Obliques for M

Finally got my home internet back up and running so I can get back on track with my blog posts! Today I hit up World's for a much needed legs session. I had planned on starting with a run but an inconveniently timed nervous stomach ache made me choose the elliptical instead. I set my Pandora really loud on the Hard Rock Workout mix which immediately got me in the zone and set the pace for an intense stress/anger relieving weights sesh. After a good 15 minute cardio warmup, I got out a bosu ball and did three sets (each leg) of one-legged deadlifts (6 reps each time). The first set I did without weights since I hadn't done them in so long and wanted to be sure I still had my balance. Then I did two sets with 15 lb dumbbells and the last two with 10 lb dumbbells. My hammies better be in pain tomorrow! Next I did three sets of 8 squats on the bosu ball with a 40 lb. barbell held on my traps and then finished up with 3 sets  of 8 (each leg) on the standing glue press machine (70-65-60 lb resistance). I always find it best to start out as heavy as I can go and then decrease the weight slightly as I tire out.

This morning I got an email from an old High School friend who had been reading my blog and wanted to get some advice on how to change her diet and exercise routine in order to blast away her love handles. Love love love when people ask me for advice! One of the things I recommended, on top of an increase in cardio, was adding in a couple of 30-minute ab-focused routines per week to her usual routine of solely aerobics classes. Of particular focus should be the obliques so I tried to do two oblique-targeting moves today as examples.

First, using the back extension machine, I did three sets (each side) of 12 side crunches. I didn't have anyone with me tonight to take pics so I'll have to do my best to describe these. In case you don't know what machine to look for, here is a sample pic:
                                              
Lie on your side on the machine with one leg on top of the other, your bottom hand on your waste and your top hand behind your head. Then crunch your torso up while lifting your top leg's knee to meet your head. They probably won't touch, you just want to achieve the side-crunching motion. If this is too difficult, you can keep your legs in place and just crunch your torso up. Alternatively, you could use a stability ball as your base if your gym doesn't  have a back extension machine.

Next I did hanging leg lifts. I usually do these on the standing leg lift machine but as of late have moved on to using the padded hanging arm loops as support because its much harder and I wasn't feeling it anymore on the standing rests. Again, I have no pic of me doing these so hopefully I don't get sued for using someone else's pictures! Here is a pic of someone using the standing machine (easier) and one of someone using the hanging loops (harder):

You want to start in a standing position and then crunch your knees us for each rep. I did four sets of 8 reps, two sets with my legs coming straight out in an L-shape and two sets crunching side-to-side to get the obliques. In both of these pictures the models are doing the easier bent-leg front crunch version.

That was it for today's workout. Pretty solid routine which hopefully makes up for the fact that both yesterday and tomorrow have to be off-days this week. Friday will have to be super intense! I came home and took my pup for a short walk in the drizzle before dinner. His new shock collar arrived in the mail today (and he proceeded to try to eat the UPS delivery man who tried to hand it over to me) so hopefully some Back Cove dog runs are in our near future!

Born Again

I've always felt like Springtime is a season of re-birth. A time to start over and rid your life of anything preventing you from making the most of your time. Kind of like a second chance at a New Year's Resolution. That's exactly what seems to be going on in my life right now.

First of all, I'd just like to say that I haven't been writing because my internet has been funky at home and writing on my iPhone is not easy. Thus, I'm having lunch in a local cafe with Wi-Fi right now so I can make a much needed blog entry! The past week has been nothing short of a roller coaster. Everything went downhill starting on St. Patty's. Most of it is personal and more information than you want to read in a workout blog but getting food poisoning Saturday night and basically being immobile for 3 days didn't help things. Luckily, starting mid-week, a string of great events started occurring that has led to a complete turn around in my luck / attitude / emotional & physical well being!

You may remember several months ago I mentioned being approached my someone while working out at Planet Fitness who asked me if I'd be interested in being a fitness model for a new fitness app for iPhone that he was in the process of building. Well, at the time I just kind of put it in the back of my mind thinking that there was a good chance the offer wasn't for real. However, to my great delight and surprise, the guy called me this week asking if I'd still be interested. Of course I said yes and we met Friday night to go over the details and also so he could give me a demo of the app. Let me just say, this product is nothing short of amazing! The guy is an absolute computer genius and he's been working with a slew of personal trainers to help build-out the best fitness app to compete with the likes of Nike. It incorporates all the best aspects of the existing fitness apps on the market and includes so much more! I could go on forever but I'll let you see for yourself when it finally becomes available. This morning I met him for a fitting so we could choose the best fitness gear for my shape. I'm really excited to showcase the outfits! Once all the models are done being fit (there are a group of models, both male and female from a few different states), we are going to start shooting. There's not only going to be a picture of a model doing each exercise but there's also going to be a short video of each one in order to demonstrate the move properly. Shooting is going to start in a couple of weeks and he's hoping to have the app ready for launch in June. I'll post details over the next couple of months but I can't broadcast the name yet. I absolutely cannot wait for the launch! So excited to have something to look forward to and to have a reason to get in the best shape possible!

