Halfway there....

Today marks halfway through our first boot camp. Pat and I thought of it as halfway done. One of our team mates laughed and said maybe we should think about it that we still have halfway to go.

Today we had to do the dreaded pull-ups. I truly thought that since this was an outdoor camp, and we hadn't done any yet, that pull-ups must not be in the curriculum. I was very wrong. Not only does the campus have pull-up bars that seem to mysteriously appear this morning, but there are push-up bars. Even with the aide of having a partner "hold" the ankles to provide a leverage, it still seemed nearly impossible. Funny though, on the push-up bars that were about 3 feet of the ground, the pull-ups seemed easy.

We asked, "why do we need to accomplish the ability to do a push up?" Roy did provide us with a real life scenario answer of why everyone should be able to do a push up. If you ever saw the movie American Flyers (http://www.fast-rewind.com/amflyers.htm), you could equate it to "training with my friend Eddie". I still think my husband would either be able to help me over the fence, or that miraculous strength that kicks in when the mom sees the car fall on the baby would kick in for me if I ever found myself in the "real like scenario" that Roy described.

Today seemed like a little circuit training without any accouterments except for our mats. We did some ab stuff, lawn mowers, some walking lunges, running around the court for several circuits. We learned that Johnny Cash does indeed make music to work out to. We also learned that although we are not suppose to imbibe (alcohol) during the 4 weeks of camp that Roy does have some interesting college experiences. (And it didn't involve a mean dog and a fence) Roy seems so fit though and he is off to a long weekend snowboarding in Mammoth. I just hope all this working out will provide me some additional strength for my upcoming ski trip to Snowbird, Utah.

Now we have two weekend days off, without having to wake up early. I'm looking forward to Monday with our substitute coach while Roy is snowboarding. We promised to be nice to her.

My friend at work pointed me to a great online site that provides WW points and tips. Check it out http://www.hungry-girl.com/index.php and you can also sign up for email tip of the day.

Cardio Time!

At least we don't have to call him "Sir". Today we did lots of cardio...run the whole parking lot and then some other fun stuff including the "Indian" run. It's kind of like a bicycle pace line where you take turns at the front, but in this case instead of falling off the front you sprint up from the end of the line.

We did some partner stuff with the bands and more partner cardio type stuff. I have the best partner - Pat. She always shows up and always makes me laugh. Then there is that new game "Guess that tune". Mmmmm..... I guess my satellite radio on talk stations isn't getting me any help in that game.

We did have to do the dreaded push-ups today. Pat says she can't do them, but she does all of them without even groaning. It must be those motorcycle muscles she uses. She also seems really strong in her core. I couldn't decide which I hated worse - push-ups or the plank. Then Roy tells us a push-up is actually a plank with motion. Ugh... no wonder I don't like either. But it should make us stronger. I wonder if that will take care of those bingo wings us older ladies tend to have.

Hey, today I learned what an apex is. And we thought it was the path during our turn on our motorcycles.

Tommorrow the girls will have to do the hill without us I guess since we are only Monday, Wednesday, Fridayers. I am really tempted to add and make the 5 days, but it is a really long drive and it is really early. I just need to keep trying to get some kind of work out in on my off days.

Week 2 - adjusting to early mornings

Note to self: unset alarm for the weekend. Sure, you have two days off and who remembers to not set the alarm. I just love getting up at 4:30 a.m. on days off - especially when it's cold outside. I'm afraid to not have the alarm set and miss my boot camp days. Who wants to do an additional 10 push ups because of being late.

I didn't take a full two days off from workouts for the weekend. My husband and I rode mountain bikes on the Santa Ana River trail. I pushed to keep about 11 to 12 miles per hour and we did ride about 7 miles. I could feel the same muscles that were worked on Friday. However, trailer camping weekends can be tough. Especially if you are the wagon master and most of the events are planned around food. How many push ups is it for alcohol? Was it 10 per ounce? I didn't even have my champagne hibiscus for breakfast even though I was serving.

Today I figured out that if an exercise is too easy and comfortable, then I must be doing it wrong. It takes a lot of concentration to try and understand the directions and then make sure you are contorting your body in the correct way to affect the correct muscles. I'm not even sure where my "glutes" are. I think I just figured out where the abs are. Seems like I think I have it just right and then Roy comes by and suggests that I flex a slightly different way. Then I can really feel it.

I know that most blogs are more interesting if there are photos, but you need to remember that I am too busy working out to stop and take photos. So I thought I would include an illustration of a plank. It is a great way to build endurance on the abs and also the back.

We did two cardio sessions today, one was twice around running 1/4 of the parking lot with side hops on the short ends and then the full parking lot. Total mileage today was .86 miles. I wonder what fun Roy is planning for our next workout.

Day 3 --- You can see the sun rise!

What do lawn mowers, pacman, rowing and cherry picking have in common? Did you know they are all strength exercises you can do with hand weights? I wasn't even sure Roy knew what pacman was with his young age and all. Course, I'm not sure why he didn't describe it as Ms. Pacman since we are all women. Today will be a short post since I'm technically on vacation doing real camping (OK in a luxury 5th wheel) for the weekend. I got a little lost driving in on the toll road from the 91 freeway and in the dark at 5 a.m. with no street lights, it's pretty desolate when you aren't sure where you are going.

