Stretchin' It Out

The last couple weeks I've given you reason why you want to lift heavy weights, a weight workout and a cardio workout.  That leaves stretching for this week.

What are the benefits of being flexible?  And no, I'm not talking about being able to do the splits.

Or fold yourself in half to sleep.

I'm talking about being flexible enough for your joints to move through their entire range of movement without causing pain or discomfort.  Or being flexible enough to decrease your risk of injury.

How do you do that?

There's a couple different ways to improve your flexibility.  First is a dynamic warm up before you workout followed by easy stretching after your workout.  The other way is to take a yoga or pilates class.  I'm going to show you a dynamic warm-up and some after exercise stretches.  

A dynamic warm-up coordinates all of your moving parts—muscles, ligaments, and joints—by challenging your flexibility, mobility, strength and stability all at once.

You'll want to perform each exercise for 15-30 yrds.  

High Knee Walk

As you step forward, grasp just below the knee on the opposite legs and pull the knee towards the chest. Extend the stepping leg, and rise on the toes. Keep the chest high, don’t lean back.

 High Knee Run

Start by running in place, keeping the knees high. Slowly progress forward. Focus on landing on the ball of the foot.  Do not lean back or round the shoulders. Pump the arms.

 Butt Kicks

Quickly flex the knee bringing the heel of the foot towards the buttocks. Pump the arms in sync with the legs.

Straight-leg Walk

March with straight legs, and reach for toes with the opposite hand. Keep the chest high, don’t lean back. Do not kick the leg up, actively raise it until you feel tension in the hamstrings.

Backward Run

Literally run backwards. Take large steps, reaching as far as possible with the lead leg. Lean forward at the hips, keep the eyes looking forward.

Backward and forward lunge walks

Take one giant step forward; drop down into the lunge position, and then using the forward leg rise out of the lunge position and step forward with the opposite leg.  For the backward lunge, do the same except you are walking backwards.

Jumping Jack

Stand upright with the hands by your side. Jump and raise your arms up from your side overhead and land with feet wider than shoulder width apart. Jump and return to the start position. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

 Ski Jack

Stand upright with the hands by your side. Jump and move arms and legs in a cross-country ski motion. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

Once your warm- up is complete, you are ready for your workout.  

When you're finished with your workout, you'll want to do so static stretching.  These include hamstring stretches, quad stretches, tricep stretches...  The most important thing to remember when doing static stretches is DO NOT BOUNCE!  You want to hold each stretch at the point that you feel the stretch without injuring yourself for about 15-30 seconds.  Move slowly through each stretch, stopping when it hurts.

There you have it.  An easy stretching routine for before and after your workout =)

Run Away!

Some days I really do want to run away.  But I know I can't =)

Today I'm going to give you an easy cardio workout that you can do at your own pace.  If you're not a runner, walking is fine.  Just make sure you're pushing the pace where it says to run (or even try running!).  If you're a runner, walk the warm up and then pick up the pace- really push yourself- where it says to run.

easy 10 minute warm- up

(run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes) x 4

easy 10 minute warm down

Ok, so what does that mean?  I want you to walk easy for about 10 minutes.  At the end of that 10 minutes, I want you to run (walk fast) for a minute followed by 2 minutes of walking.  Repeat that 4 times.  And then walk easy for 10 minutes.  Follow this whole workout with some easy stretching.

You can repeat this workout 3 times this week.  Just make sure you leave a day of rest in between each workout day.  Your day or rest could be an easy 30 minute walk, biking, swimming...  As long as you are taking it easy.

Why Weights?

Last week I debunked some of the myths about women and lifting weights.  This week, I want to tell you why it's important to lift weights and then give you an easy weight workout that you can do in the comfort of your own home.

Building muscle has implications on the quality of your life- for your entire life!

The most obvious benefit is an increase in muscle size and strength.  The stronger you are, the easier it is to do things.  

You can change how your body looks!  If you take the same weight of fat and muscle, muscle will take up less space.  

Your body burns more calories in the hours after a hard weight workout than you do a cardio workout.  Even thought the calorie burn during the workout, your body continues to burn calories as it repairs muscle damage.

