December 4- Last Day

Today was the last day of class :(
 I really ended up enjoying this class way more than I thought. I learned a lot exercises that I know I can continue to keep in my life. We started with our final which was what have we learned from this class. Then we went on to do 120 of each exercise. It was really cool to see just how far we've all come this semester! Hopefully I can take another fitness class next semester because it really gave me the motivation to work out more often!

November 29- 75 of everything!

Today we did 75 repetitions of everything. Once again we started with 75 regular crunches, L-ups, and butterfly crunches. We also broke things into 3 sets of 25 to make it easier because after awhile I think all of our abs were burning! We did sit ups to the opposite leg and V-ups. The V-ups were definitely the hardest part for me! By that time my abs were pretty tired! After that we switched up to side planks and regular planks which were kind of harder for me today because I got a flu shot yesterday so my arm was a little sore. Also, we did ski lunges in 3 sets of 25 and surprisingly my legs didn't hurt as much today. We wrapped up by doing our timed Russian Twists and our fastest time was 52 seconds. We ended with push ups and were off for the weekend :)

November 27- 100 of everything!

Today's class was a little different from previous days because we amped up everything we did. We started off doing 100 regular crunches, 100 L-ups, and 100 crunches with our legs straight out. As a class we all did 10 sets of push out crunches. It was definitely harder and more challenging! Then some of us got the chance to choose exercises to do so we ended up doing 100 Russian Twists and 100 lunges. After the 100 lunges, my legs were burning so bad! We also did 100 regular bridges and 100 pulsing bridges. I didn't think that it would hurt that much but my legs were burning after that too. We also did side and regular planks, which are always hard for me. We also made our pushups harder and instead of starting at 10 we started at 11. This class was harder but I really liked the challenge even though my body is super sore right now :)

November 20

Today was the last day of class before Thanksgiving break, so although a lot of people were off traveling we still had fun. We got in a circle and went down the list of exercises everyone wanted to do. I think we had a pretty good variety of exercises. We did a lot of Russian Twists and lunges and squats. There was also some yoga which was a good balance with the more challenging exercises. Class was really laid back and relaxed and every one had an opportunity to contribute. Of course we ended with our typical push ups! It was a perfect way to really get awake and then start my Thanksgiving break!

November 16

Yesterday I woke up with yet another migraine and didn't make it to class. Thursday was basically a day of me taking advil and trying to get work done later in the day. Thankfully when I woke up Friday it had died down a lot and I was feeling better by the afternoon.

Since I hadn't been able to go to class I tried something different for a work out with my roommates. We spent the night trying out belly dancing videos. It was really fun for us to just kind of mess around and try something completely new! It was cool because we created different routines along with the video.

I also tried to think of some exercises I could add to my fitness plan. Since I really want to work on toning by legs I was looking up some different types of lunges. I found a couple of really interesting ones so I'm looking forward to seeing how those actually turn out.

November 13- Partner Work

During today's class we broke up into partners and did the core training partner routines. We used a lot of different things like BOSU balls, resistance bands, and exercise balls. I worked with Tayler and we pretty much just went down the list of exercises until we got to the end.

We started off using the resistance bands and working on our upper body muscles. We did exercises standing a few feet away from each other and pulled the resistance bands back and forth to strengthen our arm muscles. We also did some exercises where we would rotate while pulling the resistance bands which added more of a challenge by engaging our abdominal muscles.

We used the exercise balls a lot with the abdominal workouts to make it a little harder. We did crunches as well and each time we came up we had to high five our partner. I think a lot of the ab exercises really targeted the lower abs, which I like. The hardest part for me was doing the right-center-left leg drops because there were so many continuous repetitions.

Other exercises like lunges and balancing on the BOSU balls were good too. They weren't too hard but doing a lot of repetitions helped to make it effective!

November 8

Today was our first day back to a regular schedule. It was cool because some of the things we did in the teaching days were incorporated into our routine. Most of the focus today was on abs but we did some squats as well and used the resistance bands. I was glad we had our music back and were really working out. I feel like the teaching days may have been a little easier at times so it was great to get back to that! At the end of class we got in a circle and did Russian twists with an exercise ball. I love doing that exercise, I'm not sure why but it is one of my favorites. Then of course we ended with our push up routine but because it was our first time doing it in a while we took it easy and only started from 5 :)

November 6

Today we finished up doing the teaching days. First Chris and Tariq showed us the Insanity ab workout. It was really a challenge to endurance. The program worked you really hard and got my heart rate up. The jumps were hard and the crunches were different from anything I had done before. I have always really wanted to try Insanity so I was glad they brought it to the class. Then Tayler and I did our lesson plan using free weights. It went well too and it was interesting to be on the other side of class. I learned about making things interesting and challenging. I enjoyed the experience. It was a great fun class!

