Sunday Night Work Out

        Since Brandon and I ran our 10k yesterday, today was a cross training day. For our cross training days we generally try to walk, do push-up, pull-ups, squats etc.. throughout the day around the house. Now that it is nice out we try to take Sali out and walk her around the neighborhood. On one of our walks we walked passed a little play park area (one that we have always walked passed or swung on the swings). Until recently we did not use the play park to its full potential. It has a pole, monkey bars, pull up bar, steps and climbing ropes. It is awesome!!! Tonight we did a 1 mile walk and then ended at the play park where we spent about 30 minutes working on upper body work outs. 

I am now able to do monkey bars for the first time ever in my entire life. Even as a kid, I was never able to do them because the girls in my family were not blessed with upper body strength. We have leg muscle just no upper body. So I continue to work on my upper body almost daily. I have seen lots of improvement. Tonight I hung on the bar for over a minute. I can jump and pull up on the bar. I can do monkey bars. I can Pull my self up a little bit on the pole (can't quite climb it yet). I am going to continue to work on my pull/push ups and I will continue to work on climbing the pole. 

My advice to anyone who is trying to tone up and get in shape: Just try! I have learned a lot of things about myself through training for races and working on myself. I thought that I would be able to do some arm workouts for a few weeks and then I would have awesome arm strength but... that is not the case. It has taken a ton of work and I still can't do a pull up without a little jump up. It takes time and it takes practice. Some people are able to get it right away but if you are like me, you will go through frustrations, soreness and success'. Today Brandon and I were laughing at how far I've come, it is a good feeling but I am still disappointed every time I try a pull up and fail. 

Brandon has had great success too. Since he shattered his arm, he wasn't able to do much upper body. Recently he has been cleared to go live life and use his arm as normal. He is now able to do pull ups, push ups and climb the poly. Because of the motion of the monkey bars, he can't do them yet but he continues to try. (Really makes me mad that he can do all of these things with no problems and he has a jacked up elbow but I am proud of him!)

Just go out and play and pay attention to where you can take advantage of play times. Play place, around the house and even around the office. During school I play on our play place with the kids and at then end of the day I do kiddo boot camp where I teach the kids how to do ab work outs and squats. Playing is fun and I think adults forget that too often. 

So take this time and reflect on how far you have come on your goals and don't look at what you can't do still. Go you!! 

Anyone have any advice or stories they want to share? 

Pull ups on the monkey bars

Climbing the pole

Chin up and hold on the pull up bar

Monkey Bars!!!