Today I actually jogged the whole parking lot. It wasn't very fast and a quick walker could probably do it faster, but there is something about being outside in 40 degrees so early in the morning that keeps you going. Here's a photo of Pat and I with our instructor, Roy. I'm not sure when Roy eats. He meets us at 5:30 a.m. and then it was off to another appointment by 6:45 a.m. He sure seems to have a lot of energy though.....wait a minute, he didn't run the parking lot. What is it with these instructors not doing the full workout with us? We will assume he will be doing his own workout later in the day?

Week One - Boot Camp

Hey... this takes some coordinating. Leave the house before 5 a.m., drive the uncrowded freeway 27 miles and meet somewhere in the dark? At least the first day of boot camp is on a work holiday, I don't have to figure out my work outfit for the day and plan for my shower after wards. We can do our work out and then go to the Pancake House for breakfast. I saw it on the way to our meeting place. (just kidding Roy, we are eating sensibly although I could really use a drink after today's day of work.)

We met our instructor, the very knowledgeable Roy. http://www.rfktraining.vpweb.com/ Hmmm... are they taking it easy on us so we come back the next day? Actually it's raining, so our cardio is limited to some hip hop type moves (that grapevine thing, or the side step?). The hour went by fast and we partnered up to get some numbers for strength testing so we can compare later in the program. I'm not sure why my partner didn't have to do any of the moves? I kept asking him to demonstrate them again. Anyhow, I'm really glad someone was counting while we did squats, push-ups, and crunches, because I can't seem to remember what number I'm on. When we left our bootcamp we weren't sore and it seemed so easy. Hmmm... we can handle this. But as the day wore on, boy did those muscles start to make noises. It was really tough climbing the stairs and getting up and down out of our office chairs. Maybe that is the real reason that people become couch potatoes...it hurts too much to get up.

By Wednesday the rain had cleared, I was very concerned about how I was going to work out since my muscles were sore, but I found out if you warm up first then the muscles can handle it. We begin with some stretches laying face up on our mats. Wow, I could see stars, what an awesome way to start the day. After trying to write our ABC's with our toes (capital letters) we did have to do a RUN! It wasn't too bad. I'm really not one for cold weather and can get kind of cranky when I'm in the cold, but we didn't seem to notice the 40 degree air because we had just enough warm clothes on and begin to work up a sweat. But not the miserable dripping wet type of grungy sweat. Seems like when you are outdoors with cool air, it's not so grungy.

After monster walking, we did some basketball moves with medicine balls and more core stuff and coordinated ladder hopping. I'm not sure why Roy didn't let us play dodge ball with the medicine balls when he was collecting them at the end.

I really love that we get to see the sun rise. Well, off to 24 hour fitness to take my shower and get ready for work. I sure hope I remembered to pack shoes, and a bra and stuff. That's the coordination thing I'm talking about. I think I need a bigger towel if I'm going to walk around the locker room. As I walked in the gym door I saw people working out on the treadmills, running and sweating. I'm not sure why, it was beautiful outside. I took my shower, got dressed and as I exited, I saw most of the same people sweating on the machines. They were still doing their cardio. My work out for the day was done.

Friday will be the last one for this week. Sorry we won't be there for the hill climb on Thursday. Hey Pat, do you think that qualifies as a hike?

Adventure Boot Camp - here we come.....

My husband challenged me to find out what would motivate me to get in shape and want to lose weight. After surgery in June of 2007 I signed up for Weight Watchers again. Almost immediately a few family issues turned up and I returned back to work and couldn't get in the time to make it to meetings. (Maybe they should have meetings at 5:30 a.m. like our boot camp workouts?) My work schedule continued to be long hours leaving very little family or personal time. I could get in some random hikes or kayaking on the few open weekends we had, but no real getting in shape time.

In 2007 I was walking 15 miles per week and even though I was still overweight, my blood work was good. In January 2008 my walking decreased to about 4 miles per week and by May I had just about dropped it all together just before surgery. I am turning 50 in the 2009 year and decided I wanted to do something significant to celebrate (or maybe counteract) turning half a century old. I kept up my subscription to Women's Adventure Magazine and Canoe and Kayak and wistfully read the articles monthly. Someday I thought....I'll get back to adventure in my life.

I do have a 24 hour gym membership and did 5 sessions with a personal trainer, but I really love being outdoors. I am just not motivated to be inside on an elliptical or treadmill. Why do that when you can walk outside or go on a hike? I know, strength training is important as well, but ugg...those machines! It is just not fun!

My friend (and co-worker) Pat mentioned that she wanted to sign up for Adventure Boot Camp. www.ocbootcamp.com She showed me the website and seemed to be wooed in by the enticement of going on a hike as part of the program. I hated to break the news to her but it probably doesn't involve hiking every single week.....but....at least it would be outdoors. And we could do it together. And they had a 3 day a week program. And it cost much less than a personal trainer at the gym. And it includes cardio and strength training. And it wouldn't interfere with family time or work time. What? It's 5:30 a.m. in the morning? Are we allowed to be driving on the roads at that time in the morning? Is Starbucks open?

We signed up (deciding our bodies could ONLY take 3 days per week) and made our pre-assessment appointment with the lovely Samantha (and thin I might add) at the camp offices. She gently told us stuff about our bodies that we already knew. I was a bit concerned that there might be some hard selling involved about the meal plan or signing a big contract for more days per week or longer program, but there was none of that. I was encouraged that the camp is designed for four weeks because most everyone can commit to that and most everyone can get some type of results from that. Samantha provided a reasonable goal that really seem achievable instead of trying to push us for major results. We got a range. She even let me jump up to the next age category since it was a more for forgiving range, after all I will be turning 50 this year. We are ready to go!