P.O.T.D.: I'm a wild bear!

For those of you that know the story, here's Nikko with a faux wild bear. Kudos if you know who the wild bear is.

I'm in my head.

I know that you can't be perfect all the time. Believe me. I, the queen of I'm-so-not-perfect-that-I'm-in-the-negative-zone definitely know this. Lately I've been feeling like I've been faltering in my work-outs. I feel like I'm slower, slacking, and in a rut that I just can't manage to get out of.

Granted, this may not necessarily be the reality of my performance, but I'm definitely feeling it. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a competitive person. I can't stand competition. Something about it just conjures up painful memories of middle school P.E. when Mr. Burkhart would single me out and torture me in front of the class. During volleyball, he made me serve the entire period after letting him know I had a pulled muscle in my right arm. Because I didn't have a doctor's note, he thought I was lying and wanted to prove a point to the class. Through tears, extreme pain, and classmates pleading with Mr. Burkhart to sit me out, I had to suffer through the game. During gymnastics, I landed wrong and blacked out for about a minute. When I came to consciousness, he berated me because I did the move wrong (according to my classmates, it looked like I was going to snap my neck). Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge advocate of P.E. and definitely think that it should be part of the daily school curriculum. However, I think crappy P.E. teachers deserve the death penalty.

I think these memories are some of the demons l'm fighting each time I work out. This is why I try to push a little harder and go a little farther than what I'm used to. So when I'm in a slump (like the one I'm in right now), it just feels like those demons are back and they've won.

One thing I do know about working out is that your mind can take you farther than your body thinks it can go. This kind of mental endurance is what comes over you when you're training for a marathon. It's mile 20 and you can feel that wall creeping up on you. The body can easily surrender, but what separates you from reaching that 26.2 mile mark is the distance your mind will allow you to go. It's fact. Simple fact.

Freddy pointed it out to me. I'm in my head. I'm in my head and I just need to get out of my head. This is why I'm struggling in class right now. I'm in my head.

While I'm not a competitive person, I can't help but notice that I'm coming in close to last all the time. Other folks in the class are getting better and better while I'm just slipping. I don't expect to be better than anyone else, but I can't help but notice that I'm slipping with nothing to hold on to.

UGH! It's me. I'm in my head.

I'm in my head.

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Instructor: Freddy

Warm-Up
Run 400 meters
100 punches
100 jump rope turns
Repeat sequence 4 times

Tabata Luv! (and some other stuff)
50 jumping pull-ups*
Wall ball abs tabata
50 ball push-ups
Bottom to bottom tabata squats (20 seconds of squats; 10 second holding squat)
(A tabata is 8 rounds of: 20 seconds of work, 10 second rest)

OWMA Quotable Quote
"I can feel that chile verde from last night coming up."
- said by Marietta

*Note: I did 30 jumping pull-ups. I stayed after class to walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes, do my missing 20 jumping pull-ups, and stretch.

P.O.T.D.: Cool Runnings Part II

Nikko and Bren posing in front of the infamous bobsled. Yes... the store actually sells the dredded hats and allows you to photograph in them.


Although Bren has no idea what it means to look stoned, I think he does a pretty good job here. (FYI: I did not tell him to "look stoned," that was the face he gave me and I clicked. Check out Nikko fixing Bren's locks. Such a good older brother!)

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
short jog

Cone Drills:
Redlines - 5 rounds
Run 400 meters
Running Backwards - 5 rounds
Run 400 meters
Side to side - 5 rounds
Run 400 meters
Sprints - 6 rounds
Run 400 meters

Freddy's 10-minute abs
you have to be there to know what this is.

Bag Work
Straight Punches
Squats
Hook Punches
Skip Knees
High Elbows
Lunges
Intense Fighting
Plank Lifts (or Burpees)
(15 second intervals; three rounds)

Dumbell Work
15 lb. Dumbell Squats
10 lb. Dumbell Press
(30 second intervals with a 15 second break between transition; three rounds)

OWMA Quotable Quote
"My chain is broken!"
- said by Joanne to convince Freddy that we should stop doing bicycles

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Warm-Up
Run 400 meters
100 punches
100 jump rope turns
25 wall ball sit-ups

Circuit I
Bag push
Wall ball bounce
Push-ups (on knees)
(three rounds of 30 second intervals)

Fight Gone Bad
Row Machine (total calories)
Wall Ball (10 foot throws)
45lb. Sumo deadlift
24" box step-ups
45lb. overhead press
(three rounds of one-minute intervals; 1 minute rest in between rounds; keep track of reps; Joanne's final score: 193)

OWMA Quotable Quote
"Get some!"
- said by Freddy in his feeble attempt to inspire us to get in more reps.

