Friday, July 16, 2010

Like Butter

Burn, Torch, Melt, Blast. Ever notice how magazines use these enticing verbs to get you to glance beyond their cover? Once inside you are awestruck as the hard bodied models demonstrate all the moves of a total body workout with ease and control, all while looking beautiful. I always see these workouts and think "wow, that looks so easy. I should try that."

But I don't. Because running is top banana in my life. Given the choice between an extra day of working out and having date night with Boyfriend or chilling with friends, I will undoubtedly choose the later.

And then things changed. I started doing this morning workout thing (which by the way has not been successful for an entire week!!! w00t!) and I had all my nights free to do whatever I wanted (within reason of course). I came up with this magical plan to fit in an extra workout day to focus on my total body, abs, arms, everything. I was so excited I wrote it on my training calendar right away. "30-45 minute non-running workout". Now I just had to pick a workout.

I get so many fitness mags that I am constantly reading "Four weeks to your best body", "Loose ten pounds this summer", "Bikini workout" etc. Of course I am making these titles up but you have to admit they don't change much month to month and magazine to magazine. Of course as usual I finish reading and add to the stack on my coffee table, or to the collection on my bookshelf. I rarely ever give them a shot. If anything I will pick a move that looks good and try it before one of my runs. And I wonder why I don't see any results? It's not that I am lazy, I just run so much I forget the rest of my body needs a workout.

After flipping through my recent issues I came across Jackie Warner's Power Circut in Shape. I remember watching her on Bravo's "Work Out" a few years ago and she was one tough chick. So it sounded like a good plan.

Yesterday I showed up at the gym all ready for my workout. I was psyched to not be climbing on the treadmill and to have something other than my legs do the work. I got myself all set up, IPod, weights, mat and started with the first exercise. Easy enough. second exercise was this "seated bicycle" deal. "I can handle this" I say to myself. Wrong. BURN. In a good way of course but wow. I made it through most of the other moves pretty well, and then it came time for the "wingman". This required the lighter weights and I was all kinds of excited. I thought I would nail this one. Wrong again. I got through 5 reps before I wanted to cry. On the second rotation I had to modify it and lower to my knees in order to do 15 reps and even then it was the hardest thing I have done for my upper body in a long time. Magazines are not kidding when they say you will "burn" calories or "torch" fat. That is exactly how I felt. Although I am not so sure about "melt". Melting sound like it would be pretty easy, and easy this workout was not.

Overall the total workout took me about 15 minutes. So I hopped onto the elliptical for 20 minutes, choosing the interval program at level eight. Overall it was a pretty good workout. I am defiantly feeling it's effects in my abs which I love. Something I would love to continue to incorporate into my training schedule.

If anyone wants to share and fantastic and fabulous total body workouts or lifting routines, I would love to hear about them!

xx Sara

3 comments:

Denise said...

you should try to incorporate it, cross training will actually improve your running.

Lorraine said...

I don't belong to a gym, but I bought P90X (I swear I'm not getting paid to say this!). Tony Horton will work muscles you didn't know you had! Chest, shoulders, biceps & triceps. (oh my!) I use 10, 8, and 5 lb dumbells. For pull-ups, I use a resistance band which you can actually use instead of weights as well. And there's lots of different kinds push ups too.
Your bed will never feel so soft and you'll sleep like a baby!

Rachel said...

i've recently been doing jillian michael's "no more trouble zones" dvd once a week. it takes about 40 min and it's a total killer - targets every part of your body! i've replaced one short run with this workout and can already feel a difference! but it's also made me realize that while i have running endurance, the rest of my body is a little pathetic : /