Home Gym

I have been working on building my home gym little by little over the winter. Eventually I hope to be able to save money on my gym membership by just putting it on hold during the summer. When I get a treadmill to get me though the winters, I hope to cancel it completely.

A must for my work outs from home are a set of free weights. I asked for 5lb, 8lb, and 10lb weights. The 5lb ones I use more for balance exercises like star poses or side planks. The 8lb ones I use for bicep curls and over head presses. The 10lb weights I like for chest presses and days I am feeling really strong.

I also got a 8lb Danskin toning ball. It is filled with sand and is squishy, so it is easy to grip. The ball also works really well for balance exercises or things like leg lifts, since it is easier to hold in place than a free weight and smaller than a medicine ball. I also use it in place of my medicine ball on occasion for ab work outs.

My favorite piece of equipment is the Bosu. I bought the pro version because they home version has mixed reviews on the quality. I figured it is worth the extra 50 dollars. The Bosu adds the extra challenge I need while lifting. It also helps work my core at the same time since I am forced to balance. It makes me engage my abs so I make sure to protect my back. I use it most for legs, but it can be used for a ton of exercises.

I also have two medicine balls, a 10lb for H and a 6lb one for me. I like medicine balls if I am working out with H or for ab exercises. They are great for bouncing too, but I have yet to work out at home on a surface that really lends to that type of pounding.

H also has two 30lb dumbbells. I do not touch those. Someday I might add a extra heavy kettlebell to my set of weights, but it isn't a priority right now. I have enough to get me by. Kettlebells are pretty expensive, but great for a core work out. They really work different muscles than a regular weight would. I still have my gym membership, so if I really want to use one I'll go there.

Horray for home work outs!



My home gym



Music to Run to - creating run playlist

This is something really cool a friend sent to me. It is a website where you plug in either your goal pace or your beats per minute heart rate and it suggests songs for you to add to your playlists. It also has different playlists people can upload, like you can on iTunes. At least these ones are limited to running for the most part. Check it out jog.fm. Thanks Talia for the tip!

Vacation Run Hawaii

This past week I was in Maui, Hawaii for my little sister's wedding. I think it is physically impossible for me to go for a whole week without a work out, so I usually plan to get a couple runs in. Usually we do some hiking in Hawaii, but with H's injury that wasn't going to happen this time.

I ended up getting two three mile runs in. My body really had a tough time adjusting to the 80 degree weather from the 40 degree Seattle weather. We stayed just off the Ocean, so I chose to run along South Kihei Road. It is a flat road that goes for miles and runs along the Ocean and our condo. My favorite of the two runs was when I decided to run towards Wailea vs. North Kihei. There was more shade in the other direction and I just felt safer.



Above is the details of my run. My pace was really slow. The heat really was a problem for me, so I just took it easy. A slow run is better than no run. Getting out also helped me explore the area we were staying, so I knew some restaurants and cafes we might was to try out during our trip. I tried to look for ones with lines or a lot of people were eating at to see what might be good. It is a good vacation tip if you are staying in a town. By getting out it also helped me enjoy the view. Not too shabby. I get to go to the big island in two months. I cannot wait.

Kamaole Beach I, Kihei, Maui Hawaii

Gimpy Athlete

For those of you who don't already know. My H has an injury. We will start from the beginning. This all began a little over two weeks ago.

H plays on an outdoor soccer league on Monday nights. It was the last few minutes of the game and he felt a pop in the back of his right leg. Right then he knew he probably tor his Achilles tendon. He was just running down the field, no one around him at all. It just went pop.

This led to an 11pm trip to the emergency room to get his leg looked at. I would say it is the easiest ER trip we will every have. We were in and out of the hospital in just over an hour. The doctor told us he probably did tear it and to follow up with an Orthopedist. They wrapped him up and sent both of us on our way.

When we got to the Orthopedist four days later (who happened to look like a cross between McDreamy and McSteamy, sigh), he told us H would need an MRI to figure out where exactly the tear is and how bad it was. Depending on the location and the damage done H may or may not need surgery.

ANOTHER week later after H's MRI we were back to see the sexy Orthopedist. It turned out H's tear was actually higher up in his leg in the ligaments leading to his Achilles, closer to his calf. Since the tear is buried in muscle, surgery is not an option and it needs to heal on its own. Plus there are different studies done on the benefits of doing surgery or letting it heal on its own. End result - H does not need surgery! He'll be in a boot and crutches for the next eight weeks while it heals with visits to the Orthopedist to check how it is healing up.

I was pretty bummed when H got hurt. We would go running together on occasion and I feel like I've lost one of the things we could do together as a couple. Hopefully he'll be walking soon enough and we can get outside together when the weather gets nice. Maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to run again by this fall. I am just thankful he is okay and does not have to have surgery. Three cheers for that.

Music to Run to

Lady Gaga               Born This Way
Mumford & Sons    Little Lion Man
Young the Giant      My Body
Foster the People   Pumped Up Kicks
Rihanna                 S&M
Britney Spears      Hold it Against Me

Rihanna S&M is my absolute favorite new song. I have not been able to stop singing it in my head all week end. Young the Giant My Body is a really great long run song. I recommend it for Marathon playing lists. Oh and yes, I think Lada Gaga's new song sounds like Madonna's Express Yourself.

I'll try to do another post for you guys early next week. Start singing "SSSSMMM,, SSSSMMM, SSSSMMMM".