My fitting was at 10am today so I was up bright and early to hit the gym beforehand. Today I focused on shoulders and abs. Here's a run-down of my routine:
1. 3 sets of 12 Arnold presses on a bosu ball
2. 3 sets of pull-ups on the assisted pull-up machine (8-7-6)
3. 3 sets of 12 shoulder shrugs
4. 3 sets of 8 stability ball weighted leg lifts
5. 3 sets of 8 tee pees, kneeling on the ball in between sets
6. 15 mins on the elliptical

I thought I wasn't going to have time for cardio this morning so that's why I did it last when I realized I still had time to kill before my fitting. I was hoping to get in a late day run with my dog but unfortunately its raining out and luckily for me my dog hates the rain haha. Stay tuned for updates and don't forget to follow @PortlandGymRat on twitter!

Spring Training

Wicked good workout today, especially for a Friday and given that I either have allergies or a bit of a Spring cold going on. I felt unusually motivated as I walked through the doors of World's and out of the cold, dreary, wet March air and started today's workout with a solid run. I desperately want to run a 5k this spring. I think if I can pull it off, I will prove to myself that I can finally call myself a runner after all these months of practice. Last Sunday, I pulled off 5k on the treadmill clocking in at 34.5 minutes. I do have to admit thought that I did walk 4 of those minutes (2 to warm-up and 2 separate 1-minute drink breaks during). Today I was only going to do a 20 minute run but as I got going I decided to try and hit the 5k mark again. I wanted to beat my time so I started with a 1-minute warm-up at a 3.0 incline and then amped up the speed from 4.0 to 6.0. I thought I'd be able to do it in around 30 minutes but as I quickly overheated, I allowed myself two separate 1.5 minute water/walk breaks which dragged down my time. In the end I clocked in a 33.5 minutes so at least I improved! When I slowed it down to a snail's pace to cool down afterward I got really nauseous but luckily that passed quickly. Going forward, my new goal is not to see how many minutes I can run like it has been in the past but rather to see how far I can go. Then when I can comfortably do say 3.6 miles (the distance of the Back Cove path) without stopping then I will concentrate on improving my time. 

After my run and after a good stretch sesh on the mats I embarked on a chest & back workout. I started with lat pull-downs (3 sets of 12) and then did free weight chest presses on a stability ball (3 sets of 12). Lastly came back extensions while holding a 10-lb plate to my chest. I started with a set of 12 reps, then 10 and then 8. Even though this is supposed to work your lower back, I always feel it in my hamstrings more than anything because of the way your feet rest against the footrest. After a solid legs workout at Planet on Wednesday and today's run, my hamstrings are hating on me! 

For abs today I did incline crunches (2 sets forward and 2 sets side-to-side). The first two sets were of 20 reps but I was using the bench with the rounded pads (there was a super creep on the bench I usually use who I wanted to avoid) which hurt my legs so I only lasted to 16 reps for the 2nd two sets. Lastly, I did 3 sets of 8 stability ball push-ups, using the bosu ball for my hands on the first two sets. These are still ridiculously hard. I was shaking so much after my first set that I fell off on my first attempt on a 2nd set (super embarrassing!) but after a breather I was successful on my 2nd try. I guess I shouldn't be too embarrassed about it seeing as no one else was trying it! 

That's all for today's workout. I'm seriously exhausted at this point so I better get some good zzz's before tomorrow's St. Patty's day festivities! Tomorrow's workout will definitely not involve any leg activity so they can get some much needed rest. Perhaps an ab-focused session will be needed so that the green beer doesn't go straight to my gut!

Spring Peak

What amazing workouts I would have if I didn't have to work all day! Today was on its way to being another 9 hours of brain drain only worse because it happened to be gorgeous out. Sunny, warm, definitely not the kind of day you want to spend dizzying yourself in front of a computer screen. Then, something amazing happened around 1pm...our building lost power and we were all sent home for the day! I don't know if I willed the power to go out or if it was an effect of the solar flare that's all over the news right now but either way, I was one happy camper. And so was my puppy who was delighted to see me home early!

The Back Cove walking path was calling to me so I decided it was a perfect day to give running outside with my dog a shot. Unfortunately everyone else in Portland had the same idea and after two near dog fight encounters I decided to cut up through Payson Park and run along Ocean Avenue instead. I have to say, for a dog that normally pulls my shoulder out of its socket during our neighborhood walks, he sure knew how to heel on a run! I was very surprised and pleased that we could run together and satisfied that the 30-45 minute run went by in no time. I even got a bit of a tan while doing it! It's supposed to cool down a bit tomorrow but this is a sure sign that Spring is definitely on its way and there will be many more successful outdoor runs to come!

After our run I decided to hit up World's for chest, back, and abs. It's so nice getting their earlier than usual and a) actually having a parking spot and b) avoiding some of the 5pm regulars. I started today's workout with a really good stretch sesh on the mats and then did 3 sets of 8 standing bosu ball barbell rows. I used the 50 lb. bar today (vs. my usual 40-45 lbs.) so it was quite a bit harder (in a good way). I just hope I didn't sacrifice on form! Next, I moved on to free weight chest press on a stability ball (3 sets of 12). I stuck with my usual 15 lbs. here (each hand) but I think maybe next time I should try to up it to 20, even if just for one set. After these I did bent-over bench free weight rows (3 sets of 8, each arm) and then finished up weights with 3 sets of 8 lat pull-downs.

