Tread away with me

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  The weekend is knocking on the door and I’m really looking forward to Friday. I mean, I’m always excited for Friday but tomorrow will be fun for a few reasons.  One, I’m looking to hit a pretty HUGE milestone on the scale and I’m hoping it will be tomorrow morning.  Don’t worry, of course I will share it with you.  Two, the May issue of Q magazine will be distributed with the Des Moines Register in the morning.  And guess who’s being featured in that?  Yep, this girl!  Remember that photo shoot I talked about a few weeks ago for a magazine cover?  Here’s hoping it turns out well.  I’m pretty nervous about it!  The third reason I’m pumped for tomorrow?  I’m using the gift card my team got me for my massage.  Ahhh…I can feel the relaxation already.  

Saturday I’m going to try to hang with the big boys, literally.  My husband and his friends do this farm boy meets crossfit workout in our backyard every other Saturday which includes tire flips, sledgehammer slams, sled pulls, throwing cinder blocks, sprinting, jumping, you name it.  This week, Molly and I are going to join them in the, uh, fun.  Rob and I have been brainstorming stations that we can add and I’m really excited to see what I’m capable of.  I figure, if I can survive last chance workouts at Biggest Loser Resort, I can survive a workout in my backyard with a bunch of beefy dudes. 

My new Thursday regiment is treading and Cameron’s circuit; two of my favorite classes from Biggest Loser Resort.  Scott always preaches to find ways to make the workouts fun and this dynamic duo worked great for Molly and I last week so we’ve made it our Thursday to-do.  I know my Biggest Loser Resort girls will be treading away on Thursday so it only seems right that I do it “with” them, across the miles.  I’m posting it for you if you want to tread away with me. I double dog dare you. I promise it’s really fun. I listed out the stations we used at the resort and that are available to Molly and I at Aspen but yours don’t have to be the exact same!  Use what your gym has to offer or whatever you have around the house.  If you’re stumped for ideas let me know and I will give you some suggestions.  The main goal is to try and focus on it being a full body workout, not just legs or arms or abs.  Engage it all.  Find those muscles that have been hiding.  Turn on the music and sweat out some liquid awesome.

Circuit Training-2 minutes per machine

-45 seconds on machine of station

-30 seconds cardio (dance, jumping jacks, high knees, run in place, sprint, shadowbox, stairs…whatever you like that gets your heart rate jumping)

-45 seconds on machine

Core (planks, sit ups, twists, etc)

Tricep pull down

Bicep curl

Chest press on bench

Squats with weighted bar

Bosu ball balance

Row machine

Hip abductor machine

Hip other direction machine

Back extension machine

Ab machine

Ab twist machine

Calf raises machine

Leg curl

Leg press

Chest press

Shoulder press

Leg curl machine other direction

Treading (treadmill, elliptical or bike)

5 minute warm up at baseline

5 minute high intensity (via speed or incline)

4 minute recovery at baseline

4 minute higher intensity than 5 (via speed or incline)

3 minute recovery at baseline

3 minute higher intensity than 4 (via speed or incline)

2 minute recovery at baseline

2 minute higher intensity than 3 (via speed or incline)

1 minute recovery at baseline

1 minute full sprint

30 second recovery at baseline

30 second sprint even faster than your 1 minute sprint

5 minute cool down at baseline