Gym Fears

This week Heather was home faking a cold and so I again had the opportunity to work with a new victim, I mean partner. I love partnering with Heather and look forward to next week when she will be back but it's kind of cool to have occasional opportunities to work with different people. I bet it's interesting for Mike to work with so many different people every week. Everyone has something new to offer.

Meet JIF (Tamara) who stepped in to be my partner this week. At the end of the session I asked her what her favorite part was and she said the Kettleball deadliest because she was afraid to do it (due to prior injury) and that it was cool to do it safely with Mike. It got me thinking about Gym Fears and how working with Mike mitigates them.

Three Gym Fears and how Mike can help you overcome them:

Fear that you will get hurt or aggravate an injury

• If you are honest and realistic in communicating with Mike about your abilities and injuries he can monitor them, weights, reps, etc.
• Mike knows a MILLION exercises so if something is bothering you all you have to do is speak up and he'll come up with something else awful, I mean amazing, for you to do.
• Mike will train you to do exercises the right way so that you don't get hurt. He is then there to watch you and make sure you don't slip into bad habits.

JIF getting ready to kettle ball dead lift

Fear of not being able to do the thing you are trying to do. AKA fear of failure.   

• Mike's job is to determine what is realistic for you so. If you are honest with him about how hard/easy each exercise then he will learn your abilities he shouldn't ask you to do things you can't.
• If you can't do it then you can blame it on him. 

Fear of not being able to do the thing you are trying to do. AKA fear of failure. 

• Mike's job is to determine what is realistic for you so. If you are honest with him about how hard/easy each exercise then he will learn your abilities he shouldn't ask you to do things you can't.
   
• If you can't do it then you can blame it on him.

Fear that you will look stupid

• Mike works out of a small training only gym so there are very few people to see you look stupid unless you write a blog about it and post videos.


• You will look stupid. Get over it. You'll look hot later.

Success!

One more pic for the cleavage

So if you struggle with Gym fears consider training (at least with Mike) because it can definitely help.

What other gym fears do you have??



~Biz

Mmmmfood

I love food.  I do not love tracking food. 

When Mike asked me to track my daily food I clarified if tracking it from my plate to my mouth counted.  Alas, my friends it does not.

I have done food journals before to help figure out medical conditions.  They are a HUGE help in many regards.  But they are a pain in the butt.  It isn’t so much that it is hard or an extremely time consuming task it’s just kind of a bummer.

I have never tracked calories before.  I figured if I want it then I am going to eat and worry about the consequences later.  I realize that is a terrible plan but it’s the one I typically operate with.  Fortunately, technology is a huge blessing!  Mike recommended checking out MyFitnessPal.  You can access it on a computer and download an app for your smartphone.  But this is why it is amazing to me; it has a bar code scanner.  One that works and pulls up the food and nutritional info almost every time.  The only time it didn’t work was some weird obscure something or other I was eating (I should probably be more concerned that it couldn’t find something I was eating).  You can also enter your exercise so that your calorie allotment for the day adjusts based on the calories you expend.  Be warned though, the fitness portion leaves a little something to be desired.

 Why is tracking food good for you? 

• It helps keep you accountable.  When you can physically see how many mini snickers you have chowed down in one day you start feeling a little guilty.
• I enjoy seeing how many free bonus calories I get after a good work out or run.  And don’t tell Mike, but sometimes I fill those bonus calories with cake!
• It is easier to see patterns which may help uncover certain trigger foods to avoid.  I have migraines and a whole laundry list of stomach issues.  I found out Chinese food made me feel like death and narrowed it down to that lovely MSG.  Another fun one with MSG, Dorito’s.  I haven’t had Dorito’s in over 8 years!
• It’s strangely fascinating to see the calories add up.  Some things will shock you by having very few calories. 

In the end, everyone is going to have bad days.  Don’t beat yourself up too bad for dipping into the candy bowl every once in a while or eating a delicious white bread sandwich BUT don’t forget to log it.  If you think of the food you put in as the amount of burpee’s you will have to do you may just think otherwise.  Happy tracking!

The Pros and Cons of Balls

Why is it that I always find myself talking about balls?  Maybe cause balls are great for training... so much innuendo.    Today I'll go through some pros and cons of the Sweaty Swiss Balls that I love and hate so much.

PRO: There is A LOT of comedy to be had when trying to balance, squeeze, roll, and fondle balls
CON:  MUCH of the comedy is simply trying to get into position to start the exercises...

PRO: They work a lot of different body parts.  In addition to core activation each exercise works other areas too like shoulders, glutes and hamstrings.
CON: This means that ALL of me is sore for 2 days not just part of me...

PRO: The exercises are easily adjustable for different skill levels so they work well for partner training because we can each work at our level
CON: Its easy for your partner to kick your ass..

PRO: The exercises are fairly simply to understand.
CON: Imitation is harder than understanding...

PRO: Mike always has something new to add into the mix
CON: Mike always has something new to add into the mix...

PRO: I always like the idea of swiss balls before and after using them
CON: I remember how much they suck WHILE using them...

PRO: They use your body weight instead of added weight
CON: When working with weights it's because the weight is too heavy... with these its my body weight thats too heavy...

PRO: You get to play with balls
CON: They get really sweaty...

PRO: Mike mixes it up and does circuits with lots of different exercises
CON: Just when you think you are done he makes you do more dead bugs...or banging bugs which I'm sure I'll talk about another time.

