Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.


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Letting go is hard to do

It’s hard to let go of things.  Especially those things that you really like but that may not be good for you. When you let go of something there’s always the fear that you’ll miss what you’ve released and there may be no going back.

Here are a few things you can let go of without worry, do your body and soul some good.

  • Play catch – With a friend or against a wall by yourself.  It’s good for concentration, coordination and your pecs.
  • Toss out all the things in your closet that don’t make you feel “alive” (That’s what Oprah says – did you know that Oprah just found out she has a half-sister? Drama!).
  • Go to a pub, have a pint and throw a game of darts.  Darts are hella fun and a good way to meet some new friends.
  • Horseshoes – Golden Gate Park just finished fixing up their Horseshoe Pit. Again, good for the coordination, who cares if you don’t know how to play.  Just go toss some shoes.
  • Time to compost all the old stinky food in your frig.  Clean out the frig and clean up your diet.
  • Play around with taking your hands of the bars for a few seconds the next time you go for a bike ride.  If you’re a little nervous just hold ’em right over the bars.  (Obviously don’t do this on a busy street!). This is fantastic for your core.
  • Batting practice – Find a batting cage or just head for the local ball field. They’re all over the city.  Swinging a bat (even if you miss) is great for the whole body!
  • Fling a Frisbee at the beach, play a little volleyball, badminton, the list goes on. The weather is perfect right now!


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Are your running shoes your friend?

Ouch!

Ouch!

The Guinea Pig 2011 Report – In case you forgot we’re following GP through the suggestions I make here on this blog. Last week I reported that GP was working on Post Holiday Detox. She’s drinking more water and eating much more fiber. GP is now feeling lighter and far less toxic.

Once GP began feeling lighter on her feet she plugged in her iPod and took things up a notch.  Rather than her usual 20-minute moderately paced trot on the treadmill, GP hit the incline button. In her own words here’s GP’s report…

Felt good Saturday after our adventure (Kelley took me into the woods for some circuit style activities using tree trunks and sticks) but did nothing yesterday, so I went to the gym today to do some intervals on the treadmill. I was looking forward to it since my ass was dragging and I had some work to do and my brain wasn’t working.

Warmed up for a bit then turned it on nice and easy–did some of your Trundling* work on an easy incline of about 1.5. I was feeling pretty good, so I did a short higher speed trundle (like 5.3mph). When I got tuckered out, I slowed it down, and cranked up the incline and did some fast walking until I was ready to trundle some more. I repeated this process for about 40 minutes (give or take my spazz outs when I dropped my ear buds or accidentally hit the stop button.)

To my great dismay, during the last 10 mins or so, my left hip started bugging me again. I go back and forth on whether it’s muscular or joint-related. I went and stretched for a while, did some balance work and core exercises, it was ok for a bit, but had some discomfort/pain by the time I got home. Just when I was starting to not totally HATE running. GP is not discouraged though. I will carry on!

Since GP is having some discomfort I have suggested that she revisit her posture as noted in my The anklebone is connected to the knee bone post. I am confident that some adjustments in her posture will make a difference and at the very least are a good place to start. The issue that GP did not mention, is that prior this workout she suffered a bad blister on her left foot which would affect how she runs. My suggestion was to discard her old running shoes and invest in some fresh footwear.

Here are the things GP was armed with before she went shoe shopping.

  • First – you need new shoes if you can see compression wrinkles in your midsole, a good rule of thumb is that your running shoes are good for 350 – 500 miles. Obviously this depends on how you run and how heavy you are. If your shoes give you blisters than they don’t fit properly.
  • Think about – where you want to run in your shoes. On the trail or on the road.
  • Go to a running shoe store where the staff knows about running. You need to deal with someone who knows about running shoes specifically and be ready to try on a few pairs of shoes.
  • Here’s how your running shoes should fit – Wiggle Room = You should have about a thumb’s width of room between the end of your longest toe and the front of the shoe. Hold It = Look for a secure, comfortable fit through the midfoot. Imagine a hand gently holding your foot in place. The Heel Deal = There should be little or no slipping at the heel.

GP now has new running shoes and is feeling better about her running. We’ll check in with her next week to see how her hip feels and if she’s taken on Kelley’s ab challenge, in Holding Kelley accountable.

Stay tuned…

* “Trundle” is a Kelleyism referring to a moderately paced jog.


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Do you need a good scrub?

"Does your ass hurt? Mine does..."

The other day one of my clients asked if I ever got “saddle sores” from ridding my bike.  I’m not sure why she asked, as she herself does not ride.  Maybe she’d heard tales of suck upset.

With that, I thought I would share some saddle sore wisdom.

