Author: Strength Train 4 Life

We are a husband/wife personal training and nutrition coaching team. With over 10 years of training experience we are here to help you achieve your fitness goals. We offer in-person and virtual training, nutrition coaching, kitchen clean-ups and weight loss competitions.

Butt Kicking

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Since I am taking it easier this weekend, I had the bright idea to hop on a stationary bike and get a few extra miles in. Problem being, 24 hours later, my butt has official been “kicked”. Well at least it feels like someone decided to kick me several times in the rear end. This is not a muscle sore, this is a saddle sore. The sad part is that I know that bikes do this to you – I trained for a triathalon! But no, why use my common sense now when I am pregnant and my butt already hurts for unusual reasons?

Lesson learned! But on a positive note I was able to add ten miles to my distance for January and keep the contractions at bay. Sometimes it is good to mix things up in your workout. Bike riding isn’t my favorite form of exercise, especially when it is inside and I am not going anywhere, but many times we stick to our normal workouts and our body gets used to these. Changing up your routine, even slightly, can make those muscles work harder and in ways they aren’t used to. Bruised rear end and all it felt good to get a new workout in!

 

January Distance Challenge – 26.25 miles down and 23.75 miles to go!

Men Will Never Truly Understand

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I have been taking it a bit easier the past couple days – my higher activity has been causing a few Braxton Hicks contractions in the evenings. I had this last pregnancy starting at 17 weeks, but until I see my doctor on Monday I don’t want to push it. This little one has some more cooking to do!

Now that I have crossed the half way mark of this pregnancy I am starting to notice my energy is draining. I am always a go, go, go person, but lately I have had to stop and rest. My husband on occasion even asks why I am so tired, of course my response “I don’t know, could it be the person growing inside of me?” Someday’s I really wish men could truly understand what women go through just to make a baby.

Don’t get me wrong my husband does help out more and is really looking forward to our newest edition, but there are someday’s I truly wish he could understand what it is like to be pregnant.

 

I am always joking with my girlfriends about guys needing to experience just three small parts of pregnancy – 1 Day of nausea, vomiting and the “morning sickness”, 1 day of being humongous (9 months pregnant) walking around with the extra weight and finally, just 1 HOUR of labor pains. One hour that is all I am asking! 🙂 If any of you haven’t seen the viral videos where guys are hooked up to electrical stimulation machines which simulate labor pains, it is definitely worth your while and a few laughs (Men in Labor) or the other great video is done by the Try Guys (Try Labor Simulation). While they will never truly understand what women go through, this could gets them just a little closer. Of course when I offered to find a location my husband could try this he quickly found a reason he would be unable to do so!

Needless to say pregnancy is not for the faint of heart and definitely takes a lot to endure. I even have a few girlfriends who, because of my fabulous stories of pregnancy, have sworn off babies and will simply “buy” them! I highly doubt when it come there time that they could not face the challenge, but it doesn’t sound a lot easier on the body that way.

 

January Distance Challenge – 16.25 miles down and 33.75 miles to go!  I have some catching up to do!!! Eeek

Home workout

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Today’s workout…

Warm Up: Jump rope – 6 minutes

Walking lunges – 20 each leg
Push-Ups – 20
Step-Ups – 20 each leg
Tricep dips – 20
Mountain Climbers – 40 each side
Jump Rope – 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times

Winter wonderland!

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It is sad how life seems to take over the truly fun things! Every once and a while you need to remind yourself what you love to do and how much it’s worth to you. My husband and I used to visit the gorgeous Colorado mountains at least 3 times a month, but with work, a house and now kids things seem to change. Sometimes we forget to make time for the things that truly matter to us.  With a blossoming business (strengthtrain4life.com) keeping us busy nearly every weekend, we were very surprised to not see anything on the calendar for this upcoming weekend.  Always having something to do at home, I know that we would have found something to keep us busy.  However, we decided to take a trip to our family cabin to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  I’m typing this with my feet are propped up in front of the fire as I lay back in a comfy recliner.  It sure feels good to relax.

Before you relax you of course need to move a little!  The family and I decided to take a hike/walk around the property with the dogs.  It was cold and blowing so we didn’t last long, but we’re glad we decided to make the trip. We won’t let a little wind and snow get in our way of a fun romp around the property. As seen above our little one was bundled to the maxes and stuffed into our pack to make the hike with us. He LOVED every moment of it, giggling and talking the whole 1.10 miles we walked. I am grateful for my beautiful and adventurous family – more mountain trips will be penciled into our schedule this summer!!

 

January Distance Challenge – 15 miles down, 35 miles to go!

