Great Routes for Running/Cycling - 26 miles in Arvada
Ralston Creek Trail in Arvada starts at Gold Strike Park, at West 58th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard. Heading northwest, the trail passes near Olde Town Arvada, and continues west through residential neighborhoods stretching out to Arvada Reservoir close to Colorado 93. Trail is paved and great for running and bikes.
Posted by Kalina at 3:47 PM Links to this post
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Lower Body Work Out
Helps build lower body strength. It is important when doing all weight lifting to keep your core engaged. This helps you keep the weights balanced and gives you the full benefit of the exercise. The pace of all these exercises should be done at a count of 3. Anything faster than a count of 3 means you are using momentum rather than muscle.
All weight work is done starting with lightest weight, moving up to heaviest weight and then coming back down:
For example:
1. Lightest weight (10 lbs) - 12 reps
2. Medium weight (15 lbs) - 10 reps
3. Heaviest weight (20 lbs) - 8 reps
4. Medium weight (15 lbs)- 10 reps
5. Lightest weight (10 lbs)- 12 reps
Equipment needed bar bell, weights, step or step stool, and stability ball.
Weights
Leg press - use a step that is just below knee height. Hold loaded bar bell behind neck with your lightest weight at 12 reps, medium weight 10 reps and heaviest weight at 8 reps. Put one foot on the step and step up driving your body up through the weight, when coming back down be sure foot is at least 12 inches from the step and your foot touches the floor for only a second
Lunge - keep the body vertical and knees at 90 degree angle. Standard weight pattern(12, 10, 8, 10, 12) with bar bell behind neck
Squats - legs shoulder width apart. Do this exercise with a chair behind you. As you go to the bottom of the squat let your butt just brush the chair. This helps to assure you are doing the full expression of the exercise. Standard weight pattern(12, 10, 8, 10, 12) with bar bell behind neck
Plie squat- with toes pointed out, plie down to a squat, knees should not go past your toes. Standard weight pattern(12, 10, 8, 10, 12) with bar bell behind neck
Dead row lifts - Hold bar bell in front of body, bend over at waist with back and legs straight until bar bell is just below knees, keeping bar close to the legs - great for hamstrings and lower back. Standard weight pattern(12, 10, 8, 10, 12)
Calf raises - heels off the back of the step with just your toes on the step and then press up getting to the top of your toes in order to reach peak contraction. Pattern is as follows: 16 singles, 12 at a count of up 2 down 2, then 8 singles.
Floor work - need stability ball
Lay on the ground, put the heel of one foot onto the ball and bring the ball close to your butt. Point the other leg up in the air with heel pressed up. Motion is to push straight leg up by digging the heel of foot on ball into ball. Pattern is as follows: 16 single reps, 4 reps of 7 count pulses at the top of the exercise, then 8 single reps.
Still on the ground put the heels of both feet on the top of the ball, and roll the ball in using the heel of your feet. 8 reps of singles, 8 reps of slow pulling the ball in on a count of 2, 8 single reps again ( do 2 sets)
Same exercise but point the toes out to work on the abductor. 8 reps of singles, 8 reps of slow pulling the ball in on a count of 2, 8 single reps again ( do 2 sets)
Place ball in between your legs and lift up into the air above your hips
Squeeze the ball with your knees doing 8 single reps, 8 squeeze and freeze holding for a count of 3, 8 single reps (do 2 sets)
Slide forward on ball (shoulders upper back on ball) put feet on ground but on your heels only. Drive stomach up for 8 single reps, 8 reps up and freeze for count of 3, 8 single reps (do 2 sets)
Put right knee on ground and right side of body on the ball with arm draping across ball. Point toe of left foot and lift left leg up - 8 single reps, 4 reps of pulses (small movement keeping the leg at the top of the movement for 7 pulses and then dropping to the ground for 1 count), up and freeze for count of 3 for 8 reps (do 2 sets)
Stretch
Lay down on back, feet flat on floor a few inches away from your butt. Breath in pushing your diapham up, then breath out pushing your diaphram into the ground and contracting your stomach in, then slowly drive your stomach up, slowly come back down touching one vertebrae time until flat again, repeat three times. On the last set before coming back down squeeze your shoulders together and clasp your hands under your body hold for a breath and then slowly come back down one vertebrae at a time.
Still laying on back, bring the heels of your feet together letting your knees fall out to the ground, breath slowly in and out.
Bring your knees together and keeping left foot on the ground lifting the right leg up, knee straight, place hands behind the knee to bring the leg in for the stretch. Hold for a breath and then pull the leg in more, lifting your head, breath, then drop your head to the ground and straighten the left leg. Switch legs and do the other side.
Take right leg, bend and lay over the left side of your body arms out like an airplane and look to the right. Hold for a breath in and out and then switch sides.
Lay your right ankle of your left knee, reach in between your legs and pull in to stretch, hold for a breath in and out and then switch sides.
Lay your arms and legs flat out on the ground letting your body sink into the ground. Completely relax, think about letting your muscles sliding off your body. Do this for as long as you need. (I say think about melting into a pool of chocolate near the coast of Maui with no little voices, and lovely men everywhere -Katie's shavasna practice)
Posted by Katie at 3:43 PM Links to this post
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Great Routes for Running/Cycling - 20 Miles in South Denver
Start your run at the Goodson Rec Center, trail starts behind the center. You'll Run 10 miles out and back for a total 20 miles. The 10 mile marker is just past Colorado Blvd (west) and south of Hampden Ave. There is a port a potty about 5 miles into the run.
