66 Days

Got home from work, chilled out for a bit then put my exercise gear on. I wanted to do P90X's Kenpo again but I also want to keep my workout routine fresh so I chose Personal Training with Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training.

At one point, Jackie Warner says I would never ask you to do something that you couldn't do which reminds me of when people say God never gives you more than you can handle.

I said Okay, Jackie and modified when necessary, exchanged weights when necessary and made it through the workout.

As I soaked last night, I read through Shape magazine. It had a lot of good tidbits including The Goal: Workout for 66 days straight.

Think three weeks is the magic number for locking in a habit? You probably need three times that, according to a study in the European Journal of Psychology. When researchers tracked people who were working to establish a new behavior -- such as jogging daily -- they discovered that the practice went on auto-pilot after an average of 66 days. If it sounds like a lot of work, consider this: An exercise streak may actually be less taxing (for your brain, at least) than trying to fit in sporadic sessions... (154 November 2013)

I'm pretty sure that the lock in factor is one of the reasons I'm on automatic with working out...

Went to Gloria's yoga class and it was sardine packed. This young dude next to me fidgeted almost the entire time and had a totally weird breathing pattern going on. I tried to use the fidgeting as an opportunity to go deeper inside which kind of worked.

This woman came up to me after class and said that she has such a hard time meditating and concentrating. Tell me about it.

Also tried to zone in on Gloria's theme for the night -- steady and joyful...

I just started watching An Idiot Abroad. Funniest line from the "idiot" so far: It's not the Great Wall of China. It's an all right wall.

Don't Run From It

I have been jonesing to swim but when my designated swimming days came around, I couldn't bear to go out in the cold then get into a cold pool but today it was in the 40's and I was determined to go.

It was nice and humid inside and the water actually had a smidgen of warmth. I played with a baby and talked to Chatty Kathleen but still managed to get in 24 laps when Bob Harper kicked in...stand up and finish what you started.

I got in 33 laps and it wasn't as taxing as my previous pursuits of a mile. I won't say that it was easy because my arms were aching since I did Jackie Warner's Personal Training with Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start* yesterday.

I chased the burn or maybe the burn chased me.


How my arms got sore:

Pyramid One:

Push-up and Bicep Routine (i.e. one push-up, one biceps curl...two push-ups + two curls...repeat until you get to ten.)

Pyramid Two:

Chest Press and Biceps Curl


Pyramid Three:

Chest Fly and Outward Biceps Curl


Pyramid Four:

Row and Head Banger


Pyramid Five:

Wide Row and Kickback


Pyramid Six:

Side Extension & Kickback


Right around pyramid four, Warner advises you to chase the burn instead of running away from it. By the fifth pyramid session, my arms were on fire and I couldn't finish pyramid six.

I did the lower body segment last Sunday and my hamstring muscles were so tight that I couldn't straighten my legs in yoga class. I took a salt bath and the next day, in true pyramid fashion, my quadriceps got in on the soreness.


*Disclosure: I received this video without charge.

When Not to Rock the Baby

I felt rather saucy yesterday and decided to do the total body circuit on Jackie Warner's Personal Training DVD.

My abs + hamstrings + quads + gluteus maximus, minimus, medius = sore. Unimaginable soreness with every little move.

Oh my God. Yoga was not very restorative. Warrior Two? Rocking the baby? Bending? Climbing stairs? Kneeling? Sitting? Standing? Ill-advised.

I'm not a fan of hot summer baths during stormy weather but it is definitely Epsom Salt time...

Slow And Deep Breathings or Month-End Review, May

I was going to say that my vow to stretch went out the window but since I did more yoga, I'll say it's an even exchange. Well, it's not really even. An hour of yoga trumps 10 minute stints of stretching and is almost as good as a massage. Although with massage, I never feel as if my abs have been worked over.

Slow and deep breathings -- that's what my yoga instructor likes to say especially when we're doing warrior poses. Does a good warrior possess the ability to get into battle stance, breathe deeply and assess the situation? Maybe battle is engaged in after one's neck has popped a couple of times which is the sound my neck made at least twice when we made slow circles with our heads this evening... And what's battling got to do with it anyway?

