Tag Archives: 30 push ups for 30 days

April 9, 2014 · 6:45 am

Benefits Of A Bicycle: Keep Calm & Ride On

Confession: My 8-mile run did not happen yesterday.

I could give you many reasons, but then why? Yes, my hubby wasn’t there ‘mentally’ as he put it, but I still could have gone. The truth is I just didn’t feel like running yesterday. I definitely can choose to be upset over it, but I prefer to simply move on and not let this affect my mood. I guess, my body needed a break; so I’ll take it at its face value.

I'm Choosing Happiness

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My workout today includes some biking. This brought some good memories back.

Like this little evening trip with my parents over 5 years ago.

Biking with parents edited

 

split edited

*A few of you asked me to do a post on my rhythmic gymnastics days. I promise, I will. I’ll pick up some pictures when I go to Europe next week. Pinky swear!*

Or this little day trip with my brother in Summer 2009.

biking with Bohdan edited

another split edited

*I guess there is some weird correlation between me biking and wanting to do splits. Haha!*

Not all of my bike trips were so nice and sweet, however. At some point of time, I would go biking pretty much every single time after work. Once as I was stopping at an intersection, my foot got caught in a strap. Needless to say, I plummeted to the ground. Thankfully, the closest car was a little further away from me and I wasn’t run over or hit. My ego was shot and so were my hands and knees. But then you know how it is, you fall, people run up to you to ask if you’re fine, and you laugh it off as if nothing happened and you aren’t hurt at all *while weeping silently inside*. Good times!

you forgot to unclip

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TechnoGym provided the following suggestions on how to exercise safely on a stationary bicycle.

The only thing you need to remember when using a bike is to adjust the seat properly. 
This will make your workout more comfortable while preventing your joints from being subjected to unnecessary stress. 
This is how to do it:

  •  On an indoor or classic vertical bike: climb onto the machine and hold the handlebars. Then rest the center of each foot on the pedals and make sure that the leg in the lower position is bent by 5/10 degrees
  • On a reclined bike: you have found the right position when, with both feet on the pedals, one of your legs is almost completely extended and forms an angle of 5/10 degrees

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Clearly, there are many benefits to riding a bike. These are some of them *SO CUTE!!!*.

benefits of a bicycle

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So this is how my workout looks like today.

Warm-up jump rope: Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back – 10 minutes

Unbreakable Strength: 

Repeat this 5 times:

Dumbbell Lunge for 30 seconds on each leg
Split-Lunge jumps for 30 seconds
Plank walk for 45 seconds
Shoulder taps for 45 seconds
(Rest for 3 minutes between sets.)

Spartan Bike Sprints: 35 minutes

Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2
Ride for 20 minutes in zone 3
Every other minute, sprint as hard as possible for 10 seconds
Cool down easy for 5 minutes.

+ 30 push ups for 30 days challenge

keep calm and ride on

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Do you bike? What are some of funny/scary things that happened to you while biking? 

xoxo
Olena

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April 4, 2014 · 6:45 am

Weight Training 101 & Arnold Strength Workout: Act Like A Lady, Lift Like A Boss

The truth is, weight lifting has intimidated me for the longest time. It might have been all that iron or maybe all those bulk guys in the ‘guys section’ of the gym.

my arms are kind of big deal

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You know what I mean! But then, I thought to myself, enough is enough! The Spartan Race training calls for strength training, so I’ve got to put my big girl pants on and suck it up. And what’s awesome is that nowadays there are more and more girls who lift. And I’ve got to admit, they look totally bad@ss!

Lifting for womenSource 

But then, on the other hand, you see all these ridiculous behaviors there! Grunting, loud noises, swearing! Gosh, guys looooove to show off. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine to show off your skills. However, very often all you see is bad forms of people who have no idea what they are doing *Yes, even with my uneducated eyes! Imagine!* , and the only thought on your mind is, please don’t hurt yourself, please don’t hurt yourself! Haha!

bad form

 

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Clearly, I don’t want to be one of them! Why get hurt because of lack of knowledge, especially that there’s so much information out there?!

I found some great rules of lifting etiquette and a few common mistakes to avoid at Bodybuilding.com. Here they are.

A FEW RULES OF LIFTING ETIQUETTE

  • To start, always bring a towel and be kind enough to wipe off the machines, benches and equipment you use.
  • Be sure to re-rack all the weight and replace all the dumbbells or barbells that are used.
  • Don’t rest for extended periods of time on a machine that someone is waiting for; if possible work in with them between sets, most people are more than willing to share when asked nicely.
  • Finally, please, leave your cell phone in your locker or car; nothing is more distracting than listening to another person’s conversation, unwillingly.

