Strive for the best

Hey all,

     I know I have talked to a few of you about a program I do at the gym some days called "Strive". Normally I would just link to the programs website and then talk a little about it. However, on this occasion the programs website is crap. So I'm going to go in to detail. The few of you that I have talked to about it will know I described it as "a circle of exercise machines that you alternate through". However, that's a very basic description and I'd like to take the time to do better.

     Strive is based on a 3 (or technically 5) "cam" system. Each weight machine has a wheel on it that is numbered 1, 2, 3 (and a smaller section marked advanced 4, advanced 5). During my classes we only worry about 1-3. There is a large ring of exercise machines, and the idea is to spend a minute or so on cam 1 (like a warm up), a minute or so on cam 2 (a bit harder) and to finish strong on came 3. you're at each machine for 3-4 minutes, and then you rotate to the next machine. At my gym, every 3 or 4 machines there is a Cardio machine (this isn't mentioned on strives website so I'm not sure if its part of the program or my gym only). Cardio machines consist of 2 or 3 elliptical, and several exercise bikes.

 The machines strive uses are very well built, and easy to use. I'm going to outlay them here, so you all who are sitting at home can wince in pain at these modern day torture devices.

Up! Up! and AWAY! This machine is kind of fun. My friend told me it was the hardest machine ever, her least favorite, so I picked that one first on my first class, wanting to get it out of the way. In all actuality, it wasn't too bad. It's not my favorite but it's okay. You sit, and grab the top of the black bars (not the sides that's too easy) and lift up and out. Controlled down and repeat. I can do it with a medium amount of weight.

These are kind of okay. You sit, and lay your arms over that slanted pad, and pull the handles up. I don't particularly like or dislike this machine, It doesn't give me too much trouble. I can do it with a medium amount of weight.

This one was confusing, and for awhile I'm sure I was doing it wrong.  You sit, and grab those handles, which sit right in front of your forehead, and push down and out. For awhile I kept flinching whenever I had to bring it back towards my face. It's a really hard machine, I can do it with light to medium weights.

This machine is harder then it looks! You lower that top arm so it rests by your shoulder blades and lean back.. I'm not sure what exactly it's doing but it makes you freaking sore. I can do it with a medium amount of weight.

I fell on my face getting out of this one the first time. I don't particularly like this machine, probably because I'm not very good at it/the muscles it's working are pretty weak. Sit, grab, push out. Pretty simple. I can do it with light weights only.

Okay, this one isn't too bad. I can suffer through. Sit, with your ankles behind the lower bars, reach up and grab the handles above your head and crunch forward. I Can do it with a medium amount of weight.

This macine is fun. you sit, and lock yourself in with leg bars (so the weight doesn't pull you up out of your seat lol) and you pull straight down. It's super hard. I can do more weight with this machine, but I get less reps in. I like this machine.

Another roller coaster machine. You sit, and put your feet/ankles over that bar (like you're sitting in a reclining chair) then lock that bar with the handles tight on your thighs, and you curl your legs in. It's not a particularly hard movement, and I can do it with a decent amount of weight. I like this machine.

This machine sucks. It's my least favorite. I HATE this machine. Okay, other then my clear disdain for this machine, I guess it does some kind of good, but probably not. (previous statement may be biased from my dislike of this machine). You sit. And in front of you is a solid square of metal. Put your feet on it. push. Push your entire body weight, PLUS the machine weight. Starting position you are so low your knees touch your chest. Push until you legs are almost (but not) straight. Come back down and repeat.

This one makes my knees hurt. Sit so that foot bar is on top of your ankle, and lift your legs straight. I can only do it with really light weights or my knees hurt.

This one is kinda cool row, row, row your boat. . .

Sit with your chest on what looks like a comfy back pad. Reach forward and grab the handles, and pull back towards yourself. the motion is (not surprising giving the title) like rowing. I like this machine. I can do it with a good amount of weight.

