Schedule Swapping and Consistency

Heather doing whatever they are called...
but they make her butt look amazing!

So just as soon as I get back from my snowboarding and think we can finally get back to a normal schedule I remember that I have to go out of town for work... sheesh. Then it turns out Heather will be gone as soon as I get back so our reschedule options are limited. I will say that getting the three of us on schedule is one of the harder parts of partner training (the rest is super easy?)

Thankfully Mike is always willing to work with us to find times to train (even when they are inconvenient for him). He was willing to squeeze us in just before I left town for Montana and right when I got back so we managed to keep 3 sessions in 3 week. Once again he is working with us and is now sacrificing his Sunday morning to train us before I leave so we don't have to miss a week. I am less than excited about giving up my bloody mary but sometimes you just have to makes those tough sacrifices. This leads me to some thoughts on consistency of a training regimen. Consistency seems to be critical. We've been able to keep our weekly session going for around 5 months with minimal interruptions... although I seem to remember Shannon (who's awesome) coming once to save me when Heather abandoned me for what I'm sure was an awesome work trip.

Bulgarians.  Not to be confused with Bulge-atarians

As usual I did a little googling and I found this that seemed to ring true:

For some people, it is common to become energized about working out and jump right in. In these cases, unless there is a long-term plan in place or some thought has gone into how the fitness activity will be sustained, there is often a drop off in enthusiasm, resulting in inconsistency. A well thought out fitness plan will go a long way in helping you to reach your goals.

I'm waaaaay to lazy to plan so Mike is my plan. I'm very much the type to go all in and then when unable to maintain it to give up. Having training once a week is sustainable and has allowed me to maintain consistency with a strength workout that I have never had before.

Having a partner is also key. Heather will yell at me if I try to flake out (yeah, she's pretty mean). Seriously having 2 people counting on your being there makes it a lot easier to keep it up and knowing there will be 2 smiling faces is a added incentive (and yes when Heather isn't yelling at me she does smile for about 30 seconds until we start swinging kettle balls).

For optimal results, you will want to build up to higher and higher levels of cardiovascular strength, flexibility and strength training. A gradual increase in intensity will allow your muscles, tendons and ligaments a chance to adjust to the strains and challenges of a fitness regimen.

Training with Mike each week allows for the gradual increases in difficulty. I am getting stronger even while I've been working on some injury recovery, travel, holidays... life in general. This is because of the consistency we've achieved (and good training of course).

~Biz

Banging training v 2.0

Tears in the Gym

So on more than one occasion I have exercised myself to tears. I’m sure I’m not the only person out there (right Biz?). Pull-ups and squats so far have been the big ones. Sometimes I just want to cry and sometimes it’s like I blew a fuse and start laughing and crying at the same time. It’s the like the emotional equivalent to farting and burping at the same time. No one knows what the hell is going on.

I did some really basic googling and here are a few fun facts from good ol’ Wikipedia:

A neuronal connection between the lacrimal gland (tear duct) and the areas of the human brain involved with emotion has been established.

So crying and emotions are connected in the brain – no big surprise.

Tears produced during emotional crying have a chemical composition, which differs from other types of tears. They contain significantly greater quantities of the hormones prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, Leu-enkephalin, and the elements potassium and manganese.

So when I cry in the gym it’s different than crying over the onions.

Here’s my favorite though:

Crying is believed to be an outlet or a result of a burst of intense emotional sensations, such as agony, surprise or joy.

I cry at the gym as a result of a burst of intense emotional AGONY. And sometimes some surprise is added in as well. And thanks to Biz there might be moments of joy, but first…

THE AGONY

I cried this time while doing squats and not just to make Biz feel better. We go deep – past parallel and past all human decency. Mike is there to support us and push us, of course. He is also present to supply loads of fresh agony.

I made it to my last set and the last rep of that last set broke me. Mike tried to give me an assist but even with no weight I was just stuck there like a frog trying to take a big dump. Even after he moved the weight I couldn’t stand up. (You don’t even want to know how I felt for the next 3 days).

