cross training challenge

My plan yesterday was to go to the Y to do Body Pump for an hour. The class was scheduled for 5:30.

Of course something came up at work and I left later than I had planned.

(I'd like to give a shout out to my co-worker, L.T., for fighting the good fight and making sure justice was done. Gold star!)

Getting home, it was clear that I COULD make it to the gym on time, but barely. I hate getting to the gym as class is starting. Inevitably, the only place there is room is right in front, and you have to haul your bar and your weights and your mat and your bench in a series of trips, while everyone else is warming up and being all smug about the fact that they got there early. . .

The good people at the 3 day recommended a mere 45 minute cross training session for yesterday. I had just the thing.

That's right. My muscle soreness had mostly subsided by Friday afternoon, and I had a perfectly good 45 minute video. Seemed a natural fit.

The 'Ultimate Calorie Blaster' has 2, count them, 2 sets with their 'signature move' 'tall box climb.' I call it 'tall box torture!' Seriously. Up and down and up and down for the first set. The second set is up and straddle and up and down and up and straddle and up and down. It's a good thing I don't smoke anymore. I was out of breath as it was. . .

The first thing that struck me funny about this video happened during the warm up. We started doing basic step moves - basic right, basic left, side step right, side step left, etc. After a couple of minutes, the instructor announced we were going to 'warm up the other side' and we did basic left, basic right, side step left, side step right. . . Are you kidding me? So when we did basic left AFTER basic right, we weren't warming up the left side? Okay.

I took remedial gym, so perhaps the nuances are just plain lost on me. And speaking of remedial gym, I am pleased to report that after years, and I do mean YEARS of trying, I have mastered the 'samba' move. Go ahead and laugh all you want. I think it's funny, too. For some reason, I just couldn't get that move down. Which shouldn't be surprising - mastering the grapevine took far longer than one could reasonably expect.

What I like most about this video is that it combines step aerobics with weights. I am a fan of multitasking. This seems infinitely reasonable to me. Very efficient, too.

Today, Mad and I have a lot on our plates. We are shopping for dresses for L's wedding AND we have a 12 mile walk on deck. Quite the day.

If you'd like to donate in support of our walk, please go here:

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/TwinCitiesEvent?px=2668769&pg=personal&fr_id=1302

or here:

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/TwinCitiesEvent?px=3237566&pg=personal&fr_id=1302

Thank you for your support.