Tag: Cindy Whitmarsh

Posted on

Exhaustion Test

So I started the Push-ups/Squats/Situps Challenge today with an exhaustion test, to try to see what level I belong to.  Turns out Cindy Whitmarsh’s abs workouts on Exercise TV have done me a whole bunch of good, because I managed to do 100 situps in one set (N.B. – the “situps” recommended by the 200 Situps site are actually crunches, since full situps are not good for your back).  I got 80 squats in, but only 18 push-ups!  So now I know I need to work on my arms most of all.

It’s been an hour or so since I did the exhaustion test, and already my muscles are complaining.  I think it’s a good idea to do these exercises every other day, as recommended on the site, to give my body a chance to recover.

Posted on

Body-for-LIFE: Walking the Plank

One of the hardest exercises I find about many of the workout programs I’ve been sampling on Exercise TV is plank position. Designed to strengthen your core (abs, back, legs — as well as shoulders and arms), the plank position is essentially the position you put your body into before starting a pushup, only you make sure your hands are directly below your shoulders.

Once you’ve gotten your body into that position, you can either stay there for a while, yoga-style, while your abs and arms scream in agony, or you can do any number of dynamic exercises, from plank jacks to mountain climbers to just plain push-ups…all of which are incredibly difficult for me. I am getting better at it, though, which is encouraging.

Only 13 days left in the Body-for-LIFE Challenge! I’ve got 1 more pound to shed before I get to my challenge goal, and I’m pretty confident I’ll get there. I think I’d like to drop at least another 15 pounds, so I’ll continue this same regimen until I get to my ideal weight.

In the meantime, here’s my girl Cindy Whitmarsh showing how to do the plank pose.

Posted on

Body-for-LIFE: Getting into the Groove

This will just be a quickie as I wait for some files to download onto my computer.

I noticed this morning that I was very easily accomplishing the Cindy Whitmarsh Exercise TV workouts that a few weeks ago made me feel like I was going to die. I guess that means I’m getting stronger! And I guess it also means I have to step it up a notch (again).

I have now lost 14 pounds and am continuing to lose more. Everything they say about getting fit is true: I do have more energy, and I’m generally happier (even though winter is on its way, which brings out the SAD in me). Surprisingly, I’m also noticing that I have a lot more self-confidence, which is affecting my singing and my personal interactions with people.

I still have to force myself to start exercising every day, though. And I am continuing to struggle with my nutritional choices. But it’s all a part of the process, I know…just as my friend Rebecca is going through a walkabout to discover more about herself, so my physical changes are bringing out emotional sides of me that perhaps have been buried. I know that the simple (simple? ha!) feat of losing weight is not a silver bullet for all the problems in my life, but this process is certainly putting some stuff into perspective, and THAT is why I am doing it.

Posted on

Exercise TV Review: Abs of Steel

When I saw the “Abs of Steel” workout listing on Comcast On Demand, I couldn’t resist. I remember growing up with commercials for Abs of Steel and Buns of Steel on the television, and I always wondered what they did to make their abs so rock-hard. Since I’ve been concentrating a lot on abs during my workouts recently, I thought this new, updated version with Leisa Hart would be the perfect addition to my armamentarium.

At least, that’s what I thought.

Once again, I was disappointed that I strayed from my Jillian Michaels/Cindy Whitmarsh training. The workout was 25 minutes, divided up into 10 minutes of standing abs work, 10 minutes of chair work, and 5 minutes of mat work, none of which were extremely effective.

The standing abs portion was a series of fairly standard combinations targeting the obliques, mostly, but the combination of movements were put together way too quickly. By the time I actually figured out the series of moves, she was on to the next combination, so I never had any time to do the moves properly. I did get my heart pumping, though, and I was sweating by the end of the 10 minutes, so good for that.

The next part was seated abs moves, for which one needs a chair. Now, I do these exercises in my living room, and the only chairs we’ve got are soft and squishy couches — definitely not conducive to good exercise. I tried my best to keep my abs tight as I did all the exercises, but my couch kept sucking me into its vortex of comfort.