THE JOY

So my camera sucks but Biz is rocking some serious tricep definition. She was doing like 20 pounds more than me for triceps pull downs. I think it’s from a lifetime of pants-ing boys but what do I know.

Also, we tried this new exercise that I can't even explain so I will let Biz demonstrate through pictures. I absolutely did cry during this one and it way definitely joy. Partner training is where it’s at! Stuff you don’t want to do but is stupid-good for you, weird awesome things you’d never do alone in a gym and an opportunity to check out your buddy’s sweet behind.

Snowboard Training

Dear Mike,THANK YOU!!  Love,Biz

It can be hard to tell week to week whether I'm benefiting from the training or not especially since I have a hard time keeping up any regimen outside of training.  Then comes a revolutionary moment where I experience the benefits in a very clear specific way.  

This weekend I went snowboarding for the first time this season.  I always plan for this to be a frustrating and somewhat painful experience.  I crank my boots as tight as possible to minimize foot movement (read: the board moves more with less muscle use) and still my calves and quads start burning on the first or second run.  As the day progresses my feet and ankles grow numb and sore from lack of circulation, my feet start cramping and I get frustrated (read: whiny).  I take lots of breaks and adjust my equipment constantly (Read: it must be an equipment malfunction and can't possibly relate to my being out of shape).  Usually the second or third day out of the season I finally start to find my stamina and am able to go without getting too whiny.  Don't get me wrong despite all of that I LOVE snowboarding I just usually have to get through the first week or so before I begin to board at my normal level and can work on improving.  

This year was completely different.  I strapped in and prepared myself for a long whiny day and found none of my normal problems.  By the third run I was doing pretty well and feeling really comfortable on my board.  Additionally going slowly and stopping for slower members of our group would usually wear my legs out even faster but my legs were fine.  ALL DAY.  I loosed my boots and my legs were still ok (read: I could feel my toes).  About halfway through the day it struck me why it was so different this year.  MIKE!  It was my training.  It's the only explaination.  My legs are in better shape then they have been in years!  All those squats, swings, bulgarians, turks, and other nationalities are paying off big time.

In addition to keeping me from being a whiny baby I was boarding with better form than normal.  Usually I get lazy and tend to glide with my legs straight whenever possible and choose easy terrain that doesn't require a lot of work.  With my newfound leg strength and stamina I was able to lower my center of gravity and board with great form.  This meant I was able to go on harder terrain, faster and with more control (read: falling less).  I was on black diamonds my second day back.  Usually I won't go on them for at least a week (read: if at all).  Not only was I going on them but I was really boarding them (read: making turns not just getting to the bottom without dying).  

I have a feeling our next day out I might start doing tricks (read: go in half pipe without dying and/or go in kids trick park without dying).  I may even get a trick lesson (read: probably a good idea).  

So this is a big thanks to Mike!  I have clear evidence that my legs are in better shape than they have been in years and its due to the banging training we do each week.  Kick ass!

~Biz

I Hate Christmas – and So Do My Pants

Now I don’t mean this in a Jesus-way, I mean it the over-commercialized, starting in July and especially: “How many parties with food that I’m not supposed to eat but can’t resist can you cram in to one month.”

I’ve been trying to lose 15 pounds for about 15 years now. Although to be fair, some years I was trying to lose 20. Somehow even with all the good changes, I’ve lost nothing. I think for every good move, my metabolism has taken an age-related downturn. So weighing about 10 pounds more than I did in high school is not too shabby and the great work that I’ve done has contributed to maintaining a fairly healthy weight as I age, which according to the rest of America’s track record is a freakin’ miracle. In the US, 68.5% ofadults are overweight  so I don’t think I’m alone when struggling through the holidays desperately trying to prevent the almost inevitable 5-pound creep.

Here’s the great thing about the personal training we do with Mike – if you improve your strength, your body changes and it shows – even under the fat. I have actually gained a little bit of weight but I know it’s muscle because my clothes are no tighter and they look better on me.

