Archive for June, 2011
Posted by terrepruitt on June 23, 2011
For the Ten Minute Workout we are doing the bent over lateral raise on the BOSU with a resistance band. Because we are doing a timed workout, I feel it works best to have the band already on the BOSU. If you are doing the workout from 1 to 10 as originally written then this exercise is after the push up. (I have actually done it from number 10 to 1 a few times. Just depends on how I feel.)
Stand on the BOSU on the resistance band with your feet about shoulder distance apart. Grasp each end of the resistance band in each hand with an overhand grip. Sink down, as if you are going to sit in a chair, bend over slightly. You end up with your butt sticking out, but keep your back straight and shoulders down. It is a somewhat like a high crouch. Bring the band in front of you a bit, you might have to adjust your grip on the band as in grabbing handfuls. I like to keep the band taunt so I have resistance all the way through the exercise. Open your arms, then bring them back in front of you. Elbows are slightly bent throughout the move.
With the first opening of your arms squeeze your shoulder blades together (still keeping them down), then keep them together as you move your arms to the front. Keep your shoulder blades together through all 10 repetitions. Keeping your shoulder blades together will allow you to keep the muscles engaged.
One way to help with keeping your shoulder blades together is to practice with someone touching your back between your shoulder blades. Or imagine you are holding a piece of paper in between your shoulder blades. To familiarize yourself with the sensation of your shoulder blades being together it helps to practice. That way when you are doing an exercise that gets better results with your shoulder blades together you will know when you are doing achieving that and when you are not. This is one way to connect the mind and the body while working with resistance. For me, I cannot just get on the BOSU and grab the band and do this correctly automatically. I can get on the BOSU and move the band with my arms open and closing, but in order to really work it, I have to concentrate on my shoulder blades.
What do you have to add?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: bent over lateral raise, BOSU, mind body, push up, resistance band, ten minute workout, timed workout | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 23, 2011
Well, actually this is a workout place holder. Still keeping the faith that people will check in after doing the Ten Minute Workout.
I will. I will be back to let you know when I am done. Then I will post detail to the number nine exercise, the Bent Over Lateral Raise.
Have a fabulous morning.
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June 23, 2011 at 12:52 pm
It is much, much cooler in San Jose today. I like it much better. But I did do my ten minutes first. And now I am going to spend a good portion of the afternoon with Nia. I can’t decide whether to work on learning a new Nia Routine or brush up on one. One of the cool things about Nia is that the more you do a routine the more you can play with it. You can use flexibility, agility, mobility, strength, or stability (FAMSS) to infuse the workout and make it different every time.
I have notice that I can do that a bit with the ten minute workout too, because every time I do it I am different. Today I really, really, really, really concentrated on taking LONG steps in the lunges and I was able to confirm why I chose this exercise for the workout to target a specific muscle. I have also been experimenting with the way I hold the band for the triceps kick backs and bent over lateral raise. So even though I have been doing the same exercises I have been doing them a little different to work it in different ways. What about you?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: agility exercises, bent over latteral raise, FAMSS, flexibility workout, lateral raise, lunges, mobility exercisest, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, San Jose Nia, stability exercises, strength exercises, ten minute exerciese, ten minute workout, Triceps kick backs | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 22, 2011
I love my 9:00 am Nia class. I love starting my days with movement. It just helps the day go better, right? Do you start your day with movement? Do you have time for a long workout? If not have you thought of trying to get ten minutes in?
Here is one you can do. Ten Minute Workout.
I’ll be back after class to check in. It is going to be hot again today in the Bay Area so I’ll be right home to do ten exercises.
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June 22, 2011 at 12:41 pm
So I didn’t get home as early as I wanted because I decided to go to the store. You might now how it is when you go to “pick up a few things” and end up with a cart full of groceries. I got home later than I wanted, but that really encouraged me to get my 10 minutes in because I didn’t want to be doing it while it was so hot. So I got home and got it done. But then I got on my computer . . . . . and almost an hour later I am posting, “I’m done!”
