BOOT CAMP--Day 6- Still Among the Living...

Wow, Day 6!

I have managed my way through 2 weeks of the Boot Camp, and I’m living to write about it too! Cool! This morning was the Friday Circuits. For the most part it was the same as last Friday but there were a few changes. But the most evident change was that I did not have the fear of the unknown, and no nightmares the night before.

We started out with the usual warm ups: knee high run in place, knees out to side (Hee Haw!) run in place, then the kick your butt with you heels run in place. Then some lunges to stretch out. The teacher had us run in place again as she showed us each of the stations of the circuit. There were still ten stations on the circuit. Quite a few stations stayed the same like; the trampoline, cross vertical rows, side butt kicks, jumping rope, triceps lift, and sit-ups. There were three new stations this class. They were…

Squat with weights—on this one there were two 15 lbs weights that you were to hold at you sides as you squatted into a sitting position and just lightly tap your behind on a folded mat that’s setting behind you. Well, I couldn’t manage the two 15 lb weights BUT instead the teacher suggested I use just one weight and hold it in front with both hands. This was perfectly feasible.

Sitting Twist with weighted ball — (It kind of sounds like an Indian name I had in a former life?) There were two rubberized weighted balls choices here. There was a small ball and a larger one. Sitting up right with legs out, off the floor, and slightly bent; you hold the ball with both hands and twist to the sides and touch the ball down on the floor on each side of you. You go back and forth from side to side. I could feel the muscles getting a work out on the sides of my waist on this one; as well as my arms too. I, of course, opted to use the smaller ball.

Lateral pull downs with exercise band—This station you would take a figure eight exercise band and holding above your head pull the band out and back behind you while straightening you arms to shoulder high. OMG! This one hurt just attempting to do it. I ended up bending my elbows, and I had to start it lower with the band pulled out or there was NO WAY JOSE!! I just didn’t have the upper arm strength. Something I need to work on, I guess.

The jumping around the ladder station was still there but there was a new and improved variety. It was still too much like walking and chewing gum at the same time for me. It was one foot in, other foot in, then one foot out, and then the other foot out and behind with bent knee. Repeat for each square and try to increase your speed. The teacher had to show me how to do this one, and walk me through the first time. Memory, speed, and coordination are just not my forte.

We did three rounds of circuits this class. There were 1 minute breaks between rounds where most of us were grabbing water to drink. Each circuit round the teacher would encourage us to try and do more reps at each station, and she would also encourage us to be pulling our belly buttons to our back spines. (Which when you think about it kind of sounds warped—belly buttons to our back spine, hmmm?) But I got to tell you I was working up a pretty good sweat doing this today. At least I’m hoping I did to cover for the big lemon poppy seed muffin I had with my morning coffee. Yummy! (Oh and did I happen to mention that I'm down 5 lbs?)

This weekend, I’m hoping the weather holds out. There's a snow storm predicted for Saturday. I would like to get in a good 6 mile run in and maybe a nice bike ride, preferably Saturday during the day since Saturday night I have a joint birthday party with my cycling bud, Jay. I might be doctoring a bit of a hangover on Sunday…?