AbSaturday!!

Hey guys! Here's todays Ab Crusher.

20 side plank ups each side
20 25% bodyweight untucked foot weighted sit ups
10 hanging leg raises
100 Jumping Jacks

5 rounds for time.

My score:
25:27

Watch me huff and puff in the video immediately post-workout :).



ROCK!

Work it out Wednesday

Hey everybody!

Woke up this morning stoked on yesterday's victory and ready to push it for an intense workout.

My Scores:
Quantum of Sweat Workout (old scores in parentheses)
1 leg skipping L - 49/34 (39/26)
Roll Over Commando Push Up - 8/9 (7/8)
1 leg skipping R - 55/41 (39/34)
Low Rope Jack - 26/26 (23/25)
Reverse Push Up and Kick Up - 16/16 (17/16)
Low Rope Jack - 27/28 (21/25)
Reverse Push Up and Kick Up - 16/14 (15/12)

No Fear Exercise Challenge Score:
46

Then I did 8 minute abs.

Then MKBBF and I headed to J. Christopher's for some omelette action :).

I have a biochem test that gets out at 4:30 so I'll be doing one workout and cramming for that beast.

Workout of the Day:
Quantum of Sweat Workout
No Fear Exercise Challenge
Ab Annihilator

Also, I am on day 16 of being totally sugar free (of natural sweeteners no honey no maple syrup etc. - still eat all the fresh organic fruit and veggies I want) and table salt free. By that I mean I haven't added salt to food for cooking or after it's been prepared as a seasoning - for over two weeks! This may not seem like a big deal, but I'm from Texas, remember that.

I started to realize I was plateauing in my efforts to clean up my diet, and was missing two HUGE parts - natural sugar is STILL sugar, and salt which everyone knows will kill you where you stand. Then about a week into the sugar free thing I realized I was cracking out on raisins because they were filling that sweet void. So I cut them out too. No big deal, I just stopped buying them. Now I'm on day 8 of being dried fruit free as well. Pretty awesome.

I'm not sure I can say I have tons more energy like I could when I cut out the grains and dairy, but maybe my body hasn't acclimated yet. Either way, I'm not MORE tired, and I'm doing myself a great service in the long run, so I'm going to stick with it.

Also, I've noticed I'm much more able to taste the natural and subtle nuances of food when I'm not blanketing it with salt. Real Food. All by itself. Tastes GOOD! Who knew?!

ROCK!

*******UPDATE*******

My biochem test screamed for mercy. I destroyed it anyway.

:D

Tired Thursday

Hey everyone! For whatever reason I'm absolutely wiped out today. Yesterdays double header did a number on my muscles and there isn't a single thing on me that isn't sore. I'm gonna take a short nap, do my first workout of the day, and then get my Biochem II exam grade at 3 o'clock.

Workout 1: Hot Mess Workout

Workout 2: Ab Annihilator + Jumping Intervals - same Ab Annihilator as before - click on the label at the bottom for the post which has all the videos of the exercises. This is just a list - a refresher if you will :).

Remember: all exercises except the planks are MAX REPS FOR TIME. That means you should really be pouring on. It's only 50 seconds between rests. You can do it!

2 min plank
50 second side plank ups right side up
50 second side v crunch left side up
2 min plank
50 second side plank ups left side up
50 second side v crunch right side up
2 min plank
50 second v ups
50 second push throughs

Set your timer for 2 intervals one 10 seconds one 20 seconds and 20 rounds. You'll do 20 seconds of high knees for five rounds, then switch to jumping jacks for five rounds, then back to high knees for five , then back to jacks for the last five. Write down your reps :).

ROCK!

*******UPDATE*******

Zuzie, are you KIDDING me. Hot Mess was indeed just that. There was nothing hot about me once I finished except my core temperature. This workout really took it out of me. I used my 25 lb barbell with 2.5 lbs on each side for a total of 30 lbs. Doesn't sound like a whole lot but after about 15 military press and back lunges as fast as I could, the old upper back and delts started to take a real beating.

The totals for each exercise were:
100 Get Ups
160 30 lb Military Press (strict - not a push press) and Backward Lunge
120 30 lb Front Squat
30 Burpees
80 1 Straight Leg Crunches

My time: 37:17.

So proud of myself for finishing. The way the workout was arranged in kind of a pyramid was very mentally challenging. Had I calculated the totals before I did the workout, I may have had an even rougher time. This workout was just brutal all the way around. A total body hammer down.

