Back to workouts

Spring’s coming and although there’s always plenty of physical stuff to do between house, yard and barn, actual workouts (including weights, cardio and stretching) seem to benefit my mind and body the most. Ronnie prefers getting his in at our local gym with his gym buddy, while I prefer outdoors on my back porch (and even better, with one of my workout pals when available). Because I tend to slack over the coldest parts of winter, and I’ve accepted that and the fact that I just “get back on the train” in early spring – its back to basics for me.

A good workout week for me looks like 2 days a week of about an hour or so combined weights and walking. If I could add in another hour or so of hiking or horseback riding or some other outdoor activity on another day of the week, that feels best to me. But this week consisted of a few mile hike at a local lake park with hiking trails with friends Sunday, and about an hour workout on the back porch with one of my best buddies (walking in between sets) on Monday and again today (Thursday – my cats came along my walk with me today). Our driveway is about a quarter mile from the road so three times up and back is about 3/4 mile. We did a couple of laps in between our workout sets. Our sets (at the beginning of “workout season”) look something like this…as we get more acclimated, we add in another set of weights to the workout…important thing is that we’re working out lots of parts of the bod during the workout – not just focusing on one part. We never forget leg day, unfortunately, haha!

– 15-20 Bicep curls (I use my 8s but by later in spring or early summer will probably work back up to 10s – I also don’t start out with 20 of anything, usually starting around 12-15 and working UP to 20 of all)
– 15-20 Tricep extensions (8s/10s)
– 15-20 Overhead press (8s/10s)
– 20 Squats (weighted holding one 8 or 10 – or no weight, just whatever we feel like) or walking lunges (about 20 lunges, depending on with or without additional weight).

Go walk some laps

– Lying on yoga mat (or you could use an exercise ball), with dumbbells in each hand, 12-15 dumbbell chest flys (I used 8s, but work up to 10s, I think my girlfriends use 10s).
– While still lying down, 12-15 tricep extensions/”skull crushers” (or “paint the ceiling” if you want little bit more ab involvement).
– 20 Russian twists with one weight
– 20 lying leg raises
– 20 side leg raises
– 20 “Supermans”
– Get up, do 12-15 bent over rows (I used my 8s, but will work up to 10s)
12-15 bent over tricep extensions (8s for me, 10s usually, I think, for my gal pals)

Go walk some laps. Finish by playing with kittens in the barn! 🙂

As I acclimate back to “workout season” I’ll usually add in one more round of weights (maybe 20 overhead press or 20 weighted calf raises), 20 pushups and/or tricep dips from a landscaping rock ledge), 20 crunches of some kind (suitcase crunch, or lying twisting windmills) and some yoga poses or core and balance-focused moves like planks or “bird dogs”, where you’re on hands and knees, alternating arm and leg extensions). I try to remember to add in stretching between sets.

You don’t need much for a good workout – my friends and I have been doing this since about 2008 when all our kiddos were little. In each others’ driveways or porches or even livingrooms on non-ideal weather days. Just a mat or towel, some basic dumbbells and your water bottle are all that’s needed! The kids are grown now and several of us have moved around since, but when we can get together to workout, its always a great way to reconnect with your buddies and do something good for yourself. Even if by yourself, if you can fit in even a few moments for yourself with some movement and/or walking – it always feels great!