Weightlifting can help increase your flexibility.  As you take the weights through your full range of motion, your muscles respond like they do during a dynamic warm- up.

Lifting weights increases bone density.  This is especially important as you age- when most people start to lose bone density.

Weight training can help reduce your risk of injury by making your bones, joints and muscles stronger.

With a properly designed (and executed) program, weight training can improve your posture and balance.

Weight training improves strength, body composition, flexibility, bone density... Feeling better and looking better can lead to improved self- confidence.  

And now for your workout =)

Warm- up for about 10 minutes before your start.  Jog in place, arm swings, leg swings...  Some sort of dynamic warm- up.

Then you're going to do 3 sets of the following.

50 walking lunges (25 each leg)

10- 30 burpees (fewer if starting out, more if you've been working out for awhile)

1-2 minute plank

25 squats (add weight if needed)

10- 30 unmodified push- ups (on your toes!  no girly push- ups allowed!)

After 3 sets, cool down.  Easy walking and stretching.

Mythbusters: Mom 4ce Style

There's a lot of myths out there about women and weights.  You've probably heard a lot of them.  And a few of them have probably kept you out of the weight room.  But you know what?  Most of them are untrue.  And I'm here to bust a few of them.

The biggest myth is "If I lift heavy, I'm going to get all big and bulky."

Source

This is the biggest lie.  The truth is, unless you have abnormal amounts of testosterone, take steroids and work out for ungodly amounts of time, this will not happen to you.  Even for guys, it can be difficult to put on this much muscle mass.

Why is this a myth?  Because women do not have as much of the correct type of muscle to build strength and size.  There are two types of muscle tissue.  Type I which is responsible for endurance type movements and Type II which is responsible for strength and power.

In your average woman, she will have about 45% Type I muscle fibers and men will have about 35%.  What that means is that the man will have two thirds type II fibers and the woman will have just over half.  The man will have more potential to build size and strength as compared to the woman.

Which leads me to the second myth.  "Women should lift light weights with high reps."

This myth originated because women have more type I muscle fibers...  You know, the ones responsible for endurance type movements.  Most trainers figured if women have more type I, then they should use programs that *develop* those muscles.

But the problem with this is that you're not building muscle by lifting *Barbie* weights for lots and lots of reps.  All you're doing is building your endurance.

Let's think about it this way.  As a runner, I can run for miles and miles because I work on my endurance- by running miles and miles.  But, if I want to run those miles faster, I have to work on my speed- which means doing work outs that develop those type II muscle fibers.  The benefit is then I can run those miles and miles faster.

Same goes for lifting weights.  If you want to get stronger, you have to lift heavier weights.  Which means decreasing the number of reps you're doing.

All this talk about endurance leads me to needing to clear up a few definitions.  These words are used to sell thousands of fluff fitness magazines.  The words that need to be redefined (or at least have the right definition used) are tone, shape and sculpt.

Tone is what your muscles are like when you're not doing anything.  Sweet Pea has really low muscle tone.  When you hold her, she feels soft and floppy.  A baby with normal muscle tone seems solid.  The purpose of muscle tone is to keep you primed and ready for action.  Muscle tone also creates heat and keeps your muscles healthy.

The myth that women's fitness magazines are selling you is that you can change your muscle tone by using light (*Barbie*) weights and high reps.  But the truth is, you can't change your muscle tone.

Shaping  your muscles seems to imply that you can target specific muscles and give them a different shape.  But, the truth is, your muscle shape is determined by your genetics.  The only thing you can do by working your muscles is make them bigger or smaller.

And that leaves the term sculpting.  How many of you want to sculpt the perfect body?  Many of us have been lured into thinking that by doing certain workouts we can sculpt a lean, long dancer's body.

Really?  You can make yourself taller, longer?  The truth is that unless you already have that dancer's build (or runner, or swimmer or whatever type build you can think of) you cannot sculpt your body into it.  You can only work with the build you've been given.

