Motivational Monday: Change of Scenery

Happy Motivational Monday!  Every Monday, I'll be posting a new little motivation to get you through the day, week, month, eon...whatever!  These just come from my personal stories as a 25-year-old experiencing life while working hard. 
This weekend I went down to Newport, Rhode Island for a couple of auditions, and decided to make it a mini-vacation.  While I was down there, I got to experience the beauty of the ocean, as well as the smell of the sea.  And in case you're wondering, yes it was cold!  There was a huge storm that was coming through at the time, so the winds were unusually high.  Despite this, I had a great time.  I stayed at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast called Fair Street Guest House.  It was straight out of the Victorian Era, complete with flowery wallpaper.  I went out, had a drink at a bar, and generally had a good time.  I even had a mother try to set me up with her two daughters that were with her!  Crazy stuff.
The point of this little story is that I got to relax and had the ability to take a break from everything.  It was just enough of a reprieve of everything that is going on in my life that I had a renewed sense of vigor. 
If you feel like your life is getting stale or you're in a rut, then go out there and do something impulsive.  Go camping for the weekend; take a road trip or a last minute flight to somewhere for the weekend.  You'd be surprised what a change of scenery can do for your disposition.

Newport Harbor

Workout Routine, with a Headache!

In the midst of a splitting headache, I'm writing this, and I felt it throughout my workout.  Regardless, I kept up with it; it put the headache at bay.  Here was my workout:

Abdominal Work:

• 30 second front plank
• 30 second back plank
• 30 second side plank left
• 30 second side plank right
• 3x(Leg Raise x7, Hanging Knee Raise x5)
• 2x (Hanging Knee Raise x5)
• 3x 30 second Ab Wheel Rollout

Main Workout: Cardio, Running

• 10 minute warm up
• 5x (1 minute sprint; 1 minute easy jog)
• 5 minute rest
• 5x (1 minute sprint; 1 minute easy job)
• 10 minute cool down

Joint Integrity Work:

• Headstand x3
• Short Bridge:55/55/55
• Neck Strengthening Work

With that being said, I'm off to pass out and deal with my headache.  Night...

Physical Perfection Phase 1, Week 3 Day 2: 300 Bodyweight Challenge

Ok y'all, so here's my workout for the day.  It was a combination of bodyweight exercises, plus some cardio thrown in there for good measure.  And of course, abdominal work :-)
Enjoy!

Abdominal Work:

• 30 second front plank
• 30 second back plank
• 30 second side plank left
• 30 second side plank right
• 3x (Clockwork Leg Raises x6, Twisting Knee Raise x6)
• Windshield Wiper x6

Main Workout: Spartan 300 Bodyweight Workout: Intermediate Level for Time:

• 30 Chin Ups
• 30 Shift Pushups
• 30 Deck Squat with Shoulder Stand Plow
• 30 Tuck Sit-ups
• 30 TRX Low Rows
• 30 Dive-Through Pushups
• 30/Side Archer Squats with Assistance
• 30/Side Bicycle Crunches
• 30/Sprinter’s Lunge
• 30 Squat Thrust with Pushup
• Time: 23:19 minutes

Cardio: 

• ¼ Mile, checking Form
• Rowing: 10:06 minutes: 2186 meters (Approx.1.36 miles)

TRX Routine

• 10 Atomic Pushups 
• 10 Suspended Lunges/side 
• 10 Low Rows 
• 10 Hamstring Curls

Joint Integrity Work:

• Wall Pushups: 50/55/60
• Knee Tucks: 40/45/50
• Calf Strengthening Work

Sounds like a lot?  It is.  But I love every minute of it.  

Tuesday's Workout, Slightly Redone: 5x5

Like the title says, I slightly re-did my workout.  I felt it necessary, what with me needing to be strong and powerful.
So I added in some extra abdominal work, as core is essential to movement (without a strong core, you're not a strong you), and I cut down my rest time for my big exercises, to emphasize working under stress.
So, here's my workout:

Abdominal Work:

• 30 second front plank
• 30 second back plank
• 30 second side plank left
• 30 second side plank right
• 3x(Leg Raise x7, Hanging Knee Raise x5)
• 2x (Hanging Knee Raise x5)
• 3x 30 second Ab Wheel Rollout

Main Strength Workout: 5x5 with complementing moves

• Bench Press with Push Up: 160-6/160-6/155-6/155-6/155-6
• Squat with Box Jump: 175-7/175-7/175-7/175-7/175-7
• Pull Up (AMAP) with TRX Row: 7-7/6-6/6-6/6-6/5-6
• Deadlift with Swiss Ball Curl: 195-6/185-6/185-6/185-6/185-6
• Dead Clean and Press with Handstand Hold: 95-30 sec/100-30 sec/100-30 sec/100-30 sec/100-30 sec

Joint Integrity/Convict Conditioning:

• Vertical Pulls: 55/55/55
• Shoulderstand Squat: 50/50/50
• Various Grip Work

Hope y'all liked this!  Let me know how I can improve this blog!

Motivational Monday: Enjoy Life

Motivational Monday for y'all.  Towards the end of last week I was feeling quite exhausted, so I wasn't keeping up with my blog.  Apologies!  I'm re-doing my workout routine and will be hitting it hard tomorrow.  So for now I'm resting and relaxing.
That brings me into my M&M for the week: enjoy life.  If you're at all like me, you have a tendency to work too hard and not stop to smell the roses.  This is very true of myself, as I work all the time (ask my friends and co-workers; I'm always on the move).
Doing so many things, I sometimes miss all the good things that life has to offer.  That's why I was very thrilled when I learned that, early last week, two of my very good friends, Kelsey and Liam, became engaged.  So I drove 2 hours to see them this past Saturday for an impromptu engagement party, which pretty much consisted of a group of about 20 or so going to a bar and buying the newly engaged couple drinks.  I had a few drinks myself to celebrate the festivities (had an Irish Monk...very tasty), and we just all had fun relaxing and enjoying one another's company.  I went to bed at 3 am, then woke up around 9 am, having not slept very well, as I usually go to bed by 10 pm.  But I tell you, it was one of the best times I've had in a long while.
The point of this slightly long babble is that you have to stop and smell the roses, and remind yourself of why you're working so hard.  Maybe you work hard for a roof over your head.  Perhaps you work hard to prove yourself to yourself or others.  Whatever the reason, you have to sometime stop and take a break from what life is throwing at you.  Enjoy life!  It's ok; your life isn't going anywhere.
Just enjoy, then go back to life.  It's a great recharge.
Also: Happy Engagement to my friends Kelsey and Liam and happy early wedding to Casey and Dillon and Craig and Lauren.  Enjoy each other, and enjoy life!