Skip-to-my-loo

What a beautiful day! Its a day of cleaning and packing, but I also made time for a home workout too. While the littlest was off at gymnastics I put on my gear and headed outside with my skipping rope. 

I really enjoy skipping, and its really great cardio for me as I can't run (remember that nasty petalla femoral syndrome). Here's what Wikipedia says about skipping:

In contrast to running, jumping rope is unlikely to lead to knee damage since the impact of each jump or step is absorbed by the balls of both feet rather than the heels. This decreases the ground reaction forces through the patella-femoral joint greatly. Jumping rope also helps strengthen the arms and shoulders. This combination of an aerobic workout and coordination-building footwork has made jumping rope a popular form of exercise for athletes.

Here's some information on the positive cardio effects of skipping:

According to the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Council, an excellent cardiovascular exercise which is far less hard on the muscles and bones than jogging, is rope skipping. From an energy standpoint, jumping rope at about 130 revolutions per minute is similar to running at 6 miles per hour or cycling 12 miles per hour. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to a one-mile run!

So, today's routine was simple (6 sets):

• 4 minutes of skipping (each set a combination of high knees, single feet, double feet, and fast feet)
• Triplet: 10 bootstraps, 20 mountain climbers, 10 burpees

Then I went inside and did a little TRX ab work:

• pikes (10)
• mountain climbers (10 singles per leg)
• knees in to chest (10)
• twists (5/side)
• And I did oblique twists on the ball with a weight overhead (20 per side)

And here's how pretty I look when I'm all done (it took a full hour, including some short breaks):

(no comments about the 40 year old mass of forehead wrinkles!)

Right! Well, its time to get back at the cleaning and the packing!! T-minus 3 days till lift off!

Later!

Sweaty girl, sweatier boy

FINALLY I'm using the camera! I'm so proud of myself! LOL!

This morning Hubby had a one hour, one-on-one session with Craig at Core Essentials. He was very excited about it, but also a tad worried. I should explain: I know my hubby and what a hard worker he is, and I appreciate what a top notch trainer Craig is. I KNEW that the two would hit it off! So, I suggested that hubby try a few sessions with Craig for that extra push in his workout routine. Hubby goes to the gym very regularily and does his routines (that Laurissa help him with) and is has totally toned up and dropped a bunch of weight!

Previously (not long ago) hubby had his first one-on-one session with Craig with the kettlebells (which is a new piece of equipment for him and one that Craig loves). During this session He and Craig got to know each other and hubby learned the K-bell moves! Afterward hubby made the mistake of telling me that he was feeling pretty fresh afterwards, and even joked about maybe going for a run!

WELL, we can't have him not fully embracing the Craig experience (or the level of post workout fatigue thar he's expecting), so I made sure to share this little tid bit of information with Laurissa, who MUST have told Craig ;)

Their second session was today at 9am, and as the Studio is 2 minutes from my office I took the oportunity to run up the street and sneak in! Here's some of the pictures that I took (oh, and hubby was so in the zone that he didn't look up or really know that I was there taking pictures!):

Those are two 35 lb kettlebells that he's pressing there, and I'm not sure of the crazy number of reps were done!

This was a pull up on a band, again high number of reps!

I'm proud of him, he did  AWESOME, and Craig thinks he quite the athlete (high praise indeed). I'm also glad he found somone to push him the way I know he wants/needs! We LOVE the Core Essentials team!

So, enought about my hunny - My workout today was Booty Boot Camp, and man did Laurissa bring it! My a$$ is a tad sore, which can only mean that it was a very efficient workout! Also, let me put this side note in that lately I've been sweating like a beast. Normally I get hot and turn red. No sweating. Now, I turn red AND sweat! LOL! I'm not used to this....and I stink! :)

Here's what today's workout looked like:

• warm-up: about 3 minutes of skipping
• TRX - single legged lower to the ground, switch feet at the ground, raise back up on one leg (weight in heel of foot) - (10/leg)
• TRX - hamstring curls (10)
• TRX - Plyo squats (leg straight back) (10/leg)

Here I am on the TRX:

• TRX - bridge with legs scissoring in and out (10)
• TRX - single legged lower to the ground, switch feet at the ground, raise back up on one leg (weight in heel of foot) - (10/leg)
• Side lunge (holding a 8lb med ball), put med ball to outside of foot, push off bringing knee across body and bring med ball with you (over head) (10/side)
• Crazy Jump (my name) - standing on one foot, jump into the air and kick your bum with the standing foot (landing softly) (10/leg)
• Queen's curtsy - (with a 10 lb weight on the leg) pulse 3, bring leg with weight back in and straight out to the side (10/leg)

Here are Shanan and I once we're all done - two tired and sweaty girls:

Great workout, and I'm so please that Hubby and Craig are working so well together - they are both smart, intense guys so it make complete sense that they'd get along like a house on fire!

Ok, time for some mommy stuff - tomorrow is the big day, the big 4-0! My daughter and I will be expecting breakfast in bed from the boys of the house. I think I might need to have a stiff drink tonight!

Nite