OK, so here is the exercise that is for the hamstrings that I promise works better than any machine you have ever tried!
What you need: exercise ball, and yourself!
Lie flat on the floor on your back, placing the ball under the heels of your feet.
Lift your butt off the ground keeping your body in line. DON'T LET YOUR BACK DROP!!
Holding your butt up off the ground, keeping your stomach and glutes tight, pull your heels towards you. The ball should roll under your heels. Your heels are digging into the ball. Then extend your legs back out rolling the ball away from you. Do this 10-12 times.
Alternate: Do same as above, except on each forward roll, drop the butt down to the ground in a controlled motion. Make sure you keep your abs flexed and glutes tight. (Not keeping all those core muscles tight can risk back injury!)
If you have not tried this movement...now is the time to start!! You will not be disappointed with the results!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Off and ON the Wagon!
OK, wow--didn't realize how much time passed since I last blogged on here! Crazy, that time is! Anyway--there have been some very low days..such as about 3 days ago when I ate an entire HUGE Hershey bar. yeah, I didn't intend to, but piece by piece i chiseled that thing away! And then it was gone. YIKES!! On a good note I have given up my ice cream for the most part. I have not bought new ice cream in a LONG time! I did go out for ice cream with a friend over the weekend, but that is not as terrible as chowing down a half gallon a week! (yes, that is how much ice cream I WAS eating!!) I have also given up my pretzels! These are another snack i would munch on so much through out the day, I would not even notice that I had inhaled about a pound of pretzels ever other day! I am grateful that summer fruit season is upon us! Watermelon works well to aid in the thirst relief department, and grapes are great for snacks. Not to mention I don't sit long enough to get munchy nearly as often!
My workouts: Going well when I can get to the Y. We had a hiccup a few weeks ago where my son had bitten so many kids we had to take a break from the gym. Then I was able to go back and got about a week in, and now I have sick kids..again. My 5K is on Saturday-so up til now when i have been at the gym, I am taking my running pretty seriously. I have been able to do not quite 3 miles in 30 minutes. My joints are KILLING me, and I have an injury on my foot. My knee is hurting bad on the opposing leg. Yes, I am in great shape to run a race! I have been concentrating on Performance on the treadmill at a steady pace and am able to run the whole 30 minutes. Outside, the air slows me down a bit. I wonder how I will do on Saturday!? While on break from the gym, I did take advantage of the outdoor track at my son's elementary school. It is a quarter mile track. I would run based on time not so much how far I could go. Watching children and running for purpose are 2 activities that do not mesh well.
I am feeling some improvements on my body, which is a definite positive!! My jeans are not tight when I pull them straight from the dryer! :) And I have been able to increase my push ups! (When I began this journey I sadly could only do about 5 proper push ups. Now i can confidently do 20!) I feel much stronger! I am lifting weights alot. I LOVE that!! The ball has also been a great tool! There is an exercise I love doing (well I hate doing it because it BURNS bad, but I love it too!) for hamstrings! Check the next post for instructions!
Mentally, the gym is the best stress reliever for me! I cannot explain how that hour I have away from my kids while I work out is so.....hmmm, I don't even know the right word. Its not just being away from the kids, because that in itself does not give me the same satisfaction. And its not just the work out because that by itself doesn't do it either...it is definitely the combination of the both of them.
So I am on the wagon again.... and I am sure I will fall off again. (We are going on vacation soon!) But I will get back up again, and begin again....and again...and again!
I hope you are getting up and moving around in a purposeful way to increase your heart rate, feel stronger or just do something that is JUST FOR YOU! at least 1x a day! (BTW: If you don't have 30 minutes to spare, surly you can find 10 minutes 3x a day!)
Eat Well, Drink Well, Sleep Well~
My workouts: Going well when I can get to the Y. We had a hiccup a few weeks ago where my son had bitten so many kids we had to take a break from the gym. Then I was able to go back and got about a week in, and now I have sick kids..again. My 5K is on Saturday-so up til now when i have been at the gym, I am taking my running pretty seriously. I have been able to do not quite 3 miles in 30 minutes. My joints are KILLING me, and I have an injury on my foot. My knee is hurting bad on the opposing leg. Yes, I am in great shape to run a race! I have been concentrating on Performance on the treadmill at a steady pace and am able to run the whole 30 minutes. Outside, the air slows me down a bit. I wonder how I will do on Saturday!? While on break from the gym, I did take advantage of the outdoor track at my son's elementary school. It is a quarter mile track. I would run based on time not so much how far I could go. Watching children and running for purpose are 2 activities that do not mesh well.
I am feeling some improvements on my body, which is a definite positive!! My jeans are not tight when I pull them straight from the dryer! :) And I have been able to increase my push ups! (When I began this journey I sadly could only do about 5 proper push ups. Now i can confidently do 20!) I feel much stronger! I am lifting weights alot. I LOVE that!! The ball has also been a great tool! There is an exercise I love doing (well I hate doing it because it BURNS bad, but I love it too!) for hamstrings! Check the next post for instructions!
Mentally, the gym is the best stress reliever for me! I cannot explain how that hour I have away from my kids while I work out is so.....hmmm, I don't even know the right word. Its not just being away from the kids, because that in itself does not give me the same satisfaction. And its not just the work out because that by itself doesn't do it either...it is definitely the combination of the both of them.
So I am on the wagon again.... and I am sure I will fall off again. (We are going on vacation soon!) But I will get back up again, and begin again....and again...and again!
I hope you are getting up and moving around in a purposeful way to increase your heart rate, feel stronger or just do something that is JUST FOR YOU! at least 1x a day! (BTW: If you don't have 30 minutes to spare, surly you can find 10 minutes 3x a day!)
Eat Well, Drink Well, Sleep Well~
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