Month-End Review, November

10 Minute Solution: Fat Blasting Dance Mix (Simple Slimmer), 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workouts (Upper Body), 3 x's

Adaptive Motion Trainer, 4 x's

Bicycling, 2 x's

Boot Camp Class, 2 x's

Raking Leaves, 2 x's

Rock Climbing, 2 x's

Rowing Machine, 2 x's

Shooting Hoops, 3 x's

Spinning Bike, 2 x's

Sport Wall, 1 x

StairMaster, 2 x's

Step Class, 2 x's

Swimming, 6 x's

Treadmill (with bouts of jogging), 7 x's

Tread Wall, 1 x

Turbo Kick Class, 1 x

Walking Outdoors or on Indoor Track, 3 x's

Water Aerobics, 1 x

I had a whole lot of fun this month and I pushed myself, possibly, harder than I've ever pushed myself before.

I delved into classes, a form of exercise that I've previously shunned and I actually went to a step class this afternoon. There was a substitute teacher but I had no comparison because I'd never been to the original teacher's class. She (never caught her name) apologized for her lack of step instruction. We ended up doing quite a few jumping jacks as well as working with weights and a resistance band and we worked out so hard that we fogged up the windows. ;) I definitely dug the waddle move with the resistance band; we all looked like penguins, for sure.

If I only learned one thing this month, it's that class instructors love jumping jacks. And my other valuable lesson? Always keep Epsom salt on hand.

Ruling Out And Nixing

It took me forever to set foot outside. I wondered what I would do today since my thighs are sore. I ruled out bicycling and climbing stairs. I also nixed swimming because I've been using my arms quite a bit.

I tested out Simple Slimmer, a segment on 10 Minute Solution: Fat Blasting Dance Mix. I didn't really dig it but I want to try out other routines to see if there is something that I might like.

After dancing, I decided to do some old-fashioned outdoor walking and, because it was so nice outside, I went to a basketball court to shoot some hoops.

If you're wondering, shooting hoops burns 349 calories per hour and has other benefits as well:

Shooting - baskets (basketball):

One of the most enjoyable ways to stay in shape, improve agility and muscular strength is by shooting baskets. Shooting baskets simulates the offensive aspects of regular basketball play and requires the player to use depth perception, flexibility, fast reactions and a cunning game plan to avoid being foiled by defensive players.

Overall, it was just nice to be outside and engaged in something unstructured and nice, also, to be unplugged. Of course, my arms are a bit sore now.

Skee-Lo's I Wish

24 Hour Fitness

I decided to get a seven day pass to 24 Hour Fitness and chose the Arnold, MO facility since it has a pool.

I didn’t know it but the 24 Hour Fitness closest to me is a 24 Hour Fitness Active and the one in Arnold is a sport type. I would love to see a Super Sport or Ultra Sport 24 Hour club. The sport one is happening and I can only imagine what kind of toys the ultra sport one possesses.

The immediate downside of choosing the Arnold location is that it is about 20 miles away -- quite a bit of travel time when your fitness regimen is already like secondary employment.

Plentiful -- that’s how I would describe 24 Hour Fitness Sport. It’s like a huge freakin’ playground with a full length basketball court, weight machines for as far as the eye can see, a saltwater pool, whirlpool, sauna and steam room. It’s well worth the $31.99 charge per month. For a few dollars more, you can have access to all clubs across the country.

There’s plenty of cardio equipment and plenty of lockers. The locker room, by the way, has two flat screen televisions along with ample showers and the locker area is so spacious that you never feel crowded.

I got beside myself last night and hit the rowing machine, StairMaster, basketball court and pool.

The warning on the rowing machine had me cracking up:

Abuse of the chain can cause injury. Really?

I’m not much of a class person but I did participate in a water aerobics class. The instructor didn’t rock my world like the one and only Combat Judy that was at Bally’s but it was sufficient. I really dug the bicycle maneuver. You take a noodle and ride it the length of the pool. I also liked the boxing moves: jabs, uppercuts, etc.

Why do people claim that their pools are heated? 24 Hour's pool was chilly just like the others.

On any given day, it was so nice to hit the pool then the whirlpool followed by a warm shower with oatmeal lavender soap provided by 24 Hour. I kept thinking that a dormitory would make 24 Hour Fitness the complete experience because all I really wanted to do was hit the bed instead of drive home especially after the warmness of the whirlpool.

I do have to say that the employees are persistent, um, stalker-like. I told them, at the beginning, that I belonged to another club (minus the contract) and that I was looking at other facilities. I received call after call about appointments I had made (not). Two other friends also signed up and they received the same stalker treatment.

You have a great club, 24 Hr Fitness, but there’s a fine line between salesmanship and harassment.

Month-End Review, September

September will go down as the month in which my workouts were more varied. I was flipping through an old journal and was reminded about how I used to hit the workout DVDs much more. I got out my kickbox bootcamp DVD and it was just what I needed for, at least, one day this month to be reminded that it's not just about working out but also how much effort you put into the workout.

10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workouts (Upper Body), 7 x's

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp (Basic Training), 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp (Fat Burning Blast), 1 x

Adaptive Motion Trainer, 2 x's

Army Crawls with Weights, 5 x's

Bicycling, 8 x's

Elliptical Trainer, 1 x

Mowing Lawn, 1 x

Rock Climbing, 1 x

Shooting Hoops, 1 x

Squats, 1 x

StairMaster, 4 x's

Swimming, 8 x's

Treadmill, 5 x's

Walking (Outdoors), 7 x's

Yard Work, 1 x

Month-End Review, June

I felt like I was in the zone this month. I was so on automatic with going to the gym and losing weight that I was caught by surprise during rock climbing when I discovered that my stamina had improved. The last time that I had gone climbing was in January and I was feeling that it was just too much to pull myself up a wall.

I'm in shape and even my left arm is stronger; I could hardly tote larger items with my left hand and now I can.

I've rediscovered the stairmaster and I no longer have to pause the machine to catch my breath. My cardio was quite varied this month and, through it all, I had a blast.

10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workout, Upper Body, 3 x's

EFX, 1 x

Elliptical Trainer, 5 x's

Mowing Lawn, 2 x's

Rock Climbing, 1 x

Shooting Hoops, 1 x

Stairmaster, 6 x's

Stationary Bike, 9 x's

Swimming, 12 x's

Treadclimber, 10 x's

Treadmill, 3 x's

Yard Work, 2 x's


Workout Song Of The Month: P-Funk's Flash Light