Les Mills Pump Review

I don't usually work out to videos.  I prefer to run outside and do free weights.  I am not very coordinated and have a hard time mimicking what others are doing on the TV screen and keeping up.  I used to go to the gym - religiously - but I really don't have the time to do that anymore.  I commute almost an hour each way so I have to get up early and work out if I want to exercise at all.

On February 16th last year (yep, right after eating all that Valentine's Day candy), I was working out of town and using the hotel's gym when a Les Mills infomercial came on.  Like I said, I never work out to videos, but this one appealed to me because it involved weight lifting.  I really needed to tone up and I thought this might be a solution for me.

I ordered it before I talked myself out of spending almost $100 on the video series and equipment and couldn't wait for it to arrive.  When it did, I started it almost immediately.  The Les Mills Pump kit includes six or seven videos that increase in intensity as your body improves.  It takes 90 days to complete the entire series.

I have to admit that I didn't think I was going to be able to do the videos.  Let me first say that they are EASY to follow.  How hard could it be to follow someone as they lift weights?  That was the easy part.  The hard part was just learning to use good form and building up my endurance.  The series is built around what they call "the rep effect."  You do hundreds of reps using low to moderate weights.  The system is intended to tone not to cause bulkiness.  This is what I liked about it.

My body: I have the best upper body that I've ever had.  I can do push-ups on my toes like a guy (this is a first for me).  Women usually don't have a lot of upper body strength.  I do now.  My arms, chest, shoulders, and back look very well toned.  My legs are also more tones and so are my abs.  Did I lose any weight?  No.  I might have even gained some muscle mass - which would have offset any fat loss that I did achieve.  BUT...I do look different...better...and I certainly FEEL better.

I recommend this series to anyone who wants to feel better and tone up a bit.  The videos are easy to follow and the soundtrack is awesome.  The trainers are funny and motivational. 

What prompted this post today (which falls under mobility: activity)? I received an email from BeachBody this morning with an ad for a new Les Mills video series.  This one is called Combat.  The reviews are pretty good.  I think I am going to order it today and see what happens.  It looks pretty scary but they all do when you first get them.  You have to stick with it if you want results!  I'll let you know how it's going when the set gets here!

Here's a link to the Combat series if anyone wants to join me :)

Mobility - Mom on the Move!

During the past month, I've had an opportunity to spend a great deal of time thinking about the importance of mobility.  My husband, Don, had his second back surgery (a three-vertebra fusion, this time) a few days into the new year and after a one-week stay in the hospital, he was confined to our home for four additional weeks.  Not only was his mobility limited during this time, the round-the-clock care that he needed required the entire family to stay at home, as well.

While we were at home, I spent a great amount of time contemplating my own mobility and how much it means to me.  As a result, I have decided to change the direction of this blog (to a certain extent) to reflect this theme. 

The word mobile is defined in a variety of ways. 

SPA City Race 2012 (Maddie and I both placed 2nd)

Mirriam-Webster defines the it like this: "capable of moving or being moved."  While my husband was bed/chair bound, I was afforded more time to focus on my personal fitness goals because we were all homebound.  Everyone who knows me knows that I am a health nut.  I work out seven days a week for a minimum of one hour and 15 minutes per day and I try to follow a nutritious diet (most days).  I want to spend more time writing about fitness and health and how important these topics are to women who are busy working and taking care of their families.  Busy women frequently fail to take care of themselves because they spend so much time focusing on others.  During the past month, my children also became ill with stomach bugs and colds.  I remained healthy.  I truly believe that the healthy lifestyle that I choose to follow helps me to better ward off illness and also keeps me mentally sane.  One of the threads for my future blogs will focus on the importance of being active!


SWOW Team (before Don's back surgery)

Dictionary.com defines the word mobile as, "digital technology; pertaining to or noting a cell phone, usually one with a computing ability, or a portable, wireless computing device used while held in the hand."  Don and I spend much of our time planning and providing technology-related professional development to educators in and around the State of Arkansas.  We have started our own organization, Schools Without Walls, which focuses specifically on mobile computing.  We do our best to stay abreast and keep others informed of the value of mobile computing and its application in the classroom.  The second thread within the theme of mobility will focus on this area.

The Temple of Zeus, Spring 2012

Finally, Thesaurus.com lists numerous synonyms for the word mobility, but one in particular is of special interest to me.  My undergraduate degree is in social studies with an emphasis on world geography.  There aren't many things that I love more than traveling to new places, meeting new people, and experiencing new cultures.  I enjoy introducing students to these experiences as well and have had several opportunities to take students abroad.  Next month, I will be taking over 50 people to the Western Carribean on a cruise.  Many of them have never been out of the U.S.  Last spring, I took 44 students and faculty on a trip to Italy and Greece.  Next year, I am taking a group to Ireland and Scotland.  In addition, to student travel, I especially like the process that goes into planning a family vacation.  Right now, I am spending a lot of my free time planning an upcoming trip to the Mediterranean Sea that includes several days in Rome and then another cruise with port stops in Spain and France.  I think that these types of experiences are invaluable to us today because we live in a global society and function within a global economy.  Without global experiences and the 21st Century skills afforded by these experiences, students will not be prepared to be successful in adulthood.  So, my final thread will focus on this time of mobility - travel :)

My goal is to post once a week from this point forward on one of these threads.  I plan to post my first entry next week so please stay tuned!