Slow Count Pilates

Monday was my usual Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  Erin had a treat for me with some new moves she learned at a training session in New York.  She put me through the ringer doing what I call slow count Pilates.  They were 3-4 minute series of moves done on the reformer.  Each move is done for a minute with  a four count out and four count in steady count for the minute.

They are tough!  The plank series was 3 minutes of just hold on and hope you make it.  But I loved the change and something new to shock the system.

Here's the plank series with Erin cueing the moves.

Push Ups & Assisted Hops In Parking Garage Gym

On Monday I had my usual Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  It was such a beautiful day that we took my Kinesis session outside and hit the parking garage.  That means running stairs (single steps, double steps, sideways), lunges, push ups, triceps dips, up and overs, jumps, and all sorts of old school fun.  Two of the exercises I did were push ups into side plank and assisted hops.

The the push ups, we found a curb.  I did a push up straight into a side plank then returned to a push up starting position, push up, side plank opposite side, then back to start position.

After running stairs and 10 burpees, I did 20 assisted jumps.  The trick with these is to think about jumping up and over something while holding on to the railing.  Trying to capture a picture while I was at the top of the jump gave Erin and I a great laugh.

Here's a video of both moves:

In Pilates, we did a lot of ab work and some serious work on my hamstring. My tweaked hamstring is giving me fits!  And of course I don't want to totally rest like I probably should.

Tabata Intervals Are Tough

Today I did Mad Abs and Dirty 30 at Pura Vida Club.  Both classes have awesome instructors - Jamie teaches the Mad Abs and Tim teaches the Dirty 30.

I'm not sure how, but somehow, Jamie makes the 30 minute Mad Abs class go by fast.  I love that she does so much more than crunches.  Today we used a body bar, Bosu, and ball for the class.  I love that she gave us two challenges to end the class.  Here are the two moves used an exercise ball and Bosu.

Plank with hands on Bosu (ball side up) and legs on the exercise ball.  If you can do that then try bringing knees in keeping feet on ball.  If you can do the knee roll in, then try bringing feet in as you extend up in a pike position.

Turn Bosu ball over so the flat part is up.  Hold on to the sides and place legs on ball.  Trust me this plank is challenging enough but if you want to go one more level then alternate bringing knees to elbows.

Those were the two exercises to end Mad Abs then it was on to Dirty 30 with Tim.

Today he did 6 exercises in Tabata style which is doing exercise for 20 seconds then resting 10 seconds and going right in to next one.  Here are the exercises for 1 cycle:

Burpees - I so have a love-hate relationship with these.  I hate doing them but love the results of doing these.

Cross Over Lunges

Push Ups - yes I did all cycles on toes military style

Squat Curl Press - squat with weights in hands, as you start to come up do bicep curls, the press weights overhead.

Deck Squat - with step long ways start laying down with arms extended beyond head.  Sit up then stand up, then squat back down and go back to starting position.  I actually had problems with this one. Tim noticed and said it's because I'm short-waisted.  So he suggested holding one of my 5 pound weights in my hands while doing the move.  That worked!

Mountain Climbers - like burpees I have a love-hate relationship with these.

Now do that cycle 8 times doing each exercise for 20 seconds then rest 10 seconds and right into the next one.  There is no extra rest in between cycles!

Planking with the Bosu

Yesterday I did my weekly Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  Often she'll have me do some sort of exercise or exercises on the Bosu.  Today was planking with the Bosu.  It's plank position with forearms on Bosu then putting hands on floor into a full plank and alternating those positions for a set time.

It's tough and definitely a full body, especially core workout move.

Elevated Side Plank

This move is a toughie!  The elevated side plank is a great core move Erin at Pura Vida Club did with me in my Pilates session Thursday.

It's an advance move on the side plank.  Don't be surprised if you shake a little on this one.  It's a great move and great variation on a core move.