Instead of falling for the routines that the fluff fitness magazines are selling, focus on what your goals are and find a program that works for you.  My favorite weight lifting program can be found in The New Rules of Lifting for Women.  The workouts are challenging, but the results are amazing (or so I've been told ;) )

So, there you have it.  Some of the most popular women and weights myths busted.  Now, get out there and start lifting heavy to look like a goddess!

Fit Tips

Starting a fitness program can be overwhelming.  Everyone has an opinion of what you need to do, need to eat, need not to eat...  It can be tough to figure out what's best for you.  

To make it easier for you, we've scoured the latest research and taken the top essentials you need to get fit.  Are you ready?

1.  Find a workout partner that is committed and won't let you slack off

2.  Sign up for a race or competition and let everyone know.  They'll help keep you accountable!

3.  Set 3-5 goals each morning that you can accomplish each day.  Make them reasonable and smaller steps towards your bigger goals.

4.  Commit to 30 minutes of intense exercise at least 4 times a week.  Make it an appointment with yourself.

5.  Add weight training to your weekly work outs

6.  Make a food journal.  Be honest about what you're eating.

7.  Drink plain unsweetened teas- green, black, oolong, white, rooibos...

8.  Make sure you're getting enough sleep every night- aim for 7.5 hours.

9.  Eat foods that are spicy.  The spice helps boost your metabolism.

10.  Never go to the grocery store hungry.

11.  Include your kids in your fitness activities as much as possible.

12.  Try a new activity.

13.  Teach someone else what you're learning.

14.  Connect with Mom 4ce every day for support and motivation =)

15.  Spend as much time outside with your kids as possible.

16.  Write down 10 reason why you deserve to be fit and healthy

17.  Focus on berries for fruit.  Frozen they make a wonderful addition to your water.

18.  Stop complaining or making excuses.  Take responsibility for your own actions and create change.

19.  Write a 1 year goal that seems so impossible that you think you'll never reach it and then challenge yourself to do it.

20.  Create a new habit by doing it everyday for 21-28 days.

We hope these tips help get you started or challenge you to continue with your healthy lifestyle changes!

The Art of Patience

A friend recently posted an article about what running harder won't help you get faster (Running Harder Won't Help You Get Faster) and it got me thinking.

Having run competitively through high school and college, I was trained hard for 3-4 months to *peak* for the big races at the end of our season (track and/ or cross country).  And most of the time I ended up with some nagging injury that kept me from optimal performance at that race.

Would I have been in better shape at the end of the season if my coaches had taken a more moderate approach?  Or if my coaches had trained me to my ability and not to the ability of the top runner?

An excerpt from the August 2013 issue of Running Times from Ryan Hall

As I've gotten older, I've realized that I cannot train at high intensities anymore.  But that doesn't mean I can't improve my race times.

Please include attribution to RunnersConnect with this graphic.

High intensity workouts usually lead to an injury which then sets back your training.  If the cycle is continually repeated, you'll end up behind the person who trained at a moderate intensity.

What does this mean for you?  It means that by slowing down and taking a more moderate approach to your training (and your weight loss!) you will end up further ahead than if you had gone all out from the start.

As I start the journey to an ultra marathon, I've taken a different approach.  I'm slowing down my runs and I'm adding in more strength training.  I'll still hit some longer runs, but I'll make sure I'm running those on fatigued legs.  I'll be running 3 days in a row with increasing milage each day so that the last run more closely resembles the last miles of the ultra.

My strength training will focus one more functional moves: push- ups, pull- ups, squats, lunges.  I'll mix up my routines so that I'm not following the same weight workout each week.

And I'll make sure that I'm taking my rest days seriously.

HIIT Me Baby

one more time...

Now that you have that song stuck in your head ;)

Have any of you ever done a HIIT workout? 

What's HIIT you ask?  It is High Intensity Interval Training.  

A HIIT session often consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by three to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise for recovery, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise, but may be as little as three repetitions with just 20 seconds of intense exercise.

So now that you know what it is, here's one that you can do at home without any equipment (or you could add weights if you're really hardcore like Kelli).

