Easy on my Mind.... Hard on my Body!

It's a phrase that came to mind recently.

I think it would make a great title for a book or a Rock n Roll Song.

In fact, I'm trademarking that phrase as of right now....

"You're so Easy on my Mind.... but so Hard on my Body!".

What I was first thinking of when that phrase materialized is not fit to be printed, but on second thought I realized it applied to 2 of my favorite pastimes..... 

Hiking and Working out.

My most recent hike with the Santa Fe Meeting Hiking Group was something I had been waiting for for a long time.

A Hike in the Snow!  Yay!

These hikes are easy on my mind because you are in a vigorous physical activity at relatively high altitude and that in and of itself lends your mind to release and open and expansive thinking.  Couple that with the social interaction with a group of interesting people and you've got your own little Zen activity.

Not to mention that walking through ankle to calf deep snow is pretty difficult.

In fact, as much as I enjoy it mentally and physically, my left knee usually lets me know that 4 hours and 6 - 8 miles is enough.

That's the part that's hard on my body.

But come on.... who wouldn't want to do this?

Speaking of hard on my body and who wouldn't want to do this - let's talk a little bit about Liz Prehm's 9:00 am Thursday Core Strength and More class at Anytime Fitness St Michaels in Santa Fe.

So what is Core Strength and More?  

My best description is an All body Weight / Agility / Core Circuit Class that resembles an indoor Boot Camp.

I've got a set of 20# and 35# dumbbells there in the right foreground in prep for the weighted exercise.

That's our fearless leader, the Indomitable Ms Prehm there in the middle....

Which brings to mind another phrase....

Easy on the Eye!

Workout of the Day?

21 reps of 21 exercises - 

Side to Side lunge with hop in between - I did this holding the 20# dumbbells.

Push up to side plank with optional crunch.

Plank leg lift - 21 each leg.

Negative pushups with a 3-count negative.

Walking planks

Reverse lunges - 21 each leg - I did 1/2 with 20# dumbbells and the other 1/2 with the 35# dumbbells

Shuffle and Jump

Triple step knee up

Scissors

Leg Lifts

Hold scissors and crunch up and reach past leg

Crunches

Side plank leg lift

Oblique pike

Front Squat - 21 reps with 35# dumbbells

Pulsing Front Squat - 21 pulses with 35# dumbbells

Bicep Curls - 21 reps with 20# dumbbells

Tricep Kickbacks - 21 reps with each arm with a 20# dumbbell

Bent Over Row - 21 reps with 35# dumbbells

Shoulder Side raise - 21 with 20's

Romanian Dead Lift - 21 with 35's

Not a bad little combination of Strength, Cardio and Core training.

That's what I like about this class and the way Liz teaches it - always different.... always challenging.... always changing.

Right up my alley!

I think we were doing the Push Up Side Planks here.

And this was the 3 quick lateral steps and a knee up.

After a workout that hard on my body, I had to head to Clafouti's and order up a smoked salmon salad.

Talk about a thing of beauty!

And last but not least....

Let me ask you a dumb question......

What stands out in this picture?

Exactly!

Driving a 2014 Mustang GT Premium with a Track Package in Race Red with Saddle Brown interior may be hard on the Santa Fe culture..... 

But it's fits right in with my counter culture way of thinking that usually involves extreme and excess in all things!

And besides that, it looks and feels fucking cool and runs like a....

Wild Mustang!