Tuesday, June 28, 2011

How to Get Back to a Normal Routine after Traveling

Back to the Grind...

I just got back from a business trip to Arizona for 4 days, (not a vacation by ANY means) which lasted over the weekend and was expected to get back to work bright eyed and bushy-tailed Monday morning.  Going from the east coast to adjust to west coast time and then back to east coast time within a few days is physically and mentally tough.  I have been taking my vitamins and drinking a lot of Airborne to help my immune system through that hectic time, but I am definitely still adjusting back.  I didn’t have any extra time for exercise (barely enough time to shower!) and was surrounded by unhealthy snacks EVERYWHERE; as much as I tried to avoid crappy food, it’s nearly impossible to avoid everything that came my way. 

"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it"- Mae West

We then had movers come to the office to take all our old furniture and replace it with newer stuff on Monday, which that alone can be stressful to some people but on top of getting back from a long business trip? Downright exhausting. 


I have found the best way to re-adjust to your normal routine is to get to it as fast as possible.  I did a Total Body Conditioning class at a gym by my office with some motivation by my co-worker, and am so grateful because it really helped me wake up out of that traveling daze and start to feel like myself again.  I like this class and the instructor Marshall, he’s tough but motivating, and I always know I’m in for a good workout with him! 


He loves doing a million different types of squats and lunges, like lunging one leg back and then bringing it in front to hip height with a bent knee; or squatting with one leg behind and bringing the knee up before switching legs.  He also made me test my limits at the end with these one handed, backwards pushups.  You start on your stomach, one arm behind your back, legs spread apart.  Then you first extend your arm to raise your upper body and then lift up your core and legs.  It looks (and sounds) impossible, but once he called me out and made me do it, it was do-able (but still challenging!). 




I wanted to add an Abs Class workout that I did the Wednesday before I left for Arizona.  The instructor knows his stuff, he’s REALLY tough but my abs feel super solid the next few days afterwards I can’t complain.


use a 10 lbs or 5 lbs plate (more or less depending how difficult/easy this is for you!)


standing up, bring the right foot up to balance on your left leg.  Hold the plate in your hands, and extend your arms straight, at chest height.  do trunk rotations towards your right, keeping your upper body as solid and as still as possible, they should be just going along for the ride.  Your core is the primary mover in this exercise.  bring the plate back in front and then repeat to the right for 2 mins. 

before switching sides, stay balancing on your left leg. keeping your arms extended over head with the plate in your hands, simutaneously extend your leg straight behind you while lower your upper body into balancing stick.  raise your back up to standing, balancing on one leg while the other is bent in front.  Repeat for 2 mins.

switch legs.

then lay down on your back on the mat, extend your arms straight in front, crunches
extend your arms at a 45 degree angel, still towards the celing, crunches
extend arms at a 45 degree angel, sit ups

still on your back, stretch arms out forming a T.  bring legs up and bent, keeping the knees together, lower from side to side. try not the let the knees touch the ground and make sure your core is doing the work.

bring arms by your side, stick your legs straight up. lower up and down
slowly lower down
stay down at 6 inches, small swimming movement.
restart by lowering into 6 inches, criss cross legs 



*note: He doesn't tell us a certain number of crunches to do, we do each exercise for a minute or two, depending on the intensity of the exercise.



To really reach your fitness goals, the key is to be consistent!


 Today I went to my usual lunch-time Pilates Class with TR, who is awesome and I plan to go on a run tonight with the boyfriend for our 1/2 Marathon Training.  He suggested 8 miles, which I haven't done in almost a year so we shall see how far we actually get!

A quote to end on:

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
 

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Weekend Workouts June 17-19th

Since I just figured out how to add photos, I'm gonna take pics of the exercises I described to help show exactly what I mean, because even just reading it now- it can be confusing! It's on the "to-do" list.


Friday's workout, I went to a vinyasa style yoga during lunch at the gym near my office.  I love this class and the instructor, it's such a nice mental break during the day.  This class moves pretty fast, we do a lot of sun salutations and chances to flow (I'm not sure what "flow" exactly means, but it usually involves Downward Dog, to plank, chaturanga, cobra, back to downward dog).  In the beginning of class we usually are warming up, so our instructor asks us to do all parts of the "flow", but by the end of class if I'm tired/stiff/need an extra stretch, I'll hang out in downward dog or child's pose. 


I wanted to run a little bit on Friday because I signed up for the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in Philly this September with my boyfriend and friends.  This is my first half, I was training for one last year but something came up the weekend of it so it fizzled out- but now I'm back and registered so there's no turning back. 


