Ugh.. So far behind!

We've been so busy will all kinds of excitement that I haven't had time to blog about it!  I HATE being behind! I'm going to try to get caught up tonight and tomorrow.  Maybe it would be easier if I didn't have 5 blogs?  Oh well, here goes!

UPDATE:  May 22nd... Just now getting around to updating this, also now there are 6 blogs to keep updated... HA!

1-30-12??

Really?  That was the last time I posted???  I worked out between 3 and 4 times per week for all of February and then so far in March we've been working on a project that has kept us from the gym, but we did go for a bike ride last weekend and a walk too.  Hmmm... I'm going to have to summarize up February.  But before I forget, I love this idea for a workout addition so I'm linking it here so I don't forget it!

http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/The-30-Minute-Triathlon.htm?cmp=17-1-2192

Now is the time to lay groundwork for the upcoming season. Spring racesare just around the corner and you don't want to spend the first few months of good weather trying to make up for lost time.

In short, don't let the cold temps and shorts days of winter scare you from a good workout. Head to the gym with this circuit workout and start prepping for those early events.

The circuit is called the 30 Minute Triathlon. It was originally designed as a quick and solid workout for when time is crucial and sparse. You can modify it to any length of time that suits your needs, but the important thing is to allocate the same amount of time for each of the three segments.

10 minutes on the rowing machineThe segments are:

• 10 minutes running on the treadmill
• 10 minutes on a stationary bicycle

These segments can be completed in any order, and by alternating the order of events, you can feel where you need improvement and adjust accordingly.

To add a bit more variety, this workout can be done as a stand-alone, or it can be moved around your weight training schedule. Try this circuit before your workout on one day, then at the end of your workout on another day.

You can also incorporate high-intensity interval training into this circuit for a real fat-burner. For example: Row easy for one minute, sprint row for one minute, etc. This can be applied to all three segments. Applying the HIIT method is especially useful if time is a factor and you really only have 30 or so minutes for your workout.

To gauge yourself, keep track of the distance traveled during each segment, total them up at the end, and use this record to compete against yourself the next time you incorporate this into your workout.

An example would be:

• 2100 meters on the Row, which is 6,889 ft, or 1.3 miles
• 1.2 miles on the run
• 4.5 miles on the Stationary Bike

This gives you 7 miles in 32 minutes. Note: to get the most benefit out of this circuit, keep your transition times to a minimum. Try shooting for a minute or less to get a drink of water and go from machine to machine. The next time you incorporate this circuit for this duration of time, try to bump each segment up 1/10 of a mile, for a total of 7.3 miles. Or, if you feel like you performed weakly on one segment, focus on building the muscles for that group.

Working out indoors isn't always fun, but there are things you can do to make it more lively. This is just one dynamic example of something you can do to spice up your workout, even if you're crunched for time, and make sure you stay fit and ready for those beautiful spring months.