Today's Workout 3-10

Entering my 27th week of pregnancy with a full body strength training session.  Allow me a moment to bask in my own awesomeness....

Thank you.

This is the routine I followed.  Some exercises I performed to near failure, others I took a more moderate approach.  I started by warming up on the treadmill, brisk walk at 2% to 5% incline for 1/2 mile.  Then:

Push Ups (modified)
"Bird Dog"
Bicep Curls (standard)
Triceps Kickbacks
Hammer Curls
Chair Dips (I hate these!!!)
Alternating Cross-Body Curls
Overhead Triceps Extensions
Standing Side Crunch (holding onto the door frame helped isolate core)
Standing Crossover Crunch
One-Armed Row
Chest Flies
Pull-over
Chest Press
Reverse Fly
Squats (standard and then wider stance)
Shoulder Press (Military Press)
Jump Squats
Lateral Raise (to front and side)
Forward Lunge
Upright Row
Plie Squat
Split Lunge

Cool down, stretch, and that's it!  The strength training aspect took me about 45 minutes moving quickly from one exercise to the next.  I did take a short (30-45 second) break after some of the more "energetic" moves, like those damn jump squats!

Prenatal Abs and Core

I've been searching for good core routines that are appropriate in the second half of pregnancy, but not too easy for somebody who is not new to strength training.  Apparently, such routines are impossible to find!  I'm sure that simply sucking in your tummy while sitting or on all fours would be better than nothing, but just doesn't feel adequate for me.

So, I've been sticking with planks and variations, even though I hate them.  They are unbeatable, though, if you are looking to target every muscle in your core!  So, take 'em like medicine- not because it's tasty but because it's good for you!

Standard Plank- top of classic push up position.  Hold 30 to 60 seconds, rest, repeat for three reps.

Rocking Plank- start in Standard Plank.  Slowly rock forward on your hands and toes, then back for a count of one.  Do 2 sets of 12 to 15.

Toe Tap Plank- I usually give my shoulders a rest here by going to my elbows.  In this modified position tap right toe out to your right side, then left toe out to your left side.  That's one.  Keep your legs straight; do 2 sets of 12 to 15.

Shoulder Tap Plank- start in Standard Plank.  Tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then your right shoulder with your left hand.  That's one.  Do 2 sets of 12 to 15.

Side Plank- also known as One-Arm Balance.  It's a tricky balance pose, I open my feet just a little wider and keep them both on the floor for better stability.  In Standard Plank (feet wide) shift your weight to your right arm, lifting your left arm up straight; your feet will also shift so that you are not twisting in your body but hips are facing the same direction as the shoulders.  (This lady explains it better than I do, and with pictures of the Pink Panther!)  Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, two or three reps each side.

So, there ya go... the ab routine that Baby and I are currently enduring enjoying.  So far I've had no sign of my abdominal muscles separating so I have no idea if this routine is appropriate if that condition is present.  Hopefully I won't have to find out, not for a while at least!

Wanna go fast!

Usually I do interval runs on the treadmill.  The benefit is that it is super-easy to track your time and distance.  The down side is that you will only run as fast as the belt is spinning, and the belt will only spin as fast as your brain (and not your legs) tell it to go.  If my brain tells my legs they will go 7mph and no faster, that is how fast they will go.  In fact, that's the fastest they have ever gone.  Push that 8 button and the thing sounds like an experimental aircraft trying to take off.  I imagine faltering, flying off the back, and crashing into the wall.

Ouch!

I had 4x400s on the schedule, and it is too nice outside to be on the treadmill.  So, today I decided to run my intervals back and forth on the road in front of the house.  Just to make it "fun" I decided I would walk down the hill and run up the hill and into the wind.  Just for fun.

Thomas ran the first couple with me.  I don't know how the child can run all out (he kept up with me pretty well) and continue talking non-stop, but he can.  He's great company.  My quarter-mile times were:  1:54; 1:44; 1:46; and 1:40.  Obviously, the first repeat was the most challenging in that it totally sucked.  In retrospect I should have taken more time to warm up.  But I was in a hurry with the warm up today because the kids wanted to get to the library and back before I have to work tonight and I definitely can't afford to skip the stretching afterward.  So, yeah.  That first one was tough.  If I hadn't already told Thomas that I was going to do that four times, I probably would have done it once.

But I did it!  And I did it quite a bit faster than I would have done it on the treadmill.

In closing, here is a picture, just because it made me smile.

Happy little tree!

I'm going to Norway!

Norway Spring Classic

It is considered THE first race of the season for my area. I wanted to go last year, but was still afraid of the 5k distance. This year I'll be doing the 10k.

One interesting note is that I can enter as a "Clydesdale". I can't spell it (and neither can Blogger's spell check), but I can enter it. Simply means I'm heavier than your typical female runner.

There I am, Mama Clydesdale.

I like clydesdales. They make me think of beer, and beer is kissing cousins of cheap wine, my drink of choice. And so, I'm happy, even though I'm basically identifying myself as a plus-size female.

The last few weeks I've been running every other day, doing whatever I feel like that particular day. Mostly tempo runs of three to five miles, with longer runs about once every eight days. I'm going to jump in to an intermediate 10k training plan for the next two weeks and then see what happens. I'm not going for gold, here. I'm just wanting to set the bar for this year. There's still plenty of time for serious training and racing.

Rodney Yee and Me

I've been using this 10K training schedule to get ready for the Ed Hanson Memorial Run in Ontonagon on Sept. 4th. Today, Monday, is stretch and strengthen, so I combine the two with a little yoga.

I really enjoy yoga. It reminds me of my years of ballet; get into a really uncomfortable position and then "hold, hold, hold, forever, forever, forever"... and then do a push up. I always work up a gooey sweat doing yoga, even though I'm basically standing, sitting, or even lying down on a mat only a little bigger than a bathtub. If you like twisting, reaching, perspiring heavily, and breathing only through your nose, yoga is the workout for you.

The Yoga X workout from the P90X system is a great routine, if you have an hour and a half to spend on your practice. I like Tony Horton's style as an instructor, and the routine is by far more complete than any other I've ever done. But it is 90 minutes long!

So, today I did Rodney Yee's Total Body Power Hour Starring Rodney Yee's Really Tight Blue Shorts.


That's not what the DVD is actually called, but it's something like that. This is a "Three Bears" workout: not too easy, but not too difficult. Just right for Mondays when I have an hour and a half to write a blog post, hang more laundry, cook lunch, nurse the baby, and get ready for work.

While I was twisting, reaching, and perspiring, Chuck and some of the kids went for a bike ride. When they got back, Daniel flopped himself on the couch with a sigh and said, "I need a recovery cookie." Joseph accidentally made way too much oatmeal for breakfast, so we are going to try this recipe for Leftover Oatmeal Cookies. Healthy and frugal. And since they are oatmeal cookies, I won't be tempted to eat the batter.