“Saddle sore” is a term used to refer to any skin irritation located on, or near the part of your body that rests on the bicycle seat (saddle). Saddle sores can be caused by three things. Pressure, friction or infection.

To cut to the chase, a saddle sore can range from simple chaffing to a huge oozing boil. The boils are my favorite! They can get so big and nasty that they almost become planetoid. Lots o’ fun!

If you get a saddle sore – first, ask yourself, “does my saddle make me sore, or does my saddle give me sores?” If you saddle makes you sore, go to a good bike shop and get fitted properly on your bike. You may need a new saddle.

If your saddle is giving your sores than basically you need a good scrub! Seriously, bacteria causes most saddle sores. Bacterium grows in warm, damp places. That nice warm, sweaty chamois is the happiest place on earth for a microorganism.

Here’s what to do – As soon as you’re off the bike, get out of those shorts. Immediately put on something dry and loose. The idea is to air out your undercarriage. When you get home jump in the shower, don your loofah mitt, soap up and give yourself a good scrub. Do this every time you ride.

Aside from that here are a few other things to keep in mind.

  • Wear high-quality cycling shorts.
  • Never wear underpants under your cycling shorts. This causes chaffing.
  • Wash your cycling shorts after every use.
  • Lube up. There are all sorts of chamois creams out there to help keep away bacteria and minimize abrasion.
  • If you get a saddle sore don’t ignore it. Eddy Merckx ignored them and missed the 1976 Tour. They had to cut them out and drain them! Nasty!

I could go on but I think you get the gist. Happy Monday!


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Slow your roll!

FYI – Mr. Police Man is on the hunt in The Presidio. I was stopped twice this week for rolling through a stop sign on my bike. I slowed, but didn’t “come to a full and complete stop.”

Here’s the dirt, if you’re on a bike you are just like a car. You’re supposed to come to a full stop. Most of the time you can get away with stopping, doing a track stand (not actually putting your foot down), looking both ways and then rolling. That’s not what I did this time. I just blew right through the sign. Both times. Bad Kelley!

I’ll do better for now on. I’ve decided to think of stopping at the signs as a chance to work my thighs, core and balance. I’ll come to a complete stop, track stand, look both ways and roll. That or risk a $200 ticket.

Here are some law-abiding things to try this weekend.

  • Coyote Hills half marathon, 10K & 5K – This is an East Bay trail run that takes you over the low hills of Coyote Regional Park in Fremont. It’s a bit of a drive from SF but the weather will be fantastic and this is a great way to keep you motivated through the winter. Remember, it’s acceptable and common for people to walk rather than run in these “races.” I give all trail running/walking a big two thumbs up! This event is Saturday @ 9am.
  • Volunteer at the annual Muir Woods Earth Day Celebration. Help to restore and preserve this spectacular national park. This is a great way to get a workout and do something great for your environment. Projects include planting, habitat restoration and weed removal, mulching, tending the forest floor, and trail maintenance throughout the Redwood Creek Watershed. All you have to do is show up with a good attitude and they’ll take care of the rest. They’ll even feed you lunch at the end of the event. It’s going to be a wonderful day! Saturday, 8am.
  • Walk the Wiggle Natural History Walking Tour – Before bikes were invented, the popular Wiggle bike route was a foot trail to avoid the hills. Research suggests Mission Dolores was founded in the Wiggle and later, the city expanded to fill the valley with houses. This is a two mile guided walk investigating art, landscape and native societies. Sunday @ 11am.
  • Thinking ahead – Women’s Bike Boot camp – SF Recreation & Parks Department. Starts Saturday 2/12 and runs through 3/12. It’s $60 for 5, two-hour workshops. That’s practically free! Here’s what you get – This is a women’s-only mountain bike boot camp. Learn how to change your own tire, corner like a pro, descend and flow through the woods with confidence. This workshop will be taught by a woman to women, so no need to be intimidated! All are welcome. Even if you have experience.

Have a great weekend. See you Monday!


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Don’t bother me I’m sweating!

(An addendum to Yikes, critters in my path)

I should have said this before but forgot, it’s worth mentioning so here I go.

Rule #1 – Never, ever run up to a woman while she’s working out and tell her that you like her ass. That line only works when we’re drunk and even then you better be damn hot!

Rule # 2 – Don’t tell her that you’ve seen her around before.  You annoyed her with the first bit and now you’re freaking her out.

Rule # 3 – When she picks up her pace and politely turns you down for a date, do not under any circumstances keep trying. You’re done.

Do I sound cranky?  I was, but I’m not anymore.

Carry on…


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Time to hold Kelley accountable

Crunch time!

It’s become painfully clear that I’m not spending enough time focusing on my own personal fitness. With that, I have decided to hold myself accountable by exposing my very own abs to you and pledging to do better by them while you watch.

