Workout Warriors - Summer Revival

[Peaceful Rainbow]

Have you guys seen the pics for Athletic Training! Lots of fun equipment in that one. I'm glad to see Amanda is back for at least one of the new workouts! And Lorraine's hair is VERY different than anything she's done before.

 

[KadetKim]

And darn, who can predict in high school which guys are going to be so hot looking at 50 and will have moved down south and acquired just a touch of a drawl...of course, he's married....oh yeah, so am I.

Cathy, My US georgraphy's not great, but even I can figure out that it wouldn't be a go for DH to drop you off down south to get better acquainted with he of the "drawl", while they do the zoos and pick y'alls up on the way back home?? Maybe might want to stitch that up for next year!!!!

 

[KadetKim]

Hi Kim -

Another failure today, I attempted 4ds low instenisty step - after the warm up it was a no go. I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes (3 miles or 4.82 kms to you.) then came back inside (with a clean tail) and did the lifting portion of 4ds - shoulders, calves, and core.

Clean tail eh Janis LOL - that gave me a laugh

 

[KadetKim]

Janis: So it doesn't sound like your a huge fan of step. Step workouts are my favorite! I will agree that while I look forward to a new step workout, I don't always enjoy having to learn a new step workout. Even though plenty of sweating is involved, I don't feel I get in a good enough workout while learning. Too much stopping and re-winding. I like both the 4ds step workouts. We are going to Glacier National Park this fall. We try to go to the mountains at least once a year.

Kimberly

Kimberly No argument there. And I do agree that you don't get as much out of learning a new one (although really looking forward to the new low impact step ). Howsoever, the last purchase I made was Classics Vol I which is all very simple and basic, so no rewinding there. Easy enough to just follow along with the ques.

Janis You asked how long it'll take you to learn Rhythmic Step. This was my first one. I was a total Cathe rookie and it DID NOT come easy. At the time I was working with extreme space restrictions (or that's my excuse ) and that coupled with lots of bits where you've got your back to screen. Can I suggest that as it's in 3 sections, you learn it as 3 separate elements, practise those then add them together. That maybe a bit of a larger project than you were planning on it being It's worth it. It's a lot of fun and you do feel a sense of achievement on the days when you run through the whole thing foot perfect (or so I've been told )

Now, I've come to the conclusion that I'm extremely feeble minded or indeed even more feeble minded than I'd dared imagine. I know Rhythimic Step and BM2, but all the others are just a jumble and I can't differentiate one from another. Once I start them of course I recognise the moves and outfits but ahead of putting the disk in I've no clue of which w/o contains which routine that I do or don't like (except STEP MOVES Have you traversed that one yet this week Janis??)

I have, as you know, already nailed my colours to the mast on here in that there's nothing I like better these days than a good solid 8" - so this week I've been paying particular attention to which ones I think could benefit from a bit of extra height. Low Impact Step from 4DS is definitely going up a gear but I don't think anything on Cardio Hits for instance requires any tweaking whatsoever (sweat sweat, puff pant).

I was gifted INTENSITY this week (it came to me out of the sky), for which a special (((HUG))) to my Fairy Fit Mother and although unfortunately it is going to have to wait until the w/e I've had a good preview. Oh My. Cathe's out of breath. Maybe I'll look out my ancient old 4" mini step for that one. Wish me luck Cathletes, I'm going in..........................

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

I did a 6 mile ride this morning. I hadn't ridden that way in a couple years and silly me thought it was all paved. Turns out there was a 1 mile stretch of dirt road and it was the kind of dirt road that they used to drive women down to start labor. Where every couple inches the level of the road in different and the jarring continual. I also got chased briefly for the first time this year. One of them might have weighed 12-14 lbs. The other wasn't such a friendly looking breed, but fortunately, they didn't seem inclined to come more than a couple feet out of their yard. I've ridden by the house that 2 years ago had a German Shepard that was a major chaser/barker and quite intimidating, but I don't think he lives there any more. No dog houses in the yard now. His liking for chasing things perhaps placed him in the road one too many times.

