Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Kicking Excuses in the A@$- Workout with my Gym Boss

My schedule the past two months has been INSANE.  Before moving from Virginia to North Carolina last month, I hit my gym HARD (miss you friends at Health and Fitness) knowing time dedicated to creative workouts would be limited during the transition.  Then I allowed myself one week to simply rest my muscles and allow them to repair.  That week could have turned into two, because my schedule was crazy:  setting up a new house, registering children at school, researching summer activities for children and enrolling them, researching and prepping for two huge parties and one smaller event, guests galore in town,,,,, the list could go on and on and on!!!! 

I could literally only spare a few minutes for myself.  In an effort to stay true to my goals (and to who I have become as a person) I turned to very short high intensity workouts.  TABATAs!  Have you heard of them? 

Izumi Tabata, a scientist from Japan, compared moderate high intensity training with high intensity interval training on two groups of athletes. His research revealed the high intensity interval training athletes improved their aerobic systems as well as their anaerobic systems while the moderate high intensity training athletes only improved their aerobic system and had little to no increase in their anaerobic system.

Current tabata protocol consists of:

  • 5 minute warm-up
  • 8 intervals of 20 seconds all-out intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest
  • 2 minute cool down


  • My hectic week lead me to the outdoors.  I needed open space.  So,,,, I packed up the three Bs (Brenden, Brielle and Bridget) and took them to the local track to kick my excuses in the a@$.  Now I'm hooked.  At least once or twice a week I've _got_ to feel the sun on my skin as I push myself to new levels of health and fitness with short bursts of energy.

    The Bs at the track!  Are they perfect?  No!  Do they interupt me?  Yep!  But I still can get a crazy good workout!


    Not one to follow protocol, I take traditional tabata workouts and give them my own flair!

    Tabata inspired workout I completed this week: 

    8 rounds of each pair:  20 seconds on followed by 10 seconds rest

    High Knees (20 seconds)
    Rest (10 seconds)
    Burpees  with 10 mountain climbers (20 seconds)
    Rest (10 seconds)
    {Burpee with mountain climber explanation:  Do a burpee; when in plank position rep out 10 mountain climbers}
    http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/258/mountain-climbershttp://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/Burpee.html


    Jumping lunges (20 seconds)
    Rest (10 seconds)
    Pushups (20 seconds)
    Rest (10 seconds)

    Plank knee tucks (20 seconds)
    Rest (10 seconds)
    Low jacks (20 seconds)
    Rest (10 seconds)
    {Plank knee tuck explanation: in plank jump feet towards hands; jump in and out as many times as possible}

    I can tell you 10 seconds never felt so short and 20 seconds so long!  I followed up this workout with five minutes of stair sprints on the bleachers surrounding the track.  Then I grabbed up my kids (who were playing in the field in the center of the track) and walked a few laps around the track as a family!   

    This workout wouldn't have been as efficient without my GYMBOSS



    They are so easy to use.  Set up the interval times of your choice (20 seconds/10 seconds or.... 30 seconds/30 seconds- whatever you desire).  Select the number of rounds you wish to complete.  Press start.  Your GYMBOSS will beep and vibrate (in case you're rockin' some loud music on your Ipod) between each interval.  No need to stare at a watch or clock and disrupt your focus!  As you can see mine has seen some abuse! 

    Now get out there and kick your excuses in the a@$!

    Thanks for reading!
    Krista




    14 comments:

    1. Hi Krista, Great post - I will have to try this out. As Moms it's so hard to carve out the time to exercise! I try to keep it simple and run three times per week, 30 minutes minimum. If I set reasonable goals, I feel I can do it, otherwise I feel I don't have time. I'm visiting from the Hop and just wanted to say hello. I already follow you.

      Cheers, Renee
      http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com

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      1. Hi Renee!

        I love how these little intervals pack a huge punch in such a short time. Do you do sprint intervals ever on your runs?

        Thanks for the visit!
        Krista

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      2. Interestingly, I've done some reading on running recently, and I'm convinced that I've been training anaerobically for the past year (just started a year ago) with my running by running too fast. I'm actually running waaaay slower and I feel so much better. My goal is to take about 3 months to retrain aerobically and then I'm going to start including springs and hill training. Crazy? Well, maybe! lol

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      3. springs? um...I meant sprints! lol

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      4. Sprints and hills are going to really hit those glutes! Get ready for a fabulous backside! :)

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    2. This sounds so cool! Forgive me for asking a probable redundant question but what are burpees and mountain climbers?!

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      1. Good question! I'm posting two links to answer your question! But,,, remember the beauty of tabatas is that you can do whatever you desire during those intervals. . . jumping jacks . . . knee push ups . . . Start wherever your fitness level requires!

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      2. Thanks for the links! I'm going to try this!

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    3. having my kids out of school for the summer kills any kind of healthy fitness routine. I always have to start all over again in the fall!

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      1. It is so challenging to balance the time. Try out tabatas (or intervals in general). They are quick and effective...and don't have to be as intense as the workout I posted!

        Best of luck until Fall!
        Krista

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    4. You are busy and a lot more hard core than me! We just moved from North Carolina. I really would like to get back into working out. I used to be really fit. Stopping by from Mom's Mingle and am a new follower. Thanks for the inspiration! Hope to see you at True Aim.

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      1. I look forward to visiting you over at True Aim. If you were once fit, your body is going to pull on that muscle memory and whip you back into shape! Thanks for stopping by Cave Princess.
        Hugs,
        Krista

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    5. I should really try this method to exercising somedays I am sooo swamped I find myself hitting hte track at midnight!

      New follower #100 from the Monday Mingle hop, lovely to meet you!

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      1. Midnight! That is dedication! Wonderful to meet you! I truly appreciate your visit to Cave Princess :)

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