Google Map
Posted by Kalina at 7:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2008
Toughen Up - Try Plyometric Exercises
Plyometrics is a type of training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, generally for the purpose of improving performance in a specific sport. Plyometric movements use the strength, elasticity and innervation of muscle and surrounding tissues to help you do everything better: jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder. The great thing about plyometrics is that kids love to do them with you and you can do them anywhere. Below are just a few to try.
1. Squat Jumps
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back straight in a neutral position. Arms should be in the “ready" position with elbows flexed at approximately 90°. Lower body where thighs are parallel to ground and immediately explode upwards vertically and drive arms up. Do not hold a squat position before jumping up – keep the time between dipping down and jumping up to a minimum. Land on both feet. Rest for 1-2 seconds and repeat.
2. Split Squat Jumps
Stand with feet hip width apart. Take left leg and step back approximately 2 feet standing on the ball of back foot. Feet should be positioned at a staggered stance with head and back erect and straight in a neutral position. Lower body by bending at right hip and knee until thigh is parallel to floor then immediately explode vertically. Switch feet in the air so that the back foot lands forward and vice versa.
3. Single Leg Lateral Hops
Start by standing on one leg with your hands on your waist or at your sides. Proceed to hop to the side while maintaining your balance and hop back to the starting position. Repeat continuously.
4. Bounding
Jog into the start of the drill for forward momentum. After a few feet, forcefully push off with the left foot and bring the leg forward. At same time drive your right arm forward. Repeat with other leg and arm. This exercise is an exaggerated running motion focusing on foot push-off and air time.
Posted by Kalina at 11:19 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008
Downtime Exercises
We’re all exhausted by the end of the day and can’t wait to get those kiddos to bed so we can crash. Finding the energy to actually exercise is the last thing we want at that moment. However, there are exercises you can do while in the process of putting people to bed, or getting dinner to help you firm up. They’re not cardio based, so you don’t have to get all sweaty and tired, it’s just being mindful of building strength and doing it when it occurs to you.
While cooking dinner or packing lunches,
do calf raises. 15 on each leg, nice and slow,
repeat the set .
While folding laundry, do leg lifts. Sitting on your bottom, legs straight out in front, keep one leg on the ground and lift the other 10 times. Slow and smooth, do both legs with toes flexed, then do another set with toes pointed.
Lunges! Lunges are great for our buns and inner thighs. The first type of lunge is moving forward. Right foot is out front directly under the bent knee, left foot is behind. Slowly drop down so the knee of the left leg behind you touches the ground. Stand upright and bring left foot even with right foot. Then left foot steps forward, not too far, foot is directly under knee, right leg stretched out behind, drop down so knee of the right leg touches ground. Rise up and bring right foot even with other. Repeat this for 2 minutes. Do it around the house, get your kids to join in. When they watch us exercise, they want to imitate us, so what a great thing to do with them. Turn it into a game of tag, see if you can catch them while lunging, it won’t be destructive because they can’t run, they have to lunge.
Sideways lunges-facing forward, with legs apart, squat down as far as you can, hands on thighs or hips, stand up and take a step sideways. Be sure to go both directions, do this across the kitchen and back or down the hallway while kids are brushing teeth.
Crunches-I love doing sit-ups and push-ups when the kids are finally asleep and I sit down to watch a little boob tube. The key to crunches is to hold your stomach in tight, you don’t need to sit all the way up, this can be hard on the back, just hold your stomach in and raise a few inches off the ground. Start with however many you can do 10-20; each time you add more, add in increments of 10. Do a set in the middle, then one set to the right and one to the left. Go at your own pace, and add more whenever you can.
Push-ups are great to build core strength, and with a strong core you can do anything! If you are new to push-ups, start on your knees with a straight back, lower yourself down to the ground and try to touch your nose to the ground. You may only be able to do 2 the first time. Then add 5 the next night. Keep building and before you know it, you’ll be whipping out 50 push-ups and your kids will want to be as strong as you. If you feel pretty strong, graduate to doing straight legs without knees on the ground. Feet should be about hip distance apart and keep your back straight.
Tricep curls- stand in front of a chair with your hands on the front edge, your butt should be in front of the chair seat. Legs are out in front of you, feet are flat on the ground with knees bent about 45 degrees. Slowly bend elbows so you drop down in front of chair, then slowly push yourself back up.
All of these exercises are great to do around the house whenever you have a minute or two. Again, we are often tired at the end of the day, but getting into the mindset that we want to be healthy adults and have a happy, healthy family will inspire us to move forward in this adventure. Take it on, be strong, firm and fit! Just 15 minutes of these 3-4 times a week will help you feel good about yourself and look great!
Posted by Katie at 10:13 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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Workouts With Friends
Sometimes it’s hard to hold ourselves accountable, especially in the winter when we don’t really feel like going outside to run, or driving through the snow to get to the gym…what better way for a friend to support you than to say “come on, let’s do it together!” We came up with a plan this winter that worked so well for all of us, kids included. We met in my basement and set up a circuit for our workout. The kids joined us for part of the workout, then when they lost interest, they played with toys and each other. It’s sort of like an exercise playdate. I have one treadmill and we set up stations with a yoga ball, arm band, and a mat. We spent 10 minutes at each station doing sit-ups, leg lifts and planks on the mat, balancing on the ball (stomach down, back leg extension raises), and different strengthening exercises for the arms. It was a great way for both Kalina and I to get in a workout with just one set of exercise accessories, to chat with each other, and to allow our kids to socialize while watching us get fit. We alternated houses and invited other friends to join us. You don’t need fancy equipment or weight machines to set up circuits like this. If you have stairs, one station can be calf raises, a baby can be a weight to hold while doing lunges, a playground ball can be something you roll around your body while sitting with legs stretched out front of you. Get creative, see if your kids can come up with exercises for you!
Posted by Katie at 10:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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