The last five minutes were for crunches on the mat, and this part actually was effective, but it was only for 5 minutes! And the last minute of that was stretches, so really it was four minutes of crunches. Very disappointing. All in all, I think if I want a good abs workout, I’m sticking with Cindy Whitmarsh. She knows how to get me into shape.

Posted on

Exercise TV Review: Abs

Cindy Whitmarsh has a really excellent program called 6 Packs in 6 Weeks, and, just like Jillian Michaels’ program, it goes through three levels — ostensibly, you do each level for two weeks, and by the end of it, you’ll have 6-pack abs. Since I’m not doing this workout every day (or even every other day…more like every four days), I don’t think I’ll be sporting a washboard stomach by the end of this, but Cindy sure gives me a workout that exercises my core as well as your glutes, arms, and thighs. The thing I like the best about this program is that she doesn’t talk down to you but also doesn’t act as if you’re a pro, either. At the end of each 45-minute workout, I feel sweaty, exhausted, and totally pumped full of endorphins.

On one of my workout days, I tried Jennifer Galardi’s AM Standing Abs, an 11-minute program which didn’t do anything for me at all. First of all, there was no warm-up to speak of, so we started in on the crunches right away, and I felt no tightness at all in my abs (a sure sign that you’re working them). She didn’t explain how they should be done, or what to avoid, and at the end of the program, I said, “That’s it?!?” I know I didn’t get a workout with that program.

Jackie Warner’s 1-on-1 Core was the exact opposite. Instead of being too easy, it was way too advanced for me. Jackie is the trainer on Bravo’s show Work Out, and I was surprised to see 4 people working out with her on the show, and the room seems kind of crowded. All of them were majorly ripped models/beefcakes, and made me feel very dumpy. She did have one person modifying all the exercises for poor schlubs like me who weren’t as fit, but she spent more time showing off the guy who could do all the moves with 10-lb weights in his hand. Even though I was sweating by the end of this show, my morale and self-esteem were in the toilet, and there is no way I would want to exercise with her again.

Posted on

Shaking it up with Cardio

So as much as I like Jillian Michael’s 30-day Shred, I like variety in my workouts…otherwise, I get bored and stop doing them. The way the 30-day Shred is supposed to work, you’re supposed to do Level 1 for 10 days, Level 2 for 10 days, and Level 3 for 10 days. Now, I’ve only done Level 1 for two days (remember, the Body-for-LIFE Challenge asks for alternating strength & cardio days – and then I fell off the wagon for Labor Day weekend), but even after two times, I thought, “There must be other programs I can do for my cardio days.”

And so I leafed through the Exercise TV menu on Comcast On Demand and decided to try some different workouts.

On Thursday, I went holistic with a Gaiam video (they’re known mostly for their yoga and pilates DVDs) called Total Body Cardio with Tanja Djelevic. Granted, I started on Day 4 of the workout, but I wasn’t really impressed. Yes, I sweated, yes, I felt tired, but a lot of the movements didn’t feel like I was working the muscle groups I could have been working. Plus, she did the crunches pilates-style, which I simply don’t understand, so I couldn’t really get any kind of abs workout. I think I’ll be skipping that one next time.

Today, I worked out with the 6 Pack Abs in 6 Weeks package, Level 1. Boy, am I glad I started on level 1. It starts with 30 minutes of a cardio dance routine led by an INCREDIBLY upbeat guy named Kendell. Not obnoxious Richard Simmons upbeat, but in the way that makes you want to laugh and smile all the way through the workout. Which I did. Even though I was sweating buckets by the end.

After the cardio, the video switches to a 10-minute abs workout which is INTENSE, led by Cindy Whitmarsh. Finally, I think I found an abs workout that is effective. So many of the crunches people suggest I either execute poorly (i.e., I have no idea how to do them so that I feel any kind of burn) or they’re way too hard. This definitely had me yelling at the TV, “What?! You want me to do MORE?” by the 3-minute mark and panting, “Oh, God!” by the 1-minute mark, but luckily they have the countdown on the left-hand side of the screen so you know there is an end in sight.

Now I’m sweaty and totally happy. Gotta love that adrenaline. I think should probably go take a shower, for everyone’s sake.