Red-faced and Tabata Thursday
The Pilot is responsible for the sudden overpopulation of turtle doves in Tucson. Ever since he built the bird condo, we’ve had mama birds rotating in and out, and a constant outflow of sweet baby birds. Liv and I love to look at them when we take Bell outside in the morning.
Bird house 4 lyfe.
I don’t really need to tell you anything about work yesterday. It was every definition of a normal day:
-I dropped the towel basket in the spa lobby again. Every time I walk to take the towels, I think to myself “don’t drop the basket. Hold onto this basket for dear life.” Maybe it’s because I’m thinking about it, but before you know it, the basket is tumbling and clanking on the floor, while everyone reading and waiting for spa treatments gives me the side eye. When I pick up the basket, my face is magenta, and yesterday the guy working the spa desk looked at me and mouthed the words, “it’s ok.” I’m not usually that clumsy, but for some reason I usually drop the towel basket at least once a day.
– We all ate cookies in the locker room. My friend Susan made them and I had a small relationship with the two I consumed. Butterscotch, chocolate chip and pecan. No words. Awesome pre-Zumba sugar buzz… I jumped really high yesterday.
-Zumba was so much fun. On top of my butterfingers incident above, it was the only other time my face was neon red at work. Does anyone else get a bright red face after they work out? It’s always happened to me, even back in my dance days. I sweat, I turn red.
Speaking of sweaty, here’s this week’s Tabata Thursday video:
For more info on Tabata training, check out this post.
-The workout is only 4 minutes long, but it’s intense! Only attempt Tabata training if you’ve built up a solid level of fitness and are used to interval-style training. If you’re a beginner, try incorporating some speed surges into your usual cardio routine as a starting point.
-Warm up before doing a Tabata workout for at least 5 minutes, moderate intensity. High-intensity interval training is most effective when it’s completed on non-consecutive days, max 2-3x a week. The video can be repeated up to 3 times throughout the day with adequate rest in between. Remember, your heart is a muscle and needs rest and recovery, too!
-These moves are high impact, and will spike your heart rate up quickly. That’s why plyometric moves are often chosen for Tabata workouts instead of traditional strength training movements- you want your heart rate up FAST since the intervals are only 20 seconds of work. Bonus: the moves I choose will encourage power, speed and STRENGTH 🙂 (oh, and a sore booty) Please modify as necessary, and always honor your body and injuries. Check with a doc before making any fitness changes.
Happy sweating!
How’d it go? Leave a comment here to let me know, or hit me up on Twitter/Instagram @fitnessista
Bonus: complete this Tabata Thursday video + this booty burner + this ab burner
xoxo
Gina
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I *ALWAYS* have a CRAAAAZY red face when I work out! I have to do a double take in the mirrors sometimes, I’m always so shocked it’s THAT red!
This is great! Thanks, Gina! Would you say it’s OK to combine tabata with weights? It seems like it’s a pretty intense workout so I don’t want my heart to explode in the middle of the gym…what a terrible way for others to start their mornings! 😉
Also, yes…my face is and remains red after a workout! Even when I step out of the shower there’s still a lovely blush color. 🙂
Hi Rachel!
My face gets super serious red and stays that way for about an hour after working out. I also continue to sweat for a good hour after. Sometimes my legs get bright red too. I’ve always been that way too my whole life. In dance class I was the only one with red itchy skin. I believe the itchiness has something to do with blood flow. Power to the red!
Hi Jacquelyn! 🙂
I used to be so self-conscious about how red my face got after workouts. It was so weird because my entire face would be as red as a beet, but around my mouth was white. So attractive looking, hey?! Strangely it doesn’t happen any more, although I know I sweat just as hard!
I get the white lips too!
Awesome new website!!!!
Thanks for these great videos.
Do you have Tabatas modifications for…prolapse?
After 2 babies my insides are falling out.
I’m trying to find ways to get the intensity without running or jumping, which I can’t do. Though you’d have some splendid ideas 🙂
Thanks!
I have the same problem…would love some ideas!
Gina,
One of my absolute favorite things about your blog is how honest you are. It seems like some bloggers try to come across as perfect and only blog about happy upbeat success stories, which can make readers like moi feel bad about ourselves in comparison. But when you share things like dropping the towel basket (so funny by the way! and I’m sure no one else noticed it as much as you did) or getting a red face after working out, it makes us realize that you’re human, too, just like us… and feel a little better. Kinda like that article you linked to awhile back, about how there is way too much pressure on women to appear perfect.
Basically, thanks for keepin’ it real, and reminding us that even a role model like you isn’t 100% perfect–that’s part of being human, and that’s why I continue to read your blog!
I have to say i am liking the new layout! It is so open. Sorry I have been sick so haven’t been surfing my blogs lately!
I don’t get that red in the face but I have been finding out that I am sweating more. Not sure if that is because I am working out harder or something else.
Watched your video! Now I just have to remember those moves in the gym!
oh my gosh, i GET SO RED after teaching zumba!! glad I am not the only one. I have a similar towel story – I slipped on my shoe laces once while teaching… so now during every class I glance at my shoes every so often to make sure they are tied, so I don’t blatantly slip and practically fall in front of 80 people. ha ha.
