You can create a home gym without breaking the bank.  
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Below are some of our favorite and must-have pieces of equipment to help get that sweat.  Improvise and create an awesome home workout when you don't feel like hitting a group fitness class, you are crunched for time (AKA ALL MOMS), or when on vacation.  Click on the images below to open the link to purchase or browse the item. 

You can get the essentials for under $150, which is less than a monthly gym membership in most cities! 

​Yoga Mat, $20 (Range $15-$50)​
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A yoga mat is great to have if you want to ensure a cushioned space -- no thank you rug burn or stiff hardwood.   We love a lighter yoga mat that is easy to travel with and has some grip so you aren't slipping and sliding when sweaty.  To be honest, Christy and I both have lululemon mats, but we also have Gaiam ones.  There are lots of options with varying thickness levels, organic vs non-organic, cute patterns, etc.  Don't break the bank on a mat for HIIT workouts, but if your focus is primarily hot yoga, you may want to splurge a bit more.   

Set of Medium and Heavy Dumbbells, $30 Medium and $45 Heavy (Range $20 - $60) 

​We like the neoprene option because they are easy to grip and gentler on your floors.  Two different weights are great to have on hand so that you can utilize mediums for bicep/shoulder work and heavies for lower body/chest/back work.  We use 10-12 lbs for medium weights and 20 -25 lbs for heavier weights.  

​For lighter weights (2-5 lbs), save money and use household items like canned goods, wine bottles, or cleaning product bottles.
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 Mini Loop Resistance Band, $20 (Range $15 -$20)
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You will want a set of looped mini bands that range from light to heavy resistance.  These are hands down the biggest bang for your buck, since they are lightweight and a more affordable option over dumbbells. Perfect for travel and for home workouts, neither of us travel without!  These are a staple for our Burn & Brew fundraisers, because they are an easy way to intensify any move.  We love to throw the heavier resistance bands on above our knees for leg/glute work.  The lighter bands can be an alternative to dumbbells for bicep/tricep/shoulder work.  You can even wrap them around your feet to intensify a bicycle crunch or a plank jack/leg lift. These bands are small and compact which is definitely nice to have when your travel. 

Tube Resistance Band Set, $15 (Range $15-$50)
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Tube resistance bands differ from loop minibands.  They can be utilized with just your bodyweight or wrapped under a bench or static object such as a post to create anchored resistance.  We recommend getting a set with various resistance options.    We have wrapped these bad boys around a fence/post or even a tree (when camping) and used them for unilateral lunges with a forward twist.  Alternatively, attach to a higher post and utilize for lat pull down or a chest press.  You can even stand on the rubber tube to perform lateral shuffles, upright rows, or bicep curls.   

Jump Rope, $12 (Range $10-$30)

For those of you who don't love running or may be limited by injuries, a jump rope is a great option to have to get your heart rate up.   Have you tried to jump rope recently?  What was a fun recess activity is no joke as an adult.  Let us know if you get the coveted double under! 



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IF YOU WANT TO SPLURGE or ADD ON SOME MORE FUN TOYS: 

​Adjustable Dumbbells (Range $160 -$350) 
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These dumbbells allow you to have a range of weights at your disposal.  Definitely a pricey option, but also great if you want variety and have a small space. This was a must for Christy post baby, needing to get a workout in during nap time and living in a 800 square foot home. PowerBlock and Bowflex both have adjustable dumbbells on Amazon.  Take a look and see if you feel this splurge is worth it.  Buying two sets of dumbbells is around $75 so if you want to dish out an extra $100 or more to have a full set then this would be a wise investment.  

Sandbell --Individual or Set (Range $40-$165) 

​If you need to get some aggression out or want a functional piece of equipment that will challenge your balance, core, and strength --look no further than a sandbell.  Most exercises that can be done with a kettlebell, can also be complete with a sandbell.  The neoprene is easy to grip and you can hold onto an edge for swings.  Get that heart rate up further with a squat to overhead press with a slam. The possibilities are endless.  

