Surprise!

Karate was awesome last night. As I predicted, it was a good work out. I know in my last post that I said I was hoping to test for my next belt by October or sooner. Well, guess what?!

Yes! I test in 2 weeks! I'm excited. I wasn't thinking that I would be testing quite this soon but when I talked with my instructor he said that I was ready! I'm going to be testing for my 4th grade green belt in AKS. In AKS it counts backwards as you go up in rank until you get to black belt. Everyone starts at white belt then goes to 8th grade yellow etc...until you get to 2nd grade brown. Then you go to black belt. After this upcoming test I will be a 4th grade green belt. Then after that I will work towards a 3rd grade brown.

As with every upcoming test I will be cramming. I always do. I really need to work on my kata as I haven't had much time to do that. You can bet that between now and testing I will be spending a lot of time practicing when the kids are sleeping. Think I could put them to bed at 6pm instead of 8pm? It's a nice thought but somehow I don't think so. LOL It just means that after 8 I'll do my practicing, not to mention when they are down for a nap. So wish me luck! I know I said that in my last post, but I really need it!

aiyah!

Karate is a great thing for me. It really helps keep me motivated to keep going. I have goals for that and it translates into goals in other parts of my life. It's a wonderful thing! Been a little home bound this week because I'm packing an extra little one and no room in the bike trailer for her. However that doesn't mean I can't get my workout in. Let me tell you that carrying two little ones at the same time can be a real workout. Yesterday I had one in the backpack and one in the frontpack and walked for 45 minutes. I was sweating by the time I was done! It was great!

Tonight I get to go to karate, have someone coming over to watch the kids. I'm looking forward to it. We always do a lot of kicks and punches in low stances so I get a good workout. Plus the self-defense that we learn is always good! I'm hoping by October to be able to test for my next belt, if not sooner. It will depend on how often I can get to karate during the summer. It's a busy time of year for us, so it's nice when I can get to karate at least once a week right now. 4 more belts until I get to black! WooHoo. I'm hoping to get there in 3 years so wish me luck!

Falling Apart Already

I'm not really sure what is going on but my knees have been bothering me since March. I think it has to do with the weight that I gained after the third baby. I went back to karate practice and started training in forms for a tournament and then in March I just woke up and my knees were bothering me. I am trying to combat it with taking glucosamine/chondroitin complex. I think it might help if I was much more diligent about it. That is probably why I am not feeling the effects of this yet. I'm trying to set up a routine on when I take my pills. Hopefully it will force me into a habit. I hope it works because I notice that after biking any distance (like yesterday's 7 miles) I could feel my knees bothering me.

On top of that my feet are bothering me too. Plantar fasciitis. Sometimes my feet hurt so bad that I look like a 90 year old woman trying to walk and in need of a cane! It sucks. I have found some great shoes to help combat the issue. I do notice that even when I am biking and not putting the strain on my feet like when I am walking/jogging that they still hurt. So I guess wearing the cheap shoes are out. Just have to have shoes with good support. Can't believe I'm falling apart already!

Relay...

I have to say that running relays in the yard with the kids is a great way to exercise! I'm not a very good runner. Pretty slow and awkward looking but I guess that it doesn't bother me so much when I'm running with my kids. And wow...great way to get cardio. We were doing sprints and we all had a lot of fun. Which of course only translates into doing it again.

I was able to go biking two more times this week. Like I said, only three miles but I do try to push myself the whole way. I usually make a 3 mile trek then go to the park for the kids. I don't count the ride back to the house as it's only a few blocks. I think the kids are getting into it which may mean I can take longer bike rides with them. So long as there is a park involved they don't seem to mind.

So wish me luck, maybe I'll win my next relay! :) LOL

Looking Forward to the Cold Front!

Ok, another 3 mile bike ride under my belt. I know it's not far but it's good. Yeah, I know, only 3 miles. But with my schedule it's good that I can get even that in. I also went to karate again this week and that was an awesome workout. Of course being outside it was hot as all-get-out! I think I dropped a few pounds cause I was sweating so bad! That humidity is killer. It's hard to stay motivated with weather this humid so hearing about a cold front that is going to move through tonight is making me happy! :-) That is the kind of weather I can go biking with the kids in. They won't fry in the trailer.

As a side note: Reason to buy from a bike dealer.
A month after the purchase of my bike trailer there was a problem with it. The cover was bent. I wasn't sure what I should do about it or if I had to pay to replace it. I stopped in and talked to the people at the bike shop. No questions asked, no reciept of purchase, no product in hand, they ordered me a new one and apologized that there was a problem with mine. Within the week I had a new bike trailer cover. I am so happy. Wish I could afford to do all my bike shopping there! :)

Shedding Inches

I am excited! Ok, after baby number three and the eighty pounds that I thought I would never shed, it is finally happening! This morning I tried on a pair of size 12 pants and they fit! YEAH!!! I don't know that I can contribute it to my workouts exactly. I think it has more to do with me just being busy all the time. But either way, I don't care right now. The fact of the matter is I haven't been able to wear these pants for 1 1/2 year! So that's my excitement and motivation for the day. Just got to keep moving. Seeing how I have an over-flowing plate at times that shouldn't be to hard. Fitting in a workout with the kids will be challenging but I just have to get creative. Use them as weights, play some football or something like that. Looking forward to an afternoon bike ride too. WOO HOO!!!

Still Motivated

Yes!! After 3 weeks of not being able to go to karate I was finally able to make it back there last night. It was great! I had a great work out and look forward to going back next week. Nothing like a little karate to kick your a--! (No pun intended)

I've been lifting "weights" too. One is a twenty pounder and the other right around thirty. They are great for my biceps and even better when I do squats with them. Not to mention the cardio when I am carting them up and down the stairs. My "weights" laugh and squirm the entire time but they're kids so what do you expect? I guess you could say the I'm getting my kids involved in my workout too. :)

The biking has not been as frequent as I would like it right now. Summer is so busy and it's hard sometimes to fit in a longer bike ride. I have the best of intentions though and been keeping myself motivated if nothing else. I know that I will get in that biking time sooner or later. Preferable sooner. But on the other hand I am always on the move for one thing or another so I don't feel to bad about missing some of those bike rides.