Kim, you are quite correct that even though we are going to be in southern Ohio and Indiana and both places people have sort of southern accents, we will still be too far north and west.

Do you have Low Max? That is one that goes well with 8". As far as Intensity goes - the second half with the Hiit portions is easier than the step. I'm quite sure I've said that before, but it bears repeating. The Hiit portions are random hits, so the times on them aren't consistent, but you get regular breaks to catch your breath. The step portion really has no breaks, though I do grab water here and there.

Rhythmic Step I would put in the middle as far as difficulty to learn goes. And it does break down nicely into 3 segments. So, you could just tack a segment onto another workout to learn it. Quite a few of the moves she uses in that ones have been used in more recent DVD's, so it wouldn't all be new to you.

 

[Janis]

Hi Everyone

Indian FeastMax - done. 4DS - Bootcamp? Not done. I may take today off, and tomorrow I am on the road to Sacramento, so it will be an off day too. This is wrecking my rotation and my calorie burn and any potential weight loss, but I am tearing apart my rotation and re-building it anyway. Better to take an occasional rest day than to injure myself, right? Right.

So uh, no takers on kettlebell-ing with me?

Ok Cathlete Scolars - please tell me how difficult or intense the following workouts are..... in terms of energy usage and exhaustion.

High Step Circuit
High Step Training
CTX
Imax (the original)
Max Intensity Cardio

Thanks for the feedback on Rhythmic Step, I'll save that for another time. I have Step moves on my rotation for Saturday, Kim, I'll report back!

Oh, Kim, you know what? We almost had a tragedy yesterday! Our tea kettle stopped working...well it was working in hyper-overdrive and wouldn't turn off. We were all standing around the thing wringing our hands and crying "oh no! Not the kettle!" We have this baby: Amazon.com: Breville BKE820XL Variable-Temperature 1.8-Liter Kettle: Kitchen & Dining and use it 24/7. There was a miraculous resurrection involved, and now everything is back to normal. Good news, though, Breville is sending us a new one. Now we'll have a back up just in case this one tries to burn down our house again.

Kimberly - What are you doing after Supreme90?

MJ - Kisses and hugs.

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

Janis even if I wanted to get into kettlebells, I can't afford to get into kettlebells.

Now let's take a look at your little list:

High Step Circuit - is a beginner/intermediate workout and I don't have it.

High Step Training - In a rotation, Cathe referred to this as "leg press heaven, wink" - translation there are a TON of leg presses as they are pretty much in each cycle. So, keep in mind how much you like leg presses. If you like circuits, this is a good workout. The cardio is not complicated in this one as you use the high step and it's hard to get overly creative with only that much space.

CTX - The cardios in these are all 30 minutes and under and I found most of them easy to learn. They also use some different moves for warm-ups which I like. I find this set works best as a week long fill in amongst other rotations. And the weight work is short, but do not think for a minute that makes it isn't tough. There's actually an upper body premix and I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it. Actually now that it's come to mind. Perhaps this is what I should do next week.

Imax (the original) - this is my least favorite of the IMAX's simply because I think 2 and 3 have bigger fun factors. It's a good solid workout and I tend to view it as pretty much on par with IMAX 2 for intensity. At least it is for me. Like all the IMAX's the step routines aren't that complicated.

Max Intensity Cardio - this one I pretty much always do the warm-up and skip to the step portion. I like the step portion and I'm not crazy about the hi-lo in this one. That said if you want a really long, tough workout this one will do it. I did the whole thing once or twice and it definitely lives up to the title of Maximum. Also, I didn't think the step had a very high learning curve.

Do you have High Step Challenge?

 

[msmik]

KadetKim: I bet you'll like Intensity. Right now, I am doing the pre-mixe that has the step, low impact hiit and bootcamp. Not liking the high impact hiit, too many plie jacks for me!

