Just Keep Running: May 2012

So - last day of the month, and what am I doing? Scrambling to complete my New To You Cross Training challenge post of course! And guess what else? I am a big fat liar. For last month's submission I reviewed workouts #1 and 2 of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution workout system...

....and I said in that post that I wouldn't be using workouts 3 and 4 for my May cross training submission. But, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Because unless you count getting hooked on the TV show Justified as a new cross training workout, I haven't done anything else new in May.

well, hello cowboy!

So yes, I'm a liar, but after my last post it sounded like some people were interested in hearing exactly what the workouts consist of, so hopefully this will be of interest...

Here's a breakdown of the two new workouts I did in May - workouts #3 and #4 in Phase 1 of the 90 day program (each workout is done twice a week for two weeks before moving on to the next workouts).

Workout 3 (Front of the body)
Warmup: jumping jacks/cat and cow(?) stretch/standing high kicks/lateral leg swings each side/jumping jacks again

Circuit 1:
Push ups military style
Hold downward dog position with arm reaching through to opposite leg and holding/switch arms
Alternating back lunges (weights for added difficulty)
Raise arms/lower to ground and walk out to a plank/hold/walk back and up to standing position
Cardio interval (one minute): Jump rope
Repeat circuit (except cardio)

Circuit 2:
Sumo squats with tricep extentions (with weights)
Camel yoga pose - reach back and tap the opposite toe
Squat with overhead press (with weights)
Lunge with cable chest press
Cardio interval: Squat with punches
Repeat Circuit

Circuit 3:
Plank to Crescent pose/back to plank/switch legs/repeat
Tricep dips on floor in crab position (hold one leg out straight to add difficulty)
Side crunches each side (straight legs for added difficulty)
Cardio interval: Sumo hops
Repeat Circuit

Circuit 4:
Tree pose with lateral raises one side (with weights)
Plank-ups switching sides
Tree pose with lateral other side
Abs - inch worms
Cardio interval: Mogul twists
Repeat Circuit

Cool down

Workout 4 - (Back of the body)
Warmup: butt kicks/standing stretch with leg crossed over knee and sitting back/backwards arm circles/butt kicks again/stretch with opposite leg/arm circles again

Circuit 1:
Alternating forward lunges (weights for added difficulty)
Static squat with medium row (with weights)
Single leg dead lift with upright row (with weights)
Single leg dead lift with upright row opposite leg
Cardio Interval: Skaters
Repeat Circuit

Circuit 2:
Alternating side lunges with bicep curls (with weights)
Bent wide row (with weights)
Surrenders with weights
Step ups with hop (with weights)
Cardio Interval: Side to side hops
Repeat Circuit

Circuit 3:
Leg lifts (on ground) one side with weights
Plank with alternating leg lifts
Leg lifts opposite side
Hollow man
Cardio Interval: Fast Feet
Repeat Circuit

Circuit 4:
Lat/Terry (sp?) pulls one side (with weight)
Good mornings with weights
Lat/Terry pulls opposite side
Squirms
Cardio Interval: Jab/Cross/Hook/Uppercut combo
Repeat Circuit

What I like:

I'm really liking that you only do each set of workouts for 2 weeks and then you switch. As with any DVD, after you do them for a while you start to memorize them, so it's nice to know that you have a new set to do after two weeks.
1/2 hour workouts - such a short amount of time it's easy to convince myself to fit it in. Plus, if I do miss a day, I've doubled up on the workouts the next day and that lends to really great hour long workout as well. My favorite way to fit it in is go for a short run as a warm up and then do a workout.
Last time I commented that workouts 1 and 2 were a bit on the easy side - but I've since changed my tune. Not only are these workouts more challenging, but I think that they all are as hard as you make them to be. Either by increasing the weights or by doing the modifications JM recommends - it's easy to get a really challenging workout.

What I don't like:

The cooldown/stretching sections are pretty short. I think I just need to stretch more, so I just ignore what she does and stretch for significantly longer than the DVD does.
She states in workout #3 that you should have lost about 5 lbs by now - which, really? In 2 weeks - isn't that a lot? I assume this is probably for people who are not only doing the workouts, but are also following the meal plan that comes with the DVD's as well (which I am not doing). The workouts alone don't seem to me like they would be enough without a significant dietary change as well. I don't know what, if any, weight I have lost because I don't own a scale - but I do know my jeans are looser - so I'll take it!
Jillian - well she yells and acts tough and all her usual stuff. It doesn't really bug me for the most part, but some days (depending on my mood) it grates. This is why it's good that the DVD's switch out every two weeks!

All in all I'm happy with this workout program so far. As the workouts go on I'm feeling more and more challenged, so that has kept me motivated and interested. Hopefully next month I will do a different and more interesting cross training workout and I won't be reviewing workouts 5 and 6 for my June submission.... :)

Yay! It's Friday!

1) I haven't posted for a while but I have some good reasons - I've been super busy moving my office. As I've mentioned previously, I work for my mom and we've recently decided that we no longer need to rent a space for an office - instead we're moving the office out to her property (we don't have walk in clientele, so there's really no need for an office space). This will be great for many reasons: 1) I get views like this instead of looking at 4 office walls...

2) There is a treadmill, so fitting in runs when it's super rainy out should be easier and this is also one of my favorite places to run outside on the pretty country roads; and 3) in the summer the kids can come here with me, play outside, ride bikes, etc. Better than being shuttled all over or sitting in an office with me for the day. Lots of good things will come from the move...BUT we've been in our office for almost 15 years and there's a lot of crap that has been accumulated in that time. The move has been stressful and exhausting - and I kind of feel behind on EVERYTHING....I just have to keep in mind all the good that will come when it's done.

2) I scored a bunch of pictures frames from the walls of our old office space, so the kids and I've been using them to frame some of their artwork. I used some of the particularly large ones and had them paint something of their choice (I drew it in pencil and then they painted it). So here are my budding artist's creations:

Owen's rocket ship

Reese's red tree

Didn't they turn out cute? They look so nice in the frames. I'm filling up the walls of their playroom, and I'll post a picture when I get it all done. I think they are adorable.

3) As I wrote about in my last post I have been doing the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution 90 day workout plan. This week I'm starting workouts #3 and #4 in Phase One which I will post more about after I do them a few times. I forgot to mention a few things when I wrote about the first workouts in my last post - first, it comes with a complete nutrition plan as well as the dvd's. I'm not following the plan because I'm ~~a totally bad ass rebel~~ not really looking for a "diet" plan, but some of the recipes look good. And second, the set came with the workout cable that is required for some of the exercises. So far I'm liking it - I'll report on the next DVD's soon.

4) Running - I ran EIGHT miles on Saturday!!!! My foot is really really improving. I'm feeling good and gaining some of my endurance back. I've been seeing a new physical therapist, and I really feel like the work I'm doing there is helping. Fingers crossed...

5) Yesterday was a big milestone in our household - we celebrated this little monkey's 5th birthday!