Yes, those are my abs. Call it my “before” photo. While I realize that my abs don’t look all that horrendous to some, rest assure it’s because I’m standing up very straight and sucking my belly button into my spine as hard as I possibly can.

When is all said and done, I need to do some work on my abs and my entire core.

Here’s what I propose – I will commit to doing 300 abdominal reps, every other day.  I have chosen this number and this time frame because I know it’s something I can stick with. I am pushing myself, but not going crazy.  I will do this for one month, and then reassess the situation. Lets see what my abs look like in one month. I promise to let you see, for better or for worse.

How about you – I would love for you take this challenge with me.  It’s always more fun to exercise with someone even if we never meet.  So, if you’d like to be part of this, email me, comment on this posting, or do it in secret.  You can set your own rules. Rules that work for you.

Here’s a list of suggested ab/core exercises to get us started.  More to come…


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Yikes, critters in my path!

I was walking along Crissy Field the other day when I spotted a crowd of people standing around a pile of sand.  As I walked past one of men said to me “what is that?” He was pointing at a gopher that was popping out of a hole in the sand. I chuckled and said, “it’s a gopher.” A woman then said, “What do we do?” I chuckled again and said, leave him alone.

Further down the path I began doing some walking lunges.  Just then a dog that had been walking behind me with it’s owner started barking.  I stopped and looked back to see the woman scolding the dog.  She then apologized for her dog’s outburst.  I appreciated the gesture but knew that I was the one to blame, I had frightened the dog by my sudden change in movement.  I then asked the woman if I could say hello to her dog, when she agreed I knelt down to the dogs level, put my hand out for him to sniff and said hello. The fluffy fellow then ran up to me and licked my face as I pet him and explained to Dude (that’s his name) that I was just exercising and that he had no reason to be afraid.  The woman was very thankful and happy to have encountered a person who understood that her dog did not mean any harm.

It was at this point that I realized that some of us become confused when we encounter strange critters in our path.

Here are a few basic rules I thought would be worth remembering.

Basic human etiquette

  • Don’t hog the entire path.
  • Bikes yield to pedestrians and both bikes and pedestrians yield to horses.
  • Don’t litter & pick up your doggie doo.
  • Smile or nod at those you pass. Be nice.

Dogs in your path

  • You really should not bug dogs too much.  Don’t run up to a dog or approach them. Let them come to you. If a dog comes up to you to have a sniff, let it. If you want to pet the dog ask the dogs owner if it’s okay. Sometimes they will say “no,” but most of the time the owner will be happy to let you have some doggie love.  First show the dog the top of your hand (fingers closed under). Once you’re sure the dog is friendly, open your palm to so it can see that you have nothing hidden in your hand. Get down to the dogs level (squat down) so you appear the same size and it’s not intimidated by a larger animal (that would be you). Never put your face down by the dog’s mouth unless you’re pretty darn sure it’s friendly.

If you encounter a horse on the trail

  • Communicate to those on horseback as you approach. If you’re approaching from behind, warn them of your presence before you pass. All you have to do is say, “hello, nice day”. Just let them know you’re there and that you’re friendly.
  • The rider should reign the horse to the side, allowing you room. When a horse is passing you, step off the trail to give the horse plenty of room, but remain in plain sight. When you’re passing a horse, do the same.

If you see a coyote

  • Give the coyote space. Do not approach the coyote. They say if you see a coyote you should scare it so it will go away. Wave your arms around, yell at it and throw rocks.  I’ve run into coyotes in the middle of the city as well as on the trail. I’ll admit I stop in my tracks but never have I had to throw anything or yell.  In my experience the poor hungry soul will just walk away on its own.
  • Take note – There have been some episodes of coyotes going after pets so put dogs on a leash so your pet will not be enticed to chase after the coyote. The closer your pet is to you the safer it is.

In the end – Enjoy your encounter with the critters. I leave you with a quote from John Muir.

“Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.”


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The Guinea Pig 2011 Project – Meet GP

Meet GP

When GP and I first met, our idea of exercise was to flex our pectorals (squish our breasts together) and work our core by using the Xerox machine as a prop (we made copies of our D cups for the purpose of bartering for beverages later in the evening). We were two chubbsters looking for love and lots of fun. At the time GP was referred to as Fuoco (means “Fire” in Italian) and I was know as Bad Skël. Need I say more?

