Before my daughter was born I ran
regularly, and lifted weights in the gym three times a week. I also
commuted by bicycle. I started that habit around age 27, and I
continued those habits throughout my pregnancy at age 30 (but gave up
the bike near the end of my pregnancy when my cervix started to
dilate, for no other reason than I felt creeped out by sitting on the
little bike seat with that knowledge. It makes no sense, I know). I
also continued working my abs throughout my pregnancy (just not in
the lying on my back position). I was lifting weights in the gym the
day before I started labor (normal vaginal birth, 5 hours heavy labor, two of
those hours pushing- no problems and unusually quick for a first time
mother).
I was good about waiting the 6 weeks
after birth to get the OK for exercise from my doctor, and went back
to working out (well, mostly good, I did start working on sucking my
abs in from the day after birth to hasten the return of a flat
stomach). Finding time to work out was more difficult with a baby,
so I got back slower than I planned. I lifted free weights at home, and did workout videos. Once my daughter was big enough
to ride in the jogging stroller I went back to running. My workouts
soon dwindled to just running, a habit that stuck for years. The
problem with just running is that it only works a limited set of
muscles. My upper body was becoming especially weak.
One day, while reading a thread about
exercise in a forum, I came across a very different workout that
someone had linked. The workout was named “Hot to Trot”. It was
only 12 minutes long. 12 minutes! I could squeeze that into my
schedule! I tried the workout. It was hard, and I was so sore the
next day, and the day after that, and even the third day (and beyond...but I do have issues with my muscles that contribute to abnormal healing times). Anyway, I was
hooked. Luckily the site that workout was on had many more workout
videos. They were all short and most used only bodyweight.
Perfectly suited for doing at home while my daughter took a nap. The
site of course, is BodyRock.tv. Back then Zuzana was the host (she
is no longer with BodyRock.tv and has her own workout channel now on
YouTube and her fitness website). I did BodyRock workouts about 4 times a week, and saw
amazing results. I started off with modifications for a lot of the
exercises, but in a short amount of time I was doing push ups from my
toes instead of my knees, and I was even seeing a few ab muscles.
I had a break from these lovely
workouts when I had other health problems, but now I am trying to get back.
Throughout my health problems (the worst of my health problems, I still have milder issues), the only exercise I had was from
martial arts practice and horseback riding, and some yoga more
recently. Then I injured my ankle and ended up on crutches with a giant rigid boot to wear. Now that I have the OK to exercise again (actually due to my other health problems, a requirement to exercise regularly and to do yoga daily) I am getting back to my activities. I have to wear an ankle brace, for months while my ligaments heal, though. I have gone back to my activities and have started daily yoga. Soon I will be starting ZWOWs. Those are what
Zuzana calls her new workouts, and a few BodyRock routines. I am one
of those who prefers the older BodyRock workouts to the new ones. I
don't like complex reps, I'm uncoordinated enough that I constantly
mess them up. One burpee as one rep is fine, but when it gets to:
“Jump sideways over this object, do two push ups, then one squat
jump, then one side lunge to the left, then jump back over the object
to the other side, do two more push ups, a squat jump, and a side
lunge to the right. Repeat that sequence 4 times, then do 10 high
knees, then go back to the first sequence...” it just becomes too much like
dancing and I totally botch it. I'd rather do 50 seconds of side to
side jumps, 50 seconds of push ups, 50 seconds of jump squats, 50
seconds of side lunges, and 50 seconds of high knees (& repeat
that sequence). It's impossible for me to mess it up when it's
straightforward like that. I also might try the 100 push ups and 50 pull ups programs. I tried the pushups one before, with great results (though I didn't get to finish it because I got sick for a couple of weeks and lost all the strength I had built...fast loss of strength is another one of my issues, I don't think most people go from doing >20 pushups on their toes, to <10 on their knees just from two weeks of rest).
Some links:
BodyRock: http://www.bodyrock.tv
100 Push Ups:
http://hundredpushups.com/
(There is also an app for this, which is what I have).
50 Pull Ups: http://50pullups.com/
(I actually have an app, which has a slightly different program,
but this is free and the app isn't. I think this will work just as
well, and uses only a pull up bar).
The Hot to Trot workout*:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XykeKSf5Dtc
http://www.bodyrock.tv/2010/06/02/hot-to-trot-workout/
(if you want the written description)
* Zuzana goes over the exercises &
proper form at the end of the video.
