Hi Everyone!
Happy Friday.
Now that the ‘thon is over, I am excited to ramp up my workouts and start incorporating strength. Strength has been on hiatus from my workout schedule for too long! It took me a little longer to get back to strong workouts than I expected, but this week was pretty great, especially since I have taken on way way to many work obligations, and have a fair amount of school and social stuff going on. Thank god I have embraced the AM workout.
Running on the other hand has been both a physical and mental challenge. So I took it easy on myself with running this week, but need to start getting back at it before Turkey Trot! I guess my dreams of PRing have to be put on hold.
I have however jumped aboard the Whittle My Middle Challenge by the lovely Angela and I am going to launch my own personal challenge as well.
Announcing the LEANER LEGS Challenge. I definitely have a really hard time seeing change in my lower body. Everyone is different, a few weeks of dedicated ab work and I am rewarded for my efforts, however, legs are a more fickle case. So I am giving one full month of dedication and hope to see some sort of progress. An inch, pants that glide right on, I’ll take pretty much anything. I am mainly curious to see what will happen if I give it a full month of focus. Of course, legs require a healthy diet, cardio and in some cases a little weight loss as well, but diet and cardio are already a part of my life, so this is a little additional boost.
So here is the plan, feel free to join me!
Leaner Legs and Tighter Thighs using the 10 plus 2 method!
4 times a week:
8-10 minutes of thigh/leg/butt work (4-8 exercises)
plus 2 minutes of stretching for lengthening purposes! Got to stretch out to get long and lean as opposed to short and bulky muscles.
Each day I will post my exercises and stretches for the day.
If you are joining, I also recommend 260 minutes of cardio a week (divided however you want among the 7 days) to see the best results. And at least 2 days have to be high intensity workouts, such as high intensity intervals. My old trainer swears that if you alterate 1 minute of pushing it at your absolute max with one minute of moderate instesity cardio for 12 minutes, you are going to see better results than spending 40 minutes phoning it in on the elliptical. The caveat is that you have to be pushing yourself hard enough during those 12 minutes that you couldn’t go any longer if you wanted to.
Plus an additional, 1-2 total body strength sessions a week, 15-20 minutes each.
Anyways, Day 1 of the Lean Legs Challenge will be Sunday Nov. 15th!
My workout schedule for the week of Nov. 16-27th
Sunday: 4.5 Mile Run, Whittle My Middle, Lean Legs Challenge-details to come
Monday: 30 day Shred Level 3, 45 minute elliptical, 1 mile sprint on treadmill
Tuesday: 3s and 5s workout, Whittle My Middle, Lean Legs Challenge
Wednesday: 30 Day Shred, 30 Minutes Elliptical, Whittle My Middle
Thursday: Kara Goucher Endurance Boost Coached Run, Lean Legs Challenge
Friday: 30 Day Shred and 30 Minutes Bike or Ellip., Whittle My Middle
Saturday: 5-6 Mile Run, Whittle My Middle, Lean Legs Challenge
9 responses so far ↓
prettyladycmu // November 13, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Are you sure you don’t want to delay your run until Sunday and do 5-8 in the Park with me? We could do our core and leg workout in Central Park afterward!
Tanya // November 13, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I totally love this challenge. My legs/ upper thighs are my problem area. Ppl never understand why I am so dedicated to working them, but, like you said, my middle and upper body will get toned in a jiffy – but legs require tough TOUGH love
jenny // November 14, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I’m definitely going to join you in this! Thanks for the tips
It’d be awesome to get my butt up to central park for these runs but the gym next door might just have to do
Leaner Legs Challenge Day 1 « Fitness NYC // November 15, 2009 at 10:09 pm
[...] here was what Day One of the Leaner Legs Challenge looked like—I swear it’s only about 10 [...]
Dori // November 16, 2009 at 12:58 am
I don’t know how you do all these challenges and DVDs. I wish I had your stamina? energy? will? whatever it is that keeps you doing these things and not laying in bed like me. Seriously.
OH so I meant to tell you, I took Yoga 1 at Exhale and didn’t hate it the way I usually hate yoga. I want to try again and maybe go more b/c I need stretches so badly, but it is offered at awful times. Let me know if you ever want to go though.
Melissa // November 16, 2009 at 1:04 am
Well I have my lazy days. I just finished blueprint yesterday, it was amazing. I ended up doing level 3. That definitely gave me energy and total clarity. I want to do one every month.
geez, we need to catch up. Maybe do a race together!
Elizabeth // November 16, 2009 at 3:07 am
sounds like an excellent plan!!!
Dori // November 16, 2009 at 1:51 pm
YES or just run together. Are you by any chance doing the 4 mile race on 11/22? I’m glad you liked level 3! If I do it again I’ll prob stick to Organic Avenue even though it was a little pricier, just liked the variety better. But now I am on a strict budget (found out my last day of work is 3/31) so no cleanses for awhile.
Stacy (Eating To Live Love Laugh Tri) // November 17, 2009 at 2:04 pm
That looks like a great week of workouts!