Peaceful Rainbow: Sounds like a fun trip. Do you have a GPS? We used one last October when we went to the Cathe Roadtrip. It had a lot of fun features that made the travel experience just that much better. Made it so much easier getting through Houston than if I would have been navigating.

Janis: No kettlebells for me! That's one of the few things I've had no interest in. I thought rhythmic step was the hardest to learn. Once I took the time to learn it, I REALLY liked it. Of your list, I think MIC is the hardest. That one kicks my butt!

I just finished day 30 of Supreme90. So far I plan on keeping at it. Today was supposed to be Cardio Challenge, but I subbed a Cathe step routine for it, then a walk with the dogs.

Kimberly

 

[KadetKim]

Janis as everyone has already reviewed your w/o questions; thought I may as well chip in.

CTX : I wouldn't say I was disappointed with it when it first arrived but it did appear a little dated - give it a chance. It's grown on me. The weight work hits the spot and the cardios are all enjoyable and tough. I always say about this that I like to do the 10-10-10 and kickbox together. I tried to do 3 consecutively once - well that wasn't happening.

IMAX : As this is on Rhythmic Step I was familiar with this one b4 IMAX2 & 3. It works you out. If you want to be wondering if you're gonna make it through by intervals 9 and 10, well this will have you wondering. In fact I'm gonna be contraversial and say its better than IMAX3 as it really challenges you but its not so punishing with all that pesky impact.

I've just realised that SNM have kindly included my portrait from when I'm doing high impact and plyo Never realised this b4, but this is exactly how I look

Max Int Cardio : A couple of weeks ago you asked what is hi-lo, well after this you're really gonna know the answer to that. OK confession (no-one's listening are they - I wouldn't like anyone to know this, but......) I can't do the aerobics followed by the step. I have to do it over 2 days. In fact I get infuriated with the step because it's very short and very simple, but it has me gasping, every time. I've been reading for years that 30 mins cardio is sufficient and anything more may actually be detrimental, so I'm confused (make that very confused ) about how hard I should actually be training, so these I find extremely useful when time is pressing, as you know they're gonna floor you, but it's all over and you can be in the cake shop within 40 mins max.


I've had to come back on here to edit as I realised that some of the w/o information I gave could be misleading. There was an assumption in that last sentence that the cake shop is no more than a brisk 5 minute power walk away at most. If you find that you live a greater distance than this from the nearest cake shop I suggest you move.EDIT ENDS

 

[KadetKim]

Hi Kim -


On my agenda for today - to make/prep several Indian dishes for our Indian repast on Wednesday. Making dal today and prepping samosa filling and dough. Yum, yum. Tomorrow we'll have six boys eating with us. I love a full house.

OK Janis – glad that went well, certianly sounds great. I’ve always expected to really like samosas, but have always been sadly disappointed. Never occurred to me to make my own. Slurrppppp.




Oh Guys REMIND ME TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE YELLOW TOMATOES I‘VE GROWN.

Actually, that’s pretty much it. I’ve grown some tomatoes. They’re yellow and they're little. Yaaaaaaaaay

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

Kim, the only thing I'm finding in a five minute walk from my house are a few other houses and wildlife. About 5 minutes in the car, gets me to the nearest small town, but I don't believe they have anything equivalent to a cake shop. Actually, I don't think even the bigger town that I can drive to in about 10 minutes has anything that I would classify as that specifically. Though there are certainly places I could go to buy the things that I imagine a "cake shop" would sell.

I had another late night, early morning and iffy in between. Truly, it's getting old. Nick's game went an extra inning last night before they won, so we were later than usual getting back and winding down wasn't happening for me. I swear his team's whole goal in life is to drive all the adults involved with them to drink - even those of us who don't! Their coach is 65 and is already gray, so they can't do any damage there. Last night after the game he told his wife they were stopping at the party store on the way home.

