Well, it’s official… I am ready to lose my pregnancy weight.
I must admit, I have already started this journey, but I don’t think I ever really got my mind into the game. By the time I have started this blog, I have already released about 8 cms (3.14inches) from around my waist. Yes, I’m feeling good and I still have quite a bit to go.
Before I was pregnant I was actually lifting cars! Check it out… http://tinyurl.com/kericarlift I was full of muscle and even though I was without a 6-pack, was still doing well for myself.
I liked my body and felt sexy and strong. Now, even though according to my clothes, I’m smaller than I was then, I have fat in places I didn’t and a heck of a lot more of it. I have more aches and pains and a general lack of fitness.
Of course the c-section hasn’t helped. I have started back with weight training and have this weird thing where I don’t actually have any feeling in my lower abdominal muscles. I used to feel it and be able to control it. Now… nothing! So, I’m feeling back at square one.
Back to about 4 years ago when I first met my husband and he started teaching me about weight training. Back to when I had nothing. Where it once was… I can find it again!
Here I am at the beginning, and today I start by confessing my addiction to chocolate. I eat it everyday! This is ok in moderation, but when losing weight or being healthy, eating lots of chocolate that is poor quality is not the way to go about it. SO… I will talk to my hubby today and tell him what’s been happening for me and get ready to quit this addiction. Anyone else with me?
Evolve Your Health
Ok, so this one is a little more 'extreme' than most exercises. At least that's how it may appear.
Here's Keri setting our women's car lift record ...
This is an amazing exercise for burning fat, and getting incredibly strong. It uses so many muscles in such an intense manner, it can be the most intense workout you'll ever do.
This is an activity that exercises your mind as much as any other part of your body. In this exercise, we start to look at how what you think (on a very physical level) has an immediate impact on your physical performance.
Later in the article, you'll read what went through Keri's mind when she first learned to lift the car. This is a little 'trick' that few athletes even know about, but will enable you to get incredibly strong, incredibly quickly.
First I must stress that before you even think about doing this exercise, you must have a strong core and a healthy back. Please only do this exercise if that is you.
*** This Is An ADVANCED Exercise.
Do This At Your Own Risk***
To learn to do this exercise, I highly recommend using a harness, to start getting used to the heavy weight that you will be subject to. It helps to distribute the weight over more of your back than you could with a bar, and also allows you to stand straighter as you lift the car. Having a straight spine, means that your structure takes the weight rather than your muscles - it is a lot safer.
I use 2 loops of 2" tape that I picked up from the climbing shop. A word of warning though, even with a towel underneath the harness it can leave a bit of a bruise, depending on how tough your skin is. Then I hook the harness to an eye-hook that I bolted to the tow-bar with a caribiner. Easy.
Next step is to understand the logic behind what you need to THINK to get the car in the air;
The first thing to know is that your brain sometimes sabotages our performance to keep us safe. Like, if you go to punch a brick wall (don't do it - it hurts!) and you think "this is really going to hurt" then your brain will help out by delivering less power as you punch. The same thing happens if you are lifting heavy. If you think there is something super heavy on your back, then your brain helps out by delivering less power to your legs/back/butt. But that doesnt' help get the car in the air does it? So DON'T think that!
Now, if you want to get the car in the air. What should you think to make it easy for yourself? What is it you're actually doing? You're standing up. That's all your doing. But if you think that you've got something heavy on your back, its going to be more challenging to get it up and you've gotta psyche up to get that thing in the air, so what do you do?
Well, think about this, when you stand up, what is actually happening? Your butt comes forward, and your knees come back (a little) - as a result you stand up.
There's no heavy weight in front of your hips, nor behind your knees. So all you need do is think about moving your knees backwards and your hips forward. Actually you really only need to think about pushing your hips forward.
So now you know what to think, you gotta apply it. Find yourself a car (preferably a small one to start with) and hook an eye bolt to the tow-bar, then with your harness hooked up its 'simply' a matter of coordinating what you're thinking with what you're doing.
How to lift a car
Make sure you are well and truly warmed up before you attempt a working load.
With your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart hook yourself in to the hook on the car.
Get your spine as straight and vertical as possible, then take a deep breath in. Then squeeze your butt forward and up (lift the car) as you breathe out. Keep your lips pursed as you breathe out- it keeps the pressure in your core so that your spine doesn't collapse.
What goes up, must come down. The joy here is that cars have suspension, so you can drop it (make sure to avoid your shins/knees/ toes or anything else that could get in the way). When you're looking for that extra edge in your training, do the 'negative' part of the movement as well.
It sounds pretty simple - and it is. Once you get over the mental hurdle, car lifting becomes a walk in the park.
If you're after more of a "cardio' workout - give this a go;
30 seconds of car lifting, 30 seconds of rest, repeat until 5 minutes has passed. If you're not struggling for breath by the end of that, throw a dead cow in the back of the car and go again.
