Intervals Success To Pumpkin Fail

Posted: September 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Evening, friends! Did you all have a delightful Tuesday? I sure did! Despite a minor snafu I will get to in a moment. First, I need to tell you all about my killer intervals session today!

This morning I headed to the gym for some upper body training. Gotta keep this body nice and strong and fit.

I did a strength endurance style workout by completing supersets coupling the same muscle group for an extra challenge. For back I did assisted pull-ups immediately followed by underhand barbell rows. Then, for chest, I did machine bench press followed by dumbbell flyes on a stability ball. I rounded it all out with a couple sets of bicep hammer curls and tricep kickbacks. Burn baby burn!

As much as my upper body workout pushed me, I really want to highlight my interval workout from the day. It started off feeling not too difficult, but boy did it build on itself quickly for a good sweat session! Low impact certainly does not mean low intensity!

Low Impact High Intensity Interval Workout

Minutes Work
0 – 5 warm – up
5 - 15 alternate one minute sprint with one minute recovery
15 - 30 alternate 3 minutes fast with 2 minutes moderate
30 - 40 go back to alternating one minute sprint with one minute recovery
40 - 45 cool –down

Use an elliptical, spin bike, incline walking, or cross trainer for this workout. Set the resistance or incline to a moderate, but challenging level. I used level 12 resistance on the elliptical. You want a resistance where you can pick up the pace but still feel challenged when at lower recovery speeds.

The intervals start off with one minute “work” and one minute “rest”, then the work period gets longer than the rest period to amp up the intensity. Finally, at the end, you go back to shorter intervals. It doesn’t get easier! Having shorter rest intervals doesn’t feel so friendly. Winking smile

This workout keeps the impact out, but will still leave you with a good burn. Promise! And you can easily switch it up to make it work for you by choosing the equipment or altering the length of the intervals or workout. Have fun with it!

I spent my elliptical session daydreaming about pumpkin bread and carrot cake. So, I decided to do something about it this afternoon. I realized I didn’t have any pumpkin still hoarded from last year, so I headed out to the store. Just for pumpkin. With both kids. I’m telling you – I was determined.

Bwah bwah bwah. <— sad attempt to make the “disappointed” sound from cartoons

I ended up picking up pumpkin pie mix and not pumpkin! #fail

Looks like I will just have to wait for my sweet baking visions to become reality. On the bright side, the store clerks will get some amusement from Makenzie again.

I love my Santa-hat-wearing, turd-in-the-tub-dropping children.

  • What is your favorite low impact workout activity?

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25 Comments to “Intervals Success To Pumpkin Fail”
  1. RunEatRepeat says:

    I could eat that pumpkin pie mix straight from the can! Yum 🙂

  2. Chelsea says:

    I have totally picked up pumpkin pie mix on accident! There is so much sugar in that stuff!!

  3. You know what they say….”When life gives you pumpkin pie mix, make a pie!” I’d be all over it.

  4. You know what they say….”When life gives you pumpkin pie mix, make a pie!” I’d be all over that fail.

  5. Amy Lauren says:

    I haven’t bought any pumpkin yet, but will try not to make this mistake. Still, I have bought stuff by mistake like that before and try to take it back, but sometimes it’s just not worth it and I’ll just use the item.

    My favorite low impact workout would definitely be lifting weights/circuit or doing pilates or yoga :). The stretches are definitely great when I’m not running.

  6. I have totally done the same thing when buying pumpkin! The cans look so similar 🙂

  7. You’re so right – low impact does not = low intensity. That picture of M is just too darn cute for words.

  8. I definitely agree with the above commenters! Make a pumpkin pie! 😀
    Or if you want, you could try making some pumpkin bread/muffins/cookies with it and just omit the sugar and spices that the recipe calls for. I’m not sure if it will work, but it’s worth a shot, right? 😉

  9. Dang girl nice guns!! That strength training has definitely been paying off 😉

    My fav low impact workout is definitely spinning! My body does not like running so I was so happy and thrilled when I found spin and how great of a workout I get on it with such low impact on my joints! 🙂

  10. Lauren says:

    Great workout!!! I love doing interval training and it proceeds to kick my butt every single time.

    Oh no! I’ve definitely done that before with the pumpkin. Save it for a really good pumpkin dessert. 😉

  11. katie says:

    Girl, I noticed your arms at HLS! U got guns! Love!

    Oh I have done that mistake with pumpkin before too! ha!

  12. Emilia says:

    That workout looks seriously awesome. I’ve been trying to get more into interval workouts, I’ll definitely be trying it out once the weather gets chillier and I need to workout indoors again.

    Also, the last photo of Makenzie is absolutely adorable! Major style props for the santa hat 🙂

  13. I have done that before (gotten the pumpkin pie mix instead of plain pumpkin) and its such a bummer.

    I love your interval workout. Those are definitely my favorite kind–keeps me from getting bored.

  14. I think I’ll try those intervals tomorrow!

    I love just going for a bike ride. Usually it’s just a leisurely pace looking at all the Charleston homes…until cars line up behind me and I have to book it.

  15. I like creating my own pool workouts. I a huge Tracy Anderson girl and I like doing her leg sequences in the pool. It low impact and the water gives a fun resistance.

    xoxo from Trinidad

  16. Tina, I love all of your workout tips and ways of mixing up workouts. You’re going to make a great personal trainer!

  17. Low impact exercise: walking all the way. I’ve never been a fan of the elliptical — I always feel like my legs are about to come out of their sockets!

    Too bad about the pumpkin pie mix!!! I’ve done that before 🙁

  18. Lee says:

    I like to do the ellptical for low impact activity.

  19. a) Your muscles are awesome
    b) Livie is obsessed with this Santa hat she found laying around the house. She calls it her snowman hat – hee! We don’t even HAVE snow.

    • Tina says:

      It’s so funny the things they get fixated on. I don’t know which gets more attention in public – the purple tutu or the santa hat. LOL

  20. Lisa says:

    SWIMMING!! Favorite low impact activity.

    I’ve totally mixed up cans thinking I got the right thing only to discover too late I was way off. Good thing there’s a Safeway down the street from our house. I go there a lot for last minute things (in the middle of cooking).

  21. Thanks for posting the workout – I haven’t been doing enough HIIT… Always good to try another!
    My favorite low-impact is definitely swimming. I swim with a Master’s program, and it’s such an amazing workout! But, I do love me some elliptical. Mostly for the time to read a magazine & catch up on House Hunters!

  22. Khushboo says:

    Swimming for me! I got in the pool yesterday and loved it- feeling kinda sore today though :)!

  23. Looks like you needed to make pumpkin from scratch….

    Don’t Worry, I’ll teach you:

    http://www.poshmeetspavement.com/2011/09/how-to-make-canned-pumpkin.html

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