All that translates to - I woke up again before DH's radio kicked on and started out the day to tired to workout. I'll just take my usual few laps around the yard throughout the day with Sparty.

 

[Janis]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for your input regarding my dvd list, it helped me sort out my August rotation. I almost made it all the way through my existing collection-rotation, but I am bottoming out and I am also losing bicep muscle strength and my glutes - have pancaked, so time to do something different.

I'm on the road all day today. No workout for me.

Kim - I'd send you a samosa, but I'm afraid it would be moldy and stinky by the time it arrived. The chutneys were to die for too. Well, so was everything!

Kimberly - 30 days down, 60 to go, good for you.

Cathy - Exciting times for you, enjoy them while you have them.

Gotta run - many miles to drive before I can rest.

 

[KadetKim]

Sartorial elegance is not really happening for me this week. First I left for work in a whirling panic as usual yesterday and in my haste in slapping a bit of fake tan onto my virtually opaque legs I accidentally grabbed leg make-up in lieu of a more permanent alternative. Upon arrival I procured for myself a reviving cup of coffee which I slopped about whilst lolloping in a quasi-catatonic stupor back to my desk and a drip landed on my knee which then ran all the way down the front of my shin. Accordingly all day I was then besporting a highly vivid white stripe of about 1cm width knee to ankle. Classy.

Going to a flash bash tonight. Attire is ‘citrus’. Search me??????????? I think it implies summer colours rather than dress up like an orange and adopt the demeanour of a sour lemon or a bitter old grapefruit.

Before we get onto that though a reminder about last Saturday, which was the ‘Go Ape’ recce. I was wearing my cut down denim shorts.

I realised that all my denim shorts were a bit, well short. Shorty-shorts. Not at all sure if that’s age appropriate any more (Janis – post #14 down dog!!!!!!!!!!). So despite being on a stringent economy drive now where shopping is pretty much verboten I nonetheless found myself down at the store. Delving among the fashionista shorts I wasn’t having much luck in finding anything that wasn’t either too short, too tight or too just fugly, so just as I was departing the shop I noticed that the on-trend jeans were half price and indeed half the price of the long shorts. So I snapped up a pair of those and chopped them off at the knee.

And the job’s a good’un.

So off we go to the woods whereof a hearty breakfast is partaken in a log cabin before checking out the zip lines in the trees above. This was when the rain started. My legs got soggy, my flip-floppy feet were wet with an accompaniment of leaf litter now clinging thereto and my newly chopped up jeans attire began to fray rather alarmingly. It was about now that the realisation dawned that I was wandering about in the woods looking not unlike Robinson Crusoe in a similar predicament. Not really the look I was aiming for. I’ve always been EXTREMELY FASHION FORWARD, but with this whole (blue handed) soggy, baggy Huckleberry Thing going on Kate Middleton’s got nothing to worry about.

And if you’d like to know why I’ve got blue hands, its very simple. I dyed a white top and this is the result. On the dyed top; not a fantastic result, but on me, pretty much indelible; and of course it’s not just me – but then Gucci never could leave anything alone so now he’s got blue paws and a shredded tail. Hope we don’t get a visit from the animal rights campaigners anytime this week.


So: CITRUS Bring it on.

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

Kim please do let us know if you turn out to be the only one at the party not dressed a fruit.

I hold no claim to fame in the fashion world and I totally understand that whole short-shorts in public thing totally not working anymore. Though I often see women doing it who shouldn't and wonder where they get the guts - I personally will remain gutless about the whole thing and save mine for workouts and around the house.

This is one tournament day that could use a redo if that was possible. And darn it, I've never figured out how to do that. Really, you'd think we could get one occasionally and rewind the clock and move everyone backwards. First game we lose 15-12 to a team we've beaten twice before. Had tons of errors - though at least Nick was his usual solid self. Onto game two this afternoon, which we did win 11-0 and played way better than this morning which was a very nice turn around. So, let's set this up.

