2012 Sassy Shape-Up 20/20

We’re doing it again.  As I described in the preview, this workout format has been extremely effective for me in two ways:  (1) I’ll actually do the workout knowing that it is only 20 minutes.  (2) I’ll push myself even harder because after a safe warm-up I don’t have much time left. It’s great motivation to challenge yourself with higher intensities. Be creative and see what you can fit into the 20 minutes.  The greatest benefit is there is no guilt.  There is always something else to do, so set that timer, get it done, then move on with your day.

***I am blogging about my exercise experience.  Even though I am a certified fitness professional, I am not providing an exercise prescription.  Please consult your physician before participating in any physical activity.  BE SAFE.

DAY 19: OUT OF BALANCE

I felt off balance all day.  It became the focus of my exercise routine tonight.  However, 20 minutes is just not enough for an effective yoga practice.  You need enough of a “warm up” to include breathing and centering to receive the benefits of yoga, even the strength aspect of the poses.  I drew inspiration from the kids I used to teach at an afterschool program in New Jersey.  I introduced 9-12 year old children to yoga and I received so much more in return.  This image is a drawing that a young boy put together that included all of the poses we shared in class, with his terms alongside the sanskrit name for each exercise. 

 My practice for today:

• Downward Facing Dog
• Bound Angle Pose
• Warrior I
• Tree Pose
• Warrior II
• Extended Side Angle
• Deep Squat
• Switch to the other side for the previous exercises
• Dolphin pose
• Headstand (for 5 seconds LOL )
• Seated forward bend

My last day is tomorrow.  Should I end with a bang or just recuperate?  I better do something that will keep me going.  I saw the skit Michelle Obama on the Jimmy Fallon show.  Her challenge is the 30/30.  Can I continue and increase the time?  Of course!  Tomorrow is a big deal.

DAY 18:  BACK TO BASICS

That is all I need to say.  Four circuits performing each circuit for 1 minute: 

• Jumping Jacks
• Jump Squats
• Push Ups
• Burpees
• Bicycles

DAY 17:  TIME IS SLOW

I know I have only three days after today, but even the 20 minutes seem to go by slowly.  I know that I have to keep it up for at least these 20 days in order to even continue exercising regularly.  If I can’t now, what makes me think that I can do it later when I put this expectation on myself to workout for an hour, continuing to put it off!  I LOVE yoga but even tonight, as much as I needed it, I was not in a very centered place.

• flow between Downward Facing Dog and Plank
• Cat/Cow
• High Lunge
• Triangle
• Revolved Triangle
• Forward Angle
• Monkey Pose
• Half Pigeon

DAY 16:  I’M ROLLING AGAIN

I know I should wake up early and work out versus waiting until the end of the night.  But as long as my daughter and I are waking up together, I am not working out.  If only I could sleep more than 5 hours…smh.  So tonight I focused on an inactive exercise that will enhance the benefits of my workouts, an active rest you could say.  NO it is not a cop out.  You should try it some time; SMR is self myfascial relief.   

Here are the areas of the body that I focused on:

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• IT band (outside of the hip down to the knee)
• Upper Back
• Inner Thighs

DAY 15:  SAME AS DAY 8

I didn’t even have a choice in the matter, well I guess I did.  But I was asleep before I knew it.  I had a great day, lots of family time and we all fell asleep on the floor in front of the TV :) 

DAY 14:  BUBBLE BUTT II

I know how much balancing exercises in yoga really targets the glutes.  Try standing on one leg for a long time with your knee slightly bent.  I am still working on the bubble butt and strength and balance means strong booty, strong abs, small waist…etc.  EMAIL ME to find out what these exercises are!!!!

I held each yoga position for at least 2 minutes each:

• 4 Sun Salutations
• Interlocking Warrior
• Revolved Triangle
• Half Moon Balance
• Chair pose
• Dolphin at the wall
• Bound Angle Pose

DAY 13:  SWINGING BALLS

I couldn’t find my kettlebell but I did locate a weighted medicine that was filled with water.  I got a little creative swinging the ball as if it was a kettlebell during my squats, overhead presses etc.  I used a few exercise bands and selected cardio movements that kept me in one spot.  This workout felt great, effective and not so boring!!!   It was a circuit, first round 2 minutes each exercise (except for push ups), second round 1 minute.