So this brings me to our last session. If there’s one exercise that I like (and hate) for changing my body, it’s the kettle bell swing. Although of course for Biz and I, we call it a kettle ball. Grab a heavy weight and swing it up by thrusting your pelvis forward and squeezing your ass tight (Mike’s got a video on his FB page to demo how you really do it). 

great

Clearly for our banging training this is the ultimate exercise. It also does double duty because you can’t do it for very long without seriously engaging your cardiovascular system. It will make you hyperventilate and sweat all over – even your knees! This bad boy works the whole backside of your body and at the right angle gives you some lovely cleavage – if you’re Biz anyway. I lack the raw materials. It will also get your booty sitting higher up in no time and give you the back strength to improve your posture, which is the fastest, cheapest way to look better besides smiling!

When Biz and I do kettle balls, the whole gym experiences a boost in testosterone. Not just because we are kicking ass but also because out heavy breathing (and some grunting towards the end) makes it sound like there must be an orgy going on! Take that Christmas fudge!!

~Heather

Exercise & Stress Relief

You're Only One Workout Away From A Good Mood

Every week we come into the gym and Heather and I show up and sound like a broken record.  Mike asks us how we are and we say “ok… stressed about work but hopefully it will get better soon”.    EVERY WEEK.  It’s time to face some reality… its not getting better or at least not quickly.  The good news is that I’m always much less stressed when I leave.   I decided to do a little research into the connection between stress and exercise.

First off let’s accept that I am not a doctor, scientist, trainer, or anyone particularly official.  Lets also accept that my research is primarily unverified Google searches.  According to the Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Health letter “It’s clear that exercise is beneficial for mental health. What’s not clear is how it works.” If he can’t explain how it works then its ok if I can’t. 

The first thing I discovered is that there is a stress.org.  That’s sounds like either a really relaxing place to work or a REALLY not relaxing place to work.  They have lots of info on Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation aka electric head therapy… no thanks.   I’ll try the exercise thing first they can shock my brain later.

 I also found that scientists like to stress out rats and force them to run on their wheels. Which is not cool“In animal studies, rats who were allowed to exercise as much as they wanted to on a free running wheel showed less severe and fewer “fight or flight” responses to a painful stressor compared to litter mates in similar cages with a fixed wheel.”   A painful stressor, like what?  Rat divorce?  Rat communications team training?  Thank God I’m not a rat and I found one doctor to agreed with in writing stating “Of course, rats are not people.” Whew!

Heather as a Dead Bug, Not a Rat

Then I found some actual research from the Mayo Clinic.  I trust them, they are Minnesotans and therefore are trustworthy.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits. 

• It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.
• It's meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you'll often find that you've forgotten the day's irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do.
• It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise also can improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All this can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

What the Mayo clinic says makes sense to me.  The more regularly I exercise the more I feel the effect and the longer the effects seem to last.  When I work out with Mike I feel less stressed the rest of the night.  When I exercise 3 or more times a week I start to see the impact on my stress/mood even on days I don't workout.  I also sleep better which helps with my mood and the stress.  I guess my point it that I need to keep it up with Mike and get in a couple more workouts and hope that it gets better.  ;)

One final note... banging is also good stress relief so banging training should help with banging which in turn will help with stress... take that Mr. Harvard!

-Biz

Here’s some links to some of the stuff I found.  Also the link to stress.org so you can look into Cranial Electo Hububbaloo 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469?pg=2

http://www.stress.org/management-tips/

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20140130/stressed-by-work-life-balance--just-exercise

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1095783/People-exercise-work-days-happier-suffer-stress-productive.html

~Biz

Angry Balls II - You thought you looked dumb last time

Ok so I'm not one to accuse anyone of anything but I'm pretty sure that after my blog post about angry swiss balls Mike went home and tried to think of the most ridiculous thing for us to do with balls.  Call it a hunch.  I believe this enough so that we have, for the first time, felt the need to provide video evidence of our experience.  To give you a taste picture Heather and I attempting this:

Except take away the handle part and picture us only using our legs to hold the ball.  

Now before you just scroll to the bottom and watch the video to mock us, read the rest of the blog that I worked so hard on while developing a mental picture of what is coming.