Before the game I parked in an available spot, but it was around 90 today, and it was in the sun, so DH tells me after a few minutes I should move it to the shade. I didn't think this was necessary, but figured I'd humor him. So, I moved it and barely into the game, kid from the other team hits a foul ball that goes high, misses the tree and comes straight down (from very high) onto my windshield. Didn't take it out, but it has major damage on the drivers side. Of course, DH has then changed our conversation in his head and my moving the van there wasn't where he meant it to go - even though I pointed to the one open spot before I moved it. He's calmed down now, and they can come out to the house and put a new one in, but it's probably gonna cost us out $250 deductible. He had the whole thing confused in his head and was confused as to when the deductible gets paid and I got to be the messenger who he's generally inclined to want to shoot.

Unfortunately, the loss today sends us into the losers bracket, so we in order to win the tournament we now have to win and play FOUR games tomorrow. In 90 heat. Going to bring a ton of drinks with us to stay hydrated.

Back to the fashion front I picked up a couple cute pairs of earrings on sale yesterday and some chunky bracelets. I've decided I must wear those bracelets to all games because when I stressed I can play with them. In addition, to standing up, walking around, going to the rest room.....all the things I do when the kids are playing in ways that stress out the adults.

Oh and Kim, I just am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the log cabin in England thing.

 

[Janis]

Hi Ladies

Kim - "I was wandering about in the woods looking not unlike Robinson Crusoe in a similar predicament." I spit tea on my keyboard when I read this. When I was done choking, I laughed and laughed. Dare I ask why you didn't use the washing machine to dye your shirt? Yes, what do you wear when the invite simply states "Citrus"? Let me guess, something tarty and zesty, say grapefruit cups and several conveniently placed lemon wedges?

Uh, Step Moves - moved me 1/2 way through the dvd, I'll do the rest another day. My befuddled brain just wasn't up to the hip-hop steps on the floor with a shoulder shrug and I just didn't feel inspired enough to rewind.

Kimberly - How are you?

Cathy - Man, bummer about the windshield, the heat, and the bb losses. Hope tomorrow your team wins all 4 games.

OK - let's talk. The check-in has dwindled and we need to increase our numbers, do you agree? I've asked former check-in mates to rejoin us, and alas they are all onto other things. Shall we put an open invitation on the OD or ???

Let me know.


ETA: Kim - kudos on your fashion forward jeans turn into short selection. Very keen eye you have....a little seam right at the knee! Perfect cutting edge, eh? Clever clever girl.

 

[KadetKim]

ETA: Kim - kudos on your fashion forward jeans turn into short selection. Very keen eye you have....a little seam right at the knee! Perfect cutting edge, eh? Clever clever girl.

Janis pretty much nothing goes by you. Impressed.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Saturday was my first ever run through the high intensity step from 4DS. I've read things about that on here so I was looking forward to it. It had me rewinding. Today though I've got the first DOMS from those push ups that I've had since finishing STS so must have done something right. No worries though about lightening up on the cardio as ......................

Sunday. Intensity. Bring it on. Following a very late night I knew I was really going to struggle here, and although I've so been looking forward to trying this I was in the mindset of being prepared to fail. Half way through the stepping the only thing I was really liking was the banana stripe on Cathe's crop pants there, thinking it would make a nice addition to my ever burgeoning fruit wardrobe. I really surprised myself though as I pushed on I found my mojo and really started to get to grips with it. Plan to re-visit it within the next day or two to reacquaint myself once I've got a lot more fuel in the tank and I'm in the zone.

But just know that no challenge is too tough for The Kim-inator.

Cathy
Sorry about the game.
So sorry about the windscreen and
So so sorry that guys are just such a general P.I.A.