Agility Ladder Set (Range $10-$60)

A fun set up for an outdoor workout.  Definitely not necessary, but a ladder makes it easier to target fast twitch reflex circuits.  You can target speed and lower body by doing drills in and out of the ladder rungs.  Alternatively, you can work your core and shoulders by walking hands in and out of the rungs while in a plank.  The parachute is also a fun toy to add resistance to sprints.   Use the cones to run suicide runs or set up stations.  




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Chances are that you already have some of this equipment on hand so you may just want to add a few pieces to your toolbox.  We also picked budget friendly options with links to Amazon to purchase and have delivered to your home.  There is always a cheaper and pricier option and it depends on your purpose for the equipment. Let us know what you decide to buy! We would love to create workouts tailored to what you have at home.

​Hopefully, you feel a bit more inspired to invest in these toys and step up the home workout game! 

XX,

Ives & Christy 

Written by Ives Hot, ACE-Certified Group Fitness Instructor 

Wow it's been a minute since we shared a post.  A lot has happened in the past couple of months.  Kaila Jae is turning ONE this month, we have both ran and PR'd races, and I am joining the FIERCE club of mamas in May 2020.  Oh yes, pregnant and THRIVING.  Thrive is my word for 2020 and my goal is to be a resource for women in Seattle that are embarking on this journey, are thinking of pregnancy in the future, or are post-partum.  

Let me preface this by saying that as a fitness instructor one of the first concerns I had when I found out I was pregnant was how will I need to adapt my workouts.  I was in the peak of my marathon training cycle and initially my worry was how do I need to adjust my training and nutrition to run a successful race.  As I started my web search for pregnancy and running, I quickly realized that I would also need to adjust my HIIT strength training.  My goal here is to share helpful modifications to make other women feel comfortable in strength training classes as they embark on this wild pregnancy journey!  I am going to talk about some of the science behind what is happening in your body, break down moves by trimester, and give you confidence to keep showing up in class for YOURSELF and that BABE.  

This post serves as a guide based on expert opinions and guidelines that are available.  However, you should always check in with your OB/GYN and listen to their advice about exercise and pregnancy.  Pregnancy is also not the time to suddenly become a workout fiend, if you weren't active at baseline.   

WHY SHOULD I MODIFY MY CORE EXERCISES? 

If you're new to pregnancy, you may be wondering why you should change what you're doing before you have a big old belly in the way.  Even if you aren't showing, in the first trimester your uterus starts to grow and expand to make room for baby -- this means your abs start to stretch.  Towards the end of your first trimester, beginning of the second trimester you will want to check for diastasis recti (DR).  

Diastasis = separation 
Recti = abs 

DR describes the abnormal separation of your left and right abdominal wall, which appears as a gap between the two sides. It is normal for your abs to separate slightly during pregnancy to make room for baby, but a separation greater than 2 centimeters is thought to be abnormal.  When you have DR and crunch up, you may notice "coning" or a ridge that occurs in the center of your belly.  But why is DR bad?  Generally, DR is bothersome because it can cause lower back pain, urinary incontinence, constipation, and at times makes vaginal delivery more difficult.  In rare cases DR can lead to hernia formation due to there being a thinner layer of tissue allowing the organs to poke out.  

DR can happen with any pregnancy, but is more common when women carry twins, have had multiple pregnancies, or are shorter in stature.  Based on "What to Expect," if you develop a 3 finger width separation between your abs, you definitely need to modify your core exercises.  Modify does not equate to STOP exercising.  A strong core supports a strong pelvic floor and you definitely want that for delivery.  

FIRST TRIMESTER 
You may be one of the lucky mamas and not feel any symptoms (nausea, aversions, fatigue) until halfway through the first trimester.  If you are experiencing those symptoms --it's okay, you aren't alone and hopefully that all improves in the second trimester.   In regards to adjusting exercises this early on there are lots of expert and not-so expert opinions.  Again, please be aware that most of the articles that are available are written based on expert opinion and don't necessarily have strong data supporting them. 

