Short, Sweet, and Sweaty: Turkish Get-Ups & Tabata Squats
If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you may have noticed I don’t do many long workouts. Sure, I enjoy going long hikes, walks, or even an occasional jog but as far as scheduled workouts I prefer them short and intense. It’s better for my body, for my sanity and I’m not a hamster. (re: long treadmill sessions) Call me lazy but I don’t want to make the time to bust out an hour or more in the gym every day and if I can do the workout in my living room I’m even happier.
Living Room Workout
(short, sweet, and sweaty)
8 minutes of Turkish Get-Ups
4 minutes of Tabata Squats
Stretch
Loved it and will definitely be doing it again. The video shows the get-up with a kettlebell but a dumbbell can be used in it’s place. The weight distribution is different but it still works just fine. Don’t let any kettlebell snob tell you differently. 😉
Over the last few months I’ve come to love get-ups. It’s a very “functional” movement that really works the “core”. (Don’t you just love fitness buzzwords. I don’t. I think they are annoying but I still use them.) Get-ups are great for overall strength (fantastic for the shoulders) and flexibility. You can google turkish get-ups and quickly find a wealth of information as to why they are kick azz but there is another benefit I haven’t read about: relaxation. When I am holding an iron ball (or dumbbell) above my face I better have serious mental focus. I find this forced extended period of mental focus almost meditative. A long set of get-ups is on par with taking a long bath, albeit, a sweat bath but relaxing nonetheless. When I’m done I feel strong and focused.
If you’ve never tried Tabata and you’re like me preferring short and sweet, then you might want to give the Tabata protocol a try. It’s another one of my favorites. Tabata protocol? Wth is that, you ask? You can read about Tabata here.
I’m trying to make my blog a little more personal so I thought I’d share my attempt to shorten my longish bangs yesterday. I was hoping to have Bettie Page bangs but ended up looking more like a drunk Cleopatra.
You can’t tell as much in the pictures but they are pretty choppy, short, and UNEVEN. Ugh. When will I learn to stop playing with scissors!
There is a yummy giveaway over at a new (to me) blog I just found called Jocelyn Eats Fresh! Who happens to be another low sugar gal! Yay!!!! Check it out!
Have a great Monday.
xoxo
jenn
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This is my (almost) sane quest for insane health. Let's 
Can I just say you are the sweetest ever!! Your comment made my day and week!!!!!!!!!!! So nice of you to say such kind words, and wow thats amazing you had a kid in college, that would be hard too, because no matter what age you have a kid, we know it is alot of work!!! I think thats awesome!!!! Your kids are adorable and how cool it would be if we lived closer, the pugs, the kids getting together, and you and I talking fitness and yummy food!!! Heaven!!
Thank you so much for the greatest commetn, put a huge smile on my face!!
Omg !! I trimmed my own bangs last week and they are so choppy, lol!! I cut them so wrong!!! lol! Yours do not look bad at all, mine uggghhhh!! So agitated with them!! lol!!
Love the pics!!!
Have a great day!!!!!
xoxo
I LOVE YOUR BANGS! bangin! short and intense is the way to go! i have heard super good things about tabata, i should hop on that train. i just emailed you a novel, so i will shut up now. xo
and they dont look choppy, but sometimes choppy is good. adds depth and texture.
Thanks Janetha! I emailed you back but wanted to say THANKS again. U r da best!!!
I love short n sweet work outs too!! That is why I love my Crossfit gym membership. Have you ever done Crossfit?
BTW: Are you even using your 26lb bell for the get ups? Oh and here is a link to a site I love. She also has some cool work out ideas:http://catapultfitness.blogspot.com/2010/02/winter-olympic-style-workout.html
Do you use weights for your tabata exercises? Or is it an exercise for speed and repetition?
I’ve recently read about the “protocol” too and was very tempted to try it, but had no idea how to go about converting my whole workout routine!
Thanks!
Tracy – Yes I have tried Crossfit before. One of my closest friends is a CF trainer at the CF here in town. It’s awesome but the membership is $$$$ and the competitive aspect of it is not for me.
Remember I compete to lose! Ha! But they def have some great workouts!
Yeah I’m using the 26lb bell for get ups. If I’m feeling tired or weaker than usual I will use the 18lb for safety’s sake!
Katie – You are such a sweetheart. That would be so fun to hang out!!! It’s so cool that we randomly came across each other’s blogs and have so much in common! Oh yeah…it’s also funny we have the same hair cut!
Jessica – So nice to *see* you again!!! No I don’t use weights for tabata. Since it’s only four minutes I just make it another part of my workout. In other words, I just add it in with whatever else I’m doing. Once in a while when I’m time crunched, I’ll do tabata squats and push ups then call it a day.
Finally- another tabata lover!! I think we were meant to be fitness/nutrition buddies!!
If you could work Bulgarian split squats in, that would be the most evil workout EVER!
Love the bang pics. I think bangs suit you either way. You’re adorable.
April – I agree!!!
Becky – Awesome idea!!! Ahh…ha ha ha ha. (Evil laugh..I’m horrible at typing sound effects!)
Jenna – Thank you. You’re a doll.
You are so funny.
PS I think you should just use the word “ass”. Go for it. Be edgy. 😉
I was prepared for the worst. Those look like some of the best bangs you’v ever cut. cute..and edgy betty page.
Martha – Ha!!!! I know. I’ve typed it so many times and always change it. I don’t know why!!!! It’s not like I don’t say it at home. Ridiculous!
Jess – Thanks love. Like I said they look better in the pictures and not nearly as good as what you do with you magic scissors.
I hear ya, not a competitive person…so that part is the part I don’t care much for either.
Hello! Love reading about your kettlebell moves! Totally learning something new everytime …
Tabata kicks butt doesn’t it?
And your bangs don’t look choppy to me – just like J said, more texture. I love bangs but my hair isn’t thick enough for them and whenever I cut them, I am never happy because they don’t look like the pic I brought in (uh, hullo michelle?!, she’s a model with professionally styled hair! LOL)
You’re adorable Jenn, you look like you stepped out of an Anthro catalog!
Awww thanks Michelle. Anthro is my fav store!!!
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