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

  • Using too much weight, too soon; always start lower than your expected ability and work your way up that first workout. If your form suffers, you are swinging the weight, or using momentum, this indicates you may be using too much weight. Greater momentum increases the potential for injury and reduces the effectiveness to the muscle group being targeted.
  • Not using enough weight; always play it safe, but if you can perform 30 reps with a certain weight, it’s likely time to increase it a bit. Tip: Increase the weight no more than about 5% at a time.
  • Moving through repetitions too quickly, going too fast; there is nothing gained by lifting weights ‘fast’ some of the perks of lifting weight in a slow and controlled manner, include more total muscle tension and force produced, more muscle fiber activation both slow and fast twitch fibers, and less tissue trauma. *Remember, a joint is only as strong as the muscles that cross it; if you haven’t lifted in a long time, or ever, be careful what you ask of your joints.
  • Not resting long enough, or resting far too long; both can be a workout killer. Tip: The recommended rest period is between 30-90 seconds, for overall fitness.

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act like a lady lift like a boss

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As you have probably noticed, my workout for today is called Arnold. *The Spartan Guide is very creative when it comes to workout names!*

According to the training guide, some may say that this isn’t functional, but Arnold says. “you’ll be back,” for this change of pace! Repeat this 3 times, using a weight you can lift within the desired range.

10-15 reps each:

Alternating backward barbell lunge
Alternating dumbbell chest press with overhand grip
Alternating incline dumbbell row with neutral grip
Back extension on machine with arms across chest
Cable lat pull-down with underhand grip
Alternating dumbbell shoulder front raise
Barbell wrist curl with arms on bench
Barbell wrist extension
Alternating dumbbell bicep curl with neutral grip
Seated 1-arm dumbbell tricep extension
Bridge and leg curl on stability ball
Bicycle
Dead bug
Leg raise with flutter kick on incline bench or floor

*For dead bug and flutter kick make sure the lower back stays neutral.

+ 30 push ups for 30 days challenge!!!

I'm just strong

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Now I’d like to hear from you, my weight-lifting friends! What are the most valuable lessons you learned while lifting? What are the errors I should avoid? Any tips or tricks?

xoxo
Olena

 

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April 3, 2014 · 6:45 am

My First 8-Miler, 7 Power Foods To Beat The Slump At Work, And Yoga Sequence For Runners

Guys! I did it! I ran my first 8-miler yesterday!!!

I know, it might sound like not a lot, but I am proud of my accomplishment. I was a bit worried after my last tough 4 mile run last week, so I took it easy and ran 8.16 miles in 1 hour and 20 minutes. To my surprise, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Here is my somewhat surprised, tired and proud face. Haha!
after the run

At some point of the day, I got a little nervous though. It was another busy day at work and I felt tired and ready to hit my bed. But then I thought of yesterday’s post and the importance of acting energetic… and ummmm… well… I got myself a bottle of Vitamin water… There! Guilty as charged!

guilty as charged

 

I know, I know! I am a bad girl, and that stuff is really not good for you. But you gotta do what you have to do, right? Haha!

There are actually other ways to recharge your batteries while at work that do not involve drinking stuff you shouldn’t be drinking. According to Live Strong, the following are 7 power foods you could have at work to beat the slump:

  1. Walnuts and almonds.
  2. Low-fat diary.
  3. Avocado and olive oil.
  4. Hard boiled egg.
  5. Blueberries.
  6. Dark chocolate.
  7. Citrus fruits.

Also it is very important not to skip breakfast, eat well-balanced lunch, get proper sleep, and avoid sweets to prevent midday sugar crushes.

full-of-positive-energy-and-its-gone_o_814242

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Today is my active rest day. I will try out the following 10-posture yoga sequence from PopSugar. Here is an instruction from the website: Move through each pose, holding for five breaths, and then repeat on the other side. *Not sure I’ll be able to do the last pose though! LOL!* Also, don’t forget the Spartan 30 push ups for 30 days challenge: Day 3!

be3a267c403f4129_yoga-for-runners-pinterest-poster-350

 

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What achievements are you proud of? How do you maintain your energy levels at work?

xoxo
Olena

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April 1, 2014 · 6:45 am

The Success Indicator: Setbacks & How To Deal With Them

Happy Tuesday y’all! *In my mind Southern accent = warm = Summer!!! Could you tell I’m fed up with cold?!* It’s April Fool’s Day, so beware! Haha!

Today, I’d like to write about something that each and every one of us stumbles upon at some point of our lives: SETBACKS. The reason why I decided to bring this subject up is because one of my fellow bloggers, Laura from The Gluten-Free Treadmill, who is my big inspiration, attempted to run an ultra marathon this past weekend. It was super windy and as a result Laura was able to complete 75 out of 100 km. It’s not really surprising that she was feeling upset, frustrated and disappointed.

one defeat

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Obviously, running 75 km is a HUGE accomplishment in itself, and Laura definitely should not feel this way. That being said, it’s very easy to be a bystander and give advice on how to feel or not feel. However, let’s just think for a moment of how many expectations we have of ourselves. It is important to have goals and dreams. The problem is, however, when those dreams and expectations fail to motivate us and on the contrary make us doubt our abilities and alter our progress.

giving up on your goal

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So how do we move on from setbacks? According to Huffington Post, there are a few things we can do:

  1. Put it into perspective.successSource
  2. Evaluate: What is the lesson learned from this situation?

    strengthSource

  3. Do something differently: ‘Do you want to try again to achieve the same goal or relationship or career change with a different tactic? Or maybe you want to achieve something totally different the next time. Whether you want the same thing or something else, you need to take what you discovered in tip number two and figure out how you are going to approach working towards the goal differently this time. And although you cannot plan out all of life and its obstacles, you can decide to try something new such as taking on a new attitude, or being more flexible to changing course sooner, or being more open to whatever comes your way.’

    do something you've never doneSource

  4. Commit to self-integrity: ‘Hold yourself up to not repeating the patterns that are stopping you from getting what you want, and follow through on the new ways that you have committed to doing things. Making this commitment is important for two reasons: First, it builds confidence because you learn that you can have some control over the direction of your life, and second, it stops you from backsliding and repeating the past experience (and then saying “see, I knew this would never work”).’

    commitmentSource

  5. Be all over the place: Change it up, spread your possible options.

    possibilitiesSource

  6. Always be your best friend: Don’t beat yourself up. It’s okay to have setbacks. What’s most important is how you come back up.

    love yourselfSource

In other words, it’s okay to be upset, but just for a little bit. Be proud of your accomplishments and your journey. Don’t let any setbacks get you off the road to success and happiness! *Love you, Laura!!!!!*

My workout for today is Bourbon on the Rocks (cross-training) and Ab 500 (strength). Also, do not forget that today is the first day of the Spartan 30 push ups for 30 days challenge!!! *Woop woop!*

successful people

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How do you deal with setbacks? Have you ever had a roadblock that you weren’t sure you could overcome?

xoxo
Olena

 

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March 31, 2014 · 6:45 am

The Spartan 30 Push Ups For 30 Days Challenge, Doggy Park & More

Good morning beauties!!! How are you? I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

be awesome

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My weekend was really great. Even though it didn’t really go the way it was planned *stupid weather lol!*, my hubby and I spent a lot of time with our little beauty Bella. We decided to take her to a doggy park for the first time. Despite being somewhat intimidated  by bigger dogs, I think, she really enjoyed the experience.

at a doggy park

Needless to say, she was EXHAUSTED.

Tired Bella - German Shepherd

When my loves were sound asleep and there was absolutely nothing on TV, I started snapping some selfies with my cell. *My pest bit through the rear-end camera lens… for the second time… I guess, that’s what they call LIFE. Haha!* Here is the result.

Be YOU

Oh! And we finally got to watch Frozen. I LOOOOVE Olaf! ❤

*PS. This specific scene is so actual for the weather in Montreal. We all wish for summer/spring very much, but the real surroundings are very close to those in the cartoon. But I’m not losing my hope! Haha!*

Guys!!! You will not believe me! It seems like finally the Spartan Gods have heard my plea and sent a challenge that I needed for a while!

myths-legends-atlas-greek_gods-greek_myths-ancient_mythology-titans-jprn157l

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As you may remember *or not*, one of my fellow fitness bloggers, Emmeline, threw a challenge to see who will be able to do the most push ups and pull ups by June 21, 2014. I diligently did my thinking and decided to set a goal of 30+ push ups. It’s all sweet and dandy, but I felt like i needed a solid plan in order to reach my objective. And VOILA!

Spartan30_PushUp_Calendar_PS

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I am super duper excited to share that the challenge starts TOMORROW on April 1! All you have to do is 30 push-ups a day for 30 consecutive days. SIMPLE!!!

Here are a few more tips from the Spartan Race itself:

  • No fancy gym memberships required. All you need is the floor beneath your legs, your own body (safe to assume you have this) and determination. Post your pictures and/or your times. Then do it again the next day.
  • So how do you complete a push-up? Follow these steps: 1 – Get into plank position, with your hands slightly outside of your shoulders. 2 – Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, keeping your elbows close to your torso. 3 – Push away from the floor and back to the starting position. Repeat 29 more times!
  • If you can’t do one push up, start the challenge with the “modified push-up”. To perform a modified push-up assume a push-up position but bend your knees allowing them to touch the floor and cross your ankles. This will make the push-up easier and can be used as a stepping stone to the standard push-up!
  • If your wrists hurt, Try using a pair of dumbbells or push-up bars. The modified grip will allow you to keep your wrists straight.
  • You can even time yourself. By keeping track of your progress, you can watch yourself improving
  • Feel free to push yourself further! Don’t stop at 30, if you can do more.

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make things happen

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*** Also make sure to read one of my previous posts for more insights on push up technique, some laughs and cute pictures of little kidos ‘doing’ push ups: Push Ups 101: A Cheater’s Guide To Lousy Push Ups, 35+ Push Up Variations, And Fast & Effective Bodyweight Upper Body Workout.

watch me

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How was your weekend? Are you going to embark on the Spartan 30 push ups for 30 days challenge? How do you challenge yourself every day?

xoxo
Olena

 

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