I thought my hamstring was doing better last week, but then it started bothering me again this  past weekend;( I really limit my activity on the weekend and I wonder if that has something to do with it??

I have been doing my Physical Therapy exercises and stretches but it just seems to get tight super quick. I used heat for about 20 minutes yesterday and then did some light stretching. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it feels better soon.

(This ball is my new best friend and I do tons of Hamstring Curls on it!)

Now I know why people say hamstring strains are the worst. They take a while to heal and you have to stretch SOOOO much. It’s like a job haha.

You can’t take 3 days off and do nothing with a hamstring strain you literally need to keep strengthening and stretching it or else it tightens up like a rubber band.

I get frustrated with injuries. I’m sure most of you can agree with me if you have ever had an injury they take a toll on you mentally. You can’t push through the pain either because it will only make it worse, so for now my best option is avoiding all exercises that don’t feel right!

That brings me into my next topic!!! PUSHUPS.. I’ve been working hard at my pushups over the past few weeks and I can honestly say I love the challenge they bring. Of course I hate them while I am doing them but after I am done I feel great!

If you are short on time and want to get in a quick upper body blast here is a great 10 minute workout:

PUSH-UP BLAST

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with 10 seconds rest in between each set, repeat 2x before moving to the next exercise

BASIC PUSHUP

PUSH-UP JACK

TRICEP PUSHUP

TRICEP PUSH-UP HOLD

**Make sure to warm-up for at least 5 minutes before beginning the workout**

Has anyone ever had a hamstring strain or similar injury before? If so how long did it take to heal? Did you find anything that worked for you? 

I did an elliptical interval and the whole time I was thinking about jumping rope and other ways I should’ve been doing my cardio. I rarely ever hop on a machine so I stuck with it, but now I realize why I usually choose other forms of cardiovascular exercise!

Trainer Tip Tuesday #5: Chose workouts that you enjoy doing!!

If you aren’t enjoying your workouts you most likely won’t stick with them. When I am not teaching classes, I enjoy doing bodyweight circuits, kettlebell circuits, agility ladder work, Insanity or T-25 workouts.

I also love practicing Push-ups.

My Tricep Pushup is finally bacK!

It took me a long time to build up my Tricep Pushup strength since my shoulder injury, but now I can complete multiple sets!

Here are 5 tips for finding an exercise you enjoy:

1. Choose an exercise activity that works for your health. Make sure you are cleared for exercise by your doctor and they approve of the activities you want to participate in.
2. Join a class. Classes keep you motivated and they usually have the same class times each week which makes it easier to have it set in your schedule. Classes also have great music and a set workout plan.
3. Choose exercise that works with your schedule. Does your class fit in with your work schedule? If you don’t have time to get to the gym, find a workout that you can do at home with minimal equipment, or get outside and go for a run before work if you like being outside.
4. Choose exercise that trains all aspects of physical fitness. I am a huge fan of boot camp class because we work on balance, cardio, & strength. Some classes only focus on strength training or only cardio so you will need to find other days to fit in the exercises you aren’t training.
5. Workout with a friend. Having a friend or family member to work out with holds you accountable and will help to keep you motivated to stay on track!

Do you have any tips for finding exercise that you enjoy? 

What is your favorite type of exercise? How about your least favorite!?

IF YOU DON’T LIKE AN EXERCISE, START DOING IT!

My guess is if you don’t like an exercise you are weak at it, therefore you probably avoid it at all causes!

Here are the Top 3 exercises my clients TRY to avoid:

1. PULL-UPS
2. PUSHUPS
3. BURPEES

Do you notice anything about these exercises???

They are all body weight! These 3 exercises challenge your body by incorporating multiple muscle groups and WILL make you stronger the more you work at them. If you don’t know how to perform any of these exercises don’t hesitate to ask a trainer at your gym.

Step outside of your comfort zone!

Now lets talk about my CORE… it is SORE!

Yesterday I was thinking about an ab exercise that I haven’t done in a while. It is an ab rollout! Have you ever heard of an ab wheel or ab roller? I don’t own one but we have them at the YMCA and they are great for the core.

This picture shows me demonstrating the ab rollout, except I am using a dumbbell that I have at home instead of the ab wheel. It rolls out pretty well but the grip hurts my hands.

My Abs have gotten a lot stronger since having Ava, but they still need some work! I tried the ab rollouts again today and it was much more challenging with a sore belly.

I wonder if you could do this on your carpet using paper plates if you didnt have an ab roller?? I will try it!

Can you believe tomorrow is AUGUST??? How did that happen? That means today is the last day of our PUSHUP CHALLENGE!! How did you do? Yesterday Marc told me he completed 225 pushups in one day! I definitely didn’t get that high but I came pretty close at 150.

Did you surprise yourself with the amount of pushups you could complete in one day?

Before beginning the upper body workout, warm-up for 5-10 minutes. If you do not have cardio equipment, try a combination of jogging in place, jumping rope, & jumping jacks

Perform 15 repetitions of each exercise, repeat for a total of 3-6 sets (choose a normal size weight that is also challenging)

PUSHUPS 

these can be performed as knee pushups or in the full body position

BICEP CURL

Grab the bar so that your elbows are resting comfortably at your side, palms are facing out. Curl the bar all the way up to your shoulders

SHOULDER PRESS (CLOSE GRIP)

Grab the bar with a close grip, palms facing away from your body, press the bar overhead until your arms are fully extended

 TRICEP PUSH BACK 

lean slightly forward and extend the bar back while flexing the triceps

BENT OVER ROWS

keep a flat back and pull the bar into your lower abdomen, keeping your elbows close to your side

Before beginning a new workout program you should always consult your physician first.