Cheryl- I do an astoundingly boring shoulder workout. It used to be much more entertaining but I've just gotten into a rut. I do the basics: 4 sets of overhead db presses, lateral raises, front raises, and bet over rear delt raises. I usually finish with a few sets of barbell clean and presses. I add a few wrinkles like one arm at a time on one leg on the flat side of a bosu, or sometimes use cable, but it's a far cry from some of the wacko stuff I used to do. Not sure why I stopped other than time.

Lydia- CONGRATULATIONS! As midwife said, a better looking bod is great...a better functioning one is fantastic! (can't believe I just said that...I'd kill for a few more vertebrae and a waist!) Yay on no blood pressure meds!

Anne, running in 32 degree weather is not fun. I'm indoors on a treadmill unless it's between 55 - 75 When I first started running, I lived in central Michigan and ran all through the winter. I'm now officially a wuss.

Good workouts and food today.

Well, I had a good shoulder and abs workout tonight. I didn't know what to do. I'd planned to run outside for some hill training, but the rain was just coming down all day and night, flooding the roads and all, so I scrapped that idea. Decided to practice some crossfit skills, plus I felt like some ab torture was needed.

Here's what I came up with:
3 reps each of (shoulder) press, push press, push jerk (first time doing that!)
(used 15 lb DBs, since I was just looking to practice)
10 OH squats with a stick (getting better, I think!)
45 sec plank
15 knees to elbows (except, on the floor, because I don't have a pullup bar, and probably couldn't manage them on there if I tried)
10 SL sit-ups
5 handstand push-ups (knees supported, because I'm just learning this one)
repeat till dead....I made it through 5 rounds and all the way through the plank on round 6 before I died.
Finished it off with 20 minutes of running, with 2 sets of 25 low box jumps mixed in. It was a pretty good workout, actually, and fun.

Well, I've been stuck awake for hours, but I'm finally feeling like sleep might happen, so I'm going to sign off and give it a try.

Cheryl, I hope you got the rest you needed. Sleep deprivation is no joke. In addition to feeling just wonky it makes so much more difficult to make good choices. At least it does for me.

Knees to elbows on a pull up bar. Wow. That would be impressive. I'd like to try that but I think I'll look for a deserted playground to test it. Is that opposite knee to opposite elbow?

I searched for a Crossfit affiliate last year as well as a few months ago. The closest one is about 45 minutes away and not a nice drive either. So it's adaptations for me until I can find a local gym that does that "style" of training for us common folk. I have one in mind to interview (can't believe I'm actually "interviewing" a gym) but if I just want to lift weights somewhere I could do that in my basement.

No workout so far for me today. At 4:30am the weather was still a little iffy so I'm opting for a basement session. I may hit the gym if the cable people get here on time. We are switching to a new service provider. If I disappear for a few days then you will know why.

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/C...ees2Elbows.wmv

There you go, Lydia!

Cheryl, are we twins again, separated at birth? I am having tough time sleeping these days as well.

Lydia -
Congrats on being off blood pressure meds.

Mel - I am doing similar shoulder workout, although I try to modify it a wee bit every time.

Sacha - welcome!
Everybody else -

I am back to normal routine at the gym - my back seems to be doing fine - major relief. Zumba on Tuesday, shoulders and abs last night, 45 minutes of shoveling this morning and some more to do in the evening.

I got re-weighed at the gym - my last results were from mid November (where did the time go???) when my body fat % was 23.9. On Tuesday - 22.7%. A little progress towards the goal.
*where is that evil chuckle coming from? Aaahh - midwife - it must be you!!!*

Oh, and I found one more fantabulous picture from my childhood days. (Brace yourself). The cute girl with the curly hair is my cousin. I am sure my mom cut my hair with a pot on my head as guideline. But, see the concentration with which I observe the eating habits of my four-legged friend?

Wow. Thanks Cheryl. That looks like it would feel really great once you were able to get to the inversion state. Really. Those are some incredible cores too. Wow. How fun. (put a stop to my premeditative late afternoon binge right there.) \

Elena: Your photos are great! A lot of interesting details in the shot. Love the pig too. Congratulations on the lower bodyfat percentage. Glad to know that your back is doing much better.

Count me in on the "couldn't sleep" crowd. I laid awake for more than 2 hours after going to bed last night. Majorly difficult to get up this morning. I hate it.

Lydia, you might be able to do it on the pull-up bar. For me, just doing it on the floor is challenge enough, feels like my abs are going to rip loose at the top, lol. I did some more tonight, lying on the yoga mat. I do as many as I can till I can't reach without raising my arms (about 8 tonight), then grab underneath the bed frame and crank out a few more till I'm cryin' for my mama.

Alena, I love that pic! I am so jealous. I want a pig, too! Plus, you were pretty cute! I had that haircut a couple times as a kid.