I incorporated a lot of good balancing work into today's abs workout. First up was 4 sets of crunches (20 reps each) on a stability ball (2 sets forward and 2 sets side-to-side) with balancing v-sits in between sets. Next up was stability ball push-ups (3 sets of 8). I can't remember if I wrote about this the other day or not but I've now graduated to doing these with not just my feet on the stability ball but once on the ball I roll out to a bosu ball and do the push-ups with my hands on the bosu. So far I can only do one set of these (they are extremely hard!) but they sure are effective! Finally, I moved back over to the mats and did a ton more stretching and balancing work including bridges (from a standing position) and headstand. I'm sure I look ridiculous while doing these but I always feel so good afterward! I'm still super pumped up from my run and my pup is snoozing away so clearly it was good for him too. Not yet sure what's on the agenda for tomorrow but my guess is it'll be a light workout to a) recover from today and b) prepare for weekend workouts (my favourites)!

Impromptu Legs Sesh

Pretty good legs day at World's today. Seems like I haven't done them in a while so hopefully I'm not too sore tomorrow! My workout partner tonight was being SUPER LAME and ditched at the last minute so I had to modify what I had originally planned to do but I suppose tonight's routine did the trick.

I started today's workout with a 20 minute eliptical warmup and then went straight into one-legged weighted deadlifts on the bosu ball (3 sets of 8 each leg). I actually did all three sets with weights which is better than usual and had no foot spasms to massage out (oddly enough that happens all the time when I do these!) so I was pretty satisfied with them. Next I moved on to stability ball  leg lifts (3 sets of 8) and then standing calf raises (3 sets of 12). For my last lower body move I did stability ball leg pull-ins (3 sets of 8). This is where you lie with your back on a mat, put your feet on the stability ball, lift your hips and roll the ball in and out. I did 2 sets with both feet and one set 1-leg at a time. Very hard to do one-legged, but a great glue / ham burn! For my last abs move I did tee pees, kneeling on the ball in between sets (3 sets of 8).

Tomorrow is supposed to be a record in terms of "warm" March temperatures so an outdoor run may be in order. We'll see though. It's hard to get super motivated after 9 hours of computer drain!

There's No Snow Days From The Gym

Today's massive snowstorm kept all but the serious gym rats (or maybe just the people without 4x4) away from World's this afternoon. It's so nice to be able to walk around from one station to the next without having to wait for something to free up or being hit on by the Brookies along the way! I started today's workout with a 20 minute elliptical warm-up. I feel like I've been slacking on the cardio this week (not to mention eating way too many coconut-chocolate patties that I brought back from Florida!) so tomorrow is going to be a serious run day and then hopefully I can get my tired ass out of bed early enough Saturday morning to get a pass to the 9am spin class because I hear the instructor is really good. I really should do the yoga class beforehand since these horrid temperatures have knotted me up all over again but I really don't see that happening.

For weights today I did back and chest. I started with my favourite bosu ball standing barbell rows with the 45 lb. bar and did 3 sets of 12. I think part of my problem lately is not really pushing myself to fatigue so I am going to try to increase both weight and reps for a while where I can. Next, I did 3 sets of 12 free weight chest presses on the stability ball. I then mixed in one set of 4 pull-ups (real ones) just because I haven't made much progress on them lately and need to make more of an effort to do at least one set during every workout. They were very hard tonight! For my last back move I did 3 sets of 8 bent over bench free weight rows (each arm). It was extremely hard to finish my sets with the 25 lb. dumbbells so I was feeling really great about myself until I looked over and saw another girl doing 35. No clue how that was happening but she is one of the early morning weekend regulars who just happened to be there randomly tonight and who is one of maybe 5 at the most females at World's who I would actually want some workout tips from!

Moving on to abs I started with crunches on the incline bench. It was set up with 5 risers underneath (I usually do 3) but since it's such a pain in the ass to move the bench around (it weights a million pounds and doesn't have wheels) I just kept it where it was so I had to work much harder than usual. I did three sets of 16, two sets forward with a 10 lb. plate in my hands and one set side-to-side. Then, I was feeling guilty for only doing one set of pull-ups so I did two more sets on the assisted pull-up machine. Not really proud to admit using it but I suppose its better than nothing. For my last abs move I did stability ball push-ups. I wanted an extra challenge so I started my first set by rolling out toward a bosu ball and doing my push-ups with my feet on the stability ball and my hands on the bosu. This proved to be more difficult than I imagined but I made it 6 reps which I was pretty psyched about. Hopefully next time I can finish out the set and someday move on to doing them with two stability balls! I did two more sets of 8 without the bosu and then went over to the mats to stretch a bit before leaving. Wish I could fast-forward through tomorrow's 8-5er so I could get to it on my much needed run!