Wed - Day 4 - PowerFit

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Hi - Here's my check in for today!Day 4 of the 2-per-day:PowerFit Plus Cardio Kick - used my weighted gloves, step and added impact and fuller range of motion to the exercises. Actually was sweating by the end which I'm happy about. I was worried that there wouldn't be enough cardio for me in this rotation and that the cardio wouldn't be challenging enough for me - but I am finding that putting my all into it is getting the job done in 20 minutes. PowerFit Chest, Triceps & Butt - used my weighted gloves, wore my belt (but then realized most of this one is floor work, so I took it off after the push-ups). I used the green (heavy) band from the kit and my long blue band for some of the floowork (the PF bands are too short for me to wrap around my legs and still hold on to while maintaining good form). I think

next time I will add weights to the band or sub weights for the chest presses - they don't feel challenging w/ the band alone (I used the green one and tried to choke up on it but then my hands were cramping!).My add on today was a virgin - Marisa Tomei's workout. I initially though I'd be skipping this one - as I really didn't need a "celebrity" workout. But, of course, I was enabled by reading threads on VF! I did the first workout on the disc - there are three - the first is the longest - at around 20+ min - and is mostly ab and leg work, the second is around 18 min (according to Collage) and is lower body focused, the third is the shortest (maybe 10 min) and is an "express" type workout. Anyway, I *think* I liked it. The workout starts w/ a stretch that Marisa leads - I didn't like this part - Marisa is not an instructor and

it was just her doing some stretches. It could be that a lot of the stretches don't agree with my body (lots of forward bending) but I would probably skip this in the future and just do my own warm-up (or skip the warm-up if I were using as an add-on). The body of the workout is around 20 min and uses a circular band (that comes w/ the DVD). The exercises were unique - a lot of small movements - almost like barre work - but not quite. Some of the exercises - like the one where you step out side to side w/ the band around your ankles - are sort of like PT - to strengthen the glute medius (I was doing that as part of a "rehab" type program when my glutes were not properly activating and it was messing up my knees when I was running). The ab work, I found to be hard - not so much in the abs, but in the legs - you do 75 crunches (I think) w/ your legs in the air, band wrapped around your ankle while you are concentrating on keeping your legs extended and

pressing out against the band - my legs were fatigued after this. Oh, there are also some push-ups, planks, and "variations" which were nice to see. The end is a series of twists. Apparently, Marisa's routine is to run through this sequence 3 times. I'm not quite sure I could nor would I want to! Her trainer recommends doing the workout either 2X per week 3X through each session or doing it daily 6X per week. The ending stretch was not to my liking either - it was Marisa alone doing some stretches. I just stretched on my own. Anyway, I do think this one is pretty decent and will make nice add-ons that are a bit different from the same-old-same-old.Hope everyone has a good day - glad it is Wed!

Tomorrow is a "rest" day on the rotation - but I'm going to do a workout -just not a PowerFit - for variety - and take my regularly scheduled rest day on Saturday. At the moment, I'm thinking of doing my Kickbutt Steamin' Cardio for the rest day. I toyed w/ the idea of Treadmill or Bike, which I have been neglecting lately, but I"m kinda burned out on both of them at the moment - I'm sure I'll return to them at some point - they are nice for quick and mindless cardio - but I'm into my videos lately!Donna