• “Kettlebell” squats, swinging the ball up then lower between the legs
• Figure 8 with the medicince ball in the squat position
• Short ball pass between hands, arms raised at shoulder level
• Squat and Press with exercise bands
• Push Ups (as many as could then rest in between)
• Wallsit with ball between knees ( adduction)
• Clams (abdominal exercise)
•  Jumo Squats

DAY 12:  ADHD 

 I couldn’t decide what to do as I stood in my living room.  I looked like I was preparing for a fight with a little shadow boxing, shuffling around with my feet.  I started “jumping rope” with just my arms swinging.  I started to add knee kicks.  I had to add in some dynamic lateral lunges just because I was bored.  Jumping jacks couldn’t take the time down fast enough.  I even jogged a little around my house.  It was after midnight so I wasn’t going outside, even though it would have kicked ass being underneath the stars. 

Because I couldn’t keep still I decided to drop down on my yoga mat and do abs.  I incorporated all of my favorite exercises, bicycles, pelvic curls, flutter kicks etc.  My abs were killing me from the previous 3 days.  They were burning so much I moved on to yoga.  In order to slow down my heart rate and just make it through the 20 minutes, I did a few deep stretches in Reclined Hero Pose, Monkey Pose, Half Pigeon, seated Half Moon with a slight back bend and forward bend  in Bound Angle Pose.  Lovely…

DAY 11:  SWEET PAIN OF CHAOS

I finally feel strong enough to do a total body workout with TRX. It was fantastic to feel everything burning, but I still had a crazy time balancing. My workouts are progressing but are a little dry because I am sticking to the same “mode” of exercise. I guess I am proving another point. Not only can you change your body composition with only 20 minutes per day but you can do your workouts at home with no gym membership.   Total Body Circuit with the TRX, 60 secs per exercise:

• TRX Squat
• TRX Delt Fly
• TRX PushUp w/arms in the straps
• TRX Bicep Curl
• TRX Single leg lunge w/a twist, foot in the strap
• TRX Elevated Hamstring Curl, feet in the strap
• TRX Plank, feet in the strap
• TRX Ab Knee Tuck in plank position, feet in the strap
• Repeat

DAY 10:  RANDOM AND SILENT

I just wanted to yoga, no structure, no time limits or repetition.  I just started the time at 20 minutes and finished when the alarm went off.  It felt good.  I stretched with some balancing and standing poses.  I got more of the decompression aspect of the yoga than the strengthening.  I stayed active and I did sweat.  No sun salutations or any other vinyasa.  My goal was to create a space for just me.  At moments I just stayed in child’s pose.  It might not sound like much, but was perfect.  It was my kind of workout after the killer legs yesterday; much needed and very effective.  One of my favorite yoga poses, at the beach by my house. 

DAY 9: WALKING A TIGHT ROPE

I looked like such a fool trying to balance on one leg with the opposite foot in the TRX. I increased the intervals of my exercises and did less of them because it took me so long to perform 1 lunge with a twist. So it might look a short workout, but it was KILLER!!!!!  Each exercise I was balancing on one leg excent for the squat and the abdominal exercise.  NOOOO that is not me walking a tight rope.  This time around I have not taken more pictures of myself.  Remember those cool yoga pictures by the sunset?  To check those out, go back to the home page and click on the category Sassy Shape Up to view the past blogs.  So, most importantly, here is my TRX Leg workout:

• TRX lunge with a torso twist (2 mins on each leg)
• TRX squat (2 mins)
• TRX Hip bridge modified with opposite foot on the floor, knee bent (1 min each leg)
• Lateral lunge with opposite leg on Physio ball (2 mins each leg)
• Ball Pass Jacknife Crunches (1 min)
• Repeat previous exercises for only 1 min

DAY 8: OUT OF GAS

I’ve just been out of gas and no matter how much I had improved my activity level, my energy was at a negative 10. Using this analogy, any progress I could be making is not being achieved. These 2AM workouts are not helpful no matter how many calories I burn. Last night I just passed out. Luckily in Hawaii we leave our “slippas” at door, so no sand in the bed.

