Love my legs...

I've been concentrating mostly on my upper body as I've been getting back into shape, because have better arm, chest and back strength is a huge benefit in aerial class.  Now that my arms are shaping up, I'm ready to start incorporating other body parts.

It's been a long time since I've "loved" my legs.  Unfortunately, I carry all my weight in my lower body.  I'm very short, so it doesn't take much extra weight to make my lower body look dumpy.  I was okay with it until I put on my thigh high pirate boots, and they wouldn't lace.  That just won't do.  These boots were expensive and are one of my prized possessions, so it's time to start working the lower body as well.

I'm going to start biking to Midsummer rehearsals and to aerial class once I get new tubes for my bike.  But, I'm also going to do some sculpting exercises.  I found this routine on Pinterest last year before Ren Fest, and I love it.

There is really no down side to these exercises.  They work your core, glutes, and legs, and you will definitely feel it after just one circuit.  The routine is comprised of five ballet-inspired moves that really work your butt, core, and legs.  I'm going to add this back into my strength training and see what comes of it.

I addition, I have added wall sits to my routine.  I'm trying to do 8 one minute wall sits per day.  So far, I've not found any of the exercises to be limiting in any way.  In fact, I could probably add another couple circuits (if I have time).

Pull-ups: A Pixie's Perspective

Pull-ups.  Oy.  Just the thought of me trying to do a pull-up makes me laugh hysterically.  I've tried.  There's no way.  I just wriggle about like a fish on a  hook.  

I made a Facebook post about not being able to do a pull-up, and my aerial instructor responded that it took her a year to be able to do her first pull-up.  o.O  A year!  This actually makes sense, because most women find their strength in their legs - especially dancers.  I knew immediately that aerial would be a challenge, because most of the climbs (except for the Taco Climb...gotta love the Taco Climb!) depend on your upper body to do most of the work for you; and I had little to no upper body strength when I started.

My instructor did, in her infinite wisdom, impart to me that starting by jumping up and lowering myself as slowly as possible would utilize the same muscles thus making those muscles stronger.  Good to know!

So, I tried it.  I'm glad I was alone in the house when I did, because I'm sure I looked ridiculous.  I'm 4'10", so I couldn't exactly jump up and reach the pull-up bar.  I had to use a chair.  So, I got in the chair, pulled myself up into the top of a pull-up and slowly lowered myself to the ground, climbed back into the chair and did it all over again.  I was only able to do 8 reps before the muscles in my forearms screamed at me to stop.    

I'm convinced I need to be doing more of these, because my trapezius, deltoids and scapular muscles were sore the next morning.  In fact, they're still sore two days latern (despite my foray into active recovery techniques), which could be a problem since I have aerial class tonight.  My plan is to incorporate these bastardized pull-ups into my routine three days a week so I can get to work building those muscles that will most certainly help with my foray into the aerial arts.

I hope this helps someone out there who is just as hopeless at pull-ups as I am.

Your Shape 2012: Out of Shape...

I hate going to the gym.  I feel awkward working on an eliptical machine next to another person and not talking to them.  Working out from home is also preferable, because when I screw up, no one is around to snicker and point.  This is one of the reasons I adore JARVIS (my Kinect).  The Kinect fitness games have the ability to read your body's movements and tell you what you are doing wrong vs a video where you could be doing the entire routine incorrectly and you would never know because you can't see yourself performing the moves.

In my quest for the perfect at home fitness routine, I exchanged Zumba Fitness for Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012, hoping it would be a better fit.  It was.  The first night was a challenge, because I had to figure out how everything worked.  The Roommate got a kick out of it and has already threatened to record one of my workouts for YouTube.  Why?  Because I have taken to bickering and arguing with my "personal trainer" while huffing and puffing through my strength training interval workouts..  I'm sorry but when you say, "Let's do such and such,"  I am automatically going to hate you a little bit because you aren't doing a darned thing.  I'm the one doing all the work, so you can cut that "we" crap right out.

As much as I bellyache about the trainer, it is nice to have her there coaching me on.  She tells me when my arms aren't doing what they're supposed to and when my legs should be closer or further apart.  She also tells me when I've gone out of rhythm with my "coach."

Things I have discovered about myself while playing Your Shape:  1.)  I am more out of shape than I previously thought  2.)  My "personal trainer" is trying to kill me.  3.)  I hate interval workouts!  Don't get me wrong.  I will keep doing them, but I feel myself die a little more with every circuit. 4.)  Push ups and fast mountain climb are the devil.  I can do 12 once, but when I'm doing an interval workout and get to the second set, I need a break in the middle.  I'm sure I've made more discoveries as I've gone along, but those are the ones that stand out the most. 

As much as I pretend to hate the Your Shape, there are really only two problems I've found with it so far:  1.) There doesn't seem to be a tutorial where you can get the moves down before you have to perform them in an actual workout.  2.) The game isn't geared towards midget people who want to get in shape.  One of the warm up activities is called "Wall Breaker."  I love this!  It's exactly what it sounds like.  You break blocks to burn calories and earn points.  On the medium setting, however, it want you to break the lower blocks by raising your knee across your body at a 45 degree angle.  At 4'10", the game doesn't read my knee raises.  This is easily corrected by just kicking out with my foot much like an Oompa Loompa or a member of the Lollipop Guild, but I feel I am missing out on what could be a decent workout for my oblique muscles.  That is somewhat disappointing, but all of the other features make up for it.

My schedule has been insane this week, so I haven't been able to explore Your Fitness nearly as much as I would have liked, but that is the plan for this weekend.  I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with JARVIS.