There is a camp of individuals that feels strongly that you should not "do crunches."  The reasoning behind this strong stance is that a "sit-up" or crunch motion places more pressure on the rectus abdominus (left and right more surface layer ab muscles).  There is also some conflicting data from the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, that demonstrated how abdominal crunch exercises performed during pregnancy actually shortened the inter-rectus distance from gestational week 35-41 through 14 weeks post-partum. If you don't want to stop traditional ab exercises, you can modify them by placing a wedge or ball behind your back for additional support.  Ultimately, unless any exercises are causing discomfort or pain you do not need to modify during the first trimester.  However, if you are more apprehensive about developing DR, you can focus more on oblique and transverse abdominus strengthening exercises.   

Example 1: Side Plank 

• You can do this exercise with your palm flat on the ground or on your forearm for less shoulder strain and more balance.  
• Stack your feet, so that your hip are aligned.  Lift your hip off the ground and continue to drive up, while holding in your core.  
• Modification: Pyramid kickstand your lower leg, by bending your lower knee 90 degrees so both legs are not lengthened. 
• You can perform this exercise for time.  Beginners start at 30 seconds and build up time from there. 

Example 2: Bird Dog 

• Start in table top position on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.  Belly breathe so that you are zipping you abs together (visualize pulling a string from your belly button up toward your spine). 
• Inhale then extend to lengthen opposite arm and leg.  Exhale and contract to bring thigh to meet elbow.  Extend back out.  Perform 3x and alternate sides.  
• You can do this exercise for a set period of time i.e. 60 seconds or repetitions.  

SECOND TRIMESTER 
By now you may be starting to look pregnant, especially if you are having twins or this is your second or third (or more) babe.  If your bump seems small, don't stress either.  We all grow and show differently in this phase of pregnancy and it can be hard to hear comments from friends, family or strangers about your body.  For Christy and I, we both did not show until later into our second trimester.  Try not to compare yourself to other mamas or if you aren't pregnant yet, try not to mom shame.  Whether you outwardly look preggers or not, chances are that YOU have noticed a change in your abdomen by now.  It's wild to think of everything going on inside your body.  Your uterus has grown much larger to make room for baby, amniotic fluid, and the placenta and clothes feel tighter (hello stretchy pants #BLESS).  

Because your body is changing, you may start to feel differently about your typical exercises and in turn need more modifications.  Personally, at about 18 weeks is when I started to modify my abdominal exercises.  I am now at 22 weeks and continue to exercise 6 days per week, including running, cycling, HIIT, and strength work.  I still do Barry's classes about 4x per week and although I am a bit more breathless, I continue to hit sprints on that treadmill albeit a bit slower.  (For perspective: My baseline is an endurance athlete and I ran the NYC Marathon at 13 weeks pregnant.)

I no longer perform abdominal exercises that involve a full range sit up, v-up, jack knife, or bicycle crunch.  Basically, any fast tempo or quick diagonal ab exercise I view as off limits and I rather focus on slow-controlled exercises that allow for breath to be connected to movement.  You can also continue traditional or side planks and the bird dog mentioned above if it feels good.  

Exercise 1: Knee Hover or Mountain Climber March

• Start in table top position on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.  Belly breathe so that you are zipping you abs together (visualize pulling a string from your belly button up toward your spine). 
• As you inhale, lift your knees an inch off the ground and have a static hold.  As you exhale, keep your abs contracted and slowly release knees down.  Repeat for 10-15 reps.  
• ADVANCED: You can belly breathe as above and start in a plank position.  Slowly draw your right knee to below your hip then return to a plank.  Switch and draw your left knee in.  As you exhale, keep your abs contracted.  If you cannot keep your belly button drawn up to your spine drop down to table top and rest before re-attempting.  
• Modification: Complete the Mountain Climber March on an elevated surface, i.e. hands on a bench and feet on the ground.  

Exercise 2: Deadbug or Heel March

• If your OB/GYN cleared you to lie on your back this is a nice slow exercise.  As you enter the third trimester or become less comfortable, you can do this exercise with pillows or a wedge propped against your back. If you ever feel dizzy when lying on your back, skip this exercise.
• Start lying on your back with your arms and legs straight up in the air. 
• Belly breathe in to contract your abs (as above), focus on lowering the opposite arm and leg to the floor, then lift them back to the starting position.  Take your time, the slower the better.  I am for 3-5 seconds in each direction.  Repeat 10-15 reps per side.  
• Modification: If straight legs are too difficult, bend your knees 90-degree or rest the non-working foot on the ground. ​

Exercise 3: Heavy Lifting Moves i.e. Deadlift, Squat, Lunge 

• Not going to walk through these moves but HELLO just a friendly reminder that strength work of any kind relies on strong core.  In each of these exercises and lots of other heavy lifting, your breath needs to be controlled and your abs engaged to perform the exercise effectively and safely.   Deadlifts are and will always be my favorite exercise because they target legs, glutes, lats, abs, and so much more! 

