<p>Strength & core today. I have found that if I do these at the gym, I will do them all and do them properly. And no Mr Kitty to mess me up. I also did 20 min on the no-arm-elliptical and 10 minutes walk on treadmill. My knees feel great, no little twinges at all. I am ready to test out wearing heels again (this would be a big deal for me lol)</p>
<p>Tough weekend for no exercise. Spent Saturday traveling to cabin to get boat and get it winterized. Long trip back home and poof…day was gone! Sunday was crazy with wedding dress shopping with out of state D1 and poof…day was gone! My knee is sore from no exercise and wearing raised heel shoes! Boo! Had more things that I don’t normally eat and now once again weight climbs over the weekend…grrr! Haven’t made it to gym yet today as had to be here for landscapers at 7:00. Hopefully will get there soon! Did some light weights here at home while I am waiting. </p>
<p>Congrats idad! You are amazing and truly inspirational!</p>
<p>MOWC…Yay! You did it…no running!</p>
<p>Good Luck chintzy on your new workout for 10k!</p>
<p>Decided to use my prize money for personal trainer. Will get that scheduled after my 5k at the end of the month. Getting nervous but my family said they would do it with me…they run but I walk. No time limits since there will be a lot of beginner fitness people participating.</p>
<p>Today was a Forest Gump day. Ran 8.5 miles - no reason not to run longer but I do have to get some work done. I got a lot of rest in over the weekend and maybe that helped a lot.</p>
<p>I decided to wear a cotton t-shirt today because it was a bit cooler.</p>
<p>Don’t wear cotton on long runs without some protection.</p>
<p>I got nipple burn. I haven’t had that for over ten years. I used to carry a bottle of Vaseline and smear some on before a run. Today, the tech shirts deal with the friction by keep the wet surface away (mostly) from the skin.</p>
<p>Thanks, teriwtt! I will print out and try to follow your descriptions, which seem pretty clear to me. They sound like a variation of the “rotator ten” exercises which are given to pitchers and other athletes, I think.</p>
<p>I also need to add some new core strengthening exercises – am sick to death of mine! Anyone want to share a favorite move? </p>
<p>Here’s my favorite,(or least hated anyway):
Lay on your back, hands by your sides with palms face down. 1)In one move, inhale and lift both legs up and over your head, keeping them straight if possible, until your butt is pointing straight up and your toes are touching the ground above your head. 2) Then exhale and swing your legs back but not all the way to the ground, and simultaneously, lift your torso up so you are making a V shape (boat pose) with your torso and your legs. 3)Inhale, lower halfway down. 4)Exhale and lower all the way down. Repeat. </p>
<p>When I was in shape, I could do about 8 of these. Now I can barely get my butt in the air. I have this inglorious sensation of trying to fling a sack of potatoes up.</p>
<p>I went to Pilates class tonight (mat class- not reformer). I did pretty well and there were only a couple of things I had to modify due to my injury. It was challenging and good for my core and balance. Really worked the hip flexors, too. We’ll see how sore I am tomorrow.</p>
<p>Ok, so my knees are not ready for heels. Maybe the trainer is right, it’s not the running, it’s the heels. What the H E double hockey sticks am I going to do with all those things in my closet?</p>
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<p>That exercise sounds like a lower back killer. Everything I’ve been reading suggests that it’s best to avoid exercises (like situp/crunches) that flex the body at the waist. There’s a myth that these sorts of exercises can spot remove belly fat, but there’s no such thing as spot removing fat. I think the safer way to do that kind of exercise would be to lie on the floor on your back, legs and arms straight and outstretched. Lift the legs and arms/shoulders just slightly off the floor (an inch) and hold it.</p>
<p>I think the two best core exercises in the world are the plank and the side plank/side bridge. Done consistently, three days a week for six months, I can’t imagine any other two exercises could have a more dramatic impact. For example, it’s almost impossible to do proper pushups if you can’t do plank. Even in every day life, core stability/strength changes the whole way you move. For example, being strong and stable in the core even helps prevent getting that sore/tired feeling from standing at the sink washing dishes. Makes carrying a bag of groceries from car easier. And, so forth.</p>
<p>Didn’t make it to the gym yesterday until 7 last night. Did 40 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes on the treadmill. Really bothered my knee but felt somewhat better this morning so I got back to my regular routine and hit the gym around 8:30. Weight is back to pre-weekend weigh in…thank heavens! Knee is still bothersome.The combination of no exercise and small heels is a killer for me. It is a beautiful fall day here so I think I will add in a walk around the neighborhood. Hope everyone has a great day! :)</p>
<p>I took advantage of the holiday morning and drove the length of the New Hampshire seacoast. I spied a couple of great spots with paved sidewalks for walking, but finding a place to park is a challenge. I then went to Odiente Point State Park – on the ocean near Portsmouth and did a 5k+ hike. Gorgeous ocean views, although a lot of my walking was on narrow overgrown trails in the woods (state park trail maps are horrible).</p>