So in addition to new swiss ball exercises we also did kettle bells (henceforth to be known as kettle balls in keeping with our theme).  Additionally, to clarify, training will now be referred to as "banging training" as improved banging seems to be the strongest motivating factor for us.  

Of all the banging training Kettle Ball Swings probably rank second in the "banginest" moves we do list.  So much hip thrusting and grunting.  There is one other hip thruster that likely takes top honors but we'll talk about that another time.  We did about 100 ball swings (and thats not an exaggeration it's just how badass we are).

Although Turkish Getups sound like they'd be pretty "bangy" they actually are just hard and to clarify I mean difficult.  They are mostly about trying to not let the kettle ball hit you in the head when your arm muscles give out, which they will. A dead Heather is only fun for Jack.  6 of these and we are warmed up and ready for bigger balls.

Both Heather and I told Mike how much we liked working with balls and he apparently misunderstood us because he got out the swiss balls for us to workout with, silly trainer.   One of us (Heather) asked for more ab work..."idiot", I mean "love you".

We started with:

•  "Use you feet to bring balls to your butt" aka Hamstring curls.  Totally counts as banging training.

Then there was the repeat of: 

• "Dead Bug" Heather had blocked this one out so Mike had to remind her.  I might rename this one "Soon to be a Dead Bug" as the torture more closely resembles that than a dead bug.  I could lay there like a dead bug all day.
• “Practice trying to close your legs while there’s balls in the way” Apparently I needed more practice at holding a ball between my legs. Once again the sideplank with a swiss ball between your legs.  I rocked the first side by not cheating for a full 30 seconds of the 60 seconds (Mike was not impressed).  The second side was not so pretty but I still tried.

And then there was:

• “Practice trying to close your legs while there’s balls in the way – Version 2.Oh!” (hold a medicine ball between your legs while you “boat”).  Seeing as how I made comments about not being able to keep my legs closed for more than 10 seconds  Mike decided to offer up some practice for me.  So kind of him to be so thoughtful.  It looked vaguely like this:

OK... OK.. You've read enough.  For your mocking pleasure:

Be Kind.  We try so hard,

  ~ Biz (the Serious one)

My Angry Balls are better than your Swiss Balls

Rockin' Balls

Following my Physical Therapists advice I notified Mike that I was pretty limited in my leg exercises.  Apparently Mike took this on as a challenge to see just how hard he could make us work anyway.  Let me tell you it hurts to sneeze today so he accomplished his mission.

There I was 1 minute late to the gym (as was noted by the always punctual Heather) and we started foam rolling and Mike tells us we are going to work with the “Swiss balls”.  My thoughts are “that sounds like fun”, “great that will give me a good workout without risking my injured knees” and “I like balls”.  I guess I was right on certain points and not others.

It looks so easy...

We launched into a series of exercises that I call 

“How dumb can you look while trying to do something simple with a big inflatable ball?” 

Here is what we did:

• “Sit on the ball and lift this weight” sounds simple enough until Heather loses her balance, I laugh at her and loose mine and we both have to start over.

Heather's a dead bug

• “Lift this ball with your feet and then move them up and down" aka windshield wipers.  This works out well until I lose my ball and it rolls into Heathers ball therefore distracting her and we had to start over.

• “Act like a dead bug” (hold the ball between your arm and knee while ‘hovering’ the other arm and leg) works fine for the first 5 but we have to do 30… 3 times…

Solid Sideplanks

• “Practice trying to close your legs while there’s balls  in the way” (hold the ball between your legs while you side plank).  Seeing as how I can hold side plank for as long as I can keep my legs closed (a full 10 seconds) this obviously went well for the 10 minutes it felt like we had to hold it for.
• “Play catch with yourself” Sure I love any exercise where I get to lie on my back and play with myself but lying on your back lifting the ball with your legs and grabbing it with your arms is a sit-up without having to sit-up.  You can’t fool me so easily so I repeatedly threw my ball at Heather in protest as she dutifully completed her “not sit-ups”

Last but certainly not least (unless there are other ones I’ve blocked out):

Yes they were clean

• “See if Heather wore clean socks" (Plank with a ball under your feet)  My plank looked spectacular the first time we did this.  I was all the way stretched out with my feet were on the ball and I was a long straight supported superhero.  I held it for a minute while assessing my manicure needs as distraction.  When we did this at the end of the workout I confidently rolled out to about my shins before losing my balance and falling off the ball with the grace of a drunken mountain goat.  I tried again this time stopping at my knees and slowly trying for a minute to convince myself that I could go further without falling.  I may have made it to my shins..