THIRD TRIMESTER

You are in the final stretch mama! Things are feeling really REAL as you feel baby moving daily, don't sleep as comfortably, and probably start to move a bit slower.  You are not alone in how you feel and can always reach out to Christy and I with questions, concerns, or stories.  There is no such thing as TMI when you're growing a human!  

This is also when you really start modifying exercises to feel more comfortable and to try to reduce DR.   The pressure from intra-abdominal flexion can cause that "coning" or ridge to appear.  You are going to want to avoid traditional ab exercises by this point if you have been hanging on to them.

Exercise 1: Plank 

• Start with legs lengthened and forearms on the ground.  Make sure your shoulders are in line with your elbows.
• Breathe belly button in toward your spine and lift your knees off the ground.  As you exhale, keep your abs engaged and contracted.  Hold for 10-30 sec and repeat with rest in child's pose between repetitions.  
• Modification: Push Up position for the plank or elevate your arms on a step or bench to relieve pressure.  Additional modification, you can perform the plank with knees resting on the ground but focusing on the breathing.  

Exercise 2: Modified Bird Dog 

• Start in table top position on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.  Belly breathe so that you are zipping you abs together (visualize pulling a string from your belly button up toward your spine). 
• Inhale then extend one arm and hold out for 3-5 seconds.  Exhale and contract to bring arm back to resting position.  Now perform with your opposite arm, then each leg. 

​Exercise 3: Heavy Lifting Moves i.e. Deadlift, Squat, Lunge 

• You aren't hallucinating, yes the heavy lifting is here again.  Deadlifts are a great alternative to traditional ab exercises and should still be doable.  Yo may not be able to hinge forward as far and you can progress to sumo squat deadlift as your bump grows, but key is to continue to condition that body with this awesome move along with other lower body focused exercises. 
• For upper body lifts consider performing a row from a supported hinged position or table top.  You can also combine bicep curls, rows, or snatches with squat movements.  

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Alright we have covered A LOT. I hope you feel empowerd to show up for yourself and that babe in the gym or your next group fitness class and have some tools to adjust ab exercises when they come up.  Don't worry you're not alone on this journey.  Just remember to notify the instructor that you are pregnant and will be modifying! This post is based off literature searches on PubMed, Lexicomp, as well as opinions from fitness experts that wrote for Shape Magazine, Parents website, What to Expect, and Bump.  Another great resource I found in my research was the Pregnancy Guide from Expecting and Empowered.  

CONQUER YOUR SUMMIT,

Ives

It's been three weeks since Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene and I am a couple of weeks into marathon training.  If you are new to endurance training (or you are my husband) you may roll your eyes and think, "this biish is crazy."  Truly, I never thought I would be the person to finish a race of any kind let alone be hopping from one to the next.  But they are addicting.  I'm not even close to NYC Marathon and I am already thinking of what will be my next marathon or Ironman.   That being said, recovery between races is SO important. 

After my first marathon, I heard from other runners that you should take ~30 days off after you race and let your body recover.  I didn't do much research, but that sounded good.  I was so sore the first week and I also missed cross training, so it wasn't that difficult to hold off on running and fill my time with my favorite group fitness classes.  A handful of races later, I am actually interested in understanding why recovery is important and how to recover appropriately.  Reminder every human and race is different.  This is meant to provider more details and look at what evidence if any is out there.  Always feel free to share your perspective below or email us! 

When Should I Start Running Again? 

There are lots of opinions and recovery plans out there.  As a clinical pharmacist, I have access to scholarly literature searches (Pubmed and UpToDate), which I used to help delve into some of the later details on this topic.  However, I decided to start my search like many of you would, by surfing the web to see what comes up when you type in "marathon recovery plan." 