*******UPDATE 2*******
My scores for Workout 2: Ab Annihilator + Jumping Intervals
Previous bests are in parentheses.

Part 1:
2 min plank: complete no break
Side Plank Up - (left side up) - 32 (32)
Side V Crunch - (right side up) - 29 (23) !
2 min plank: complete no break
Side Plank Up - (right side up) - 28 (30)
Side V Crunch - (left side up) - 31 (24) !
2 min plank: complete no break (had to push up on to extended arms for a bit though - my right shoulder was a bit burny from the military presses from Workout 1)
V Ups - 27 (29)
Push Throughs - 54 (51)

Part 2:
High Knees 73/59/57/58/57
Jumping Jacks 27/29/27/27/28
High Knees 70/67/65/62/63
Jumping Jacks 29/28/28/28/29

Total High Knees: 631
Total Jumping Jacks: 280

I'm pretty encouraged by my performance in this part of the workout. I did more overall reps of the ab exercises than I ever have before. My core is getting strong very quickly, which is exciting. I found the limiting factor in the side plank ups to be the fact that my supporting arm kept burning out after around 15 reps or so. As for the jumping, I did a few more high knees than usual which was surprising since my right foot periodically decided to say Hello, so I just tried to keep it on an even tempo and stay light on my feet. Now, I'm absolutely done done done. Two grueling two a days in a row. I deserve a one workout day and an epic "quiet stretching" session. Will post tomorrow's workout in the morning, and more about this "quiet stretching" madness.

Lands End Canvas Purchases & Friday Double Header

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share a small victory with you. I found a company that makes clothes I can actually wear. HOLY shit moly! Lands End Canvas actually makes clothes that fit those of us with narrow hips and athletic shoulders!!! *Happy dance*. They also make REAL zeros which is nice because ones literally fall off of my no hipped self, as do faux zeros. Okay, stop rolling your eyes :). Everyone I know has frustrations about buying clothing that fits their body properly. My frustration is that everything literally falls off or hangs off of my 12 year old boy frame lifelessly.

Anyway, I just discovered Lands End Canvas recently, and given that their clothes fit me "off the rack" (that is, I don't have to alter them) it was VERY exciting! The clothes are reasonably priced, and when I consider the fact I don't have to alter the stuff or pay a tailor to do the complicated stuff I get there they're downright inexpensive. I have been diligent with the BodyRocking and BodyRock style workouts since mid-November so I got really excited when I saw bathing suits were on sale. It was a treat for my past efforts and an inspiration to keep going and shut that lazy Brutus up :). I came away with three bathing suits. I got this top in Black, Deep Sea, and Turquoise. Then I got this bottom in Black and Turquoise, and this one in Deep Sea. Original total: $192.00 plus tax and shipping ~$200.00. What I paid: ~$46.00. Then they had this extra 40% off sale which started the next day. Ahhh Murphy's Law. But over 75% off is nothing to sneeze at, so I'm happy.

Oh, and once I found out about the super sale I got these boots too :P. I ordered them at the Lands End store in Sears on Roswell Rd. so I didn't have to pay shipping and it was during the extra 40% off sale so they were ~$25.00 with tax. Down from $98.00 plus $8.00 shipping. SWEET!

~$61.00 is more than I ever spend on myself since I am a penny pincher all the way to the bank. Ask anyone. Seriously. It's kind of ridiculous. BUT I figured - my bikini from last summer just doesn't look right anymore. I don't fill out the top AT all, and the bottom is black and white so I can still wear it with my new top. Did I mention it was from Victoria's Secret and was $90.00? So I figured by finding a bathing suit that fit (a rarity) and buying 3 at over 75% off I've just saved myself the horror of spending money on bathing suits for a few years :). Oh, and the boots? Well, I had been gawking at them when they were full price, but I decided to save the hundred bucks and wait until the 10" Maine Hunting Shoe Bean Boot is available again on March 10 and pick those up instead. I'm big into functional clothing, and who doesn't love the classic Bean Boot. I mean, really. But when I saw the heels were on sale for $25.00 and I don't HAVE a pair of closed toe heels of any kind, I decided they were too good to pass up. Oh, and since I paid my tuition on my LLBean Visa (which I then paid off the next day because this girl does NOT do credit card debt or paying interest), I have about $30.00 in LLBean coupons. So I got the heels, and I'll be able to pick up the Bean Boots too for roughly the same original price of either. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?? :D

Okay, business time now. Friday is a two workout day. The first is more of an exercise challenge leg burnout/cardio routine than a whole body muscle pain gasping for air trying not to barf workout.

