2014 Official Chaz Fitness Challenge
- Thread starter Julee
- Start date
Last weekend I skated the canal one way.
Tomorrow I plan to do a round trip.
For the uninformed, it's the world's largest skating rink. It's a canal that runs through our city and is 7.8 km one way.
I have bad feet that have gotten worse as I've aged, so skating has become much harder on my feet, ankles, legs and back.
More reason I want to overcome this.
I've found that for me, the best way to win at fitness is to set real life goals, not numericals. Once I overcome this, maybe two laps? I might still have a good month of canal time...
Tomorrow I plan to do a round trip.
For the uninformed, it's the world's largest skating rink. It's a canal that runs through our city and is 7.8 km one way.
I have bad feet that have gotten worse as I've aged, so skating has become much harder on my feet, ankles, legs and back.
More reason I want to overcome this.
I've found that for me, the best way to win at fitness is to set real life goals, not numericals. Once I overcome this, maybe two laps? I might still have a good month of canal time...
I'm running a tough mudder in June. Super excited about it. I'm in good shape but not much of a runner. Getting back into it and it's fun.
The only issue I've had the last year is my thyroid. I have a toxic nodule that's making me hyperthyroid. Makes me fatigued, jacks with my appetite, BP, respiration rate, heart rate, etc. So mostly I feel like I'm only functioning at about half speed.
But I've almost paid off my medical bills from the diagnosis and I'm planning on having surgery to remove it in the next couple of months. Hopefully my gland recuperates and functions normally on its own again.
The only issue I've had the last year is my thyroid. I have a toxic nodule that's making me hyperthyroid. Makes me fatigued, jacks with my appetite, BP, respiration rate, heart rate, etc. So mostly I feel like I'm only functioning at about half speed.
But I've almost paid off my medical bills from the diagnosis and I'm planning on having surgery to remove it in the next couple of months. Hopefully my gland recuperates and functions normally on its own again.
Dudes and dudettes, a question!
Today's ice skating was a bit of a fail. Last weekend I experienced some lower back pain while skating, and this weekend it flared up to the point of excruciating before I even hit the halfway mark in one direction. I guess it was still aggravated from last week, but it was still frustrating.
My legs and feet were perfectly fine, even with some fancy moves on the ice. I've been getting pretty fit... except for my core.
So, I need good suggestions for strengthening my lower back and gut, that aren't too harsh like straight-up situps or leg lifts. My core is so weak that I need to build it up slowly.
Ideas? Can't help but feel pretty frustrated after today, which I want to convert to motivation.
Today's ice skating was a bit of a fail. Last weekend I experienced some lower back pain while skating, and this weekend it flared up to the point of excruciating before I even hit the halfway mark in one direction.
I guess it was still aggravated from last week, but it was still frustrating.My legs and feet were perfectly fine, even with some fancy moves on the ice. I've been getting pretty fit... except for my core.
So, I need good suggestions for strengthening my lower back and gut, that aren't too harsh like straight-up situps or leg lifts. My core is so weak that I need to build it up slowly.
Ideas? Can't help but feel pretty frustrated after today, which I want to convert to motivation.
Forget the situps and crunches, they're not really that superior for ab strengthening anyway.
Straight up number one: planks, and any/all variations thereof. I pinned this ages ago when my main goal was to increase the length of time I could hold a plank... ignore the crunches and sit-ups and just worry about the planks, although the push-ups will help.
Planks are easier to do from your hands and harder from your elbows, so if elbows are too hard, start up on your hands. Just keep your body perfectly straight... no high butt and don't drop your hips down either.
Side-planks too.
Hip bridge. You can do this with weight on your lap too to make it harder.
Leg rotation. Lie on your back, lift the legs up. Either straight or knees bent at 90 (straight will be harder.) Make sure your lower back stays on the floor, rotate both legs to one side. Rotate them slowly down as far as you can without your lower back pulling off the floor and/or feeling any pain. For a bonus, take the legs not QUITE all the way to the floor and hold them there, just off the floor. Come back to center, then rotate down to the other side.
Plate twists. Start with low weight (or no weight), back fairly straight, legs low to the ground. And as you get stronger, lift your legs off the ground more, lean your upper body back further, and increase weight.
Deadlifts. Great for core and lower back both.
I'm clearly biased because I love them, but burpees are a great cardio burst core (and more) strengthening exercise. Plyometrics too, tuck jumps or box jumps if you're feeling ballsy, side-to-side jumps, jump lunges. Especially if you're wanting core strength for some kind of agility or endurance work.
Straight up number one: planks, and any/all variations thereof. I pinned this ages ago when my main goal was to increase the length of time I could hold a plank... ignore the crunches and sit-ups and just worry about the planks, although the push-ups will help.
Planks are easier to do from your hands and harder from your elbows, so if elbows are too hard, start up on your hands. Just keep your body perfectly straight... no high butt and don't drop your hips down either.
Side-planks too.
Hip bridge. You can do this with weight on your lap too to make it harder.
Leg rotation. Lie on your back, lift the legs up. Either straight or knees bent at 90 (straight will be harder.) Make sure your lower back stays on the floor, rotate both legs to one side. Rotate them slowly down as far as you can without your lower back pulling off the floor and/or feeling any pain. For a bonus, take the legs not QUITE all the way to the floor and hold them there, just off the floor. Come back to center, then rotate down to the other side.
Plate twists. Start with low weight (or no weight), back fairly straight, legs low to the ground. And as you get stronger, lift your legs off the ground more, lean your upper body back further, and increase weight.
Deadlifts. Great for core and lower back both.
I'm clearly biased because I love them, but burpees are a great cardio burst core (and more) strengthening exercise. Plyometrics too, tuck jumps or box jumps if you're feeling ballsy, side-to-side jumps, jump lunges. Especially if you're wanting core strength for some kind of agility or endurance work.
I just started doing a modified side plank in PT and I can def tell they will work to help with core strength (which is the point - trying to maintain strength everywhere while rehabbing my ankle). I'm kind of loving the fact that I'm getting some core and leg strength exercises as part of PT since I'll be able to use them to maintain even after my ankle is healed.
Today, I did a hip bridge with leg extension (3 sets of 10 on each leg), a clam exercise in modified side plank (3 sets of 15 on each side), and leg lifts with weight on my ankles (3 sets of 10 on each leg) in addition to all of my ankle stuff. I also got upped to a stronger theraband for ankle stuffs and 500 more steps/day - suuuuper happy!
Today, I did a hip bridge with leg extension (3 sets of 10 on each leg), a clam exercise in modified side plank (3 sets of 15 on each side), and leg lifts with weight on my ankles (3 sets of 10 on each leg) in addition to all of my ankle stuff. I also got upped to a stronger theraband for ankle stuffs and 500 more steps/day - suuuuper happy!
I used to use My Fitness Pal, but I like the food tracker on Spark People better, so I switched. I like Spark People better because I can input my own recipes into the recipe calculator and is automatically saves them so I can access them from the calorie counter, instead of having to transfer the information manually. We mostly cook at home, so that made a huge difference. The fitness tracker on My Fitness Pal is better though.
I other news... I did ten full-on, no-wuss push-ups today. Push-ups are my exercise arch-nemesis. No matter how much I work on them, I never seen to get any better at them. But that changes now!
I other news... I did ten full-on, no-wuss push-ups today. Push-ups are my exercise arch-nemesis. No matter how much I work on them, I never seen to get any better at them. But that changes now!