Are you scouting for the SAS or wha'?

Hey guys and gals

Hope everyone is well today.  I am sore, sore, sore .... oh and did I mention, sooooorrrrrrrreeeee.

I missed bootcamp in Kilbogget on Monday but decided to go up to St Enda's Pk in Rathfarnham for the Bodytoners Bootcamp class yesterday (Tuesday).   Sun splitting the heavens and after a few wrong turns, I found it.  Parked the car and all I could see as I walked around was lots of kids doing football training, hurling training and the likes but no sign of bootcampers.  Walked around a corner and was met with a string of ladies jogging in a line and an ever enthusiastic instructor to welcome me.  Antoin was tonights instructor 

We did about 5 to 10 mins warm up (eh, serious cardiac arrest time), he shouts 'lets get started'!!!! The class was huge as I'm used to being in a small class so this was great for me.  There were about 20 of us.  We had to spread out and kick our legs up to waist height (I maintained my baby's waist height haha but in my defence, he didn't actually say whose waist height to use as a template), this was for 30 seconds.  Then we had to do squat jumps for 30 seconds, then we had to do jumping jack star jumps, then there was a globe jump which was starting in a squat position and jump to the right, jump backwards, jump to the left, jump forwards..... jaysussssssss..... then, breath nowhere to be found, we were to do 30 seconds of press ups, 30 seconds of the plank while moving your knees into your elbows.  Eh, man, wrecked, shattered, fecked!!!! and then he shouts 'ok, lets do it again'...... WHATTTTTTTT???????  I was feckin wrecked.  I try so hard to keep my jelly under wraps but with exercises involving jumping.... well, lets just say it's seriously not a great look and I am in danger of getting black eyes haha

I noticed the time was getting close to 'cool down' stage so I was slightly excited about that, however, Antoin had other plans :0)

He produced the Medicine Ball...... a ball filled with what can only be described as concrete...... we had to line up behind one another and hand the ball over our head to the person behind, while running!!!! When the ball got to the back of the line, the last person had to sprint to the top of the line with the ball over her head the whole time and then it was passed around again.  I had to drop out towards the end of this one as I seriously haven't mastered the technique of running yet and so was completely about to croak it at any stage.

Thinking that was it, cool down must be now.... nope.  He had us do a relay race.  3 lines of us, 4 cones setup and we had to run to the first cone, back to the start, run to the second cone, back to the start and then run to the 3rd cone and back to the start where the next person would start.  HOLY GOD is on speed dial at this stage.

We then did AB work.  3 simple ab exercises but we had to do them altogether with no break.  Thought my stomoch was going to explode with this ..... Then, 'Cool Down'  aaaaaahhhhhhhh, my favourite words.

Antoin was explaining to me after the workout that the exercises we had done were part of what was called 'The Insanity Workout' (aptly named in fairness) but the parts we had done were only the fitness test part of it, there was loads more to it which he had struggled at.... Well, if the instructors struggled and these guys are fit fit fit, there is no hope for anyone else haha. 

So, I've had Alan, Paula and Hanna train me.... all of whom were definitely hand plucked from the army but I have my suspisions Antoin was plucked from the Navy Seals.

All in all though, a fantastic class.... lots of energy, lots of encouragement and lots of enjoyment.  I'm hurtin' today but that's a good sign!!!!

Thank you Bodytoners, you are the jelly movers :0)

Takin' on the Jelly

Hello hello

And in a nod to my Swedish sargeant, God Dag Envar (Hello Everyone)

So, Monday's bootcamp was insane.  It was lashing rain, like when you watch a film and the rain is just like someone is standing there with a hose and the actors clothes are completely drenched - well, that was us on Monday.

I was full sure that no one would show up to be honest, the weather was desperate but then I spotted Hanna swinging her car into the carpark and then 2 other girls arriving.  Ok so, lets get started!!!

Hanna loves to run and she has such a beautiful way of running, she is as I said before a gorgeous Swedish beauty and even in the lashings of rain, running, she's massive..... unlike me who literally takes on the colour of an orange prison jumpsuit while trying to look all cool and deadly jogging.  Most people who run, in fairness, have a fabulous way of running that makes it look so easy and they never ever look tired or out of breath and all the instructors for the bootcamps can manage to run, sprint, squat, situp etc.. all while looking gorgeous and cool and deadly and still in breath.  I just die but I try and I suppose that is the most important thing really.

We jogged to 'warm up' the bodies, the whole way around the park (nearly vomited all over the place and I swear to god my lungs are no where in sight and the people of Kilbogget Park shall never be the same again after seeing all my jelly flopping past them) we did front squats, side squats (hakka style - extremely unattractive), situps, press ups, sitting squat against a tree which is a bleedin' KILLERRRRRR (also extremely unattrative after about 10 seconds) and sprinting.... you would imagine that would be it right?...... Eh, no.  Hanna had brought some props.