The one I blocked out

Then my favorite part of the workout:

•  “Trick Heather into standing up”. While lying on the gym floor in exhaustion I rolled my ball at Heather (an attempt at a Swiss Ball high five) my ball veered off course toward the hulk on the rowing machine and Heather, using that same adrenaline that new mothers use when saving their babies, jumped up and saved the ball before it lead to my pummeling (or getting a dirty look). 

As I left the gym my thoughts were “that wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be", “what a good workout without my knees hurting” and “I like balls”.  As a special treat when I showed up at my physical therapists office the next morning he said "I think today we will try some things on the swiss ball"  I didn't punch him.  Only cause he has a pretty face not because he didn't have it coming.

  ~ Biz (the Serious one)

Me not distracting Heather at all....

Stand In: A flashback to my first session

I finally got rid of Heather!  Just kidding I love Heather but as she was out of town last week I seized the moment to torture another friend.  Shannon agreed to be my fill in training partner and check out what training is like.  It gave me flashbacks to my first few sessions and a lot of thoughts that I had back then.  So for my first blog I’m going to flashback to some notes I made after my first session.

“Today I had my first personal training session.  I was excited and a little nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect as I’d never really been to a personal trainer before.  Things went well and it made me recognize what the value of having a personal trainer will be.  I will have someone else telling me what to do and expecting me to do certain things which will make me push harder than I would push myself.  Those extra couple repetitions or extra couple pounds of weight could really make a difference.”  

“I think every exercise that we did today was something that I would never have come up with on my own.  We used a lot of different equipment (but not many machines) and had a lot of variety in exercises which I think will be good for me and keep me interested.  At one point he said something about us being almost done and I felt like I hadn’t been there very long so I was obviously into what we were doing and not counting time down on the clock.”

 “I feel like a lot of the session was spent on assessment and trying to figure out for both he and I what I can do and what my limits are for different things.  For example he asked me “how do you feel about box jumps?  Can you do 10 box jumps?” Well, I have no idea cause I've never done a box jump, it's probably something I can do but even if I can do it I don’t know how many.  It was like that with a lot of exercises.  I didn’t know if I could do it at all, how many I’d be able to do or how much weight I’d be able to do.  Mike was good at assessing and everything we did was pretty close to where I needed it to be. He started me a little easier which is fine with me because there was no defeating moments where I couldn’t do what I was asked to do and instead I got to do more.”

“I’m sore and I’m not really very excited about how I’m gonna feel tomorrow.  Overall I think a lot of today was about not knowing what to expect, being nervous, getting kind of over that and he and I trying to figure out where i’m at.  That will help us figure out where to go next.”

One of the hardest parts of personal training for me was getting over the fear of getting started.  The anxiety, nerves, self-doubt, fear of failure, etc. etc. etc.  By my third session or so I had dropped most of those and instead look forward to training days as the days that I do something good for myself.  Training is still hard but the fear and anxiety is gone.

My newbie Shannon handled the session like a Rock Star and by the end I was exhausted on the floor and she was still smiling.  As I was the first time I'm sore and tired but glad I take the time each week to go see Mike for my "me time" in the gym.

~Biz

How Do You Make the Kale Salad Taste Better than the Doughnut?

So I had a terrible day today. Not catastrophic or importantly bad, just super annoyingly bad. Very little of it was in my control except for my response and I did a little angry ranting and a lot of stuffing. I have a stuffing problem since I don’t want to hurt people’s feelings. So instead I stuff it and feel sorry for myself as a martyr. That really does not make me nicer in the long run btw. It makes me passive aggressive.