How are you?
I’m gonna go get more done. Happy Wednesday!
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: 9 am workout class, exercise in ten minutes, Nia, Nia class, Nia exercises, Nia in the Bay Area, Nia Movement, Nia workout, ten minute workout | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 21, 2011
Would you believe me if I told we do push ups in Nia? Ha! We do a lot of exercises in Nia, but we do them to music. We are dancing and flowing from one move to the next. We allow for the individual to do them their own way. People might not even realize they are doing a push up, just like the sit ups they are disguised. It is not a disguise of deception, not at all. It is that we are in the moment and it is truly a dance so one just doesn’t realize it is a push up. Sometimes it is a military push up, but sometimes not. Sometimes it is from the knees, or sitting down or even standing and using a wall. But there is pushing involved and the upper body is utilized.
For this Ten Minute Workout we are using the BOSU. The round side is on the ground. So we are using the flat side to hold onto. Push ups have never been my favorite exercise to do because I have never been really good at the military ones. But I could do them, but now I am sticking to the on-the-knees version to stay off my toe. You do with your legs what is comfortable. Even though my execution of a push up can be improved upon I love the push up because it is a multi muscle working exercise.
In this workout we have just gone from sit up (on the ground), to overhead triceps extensions (on our knees), and now we are doing the push ups. I think having done the triceps extensions on the ground is one way to help you make it through the 10 exercises in the 10 minutes.
With the round side of the BOSU on the ground, I grip the edges of it. Mine has “handles” and I use them. I stay on my knees and use my arms to push me up and allow me to come down. Even on your knees there are different ways to do it. You can keep your legs down, using your shins and the top of your feet for additional stability or your can lift your shins and feet off the ground. Remember no matter how you choose to do the exercise you are not stuck doing it that way for the entire 10 or the second pass through. So experiment. Listen to your body and decide what works best for you at that moment. Remember your goals and adjust your movements to help you to achieve them.
Only go as low to the BOSU as you can and still be able to push back up. Using the BOSU requires you to use equal strength in each arm because you have to work to keep the BOSU level.
One of the key things to do to get the most out of a push up is to keep the body straight and move the entire body down and entire body up. Even if you just go down a little, the straight body is working arms and core. If you just let your upper body down and push it up you are missing out on the exciting portion of a push up. It works soooo many more muscles if you engage your torso and have it move with your arms.
You see what I am saying? (As I am typing this I imagined you getting on the floor and trying it. I am sure you sense the difference. Even if you don’t go down that far.)
As I share with my students in Nia class all the time, there are technical ways to do an exercise or a movement, but not everyone can do it that way — the body’s way. It could be a matter of needing to learn it or work up to that or it could be that our body is not physically able to do it. Whatever the reason, I believe it is important to know how to do it properly and then be aware of how we are doing it. Then we can listen to our body. When we try to do it the technical way our body might say, “Oh yeah, that is just not going to happen.” Then we can adjust. We can learn, is it not going to happen because it is painful or is it because I need to work a little bit to get to that level? Then we can make a decision and a conscious choice.
Know how to do a push up, then decide how you are going to do it. Don’t just let the pattern of your movement dictate how you execute an exercise, decide for yourself make a choice then do it. As I said before, it could be that you do five with your whole torso then need to give your arms a break . . . . but that doesn’t mean you have to stop, just do the push up with your arms and not bring the whole body down and up. Or you do three on your toes then decide that you really want to have a straight back so you switch to your knees. Then on your next set you do all knees. Whatever you decide, make sure it is something you are aware of and then do your push ups your way.