If you have ever looked up running plans, then chances are you have come across a Hal Higdon plan.  Hal Higdon is a runner and a best-selling author. He has developed training plans for everyone from novice to advanced runners, half marathons and full marathons, and even has a week by week guide for the month post marathon.  He refers to the time frame post marathon as, "Mile 27" in his book.  I will be the first to admit that I have not purchased any of these plans, so  I cannot vouch from personal experience, but I do think they create a great framework.  My spark notes summary of his recovery program for advanced runners is below: 

1. Week One: Take it easy 
   1. First 3 days, do nothing + massage
   2. Day 4, go for a run (2 miles) 
   3. Day 5, cross training
   4. Day 6, easy 3 miler 
   5. Day 7, 60 min run 
2. Week Two: Don’t run hard even if you have another race 
   1. Speed work Tuesday or Thursday 
   2. Take a day off after speed work, then add a tempo run 
   3. Go a bit longer on Sunday, 60-75 min
3.  Week Three: Glycogen replenishment should be progressing 
   1. Carbs should still be main part of nutrition 
   2. Uptick in training duration slightly, longer tempo run (35 min) and long run (75-90 min)
4. Week Four: Approaching mid-week training that was pre-marathon 
   1. Have two 5-milers with speed work the following day
   2. Add back strength training 

I wanted to compare the Hal Higdon post-marathon recovery plan to other internet plans.   My next web search brought up and article from Runner's World.   Pleasantly, Runner's World broke down the recovery post marathon week by week as well.  They didn't provide as much detail on when to run or incorporate speed work, but encouraged adding on to intensity and duration as week's progressed.  

1. Week One:
   1. ​Rest and cross training was the main advice
   2. Short, easy 30 minute run at the end of the week 
2. ​Week Two: 
   1. If you are still hurting with running, continue to cross train with what feels good
   2. If you run, keep it easy and short (30-60 minutes) 
3. Week Three: 
   1. Add more intensity and longer runs as you feel better
4. Week Four: 
   1. If you are feeling good, you can return to pre-marathon schedule 

At this point, I want to look into the science behind the recovery.  Most plans are recommending a similar amount of time to recover, but why?  What is going on in your body after a marathon? 

In a study by Tsai and colleagues, massive aerobic exercise i.e. running 26.2 miles led to un-repaired DNA base oxidation.  "This oxidative DNA damage correlated significantly with plasma levels of creatinine kinase and lipid peroxidation metabolites, and lasted for more than 1 week following the race."  WHOA...what does that actually mean??  Creatine kinase is a muscle enzyme that lives within your mitochondria and is usually elevated in response to muscular damage, which in turn is a marker of the degree of muscle injury.  It is also involved the storage and transfer of energy.  In elite athletes or in marathoners the concentration of this particular enzyme increases within skeletal muscle and is usually in response to regenerating muscle fibers.   

So basically, running a marathon = elevated creatine kinase for ~1 week = wait a couple weeks to resume vigorous aerobic exercise.  

Runner's Connect is another great blog with a wealth of information, including a post on overtraining.  In this post, the recommendation is to wait 2-3 weeks post marathon to allow ample time for recovery of both creatine kinase and myoglobin (myoglobin acts as oxygen storage for mitochondria).  Based on my research, there are limited studies and data on the physiologic changes that occur after prolonged aerobic exercise; however, it appears that at least 2 weeks of light or minimal exercise is recommended before the athlete resumes rigorous training.  One of the other topics that intrigued me was nutrition after the race.  We all have heard of carbo crams before aerobic sporting events, but what about replenishing our glycogen stores after crossing the finish line?  
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Carbo-loading Post-Race: Glycogen Replenishment Facts 