The first real exercise commitment GP and I ever made together was to sign ourselves up for a charity 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe. We did this not for the cause, but because we thought that we would drop massive amounts of weight and meet hot young men.  In the end we barely managed to drag ourselves around the lake and not an ounce of weight was lost. Additionally, all the hot guys rode past us like we were standing still.  Maybe that’s because we fueled our training with french fries and beer. The only thing interested in spending any time with us were the flies that taunted us with their constant buzzing and would land on our sweaty limbs traveling with us for miles. After the ride was over GP parked her bike and it didn’t move again until it was stolen from her garage years later.

Now, many years later GP is a wife and mother of two who has agreed to join me on another fitness challenge.  The Guinea Pig 2011 Project.

During the GP 2011 Project we will follow GP through the steps and suggestions I have made and will continue to make here on this blog. GP’s goal is to lose her tummy and tone up her entire body allowing her to don a two-piece swim suit during her family vacation in Hawaii, in May of this year.  Wearing a two-piece suit is something that GP has not had the privilege of in her entire adult life.

Step 1 – Post Holiday Detox. Since the New Year, GP has done as prescribed and upped her water intake. As suggested she is adding lemon slices and has decided to focus on water most evenings rather than the usual class or two of wine. GP is keeping her wine drinking to two – three evenings per week as that is something she can sustain. With that she is already noticing that she’s sleeping better, has more energy and her “mommy belly” is definitely going down (I could see it myself!) and she says she feels less blotted.  My other suggestion for detox was to consume more fiber and while she’s working on this admits that she is not meeting the minimum 30 grams per day. I have given her some additional food suggestions, which you will find by clicking on this link.

So, we are off to a great start. GP has made some small adjustments to her lifestyle and admits that it’s not been all that hard. She claims that you just need to get to the point where you see or feel a difference.  With the added sleep and lessened bounce in her belly GP is feeling encouraged and excited to see what comes next.

Next week, GP goes for a run and finds that her old running shoes are not her friend. Looks like we need to talk about shoe fit and look at her form.

Stay tuned…


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What is a Fitness Walk?

A Fitness Walk is a workout tailored to those wishing to participate in an exercise program yet are not comfortable committing to a more intense boot camp style class or challenging training regiment.

During these workouts you can expect to walk briskly take in the scenery and perform various low impact, body toning and agility exercises.

Think of this class as a soft-core circuit-training workout or the precursor to those ever-popular “boot camp” classes (something to aspire to if that’s what you’d like).

Don’t misunderstand – this is a workout, not a stroll, we will not be stopping along the way for cocktails or cocoa.

For more information contact Kelley@motionstarved.com


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Feelin’ good Friday!

Happy anniversary!

“Never make someone a priority when they only make you an option.” That’s what my friend Chef P said to me recently. While CP was referring to my personal relationships I realize that this rule can be used in terms of just about anything in life.

For instance, exercise. If you’re not getting back from your routine what you’re putting into it, then it’s time take things to another level or venue. Don’t stick with the same old thing just because it’s easy. If it’s not working than stop torturing yourself. Try something new.

Food, same goes. If you’re on the latest hipster diet and it’s stopped working or you feel like shit, time to rethink your approach. Sure, all diets help you loose at first but then progress starts to peter off. If you’re going to work hard at something find what works for you and will keep working.

As always give whatever you’re doing, in whatever corner of your life your absolute best effort. You never want to look back and wish that you’d tried a little bit harder.  If things start feeling uneven or out of balance, it’s time assess the situation and either rework your current mode of action or come up with a new plan.

With that, here are my suggestions for some interesting weekend adventures.

  • Sea lion Walking Tour Pier 39 – To celebrate the 21st anniversary of the sea lions’ arrival to PIER 39, join Aquarium of the Bay Naturalists for free educational sea lion walking tours. Daily at the top of the hour from 11am-4pm Friday – Sunday.  Meet your guide at the Sea Lion Statue by PIER 39’s Entrance. If you feel like cruising the Aquarium after you will be treated to a 50% discount.
  • Belly Dance Basics – Sports Basement does it again, designed for those new to belly dance, this class will provide a basic understanding of Middle Eastern dance movements, technique, and shimmies! This class will get your heart rate up and your hips shaking. Saturday 10:00am – 11:00am, Bryant Street Store.
  • Ice skate at the Shark Tank – The official practice facility of the San Jose Sharks, in San Jose starting Saturday at 7:30 pm. Skate to your hearts content to all the hits, plus score tons of free stuff from 997 NOW.
  • Rent a rowboat and then take a hike in Golden Gate Park – When was the last time you went boating on Stow Lake?  I’ll bet most of you have never been.  That’s a shame.  It’s a lot of fun and good exercise! Take advantage of this nice weather and go for a row and then hike up Strawberry Hill for an added punch. You don’t have to be all mushy in love to do this sort of thing. Take some friends and do a little racing.

Make me proud! See you Monday…