November 1-Teaching Day

Today was our first day back to class after Hurricane Sandy. First we did a cleansing yoga routine. What I really liked about that was that all of the poses led into the next so it was all really smooth. It was a relaxing way to start the day and it was one of the workouts I would like to continue regularly. I think the girls had good background information on the routine and led it confidently. 

Then we did an ab routine. It was good because there were a lot of different variations of each exercise. We also did a good number of repetitions of each exercise so it all felt like I was getting an optimal workout. It wasn't too challenging of a workout but it definitely targeted all of my abs. 

October 25- Teaching Day 3

Today was our third day of teaching days and it was really fun!

Alesha went first and I really liked her teaching because she was so energetic and funny! She made it fun to work out so early in the morning. I liked how exercises focused on one main goal of getting a lean stomach. She told us just how each exercise would help reach that goal. It was also good that she changed the music to go with each individual exercise. I think she was well prepared with her timer as well!

I also thought Allie and Anne's dynamic plank/pushups. It was a really creative workout to bring to the class. It was cool because it targeted abs arms and legs in really challenging ways. The girls did a good job of going through each part of the workout before actually going through the whole thing quickly. It was really challenging and definitely something I would try again.

Lastly Ava went and I really liked her workouts and stretches. Her workout seemed really well thought out and planned. My favorite part of her workout was the deadlifts and squats. They were pretty challenging and I felt my muscles really working! The stretches after felt really great after the whole day!

October 23- Teaching Day 2

Today was the second day that we did student teaching. First Leah and Katrina taught us some cardio pilates exercises. It was really creative because they incorporated paper plates into the workout. We used them to do sliding planks and push ups. It was challenging but really unique at the same time so I liked it a lot! We also did a lot of high jumps which really got our heart rates going.

The second group, Meredith and Paxton, taught us a barre method workout. It was really hard for me because I was using a 15 lb kettlebell and I'm just not that strong. I really liked the exercises they used though because they were a little harder so I definitely felt my leg muscles working in the squats and arm muscles when twisting and lifting the weight. I couldn't really do all the exercises at the pace with my weight but it would be cool to try them again with a weight more suitable to my strength level.

The last group, Angela and Pengyu, slowed it down and taught us some yoga. I think it was a great way to end class because it was so calming and I got a really good stretch from it. We did a lot of repetitions of each pose so I could personally really feel the stretch. I most enjoyed the tree pose because I liked focusing on balancing my center!

October 18- Teaching Day 1

Today started our first day of student teaching! The first group to go did an intense workout with lots of lunges and push ups. We did push ups where we had to jump our legs from side to side in between each push up. Right after that we did push ups where we did side crunches in between. They were both definitely endurance testers. We also did jumps in the air, down to push ups and mountain climbers. I liked the first group because they really tried to push us to do workouts that were challenging. 

The second group that went slowed the pace down a little. First we used free weights to do side lunges. It wasn't extremely hard so we did a lot of reps. We also did twisting bicep curls and crunches. I liked the second group because they seemed to have fun while they were teaching.

The last group to go did a variety of exercises in a fun way. We started with jumping jacks and squats. We then all got into a circle and held a plank position while each person said their favorite Halloween candy and costume. We finished by playing ninja. I really liked that they added creativity and a fun spark to their workout.

October 16

Today I didn't get to go to class. Instead I was in bed with a massive headache for most of the day, which definitely wasn't as much fun as class! :(

October 12- Free Weights

I really enjoyed our workout yesterday with the free weights! Today my legs are a little sore from the squats but I like that because then I know I was really working those muscles. Using the free weights we focused on arms, abs, and legs. We lifted weights with our arms straight out in front of us and with our arms by our side. We also did repetitions with our wrists facing upwards to work different muscles within our arms. Something new we added were push ups with the weights which added another level of difficulty. For abs we did Russian twists - which are always my favorite! We did a variety of crunches and did a lot of reps so I really felt it! For legs we of course did some squats which burned a lot! We did the exercise where we rotated our torso and legs to work our glutes as well.

