Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Work It Out (You tryna get ripped or what, brah?)

Here's my workout for today! Give it a try, it burns! This is a 2 part workout and will take about 40 minutes.

Set your interval timer to 30 seconds high intensity, 10 seconds rest, for 30 rounds.

Part 1 - You'll do each of these three times
1. Speed Skaters - Beginning on the left side of your workout space, hop to your right, landing on your right with a bend in your knee, swinging your left leg behind you, use your moment to hop to your left and so forth. More cardio: touch your opposite hand to your toes when you land and swing your other arm up to the sky.
2. Leg Lifts - On your back, with your hands under your tailbone, raise and lower your legs steadily. Keep your lower back pressed to the floor.
3. Right Arm Row - Get into a side lunge position, rest your left elbow on your left knee. Start with your weight (dumbbell or kettlebell) in your right hand down by your left foot, bring the weight to your armpit and lower.
4. Left Leg Side Lunge, Right Arm Curl - Begin standing with your weight in your right hand. Lunge sideways to the left and return to standing as you curl the weight.
5. Left Arm Row - Get into a side lunge position, rest your right elbow on your right knee. Start with your weight (dumbbell or kettlebell) in your left hand down by your right foot, bring the weight to your armpit and lower.
6. Right Leg Side Lunge, Left Arm Curl - Begin standing with your weight in your left hand. Lunge sideways to the right and return to standing as you curl the weight.
7. Right Side Plank Dips - In a forearm side plank lower your right hip to the floor and raise it as high as you can, squeezing your obliques.
8. Left Side Plank Dips - In a forearm side plank lower your left hip to the floor and raise it as high as you can, squeezing your obliques.
9. Alternating Lunges - Forward or backward, alternate left and right leg lunges. Make it harder - add a weight.
10. Alternating Get-Ups - Lie on your back, and plant your right hand and left leg on your mat, raise yourself up and touch your left hand to your right foot. Lower and switch sides.

Part 2 - Reset your timer for 30 on, 10 off, 30 rounds
1. Lunges - You pick: alternating or single leg, raised leg, plyo, curtsy, rear, forward, side... Just make sure you do both sides with whatever you pick.
2. Forearm Plank - The basic plank, engage your core, tuck your tailbone and relax your glutes.
3. Squats - You pick: wide, plyo, static, single leg, plie, narrow...
4. TIU Tummy Tucks - In a plank on your hands, bring your right knee to your right elbow, left knee to left elbow. Make it harder: do it in a forearm plank.
5. Lunges - You pick: alternating or single leg, raised leg, plyo, curtsy, rear, forward, side...
6. Russian Twists - In a seated position, knees bent, chest up, twist to the right then to the left. It helps to clasp your hands with your index fingers making a gun.
7. Squats - You pick: wide, plyo, static, single leg, plie, narrow...
8. Crunches - Hold for a breath at the top of each crunch.
9. Lunges - You pick: alternating or single leg, raised leg, plyo, curtsy, rear, forward, side...
10. Pike Reaches - Begin in a plank, stretch your right hand in front of you, now pike your hips up into downward dog and touch your hand to your left ankle. Return to plank and switch sides.
11. Squats - You pick: wide, plyo, static, single leg, plie, narrow...

***Do this^^ twice through, then finish the workout with the following:

1. Plank
2. Straight Leg Deadlift - Bend at the hips, keeping a flat back, until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, return to standing.
3. Hip Twisters - In a forearm plank, rotate your hips to the right and left so they touch the floor, pretend there is a ball below your pelvis that you are trying to avoid.
4. Right Leg Glute Kicks - Begin on your hands and knees, extend your right leg behind you and draw a rainbow with your toe from right to left, left to right. Keep your leg straight and engage your core and glute.
5. Left Leg Glute Kicks - Begin on your hands and knees, extend your left leg behind you and draw a rainbow with your toe from right to left, left to right. Keep your leg straight and engage your core and glute.
6. TIU Tummy Tucks - Make it harder on your forearms. Love Tone It Up!
7. Straight Leg Deadlift + Row - Perform a straight leg deadlift and bring your weight to your chin, elbows out, when you stand.
8. Straight Leg Deadlift + Row - Perform a straight leg deadlift and bring your weight to your chin, elbows out, when you stand.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Struggle

So for the past couple months, I've been half-heartedly searching for part-time jobs, while trying to figure out how best to go about working for myself and in what capacity. I've come to the conclusion that I'm maybe not mature enough, or passionate enough, to pursue self-employment of some kind at this time. While it's still a goal I have, my capacity to step outside my comfort zone or get motivated is nearly non-existent.

Now, in the past few weeks, I've really stepped up my job search, primarily for part time jobs because Joe and I share a car and we've got Cooper, who deserves some time outside his kennel during the day. It's also a priority for me to take care of most of the things at home - laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc., and I am not interested in doing more of what my past experience is in a full time job. No more marketing, please, I hate it.

What I've discovered the past couple weeks is this:
1. Job hunting sucks and is really demoralizing. I knew this, just reconfirmed it.
2. I'm not interested in the things I have experience doing, and no experience in the things I'm interested in doing. I'm at an impasse, I don't know how to get around it.
3. Pretty certain my schooling was a waste of my time and money.
4. I regret not standing up for myself as an 18-yr-old, holding firm to knowing what I didn't like (sitting in offices) and what I do like (art and flexibility).
5. With more than a year now unemployed, I feel guilty for putting this kind of stress on my husband, and hopeless that there's anything out there for me that will be a good fit for my interests and capabilities.
6. I have no passion, none. For anything. It died after my freshman year of college.
7. I cannot state goals without getting major anxiety. I have never set a goal in my life.

I thought college was going to be the key to making my life goals and dreams come true. Get good grades, go to a good college, do well in college, get a good job, make enough money to fund my interests... It doesn't work like that, at all.

I don't know what to do. I want to give up, cry, go back and start over, be a different person. Not sure there's anything out there for me.