Okay, so 5 minutes on each machine and every 2 or 3 machines you have to run/jog to keep your heart rate up and the burn in your legs. For an hour. Theres also a warm up/cool down session. I do STRIVE twice a week. At least the music is good.

SO! If I can STRIVE there's no reason you can't get up and take a 10 minute walk a few times a day.

Nike! Just do it. . . and stuff. . .

BODYPUMP

Hey All,

     Did a BODYPUMP class today. Yeah, I'm feeling it.
I did the class, showered at the gym, got home, made it to the front door and face-planted into bed.
It was pretty hard. I know I need to do more then just cardio alone, and true to the class description this was for all fitness levels. I was amazed at some of the guys in there who had (for the middle part of the workout) 2 sets each of 10 lb, 5 lb, and 2.5 lb. That's 20+10+5 so 35lbs. the several other people brought weights from home, and some used even more then the stack I just mentioned. Holy Crap.

     I was able to warm up with just the bar, and do the remaining 50 minutes with a 2.5 lb weight on each end. There were a few parts where I felt like I could have handled more, but after seeing how I felt after doing it all with 2.5 I am glad I didn't tack anymore weight on. Even 5 lbs (plus bar weight) gets heavy after an hour to someone who's like never lifted weight in her whole life.

     We had to do deadlifts, curls, presses, everything. We even did squats with the weight resting on our shoulders. That was killer. I did the lunges with hand weights because I had trouble keeping the bar off my neck , for some reason it didn't sit in the right position as easily as it did for the squats. We finished with pushups, sits ups, and stretching.  I think if they do this class every Sunday I will make this my Sunday class. I couldn't wait to hit the shower, but I had fun.

     As far as modified moves go, I know I mention how other classes let you modify some moves, there's not much to modify when it comes to weight lifting. I found relaxing and immediately tightening my grip helped with lifting when we were standing, laying down and lifting it seems easier to hold the weight all the way with your arms extended for a few extra seconds, and just do less reps. I still tried to keep with the "no more then 5 second rest" rule and was able to manage. Push ups I did on my knees, and for the situps she wanted us to do on our side, I did on my back like the regular ones.
     And that was it, a good class with good music, but no Crystal Method. Oh well, I'll make sure some gets on my personal play list for the inevitable day where there's no classes and I have to get on one of those stupid hamster wheels. (Stair machines really? what next, I sit down I stand up machine? What about an open/close the door machine. For realsies, there's enough stairs outside the gym, who pays every month to walk on them IN the gym?)

Go with the Flow

Hey All,

     I went to take a  "Gentle Yoga" class today. I didn't want to just sit at home and do nothing, however that Sh'Bam last night was killer.
So!     Nice. Gentle. Yoga.

Sounds nice right? Wrong.

     Little did I know the Yoga teacher was out and there was a substitute. Except the substitute didn't do yoga; She did BodyFlow . . . It's similar to the Pitaiyo I did on Monday. It combines yoga, tai chi, and pilates. So instead of "blah blah blah gentle postures and stretching blah blah relax to the music blah blah modified for old people and wusses" -- which is basically what the class description said, I got what the trainer called "the easy version of BodyFlow". 

     It wasn't HARD per say, but it was maybe a bit more then I was looking for on a rest day. I just wanted to stretch and relax, not do the higher intensity movements she was moving to. I was still able to manage it, I felt tighter in the shoulders. I know the woman who did the class also does regular pilates, so I think the BodyFlow mix was biased, lol. I still had a pretty good time, and got in a lot of good stretching, and any other crazy junk she did, I was able to do modified. For example, she wanted us to do "Downward Facing Dog" like, a zillion times. I can't, so I did what the trainer in Pitaiyo had me do, and settled for "Child's play"/"Child's Pose" with outstretched arms. It wasn't hard to modify anything I couldn't do normally. The trainer was good at demonstrating the moves in different skill options.

     Anyway, I am proud of myself for going to the gym every day for so long, so if I can do it, you can do it. So to everyone who reads this; I Dare You To Move!

