Taking It Easy

Dear Kevin,
I know you told me to take it easy this weekend. I promise you that I TRIED, but apparently "take it easy" is no longer a phrase my muscles understand. I got to the gym about 30 minutes early for the class I planned on taking. I spent the time doing some really good stretches, resisting the urge to jump on one of the weight machines to pass the time. Then I went into RPM. I fully intended to follow your orders. I set my resistance dial a quarter of a turn less than I usually do. I paced myself just a little slower. I was going to have a nice easy ride....or so I thought. The music started pumping, the lights started flashing, and the sweat started dripping. I found myself bumping the resistance up...just a little...it won't hurt...no one will notice. (sigh) I had good intentions, but my body wouldn't cooperate. I blame you.
Sincerely,
Carolyn 
Brainwashed&Broken

The Look

Planking is a very hard core exercise. It consist of holding your body straight as a board, hence the term planking. There are several variations to the exercise with varying levels of difficulty. Straight planks are done on hands or elbows and either toes or knees. Side planking is one elbow/hand and one knee or with you feet "scissored". The new release of my beloved BodyPump has side planking, as does CXWorks. In these classes, due to the difficulty of the move, I have been opting for the lower level, which means I have been doing them on one elbow and one knee. 

Thursday, Kevin had me straight planking on the BOSU. BOSU is short for "both sides up". It is a half ball with a flat surface on one side. This adds instability to whatever you are trying to do. So, take a plank (which is already challenging), add instability, and your core muscles scream at you, declaring that you have lost your mind. Kevin is on the ground next to me, showing me what he is wanting me to do. He tells me he wants me to move from a straight plank to a side plank. I drop one knee and rotate up into the same side plank that I've been doing in class. Kevin (who is in a side plank of his own) cocks his head, raises an eyebrow and looks at my face, then quick glance at my knee, then back at my face. I have NEVER seen that look on Kevin's face before, and never wanna see it again. Without a word I got the message, "What are you doing? Get that knee UP!" I picked up my knee bringing my plank into one of the harder levels. Kevin gave me a half smile and a slight nod. Sigh...this is what happens when your trainer believes in you more than you believe in yourself.

Conditioning

Thursday Kevin decided to have me do a "conditioning" workout. It consists of several moves done in rapid succession. I did walking lunges while passing a kettle bell between my legs with each step, kettle bell swings, kettle bell figure eights. Then I did step ups with a back leg lift at the top followed by inclined push-ups. He had me pushing the free standing heavy boxing bag all over the basketball court (both forward and backward). The killer part was when I had to do 40 mountain climbers, 20 push squats, and 10 back leg lifts (each side) from an inclined push-up position. He had me do those just before letting me throw some punches (I think he was trying to tire me out before letting me hit him). I also did planks and side planks on the dreaded balance platform. He hasn't pushed me that hard in a while. There were a couple of times I wanted to tell him, "wait, I need to BREATHE!", but as always, Kevin noticed. He is good at giving me a break when I NEED it, but not a moment sooner. I have been sore for days since the workout, but how can I complain when I'm getting the results that I'm getting? I liked it. Yep, I am truly Brainwashed&Broken.