In recent news…

(pictures and blog from my weekend in MN are forthcoming)

Mike and I have been trying to work out more.  As in, get in the gym… pump some iron… try a few new things and get “beastly.”  For all you ladies out there that are thinking, “Katie! aren’t you going to bulk up and get huge??”  DON’T FREAK OUT!  It’s pretty much genetically improbably (I won’t say impossible b/c that’s not true) for ladies to get huge.  For ladies to get big big big they have to work like wicked hard and eat all kinds of crazy things to come anywhere close to looking like that –>

Now, while we have slacked a little between being in Portugal, Minnesota and Nashville (between both of us)… , we have done lots of reading in the meantime on some new exercises to be adding to our routine.

These are exercises you probably have never seen performed before in the gym… but the guys we’re getting them from know their stuff.  They approach bodies as advanced pieces of engineering. As human engineers, their primary purpose is to make each piece of "machinery" as strong as it can possibly be.  Somehow I feel like saying that with an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent… just make it seem more macho.

So without further ado… here are a few exercises you can try: (side note: if you only have time to watch one… please watch the 4th one down!! it’s the longest but will change your fitness life)

This is called the Goblet Squat.. I’m super pumped to try this!!

 

Excellent warm-up to help with mobility

OH MY! I tried this one a few weeks ago! Make sure to start with low weight =) and enjoy!

BEST MOVIE OF ALL!! Within a matter of a few times doing these exercises, I’ve notice a huge improvement! My good shoulder has become weaker and these exercises have helped a ton! I only use 3lb weights and trust me that’s plenty!

 

SUPER AWESOME AB WORKOUT! You can do this kneeling or standing but it is one of the best abs workouts of all times and no crunching! (which is terrible for your back anyways). Pull the cable out until its off the stack of plates and then maintain your balance while you press out and back. Your obliques will tell you later how much they enjoyed this one.

Check out this awesome article I ran across today: Five Moves to Make you Hate Life... but are totally worth it!