Sprint (or move as fast as you can) 100 meters

10 push- ups

Sprint (or move as fast as you can) 100 meters

10 lunges (5 each side)

Sprint (or move as fast as you can) 100 meters

10 pull- ups (or overhead lat pulls)

Sprint (or move as fast as you can) 100 meters

10 burpees

Sprint (or move as fast as you can) 100 meters

10 squats

Sprint (or move as fast as you can) 100 meters

30 crunches

It's a quick workout that gets your heart rate up and hits all the major muscle groups.

Every once in awhile I can get my kids to join me for a HIIT.  They don't always run the full distance, but they try their hardest to keep up on everything else.

This is Junior and me after the HIIT I listed above.  Some day I might get a serious picture out of him =)

Let us know when you try this workout and what you thought of it!

Mom 4ce Challenge

A lot of you have seen us posting about our weekly workout groups.  And you're bummed because you live on the other side of the country and can't join us, right?  Well, now you can!

Kelli and I are pleased to announce the launch of the Mom 4ce Challenge group!

Join us for support and motivation to reach your goals to get healthy and to get your family on the right track! 

Here's how it'll work.  

Starting July 1st, we will be creating a private group.  Members of this group will receive meal plans (with a grocery list!) and workouts for the duration of the challenge.  They will also get lots of support and motivation from us and from the other members of the group.

Random prizes will be given out during the challenge as well =)

The challenge will run 4 months (July- October) and costs $100 ($25/ month).

So how do you get in on this?  Easy.  Email us at mom4ce@gmail.com!

Workout on the Cheap Part 2

Last week I went over a bunch of body weight exercises that you could do to get you started.  This week I want to talk about how to get workout equipment for cheap.

First place to look is Craigslist.  There are plenty of people who bought exercise equipment and then ended up using it as a place to hang clothes.

You could also buy PVC pipe from a hardware store cap it off and put sand in it.  Add more sand as you get stronger.  I know Home Depot will even cut it for free!

Don't be afraid to ask around.  Friends, family, and co-workers may have some gear that is taking up space in their garage; some might even give it to you for free!

Last, do a dvd swap.  Are you tired of your workout dvd's?  Find a friend and switch dvd's back and forth.

You don't need a lot of gear to get in shape.  Just use what you have and add to it slowly.



 

Workout On the Cheap

You've decided to start working out, good for you!  But you're on a budget and can't afford a gym membership (or don't have one near you)?  Not a problem.  Here are some easy, low cost workout options.

Your cheapest (free) options are going to be body weight exercises.  Yup, that includes push- ups =)  There are plenty of modifications that you can do that will work with whatever fitness level you are at right now.

Upper Body Moves

Push- up: Place your hands and feet just wider than shoulder width apart with your hands in line with your shoulders.  Look just ahead, not down and tighten your butt and abs.  Bend your elbows and lower down as much as possible.  Pause at the bottom and then straighten the arms back to the starting position.

Modifications include using a wall to push against (incline), dropping to your knees, using a stair (decline) or varying how far or close together your hands are .

Tricep Dips: You will need a chair or bench for these exercises.  Place you hands on the chair with your fingers pointing towards you.  Straighten your legs out in front.  Keeping your elbows in line with your shoulders, lower yourself towards the ground.  Pause and then press back up to the starting position.

Modifications include keeping your knees bent, raising one leg or placing both legs on another chair.

Lower Body Moves

Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.  Stick your butt back like you're closing the car door with your butt.  Slowly lower towards an imaginary chair.  Stop when your legs are parallel to the floor.  Stand back up tightening you butt and pressing down through the floor.  Remember to keep your knees above your ankles and not out forward over your toes.

Modifications include varying the width of you feet, holding one leg in front (one leg squat) and turning your toes in and out.  If needed in the beginning, you can use a chair for balance- place it next to you and place one hand on it.

Lunges: Take a big step forward with one foot.  Bring your back knee down close to the ground as you bend your front knee.  Remember to keep the knee over the ankle and not forward over the toes.  Straighten back up.  Repeat all your reps on one leg before switching.

Modifications include walking lunges.

Calf Raises:  Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.  Raise your heels off the ground, lifting up onto your toes.  For balance you can place your hand on a chair.

Modifications include standing on a step and dropping your heels down below the step and then raising back up.