What do you have to add? Share? Comment? Question?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercise, 10 minute workout, arms, body's way, BOSU, BOSU with handles, exercise, exercise flow, knee push up, military push up, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia flow, Nia Music, Nia push up, Nia students, push up, push up on knees, pushup, Sit-up, strong core, strong torso, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, ten reps, ten/ten/ten, toe push up, tricep, triceps, triceps extension, twenty exercises in ten minutes, workout for 10 minutes | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 21, 2011
It is going to get really hot in San Jose and the South Bay today, so I need to get up and get my workout done. I know I am only posting about my Ten Minute Workout, but whatever I do, I need to get it done before the heat. I would hope that unless you are working out in an air-conditioned space, that you workout before the heat of the day too. If you are running, jogging, or walking, please keep in mind both the heat and the sun. If you are in the northern hemisphere try to get your outdoor workout in BEFORE 10:00 am or after 4:00 pm.
Also, drink a lot of water! 🙂
Join me in doing the ten exercises. I’ll check in later.
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June 21, 2011 at 10:19 am
Well, I got up and got my 10 minutes in. I didn’t get up when my alarm went off, so I am off to a little later start than I wanted, but I at least got the ten exercises in. I did them from number 10 to number 1.
So what about you? Have you tried it from 10 to one?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: heat in San Jose, heat in the South Bay, outdoor workout, San Jose exercises, ten minute workout, workout in San Jose | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 20, 2011
Oh my! I was just about to go to bed. Yes, up late as usual. I got caught up watching Calendar Girls. I had never seen it even though it is from 2003. So cute. I realized I didn’t post a placeholder and there is no way I can turn on my computer at this hour. I would never get to bed! So I am using my iPad which does not have all the needed functionality as a computer. Not all websites – and WordPress is one of them – behave noemally on the iPad. But this is just a place holder for you that want to check in.
I will be back to let you know I did my Ten Minute Workout. I will have to wait until I get back from my Nia Class to hear how you are doing with those ten exercises. Can’t wait to hear.
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June 20, 2011 at 11:40 am
Ha! Ok, I came right home after my San Jose Nia class. And I only sat for about five minutes then I came upstairs and did my ten minute workout. I wanted to get it done before it got too hot. It is supposed to be really hot in the San Francisco Bay Area today. I am not a fan of the heat so I know that if I wanted until it was hot I wouldn’t want to do it. So I got it done, about an hour ago. But I was replying to my friend’s comment. As you can see my reply is very long . . . . it took me awhile.
Here I am, I am done and I am checking in.
So . . . . . . where are you? How are things going for you? How is your weather?
Thank you for being here and reading. Please comment. Tell me . . . . something . . . .anything . . . .
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: 2003 calendar girls, iPad, ipad less functional, Nia, Nia class, Nia in San Francisco Bay Area, Nia San Jose, Nia SF, San Jose Nia, SFBayNia, ten exercises, ten minute workout, wordpress | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 19, 2011
I find it odd that in some places Mother’s Day is celebrated during a different month than the United States, but Father’s Day is celebrated on the same day. At least that is what I had discovered when it was Mother’s Day and I did a little research. I don’t remember all the countries and dates and this post is about neither so I am not going to spend time looking into it. I just know at least in the United Kingdom Mother’s Day is not in May, but Father’s Day is in June.
Well, at least if I am wrong someone will comment to correct me (right?).
So today is Father’s Day and I think someone has plans to go to breakfast. But I am not sure. We will see. You know I post these in the wee hours of the morning so that they are here when you log on. So by the time I actually get up the entire thing/plan could have changed. 🙂
Have a great day. I will be back to let you know I did my Ten Minute Workout. Hope to hear from you. I wanna hear how you are doing with those ten exercises.
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June 19, 2011 at 8:57 am
Wahoo! Done! Off to continue on with my day. It’s off to a great start!
