Monday, February 23, 2009

ModernGear Health: Working out with Gwyneth and Madonna's trainer

I wrote about the Tracy Anderson exercise DVDs a while ago, and I ordered the mat one a few weeks ago, and am finally getting my lazy ass in gear to try it. Honestly, I might not even have done so if we didn't have a wedding to go to in Cancun at the beginning of April...
I keep seeing pictures of an amazingly fit Gwyneth Paltrow and frankly, I didn't know she had it in her. So, it's time to see how she's doing it.

And I am going to keep a blog diary through the process - in the pursuit of journalistic excellence, commitment to storytelling and...who am I kidding...a chance to rest once in a while.

Whew! Let's go.

10 minutes in

Just the warm-up kicked my ass. I am seriously out of shape.

I only got through the first leg sequence by calling Tracy a bitch a few times. Duane is licking my yoga mat - he has never seen this pink thing, and he's been with us for what - 8 months? Yuh.

Time for a drink of water, grabbing my 3-lb weights and I am back at it. An update next rest.

30 minutes in
Loved the standing abs section. Once I get into a good routine of sticking to workouts, I am an abs machine. I once had a four-pack but the elusive six-pack was not mine. I like what Tracy said about abs - something about having a nicely-shaped tummy but not necessarily having a six-pack. I like dreaming about results that I can actually achieve.

Also finished up the arms sequence. She switches up the movements quickly and you have to really follow along, but that will get easier with each subsequent workout with the DVD as I'll get to know the moves. I can see how this part of the workout can achieve results, as you are required to keep your arms up and moving for quite a while. I found this part really enjoyable.

It could be because I had about ten breaks though, because Duane didn't enjoy the sequence so much. He can't seem to figure out why my arms and legs have been flailing about, and has been acting out in frustration. He's bitten the couch, and there's a new hole in a rug my husband brought back from a trip to Afghanistan years ago.

With that and the fact that the next sequence needs three-pound weights and the drawer in my bedroom that they're in is stuck and I can't get it open (that's kind of ironic and funny - because clearly I need to get stronger), I think I'll end it here for today, and get up while hubby and the pooch are still sleeping. Less collateral damage this way.

The good part is I already have the shakes and am pretty sure this is a great workout. If I can stick to it, which frankly is always the issue, then I'm sure I'll see some great results. And since I am admitting my plans and sharing them here, now I'll just have to give updates so that ought to keep me going. That and the idea of getting myself into a swimsuit in April.

Stay tuned. And no, do not even ask to see before-and-after pictures. Not gonna happen!!

February 26

I had a grand notion of getting up at 5am the next morning to do the DVD again. But I forgot to ask hubby to help me with the stuck drawer where the weights are held, and my legs felt awfully tight...and come on, like I was getting out of bed at 5am!!

I decided to ride my bike to work instead - about 45 minutes and 4 miles worth of cardio to get there, with a slower-paced ride for 4 miles home. THAT was fun - I'll be supplementing the home workouts and swimming when it gets a bit warmer, with the biking. I'm also going to start pilates after we move into our new place as well.

10:36am
So, on with today's workout. I still didn't get the weights, so I'll be doing the DVD up until that point. And hoping that Duane stays napping on the chair instead of eating it out of frustration and confusion as to why I'm flapping around.

10:48am
Thought: I love how Tracy says, "It should really start burning about now." Oh, I am a step ahead of you then because it started burning about three minutes ago. I'm an overachiever.

11:01am
Finished legs, am shaky but feel good. Number of rests: um...between 5 and 10. LESS than first time! And didn't call her names, just uttered, "Oh, Mother" one time. Onto standing abs, woot!

11:12am
I really do like this standing abs section! It's not easy, but it's not hard either. I can feel that it is working my abs, and I am not laying on the floor like a jerk, cranking my neck up. It would be hard to get these wrong. And there are some sexy moves in here. If this whole journalist thing doesn't work out, I could always get a job as a stripper.

11:37am
Finished the arms part without the weights. There's a whole other section with weights, for the arms! Oops. Half an arm workout is probably better than none, but still. Have to get that drawer unstuck. On to the mat.

12:01pm
Done! After the mat legs workout (really good, and hard, I am shaking), to my great shock, there was a floor abs session! So there I was laying on the floor like a jerk, cranking my neck up. You really have to watch her closely as she'll switch it up without saying anything. Two rest breaks, not a bad section.

Et voila. A cool down, and I am hitting the showers!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

good luck!! am interested in hearing about how it goes for you - maybe I will try it, too ...