Core Exercises

Plank:  Assume the push- up position with your knees off the ground.  Tighten your core and your butt and hold as long as you can.  If it's more comfortable, you can place your forearms on the ground.  Make sure you keep your body in a straight line.  Do not let your hips get too high or too low.

Modifications include holding one leg off the ground or coming up on one arm with your feet stacked on top of each other (side plank).

Boat: Sit on the ground (or a yoga mat) and rock your weight back so you are balanced on your sit bones.  Bend your knees and lift your hands and feet off the ground.  Keeping your back straight and the chest lifted, straighten your legs.  Continue to life your legs as high as you can for as long as you can.

Modifications include adding a side twist (bringing both arms to one side and then the other) or lowering your upper and lower body down towards the ground- but still holding them off the ground.

Reverse Knee to Nose: Come onto all fours with straight arms and legs (plank position).  Lift one foot off the ground, bend the knee and bring it towards your nose.  Pause and then return leg to the starting position.  Without touching the toe to the ground, bring your knee back up for another rep.  When you've completed the reps on one side, switch legs.

Modifications include bringing your knee across your body to the opposite arm/ hand or bringing your knee to the outside of your arm (same side or opposite side).

Bicycle Crunches: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet lifted off the ground.  Place your hands behind your head with elbows out to the side (cradle your head in your hands).  Keep one leg bent as you bring the opposite elbow to the knee.  Pedal your legs as you alternate knee to elbow.

Easy, Peasy Cardio Options

Easiest cardio you can do at home for free is walking.  Lace up a pair of shoes, put the kids in a stroller or let them ride their bikes and head out the door.  You'll get more benefits and better results if you push the pace (that's why the kiddos should be in a stroller or on a bike ;)).  If you want, you can eventually work up to running, but make sure you get fitted for the proper shoe before you do that.

Indoor options include jumping jacks, burpees and, if you have stairs in your house, climbing up and down the stairs.  Break out your inner child and bear crawl, crab walk or leap frog down the hall.  Break out a jump rope and start jumping.

Stretches

When stretching, it is important to remember not to bounce.  You want to hold the stretch at the point that it is uncomfortable, but not painful.

Tricep stretch:  Standing tall, lift one arm straight in the air with your palm facing back.  Bend at the elbow and gently reach for your shoulders/ upper back (behind your head).  Take your other hand and gently pull your elbow to your center line.  Hold for 5- 10 seconds.  Switch arms.

Shoulder stretch:  Gently pull your arm across your body at shoulder height.  Use your other arm to press your arm against your body.  Hold for 5-10 seconds.  Switch arms.

Hamstring stretch:  Without locking out your knees, gently fold forward at the waist.  Use your hands on your upper legs, knees, shins or floor for support.  Vary the width of your feet to vary the degree of difficulty.  Gently roll back up to a standing position.

Quad stretch: Standing on one leg, bend your other leg so that your heel touches your butt.  Keep your knees together and your leg in line with your body.  Use a chair for extra balance if needed.

Calf stretch:  Standing on the edge of a stair, gently drop your heels down.  

So, there it is.  A bunch of free workout options that you can do from home.  If you're still having problems putting a routine together, let Mom 4ce know.  We are more than happy to get you started with a routine and to cheer you on =)

Next week I'll cover some easy homemade weights and other equipment!

Our crazy, beautiful, messy lives

So, I've been trying to write a post about how to keep travel from interrupting your schedule for the last couple days.  And then it hits me.  It's not only travel that gets in the way of our workout schedules, it's life.  Our crazy, beautiful, messy lives.

Take today, for example.

This morning I was just coming back in the door when Girly came downstairs crying.  She wasn't feeling good and needed me.  Twenty minutes later, Sweet Pea was awake and demanding to be fed.  Once I got her settled with food, Squish came rolling down the stairs and wanted to snuggle on the couch.  At this point I still hadn't been able to hop in the shower, but I sat and snuggled with Girly and Squish for a few minutes.  Then Sweet Pea needed out of her chair...  And my day just went from there.  Now it's nap time and I finally have a couple minutes to sit down and think =)

Somewhere in the craziness that was this morning I still managed to get a workout in.  It wasn't long and it wasn't pretty, but it was something.  And some days that's all that really matters.