One thing I actually didn’t do was go to the store and buy a bag of sugar filled something and scarf it down. It used to be a habit of mine. If I had a really bad day I would just say f*ck it and get a ton of crap. I thought about it today and the craving was there but not as powerful as it used to be. A new thought that I’ve been trying to cultivate was also there: how terrible I feel after.

To be honest I did have two glasses of wine but that’s a far cry from the Sin Dawg, chocolate covered raisins, doughnut trifecta that has graced my poor gut before. (My mouth is watering just thinking about them dammit dammit dammit.)

Let’s move on already. Kale salad, kale salad, kale salad. Okay, better. The really exciting thing here is some actual progress in changing an entrenched habit. I’m continuing to read Making Habits Breaking Habits and this week I learned the following:

1. We want intention to create our habits but that’s not always the case. 
2. Habits = intentions + past behaviors. 
3. So although I intend to never eat sugar again, my past sugar mongering will have something to say about that. The stronger the habit the less impact our intentions have. 
4. Strong habits are frequent (weekly or more) and especially strong if associated with a context (think: I’m in a coffee shop, what are the odds I’ll get the same thing I always do without thinking much about it).

So it’s very normal for strong habits to override the best of intentions. And my intentions won out this time! True, it was not a weekly event for me to sugar monger. And being on a lower carb, no sugar diet means my physiology isn’t screaming over the voice of my intentions. But hell, on a day like today, this totally goes in the win column.

Also I did about 140 kettle bell swings and a billion goblet squats and Biz made me laugh so hard during the Turkish Getups that I almost dropped the weight on my face. Another bonus, Mike checked my food journal and I killed it this week. It may yet become a habit…

The habits are working in the gym – in that context it’s easy to fall right into good habits – especially with Mike leading the way. I go and I feel so good. My butt hurts already but I’m getting so much stronger! Biz even on her worst days always has me laughing. Having the training appointment to go to was a nice diversion from the store and after, I feel good enough to skip the sugar stop on the way home.

Woo!

~Heather

I'm failing d*mmit! It's not my fault, right?

When in Rome...this is still not a
good decision - plus it was Utah, not Rome.

So I really want to lose some belly fat and I've been training for a while and yet there is that persistent belly fat! I am absolutely stronger and that is making my body look better thank you very much Mike! I also busted out a stupidly easy crow pose this morning at yoga with my bad*ss arm and core strength. But there are no pounds falling away. Or to be more accurate, there are about three pounds dropping and reappearing.

I don't believe it's about will power - will power is like a muscle and that muscle is helpful but will never be stronger than my mental craziness. For me it's about habits. When I fill out my food journal regularly, I make better decisions. I have to face how many glasses of wine? And is it really all that hard to drink 8 glasses of water? And h*ll yeah I burned that many calories!!

<Biz is AWESOME!

And then I fall away - a stressful day, a work trip, or a night partying. And invariably the next day does not get recorded either. One slip and it feels like I'm starting over again. Why is that? What is going on???

I don't know and I won't have the answer here but I have some ideas. I just starting reading a book called Making Habits Breaking Habits by Jeremy Dean. I am through just chapter 1 but so far so good. First thing - the whole 21 days to form a new habit really only applies to tiny goals. So I need to plan for more time and help or break my goals down into much smaller ones. Also, context is a big influence - from your general environment to the people you hang out with.

Bad context - anything with sugar in it placed where I can see it. It will get eaten. Period.

Good context - When I check in with Biz every day at 3 when my alarm goes off - I'm more likely to complete my food journal. If I'm having a crappy day, I get a pep talk and encouragement back because Biz is awesome. No matter how many days I slip up, when I see Mike once a week I get back on the horse.

When context changes, habits are more easily changed (a move, a new job, having a baby, getting divorced). So I'm thinking it's during these times where it's good to break a bad habit, but also watch out for your good habits! This is when they can slip. Sure enough, last business trip I did better than usual to start but fell off the wagon two days in and it took two days at home, a check in with Biz and a training session with Mike to get back on the wagon. ARGH!

