Creativity in the Bathroom

They say some of our best ideas have come while sitting on the toilet or in the shower.

In this case though, it came right before my shower!

I hadn't worked out today and felt like I needed a quick little workout, nothing crazy, before I got in and cleaned myself up.  Here's what I came up with (and did it right then and there in the bathroom!)

5 Rounds

20 push-ups straight into....
20 Mountain Climbers

Continue straight into the next round of push-ups without picking your hands up or put your knees on the floor.  The goal is for your body to be in a straight high-plank position for the entire workout!

NOW, ;] hehehehe, for every time you have to stop and rest, as in put your knees on the floor or stop to take a break, there's a 5 Burpee Penalty.  For those fire-breathers who really want a challenge, do 10 Burpees!

Challenging fun little wod!

This is only for the upper body I know and for those of you wondering why I'm not incorporating any leg movements, check out my previous post!

ENJOY!!!

Today's WOD and the greatness of online fitness communities!

So I have been very inconsistent with my blog posting lately (its been almost 4 months lol), and I really had a hard time getting myself to get up and workout (in my home gym! :] ).  I've been dealing with a knee injury for about 6 months now due to over training and eventually fracturing my right knee, and it has been very challenging for me to stay in shape and enjoy working out the past couple days.  I felt like I had hit a workout creativity block.

It wasn't until today, while searching the web for "keeping in Crossfit shape leg injury", that I came across a blog post on the Crossfit Portland website, that really inspired me to get up and continue working out again (link to site at bottom of page)!  It made me realize how important the online fitness community can be and I really want to continue to contribute to it in some way shape or form.

Since I enjoy mostly Crossfit, HIIT, Olympic and Powerlifting style training, I have also recruited my parents (if they have time of course :]) Maribel (CPT and Certified Zumba Instructor) and Carlos (Yoga, Meditation, and Running Guru) to help broaden the subjects of fitness covered so there's a little something for everyone!

As for today's workout, even if you are not suffering from a knee injury, this one is gonna be pretty challenging!

Warmup:

http://tinyurl.com/mdnr3a

Skill/Strength:

Practice Handstands for 7-10 Minutes

(Great vid for beginners!) http://tinyurl.com/k7q49h9

WOD:

7 Rounds

15 Seated Power Cleans to Overhead (Light Barbell or Dumbbells)

15 Leg Raises (Done like this http://tinyurl.com/p82bgbj)

15 Pushups (Keeping elbows in/tight to the ribcage)

(The trick to this workout is to use a challenging weight for the seated cleans to overheads!  Challenge yourself!!!)

Cooldown:

PVC Pipe Stretches for the shoulders and chest (http://tinyurl.com/p82bgbj)

Also, here's the link to the blog post that helped me get up and go today! http://www.crossfitportland.com/archives/8283 

Have fun!

Jobs, Health, and Paradigm Shifts

Now I know this is not exactly health and fitness related, but at the same time, depending on how one perceives it, it could be!

I've been looking for jobs, with some luck, but only in fields that I am not that interested in (IT staffing is not my forte).  I kept looking and looking, somehow hoping my "Dream Job" would open up somewhere, with no avail.  Then I remembered something I believe I heard a classmate tell me in a presentation where he interviewed the Director of I believe Marketing of the Miami Marlins.

He said "Don't wait for your dream job to open up.  Find out EXACTLY where you want to work (as in what company, organization, etc.), and let them know HOW BADLY you truly want to be there, even if it means making up your own position!"

I remembered this advice, and am now focusing my time on the companies that I REALLY would like to work for, instead of just "looking" for a safe, secure line of work that I have no real interest in.

Now how does this relate to our health?

EASY!!

I have had friends who got jobs straight out of college, jobs that they really just accepted in order to start working, and are now very unhappy with their life!

A happy mind = a happy body, which = a happy soul.

SO GO OUT THERE AND GET WHAT YOU WANT

When trying something new....

Remember this.....


Whenever you are trying to do something well, repetition
results in understanding. For instance, every one of us
practiced behind the wheel of a car before we studied the
DMV booklet for our test. The repetition of opening the
door, sitting behind the wheel, closing the door, starting
the ignition, feeling the engine rev up, etc. is what relaxed
us. We all feel a bit of anxiety whenever we drive a new car,
and this is normal because it is not our car. We do not know
this car. This looks new, the door closing sounds new, and
the engine feels different. It is only driving in it a few times
that causes us to be comfortable.

- Donny Shankle