Yes! My face is always SOOOO red after a workout and stays that way for some time. It makes me feel very self conscious. My guess is that it has to do with how thin a person’s skin is and how close to the surface the blood vessels run. I also turn red any time something embarrassing happens to me. Don’t worry about it…
I don’t have a bosu balance board what can I just instead?
I don’t tend to turn red… actually I go really pale! I don’t know if thats a good thing but If I do a good sweaty work out I’ve yet to turn tomato D:
I’m always super red after working out, I’ve had numerous people ask me if I was alright because I was so red haha
Must try this workout!
What spa do you work at?
Red doesn’t begin to describe it – and it takes a good hour or so for my face to return back to normal. It seriously can freak peope out because it looks so bright!! Nice to know I’m not the only one 🙂
I get crazy red faced, and it stays that way even about 20 minutes after I am done. It is ridiculous.
I always have a red face when I work out and it’s so embarrassing! It stays that way for at least a half hour afterwards too. I envy people who post pictures just after a work out and they have a nice pink glow to them. I just look like I can’t handle any type of exercise.
My face also turns red when I work out. I’ve even had people ask me if I’m okay because my face is red, which is just awkward. What do I say? “Yeah, I’m fine, I just always turn red when I exercise.” It makes me self conscious, which is bad because I’m already very self conscious about working out in front of other people, like at a gym. Sigh.
My face always gets red after I workout! Thats funny you posted that because I was just wondering what other people thought about it. I usually workout on my lunch breaks so when I come back to work my face is beet red. And sooo many people will say something to me about it or others just look at me weird. But my face has always gotten red like that. A lot of times I’m just to exhausted from working out to care.
Can’t wait to try this workout! Love site makeover!
I have a red face after a long run…I swear people look at me strange on the trail because my face is so red they must think I’m about to pass out. Looking forward to meeting you at the Cape Cod Zooma race…I’ll be the red-faced one after doing the 1/2 marathon!!
I get scary red face when I run, but once I’m cleaned and showered, it usually settles down to a nice rosy glow. 🙂
My face always gets very red after a workout, to the point where people ask me ‘are you alright?’ haha.
Thanks for the ideas for using my Bosu. The darn thing has been sitting neglected in my den, so hopefully I’ll use it again and give this Tabata workout a go!
I’m always red-faced when I workout! Can’t wait to do this tabata workout tomorrow! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My Face get SO Red!!! And it doesn’t go away for a good 30 minutes post workout. My body has trouble cooling itself down. So it literally take forever!
I do not understand how some people can work out and not even break a sweat. Crazy!
First, love the new look of the site!
Second, I get sooooo red every time I do Zumba! It’s embarrassing. I don’t see too many other people in class get as red as I do.
Aww I love that you are hosting a baby bird hospital in your backyard! What a cute thing for Livi to grow up with.
LOVE the new design!!!
Did it, nearly died. .. I guess that was the effect you are aiming for? 😉
Wee birdies are so cute! I’m always rescuing them in spring, and I guess it’s coming up for that time again. They jump out of the nest and one of my pacifist cats brings it inside, unhurt. My cats don’t eat birds.. I dunno, too feathery, probably. And I’m like.. ‘*groan* now I have to try and keep it alive for a week or so until it can fly’. My success rate is about 50:50. Much better since I got a heating pad. Stupid birdies. You’d think they could jump out on the other side of the fence where there are no cats, instead of our side, where there are four.
Love that you guys feed and house the birds! I’m such a sucker for native animals and birds! Your Zumba class sounds like a blast!!!
I get super red in the face when I workout too! Sometimes it lasts even after I’ve taken a shower! 😛
Hi! I am a long time follower, but don’t usually comment. I just ended my gym membership to try and save money and want to start doing tabata, starting with this workout! Do you have any suggestions if I don’t have the balance ball thing? I am at work and couldn’t listen to the actual workout so I apologize in advance if you suggested something else in the video 🙂 I’m just excited to do this after work and wanted to make sure I’d be able to without the equipment.
Thanks!!!
yep, i included modifications in the video 🙂
you can use a step instead of the bosu, or do regular jump squats, reg burpees and mtn climbers
I want to try these Tabata workouts, but I live in a second floor apartment, and every time I jump the entire apartment shakes (seriously — I can’t even imagine what it sounds like to the people below us). I can’t wait until we have a house so I can do these types of workouts at home :)!
Great Tabata for this week! Excited to give it a go. Thanks for the modifications too! Don’t have access to the BOSU.
Awesome Tabata, I really had fun with this one! I paired three rounds with the booty workout, some abs and a nice elliptical cool down. In and out in an hour. Perfect!
Thanks so much for putting these workouts together, I use them on days I don’t do Crossfit so I have a plan and don’t just plug away aimlessly on cardio.
I always get red in the face after an intense workout, especially running. I’m glad it’s not only me!
I tried the Tabata Thursday and I was extremely red-faced! I struggled to get through the work out and I believe that I am pretty fit! I don’t know what I’m doing wrong or if I might not be ready for these powerful workouts. I stretched and even got my heart rate up before I began the workout. I was definitely ready for my cool down after the video began! Any suggestions?
they’re supposed to be SUPER challenging, so if nothing hurt and you warmed up well, you should be ok! if not, try some lower impact versions of the moves for a while and see how that feels
I’m very pale skinned, and tend to be pink even when I’m not working out. Once I start moving, I get sweaty and bright red, enough so that I tend to get the side eye from people after classes!