To do: home gym

I'm a runner. I love to run - I'm happiest in the heart of a marathon or climbing a 3,000 foot single track in a trail race. Lately I've been taking it a bit easier on the running because my Dr. told me to and because the icky weather isn't conducive to getting on the trails.

Intro - the home gym.


We live in a 1-bedroom in San Francisco so a "real" home gym is unthinkable. I've made due with a corner full of equipment and I'm quite proud of my home gym - what's more, I know it works. Here are the basics:

• Bosu ball - that half ball thing on the bottom works miracles! I use my Bosu to stand on and lift weights (working posture + muscle), do pushups on, and occasionally do situps on.
• Resistance bands- the red cords are magic workers for the thighs. I won my resistance band in a pushup contest with my running club - these are great for doing side-steps with or using for the biceps and doing curls.
• Body Ball (55 cm) - the perfect pushup helper/enhancer. My body ball acts as a pushup enhancer and doubles as a chair when we have company. Many people use the ball for posture (they'll use this at work instead of a chair) but I would fidget too much so I leave it in the "gym."
• 15 lb. weights - my ideal weight for curls, pulls, pushes, and more. I've been doing the same arm workout for about 7-years (yep, it's time for a change) but it really works! I'll do 3 sets of 15 curls, then 3 sets of 15 pulls (where you have one knee up on a bench and are leaned over in a table top position), and 3 sets of pushes (same setup as the pulls but instead of pulling the arm from hip to waist you're extending the arm straight behind you).
• Yoga Kit - I call it my kit but it's really a hodge podge of yoga gear I've accumulated over the years (they sell the goods in kits though). The essentials for yoga are: the mat, the block (I can barely touch my knees let alone toes so this helps in stretching), and the strap (awesome for a post run stretch).
• Foam Rollers - I have the small one for rolling out my IT band - it hurts like heck but works.
• The stick - the newest edition to my gym (thanks Santa!) and I LOVE it!!! The stick is great for rolling out sore muscles and the IT band.

On the wish list?

• Valeo MB8 8 lb. Medicine Ball - a ball that you hold for side twists which works the obliques (especially important when you're pregnant to puuuuuuuuuuush!)
• Foam roller- I have the small one, now I want the long size. The small one is good for working out sore muscles, the long one is good for making muscles sore - I use it at the "real gym" to lay on and try to balance while lifting one leg then the other.