Make Shift Work-Out-Fit

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Ever had one of those days where you think you’ll be slammed and everything falls apart? Today was one of those days, but it turned out to be a positive. I had two clients cancel leaving me with a two hours of time to kill, but no shirt to workout in! Lucky for me one of my male co-workers kindly offered a clean shirt, while it (and I quote) “might make you look puffy”. I could not help but laugh because the last worry on my mind was looking “puffy” at 21 weeks pregnant while workout.

Today’s workout consisted of…

7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Reps

Power Cleans
Front Squats

Followed by…

Tricep Press
Incline bench
Cable Chest Flys
Decline Cable Chest Press

Energy boost!

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Earlier than usual wake up today, and boy did it make for a tiresome morning! I did manage to get a good workout in and it truly helped increase my energy. Energy can be affected by many things – pregnancy number one, amount of sleep, quality of sleep, food and exercise. To maximize your energy levels its important to balance each of these things.

Today’s workout –

Warm-Up: Half mile (800 meters) on the rower

Workout – 15 minutes as many rounds as possible

500 meter row
5 Deadlifts
10 Box Jumps
Repeat

I was able to complete 4 rounds in 15 minutes 48 seconds (I wasn’t going to quit half way through a round)

Cool down – 400 meters on the rower

 

January Distance Challenge – 13 miles down, 37 miles to go!

Catching Up on Miles

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Today I tested the length of my bladder control. My goal on the treadmill today was to get in two miles.  I am not one who likes to stop mid-way through my workout to go to the bathroom, so I’ll push through till the end potty dance if needed!  My first mile today was a slow jog. By the end of this mile my bladder could not handle another full mile of jogging so I mixed it up. Second mile was intervals of jogging for 0.10 mile and walking 0.10 miles until I hit two miles. At two miles I realized I had energy to go a little further! Final results 2.5 miles on the good old hamster wheel.

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I then finished up my workout with a 1 mile (1600 meter) row on the Rower to get me to a total distance of 3.5 miles for the day!

January Distance Challenge – 10 miles down, 30 miles to go!

Chair Workout

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Today’s workout was inspired by one of my kitchen chairs. Yes, you heard right! What better way to get fit than with using the tools that surround you in your home. We’ve all said it – “I can’t workout at home, I don’t have equipment”. But that can be the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, you have to be creative and yes, it still takes time, but it CAN be done.

If you have equipment such as dumbbells or kettlebells it can make your workout more intense, but you can also do so by increasing the number of repetitions. With my workout today I used two 15 pound dumbbells and a mini band!

Today’s workout…

Chair Step-Ups –  10 each side
Decline Chair Push-Ups – 10
Lateral Step-Ups – 10 each side
Tricep Dips – 10
Single Leg RDLs – 10 each side
Squat Jacks – 20

 

Heart Raiser

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Today’s workout…

1 mile run on the Treadmill

Karen – 150 Wall Balls for time
Finished in 9 minutes and 43 seconds

Incline Bench Press – 3 x 8 heavy weight

 

January Distance Challenge –  6.5 miles down, 43.5 miles to go

Working Through Tired

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My workout today felt great! I felt completely lazy and tired while completing all of it, but I got it done. Sounds a little backwards right?  I have noticed lately, while I am not really in need of nap, I am just way more tire than usual. However, regardless of how tired I was, it felt great to sweat and get my heart rate up.  Here is what I did!

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My belly is starting to look like my workout equipment! 🙂

50 Jumping Jacks
10 Single Leg Stand Ups each side with 18lb medicine ball
10 Pull Ups
10 Bent over Rows with 25lb KB
10 Single Leg RDLs each side with 25lb KB
20 Bosu Sit-Ups

40 Jumping Jacks
10 Single Leg Stand Ups each side with 18lb medicine ball
10 Pull Ups
10 Bent over Rows with 25lb KB
10 Single Leg RDLs each side with 25lb KB
20 Bosu Sit-Ups

30 Jumping Jacks
10 Single Leg Stand Ups each side with 18lb medicine ball
10 Pull Ups
10 Bent over Rows with 25lb KB
10 Single Leg RDLs each side with 25lb KB
20 Bosu Sit-Ups

20 Jumping Jacks
10 Single Leg Stand Ups each side with 18lb medicine ball
10 Pull Ups
10 Bent over Rows with 25lb KB
10 Single Leg RDLs each side with 25lb KB
20 Bosu Sit-Ups

10 Jumping Jacks
10 Single Leg Stand Ups each side with 18lb medicine ball
10 Pull Ups
10 Bent over Rows with 25lb KB
10 Single Leg RDLs each side with 25lb KB
20 Bosu Sit-Ups

Finished my workout with 2 miles on the elliptical and 1 mile on the rower.

January Distance Challenge – 5.5 miles down, 44.5 miles to go!