Disclaimer, the pic above is part of the dinner my husband an I enjoyed before my Ironman 70.3.  It has absolutely nothing to do with building back glycogen stores after the race.   I wanted to share this pic to spark some intrigue --everyone's pre-race rituals and nutrition vary.  That is normal and I don't encourage you to suddenly change your diet the day before a race to reflect what works for me.  However, a part of training involves using the months prior to race day to figure out what food fuels YOU best.  I don't change my nutrition drastically the days leading up to my race.  I don't eat pasta often in my regular life because it makes me feel heavy so you probs won't see me eating pasta the day before a marathon.  I do love sushi and fries.  So you can bet my pre-race meal always includes sweet potato fries and either sushi or an alternative lean protein source (baked fish is great if the city doesn't have great sushi).  I also drink one, no more than two glasses of wine or a margarita in my normal week.  PAUSE.  Yes, you read that right.  I am an athlete who enjoys fries and alcohol.   Pre-race jitters would be so much worse if I also forbid myself from enjoying the foods and draaanks I love.  Again, I don't binge drink while training so I definitely don't binge the day prior to the main event but a glass of wine is the perfect way to unwind.   But  enough about pre-race carbs, let's chat about what comes after. 

Massive aerobic training does not just impact your muscle fibers and enzymes, it also depletes your glycogen stores.  But what is glycogen?   An article in The Sport Journal, titled "Glycogen Replenishment After Exhaustive Exercise," delved into awesome detail on this topic.  

Glycogen is made up of long chain polymers of glucose molecules which are stored in liver and muscle and used by the body during exercise .  At higher exercise intensities, glycogen becomes the main fuel utilized.  When liver glycogen is depleted it can reduce blood glucose levels which results in volitional exhaustion.   The concentration of muscle and liver glycogen prior to exercise plays an important role in endurance exercise capacity.  It is actually typical for glycogen to be more depleted in the liver than muscle following intensive training, 85-95% versus 65-85%, respectively.  Although you did a stellar job building up your glycogen stores before the race, now you have used all that energy and need to refuel.   

Think about it, your body is like a race car.  You fueled it with premium fuel leading up to race day and you won because you competed and completed by crossing that finish line.  Now I don't know about you, but my bodice is even more of a temple after that race and I definitely want it running smooth quickly after.  So fuel up!  The two hour window immediately after exercise cessation is optimal for carbohydrate (carb) ingestion.  Your glycogen resynthesizes at a rate of 2% per hour after this two hour window, but this rate rises to 5% when 50 grams of carbs are consumed.  Another lit search led me to a great read titled, "Fundamentals of Glycogen Metabolism for coaches and Athletes," which states that 1-1.2 g carbs per kg of body weight per hour  should be consumed to take advantage of the improved glycogen synthesis that can occur immediately post massive aerobic exercise.  The overall goal is to ingest 10 g of carbs per kg of body weight in the first 24 hours.

For example, I weigh 63 kg (or ~140 lbs) so my goal is 630 grams of carbs post marathon and I should ideally try to eat 60-75 g of carb per hour.  Let me put that in perspective, a banana has ~30 g of carbs and a slice of bread has ~15 g of carbs.  So it takes WERK to eat all those carbs.  Work smarter, not harder people!  Help your bod recover by capitalizing on improved glycogen synthesis occurring immediately after the race and start ingesting those carb dense foods shortly after crossing the finish line.   

​Below are some examples of carb-rich foods from that article: 

• Baked potato with skin (36 g) 
• 1 cup rinsed black beans (40 g) 
• 1 cup wheat bran cereal with raisins (46 g)
• 1 cup enriched penne pasta (33 g)
• 1 slice whole wheat bread (14 g) ...make a PB & J and increase those carbs closer too 40 g

P.s. you can bet I looked up grams of carbs in my two fave foods (because research duh)... a side of sweet potato fries at a restaurant is ~50 g and the average sushi roll is anywhere between 50-60 g.  Unfortunately, a pour of wine is only 4 g of carbs.  Soo I guess I will stick to eating my carbs ;).  

OKURRR... I know I hit you guys with a lot of science and knowledge bombs, but hopefully this helps you understand the importance of recovering the right way after your next big race.  I know I have personally failed at glycogen replenishment in the past and feel fatigued the evening and day following the race.  I will definitely be making some big changes to nutrition after NYC Marathon and am hoping this helps with energy.  I also need to SLOW DOWN after races and allow more than 5 days before revisiting vigorous physical activity.  Guilty of starting back up again too quickly!  I promise to be more patient after the next race and respect my body if you all do, k?  

XX,

Ives