October 4- MTV Pilates

Today was really great because we did Pilates and I absolutely LOVE Pilates! We used a DVD made my MTV and it was cool because it had three different people working at different levels so when there was something I had never done before I could follow the easier level until i felt comfortable enough to try the harder positions. The workout started with my personal favorite - the Pilates 100.  I like this workout because you immediately feel the blood circulating throughout your body and you're really warmed up. I also really liked the leg circles and lifts because I feel my legs working as well as my abs in order to keep my balance. Some of the workouts were pretty hard though, like when we had our legs up in the air and were doing curl ups. That definitely tested my balance and core strength. The ending was pretty difficult too because of the fast pace. We ended with the Pilates push up- where we had to do a push up then walk up to feet with our hands, roll up then back down to do more push ups. It was hard but I liked how I felt really stretched out afterwards and that's what I love about Pilates! It's a great workout but you don't feel completely exhausted after!

October 2

Today we broke up into pairs and did some work outs with the resistance bands, medicine balls, and BOSU balls. I really enjoyed it because it had a lot of variety and worked all different parts of our core. So first off, we used the resistance bands to work on our triceps by each holding and end of the resistance band and pulling backwards at the same time. We did different variations of this such as standing face to face and side by side or twisting our torso at the same time. Then using the medicine ball we sat back to back and passed it to each other which worked our abs. We also did sit ups passing the ball. The medicine ball was also used in squatting and catching the ball and shuffling and passing it. It definitely got my heart rate up. On the BOSU balls we did a lot of balancing while trying to catch the medicine ball. It was tricky and challenging! Class ended by all of us getting in a big circle and doing Russian twists and passing a medicine ball. We did four reps and by the end my abs were burning! But it was fun at the same time :)
 

Septermber 27-Resistance Bands 2

Today was another day of resistance bands. I really liked today because although it wasn't extremely hard or fast pace I could feel my muscles working really hard in each exercise. The crunches and ab workouts with the resistance band added extra work on my abs so I could really feel them working. I liked that a lot! The arm lifts were definitely more effective for me than last class. On Tuesday I didn't really feel them and I'm not sure why...maybe because the resistance band was so small and I was afraid to break it the first time. The one thing I don't like to much is walking back and forth with the resistance band just because it feels a little awkward. We finished with push ups like usual which was easier today because we started at 8. Even though we made it easier it still felt good that I could get through the whole thing at a good pace now. I'm going to the AFC later today with my roommate and I think it would be cool to show her some of the resistance workouts and push up routine!

September 25-Resistance Bands

So today's class felt a little more relaxed because we were using the resistance bands. Jenna explained this is because we were focusing on control more than anything. I actually kinda liked this because it's the beginning of the week and I'm tired so it was a good way to ease into working out. I really felt my lower abs working when we did the crunch and then tied the resistance band around our legs. The glute exercise was also cool(even though it caused me to break a resistance band). I think it would have been easier or more comfortable if the the resistance band was a little longer. I didn't really feel that much when I was doing the arm lifts but maybe if I had done more repetitions I would have. The hardest part about today was definitely the end! We did planks continuously from the left side to center to right side. And each side we did raises and in the center we did forwards/backwards. It was tiring! By the time I got to push ups I was super tired. On the bright side, it was a really good way to get my blood pumping and heart racing.

September 20- Medicine Balls

Today's class focused on doing exercises from last class and adding a medicine ball in. This made the workouts even more challenging! We started with side to side stretches and I could feel a deeper stretch with the addition of the medicine ball. It also felt like the ball was pulling me down so it helped with a balance challenge. We then moved on to squats and the added weight on my legs definitely made them burn. I was sore from last class so this will definitely add on to the feeling! We took a break here and then came back for ab exercises. The cherry pickers were the hardest part for me and burned a lot. The jack crunches were hard to get used to, I was a little clumsy with ball at first but after i got a good pace I liked it. We also did L ups which surprisingly didn't hurt too much. The hardest part for me was doing the arms. The planks and planks-touch out weren't that bad but the push-ups were super challenging for me. I could feel my arms getting tired. We ended like usual with our push up routine which I can feel is starting to get easier, and that's really encouraging!

September 18- Medicine Ball Preview

Today the exercises we did were what we are going to do with the medicine balls. We started without the medicine balls to get a feel for each exercise. We won't be able to do the exercises with the medicine ball if we are unable to do them without them first. 
After warming up, we used the exercise balls to stretch to left and right. Adding the ball added more resistance so I felt the stretch even more and it was more challenging. We did exercises like push out crunches and next time we will have the medicine ball between our legs. We also did things like planks and plank touches in which we will balance on the medicine ball. I know that the medicine ball will make these workouts even more challenging because they'll add extra weight and make balancing tougher. I really like the cherry pickers exercise because I can really feel my abs working and I know I will feel it even more when the medicine ball is added. I also am interested to see how the squats will feel with the medicine ball and where I will feel my muscles working. I know next class will definitely be challenging but I'm excited to see how much i can do.