DAY 7:  TRX is BACK

We found love in a hopeless place…I had a rough day.  Or I should say that it was rough for everyone else around me.  I was super tired, irritable, and in my F-off NY State of Mind.  I didn’t feel guilty about having an attitude with people, but I needed to chill and just remember life is  not that serious.  I had my favorite sip of heaven with my dirty chai from Starbucks.  Even though it’s hot here all of the time, I still need a hot drink to settle me down; it’s my new “glass of wine” since my alcohol tolerance has dropped so much.  I needed to feel strong and work out my vanity muscles.  When I look in the mirror at myself, I want to see toned arms, defined shoulders and upper back.  I believe it makes my waist look smaller.  I also live in a place with my arms exposed most of the time.  I also like my calves and hamstrings to be defined.  When I check myself out in shorts, I look at my side profile.  So this was my “look at me” workout.  It was scattered but it did it’s job.  My lats and shoulders will hurt tomorrow.  TRX is back in my life.  =)

I did 2 sets of each TRX exercise, and 60-90 seconds of the exercises following. 

• TRX Chest Press
• TRX Reverse Delt fly
• TRX Overhead Press
• TRX Standing Row
• TRX Bicep Curls
• Jumping Rope
• Jumping Jacks
• Mountain Climbers
• Frog Jumps
• Hip Bridges on the ball with a few Leg Curls
• Side Bridges for Obliques

DAY 6:  LOST IN TRANSLATION

I didn’t know what I had intended for this workout.  Yesterday’s workout was pretty intense with legs and lower back still tight when I got up this morning.  Logically, I should incorporate some yoga but I wanted more intensity.  I still got in some yoga, I focused on holding poses to stretch but then transitioned into push ups and some abs.  I feel like I am neglecting my arms.  It is hard to target my upper body with no dumbbells at home or machines.  It’s random, but it worked!

1. 3 Sun Salutations
2. Warrior II
3. Extended Side Angle
4. Forward Angle
5. Triangle
6. Revolved Triangle
7. Repeat 2-6 on the other side
8. Half Pigeon on each leg
9. Bound Angle pose
10. PUSHUPS (several sets of 3-5)
11. Bicycle Crunches

DAY 5:  FRIENDLY FIRE

Today I headed to the gym with my girlfriend.  We went very late at night and for a 20 minute workout, was it worth it?  We had onlyworked out together one time before and I had never done a 20/20 workout alongside a buddy.  I was always solo.  I must say it was a lot more motivating with high energy than if I had done the same workout alone.  We did a crazy, spontaneous and chaotic circuit that had us running around the gym looking silly.  We drew a lot of attention but they saw us sweating and working hard.  It was FUN~

• 7 minutes on the Precor AMT at level 10, alternating forward and backward every 90 seconds
• Forward dynamic lunges to a balance on 1 leg, staying on the same side for 60 seconds before switching to the opposite leg
• Vinyasa or combination of plank pose, eight point pose, upward facing dog, child’s pose repeated for 60 seconds
• Single leg hip bridge on my back, performing 60 seconds on the same leg before switching
• Bicycle crunches
• Single leg squat, performing 60 seconds on the same leg before switching
• WallSit
• Repeat vinyasa
• Flutter Kicks
• Mountain Climbers
• “Rope Climb” crunches with legs in the air

You should have seen the transitions!  LOL

DAY 4:  CALM AFTER THE SOLAR STORM

A solar storm hit the earth tonight after the sun released highly charged energy particles this past Sunday.  I decided to release my own energy build up so I can rest comfortably tonight and allow my body to recover.  I love feeling my muscles again, but I kick my own butt, sometimes too much.  Here was my yoga practice, starting out with a little solar storm of my own.