P.O.T.D.: Cool Runnings Part I

While in Canada, we visited the Olympic Park in Calgary, where the movie Cool Runnings was filmed. Ahhh... the silly things that capture tourists.

OWMA W.O.T.D.

This image is courtesy of Crossfit. On thier Monday, July 24th entry, they posted this photo. Freddy, my Fit-2-Fight instructor is pictured on the front row, right side. He's the guy with the tatted sleeves squatting with that huge barbell. Congrats to Freddy for his CrossFit certification!

Instructor: Freddy

Warm up
Row machine
Run 400 meters
Jump rope
Run 400 meters
Jump rope

For Individual Times
20 push-ups (on knees)
30 wall ball sit-ups
50 squats
(Do this for three rounds; Joanne's time: 13:54)

Heavy Bag Work
Hook Punches
Straight Punches
Elbows High
(15 second intervals; three 3-minute rounds)

Barbell/Dumbell work
45 lb. bench press (30 seconds)
Rest 15 seconds
8 lb. Dumbell shoulder press (30 seconds)
Rest 15 seconds
(So this for two rounds; Freddy spots)

OWMA Quotable Quote
Joanne: I hate you Freddy!
Freddy: You know you want to have my babies!
Joanne: Stop. You're making me cry now.
- a friendly conversation between Joanne and Freddy

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Instructor: James

Warm-up
Jog
Cone Sprints - 5 rounds
Side to Side Runs

Circuit I
Dead lifts
Bicep curls
Tricep extensions
Push-up (on knees) with one-arm row
Wall ball sit-ups
(30 seconds each exercise; 5 rounds of the set)

Circuit II
Fighting the bag (30 seconds)
Jumping jacks (30 seconds) - 4 rounds
Run 400 meters

Fighting the bag (30 seconds)
Push-ups on knees (30 seconds) - 4 rounds
Run 400 meters

Fighting the bag (30 seconds)
Sit-ups (30 seconds) - 4 rounds
Run 400 meters

Fighting the bag HARD (30 seconds)
Defend (30 seconds) - 4 rounds
Run 400 meters

OWMA Quotable Quote
"It's in the hole!"
- said by James while trying to kick the bottles into the recycling bin

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Instructor: Freddy

Warm-up
Jog Forward
Jog Backward
Jog side to side

For Individual Times
Run 400 meters (Joanne's Final Time: 2:29)
100 jump rope rotations (Joanne's Final Time: 1:28)
500 meter row (Joanne's Final Time: 2:10)

Timed Set
50 push-ups (on knees)
50 full sit-ups
50 squats
(Joanne's Final Time: 6:47)

Circuit
Bag jog
Squares
Bag hops
(three rounds of this set)

OWMA Quotable Quote
"I'm gonna start calling you 'Puddles' from now on."
- said by Freddy to Arnold about bald men sweating all over the mats

P.O.T.D.: Ice Cream Daze

In honor of the hot weather, here are a series of photos of Brendan enjoying some mini-ice cream cones. Again, this was taken in Canada. Stay cool and enjoy!

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Instructor: Freddy

Warm-up
Forward jog
Backward jog
Side to side

For Time I
100 jump rope rotations
100 punches
Run 400 meters
(Joanne's Final Time: 5:40)

For Time II
20 1-2 punches on bag
20 wall ball sit-ups
20 1-2 punches on bag
20 push-ups (on knees)
20 1-2 punches on bag
20 push-ups (on knees)
20 1-2 punches on bag
20 wall ball sit-ups
20 1-2 punches on bag
(Joanne's Final Time: 6:03)

For Time III
50 squats
25 lunges each leg
25 wall balls
Run 400 meters
(Joanne's Final Time: 8:20)

Circuit
24" box step-ups
Straight punches on bag
Dumbell Thrusters
Skip knees on wall (or bag)
Dumbell deadlifts
Speed punches on bag
Barbell military press
Rest
(30 seconds at each station; repeat circuit three times)

OWMA Quotable Quote
"Are your knees that bad or are you just humping that thing?"
- said by Freddy to Stefanie while doing skip knees

P.O.T.D.: Joey loves Toblerone (a double header)

My sister and her kids are H-U-G-E fans of the TV show Friends. So when we indulged in some foundue in Banff, Nikko was totally excited to discover that the dessert chocolate fondue was made with Toblerone (Joey's favorite - you have to watch the show to understand it). Here Nikko is doing his rendition of Joey and his love for the Euro-chocolate.



We couldn't resist but take a photo of the giant-sized Toblerone hanging from the ceiling. (These suckers were HUGE!)

