How sad are you that the Olympics are over? Those two weeks went by so fast, and thanks to Cox promising “full events” on OnDemand and delivering 3-minute highlights of only the American teams, I missed way too much!
The only good thing that came from the Olympics ending was the Spice Girls reunion. It amazes me that after over a decade, I could still sing along with every single word.
This weekend was super relaxing and laid back, with lots of catching up on sleep and TV show recordings, and an afternoon of crafts.
I ran out of workout clothes on Friday afternoon and had an XXL Planet Fitness shirt just waiting to be transformed into something amazing. And I remembered seeing this post on Blogilates for making a DIY workout shirt. Dirty clothes + old T-shirts = an opportunity for crafts! (A craftortunity?)
I guess XXL was too big or I cut too much, because the shirt ended up looking a failed attempt at a sheet ghost Hallowen costume. But I did get two new workout headbands out of the sleeves!
The takeaway here is… If you’re making DIY T-shirts, don’t toss the sleeves. Just cut a 3-inch strip from the hem and fold it over to make a comfy, cheap (free) headband for your gym session.
On Saturday, I finished off Week 3 of Insanity. One complaint I have about the program is the lack of arm exercises. My legs are looking great thanks to all the jumping around, but my arms aren’t really changing. Each workout has a few pushup drills, but it’s not enough.
I’ve also been working out my arms every other day to build up some strength and get the lean, cut look I’m dying for. Here’s a simple arm routine that I’ve incorporated into my workouts and the weights I’ve been using. You can try this at your gym, adjusting the weights for your comfort level.
Sunday was an attempted pool day, but after an hour it started to rain and I drove home. Of course, as soon as I got home, it stopped raining, so I put on my running shoes and dedicated myself to starting the Couch to 5K running program.
I downloaded the C25K free app that pauses your music and tells you when it’s time to run or walk, and you alternate between the two, slowly increasing your running time over the course of 8 weeks until you can run 5K nonstop.
This app is free, and you can remove the ads for $1.99. What I really love is that it tells you when you’re at the halfway point so you can turn around, and it tells you when you have 1 minute left, so you can give it your all.
I jumped right into Week 2, Day 1, since my race is in 7 weeks and I want to complete full the program. I’m still going to do Insanity, but Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays will also be running days. Is it crazy that I’m trying to do both at the same time?
I’m wondering…
What are your favorite strength exercises for your arms and back? Are there any muscle areas that get neglected with your normal training programs?