• Sun Salutations (10 mins)
• Forward Angle
• Triangle
• Revolved Triangle
• Half Moon Balance
• Half Pigeon
• Bound Angle
• Seated Forward Fold

And then I was calm. 

DAY 3:  BUSTED

I had the day off, only because I had to go to the doctor.  What is different about this 20/20 from last summer is that I am now workingover 40 hours at my part time job and still a stay at home mom…I guess.  So, I thought I would turn a visit to the beach with my daughter into a workout as I have done in the past.  Sorry mainlanders, I know its cold!  There is no doing bootcamp drills with her on my back anymore.  The simple act of carrying her instead of using the stroller has become more of a workout than ever before simply because I have little energy due to lack of sleep; I had 5 hours of restful sleep in the last 2 days.  But I still walked for 20 minutes before putting her down in the sand.  You can walk/run stairs or powerwalk while doing bicep curls to simulate my workout.  As you can see from the picture, she did a little workout herself. 

P.S.  My soon to be bubble butt is still hurting from Sunday’s workout and walking in the sand with her and the beach bag, just burned them out some more!  Yoga on Tuesday.  SUN SALUTATIONS!

DAY 2:  Back to the BUBBLE BUTT

I was not looking forward to exercising tonight.  I thought of so many excuses, such as posting the workout and not actually doing it.  I would only be doing myself a disservice.  But as I sat to plan the workout I had a brain freeze.  I am at home, late at night, in my living room with motivation only to eat, sleep or be lazy and watch TV.   But, I always have to remember that once I get started, it ends pretty quickly.

My butt cramped throughout the ball based workout.  As much as it burned, everywhere, I kept thinking about how I wanted to have the lower body of my high school years again.  I had a small upper body, tiny waist and strong legs with a tight little bubble butt.  I am willing to go through short periods of pain to get that BACK.

I performed each exercise for 60-90 seconds.  I completed one circuit and then repeated once more with no rest in between.  I used an exercise/physio ball appropriate for my hight and weight for the ball exercises listed below:

• Ball Squat
• Wall sit
• Single leg standing Ball adductor exercise, 1 set on each  leg (standing on one leg while the other is resting on the top of the ball, squatting down, as the ball rolls out)
• Forward lunge push back (lunge forward, bringing hands down to feet as if tieing your shoe, push back and balance on one leg) 
• Ball Push Ups with hands on the floor, toes on the ball. 
• Hip Bridge with Leg Curl, using the ball and lying on the floor 
• Back Extensions on the Ball
• Crunches on the ball
• Plank

I cheated and did a lot of stretching after the 20 minute time limit.  I needed it today!  Now I just need to find a massage therapist!

DAY 1:  REFRESH

This is actually the name of a tea that is super minty, that I don’t drink but it is fitting for my first workout.  I don’t remember the last time I did yoga.  Today I focused on myself.  I’ve been wiped out for the last few weeks and it was  nice to be alone, have my music on, and just focus on myself for 20 minutes.  I don’t like watching the time when I do yoga but I had to make sure that I fit in as much as I could.  Some poses I flowed through and others I held for about 60-90 seconds.  I will have pictures of these poses available.  I put the general name of these postures if you want to find a image online.

Warm Up

• Downward Facing Dog (DFD), Plank, Hands and Knees (Table), Child’s pose  (2 mins)
• Cat and Cow (60 seconds)
• Alternating Supermans on hands and knees (Bird in Flight) (2 mins)
• DFD, Plank, Upward Facing Dog (UFD), Child’s Pose (90 secs)
• Cobra (HOLD 30-60 secs) Child’s pose

The next poses Hold on one side, flow, then repeat on the other side

• Warrior I
• Extended Side Angle
• Forward Angle Pose
• Reverse Side Angle
• 3 flows through DFD, Plank, UFD, Child’s Pose

Ended with Reclined Hero and Camel  

***Email me with questions about these exercises.

Written by Lady A

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