P.O.T.D.: The Three Sisters

Again, this was taken during my recent Canada trip. The mountains you see are called The Three Sisters. I took this while we were on our way to Banff. When I asked Brendan who the The Three Sisters were, he replied, "The Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria." (You gotta love kids!)

OWMA W.O.T.D.

Instructor: Freddy

Warm-up:
Run 400 meters
Cone Drills:
Redlines - 5 rounds
Running Backwards - 5 rounds
Side to side - 5 rounds
Sprints - 6 rounds
Run 400 meters

Medicine Ball Toss (with a partner)
Chest Toss
Shot put - left side
Shot put - right side
Torso cross toss
Overhead toss
Underhand squat toss
(30 seconds each exercise, which makes this 3 three-minute rounds)

Tabata Luv! (with an 8 pound medicine ball and a partner)
Sit-up ball toss
Push-ups with a ball toss
Wall Balls (no partner)
(For each exercise, it's 8 rounds consisting of 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest; each exercise lasts for 4 minutes)

A final five minute round
15 squats
5 jumping pull-ups
10 push-ups (on knees)
(Do as many sets of this series within 5 minutes.
Joanne's results: six rounds plus two squats.)

OWMA W.O.T.D.

In honor of my various work outs I do to keep healthy and sane, I've decided to add this new feature to this blog. Unfortunately, I'm not running too much these days because I fiind that my back can't take it. Also, I like being blister free. This isn't to say that I've given up on running, I'm just exercising other options before insanity overcomes me again. So here it goes...

OWMA Workout of the Day (W.O.T.D.)
instructor: Freddy

Warm-up
Run 400 meters
50 jumping jacks
Run 400 meters
100 jump rope turns
Run 400 meters
50 jumping jacks
Run 400 meters

Three Rounds
Three rounds of the following exercises for time:
30 plank lifts
30 push-ups (on knees)
30 crunches with 8 lb. ball
30 squats
30 squats with 1-2 punch on bag
(Joanne's Final Time: 17:44)

Stretch on your own.

P.O.T.D.: Canadian Hockey

For some of you that actually read this blog, you'd know that my hockey-playing nephew Nikko (Theo Tydingco) was named after a Canadian Hockey player, Theo Fleury. In 2002, Canada won gold in Men's Hockey and pictured here in front is Fleury (along with Joe Sakic and Mario Lemieux). Fleury is only 5'6"! This photo was taken at the Olympic Park in Calgary. More photos to come (including more hilarious ones of Brendan!).

P.O.T.D.: Fake Boogers

Pic Of The Day: This was taken in Canada. Brendan discovered that if you touch your nose, from just the right angle, it looks like you're picking it.

seven, MOTHER FU@%ER! SE-VEN!

This is an ode and shout out to Freddy Camacho, my Fit-to-Fight intructor at One World Martial Arts. Yesterday morning we were doing an upper body medicine ball drill. When we were on round SEVEN of TEN (arms/schoulders burning and aching in PAIN), Freddy miscounted and said we were on our sixth round.

His miscalculation summoned the evil witch inside me and I blurted:
seven, MOTHER FU@%ER! SE-VEN!

The others (including Freddy) burst in laughter. The drill continued.

Thank heaven Freddy and the other folks I train with have a good sense of humor. (Or I could be reading this completely wrong. Eric did call me a potty mouth and Czar just looked stunned... then frightened.)

seven, MOTHER FU@%ER! SE-VEN!

athletically fat

I just need to own up to it. I'm fat. I'm fat. I'm FAT. I think I'm having a hard time owning up to it because I'm very active (at least more active than most). I average at least 6-8 hours of workout time a week, which consist of: spinning, running, krav maga, yoga, and boxing/circuit training. I'm not just active, I do the hard stuff.

But at the same time I'm fat. I'm fat. I'm FAT. While I normally wouldn't mind, I'm realizing that I really need to pay attention to this. (Well, this extra mound of flesh around my tummy reminds me that I need to pay attention to this.) Actually, my last doctor appointment went very well. My blood sugars are good, considering I'm a diabetic. Cholesterol levels are under 100, and my blood pressure has always been a-okay. Odd to most considering I'm fat. fat. FAT.

Anyway... in my quest to owning my fat, I'm creating a new category of fat. It's called athletically fat. This is for those who, like me are fat. fat. FAT, but can still kick ass with the best of them. I've thought of other terms such as sportiliciously fat, healthy-yet-fat, and yeah, so what if I'm fat? I can still kick your ass motherfu@*er! - fat. But none resonate as nicely as athletically fat.

So who's with me on this new category? Any takers?! All those in favor say aye!