<p>Spectacular weather. About 45 degrees when I left about 7 am. By the time I was hiking, it was probably in the mid 50s. Bright and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. Leaves are just starting to change around here.</p>
<p>Leaves aren’t quite as nice as they usually are. It may be due to a lack of rain this summer. There’s an oak tree outside my window that has a few yellow leaves and a few brown leaves but most are still green. On the other side of the building, the trees have more color but there aren’t the bright colors that we get most years. They are still pretty to look at though.</p>
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<p>For those who aren’t familiar with northeastern geography, that’s a whopping 18 miles!</p>
<p>^^^haha! Thanks VeryHappy! The leaves around here have been spectacular! We are past peak but they are still beautiful. Temps in the 70’s so just wonderful to be outside.</p>
<p>Yeah, but it’s a good 18 miles!</p>
<p>Heck, come to think of it, MOWC would probably run the entire length of the New Hampshire seacoast!</p>
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<p>You’re right – if your lower back is not in good shape, this exercise should be avoided. But it’s also a myth that bending at the waist is bad for your back – if you do it with good form, and in combination with other movements, especially those that involving hip openers, it’s one of the best things for your lower back. But I’m not talking about crunches.</p>
<p>In addition to plank and side plank, another good core (and arm) strengthener is to sit cross legged with your knees up, place your palms at your sides on the floor and lift your entire body off the floor. You use your abdomen to draw your hips up. I like exercises that don’t require equipment!</p>
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<p>I sure could have- as recently as this past March, which was my last 18 mile run. I can honestly say I don’t miss the real long training runs, but I DO miss all the stuff I could eat when I was training like that. At this point, I would settle for being able to sit at my desk without the lumbar/wedge cushion set up!</p>
<p>The one I’m lovin’ right now is push-up position dumbbell rows. You start in a pushup position, with each hand on a hex dumbbell. Then, holding the push up position, you do a “row” with one arm – lifting the dumbbell up to your shoulder and then back down to the floor. Then, repeat lifting the other dumbbell with the other arm – alternating back and forth.</p>
<p>It is such a cool exercise because it require core strength and stability to hold the push up position and keep the body still while lifting the dumbbells.</p>
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<p>The problem is that most people, attempting to touch the floor with their toes over their head, are going to round their lower backs.</p>
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<p>No way. I’m afraid I’ll have to leave that one to Mary Lou Retton. I can kind of get my butt off the ground, but my legs and feet stay earthbound. I’m just happy to be able to sit with my legs crossed!</p>
<p>Taking another step to health and wellness…made appts for yearly exam, mamogram and back to the knee surgeon. The swelling and knee pain is driving me crazy and I soooooo want to wear heels for the wedding! Whew! Now just need to make my dentist appt! ;)</p>
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<p>I sure could have- as recently as this past March, which was my last 18 mile run. I can honestly say I don’t miss the real long training runs, but I DO miss all the stuff I could eat when I was training like that. At this point, I would settle for being able to sit at my desk without the lumbar/wedge cushion set up!</p>
<p>No cardio today. I think that I’m going to amp up on the weights and cut back one day on running. I just don’t have the will, rest and energy to do both on the same day and I’m only maintaining strength doing weights once a week. So I spent 30 minutes on the weights today, bumping up five or ten pounds on various machines.</p>
<p>One of my favorite machines is the assisted dip/pullup machine. This is a huge (tall) machine where you stand on a platform and you are supported by weight plates. That is the weights push you up. So if you weigh 200 pounds and you set it for 100 pounds, you will only get 100 pounds of resistance doing pullups or dips. So I set it last time for my best (lowest weight setting) and found it to be easy to do dips. It was easier because I am lighter now.</p>
<p>Wide pullups are a great exercise too. A lot of building muscles otherwise seldom used. Unfortunately I can’t do them as wide pullups aggravate tennis elbow rather harshly. Someday when my arm is better.</p>
<p>Day off for me. I’ve exercised nine days in a row and that’s pretty much my limit. I know I’m toast when I’m still feeling Spartacus after two days. Time to recharge.</p>
<p>I did stop by and take a look at the new Planet Fitness that just opened around the corner. No frills. Bunch of cardio machines, bunch of weight machines. Dumbbell free weight area. Barbells, supported on some kind of sliding contraption. A “core/abs” area with all kinds of twisty machines. And a circuit area, like Curves, with machines and cardio stations, timed by a series of lights. No juice bar. No pool. No track. $10 a month, no commitment.</p>