Here's how I took care of business this month -- popping and all:

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp

Basic Training, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones!

Stretching, 2 x's

Bicycling, 2 x's



Give Me 10!

Fat Blasting Cardio, 1 x

Lawn Mowing, 3 x's



Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training

15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 3 x's

Total Body Circuit, 1 x

Rock Climbing, 7 x's


Swimming, 7 x's


Walking, 14 x's


Yoga (Gentle), 4 x's




What about your May?

Month-End Review, March

Now that my arm and hand have healed, there are no limits on what I can do. I'm happy to be lifting weights and rock climbing again and I can't wait to hit the pool this weekend. You really don't miss your water until... Here's how I stayed active in March. I hope that you moved a lot in March as well.


10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fit Mix

Cardio Kickboxing, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Rapid Results fat burner

Power Sports Drills, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp

Basic Training, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones!

Total Body Tone Zone, 1 x

Bicycling, 2 x's


Give Me 10!

Fat Blasting Cardio, 4 x's

Upper Body Sculpt, 1 x

Yoga Stretch & Flex, 1 x

Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training

15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 6 x's

Rock Climbing, 9 x's


StairMaster, 1 x


Supreme 90 Day System

Chest and Back, 1 x

Swimming, 3 x's


Treadmill, 3 x's


Walking, 13 x's


Wii Fit Plus, 8 x's


*I received Supreme 90 Day System without charge.

Month-End Review, February

February was short but not entirely sweet. I'm looking forward to losing the cough and feeling energetic again...I went to the traditional gym one time. I need to hurry up and get over this notion of the gym being my security blanket because I'm just wasting money.

Here's what I did in 28 days:


10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fit Mix

Cardio Kickboxing, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Hip Hop Dance Mix

Hip Hop Basics, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones!

Sleek and Sexy Abs, 1 x

Give Me 10!

Fat Blasting Cardio, 3 x's

Upper Body Sculpt, 2 x's

Lower Body Firmer, 1 x

Core Makeover, 1 x

Yoga Stretch & Flex, 1 x

Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training

15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 8 x's

Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training, 1 x


Rock Climbing, 6 x's


Swimming, 2 x's


Treadmill, 1 x


Walking, 6 x's


Wii Fit Plus, 11 x's



How was your February?



*I received 10 Minute Solution: Hip Hop Dance and Give Me 10! without charge.

Month-End Review, January

I considered getting a Women of Rock Climbing calendar, thought about making my own and, ultimately, took Gingersnapper's advice and followed through on making my own calendar; it's not exclusively filled with rock climbing photos but an assortment of action shots. My Publisher and Shutterfly both ran free calendar promotions -- so cool.

I set a modest goal of doing, every other day, Jackie Warner's 15-Minute Upper Body Circuit on the Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training DVD. I didn't quite get that done but I'm satisfied with the eight times that I did do it.

Here's what else I did:


10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fit Mix

Cardio Kickboxing, 1 x

Power Yoga, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workouts

Lower Body, 1 x

Upper Body, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp

Basic Training, 1 x

Fat Burning Blast, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Rapid Results: fat burner

Low Impact Fat Blaster, 2 x's

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones!

Sleek and Sexy Abs, 1 x

Stretching, 3 x's

Total Body Tone Zone, 1 x

Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training

15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 8 x's

40-Minute Body Circuit, 1 x

Power Yoga, 2 x's


Rock Climbing, 9 x's


Shoveling Snow, 1 x


Swimming, 5 x's


Treadmill, 2 x's


Walking, 1 x


Wii Fit Plus, 26 x's


I hope that you started 2011 with a bang. I'm all ears...



*I received the Power Yoga DVD without charge.

Year-End Review OR Haven Found

Looking at this review tells me that I've fallen out of love with the gym. It was cool when I first joined about two and half years ago because I was able to jump-start the weight loss that had plateaued with just walking. Now, I feel like I'm wasting money by going to Cardio and Muscle Class once a week. Although, in the last few weeks, I've been trying to hit the gym more often.

