Time for Some Track Workouts

CrossFit seems to be the rage nowadays.  I have to say, it's pretty awesome!  I love the strength paired with the cardio.  It's right up my alley!  In February, however, I hurt my back deadlifting.  Since then, I have been battling to make it better.  There are certain things I can do without pain, most involve no weights whatsoever.  I've had to come up with some new workouts that I can do that still challenge my body, but don't strain the muscles in my back.  I wanted to share for those of you who may not want to use a lot of weights (which by the way is crazy...you WON'T get HUGE) or who also have bad backs.


I do these workouts at the track, but you can do them indoors with a dreadmill and boxes.  Since it's nice, I choose to be outside as much as possible!

Workout #1
400m run (jog or walk for those who aren't used to cardio)
10 bleachers (run up the bleachers or football stands 10 times)
10 push-ups
20 crunches (normally I would do sit-ups, but sit-ups aren't good on the lower back - do what is      comfortable, yet challenging)
20 box jumps (I used a bench, the tallest one I could find)

4 rounds

End with a 400m run.

So you will start with a 400 and end with a 400 (5 altogether)

Workout #2 - This requires dumbbells
400m run
10 hammer curls
20 crunches
10 tricep dips (use a the bench you jumped on for workout #1)
20 push-ups

5 rounds

Workout #3
5 bleachers
5 bleacher jumps (two foot jump up the bleachers - if you can't do this, just do the regular bleachers)
10 push-ups
10 lunges (each leg)
800m run

4 rounds

Workout #4
200m run (sprint if you can)
10 squats (body weight)
10 push-ups

5 rounds

Time for a Rest

Something that any avid athlete never wants to admit is that they are going to have to give it a rest.  Apparently I've been going at it a little too hard for a while now and my body isn't happy.  For about two months now it's been trying to tell me to slow down.  After not listening, I'm now paying the price.

Between being a full time mom, having a full time job, two part time jobs, crossfitting, and training for a half marathon, shit's just catching up with me.  I have to admit, 30 is not the new 20.  :)  Although I do think my physical fitness is light years ahead of what I was when I was 20, my ability to recover and bounce back is not.  

I went through about 4 weeks of just feeling like shit.  I was so scared to death.  I just knew something was wrong with me.  The only other times I had felt like that that was when I was pregnant or just had a baby.  I was neither of those.  Then you get to googling everything and the next thing I know I'm dying!  :)  I finally went to the doctor and got blood work done and an overall physical.  Nothing was wrong with me.  I had to promise my doc to let one thing go so I backed off of crossfit to two time a weeks from three...for a couple weeks.

Then I did it.  I was probably trying to lift too much weight, too often and I strained a muscle in my back.  Now, I'm going to have to really rest....like no exercise for about a week.  On the up side, I got adjusted by my chiropractor, get a massage today, and another adjustment.  I'm hoping and praying to God that together (all of us, including God), we can get me healed and back to normal.

During this time in trying to get me back to normal, I've started to try to live a Paleo lifestyle.  Since it eliminates most food that cause inflammation in the body, which will in turn help to heal my back even faster.  It's funny when you eat foods that are healthy for you what else they can do for your body.  It's also part of my Lenten promise.

I've never been a big fan of fad diets or anything like that, but after a lot of research, I think this is the best thing that I can do for my body right now.  Like I said earlier, I'm not 20 anymore.  I can't eat whatever I want and look like a stick (which I don't even want to look like anymore).  In just a week of going Paleo (about 80%) of the time, I can already tell a little difference in my belly fat.  I'm going to stick this out for a little bit and see how it goes.  

As far as using my doTERRA essential oils to help my back, I've been using Deep Blue lotion and oil for pain relief and inflammation, frankincense for inflammation, birch, white fir, wintergreen, and AromaTouch for sore muscles and circulation, and lavender to help relax and calm the muscles. 

I'll be sharing more about my Paleo experience throughout my journey!  Can't wait to see where this takes me.