Round of applause: We survived Monday!
Although today marks the beginning of another grueling five-day work week, there are a lot of things happening this week that I’m excited about:
- A double header on Broadway: On Wednesday I’m seeing a matinee (Anything Goes) and an evening performance (Catch Me If You Can). Job perks!
- My return to Yoga: I haven’t been in too long, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the mat.
- My parents visiting: I am so excited for my mom and dad to spend the weekend in the city. We don’t have any definite plans yet, so I’m very open to suggestions of what you like to do when your parents come to visit, especially if you’re in NYC. We’ve done the touristy stuff, and all my mom ever requests is “people watching.” Easy enough!
- Running the Scotland 10K: This race is on Sunday in Central Park. I’m excited about the distance (manageable!) and really excited for another excuse to wear some sort of knee high/leg warmer concoction. Now I just have to find a kilt…
- Girl’s Night: My weekend (yes, I’m already thinking about the weekend) will be topped off with some quality lady time.
I know I promised my “big news” post tonight, but sorry, that’s getting pushed back yet another day. Do you hate me yet? Well, don’t. It’s coming…tomorrow. I’ll have better Internet access then.
Yeah that’s me, having not showered since the gym. What of it? I know plenty of people who refuse to shower after workouts. Judgment free zone…
In the meantime, I want to chat a bit about weak areas when it comes to exercise. Specifically, weak body parts.
This photo has nothing to do with this post. But dang.(No weak parts there, huh?)
Over the past few months, my focus has been on running. I spin, I get my downward dog on and I strength train, but running became my one true love very quickly.
I love using free weights and doing things like tricep dips.
I hate doing squats.
My knees also hate me doing squats.
In addition to the regular arm stuff I do, I also do lots of ab work. I adore it. But I admit that I’m not being as well rounded as I should be…because as strong as I think my arms and abs are getting sometimes, other parts are slacking big time.
Tonight we had a sub for Chisel and Cardio Tai Box at the gym, which was amazing because we got a completely different workout. One thing I really noticed throughout the class is how weak my lower back is. I’ve always known this was the case, and yet I have done nothing about it.
Why?
Truth be told, I know the area is weak and it overwhelms me to think of starting to work out a new area from scratch. But the whole time we were doing abdominal exercises, I didn’t feel the burn in my belly — I felt it in my lower back.
From what I’ve been told, this is because my abdominal muscles are drastically stronger than my lower back muscles, so my back is left doing the bulk of the “heavy lifting.”
Not ideal.
The lower back is an area that’s definitely ignored in many group fitness classes, and to be honest I need someone forcing me to do these exercises, because I’m not going to do them on my own. YouTube here I come!
SO TELL ME: Do you have a particularly weak body part? Do you work on strengthening it, or is it something you acknowledge is weak and have learned to live with? If you have conquered a “trouble area,” how did you get motivated to work on it?
0 Responses
Definitely my core. And I find that no matter how much(or different) ab work I do, my lower core stays exactly the same.
As for showering, most days I just don’t have the time and so spend the afternoon at my desk in gym clothes. It’s glorious.
Swimming is my weak area.
I know that’s not a body part.
I hired an Ironman Coach and a swim instructor to get me in gear.
That way I HAVE to get over to the pool.
omg kilt and leg warmers would be AMAZING! (bagpipes?!)
Have fun with your parents!! The last time mine visited they really liked wandering around Eataly and going for a long walk along one of the rivers. (We always throw in an art museum to feel cultured, too…plus, people watching ROCKS there!)
My abs look like that when I airbrush them, too. 🙂
SO JEALOUS of you seeing Catch Me If You Can. I’m dying to go…perhaps I’ll make my parents take me (and pay for it) next time they’re in town. Also, I really do have a kilt if you want to borrow it haha. Green plaid.
My weak spot is my abs. I work on them pretty often, but it’s in my genes that my legs get ripped just by living while I could do crunches all day and not have abs. You win some, you lose some.
You have such an awesome week ahead! Job perks indeed.
Everything on my body that isn’t directly strengthened by running is pretty weak. My legs and abs have all sorts of imbalances that I’ll have to address sometime.
my core is very weak! I used to do ashtanga every day, and a SUPER hard-core pilates class once a week, and I was had a pretty rockin’ mid-section, if I do say so myself. But I can feel myself getting soft! we’re all in this together 😉
I hate doing squats too! I can’t do lunges at all- they just kill my knees 🙁
my knees are weak. definitely iced them when i got home from crunch. i hope i can walk tomorrow. it is always so fun taking class with you!
I definitely need to strengthen my core! And my upper body! I think it would significantly improve my running if I worked on these areas! Also, when my mom comes to visit, she LOVES going to the Union Square Farmers’ Market! It’s not supposed to be particularly nice this weekend but in case that changes, you should definitely go there! It’s great for people watching AND grocery shopping! And as touristy as it is, I can never resist stopping by Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man afterward!
I am running the scotland 10k too 🙂 I will be sure to look for your leg warmers!
Don’t worry About not showering I got done with the gym over two hours ago and haven’t showered…
Weak biceps! Brynn laughs.