We did some boxing which, in all honesty is great fun.  I love the boxing but the person holding the pads has to work with you otherwise you are going to take their arms and your arms clean off if you have any sort of power, which I do.  I did Tae Bo years ago and while that is not a contact exercise, it does give you the basis of your stance and your power.  My husband does kickboxing and so I'm familiar with the pads and the gloves and the 'moves' (oh yes guys and gals, I have moves!!!).  It's very tiring punching at chest level for 30 seconds as fast as you can, punching at shoulder level, doing situps and punching when you get to the sitting up stage..... 

Man oh man, I was feckin' wrecked lads.  I'm still in bits.com.  My legs are still feeling like jelly but I'm very proud of the fact that I went in the lashings of rain and did a fantastic workout courtesy of the Swedish stunner.

I'm still here, I'm still sweating and I am still loving it and guys, if I can still feel this way after 7 weeks, then so can you.... Get moving my fellow blog watchers, it's so much fun   xxx

Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint

Monday night's bootcamp was a real bootcamp ladies and gents, boys and girls.  I met Hanna.... Hanna is a Swedish beauty, typical Swedish beauty, 6ft, legs to her neck, lovely attitude but bags and bags of energy!!!! Yep, this one was a live wire in the exercise stakes people.  You would imagine after 6 weeks of doing Bootcamp that I would be prepared for anything, be able to complete any task, be able to manage warm up without the feeling of lungs dropping and vomit rising!!!! You would think wouldn't you

So, Hanna, leggy Hanna, loves to run and run and run and run!!!! Man, herself and Paula definietely must have trained in the army..... Enthusiastically, Hanna said 'lets warm up de bawdies'..... Ok, so, warm up is, I suppose, not meant to be easy but seriously, I feel like I've done my exercises when I've done the warm up and Hanna's warm up was feckin' tough.  Lots of jumping, running, jumping, squating and sprinting (eh, holy jaysus!!!! spontaneous combustion).  Then, enthusiastically Hanna says 'ok, letchs get schtarted' (seriously, have we not just done the flippin class mate!!!).

Cones in place (about 10 I think).... Red and blue ones opposite each other but what we had to do was work across each line... so first up was jogging to the first cone, sprint to the next, jog to the next, sprint to the next .... second up was jog, sprint, jog etc...but you had to chase the girl in front of you and try to catch her when we were sprinting.... then she made us crawl like crabs to each cone (seriously, in full view of traffic and buses ... the shame of it all lads, wouldn't mind so much if I had an ass like hers but jaysus, not a pretty sight for the people of Kilbogget Park).... then it was run to the cone, 3 press ups, run to the next, 3 sit ups.... then there was a side squat to each cone (imagine a sumo wrestler stance or like you're about to do the Hakka....yep, not really pretty is it)

So, no lungs left whatsoever she explained that we going to do a tree run - run to the first tree in the park, sprint to the next, run to the next, sprint to the next one and so on and then back to the where we began (ok, so, this is fine if the trees are evenly spaced but right bang in the middle, on a sprint run, I notice that there are about 3 trees missing and so the 'sprint' was actually the run of a dying woman).... I made it back but had to stop at the bottom and walk for a few tree's but then ran back to the start..... N O  B R E A T H  L E F T

She then, enthusiastically as ever, told us we were going to 'work de abs' and then do some 'pressh upsh'.... she said this was a nice cool down exercise (riiiiiight) but we'd actually do a cool down jog after it ..... ok, which dictionary says jogging is cooling down because it needs to be rewritten!!!! She had brought Medicine Balls with her aswell - thank the lord she didn't get time to use them, holy god!!!!

So, that was my introduction to gorgeous Hanna.... Sergeant Major Hanna

Still concentrating on my diet, protein shakes and fat burners have been purchased so it's focus time guys and gals....

Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint!!!! Very true and wise words which I shall take to heart and use as my motivation :0)

Fall 7, Stand 8

I think one of my problems, in general, is that I sometimes set goals a little high for myself and then I feel guilty when I don't achieve them.  Having said I was going to try to make it to 3 bootcamp sessions a week for 3 weeks, I managed only 2 this week again.  Realistically, when you have children, you have to be a bit logical with your commitments.  I am going to try again next week to make it to 3 but I suppose I need to try to change my mindset that if it doesn't happen for various reasons, then I have to be ok with that..... so I will try.

I did a Tuesday class in Blackrock this week, instead of my usual Thursday session.  It was a killer ladies and gentlement, we worked our legs to within an inch of their lives (having done the same to them the previous night - this session was really hard for me).  We worked our upper bodies too and that was also a killer. 

