My Favorite Workout

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Kelly

I have a new favorite upper body/core workout, and if you follow me on Instagram you may already have an idea as to what that is. First there was this photo from last weekend on The Mall downtown.

it’s more fun to be upside down

Then there was this one that I posted on Friday afternoon.

This one is much prettier

This one is much prettier

Holding a handstand really does require an epic amount of upper body and core strength, specifically in your shoulders, but every muscle in your arm will get some work during this. Without fail, whenever I mention that I can still pretty easily kick up into a handstand at the ripe old age of 27.5, the number one question I get is, “How?” I find it pretty difficult to explain, mostly because it’s something I’ve been doing since age five, but I decided to make a video for y’all with some things that will make mastering the handstand easier for you.

  1. warm-up, just with any workout regime you don’t want to go in cold. I usually run a few miles before tackling mine and then stretch out and warm up my wrists. Wrist flexibility and strength is also really important, so roll them around, flex them back and forward, better yet just watch this. 
  2. You want to work up to a minute for the hollow body hold, in my gymnastics days we called it six inches because hint your body is only supposed to be six inches off the ground.
  3. Honestly? I find the handstand facing the wall more difficult that kicking up into one facing away from the wall… something about having to walk your feet up.
  4. I look like a giant nerd in the video, but the majority of it was filmed on Sunday in my living room so I had to make do with the space I had.
  5. My ass jiggles, a lot, I’m not really happy about it.

Again, like with anything, practice makes perfect. I think the most difficult thing about doing a handstand is getting a feel for that magical center of balance. The strength and conditioning will only take you so far, it’s really about mastering the feel of balancing upside down. Also, by no means are my handstands perfect or nearly as pretty as they used to be. The walking happens because I lose my balance when trying to stay still.

If you have any questions, lay em on me, and don’t be afraid of falling. You most likely won’t, and if you do it doesn’t hurt that much :) . Plus it only takes one or two falls out of a handstand before you master the art of the forward roll fall out. Outatkes of me falling out of my handstands.

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Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Kelly

Heyo, and happy rainy Monday to you.  I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  Mine was so wonderful that I spent the whole day yesterday horizontal.  Whether it was outside in the backyard in the sunshine, or in my bed.  Mostly in my bed.

I had a summer hours day on Friday, which meant I hightailed it out of the office at noon and ran some errands.  One of those errands was to Victoria’s Secret to take advantage of their semi-annual sale.  While shopping, I noticed that not only was I one of the tallest people in there, but I was most definitely one of the oldest.  What is with the 12 and 13 year-olds shopping there? I don’t think I could even fill out a VS bra until I was at least 20.  Anyway, I bought all of the things (3 pairs of pj’s, 3 bras, 5 pairs of underwear) and then left the mall without even entering another store.  The damage was that bad.  Except then I went to the pet store and the grocery store, so I wasn’t really done spending money.  Summer hours are really bad for my credit card.

Saturday morning I was up bright and early, and headed up for a 2ish mile run before my roommate, Dani, and I headed over to Nats park to watch the Yankees play.  I’m really depressed that my first baseball game of the year wasn’t until the middle of June, but it sure was a good one to go to!

watching the crowds stream off the metro and into the stadium from our perch at The Bullpen

There’s my future husband, DJ, making a nice play at short stop

Andy’s 40th birthday wish was clearly for a win (he turned 40 on Friday)

Here’s Dani and I, sweating our asses off in the sun, and getting really sweet tan lines

Yes. that’s right, the 14th Inning Stretch

The game started at 1:05, so when we were still sitting there nearly 5 hours later watching this game we were thankfully the sun had finally moved behind the stadium putting us in some shade.  Thankfully, that 14th inning was the last inning and the Yankees pulled off the win!  Dani and I quenched the thirst we’d been battling since the middle of the 7th with some much needed post-game brews.

And then we ate Chipotle and were both in bed by 10 pm.  It was a fantastic weekend, and now I just have 3 days of work to get through before I head out to Wisconsin on Thursday for a nice long weekend.  So excited!

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June!

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Kelly

Hooray for Friday, and hooray for June?  I like the month of June, it’s always fun, and now I can officially start saying “MY BIRTHDAY IS NEXT MONTH!”  Yeah, so what if I’m turning 27.  I still get excited about my birthday, make fun of me all you want.  Oh, and I also get to see Darren this month :) .

Yesterday was a very productive day for a Thursday, I like to take advantage of my WFH days to the fullest.  In the morning I took a little 1.5 mile jog to the bank and back to deposit a plethora of checks.  I sincerely hope they enjoyed the sweat soaked deposit, as they were stuffed in my sports bra for the journey, and it was like 85 degrees yesterday.  Upon returning I made myself do some core work and push-ups and called it a work-out.