Sh'Bam it!

Hey All,

     I know "Sh'bam" may sound like some new modern way of cursing out your latest Nemesis, but it's not.
It's a class that takes music that's hot right now, and sets up a non-stop heart pounding dance session. It lasts for about 45 minutes, and was a lot of fun.

     My friend works with her trainer on Tuesdays and Thursday so I was on my own yesterday. My American Family Fitness Phone App told me there was a Sh'Bam class at 7:30. It claimed to be simple dance steps anyone can do, which is good because I have two left feet and the grace of an elephant. I arrived early so I could lock all my stuff up and watch the end of the class that came before (which also looked good though I forget which class it was).

     The room wasn't too crowded, in fact for hearing that it was such a popular class I was surprised there wasn't more people. The lights were dimmed, similar to the Pitaiyo class, and the music was LOUD. I could really believe that I was at the club. Well, aside from everyone being out of shape and in gym  clothes. And the lack of alcohol. Definitely missed the lack of alcohol.

     By the end of 45 minutes I was ready to collapse. My legs felt like jelly. I grabbed a protein/recovery shake from the downstairs cafe, and went home feeling pretty good. I still feel sore today, but mostly in my legs. I think if I go to the gym today I may just do free weights, and upper body. Unless they are doing Jujutsu on a beginner level. then I may do that. I know I saw it on the schedule but I don't remember if it was beginner or advanced.

Cheers :D and if you have a gym by you, you should definitely see if you can Sh'Bam it there! It looks pretty widespread ;)

Yoga! Flame!

Hey All,

     I got a week long trial membership to the American Family Fitness gym that is near our apartment. A Coworker and friend of mine that lives nearby goes several times a week(Mon-Wed-Fri) and trains with a trainer on Tuesday and Thursday. It didn't take long of me complaining about my 30 day shred dvd for her to rope me in to going with her.

     Today was my first day at the gym. We did a lovely walk around tour. The facility is pretty nice. There are showers and lockers, swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs that look SO relaxing, next time I wouldn't mind hopping in there before I come home ;)

     We weren't originally going to stay for any of the classes, because they are an hour long, However when we walked by a room advertising "Pitaiyo" I was intrigued. I had never heard of that before. It took a few tries to get it to roll off my tongue the right way.  Hesitantly, we pushed inside, and entered into a dimly lit room with some kind of jazzy meditation music, Several people were on the floor on mats with a strap and 2 foam blocks to the side. The trainer informed us that the class blends together Pilates, Tai chi, and Yoga. We thought it sounded like fun so we stayed to see how it turned out.

     It wasn't hard in the beginning, we stretched a lot, and most of the poses were familiar to me. I have done yoga on and off for awhile now; but the rest was new. . . and somewhat challenging. The moves and poses weren't hard, it was holding still and remembering to breath after you got in to them. I felt pretty relaxed for most of it, despite the fact we were all pouring sweat. It actually felt like the hour went by a lot quicker then I thought it would (and certainly didn't have me looking at the clock every 5-10 minutes wondering if it was over yet?).

     I would have to say that the hardest part was looking in the mirror (the walls are mirrored) and seeing yourself struggle to do the basic move when someone not two mats away is looking like the high point of grace. It's not a feeling of jealousy or anger, it's kind of a wonder, a determination. A force that drives you to want to be better. To attain that kind of balance and flexibility.
I really enjoyed seeing so many different people come together for a time and focus, in such solitude, a unity.

     I hope I can continue to catch these classes, they were truly amazing.

     DISCLAIMER TO STREET FIGHTER 2 FANS::
Even though many elite yoga skills have been clearly and skillfully displayed, Pitaiyo does not seem to be able to grant me Yoga Fire, nor Yoga Flame. I will continue to study these on my own. for other who wish to Learn the Yoga Fire, and Yoga Flame poses, I have included below several highly instructional videos.