How about you?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: Father's Day, Mother's Day, ten minute workout ten exercises in ten minutes, UK Mother's Day celebration, United States Mother's Day celebration | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 18, 2011
For this Ten Minute Workout, our triceps extension is going over the head with dumbbells. I have posted in the past a way to use a weighted bar lying down. For this exercise use the amount of weight that is appropriate for your own individual goals, so that could mean you use two dumbbells or one. Hold the weights behind your head. Your neck is comfortable and relaxed, it is NOT being pushed forward. Your elbows are pointing up at the sky, which for me puts my forearms right at my ears. Keeping your upper arms still, “push”/move the weights toward the sky. Don’t swing the weights, just bring them up, only your elbow joints move. Your shoulder joints don’t move, your upper arms are still. You are also concentrating on keeping your shoulders down**. They should not rise up to the ears or become scrunched. They stay down. The movement is not a swing. Momentum is not used to complete this exercise. Please be very, very careful of your head and neck.
Since this exercise is right after the sit ups and right before the push ups in the ten minute workout. I do it from a kneeling position. Since I am kneeling, I position myself up right with a straight back. Your torso does not need to move in this exercise. Remember, the triceps are doing the work, so no swing and no momentum and that includes your body.
**(Shoulders “down” tip) I was once told by a Pilates instructor – to assist with keeping my shoulders down – imagine putting my shoulder blades in my back pockets. Which really just means to pull your shoulder blades down. I used to habitually bring my shoulders up to my ears, by using the thought of my shoulder BLADES instead of actually concentrating on my shoulders I keep my shoulders down without feeling as if I am be pushed down. To me, the body sensation is different. I feel it improves my posture because it is bringing my shoulders down AND back no matter when I employ the method. But, yes, I still have to remember to do it. 🙂
With all that there is to do in this exercise, this is not necessarily one that you do fast. Sometimes fast might mean hitting yourself in the head with the weight. (I would imagine. I mean, of course, I’ve NEVER done that. 🙂 ) So take your time and don’t rush. You have ten whole minutes to do ten reps of ten exercises.
Got it? Let me know what questions you have. Or how this works for you.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: elbow joint, Pilates, Pilates exercise, Pilates instructor, posture improvement, push-ups, sit ups, Sit-up, ten minute workout, ten minutes of exercise, Tricep exercise, triceps, triceps extention | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 18, 2011
Many people have plans on Saturdays. So that is why the Ten Minute Workout is perfect. Get up, get it done. Sometimes you are just not sure about your day. I am not sure what this day will hold so . . . . I am putting in a placeholder. I will come back and check in with you.
Then later today the regularly scheduled post will be #7 of our ten, Triceps Extensions. I do have a triceps extension post, but it is with a weighted bar and it is lying down. In our ten minute workout we are using dumbbells and are kneeling. (Kneeling is just easier because we are already on the floor because we just did our sit ups.)
Have a great Saturday.
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June 18, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Ok. To answer my own question, at 1:30, after I’ve had coffee and breakfast and waited for all that to digest. I had to make some adjustments/modifications, but I did my ten minute workout. I am confident that you will see some changes if you participate in this workout daily.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: dumbbells, sit ups, ten exercises in ten minutes, ten minute workout, triceps extensions | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 17, 2011
I have my Los Gatos Nia class today. I have this idea (before I go to bed) that I will get up and do my Ten Minute Workout before I go to my class. We will see. Even if I do, you know that I can’t (I just can’t because I will get sucked in to the vortex of the internet) turn on my computer to do my check in.
But you can check in. That is why I do this post shortly after midnight so it can be here for the “other staters” and early morning people to check in. So, go ahead, share something. 🙂
Oh, and thank you.
Happy Friday!
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June 17, 2011 at 9:20 am
I decided to do my ten minute workout this morning. I didn’t do two sets of the lunges because the first set confirmed for me why I usually do it after my class. I have my foot in ice water as I type. I am not sure I will turn on my computer. I am putting this in the comments and will copy it into the post when I do turn on my computer. I might have to turn it on this AM for something.
Well? How is it going? Are you seeing any changes? Have you had to make any adjustments? Are you seeing any improvements?
Today and yesterday I actually did the workout from exercise 10 to 1. I started with the stability ball pass and ended with lunges. I like it that way too.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: Los Gatos Nia, Nia class, Nia Los Gatos, ten minute workout, ten minute workout checking, workout class | 1 Comment »
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