PRO: You get to lie backwards over them at the end of the workout (trust me its amazing)
CON: You have to survive the workout to get to the end

PRO: I always survive and feel good about it.  =)

~Biz

Noodle legs!

Who knew there were so many ways to torture ones legs?  Squats with kettlebells, squats with a band, low side step squats, squats with a bar, Bulgarian split squats, the list of squats is endless I am sure.  And let us not forget the machine that is *ahem* less than lady like and makes your butt hurt.  Wait!  That came out wrong! 

We opted to pass on pictures of the awkward machine.  And if you are wondering where it made one’s butt hurt, think top cheek like a wicked slow building Charlie horse.

We did however take some pictures of the Bulgarian split squats.  These are without weights at first because I have the grace and poise of a drunken elephant and wanted to get a feel for the move prior to holding something heavy above my head.  Then Mike was convinced I could do them holding heavy items.  I am pretty sure he gave me the lightest thing he could find in the building and that still counts!  The Bulgarian split squats work a lot of things at once. That is why they suck and are awesome.  Both legs seemed angry at the same time, which is impressive considering one is kind of kicked up there. 

I know you are worried about my stick arms.  Have no fear!  Mike decided to go ahead and round out the night by making my arms work for it too.  But not as hard as my legs because I might need my arms to drag my noodle legs out to the car.  For that I am thankful.

I have been doing yoga two days a week at 5:30 am and I really enjoy it (the yoga not necessarily the time).  It is quite challenging after trainer days.  This morning the instructor was going over what to expect and says “today will be like leg day only with yoga!”  Let’s just go ahead and assume there was a lot of rests and modifications today.  On the up side I didn’t cry and I didn’t leave. 

One day the exercises of today will not generate the same level of soreness.  I am looking forward to that day where I can hold my baby weight and whip out sets and be like “BAM! Check that out!”  I know when that happens it will be short and glorious because Mike will hand me something heavier and we will start the process again.  It is worth it.

Strap me down, I’m gonna lose it

Dead Lift for Sweet Booty

So I kind of hate dead lifting but we’ve been doing it a lot lately. It makes my lower back sore and my neck and shoulders. I have the laptop disease so it’s always a mess in that region. “Well that’s probably why you should be doing dead lifts,” say World’s Most Sensible Personal Trainer Mike Welch.

No need to soil the screen with my internal reply to that.

So it turns out there are two great things about doing dead lifts. Number 1, getting strapped down! I live on a laptop so in addition to my neck and shoulder issues, I have to be careful about the carpal tunnel parts. In other words, my grip can not keep up with my ample banging-trained booty.

And here’s where it’s great to be in a gym with World’s Best Take-No-Excuses Personal Trainer Mike Welch. I say “I can’t do it!” and he says, “Let me strap you down.” Yes please! Once I take the focus - both physical and mental - off my grip, all the sudden I can dead lift! Being strapped in allowed me to lift a TON more than I would have without them.

Strapping Biz Down!

So look for straps in your gym and ask a friendly fellow banging trainer to strap you in. You won’t regret it! Check out the pics to get an idea of what they look like - I’d seen them before but not known what they were about. 

The Number 2 reason to dead lift, watching Biz max it out. AMAZING! She is freaking strong and in the sexy freaky way. We put plate after plate of weight on her bar and she murdered them! She left me in the dust and I believe I have mentioned my ample banging-trained booty. If you ever need a car lifted off your baby, call Biz. If you need to save the Wicked Witch of the East, Biz can hold the house while she escapes. I will not say she’s at Atlas level but a few more weeks with World’s Best Yes-You-Can Personal Trainer and I might put the whole world on her shoulders - but only if she’s strapped in!

Hey everybody! I am the new girl, Christy.

You will have to be patient with me as I learn how to do this 'blogging' business.

I have never been a real athletic person. I tried when I was younger but it never stuck. It was hard, it required running (especially track, go figure) and I wasn’t particularly coordinated. It was after a track injury in middle school that we found out I have accessory navicular syndrome in my feet (essentially an extra bone). And here is where my life doing exercise ended. A doctor’s note to get out of PE for the rest of my awkward teen years? Heck yes!

We won’t count how many years went by until I decided to be a more active and fit adult. Fast forward to the present, through an injury or two, chronic workout relapses and here I am, back to the gym with Mike. I need the extra push to work outside of my comfort zone. I mean sure I could feel pretty bad ass doing 1000 reps with my 3lb weights but how far is that honestly going to take me? Fortunately, he is able to cruise along unscathed with my eye rolling and grim
acing. Be warned though, his negotiations are tough! I managed to negotiate instead of doing a set of 20, a set of 10, twice, with no break in between….not sure that was a win.

I am scared to admit that I was less sore after my Monday session than I was after the session the Friday before. Mike encouraged (made) me bust my butt on Monday. There was a healthy sprinkling of reverent, exhaled swear words. Just a hint, my favorite rhymes with ‘bucket’ and was often expelled when I thought I couldn’t lift anymore heavy things.

Customary bathroom before pics!

It’s an odd sense of pride you receive after working out hard. You’re tired, sweaty and smelly (my apologies to all who had to endure my stank at the store. I was tasked with getting lettuce and heaven forbid I forget that!). But after all that, it’s like your body sighs with the satisfaction that it did SOMETHING with all those amazing muscles.

My fiancé doesn’t seem to find my gym stories as entertaining as I do but now I can share them with you! Thanks for reading and I hope to share more stories with you soon.

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)