X-Factor Day # 1

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone!

Today I started the Weider X-Factor ST rotation. This is an 8 disc set (w/ a few bonus DVDs - yoga, abs, and glutes/thighs). For each week you do one disc 3X (so you do Week # 1's workout 3X a week for the first week, Week # 2's workout 3X a week for the second week and so on). The workouts are all body-weight circuits. Today was Week # 1- it was actually very doable but challenging at the same time. The circuits are set up so that you do one exercise for 30 sec, the next exercise for 45 sec and the last exercise for 90 sec. If I remember correctly there were 4 circuits - you take a water break after the first 2, then another water break, then you repeat the 4 circuits all over again. I found this workout to be very core focused - planks, push-ups, different stabilization exercises, work for the back (supermans, swimming), etc. Also some squats (and variations), lunges and plyo exercises. The instructor is actually quite good and motivating (and not

"in your face" as I feared from the clips). There are three background exercisers, with one demonstrating easier versions of the exercises. It is basically a "go at your own pace" workout - as the backgrounders are not synched together and you just do what you can, at your own pace for the alotted time. The time went by pretty quickly - and the dread factor was low (at least for this one - since, presumably it is the easiest one in the series!) Music was bland, but there is an option to play the DVD w/ no music, so you can always add your own. It would just be for background, though, b/c you really don't follow any particular beat - After X-Factor I did AM Conditioning for Weight Loss w/ Suzanne Deason. A 30-ish minute basic yoga practice. I love Suzanne's yoga for her thorough instruction and excellent use of props!Ok - off to start the day - we have church and then my DD has a refresher course of swim lessons (I bought her a block of 4

private lessons to get back up to speed for summer - last summer she made a lot of progress since she was in the pool every day for a month!). I figure I want her to be in good swimming shape for summer camp!Talk to everyone later!Donna