AoS REUNION in H-TOWN!!!!

So, I got the best text message every from my brother Anthony C. on Thursday night letting me know that Jen B was coming to Houston for the weekend! Unfortunately, I already had several appointments on Friday & Saturday, so I wasn't able to meet up with them for a workout. BUT, I was able to get there on Sunday morning for brunch. We packed up the little one (Max) and drove to Houston early in the morn. We met up at Anthony's house, and I finally had a chance to see the beauty that is Lawrence Park and the 2 monstrous tires. WOWZA!!! I was starting to regret having worn a dress in an attempt to look presentable. I wanted to start flipping that mother - but I decided to behave :-)

Anthony & his wife were so hospitable. Jen B was just as awesome and beautiful as I thought she would be. There was alot of talk about kettlebells, training, Punch gym, and other funny stuff. Anthony always keeps us laughing; love that guy! And Mrs. Anthony is sooo cute and sweet; they are a good balance. Yesterday was like a dream; all I could think about on the way home was how lucky I felt to have met up with great friends and enjoyed a lovely meal...all with people whom I met on the AoS forums. Life is beautiful and knowing that there are people out there who share the same passions as yourself makes it that much more fulfilling.

Rock on Anthony C & Jen B!! Originally I didn't have any plans for Labor Day, so I'm glad that I stayed in TX and got out to H-town for a few hours.

Thanks for everything, Anthony C!! Make sure to let me know the next time someone from the forums comes to Houston; I'll come down again (this time to workout -- and eat of course)!

Friday, 8/29/2008

Lately, I've been taking a little longer lunch hour and training with Jerry on Fridays. Today we worked legs. I felt really strong, much better than yesterday. Jerry told me to stop doing sprints b/c they can make my legs bigger (given my genetics). So, just keep it basic for the next 10 weeks or so - lunges, curls, extensions, calves. He also told me to start hitting it really hard with abdominal training (no added weight, just alot of conditioning & consistency..since I haven't been consistent with abs as of late). It's time to get serious or go home...

Thurs, 8/28 - Strength Work

I was really tired today. Getting to & from my workout with Jerry was murdurous...it took me an hour to get there and an hour and a 15 mins to get back. We actually trained earlier in the day b/c I wanted to avoid traffic; that theory was destroyed. LOL. Anyway, we worked Chest & Back. I was so tired that we only made it through about 25 mins (2 circuits, 3 rounds each.) We usually do 3 circuits, 3-4 rounds each. It was a good workout, even though it was short.

Anyway, I made it home and was mad as heck. I got some food, did some work, and went to bed early.

Wed, Aug 27, 2008

9:30-10AM Cardio: 30 minutes bike, incorporating 20/10 tabata sprints at the 15 minute mark, 8 times.
7:45-8:30PM: Strength training with Jerry (shoulders/arms)
I'm starting to increase my activity level and become more consistent with my nutrition.

Tues, Aug 26, 2008

Great cardio workout today...
10:30-11AM - Elliptical
7-7:45PM - Spin Class (endurance) - taught & rode
Was going to do abs, lunges, and arms after class/eating, but was too tired.

Tues, 8/19/2008

Kept it simple and just got 20 mins in on the bike. Had alot to do, so I figured 20 minutes of hard cycling was better than 0 minutes of nothing. LOL.

Monday, 8/18/2008

Leg workout with Jerry followed by 30 mins on the bike. I was zonked after all of that last night :-)

Saturday morning Bootcamp

We decided to host a free bootcamp session this morning. We didn't advertise it well; mostly we were just planning to do our own workout and thought we should open it up to others. Jay invited some of his co-workers, but they didn't show up. So, it wound up being Jay, me, and my best friend. We had a BLAST!! Worked out for about 2 hours and FINALLY used the PROWLER!!! ow ow ow :-)

We did a mix of football drills, cone drills, medicine ball tosses, sprints, rope work, prowler work, and conditioning stations. We used the prowler as the finisher. Here are a couple of pictures and a video of us getting the job D-O-N-E!! We met some people at the end of the session who wanted to use the prowler. WE invited them out to the next workout.