What can you do on those days that you can't seem to find any time?  Try some body weight exercises through out the day.

Fixing breakfast?  Do some squats while waiting for that coffee to brew.  Walking around picking up after the kids?  Do walking lunges!  Waiting for the kids after school?  Do wall push- ups against your car (and who cares what everyone else in the pick- up line thinks!).

On days it's nice enough and we head to the park, I make sure I pick the parks that have a path around the playground equipment.  The kids play while I walk...  In circles...  But I get a walk in.

Take 15 minutes and chase your kids around the yard.  At work all day?  Take the stairs when you can.  Walk on your lunch break.  I have a friend who walks around the parking lot everyday at lunch.

The point isn't to beat yourself up because you missed a workout.  It's to find ways to get it in despite what happens in a day.

For me, I get up before everyone else and head out the door for a run or walk.  Since I'm back before the kids are awake, I will do a short strength or stretching workout.

When we travel, I try to plan my workouts around what we'll be doing.  If we're going to visit the grandparents, I know I'll have a bit more flexibility in getting my runs in (my dad usually forces me out the door to run with him ;) ).  Or I simply plan it as a rest day/ week, because rest (when you've been working out) is just as important as working out.

Plan your workouts.

But also plan for the unexpected by having back up work outs that you can do in a short amount of time.

The Box

Last week Kelli and I had the opportunity to try out a cross fit class.

To be honest, I was really nervous about trying out this class.  The Crossfitters that I have met or seen are RIPPED, and I am not!  However, I couldn't back out because I knew that we would be writing this post.  So I set my trial class for eight thirty, sent the kids over to Lynette's and headed down the street to a Box I didn't even know existed in Midlothian.

I pulled up in front of this warehouse and watched a normal looking person in gym clothes run in, great I found it!  I strolled in and saw a group of ladies working out but nothing scary.
Visions from the Box that Bob Harper had created from The Biggest Loser had been running through my mind all week.

We quickly went through the elements, elements are the basic Crossfit moves.  Before you can go into a normal class you go through an Elements class so that you can do the WOD (Workout of the Day) with proper form so you don't hurt yourself.

  All in all, I LOVE Crossfit and definitely see myself joining the Box in the near future.

************************************************************************

I was a little bit more prepared for the workout because Kelli had filled me in on what to expect =)

I was still a bit nervous about it though.  Even though I've spent a lot of time in the weight room and was familiar with some of the basic moves, I had to *unlearn* some of them.  One of the biggest ones was the deadlift.  By making one small adjustment to my form, I opened up a whole new world of hurt lol!

After the elements class, I was put through a mini WOD.  That day I had to run 200 meters and then do 15 wall squats (throw a medicine ball against a wall and squat as you catch it) 3 times for time.  No problem, I thought =)  The first round went well.  My legs felt good.  Second round, yup, I could feel those squats while I was running.  Third round, dear God, what have I done?  The last 200 meters felt like the last 200 meters of a marathon (okay, not really, but it was close).  And the last 15 wall squats?  Burn, baby, burn!  I was completely out of breath and my heart was pounding!

After I caught my breath, slowed my heart rate and grabbed some water, I felt really good.  I had had a good workout, it didn't take that long and I was still upright.  I didn't think too much more of it until I got out of bed the next day...

Cross Fit will definitely be finding it's way into my workout routine.

The Tuesday Crew

In an effort to encourage the people in our community, Lynette and I started a Tuesday night workout.  I have been leading it and have been blown away by the turnout and the feedback. 

We have had positive feedback and it has inspired everyone to get out and get active.  

The women who are coming are making that one step to change their lives.  

We aren't doing crazy long runs, we aren't lifting huge weights, we are starting simple and growing from there.

I strive to make each workout a challenge for each person there at every fitness level.  

I don't care if you walk or run, jump or step, lift light or small, just get moving!

There is not cost for a Mom 4ce workout.  It is just a group of people getting together to push one another along  to stay active.  

My goal is that these will eventually pop up around the country (world?).  

 This is a picture of the group from our second workout.