                  7                 7   (12kg kettlebell)
Box Jumps                                                   9                  9                 9
Step Ups, each side                                      10                10               10   (12kg kettlebell)
Bulgarian Squats, each side                         10                  9               10   (12kg kettlebell)

Yoga - 16.5 minutes

Total workout time 36.5 minutes.

Keeping a Workout Journal

This year for Christmas my husband gave me a wonderful new book.  It is a beautiful green journal with a ribbon for a book mark. I love it and it couldn't have come at a better time, my old journal is almost completely full of my past 7 months workouts.  I love writing down my workouts.  I know the weight and reps I've done for each given exercise and it helps to keep me consistent and  mindful of what part of the body I have worked and what I need to workout next.

Before Christmas I did two longer whole body workouts so for my next few workouts I have decided to focus either core, lower body or upper body.  Yesterday I did a core workout and it is sore today but not painful.  Here it is.

Using my Gymboss timer I did 3 sets of 30/10.  30 seconds workout/10 seconds transition and writing down how many reps I've done.

Core Workout - 12 minutes

Set                                                  1                2               3

Hanging Leg Raises -                       10               7              10
Back Extensisons on Ball -               10              10             24    (Add weight next time.)
Turkish Get Ups (each side) -            5                4               5    (8kg kettle bell)
Hanging Knee Circles -                    12              12             12
Supermans -                                   yes             yes           yes



Yoga - 15 minutes

Total workout time 27 minutes.

Workout - Sept. 1, 2012

Today I broke my workout into 4 parts.

Part 1                            Set 1     Set 2     Set3

TRX rows             -          11         10        10

Push Ups              -           10         10         9

Dips - straight legs  -          13         12        10

Bicep Curls - each  -          15         15        13
  15 lb dumbbells

Using my Gymboss I did 30 seconds workout/ 10 seconds switching/writing down how many reps done.

30/10 x 3 sets = 8 minutes


Part 2                            Set 1     Set 2     Set 3

Plank                        -       x          x            x

Side Plank- right side  -       x           x            x
                - left side   -       x           x            x

Reverse Plank            -      x           x            x

Using my Gymboss I held each plank for 45 seconds each for a total time of 9 minutes


Part 3                                       Set 1     Set 2     Set 3

Pistol Squats - left side           -     10          11         9
                   - right side          -     10          11         9

Bulgarian Squats - left side     -      14          14        14
   12kg kettlebell - right side    -     14          14        14

One Leg Deadlifts - left side   -      10          11        10
    12 kg kettlebell - right side  -     10          11        10

Using my Gymboss I did each exercise for 40 seconds and 10 seconds between for writing down and getting ready for the next one.

40/10 x 3 sets = 15 minutes


Yoga/Stretching -  45 seconds each pose - Total time of 14 minutes


Total Workout Time - 46 minutes  (That's pretty long for me I usually try and keep it under 30 minutes a day.  Did I mention I LOVE my Gymboss!

Workout                                Set 1     Set 2

Hanging Leg Raises -                 11         11

TRX Rows -                             11         11

Pistol Squats - right leg -              7          7
                      left leg -                7          7  

Hanging Knee Circles -               12         12

Push Ups -                                10         11

Bulgarian Squats - right leg -       12         12
        12kg             left leg -        12         12

Reverse Plank -                        yes        yes

Dips - straight legs -                   12         13          

Lunges - 12kg - right leg -          12         12
                         left leg -          12         12

Back Extensions -                     10         11

Lat Pulldowns - 30lbs -             10         11

One Legged Deadlifts - right leg - 10       10
            12kg                  left leg- 10       10

Side Lat with Lunge - 10lbs -       12       12

Bicep Curls - 15lbs - right arm -  15        15
                                left arm -   15        15

Shoulder Press - 30lbs-               10         9

Sumo Squat - 16kg -                   12        12

Total Time 21 minutes


Yoga/Stretching 22.5 minutes

Summer So Far

A little of what we've been up to so far this summer.

Winter Workouts

Winter to me means creative workouts indoors.  This year we have stepped up the home gym with a few new acquisitions.  It has completely taken over my dining room now and that's okay with me.  I like to see everything waiting for me to use it.  

The home gym.

We have a mirror on the wall behind me that we use to check our form.

Weights and Kettle Bells.  I love lifting weights!  It makes me feel so strong.

Power Blocks were recommended to me by a trainer friend and we picked up a used set through KIJIJI.ca and they have been fantastic.  This set is 5lbs-50lbs and they take up minimal room in my cozy house.

Hanging up are 2 jump ropes, 3 resistance bands and Adam's homemade TRX.  I am loving the new TRX for working my core.  I can workout for 10 minutes and my abs are super sore the next day.  I haven't done a crunch in 5-6 years because I discovered how wonderful planks and Pilates are for abs.  Now the TRX is going to take it to a whole new level.

We've got a step that Adam made me years ago, some exercise balls and the all important exercise diary.  I have been keeping a workout diary for a few years as well.  It's a great way to keep track of it all.  There is no guessing how may reps and what weight you used last time because it's all right there in the diary.

Some good pumping music is a must, as is this Yoga for Athletes book that I have continually checked out of the library (I really ought to just buy a copy already).  I do love to stretch.

The "TRX" ceiling mounts (rock climbing bolt anchors).