Making the Elliptical Work

Due to my pregnancy, I haven't been running nearly as far or fast and have been plagued by nagging piriformis issues that have resulted in my going to physical therapy.  My Physical Therapist not only coached me through some stretches and strengthening moves I can do for my piriformis but opened my eyes to a world of working out with the elliptical in a way that actually left me winded and sweating.

Here's the secret: DON'T USE THE MOVING ARMS!

Seriously, so simple and yet I never really thought about it or tried it until recently.  Most ellipticals are designed for the average male which means that to use to moving arms, the average female is automatically tilted forward.  Add to this tilt, the fact that using the arms (which are usually connected to the foot pedals) automatically provides momentum based movement thereby naturally facilitating a side-to-side bounce.  The end result -- you are leaning forward and compelled by the machine to sway left to right.  Just think of all the alignment issues!

How do you not do those things?  Get on the machine and focus on staying upright and in good postural alignment.  To do this, you'll need to engage your core (wahoo!) so that you have a slight pelvic tilt and your abs and lower back are supporting your torso.  Don't focus on going super fast -- let your muscles compel the pedals forward not the pedals compelling your muscles.  If needed, for balance, lightly place one or two fingers on the center console or on the arm bars.

Practice what it feels like if you place all five fingers on the console. Just one.  Pump your arms yourself in midair.  Hold your arms upright but stationary.  Pedal backwards.

These very slight and seemingly insignificant changes throughout your workout can generate an "interval" like effect that will leave you feeling like you had an honest to goodness workout.

As a self-proclaimed runner, before now, I've looked to the elliptical as a cross-training standby but not my first choice of cardio equipment.  Using these new techniques, I have to say, even when I am back to 100% I plan on keeping the elliptical in my normal workout rotation.

Squeezing in a Workout -- 10 (or 5) Minute Abs

Let's face it, October was crazy, November is chaotic and December is just insane.  We haven't even celebrated Thanksgiving yet and I am beginning to feel the squeeze of necessary holiday prep, school activities and a million other things that come up before we ring in 2017.  One of the first things that tends to get axed to make time for other things is my gym time, sad but true!

Today, I'm going to share with you a workout that has been printed out and kept handy in my house for the past 10 years.  No equipment needed, all you need is yourself and a watch.

10 Minute Abs

Perform each of the listed exercises without a break for 1 minute each.  If doing "5 Minute Abs" perform each for 30 seconds.  Try to do as many QUALITY repetitions as possible; don't focus on quantity.  Rest in the up position.  The exercises may be performed in any order -- order can affect total difficulty! 

1. Sit-ups: all the way down, all the way up
2. Crunches: tighten your abs and keep your lower back pressed against the floor, raise neck/shoulders
3. Flutter Kicks: legs and knees are straight, move from the hips
4. Leg Raises: alternate bringing both legs straight and together from 6" off the ground to 90*s
5. Ankle Touches: in a crunch position rotate your torso side to side stretching your arms to touch alternating ankles
6. Center Plank: hold a straight back pushup position from your elbows
7. Right Plank: rotate your plank so you are balanced on your right elbow
8. Left Plank: rotate your plank so you are balanced on your left elbow
9. V-Sit: with either bent knees or straight legs, balanced yourself on the meaty part of your butt and hold your body in a "v" position
10. Bicycle Crunches: from a crunch position, slowly push one leg straight and the other toward your chest, rotating your elbows to touch the opposite knee

For added difficulty, perform 1 upper body exercise in between every 2 ab exercises.  This will extend your time to 15 (or 7.5) minutes.  Suggested upper body exercises include:

1. Regular Rushups
2. Wide ArmPushups
3. Diamond Pushups
4. Narrow Pushups
5. Staggered Pushups: right arm slightly forward of shoulder, left arm slightly back; alternate
6. Negative Pushups: 5 second count to the down position
7. Tricep dips
8. Mountain Pushups: with your butt raised into the air (think downward dog position) press your head toward the floor

Your abdominal muscles are just like any other muscle group and need time to rest and recover in order to get stronger.  Do not do this exercise sequence on consecutive days to allow for proper recovery.

Plyometrics: Explosive Jumping and Expletives

You've got to hand it to good ole Merriam-Webster for making plyometrics sound benign.

Definition of plyometrics

1. :  exercise involving repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles (as by jumping and rebounding) to increase muscle power

When in reality I think the secondary definition for plyometrics should be something like this

 2. : exercises where the individual is convinced to jump up and down resulting in a series of expletive laden exclamations and possible urinary leakage

Let's be real, I know plyometrics build strength and get my heart rate up quickly but I wish the schedule of classes at the gym would have an asterisk or something for those classes that involve lots of jumping. *note: wear a panty liner and come with an empty bladder*

My usual gym routine involves some sort of cardio equipment (read: treadmill) and then weights and stretching but I do like to mix it up with a solid hour of Body Pump or a Pilates class on occasion.
Last week, I gave a class called Hard Drive a try.  I should have known the use of the two-riser bench would mean plyos but I naively played along; after all, I was already in the room and by that point didn't feel like running on the treadmill.

The warm-up was a nice series of running in place, some step-ups and jumping jacks.  Nothing to be concerned about.  But then...the first round of an apparent ladder designed by the instructor to make me swear.  Burpees off the bench, jump and turn on the bench oh, and X-jacks off the bench -- seriously lady, there may be two gentlemen in the class but there is a good chance that at least 50% of the rest of us have gone through childbirth at some point and those things are just not nice!  Needless to say, I made it through the workout by pretty much doing a perpetual kegel and swearing between breathless gasps.

At least I didn't have to sneeze... ;)

Are we done yet?!?