Pat, I'm all messed up with my schedule still. Going to bed soon, though.

My workout tonight was at home again. Got the new wiper switch installed, and unfortunately it didn't help at all. Forked over another million for a wiper motor, and will install that tomorrow. Hopefully that will be the happy ending to the dead windshield wiper saga.

Did DLs, step-ups, lite abs, then did some random stuff and wrestling with the boy. The lifts were a bit uninspired. My hands were toast with the 40 lb DBs, which was the best I could do for weight. I really need to buy a BB set for home use, since I'm obviously going to need it for days when I can't get to the Y.

Oooooh, I'd forgotten about those inversions. We used to do windmills in that position. I wouldn't do it without a huge guy spotting me (hand on butt )

Now I know what my lunch workout will be!

Great job on the body fat%, Alena!! And the size 4 jeans! Why not me, why not me!! Although, my 8s are pretty loose these days....progress!

It's been a while since I last checked in, hasn't it? I hope all of you are well. It's great to see a bunch of familiar "names" on the board, as wells as some fresh "faces."

My big news is that I recently suffered through a nasty bout of aerobic exercise, brought on by a combination of holiday travel and my gym's annual week-long closure for "cleaning." (Quotes because I have my doubts about the amount of "cleaning" relative to "staff vacation time" that takes place during cleaning week.) I'm pleased to report that I'm on the road to recovery; in fact, I anticipate that when the gym reopens on Monday morning, I will be back to my usual cardio-free self.

Be strong,
Kim

MEL! I'm shocked! You're a professional! Well, I suppose membership to the fit club has it's privileges :

No really, I've been thinking about Cheryl's link today and my concern was falling head first and injuring my neck. I was visioning myself dragging the gymnastic mats under the bar...but I think a spotter is a much safer idea.

Nice little workout this morning. I did NROLW Phase 1, Workout A1. It's been a long time since I've done it. When I first purchased the book my concern was the the volume was not going to be enough. And, yes, it is less than I usually do. However this year I have some serious time considerations. It was nice to get a workout in without feeling the guilt of "I didn't get it all in today." I did just what was written I moved on. Nice.

I'm thinking that tomorrow's workout will be cardio on my bike in the basement. It's snowing. The prediction is 4 to 6 inches. Bah. Now, if I were Mel and had skis... Fran, I hope you don't have any traveling to do with your girls this weekend. On the upside of this snow, I'm hoping that I can get some nice photos of the boys outside in their red jackets. (Ah, the inner Martha still lurkes within.) I have one from several years ago of DS1 and it is just beautiful. MUST HAVE MORE.

Midwife: Your time in the size four jeans will come. I have no doubt. Photos please when it happens.

Cheryl and Pat: I actually got a great nights sleep last night. I hope yours is coming tonight too. I was a mess yesterday. It was DH fault. And no, not what your thinking either. He was up late messing around with his laptop. I just can't sleep when he is still up.

Have a great afternoon everyone.

Oh Hey Kim. Suffering from aerobic exercise. I have an Rx for that. It's the sound of a heavily weighted barbell being reracked on the stays. works for me every time.

Midwife, thanks! But I don't get this - how you have half of my body fat % yet wear a bigger size???
Of course I know that not everybody of the same weight or height wears the same size, but yet, with your body fat % so spectacularly low, how can this be?
Ah, all the mysteries that our body throws at us, eh?

Alena

Morning. I actually did have a good night's sleep last night - and had avoided anything resembling caffeine during the evening. I'm afraid that's the culprit, and I've not found an herbal tea I like. May have to buy some decaf black tea.

My weekend exercise will be moving furniture again. The office carpet will be done today, so we'll move everything back in their, and start emptying out the sewing/craft room. I've been collecting boxes all week. There is soooo much stuff in there. i'm sure I'll find stuff I've forgotten all about. My "inner Martha" will be working overtime - that is if I can find her.

Hi Kim Nice to see you back.

Alena - congrats on those size 4's!

On the maybe up side - it appears to be warming slightly! No warmer at home, but in town temps are now in the negative single digits. Our house sits in a hollow at the bottom of a mountain so is often colder/snowier than in town. Forecast is to be back to "normal" winter temps by about Tuesday. We'll see.....

That's a really good question.

I'm 5'8" and weighed 153 this am, so I dunno?

I think my trainer is a little generous with her body fat measurements.....so, the trend is good but I wonder if I was really 14% with the last measurement. Clearly the only way to solve this issue is for me to borrow your jeans and see if I can wear them. Like the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 3FC Style!

ETA: Thanks Lydia! I am turning into a jean glutton. Every time I drop a size I buy 4 pairs.....I am half-tempted to hit the mall right now to see if I can get into any 6's.