Workout 1:
Sexy Legs Exercise Challenge

Workout 2: Ab Annihilator Version 1.5

Round 1:
20 Sasha Sit-ups (or you can do it with a sandbag - the idea is exactly the same)
2 min plank
50 sec Side V Crunch (Right side up) (side v crunch exercise is at minute 4:30 in the video in the link)
50 sec Side Plank Lift (Left side up)
Round 2: same as Round 1 but Side V Crunch with Left side up and Side Plank Lift with Right side up.
Round 3:
20 Sasha Sit-ups
50 sec V-up
50 sec Push Throughs (minute 6:00 of the video) In the push throughs your abs get no break = you are just pulsing the contraction - if it doesn't hurt relatively quickly focus on using your abs to get the pulse and not other accessory muscles.

Eh, decided to take out the push presses and continue with the Ab Annihilation. I'll be doing 100 ab rollers. If you don't have an ab roller (kind of a bizarre little piece of equipment) do 100 extra V-ups.

Time the whole thing :).

Rock!

*******UPDATE*******
Workout 1: Sexy Legs Exercise Challenge Scores:
1) Lunge L: 86
2) High Knees: 70,68,71,65,60,67,66,67,69,65
3) Lunge R: 90
4) High Knees: 74,69,66,70,67,67,69,70,68,67
5) Lunge L: 100
6) High Knees: 73,70,69,65,66,66,64,67,65,71
7) Lunge R: 96

Total Lunges: 372
Total High Knees: 2031

Awesome workout to get the day started :D.

*******UPDATE 2*******
Here are my scores for Workout 2: Ab Annihilator
2 min plank: completed
1) Side V-Crunch (Left side up) 32
1) Side Plank Up (Right side up) 23
2 min plank: Failed after 55 sec took 10 second break and another 55 sec plank.
2) Side V-Crunch (Right side up) 30
2) Side Plank Up (Left side up) 24
2 min plank: Same as round 2.
3) V-Ups 29
3) Push Throughs 51

Total time for workout including 60 total Sasha Sit-Ups and 100 Ab Rollers:
29:03.

Chilly, grey Wednesday :D

Ahhh, my second favorite kind of day. If it can't be rainy, at least I can still bundle up and I don't have to squint :).

I love cool/cold weather, because the closer acceptable clothing comes to wearing a literal blanket outside the condo, the better.

Today's first workout is a bodyweight only workout which is awesome, because it means there's no reason not to try it! Grand Theft Booty + Counter Strike Workout Mash-up. It's 20 minutes long :).

I ate breakfast not too long ago - and since I usually push to the point of mild nausea, I'm going to wait a while to do this. I'll post my scores afterward.

My evening exercise challenge is:

AB ANNIHILATOR

1) 2 min plank, 50 seconds side plank ups (left side up), 50 seconds side v crunch (laying on right side to continue to target left obliques) *the tutorial for the side v crunch is at 10:40 of the video posted in that link*
2) 2 min plank, 50 seconds side plank ups (right side up), 50 seconds side v crunch (laying on left side)
3) 2 min plank, 50 seconds V ups (don't touch your feet to the ground in between reps if you want a super challenge :) ), 50 seconds swimmers (start at 0:50 - end 0:55)

*2 mins of plank is the goal here - if you need to rest in the middle and put your knees down that's fine - just push for as long as you can between rests and take as short of rests as possible during the 2 minutes.*
Remember to push super hard and maximize your reps in every interval - it's only 12 minutes - you can do anything for that long, right??

Right!

Okay, so pick one or do both or whatever version of either you want to try - then get jiggy with your jump roping or jump dancing for 20 minutes :).

Rock!
Mac

*******UPDATE*******
Snowboarder: 16,16,13
Pistol to Side Kick L: 5,5,4
Pistol to Side Kick R: 5,5,4

Pushup Lunge Combo: 25 in 8 minutes

Shelf Butt Exercise: 21,21,21
Half Pistol to One Leg Pike Press L: 3,3,3
Half Pistol to One Leg Pike Press R: 3,3,3

And I opted out of the jump roping in favor of jumping around to Incubus for 20 minutes making sure my arms were always moving and I was catching light under my feet every jump :).

*******UPDATE 2*******
Okay, this is big. I call the second workout my Ab Annihilator and it is one of my (least) favorites - but I've tried to do it once a week since I made it up. Tonight was the first time I have ever completed ALL THREE PLANKS with no breaks AT ALL! OH MAN! So exciting :D

Here were my reps for the other exercises:
Side Plank Up L: 23
Side V Crunch L: 26
Side Plank Up R: 23
Side V Crunch R: 27
Bicycles: 108 *Game time decision to do bicycles instead of V-ups to keep the intense pace and burn going - didn't think I could do enough V-ups with proper form to maintain the intensity* *The tutorial for bicycles is at minute 8:44 of the video in the link*
Swimmers: 101