#WorkoutWednesday: 30 Minute Strength Workout
Ever since Lady Bug was born (she's now two-and-a-half), my running has been two steps forward, one step back, eg) frustrating to the max. As soon as I get in a good groove, I start increasing mileage, throwing in a workout here and there, jumping into a 5k, and then bam, something throws me off. It's been beyond frustrating. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result, right? Which is why I've tried all kinds of things.A non-exhaustive list of things I've tried over the past couple of years includes: physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, more physical therapy, barre classes, cross-training, single leg squats, more single leg squats, donkey kicks, sooo many donkey kicks, clamshells, more clamshells, so many clamshells my butt was on fire, planks, side planks, plank challenges, self-massage, foam rolling, ice, heat, and stretching. My latest issue is an ache in the arch of my foot. It doesn't exactly hurt but been annoying me when I run for about three weeks, which makes me think it's not nothing. And as a wise friend pointed out to me, the definition of not nothing is something. And I really don't want this to be something. I want to ignore this and run anyway. Though I have a talent for being dumb and stubborn, I recognize that that the smart thing to do is the opposite of what I want to do.So... It's time to try something different (eg not be insane). I'm going to incorporate strength training into my routine at least twice a week. I've been pretty good about doing my planks and pushups most days, but I usually do the other stuff (lunges, squats, deadlifts, etc) sporadically, at best. There is no excuse for this. I belong to a gym that has childcare, and my basement is home to a TRX, a bunch of dumbbells, two physio balls (one normal one and one Pam-sized one), a medicine ball, multiple resistance bands, and soon (eg hopefully the first night of Hannukah), a kettlebell.On Saturday, after about 20 minutes on the spinning bike at the gym, I did this workout. I went through this routine three times, which took just under 30 minutes.(10-12 reps each exercise)Kettlebell swings (1st one with 12 kg, 2nd one with 8 kg, 3rd one with 12kg. I felt like Goldilocks, searching for the perfect weight, which I suspect would have been 10 kg, but I couldn't find it. Also note, I did not make the whooshing noises like the guy in the video).PushupsSide step with resistance band (if you do this right, you'll feel it in your glute med, big time). Standing dumbbell rows (with 15 lb dumb bells)Goblet squats (with 8kg kettlebell. You could also do this with a medicine ball)Back extensions on Swiss ball (I like to do these with my feet pressed up against a wall.)Hamstring curls on Swiss ball Reverse lunges with weight (8 kg kettle bell) Plank x 1:00Curtsy lunges with weight (8 kg kettle bell) If you try this workout, feel free to improvise if you don't have access to the same equipment I used. 