We did 30 seconds of squats, 30 seconds of lunges, 30 seconds of burpees.... We did this 3 times before we got a break (I think Paula, our instructor, should train the feckin' army because seriously, soldiers would have been f*cked after this!!!!).... We continued doing 3 sets of 30 second toning exercises for the ABS, 3 times (there really isn't anything else to say except F*CK!!!!).... 3 sets of 30 second toning exercises  for the upper body, 3 times (could not support my own body weight after the first 3 sets.  Ok, that's a lie, after the first set period haha...had serious issues with staying upright, continuously fell over almost breaking my nose at one stage).  Nonetheless, it was a great workout and I have been at one with the whole 'no pain, no gain' statement this week because it was a challenge to sit down, a challenge to stand up and a challenge to fall out of bed. Paula's class of pain was in full swing on Tuesday :0)

So, another week down and another week ahead of me, another chance to set the goals and another chance to achieve them.  Setbacks are not failures, they are just setbacks, so, as the saying goes, fall seven times, stand up eight :0)

Stay positive guys and gals and in case I don't see you, Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night xxx

On the phone to God

It's bank holiday Monday, I have just done a bootcamp.  I was out last night, completely hammered, had about 10 Captain Morgans, dyin.com today but I felt I had to go to the class tonight because the instructor has given up his bank holiday Monday to come to the class so, while yes it's alot easier and comfortable to die in the confines of your own sitting room, I just felt I owed it to myself to start as I mean to go on and try to get to every class!!!!

So, I'm totally proud of myself I went down and did the class.  It started with only me there so I was slightly worried about what lay in store for me - personal training session :0)  Just as we had 'warmed up' (I try so hard not to vomit my way through a warm up but in particular today it was a challange), my little secondary school student fellow bootcamper, Megan, arrived (having sprinted from her house to the field!!!) and so we began.

Co ordination was a 'top of the list' requirement straight off the bat tonight and I was horrendous. I could blame the drink, could blame my age, could blame the alignment of the stars etc... but to be honest, as in a previous blog, my deadly co ordination was and is a complete figment of my imagination. We had the ladder thingy on the ground and we had to bounce, jump, squat jump and line dance our way through each rung and sprint up to the cone placed about 5 metres away from the top of the lader and then jog back to start again.  The only thing I could hear when I was jumping, bouncing and squat jumping my way through the ladder was the amount of water I had in my belly from trying to quench my hangover thirst, it was hilarious.  Oh and I could hear Megan doing three times as many reps as me.... far too feckin' fit that wan!!! We then moved onto AB work and this was toughhhhhhh.

We had to do 2 exercises in quick succession, stop for a 20 seconds break (which absolutely never seems to be as long as when you do 20 seconds of exercises) and then on again.  I really struggled here, my arms couldn't support my body weight for more than 5 reps of any exercise.  I continually collapsed into a fit of giggles because I actually was totally and utterly brutal at every exercise tonight but I obviously did enough, I'm in a bleedin' heap here haha.

So, I'm on my first of 3 sessions a week malarky, I'm guessing tomorrow will be a tough class for me too but nonetheless...... BRING IT ON :0)

Ciao for now fellow blogspotters, wish me luck and if you happen to see me on the phone, it will more than likely be to the G in the sky   

Bootcamp in the Sun..... that is random

Since I have started Bootcamp, consistantly and probably the only thing that has been consistant, the weather has been absolutely feckin' sh*te butttttt Thursday, the heatwave was upon us and my first session in the sun!!! wohoo!!!! Well, that was until we actually started............ sweating like a motherf*cker

Kettlebells...... WTF is the story with feckin' kettlebells.  Man oh man, they are ferousious to work out with.  You get the whole mentality after your first few reps 'oh, this is grand, I can do this' but then the weight of the bell hits you and suddenly it's like literally trying to move the earth.

We had the various exercises to do with the kettlebells..... the two that stick in my mind as being real jellie wobblers were the reverse lunges and the lying flat on your back and lifting it up with one arm up in the air (ok, that's not the actual technical name for it but I have no idea what it was called!!!).  Both these were toughhhhhhh.  My legs completely went from under me doing the reverse lunges... much to the amusement of the dart/bus/car passangers along the park route :0)

Nonetheless, Paula was hugely encouraging, as ever! all of the instructors are... they don't shout at you, they shout encouragement, they shout the words you like hearing 'Great work Jennifer.... Keep it going Jennifer.... Brilliant work Jennifer......... Don't give up Jennifer'. Ok, so, the last one is normally cause I have collapsed in a heap of hyperventilation but you get my drift.  They are amazing and it does push you along, you do push yourself and you do accomplish it as much as you think you can't do it, you won't do it, you'll die doing it.... you DO it and you WIN!!!!!!

Heading out tomorrow night for the first time in many many weeks...... Bootcamp is still going ahead on Bank Holiday Monday, I'll be inbits.com for sure but I'll be there with bells on (please Alan, not kettlebells!!!!! haha)

Have a super fab, wonderful, safe and healthy weekend with the odd beverage in toe and for the love of all that is good and pure in this world, avoid kettlebells as much as you can :0) xxx