I will say that Mike checked in on my food journal today. THAT HELPS! Accountability is a big deal. I think that will help especially in the beginning of habit formation when it's harder.

But we shall see! I'm hot on this habit thing and hopefully the research will give me some good guidance on how to move behaviors from hard to automatic. My #1 goal is to fill that journal out religiously!!!

On another note - today was haaaaaaaaaaard! But it was so good. Super intense starting with upper body and finishing with lower. It really pushed me mentally and at the end made the victory of the finish so very sweet. If only I can stay conscious enough to enjoy it.

Big thanks to my buddy Jim who came in for the next
session. Sorry I couldn't pay you back man - I fell into
a coma shortly after this picture was taken.

~Heather

It's All About that Bass

It was Booty Booty Day today in the Land of Mike Welch, Professional Butt Sculptor. I believe at one point I actually said, "I think my butt is actually going to just pop right off!"

It did not. It is still there but since I started working with Mike it seems to sit a bit higher than it used to. Lots of squats. LOTS. And deeeeeep. I would like to state for the record at no point did I sh*t myself. I know it looks like I was close but kegels have many bonuses (and per Mike you really should engage your pelvic floor when squatting - so you don't sh*t yourself!).

But as usual we started with warming up. Some evil stair climbing while I stared at a giant bruise on Biz's arm and distracted us from our burning legs by making up a true story as to how she got it (farm animals were involved and Settlers of Catan).

One of the reasons I go to a trainer is because I would never work out this hard on my own. The other reason is he tells me things like, "Do glute activation on your elbows to restrict lumbar spine compensation." It's a lot of big words but basically it's helping me protect lower back.

The next phase of the workout involved skipping and bounding (leaping diagonally forward right then left). This was great because it raises your heart rate, works on balance and explosive motion for strength. I have been trying to do some Tabatas between sessions and I plan to add bounding and skipping in with the flat out running. I will look weird on the bark path but I'm okay with that. I can re-inflate my ego but checking out my booty afterwards.

We then just did all kinds of squats and leg presses and single-leg-dead-leg-don't-make-me-lift-my-leg-again lifts.

We ended the session with Mike asking each of us what we needed for the next week. I needed to fill out my food journal and Biz needed to follow through on her PT exercises for her knee. Mike gave us our assignments and promised to check in with us next week. That help with accountability is a big deal.

I had to laugh at our friends Jim and Brenda as Biz and I filtered out and they started their warm up...they had no idea it was Booty Booty Day. Enjoy that foam roller and sweat-free brow while you can!

~Heather

What? You Mean I'm Only a Victim in My Own Head?

So full disclosure – I rarely want to go to my training session. It’s always at the end of my workday and all I really want to do is pour a glass of wine the size of my head and feel sorry for myself (I even like my job so it’s that stupid). Then I go and not only do I feel good but I feel GREAT! I feel F*****G GREAT!

Mike’s positivity and Biz’s incredibly hilarious sense of humor are a big part of that but there’s more. There’s something about the high intensity mixed with full body strength training that gives me the biggest boost of feel-good hormones or neurochemicals or something. I’ve noticed it when I do one of Mike’s recommended workouts on my own too. Nothing shuts up that stupid self-pitying voice in my head like rising to a challenge, even if I need help getting my lazy arse there by having to meet my workout buddy and trainer. Worth it.

I’m sure there’s some science out there to explain it. I used to work in mental health and I wonder how it affects brain chemistry. I always used to recommend exercise to clients but never strength and circuit training specifically. It’s really the best high because not only do you feel better physically but you can feel good mentally about doing something for your health…and eat a much larger dinner with a head-sized glass of wine with no self pity needed.

A few other things I learned:

•  Mike knows how to make it just hard enough to bring me to the edge but not so hard I give up and try to punch him with my dead arms.
• You can’t take a good pic of a kettle bell swing with a cell phone camera.
• It’s very hard to take a pic of Biz doing a kettle bell swing without getting substantial cleavage in the picture.
• It’s a better workout if you’re laughing most of the time.

:)
Heather