Rope pulls & undulations







Prowler Sprints

Friday, Aug 15, 2008 - Upper Body Circuit

I was still pretty exhausted from the night before. I decided to take the afternoon off work, but I got a workout in with Jerry over lunch. We did an upper body circuit. We were supposed to train twice on Friday (legs in the afternoon), but I was too tired. I slept instead. I had a great chat with Cheryl later in the evening and then went to bed around 11ish.

Thurs, Aug 14, 2008

I was exhausted!!! I stayed up almost all night finishing a deliverable for work the night before (put in about 18 hour work day). At any rate, I still taught spinning class on Thurdsay night and ROCKED IT!! We did a crits class, very high intensity. The participants loved it - they said they'd never worked so hard in spin class before. That's the Fitgirl touch :-) Tired and all!!! I was going to lift weights afterwards, but I was done! I came home, got something to eat, and then went to bed. I slept like a rock.

My leg is still hurting...

Damn it if my leg isn't still hurting from softball last Friday. I have a hideous bruise on my leg, and it's so sensitive to the touch. I should probably go get it checked out, but I won't. Work is pretty aggressive right now. Jerry had to cancel our training session tonight, so I'll hit arms on my own. I've been working to get my diet back in focus because I did horribly during my business travel. It feels good to be back at home and eating on schedule.

I'll update this post with whatever I wind up actually doing tonight. I am looking forward to a kick a** workout. I'm breaking down my body parts a bit more granularly this week. I'll plan to hit arms tonight, chest/back & teach spin tomorrow, legs on Friday, bike ride & shoulders on Saturday. Fingers crossed that I'll execute as planned :-)

Have a great day. Go Team USA!!! China was absolutely beautiful to watch in the men's gymnastics trials 2 nights ago; I was totally blown away by their beautiful display of athleticism. Our US men did great too - bronze is an amazing finish!! I missed last night's trials....

Early AM Cardio on Monday

Yesterday I just did 50 mins on the elliptical first thing in the morning due to a full work day. I didn't get any activity in today (Tues), so I'll count this as a day off.

I also had a chance to chat with Cheryl on Sunday night; it was a good opportunity to encourage each other. Also spoke to Yvette & Tamara :-) It's great to have girlfriends!!

Hope everyone is well!

Chest, Back, & Softball

Yesterday I worked chest & back with Jerry at lunch time, then played softball in the evening. I made a game saving catch out in left field, but I did get hit with the ball later in the game pretty darn hard. there's a nice shiner of a bruise on the front of my lower leg, and it is quite painful. The one thing Jerry said to me was "Yes, you can play softball, but don't get hurt!"...and what do I do?? LOL. I should be okay in a few days, though. Our team ultimately lost the game, but we had alot of fun anyway!

What are you plans for this beautiful Saturday? I was going to go on the bike ride of DT Austin, but I'm not sure if my bruised leg will last then entire 2 hours. In addition, I didn't make it to the bike shop yesterday for a tune up and tire inspection, as I ran over something sharp in the road when I was out last Sunday; my tires also felt a little flat then, so I wanted to get them pumped up before the ride. Oh well. I plan to stop by there this morning when they open and then get a short ride before my 1PM massage appt. I decided to go to the massage school - 90 minute massage for $25!! I know they are students, but could be a way to help get these kinks worked out more regularly.

Have a great day!!

New Art of Strength Products have arrived!

