Date with Jake

Great workout today! Started off with my Jake.. love that thing! 15min with intervals  and then switched Maddy for another 15 on the bike... (I dont like sharing him, but I will always share with my Derby wife Merciless Maddy ;) )

It got us sweating so we hit back and chest.. pull ups, pull downs, flys, seated row, bent over rows, bench press, and Divebomb pushups...

Divebombs are insane and hit your shoulders and core as well.. see pictures below! Its live diving down under a fence and then he a up and reverse. . down and back up is one rep..

It has been working out that Maddy and I do chest and back on tuesdays.. but we always change up the exercises to keep ot interesting,  keep our bodies guessing,  and also becasue she has a stronger chest and I have a stronger back... so we push eachother with our weights and reps.

A good (& buff!) friend gave me some workouts to try so we will jump into those tomorrow and I will let you know how we make out.  Thanks Jeff! Looking forward to switching things up again.

Push and Pull

The dreaded combo ↑↓ ←→ push ups and pull ups.

These two exercises are fantastic for super setting to really hit the back and chest and no matter how much I change my workout, these two are always included!!

First and foremost ~ they are frickin hard!! Starting pull ups and push ups is not always that rewarding..especially when you can only complete single digit reps :/ ..  but you often see awesome gains becasue even doing one more can sometimes double your previous! :)

There are machines, bands, partners, modifications and changes to form to help you get a higher amount of reps (these are called assisted pullups, or assisted pushups) But ALWAYS try to do the original tried and true version first before changing it up.

For example. . Get as many full out pushups (even if it is just 1!!) Before opening your legs to do a GI Jane push up, then do as many as you can be for you go to your knees etc etc.  Or try to do a regular pull up before going to the pull up machine that takes some weight off.

Starting back to the gym I was doing one set of 3pull ups. I am now doing 3 sets of 5/6 depending on when I fit them into the chest/back workout...if its at the end im pushing for 3 sets of 4. There is a point as well >> do them first! If you wait until you have done your rows, cable flys, lateral raises, pull downs etc etc and then hit the pull up bar. .you may be dissatisfied with your results.

Don't be intimidated, don't be shy, hit those exercises to see awesome results in muscle tone and strength.

Xo
Kara

TRX.... yowza's!!!

Started today's chest and back with a little TRX work. My local gym just installed two and so Maddy and I were eager to incorporate them into the workout.  INSANE love! :)

3sets if each press, row, flys and reverse flys and aligators

holy shaking arms! Then Mercy (Maddy :) ) did dome knee crunches and I did crunches without TRX... just cant bring my knee in yet :/.

Then upping the intensity factor we superset the same muscle group until exhaustion....

-Pull ups / full range pull downs
-Incline weighted bar press/flat bench dumbell press
-bosu ball.push ups / standing rows

I can barely hold the oh on to blog at the moment as weights were upped too.. love pushing myself!

Sauna, shower, and food prep today as the weekend was busy and didnt get it done..

Below is an amazing TRX workout website with a lot of videos and info. It can be set up in your house, doesnt take a lot of room, and is a killer workout. Check it out!

Stay healthy friends!
♥ KARA

https://m.trxtraining.com/blog/trx-40-40-challenge-workout

***also did a treadmill session.. 20min incorporating some incline and side steps.. dont forget to warm up and get your heart pumping!!!

Workout - chest & hammies

I like to get the job done quickly and efficiently.  I like to keep my heart rate up and I work on two (or 3x) muscle groups at a time.

I begin my workouts by warming up....ALWAYS!!!! It is so important tonmake sure your muscles are warm and flexible before you start straining them .. cold muscles + workout = injury

I do my cardio which is very often a form of interval training or HIIT. ... because I get super board, and because it is super challenging. I am definitely NOT a marathon runner.

Cardio :

Elliptical (easy on the knees) 5ish min warm up level 2  .im trying to breAk a sweat here.

Then intervals..for 12 min I do 45seconds, level 5and keep my strides at at least 9 then 15seconds level 1

Then followed that with 12 min of 30seconds  keeping stride at 9+ then 15seconds all out hard as I can then 15seconds maintaining a 7+stride which brings my heart rate back down.

I then cool down level 1 5min. 

By the end of this cardio session I am dying..exactly what I want to be doing.

I then do an overall body stretch.

Chest exercises:

Flat bench press
Incline bench press
Flys
Push up

Hamstring exercises:

Dead lift
Seated leg curls
Cable/pulley dead lift

***if you are unsure of any of the exercises, definitely search them first..there are proper ways of do I them to get the best results and without injury.

Always use a slow steady motion...NO jerking the weights around and becasue we are not bulking up, high reps at better. So always aim for 15 reps..and 3x sets. Weight should be heavy enough that you are struggling on your last 3x reps..and dying on your last set :) . If you get to 12reps and cant do another. Take a 5ish second break and complete your last three..dont give up, always finish... these reps you struggle through will give you MOST benefit ~ mentally and physically!

Alternate hamstrings then chest with no break in between. This is called a super set and I typically always do this as it saves time and keeps the heart rate pumping!

Here is my example:

Dead lift with free weights (hamstrings) 25lb weights
Alternate back and forth with
Flat Bench Press on smith machine 15lbs per side.

I always keep my journal to know if I need to go up or down in weight for next time and to see my progress.

Next time I do dead lifts  I will use 30lb dumbbells.

When I completed the exercises I did some crunches/sit ups and push ups.

The humble push up is incredibly good for chest, back, shoulders and core. It is an exercise that can be done anywhere....I have been known to do pushups, squats, crunchies, lunges, and leg lifts during layover in the airport.

If you cant do a full push up with straight back and tight core, then try a GI Jane where you split your legs. It will give you more leverage and balance. Thrn go to you knees.  Always start with a full, do as many as possible (even if that is 1!) And drop to Jane's and then to knees..over time, as your strength grows, you will notice an increase in the full ones!!!

Check out the picks to help you!

Rock this day my friends!
Xo
Kara