ab-racadabra....

most frequently asked question...

what can i do to tone my abs? i get that question almost every day. 

1.you have to lift, push, pull & squat heavy weights.

2.take a close look at your diet. nutrition is important!
it doesn’t matter how toned your abdominal muscles are if

you have a layer of fat over them.

3. make sure you are not neglecting cardio.

cardio doesn't have to be just running on the treadmill! there's lots of options.

yesterday this is how i balanced my cardio/weightlifting

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 deadlifts

between each round i did 30 double unders.

(if you don't have your double under the substitution would be 90 single jumps)

i had a hard time finding my rhythm yesterday which is evident by the whip marks all over the back of my left leg:) some days i have it and some days it's just not there. but i stuck with it and 270 du's later.....

i used a moderate weight (115lbs.) for the deadlifts.

my marathon is this weekend, so i haven't been trying to go too heavy with the weights. that's my idea of tapering:)

                                                                           getdiamondcut

"How do you get those killer abs?

A: (Jackie Warner)

I actually do not do crunches. This is one of my buzz phrases, Crunches are a waste of time.

Crunches are not going to get those abs. How you get those abs are actually lifting with a big muscle group such as chest, back, legs and butt. The more muscle that you have on your frame, the more fat you literally lose or shrink.

The only way to truly get shredded is to have a pretty balanced diet with a nice balance of cardio, but most importantly, weight lifting."

50 miles....

saturday was a big day for a few boys (and scout leaders) in my neighborhood. my 13 year old son was one of the boys. all summer they have been working towards the boy scout biking merit badge. saturday was the culmination of all their hard work.

a 50 mile ride.

7:00am and it's still dark (and freezing)

if you remember last week we had rain/snow/freezing temps.

these boys were committed!

off they went in to the dark....

we volunteered with another family to meet them at the halfway point with food!

they were hungry (and cold)....

aren't scouts always hungry?

back on their bikes for the ride home.

i am so proud of these boys!

what an accomplishment.

if only we could teach all kids the importance of being physically active.
this is the beginning of a life long habit for some of these boys:)

i made protein balls to take along.

we had these in our van on red rock relay

(which i haven't posted pictures of yet. i am way behind on that post!)
and they were amazing!

thought i'd share the recipe with you:)

i don't know where the credit belongs for the recipe,

i received it emailed down through a chain of people.

PROTEIN BALLS
1 Cup Protein Powder-vanilla

1 Cup Chunky Peanut Butter

3/4 Cup Honey
1 Cup Oatmeal

1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds-raw/unsalted

1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds

*optional: 6oz mini chocolate chips, or 6oz dates, or 6oz raisins

directions:

mix all ingredients together. roll into small balls. keep refrigerated to keep balls formed. a great protein boost. we kept them in a cooler on red rock, they get soft pretty fast in warm temperatures.
*of the optional ingredients i only used the mini chocolate chips.

the wrecking bell....

i have a challenge for you.

i'd never ask you to try something i haven't done....

and

a lot of my clients, neighbors and friends at the gym

have already given it a try.

your turn....

no, i will not challenge you to push ups with a kettlebell in your teeth.

that is just a little weird.....

                                                                              paulm.com

the challenge is simple — 200 swings every day in 10 minutes or less; rain or shine, easy or hard. no matter what you’ve got going on that day,

you do your 200 swings. you are going to do it for 30 days!

the swings can be performed 2hand or single alternating, your preference. as long as they’re done every day, in 10 minutes or less. *important*– if you are unable to complete a full 200 swings in under 10 minutes in the beginning, this doesn’t necessarily disqualify you. if you legitimately did your best, and fell short, it gives you a goal for tomorrow. don’t give up!

thanks to 'the wrecking bell'

how long?
30 days
what weight to use?

female 25#

male 35#

this 200 swing challenge is in addition to any workout you may have planned for the day.

as i have stated before, i am not in the medical profession. if you have any questions before beginning a challenge like this consult your doctor.

faster, stronger....

it's been a couple weeks since my last post, life has a way of taking over.....

i will get caught up this week with a few things i have been wanting to blog about.

crossfit's main site wod was my workout yesterday, give it a try! i couldn't keep my L pull-ups strict so i did them using the assisted dip/pull up machine backwards.

"joshie"

complete three rounds for time of:

40# db snatch, 21 reps, right arm

21 L pull-ups

40# db snatch, 21 reps, left arm

21 L pull-ups

these are squat not power snatches.

i am surprised i'm not sore today!