Graceful Tenacity

Let's get the burners fired up today for a guilt free day tomorrow! Pre-Thanksgiving Circuit: 4 Rounds, 1 Minute per Station Mountain push-ups Swimmers Wide squat hold w/ alternating toe raises and side crunch Burpee w/ push-up Reverse Crunches Split squat jumps

100s Warm-up 100 Jumping Jacks 100 Arm circles to the front 100 Arm circles to the back 100 Prisoner Squats (Hands behind your head, elbows back, head/neck a natural extension of the spine) Workout 100 Push-ups 100 Lunges (Per leg) 100 Crunches 100 Second Plank Group these by 20, finish one exercise at a time...just get it done! Even if you have to spread it out through the day...no excuses!

Front, Back, Go 5 Rounds: 20 Push-ups Standard/Cobra/Diamond or Tricep/Wide Arm/Standard 30 Sit-ups Standard/Twist/Reverse/Toe touches/Standard 4 Min Cardio (Stair step, hill runs, jump rope...you pick, but get that heart rate up) Burn off that Halloween candy! You can do it!!!!

Odd Friday AMRAP*: 25 Min 5 Burpees w/ push-up 7 Cobra push-ups 9 Split squat jumps (each leg) 11 Tuck jumps 13 Push-ups 15 Mountain Climbers 17 Bicycles *AMRAP- As Many Rounds As Possible

Circuit Trainer 1 Minute at each station/4 Rounds   Push-up w/ arm extension Single leg Romanian dead lifts Wall sit leg extensions w/ overhead press Crunches Seated tricep dips Bicep curls Happy Hump Day!

1 Minute at each station: 3 Rounds Burpees w/ push-up Plank hold, toe taps left and right. Bicep curls (use bands, hand weights, soup cans for added resistance) Lunges Mountain Climbers Squat to overhead press (use your resistance) Alternating Leg climb crunches (start with feet flat on the floor, extend one leg toward the ceiling, climb your leg in as few steps as possible while contracting abdominals) Happy Friday!

5 - 10 min. low impact warm-up of your choice. Workout: 25 Push-ups 10 Split squat jumps or lunges 20 Push-ups 20 Split squat jumps or lunges 15 Push-ups 30 Split squat jumps or lunges 10 Push-ups 40 Split squat jumps or lunges 5 Push-ups 50 Split squat jumps or lunges Don't forget to stretch! :)

Warm-up: Turn on some great music and just dance for 1-3 songs to bring up your heart rate. Work-out: 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6 (Repetitions) - burpees w/push up - jump squats - sit ups Stretch holding for at least 20 seconds. Pay special attention to calves, hamstrings, chest and abs. 

Warm-up 5 Min. step while performing curls,  tricep kickbacks, rows, and overhead press w/o weight 5 Rounds 20 Squat to knee lift balance w/ overhead press (hold a hand held weight at chest level and press overhead) 20 Tricep dips 20 Side lunge to knee lift balance w/ reach over bent leg and raise arms overhead (use hand held weight) 20 Plank hold knee to elbow (keep head in neutral position) 2 Min. step (moderate to fast tempo) Slow step and bring heart rate back down (2 - 5 minutes) 2 Rounds 25 Crunches 25 Back extensions (lie prone and lift chest off the floor extend arms/hold weight to increase resistance) 25 Reverse crunches 25 Bridges (lie supine w/ knees bent, contract glutes and raise hips) ***If you are just beginning a workout routine: cut the repetitions in half, and try 2 rounds of the main workout and 1 round of abs.***

Warm-up: 2 minute stair step 15 arm circles front and back 10 prisoner squats Work-out: AMRAP* 20 Minutes 15 Reverse crunches 10 Squat to side kick (alternate sides) 5 Handstand push-ups (lower difficulty by resting feet on a bed or chair, hips shoulders and hands stacked in a straight line) 15 Alternating toe touches (lie supine in an x, raise left leg while reaching for toe w/ right hand)  10 box jumps onto a step, porch or other raised surface (fast tempo) 5 Burpees w/ push-up 15 Crunches 10 Lunges (each side) 5 Bicep curls (use resistance bands, hand weights, baby carrier, toddler or another hand held item) * As Many Rounds As Possible

Place a deck of cards face down. Pick an exercise and then flip the card. The value of the card is the # of reps for that exercise. If you are not feeling creative use this list: Burpees Single leg squats Mountain climbers Bicycles 4 count jacks Walk-out push-ups Split squat jumps (alternating lunges) Jack knifes Cobra push-ups Squat jumps or box jumps Plank walking hands left, center, right, center Reverse crunches Single leg dead lifts **With a full deck this will give you 4 rounds** Happy Friday!!!

After completing my NASM Personal Trainer Certification, and feeling totally stoked about the next step in my journey, I had began feeling like something was missing. I was told to be patient and things would fall into place...and then I had a better idea. I started a morning workout group geared toward those of us mommies who still have little ones at home. It is a work in progress, but it is progress. It is so wonderful to see all of their smiling faces in the morning. So far we have done grass drills, CrossFit style Boot Camp, and a balance and stability workout. I am so thankful to each of them for coming out and allowing my to train with them.

My goal for this blog is to share my experiences as a busy mom trying to regain, maintain, and continually improve my physical fitness in hopes that I can motivate and inspire other moms to be their best. My driving force is to set an example of overall health for my children. I want to teach them how to be healthy, set goals, challenge themselves, compete, and how to be gracious and encouraging.