There are a couple of new AoS products that arrived this week, which I have been anticipating for some time. I just wanted to share the news for those who weren't yet aware. I am of fan of ALL AoS products, and they never, ever disappoint. I can't wait to get the Santa Monica DVD and post about my adventures; same with the Ropes Gone Wild DVD. Head over to the AOS Store to take a look. Here are the 2 that I am most anxious about, and ladies, the new Diva Bell has been unleashed. I am sooo pumped for the pre-sale of the latest AoS follow-along DVD - AoS Santa Monica. I bought it immediately. Here is a glorious description of what is to come:

Art of Strength: Santa Monica DVD

All new DVD from AOS pre-order now. The day is almost at hand, the much anticipated release of Art of Strengths latest training DVD. Entitled Art of Strength Santa Monica, it was shot, as the name suggests, in Santa Monica, California at the famed and fitness mecca Muscle Beach.

Mixing traditional kettlebell routines with Art of Strength’s new Authentic Strength workouts this DVD is a definite can’t miss. Using everything from kettlebells, to Bulldog Dumbbells and Barbells to Ropes Gone Wild this DVD has everything you could ever want. So you don’t have our barbells and dumbbells? Well don’t worry, each exercise offers alternate versions with traditional kettlebell routines in their place.

This DVD is completely programmable allowing you to select the level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) as well as the amount of rest between sets.

Shipping in mid September, this DVD includes a bonus disc featuring Ropes Gone Wild stepping you through all the basic routines with heart pumping cardio blasting workouts.

So you get a fully programmable DVD from the leader in kettlebell training focusing on kettlebell training and Authentic Fitness with the bonus disc containing all the Ropes Gone Wild routines and workouts!!

Not sure what Authentic Fitness is? Authentic Fitness is a style of training that brings “fit” back to fitness. When looking fit and being fit was one in the same. First introduced in our articles “What Have We Done Wrong”, Authentic Fitness brings back many of the forgotten lifts and routines of old and focuses on making your body fit as a complete entity. There is a pre-order price discount, so make sure to check out the AOS Online Store for more details!

Ropes Gone Wild DVD

In addition, the Ropes Gone Wild Tutorial DVD is finally here --- whoohooo! After long last the new Ropes Gone Wild DVD has arrived. Shot on location at Santa Monica’s Muscle Beach bringing revolutionary “authentic” fitness back to its birthplace. This training DVD will teach you everything you need to know to become proficient with our Ropes Gone Wild brand of exercise. Learn how it feels to have your heart rate reach near maximum in under 60 seconds. This DVD is a can’t miss for anyone interested in alternative forms of cardio. check out the AOS Online Store for more details! This DVD is currently shipped free with any RGW purchase.

The DIVA Bell

Not only is the Diva Bell "pretty in pink," purchasing one also helps benefit the fight against breast cancer. A portion of each Diva Bell sale will be donated to the fight against breast cancer research.

The Diva Bells have been a staple at our Art of Strength/Punch Kettlebell Gym headquarters. Used as our very own R&D center, our patrons have come accustomed to seeing new products moving in and out of the facility but never has one garnered more attention and accolades than the Diva Bell. What we thought would become a favorite of a few of the female clientele has turned into a must have for my entire female client base.

So what makes it such a sought after kettlebell? First of all, it's loadable. Like its predecessor, the Bulldog Kettlebell, you choose the weight you want it to have. Starting at 7 pounds empty the loadable kettlebell will reach a max weight of 22 pounds when fully loaded with steel shot, giving the user plenty of freedom to vary their workouts without having to purchase multiple kettlebells. Comparing the Diva to its predecessor one of the first thing's you'll notice is one of its greatest advantages; its smaller size. With a diameter of only 6" (as opposed the its 8" diameter brother) the bell lends itself perfectly to the smaller frame of a female. Many of our female patrons felt its bigger brother, the Bulldog Kettlebell, was a bit too cumbersome for them to use effectively during their workouts - the Diva's smaller design fixed all that.

