Tag Archives: workout tips

New Year, New Focus

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I’d like to start off this post by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hope everyone celebrated and brought in the year the way they wanted. I certainly had fun, my buddy and I made it to my friends house literally four minutes before the new year, talk about cutting it close. I would like to blame his blackberry and the wonderful streets of D.C. for  our confusion.

I’m usually not one for New Years resolutions, maybe it’s my rebellious nature, but I usually have the why New Years approach. Especially because the real New Years starts during the spring equinox ( but we wont get into that today.) Despite my rebellion, I do have a new goal that I really need to focus on.

A few days ago my buddy and I did another outdoor workout and I found myself making a conscious effort to do slow deep breaths during every exercise. Now, I always take time breathe deep, but it has never been on a consistent basis, especially during workouts. I think because breathing is such a natural action for most, much thought isn’t put into how you’re breathing and unless you have been practicing taking deep breaths your probably breathe shallow throughout the day.

I must say, taking deep breaths during my ab workout was quite the challenge, you really want to hold your breath, but it felt good letting more oxygen into my lungs, I could really feel the difference.

Why is breathing deep important for workouts and life in general?? A few reasons (via naturalnews.com):

  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Relieves emotional issues, including stress and tension
  • Improves the quality of sleep
  • Raises our energy levels
  • Helps break down salt
  • Improves circulation
  • Helps to promote weight loss
  • Improves athletic performance
Tomorrow, be conscious of your breathing… Start with three deep breaths in and three out (consistently.) Once you get comfortable with that increase the seconds in and out, you will notice a difference. Next step, Focus on breathing during your workouts. It’s challenging but rewarding. You are in control of your body, exercise it!! Sometimes my workouts are so intense I’m cursing out everything, the grass, time, myself Lol (you’d never be able to tell on my face.) In my mind I can’t wait to finish my set, which means i’m focusing on the wrong thing. Once I focus on my breaths, things don’t get easier but I do feel better. Happy Breathing!! Focus… and the more you do it, over time, you will be breathing better naturally  🙂

Post Christmas Workout Eek!!

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Yesterday a buddy and I went to workout around 9 a.m. It was interesting to say the least. Considering the weather in Maryland has been unseasonably warm, it was the perfect opportunity. It was about 40 degrees so we decided to do our workout at the nearby soccer field in our community. My buddy subtly let me know not to kill him on this workout and I humbly obliged *winks eye*. I haven’t consistently been doing much endurance focused exercise so I was excited to push our my body to the limit.

stretching

First we stretched, then started with something called a dragon crawl, imagine being on all fours and moving forward like an iguana. We did this down the length of the entire soccer field (much harder than it seems.) Next, going back down, we did knee highs (lifting your knees up to your hands rapidly and moving forward at an even pace, imagine a marching band.) Last, before my friend had to take an abrupt break, we did butt kicks going down the field, those are self explanatory.

knee highs

Shortly after, my friend said 4 dreadful words, “I have to throw up.” Ummm…. Ok. A part of me chuckled, all that over eating he did for Christmas, now he was seeing the consequence. While he coughed up his lung and then laid on his back I decided to do another set of our workout and another ab workout. After all of that, we did the dragon crawl once more then we’d be  on our way home.

butt kicks

I’ll never forget, freshman year of college my bball coach said, “if you feel like you have to throw up in practice, do it, then get back out on the floor.” I live by those words now. Get it out and keep it moving, nothing should hold you back!!! How are you staying in shape this winter???