The Core + Plyo Challenge

RACE/CHALLENGE DAY IS BACK AGAIN! You can check out the results from last week’s Challenge Here. Due to high demand (three people, oh yeah ;-)) the Core Challenge: Crunch 1000 will be back for a third consecutive week. I encourage everybody to join, guys & girls, newbies & vets, athletes & couch lovers, etc. The scores will be updated everyday. To see the Scoreboard Click the Green Apple!

Click Here!

So having a strong core is great, but there’s more to being fit than abs. Last Tuesday, I introduced one of my favorite moves:
It incorporates cardio, biceps, triceps, chest, back, core, glutes, legs, and basically every single muscles in your body. It uses your own body weight, and is in my opinion one of the hardest greatest move out there. Since I forgot its actual name, we’ll just call it the Plyometric B****.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start in standing position, feet shoulder-width apart. You must execute this move as quickly as you can while maintaining a good form!
2. Bring your hands to the floor in front of your feet, and jump into push-up position.
3. Do a Push-up: Keep back as straight as possible, core tight and lower so your chin is two inches from the ground, and come back up.
4. Quickly bring your feet to your hands, and jump as high as you can. This is ONE

The Rules:

• 1000 crunches & 200 Plyometric B****
• You have until next Thursday (February 4th 11:59PM) to turn in your numbers.
• Update me as often as you can by leaving a comment on the wall
• Bring in as many people as you can, to help me and the world to be FITTER and HEALTHIER!
• There’s a reason why I called it the Plyometric B****. If you REALLY can’t do it, just omit the push-up and stay in plank position.
• JUST DO IT!

How Do You Get In? Just leave a message saying “I’m in” and I’ll put your name up on the board!

How to incorporate Plyo in your already existing workout routine:

1. Use the Plyo as a hard-core warm-up to your runs
2. Finish hard with the Plyo and the Abs
3. Do an interval workout: Weights-Plyo-Weights-Plyo or Cardio-Plyo-cardio… you get the point!
4. Be Creative!

Join The Challenge for the second/third week, and all you have to do is your best! It is a friendly competition, and YOU are your biggest competitor! So get on the mat and prove to yourself that you can do it!

I know there are a lot more moves out there then just crunches, so use common sense to count it
Update me as frequently as you can by leaving a comment on the wall!

– Kloé

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On Running and Knee Injuries

Hello runners, walkers, or whomever you may be that are using your knees… Yes, that’s pretty much everyone! Recently (last October) I had to stop running to my great horror. And that lasted for about two and a half month(!!!) until late December. How many of you have had to reduce or stop completely your training because of a nagging knee injury? My assumption is MANY! This whole thing led me to research on the subject in order to prevent its recurrence . But before to “fix it” we need to understand it:

What is a “Knee Injury”?
There are many different kinds of knee injuries, but the most common kind is certainly Chondromalacia, also referred to as “Runner’s Knee”. Basically it is a tear/overuse of the cartilage under your kneecap, resulting in pain, inflammation and irritation. Sounds pretty awful, but the good news is that it can heal – given you do the right thing! Oddly enough, it seems to affect mostly young or healthy individuals, especially runners, cyclists, skiers, or soccer players.

What Causes it?

• Overpronation (when the feet roll inward too much)
• Weak or fatigued quadriceps
• Muscle imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings
• Running on inclined ground
• Overtraining (yes, I know it’s annoying!)

How Do I Treat It?

• REST! (and I mean it) Any other activity hurting your knee (walking, going up the stairs, etc.) will only further the irritation of the cartilage.
• Ice your knee for 15 min. at least twice a day
• Stretch your quads and hamstrings.
• Start a knee strengthening program that will improve the balance of the muscles around your knee.
• Once your knee is better(usually 4-6 weeks), start running (or whatever it is you do) gradually, and make sure you warm-up properly. Don’t go all out within the first week!

Prevent It!

• Stretch, strengthen your muscles (quads, hamstrings, hip abductor) and work on balancing exercises.
• Never run on a worn-out shoes (after 350 miles, hit the store)
• Incorporate rest days in your training, and non-impact activities such as pool-running, swimming (which I really need to learn!) or biking on low-resistance high cadence.
• Avoid running on concrete surfaces when you can, and hit the trails, or even synthetic track which is more cushiony.
• Stop if you ever feel pain, and take the next day off!

Are you on a knee-injury break but still want to stay in shape?
Join me in the Core Challenge… You still have a couple days left 🙂

– Kloé
kloesblog@gmail.com

What’s your story on knee injuries?

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