Luckily I got to run 5 miles on Saturday during the hottest hours of the day and got a nice tank top tan from it.  Unfortunately my right calf was super tight, I wanted to run a little more but I'll just have to make it up this week. I also got a nice little workout for my right bicep playing basketball on one of those electric hoop basketball game at a bar I was at Saturday night.  I had a hot hand that night so guys kept challenging me to play (and I kept winning, no big deal), but after the 7th game my arm was tired!  Always nice to use those years of basketball skills in daily life.


Today's Fathers' Day, everyone wish your dad Happy Fathers' Day and get him some new golf balls.


My wonderful father :)
 


Casey Aiken
Attorney at Moses & Aiken, LLC
Host of political talk show in Montgomery County,MD's  




Throwback Aiken Pic

Graduation Day from high school. It was raining so we started a new tradition there of the dads walking all the girls out. They still do it to this day. Yah Holy Child, go Tigers!





Happy Fathers' Day!!

Friday, June 17, 2011

June 16th, 2011 Workout

I have a 9-5 job, but I often get called to sub for group exercise classes.  This is the workout for Thursday, a Total Body Conditioning Class:

Warm up:
Step ups on bench: Right foot leads, 2 mins, add bicep curls for a min;  Left foot leads, 2 mins, add shoulder presses for a min
Jumping jacks- 1 min
Standing stretches
Step ups on bench: Right foot leads with bicep curls- 1 min; Left foot leads with shoulder presses- 1 min


Circuit 1 (2x- 1st for 1 min, 2nd for 30 secs and twice as fast):
Fast feet on bench- lead with right for 1 min, switch lead with left foot for 1 min
Jumping jacks- 1 min
*Note: Put mat on bench
Feet to ceiling on bench (arms by side, keep feet over hips, small movements, works lower abs)
Chest presses with body bar (needs to be HEAVY) on bench
Pullovers with plates (medium weight, keep lower back pressed to the mat) on bench
Side lunges, squat behind *note: didn’t actually do this, we did outside lunge, squat, other leg outside lunge, but next time I want to do the side lunges with squat behind.
Body bar rows (needs to be HEAVY) *note: I added a dead lift to row, because I saw a girl doing it one time and wanted to see how it would work in a group exercise setting.  Wouldn’t recommend it because it’s awkward going from straight leg dead lift, to bent knees and hinged-over row.


Circuit 2 (2x- 1st for 1 min, 2nd for 30 secs twice as fast):
Jumping jacks- 1 min
“H” shoulder exercise with plates *note: we actually did Arnold presses, because I couldn’t remember how to do the H exercise at the time, (it was a long day).
  • The H exercise is a chest fly, and then when the arms are back in the H position, rotating the shoulder forward, bringing the plates to face the floor, but still remaining at shoulder height. Then rotate plates back up and repeat chest fly.
  • The Arnold press is a chest fly, and then shoulder press (my go-to shoulder exercise).
Stationary lunges, front leg on bench (first right, then left) with dumbbells.
5 pushups, 3 seconds down, 1 second up. 10 second rest in child’s pose.
Mountain Climbers, 30 seconds, then 10 second shoulder stretch- Thread the Needle.

5 second Plank, 5 second side plank, downward dog, 5 second plank, 5 second alternating side plank, downward dog (3xs/side).
*note: 2nd circuit just did right side plank for 20 seconds, then left side plank for 30 seconds on elbows, some people's arms/wrists were tired and were causing them to give up.
Rest in child’s pose for 10 seconds.
Fast feet 30 secs on bench, right foot leads, then switch to left foot leading.
Ab work:
V crunch/Oblique twist with plate- 1 min.
Oblique crunches, elbow crunch and then arm extend to opposite side, do 15-20, then switch directions.


Added some glute work before we finished:


hip eraser- on all fours in a table top position, extend the right leg out to the side, tap the ground twice with your foot, then bring the leg back in, bending the knee.  repeat 10xs and then switch legs.


butt burner (I just made that name up...)- still on all fours in a table top position, extend the right leg straight to the side, create a semi-circle by swinging (but controlled movement!) the leg over the stationary leg (left leg in this case).  Tap the right foot on the ground once and swing back out to the side, tap the ground once.  Repeat 10xs and switch sides.


Donkey Kicks- 15x/leg

Finish: stretches, of course :)

First Post

This is my first post because after years of friends, family, co-workers, and clients asking me for fitness advice I decided I needed to start logging some of it (especially because I scribble routines on small post it notes). 


For your viewing pleasure (I was gonna post the music video but this is too funny):