In addition, December marks my one year climbing anniversary of sorts. While December of '09 was not the first time that I climbed, it was when I started climbing consistently and stopped having pre-climbing jitters. I could have never imagined how the rock climbing gym would become such a haven.

Here's how things went down in 2010. I hope that your year was equally productive. Did you find yourself relying on one activity over others? See you on the flip side of 2011 where I plan to rock steady...

10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fix Mix

Cardio Kickboxing, 1 x

Power Yoga, 8 x's

10 Minute Solution: Belly, Butt and Thigh Blasters!

Better Booty Camp, 1 x

Belly Flab Fighter, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Dance Your Body Thin!

Ballet Sculpt, 1 x

Cardio Dance Party, 1 x

Dance Toner, 3 x's

Get Fix Club Mix, 1 x

Smooth and Sexy Moves, 4 x's

10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workouts

Firm Flat Abs, 3 x's

Total Body Fat Burner, 2 x's

Upper Body, 6 x's

Ultimate Stretch, 7 x's

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp

Basic Training, 1 x

Fat Burning Blast, 3 x's

10 Minute Solution: KnockOut Body!

Knockout Body Blast, 1 x

Fierce & Fabulous Abs, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Quick Sculpt Pilates

Core Conditioning, 1 x

Buns and Thigh Sculpter, 1 x

Standing Pilates Sculpt, 2 x's

Strength and Flexibility, 3 x's

Total Body Toner, 2 x's

10 Minute Solution: Rapid Results fat burner

Cardio Max, 3 x's

Extreme Intervals, 1 x

Low Impact Fat Blaster, 1 x

Power Sports Drills, 5 x's

Rapid Results Kickboxer, 1 x

10 Minute Solution; Tone Trouble Zones!

Sleek and Sexy Abs, 4 x's

Stretching, 66 x's

Total Body Toner 1 x

Adaptive Motion Trainer, 2 x's

Arc Trainer, 1 x

Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies, 3 x's

Bicycling, 40 x's


Boot Camp Class, 1 x

Cardio and Muscle Class, 34 x's

Car Washing, 1 x

Crunch: Candlelight Yoga, 5 x's

Drills to Make You Sweat Class, 1 x

Elliptical Trainer, 1 x

Lawn Mowing, 11 x's

Muscle Works Class, 1 x

Personal Training With Jackie: Crunch-Free Xtreme Abs, 3 x's

Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training

15-Minute Lower Body Circuit, 1 x

15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 24 x's

40-Minute Total Body Circuit, 5 x's

Abs Only Circuit, 1 x

Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training, 3 x's

P90X

Ab Ripper, 2 x's

Cardio X, 2 x's

Raking Leaves, 2 x's

Rock Climbing, 84 x's

Rowing, 1 x

Shooting Hoops, 4 x's

Stair Climbing and StairMaster, 21 x's

Step and Interval Class, 7 x's

Swimming, 48 x's

Treadclimber, 3 x's

Treadmill, 27 x's

Walking, 83 x's

Walking Pilates, 1 x

Wii, 63 x's

Yardwork, 2 x's

Yoga for Weight Loss, 1 x

Zen to Den: 20 Minutes Yoga, 1 x

They'll Fire Soon Thereafter

Abs -- probably my least favorite section of body that I deal with and I actually shuddered a bit when I saw the Jackie Warner cover but was definitely heartened when I found out the ab work included nary a crunch.

Warner promises a path to sleek and sexy abs –- Jackie-style. There are two (approximately) 15 minute ab routines – one is done standing up and the other on the mat. During the matless routine, part of the warm-up includes punching laterally – loved it. I was huffing and puffing by the time my straight arms (holding a weight) were meeting my lifted knee. Other moves that you’ll encounter include the: Squat Swing, Figure Eight (with weights) -- really dug this move. Tap and push (Loved it.)

Result of routine: Two days later, my lower ab sidewall was still feeling the Jackie-style love.

***

The mat portion of the program is just as engaging as the first once. You’ll kneel on the floor and reach one arm up at a time to warm-up and, actually, kneeling is a good place to be because you’ll find yourself saying a little prayer at some point.

Those abs should be firing even though it's the warm up Warner says.

