Return of Body Pump

TGIF! I’m writing from Pittsburgh..my real home :). People always ask me “where do you actually live?” because I did my undergrad in Raleigh at NCSU, then went straight to grad school in Rochester Hills at Oakland, all while traveling to and from Pittsburgh. Can you see the disconnect?

After teaching Abs, Glutes, and Thighs (which was an amazing class BTW! Participants are always full of energy and up for ANYTHING, even when the classes continue to get more challenging), I hit the rush-hour traffic road and arrived in Pitt a little after 9:30. Salmon, grilled veggies, and a humongous piece of cake my family were awaiting me on the table (not my family); it makes the looooong drive so much more worth it when a home-cooked meal greets you! Right to sleep afterwards; sleeping in a queen-sized bed beats an extra-long twin sized bed’s bootay.

There’s really no point to this trip since I leave tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 5am to head straight to lululemon, but a girl needs some winter clothes! Why I didn’t bring any jackets, pants, UGGs, or winter scarves with me is over my head but it gave me an excuse to see my family :-D.

A relaxing morning

 (hi Kathy!)

and a long-but-not-forgotten body pump class

was what I had planned since my family has this silly thing called work. You guys remember how I was taking a break from heavier-lifting? I haven’t participated in a full hour-long lifting session until today and it felt great to get back to it! Sure some of my strength has dwindled but my endurance has improved and I was able to finish the entire workout- not missing one rep :).

What I used to lift in a Body Pump class:

• squats= 40-50lbs
• chest press= 15lbs
• back track= 20lbs
• triceps & biceps= 10-12lbs
• lunges= 15-20lbs
• shoulder track= 10-12lbs

What I lifted today:

• squats= 17.5lbs
• chest press= 10lbs
• back track= 12lbs
• triceps & biceps= 7.5lbs
• lunges= 7.5lbs (added plyometrics to this track)
• shoulder track= 7.5lbs and 8lb handweights

I felt I could have lifted heavier than I did but the above weight was perfect for my goals. I’m still not looking to get “bigger”, but rather continue toning, sculpting, lifting, and improving muscular endurance.

The rest of the day I plan on spending time with my family, drinking wine, eating a steak-ish dinner, and enjoying a real piece of cake!

What else made this trip worth it?