9/13: Core Training Stations Day 2

Today was day two of stations and this time we incorporated exercise balls.This was the first station I started at and I really enjoyed it. I feel like it added a little more difficulty to the exercises because we had to use balance along with the workout. I enjoyed the push out crunches the most because I could really feel the burn in my lower abs doing that since the ball added a little more weight. The push ups were also a little more difficult because it was harder to keep my balance but I like that work out and hope we do it next class.

After the exercise balls we moved on to the superman station. For some reason today I really felt it in my glute and lower thigh region so I was glad to give that area of my body a rest when we moved on to lower abs. Abs are my favorite so I enjoyed that station the most.  Then we moved on to push ups which I was dreading. Push ups are still the hardest for me but I can kind of feel myself getting stronger because they get a little easier each time. I can't wait to see how I feel about them by the end of the semester. We then moved on to planks which definitely tests my endurance but I like that challenge a lot. It hurts but I really want to keep doing it so I can get stronger. We finished with arm circles and holds which I think was a good place to end. I enjoyed stations today; I feel like I got to go to more stations than last class and had a little more drive to keep doing the workouts on my own.

September 11- Core Training Station Day

Today's class was different from the usual routine. Instead of doing workouts as a class we split up into pairs and traveled to different stations that targeted different parts of the body. I started at station 8 which focused on lower abs. We started off with scissor legs and walking scissors which I thought were the hardest out of all the exercises. I feel my lower abs really working and I like that because I know I'm doing it correctly and I know I'll see results in the strength of my lower abs. We followed scissor legs with leg raises and flutters which were a little easier for me. Then we did push out crunches. That was hard because we had to do 10 sets of 20. After awhile it really started to burn but the good thing was that because we were doing it in smaller groups we could pace ourselves to a rhythm that was appropriate for us. We finished our lower ab work out with L ups. Then we moved onto station 9 which worked on the butt. This station was very hard because it consisted of lots of lunges and squats. My legs were definitely burning. I liked this station because fire hydrant leg lifts and kicks are some of my favorite exercises. I feel like you can really feel those muscles working when you do these work outs. The last station I got to was station 1: supermans. I like doing supermans because you feel it throughout your abs and legs so I feel like it's a good workout to target multiple parts of the body. Today was good because I had to force myself to keep doing the exercises without the help of a teacher. I liked the stations but I also really like doing things as a whole class and look forward to doing that next class.

September 6: Focus on Abs!

Today's class was all about working on our abs. A lot of the exercises we did targeted the lower portion of our abs. We did some common things such as scissor crunches and superman but there was also some variation. For example, we did scissor kicks but instead of holding our legs at one position we moved them up and down for 30 seconds (2 reps). I definitely felt the burn in my lower abs the the lower my legs got to the ground. We also did a pilates 100; I hadn't done this exercise in a really long time but it's one of my favorites. One of the hardest parts for me today was the backwards crunch. In this exercise instead of moving our head up and down, we moved our knees from a 90 degree angle to an extended position. We did A LOT of these and after awhile it really started to burn but I felt good afterwards! We also did some planks and leg rolls which i enjoyed a lot. The class ended with the usual push up routine. We do 10 push ups then raise our arms to ceiling 1 times. We keep doing this until we get down to 1 push up and raising our arms up 10 times. It's definitely an exercise that tests your endurance but I like the fact that we do it every class because I do always avoid working my arm muscles.

First Day. 9/4

Since I just transferred to the class today was my first experience with the class. We started off with a warm-up jog including high kicks and butt kicks. It was a good way to get my body ready for the upper arm exercises of the day. The workout started with push-ups and planks - a good, easy way to ease into the rest of the exercises. We built off of those common work outs by adding kicks. That definitely got my blood circulating! We led into arm circles and lifts using small weights. The weights offered good resistance and it definitely got harder along the way. After taking a break we focused on abs in order to give our upper body a rest. The ab workouts included crunches and variations of the superman. To end, we went back to planks and push ups incorporating both into one single work out. We held the plank for 10 seconds then alternated between putting our elbows up and down. It was a hard exercise and required a lot of stamina. To finish class off, we cooled down by stretching. It was a hard first day but I enjoyed it a lot and am super excited for Thursday!