If they’re not firing during the warm-up, I promise you that they’ll fire soon thereafter. Activities that you’ll engage in during the mat routine: Weight between knee -- elbow meets knee (diagonally).

Swimmers -- a scissor leg move that I also liked. It was a simple maneuver and I felt it immediately.


(Floor Cam)

Side Oblique Plank (You'll try to get your elbow to meet your knee while in plank position.)



Modifications are available. After side planks and, before the next exercise, I paused the DVD to see how much time had elapsed because I was feeling *it.* The display reported that 4:58 minutes had elapsed. I took a deep breath and hit the play button. Next up was a plank twist. I did my best to keep up and drop my hips to the mat as many times as I was asked. You'll get to swim again with knees up (tabletop), shoulders blades off the mat, weights in hands -- arms moving.

And the words you never want to hear: These are a little bit more challenging -- burpees. I already felt challenged before that B word. Jackie-style burpees are a two-part move that look frog-like. Hands down, frog position – you move your legs in and out. Hips stay straight back doesn't dip Warner advises. About halfway through the burpees, I opted for the modification -- done moving one leg in and one leg out alternately.

Next up are the bridge, leg circles and a plank with a leg lift. By the time Warner got to leg jacks, my comments had gone from exclamations of Oh God to an important question Are you serious?. Doing Superman never felt so good. And child's pose? I embraced it wholeheartedly.

The ab workouts are great and a lot of cool moves are incorporated. Yes, the workouts are challenging but feel the challenge and do it anyway. Okay, that's not how the saying goes but you know what I mean...


*Disclosure: I received this video without charge.

When A Minute Lasts Forever

One minute is an eternity in Jackie Warner’s world. I learned, at least, from previous experience not to wear glasses while attempting a Warner workout. So, before I popped in this DVD, I took care of eyewear matters.

Warner aims to cut your workout in half by doing compound moves and she drives your body “straight into the cardio zone.”

The warm-up consists of plié squats, running in place and reverse lunges with torso twists. At one point, Warner tells her cohorts that she hears them breathing (during the warm-up) and that they are going to be in a world of pain. While it's not technically a world of pain, be prepared for a gut check.

The first segment is dedicated to glutes and shoulders. Every exercise is done for one minute and, as indicated above, I’ve never seen a minute last so long. You’ll get into a runner’s lunge while executing a rear delt fly while your ribcage is on your leg. To work on your balance, you’ll do a curtsy then a side kick with weights on deck.

Don’t worry about delayed onset of muscle soreness since your glutes and, later on in the program, your quads will give immediate feedback.

I really liked this shoulder circle move (that I'm doing in video). In fact, my shoulders feel pretty good after this routine.



It’s good to document because it makes me realize that I’ve come far but there's still progress to be made. It’s good exposure therapy. Okay, I’ve been watching too much Obsessed on Netflix but exposure therapy is working...

In addition to glutes and shoulders, quads and arms; hips, chest and back; core and more are all implemented in this time saver routine.

During the hips, chest and back segment, I really liked two exercises – a push and pull with a row for the back and a kind of burpee move where you place the weights by your feet, walk your hands down, do a push-up then walk your hands back towards the weight and do a shoulder press. It’s taxing but doable.

I’m not a huge fan of lunges and there are quite a few lunges to contend with but they are also doable.

A bit of advice: I would not do this workout with anyone else at home. I had to get a bit noisy to gut it out…

Are you a noisy worker outer? If so, do your housemates give you strange looks? Also, if you get through this workout without stopping, please let me know. I had to stop numerous times but it’s good to have goals you know…




*Disclosure: I received this video without charge.

That Place In Your Head

I had never heard of Jackie Warner but the title pulled me in since I've never had a personal training session and wonder whether or not I should sign up for a few.

I later learned from a coworker that Warner had a show on Bravo. Chalk my unknowing up to that fact that I don't have cable tv which I go without in order to maintain other elements of my luxurious (not) lifestyle.

I didn't really pay attention to the As Seen On TV. Although, the silver shorts and the six pack did capture my attention. I popped the DVD in and haven't looked back since.