When I finally finished dripping with sweat, it was back out to run some more errands.  I hadn’t grocery shopped in a ridiculously long time, and had officially run out of food so it was beyond time to stock up.  I tried to hit up the Clarendon Trader Joe’s, but the fire alarm was going off and there were about 4 fire trucks in the street (anyone know what happened?) so I had to settle for the lame Harris Teeter.  $150 later (um oops) I’m officially set for the next two weeks most likely, with tons of delicious food.  Then I did laundry, but that’s not too exciting.

I also managed to plow through the first season of Game of Thrones in the past two days.  Every episode of that show infuriates me and makes me want to punch someone.  Mostly that damn bitch of a Queen.  I hate her.  I suspect I’ll be able to watch what’s run of season 2 so far this year by the end of the day weekend.

Switching the page of my calendar is my favorite part of a new month, and this month’s photos make me miss Chicago and Amy a lot. Oh right, and Darren.

So many fun times were had that weekend, and let’s not forget to mention my first experience with Rod! Alright, anywhoodle, what are you all looking forward to this month?  I’ve got lots of fun things scheduled and not gonna lie, am keeping my fingers crossed for a surprise or two.  Mainly one, in the form of a sparkly piece of jewelry.  Hey, it could be an early birthday present!

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So many prizes!

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Kelly

It’s my WFH day, also known as my most favorite day of the week, yes even more of a favorite than Friday.  I get to sleep a whole 1.5 hours later than normal and stay in sweatpants all day long, if I so choose.  Today however, I’m having lunch with my lovah Kacy to lessen the withdrawal symptoms so I’ll probably shower at some point.

Yesterday after work, I begrudgingly made my way over to the gym for my leg workout (barf).  10 minute warm-up on the treadmill looked like this:

2 min at 4.0
6 x 30 seconds hard 30 seconds easy (9.o for the hard, standing on the sides for the easy)
2 min at 4.0

Followed by:
2 x 15 freehand squat jumps as a second warm-up

Three sets of each of these done as a superset
10-12 Plie dumbbell squats
10-12 lateral non-alternating barbell squats
10-12 calf raises

All wrapped up with 20 minutes on the treadmill.  Personally, I think running after lifting legs should be considered by the government as a form of torture.  I felt like I was barely lifting my feet up off the treadmill and was in danger of tripping and face planting for the whole 20 minutes.  Needless to say my legs were complete trash after, and they’re still pretty trashed today.

When I finally got home at the end of the day, I was greeted by 3 packages waiting for me!  I think half the fun of online shopping is receiving everything it the mail a week or so later.  One of my prizes, was my latest Bridier Baubles purchase, the Cisco Cuff (Hook).  I think it makes a lovely addition to what’s normally happening on my wrist.

Package numero due was my new running shoes!  My old ones had holes in the back of the heel so these were more than necessary.  I love the brightness of them, and I can’t wait to wear them because they’re sooooo cushioning.  Yay!

The third thing was my new pair of Toms, they’re red with stripes and adorable, and I’m probably wearing them to lunch today so I’ll take a picture then.  And, friends, I must confess I’m still waiting for one more thing and I hope it arrives a day early so I can pack it for my weekend in PA.

Oh, and one last thing, Happiest of happy birthdays to my lovely roommate and friend Adrienne!

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Workout of Death

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Kelly

Yesterday I participated in what was quite possibly, the hardest workout of my life.  Well, at least since the days of 400 m repeats in high school anyway.  I’ve taken the Tuesday night cycle and strength class before, but never when it was taught by this instructor, and man oh man did he kick my ass.

After 30 minutes of spin, full of hill climbs and sprint intervals, we moved on over to the group fitness room to set up a boot camp style workout.  Seven stations, one minute at each station.  Sounds easy in theory, but damn is a minute a long time when you think you’re going to die.

Station 1: Lay on your back, medicine ball in your hands, exercise ball between your ankles, lift your legs and arms simultaneously, meet in the middle, lower back down.

Station 2: Reverse lunges with a twist while holding a 30 lb sandbag

Station 3: Rope workout for arms and back (this was ridonkulous)

Station 4: Jumping jacks onto a step with a medicine ball.  Straddle the step, jump up onto step, raise medicine ball over your head

Station 5: Forearm to hand planks on a Bosu ball

Station 6: Sled push with a 45 lb plate (mmm, so tired by now that I tripped and face planted)

Station 7: Plyometric jumps on to 3 steps spaced apart.

By the time the buzzer rang to signal time was up, I was ready to collapse onto the steps, so I did.  I was dripping with sweat, out of breath, and exhausted.  I loved it.  I’m really hoping to make it to this class every Tuesday for the rest of the month.

I’m heading up to PA this weekend to see my mom and her new fiance before they leave for their vacation in Mexico, and to pick my sis up from the airport as she returns from San Diego.  How come I don’t get to go anywhere?  Well, I mean I get to go to Wisconsin next month, but that’s not nearly as exciting.  Sorry, it’s true.

Happy Wednesday fools.  Have a great one.

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