Lori Harder 14 Day Challenge: Day 11

Day 258: Friday September 15, 2017

TGIF everyone!! Hope you’re all having a fantastically fabulous Friday. I have no idea where this week has gone. This week was a wonderful learning experience for me having me be alone in my section at work. I was a little nervous because I’m fairly new and this is a big responsibility but I was also excited for this opportunity. This was my chance to show what I’ve learned so far and demonstrate how I can be a positive contribution to my team at work. It’s all about that perspective; I could have stayed in that stressed out and worried mindset and been a worried mess all week. Instead I decided to grab this challenge and face it head on and see it as the awesome learning experience it was. I just can’t believe it’s already been a week. 

I was so busy at work all day I practically ran out of the office when it was time to go. I mean I looked at the clock, saw I was good to go, sent my computer some major “WILL YOU LOG OFF FASTER SO I CAN GOOOOOO HOME NOW PLEASE” vibes and once that oh so wonderful red light came on I was out the door and headed home. 

Today I decided to do Workout 3 from the Lori Harder 14 Day Challenge and I am totally going to be feeling this one tomorrow, and maybe even Sunday (I have a way to go you guys, I’m getting there). As if it’s already Day 11, how are there only 3 days left to this challenge? Crazy. 

Workout 3

1. Flying Push-Up: This move is a major ab activator. The push-ups alone are tricky for me (can you say weak chicken arms). But then adding the “flying” to it and the amount of arm and core strength it takes to get that push off the floor, man my body was feeling that move with each rep.

2. Split Jumps: This move is a good core burner and balance tester that’s for sure. The momentum build up for me was the tricky part. Once I got a good rhythm with each jump I found it easier to keep my balance. The important thing about this move that I forgot sometimes (ok tried to cheat sometimes) was to not go down fully into each lunge after each jump. Making sure to get down properly into each lunge will get you the full benefit of the exercise. Just remember not to cheat yourself out just for some short term gain. The pain’s worth it, I promise.  

3. Triceps Kickbacks: This is one of my favourite arm exercises. Too often we focus on biceps and neglect those oh so lovely triceps but this exercise solves that problem. The key to this exercise is to keep the triceps engaged through the whole move. Doing the kickbacks without the contraction is so much easier than when they’re contracted and engaged it’s crazy. I increased the weight I’m lifting while doing this exercise to push myself and get the maximum benefit from the exercise. I love that feeling after a workout where your muscles are burning, feels so satisfying crushing a workout.  

4. Prone Jack Pop-Up: Oh man these things are tricky. Not so much that this move is difficult to do it’s just difficult to keep going. This move once again gets the whole body engaged. The prone-jack part of the move gets your core and arms engaged by keeping you in the upper push-up position. The pop-up gets the legs in and keeps the core engaged by needing it to be contracted to get you up off the floor (oh you evil pop-ups). 

5. DB Squat & Reverse Lunge: Can’t believe I’m saying this but this move was fun (clearly I really am losing it to the fitness bug). This is an awesome combo move because of course it includes a squat. The DB Squat gives you that weight resistance for a little extra challenge with the squat. The reverse lunge is a great way to add in some work for the legs and keeps the core engaged so you maintain your balance. 

Hope everyone’s had a wonderful week. I hope you crushed some challenges, set some new goals, learned new things, and had an awesome time doing it. Here’s to a fantastic weekend, I’m just excited about getting to sleep in tomorrow (cue the *no alarm to wake up to* dance). Cheers.