If you wear glasses while you workout, don't -- at least not while you're doing Jackie Warner's workout because they are going to get all wet and slip and slide off of your face.

Personal Training with Jackie: Power Training Circuit is no-frills and Warner gets to the crux of the matter in no time starting off with a light jog, kick squats and chain breakers for the warm-up.

I also like the presentation. Before the actual routine, there's a screen to let you know what you're about to get into:

Quads
The Moves:

Sissy Squats

(done while standing on weights)

UFC (a drop, get on a knee, get up and crouch, get down again, then up sequence)

Front Lunge

Power Burn

I think that I heard myself whimper through the chest and back portion of the program. Ditto for abs. I'm doing a straight leg crunch in the picture and because Warner hits the abs so thoroughly, I had to really tune in when she was saying, "Go through the burn; believe it or not -- after awhile it gets numb."

While it didn't get numb, it definitely helped to be talked through the rough spots. There's also a point when she says go to that place in your head...

Here's how Warner hits the abs:

Upper Abs


The Moves:

Straight Leg Crunch

Legs Up Crunch

Tall Sit Up

Power Burn (Repeat of Straight, Legs Up, Tall Sit)

Lower Abs

Reverse Crunch

Tummy Tuck (oh, the inhumanity)

Single Leg Jack

Power Burn (Repeat...)

Obliques

The Moves:

Sumo Side-to-Side

Windshield Wipers

Side Plank

Power Burn (Repeat...)

I've come to really like this workout even though I know that it requires stepping up to the proverbial plate. I know that It's going to be rough but it's good to be challenged, right?

When you're doing a challenging workout, what is your self-talk like and what's one of your favorite workout DVDs?

No Shoes Required

I once did Pilates for Wimps or Pilates for Dummies but it felt awkward.

Still, I didn't ignore one of the most recent Discovery Health newsletters that arrived in my inbox, a Pilates 101 article. In addition, Diane over at Diane's Training Journal always has my curiosity piqued when she mentions Pilates. Recently, I took a proper look at 10 Minute Solution: Quick Sculpt Pilates.

I love props and I love a challenge. Guess what? I found both in Quick Sculpt which comes with a cute little pink ball.

I really enjoyed the Strength & Flexibility Pilates segment which concentrates on spinal flexibility. Placing the ball under your lower back supposedly mimics spine corrector apparatus. I don't know anything about the apparatus but my lower back was slightly tweaked and when I finished scissoring, helicoptering and frogging, my back was tweak-free.


The Core Conditioning segment wore me out and I don't ever think that I've had my abs worked over so intensely the way they were worked over in Core Conditioning with the exception of Jackie Warner's Personal Training Circuit (the 40 minute stint).

All of the routines took some getting used to. I had to concentrate on precisely flexing my feet and working with holding the ball between my ankles. Also, the breathing pattern took some getting used to but I also have breathing issues with yoga and, for that matter, with the front crawl.

I don't know the Pilates vocabulary either but I got the gist of what Andrea Leigh Rogers, who is so graceful by the way, was talking about when she kept saying articulate your spine.

While I was laying on my side doing the routine for Buns and Thigh Sculptor, I was thinking, Oh My God, I'm going to have to do this on the other side and it's going to hurt burn just as much. I liked doing the bridge with my feet on the ball but it was definitely an accident waiting to happen challenging to extend the bridge by moving your legs outward with your feet on the ball.


In Standing Pilates Sculpt, Prince's song Baby, I'm A Star kept going through my head because, at one point, you were supposed to have your body positioned in a star-like state.

I was so happy to release my arms at the end of this segment because they were on fire.

Here is me at the end of Core Conditioning. It was a TKO, y'all.

Oh yeah, the one thing that I really liked about Pilates is that shoes are not required. Really, I know it seems trivial but sometimes when I'm in the locker room trying to negotiate the gauntlet, I swear, every little thing that I need to do in order to be workout-ready seems tiresome. After I inserted the DVD, I was getting ready to put on my Nike shoes and, when I realized that I didn't need them, it made me happy.

What's something small that puts a smile on your face -- besides exercise? :)