Fitness Tip: R&R – rest and rumba

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Two days after the marathon and I’m still doing what a friend calls the old lady hobble.

My right leg in particular feels like its been beat up with a meat tenderizer. It’s really tight and difficult to move.

Sometimes the best recovery is active recovery. This morning I had my morning Zumba class. I toyed with not going. No one could blame me, but I needed to get out of my bed.

An hour later, my leg feels much better. Dancing has helped work out some of the lactic acid and made the muscles longer and bendier. I didn’t dance at 100% more like 50%. My knee still won’t allow twists and jumps. But I still grapevined and step touched my way through the songs. My 5 and 2 year old were next to me copying my every move. They probably out danced me.

It’s important to rest and not stress or further injure muscles. But it’s also important to not let them rust. Think physical therapy.

Fitness Tip: Abs part 1

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I didn’t even know I had abs before I started going to the gym. I just figured I had a donut gut. Then after one week of cardio blast, my body let me know, even under layers of fat, I indeed had abs… and they hurt! Like I said last week, you don’t need 500 crunches a day. A 5 min alternating every other day routine, should be plenty. Unless you want a 6 pack abs– if I ever manage to get one of those, I’ll let you know how.

In the meantime, here is my Zumba instructors ab workout that she alternates with.  It’s only one song, but it WILL kick your butt. Stick with it, and see results. I’ll try and get the other song for next week

Thank you Jessica for letting me post this.