Favorite Indoor Workouts

I’m linking up with Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia from You Signed Up for WHAT?!, and Mar from Mar on the Run. This week’s Friday Five theme is Favorite Indoor Workouts.

Favorite Indoor Workouts | FrenchFryRunner.com

I really like a lot of different types of exercise, so I thought I would share a few that I’ve been loving lately as I try to own the day every day.

  1. Body Pump. I’ve been going to pump classes for about a month and a half (I think), and I’ve fallen in love with it! It’s a great way to get started with weight training, and the class atmosphere is just fun and not intimidating at all. I’ve seen major results in my short experience with it, and I really recommend it to anyone looking to dive into more strength training.
  2. Yoga. Well, I just love yoga. It’s a great workout, especially Ashtanga or power yoga, and it’s a great way to work on your flexibility and your attitude. Yoga provides a way to slow down and focus on the moment with no judgment and to just be where you are.
  3. Treadmill. Yeah, I know. A lot of people hate the treadmill, but I don’t really, especially when I make my workout interesting. I like to warm up with 5 minutes walking and then move into my workout. Lately I’ve been doing shorter easy runs (30-40 minutes) and then picking up the speed by .1 mph each 30 seconds to one minute of the last 5 minutes before a 5-minute cool-down. Good stuff. It also helps that my favorite treadmill at the gym overlooks the pool, which distracts me from the feeling of not actually going anywhere. Nothing like watching older folks do Aqua Zumba, eh? 😉
  4. Swimming. I’m a fairly new swimmer, so my workouts aren’t anything crazy. I don’t have a tri on my schedule right now, so I haven’t been swimming a ton, but I do love it when I get to the pool. I swim for about 30 minutes and call it good. It’s short but effective since I’ve been trying to focus on form.
  5. Cycling/elliptical. I’ve been having trouble with my plantar fasciitis, so I’ve been interspersing cycling and elliptical into my training to cut down on my chance for injury. I just hop on the bike or elliptical crank up the resistance and go for 30-45 minutes. And the ellipticals at my gym have built-in TV, so it’s fun to watch The Chew or whatever while I’m plugging along. Good times.
Incline elliptical
How many times can I use this photo, I wonder.

 

Do you watch TV while you exercise?

Do you have a favorite treadmill/machine? Favorite running route?

Favorite dessert?

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Sharing my favorite indoor #workouts for #FridayFive with @eatprayrundc @yousignedup & @marmaone1. What's your favorite? Share on X

 

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I’m also linking up with Jill Conyers’s Fitness Friday and B.J. for #FitGeekFriday. Be sure to check out the hosts’ pages and find other fun blogs to read!

 

Thoughtful Thursday: Mere Mortals

Hard Work | FrenchFryRunner.com

 

No, we don’t have superpowers. No, most of us aren’t elite athletes. No, most things in life are not given to us. We have to work hard to get ahead in life, in running/fitness–in all our endeavors. Let’s work at our goals, and, little by little, we’ll be rewarded.

No, we don't have superpowers. It's time for Thoughtful Thursday with @FrenchFryRunner Share on X

If you did have a superpower, what would it be?

Who’s your favorite superhero?

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Week in Review: January 19-25, 2015

I’m linking up with Jesica at rUnladylike for her week-in-review link-up. I think I did a good job with workouts this week. And it definitely helps to be doing the #SweatPink #NoExcuses Challenge for a bit extra every day.

Workouts in Review

I’m bound and determined not to get injured this year, so I’m mixing it up a ton for workouts. I’m still building up my mileage slowly so I’ll be able to conquer the half marathon in May. Thursday would’ve been another pump class, but I was feeling a little strain in my leg, so I “ellipticized” instead.

Week in Review 1/19-25 | FrenchFryRunner.com

 

Here’s the rundown for the week:

Monday: 25 minutes incline elliptical, 2-min plank, mountain climbers, BOSU squats, walking some laps

Incline elliptical
Don’t let this innocent-looking machine fool you. This is a killer workout!

Tuesday: 1-hour pump class; extra plank (1:30), squats, 20 push-ups

IMG_20150120_184816

Wednesday: Run 2.96 miles; strength: plank 100 crunches, 100 jump rope, 20 push-ups

Thursday: Elliptical 30 minutes

Friday: Swim ~400 yards; elliptical 48 minutes

Saturday: Run 3.6 miles

Sunday: Rest

What I’m Most Proud Of

Even though I wasn’t feelin’ it on Thursday, I still managed to workout a bit. Sometimes that happens, and I just have to pick myself up and hit the gym anyway. I got six days of workouts in, and I’m feeling stronger.

Where I Fell Short

I really want to have more yoga in my life, so I need to make an effort. I didn’t go to any yoga classes this week, which was a bummer. My goal is to at least practice at home, even if it’s some before-bedtime

Thought for the Week Ahead

 “Life grants nothing to us mortals without hard work” –Horace

Let’s work hard this week! Don’t forget to go over to Jesica’s blog and check out her post and other linked-up posts