Janis Go find us lots of new check-in buddies

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

Kim no fashion report on the party?!! Way to go on Intensity!!! Doing that one when you aren't fully there, is a tough way to go. What did you think of HIS cardio?

Janis please feel free to do whatever you can to get more people to this check in!

Ok, so I got up this morning and did CTX Kick Box!! And I actually really did well, which I wasn't expecting to do since I was hot, hungry and still rather tired.

This weekend will go down in history, I hope it is never exceeded, as the longest, hottest baseball tournament I will ever be associated with. This team just can't do things the easy way and they fought their way through 4 games yesterday is mid-90 heat index temps to win the championship. I've never been more proud or awed by a group of kids in my life. Games were see saw back and forth and in the end they came through and won by more than 5 each game. Turns out it was the first time they've done this tournament and I hope they rethink it if they ever do it again. Played by different rules than our league rules - even though it was run by the same people. Umps all had differing views of what those rules were and so from game to game we never knew exactly what we could or couldn't do. Sort of trial and error. Our parents tend to understand the game and don't take bad calls lightly, so we tend to not make umps happy. Especially those who are egotistical and think the game should revolve around them. But, the adversity seems to drive this group and it was decided the perfect slogan for them is "play best with drama".

And I froze a bunch of waters and by mid afternoon had taken to dumping some over my feet every half hour or so as it really helps to cool you down - at least for a few minutes!

Then after all that baseball, thinking we were all done till fall ball starts the end of August, we get an e-mail from the 13U coach wanting to pick Nick up for 3 and possibly 4 games this week. So, on we go.....

 

[Janis]

Happy Monday!

Kim - "pretty much nothing goes by you. Impressed." Thank you, thank you very much. (said in Elvis' deep, silky, southern drawl) So, here is the burning question, once you find your mojo, do you make a mojito with it?

Cathy - Congratulations all around for the spectacular bb wins and for surviving the weather.

Kimberly - Did you have a nice weekend with your dh? Any long bike rides together?


As for me, I tweaked my hip yesterday doing a barre workout. The barre workout seemed like a good idea at the time, but this morning I am feeling it deep in the iliopsoas and it is not DOMS.

I have High Step Circuit on the calendar and some instructional kettlebell swings with my main man, Steve Cotter. I'm off to do both now.

 

[KadetKim]

Oh and Kim, I just am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the log cabin in England thing.

SHED OK Cathy it was a shed. Could possibly get away with calling it a hut but I could maybe still get busted on a technicality. I was just employing a little poetic licence to weave some romanticism into the whole damp depressing reality.

Got a text from DD Sunday morning in the early hours (4.05a.m.) To say that she was back from her night out but was just hanging out at an improv party down the road in a summer house at the end of a friend's garden. SHED OK, not been there not seen it - but no point as I know it's gonna be a shed.

Up until this moment I had no idea that so much of our social lives revolved around lurking about in sheds. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.


I've tackled INTENSITY twice. Once step with Hi & Lo HiiTs and second time dumped the Hi and added in the Boot Camp. You know I even got to thinking I wonder if I'd actually lose weight if I just repeated this routine 4-5 times per week for a month. Not very scientific but I'm wondering. Maybe if I stopped quaffing junk that might fit right in there too eh?

Also run through my little 4DS High Int twice to familiarise - which is a lot of fun, though today I got befuddled at the end and completely 4got the 3rd part of the routine on the challenge and tried to add in the blast instead. I just did the step portion this morning for a quick burst of cardio as short on time and now I'm losing all the time I saved writing this. GENIUS

I must away - a shed somewhere is a'calling ...........................

 

[Janis]

I'm going out to the garage, pronounced gar-ij, to run on the treadmill. Let's just call it a shed for simplicity sake and to avoid further American English vs. British English confusion. Then more kb instruction with Steve Cotter.

Ate chocolate last night. Feeling penitent this morning. Chocolate never solves anything, but while it's en route to my mouth I truly believe it will solve everything!