I know what you're thinking, why the name Diva - it doesn't exactly fit with our standard nomenclature, with products such as The Bulldog Kettlebell, Bandit's Loop and Outlaw Ropes to name a few. Well, we were searching for a name that conveyed strength and perseverance as well as toughness without losing the feminine connotation that we were looking for. Diva came to mind and made perfect sense. Translated from Italian, Diva means goddess and at its origins was usually reserved for those women with rare and outstanding talents. I don't think I'd be wrong in saying that most of you women out there felt you contained some kind of rare and outstanding talent as a kettlebell athlete. A sport that at first appearances seems to be geared more towards males than females. I know that not to be true as most of my more fit and dedicated clients all seem to be females - but that's a separate matter entirely.

Love this...

Courtsey of Alwyn Cosgrove....long live MJ

Taught my first Spin class tonight...

Well, tonight was my big night. I know that I've been talking about going back to teach Spin for the past few months. Well, I finally taught my first class tonight. I was so nervous and doubtful of myself, but as soon as I got in front of the people, introduced myself 1x1, I was on fire! It was a tough class, and I had energy coming from everywhere. The class said that they worked hard, that I pushed them hard, and that they couldn't wait for next time!! I even had other ppl in the gym coming up to me saying "I can't wait to take your class!" I was able to ride for a good portion of the class (did some teaching off the bike), and incorporated quite a few sprints into the workout (for personal reasons - lol). At any rate, I feel like I still got it! WHOOHOOO...My best friend told me that you never fall short of the things that you're passionate about, and she was RIGHT! I can't wait until next week. I think that I will probably bump up my teaching to 2x/week (my old spin routine).

I'm mixing music for my next class already :-) I wanted to be a DJ so mixing music is my favorite part of class prep.

ROCK ON!!

Monday, 8/4/08

Tonight I did a leg workout with Jerry. We worked hard. I'm cycling my cardio to pyramid up, so today was a strength training only day. Jerry and I had a long talk about my progress. He said that my musles are strong and full, so it's time to start cutting up and getting my body harder for show time. This is where training gets "fun" - LOL! I'm excited about what I'm going to look like this year. He also wants me to start adding sprint workouts in a couple times of week. We are targeting to drop about 30 pounds for the show, which is pretty typical for me. Here we go....let the journey begin!!

Beautiful Weekend

Gosh, it has been an absolutely beautiful weekend! Yesterday, I did shoulder & arms - P90X style. I also went downtown to Lance Armstrong's bike shop (Mellow Johnny's) to purchase and install a bike computer. My next investment will be a trunk rack for my car b/c I'm getting tired of loading my bike in and out of my trunk, but I'll give it a few weeks before I do that.

I've also been busily shopping and preparing food for my Punch Nutrition diet. It always is an adjustment following a new diet plan, but this one has been pretty smooth. I really want to ride my bike today, so I am going to go out a little later this afternoon. It will be mad hot outside, but I just want to get out there, feel the sun on me and the wind in my face. Today is a cardio-only day, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to hit a flat road loop, and will strive to complete 7-10 miles.

I actually waited too late to ride and also got a flat tire; so I was able to put in 5.54 miles in about 25 mins. I was on a real road today, conquering new territory :-). I almost fell again, though, trying to unclip at a stop ontop of a hill. I recovered, though - LOL. Once I patch my tire, I plan to ride in the Austin Cycling Association tour of downtown & picnic this Saturday. It should be fun!

Have a lovely day!

Friend for Punch

Gosh, I totally forgot to mention that I finally have a friend for Punch :-) I brought home a beautiful, 12-week old Yorkie puppy, whom we named "Max." He is doing well, and I love him so much already. We are working on house breaking him, but he already came to us knowing how to use the potty pads. He is very sweet and friendly, all 2.9 pounds of him - LOL! I'll post pictures later.

Tonight I went to the Veloway with one of my best friends from home. She is here on business. We went on a nice bike ride and then went to Whole Foods for some shopping (I had to get some things on my Punch Nutrition list). Anyway, it's great to have a little piece of home here. She is definitely my close friend for life. Tomorrow I might take her to Bikram Yoga after work, and then we'll get massages.

Hope that you're having a great day!