Damir Loves Burpees!

My week this week has been an amazing week. This week I counted some of the staple exercises I do week in week out. I started to counted from my training session last Thursday to my session today. So let’s start with the Big Ass Tire Flips in my training sessions I flip the tire 31 times, that is over two sessions. Flipping that tire is so empowering. Damir ‘s new thing is to have us flip the tire after doing so much work that my heart is flying out of my chest. No thinking just flip it. Don’t tell Damir but I love that dam tire.

Next 103 Alternate cleans with the Black Kettle bells. Once I was good at this exercise, but lately I cringe when he says it is in the session. In fact last Thursday Damir list off everything we going to-do in our session and I was smiling after he said everything because it was not on the list. But of course Damir used his Jedi mind trick and read my mind and somehow it got dropped into our workout. On Tuesday he added them in near the end of our session and as I did them on our last round he asked me to do it nonstop in the last 20 seconds, but I decided to put them down 3 seconds short of the 20 seconds. Now this pissed him off little and instead of moving on to the next exercise I had to do them again and not put them down until Damir said? It was hard and I bitched a little but I finished it.

183 Burpees, this is an exercise I have done in every class and training session. I have done those in my dreams as I slept this week. Damir Loves Burpees! Doing burpees in boot camp is much harder than in my sessions. In my session I try and do them on the green matting (fake grass) at 2110 fitness. I just throw my body down with no fear. It is awesome!!

Mountain climbers, another one of Damir’s Favourites, i have done these bad boys in every session and boot camp this week expect today’s. The thing I like about the mountain climbers is that they lead to other great bootcamp Exercises like Bear crawls, pushing the smaller weight sled and much more.

Also this week I have done 25 Km of cardio. This started with the 10KM Stampede Road Race on Sunday, this was quite a day. As we were at the start line, I was looking around and I was the biggest person there. There was a line that Matt from Biggest loser season 2 said in last year’s biggest losers follow up show as he got ready to do a big race he noticed he was the biggest person about to attempt to do it. He said “sometimes it is good to see a chubby guy set out to do something he is not supposed to be able to do.” It was a hard task, as I started I controlled my breathing as much as I could and for the first 5 km I jogged as much as I could and walked , the last 5 km I power walked it. It was a long time to spend pushing myself on my own. Pushing through the pain and pushing my body to go faster past my body’s limit. The volunteers clapping and encouraging me to finish was awesome. At about 8 Km’s they merged the 3 races the full and half marathon runners with the 10km runners, when they started to pass me it was very emotional for me as they were patting me on my back and clapping as they passed me. For me it was not about how long it took to finish it was about finishing .........or finishing strong. Giving it all I had which is what I did. Yes I had a time in mind it want to finish by, but I was more focused on just finishing strong. I finished a 10k i am very proud i was able to meet this awesome goal!! It was also awesome to do it with the empowerment Boot camper crew, support from strangers is one thing, but support from my follow boot campers was much more special. Thanks Ladies it meant allot that you were all there when I finished.

I have other great milestones I have reached this week. The 10k was the biggest one, however this week I am now able to-do the dummy pickups correctly. It was an awesome feeling to be able to step it up and do it right. It maybe my new favourite exercise!!

This is an example of some of things I do week in week out.

updated Rules to surviving personal training

Over the weekend enjoyed a great movie Zombieland, it was a very cool movie. It got me thinking that there should be rules to surviving personal training. So bear with me as I have a little fun here.

Rule #1 Cardio

Just like in the movie Zomieland cardio is very important part of surviving your session with your personal trainer. Yes your trainer will push that cardio is a good thing and most likely the treadmill will be your new best friend. What I have learned is that starting on the treadmill before your session is a good thing, makes for a happy trainer. Happy Trainer = great session :o)

Rule #2 Vomiting can only happen in the locker room bathroom or learn to swallow

Let’s not kid are selves there will be Vomiting, when you feel that it coming the best thing to do is to head for the locker room weather you do it or not better to be safe, then to have to swing a mop.

Rule # 3 Never ever say “I can’t do that”

Those 4 little words turn your trainer into the Drill Sgt. from full metal jacket. Nobody wants that!

Rule # 4 Crying is for the shower or the ride home

You may have urged to cry when you finally do something that you could not do before or that you are in that much pain. In my experience it best not to do this in front of your trainer, it is uncomfortable for your trainer & it may shows weakness. I love my trainer however, any weakness he finds, he likes to fix. Fix it he will!

Rule # 5 do not confess your bad habits

Confession is for church and cops, telling your trainer that you just knocked back a tub of Ben and jerry’s is not a very good idea. This will just make your trainer unhappy! Unhappy Trainer = Burpee’s lots and lots of burpee’s or stairs lots and lots of stairs. However if your trainer asks you if you have cheated, always, always, always tell the truth! They know if you’re lying

Rule # 6 enjoy your victories

Both Scale and non scale victories. You just kicked some ass Enjoy!

Rule # 7 Smile when your body makes those special noises!

Farting and burping is going to happen, get comfortable doing this in front of your trainer, because it is going to happen.

Rule # 8 calling the person saving your life an asshole is ok

Sometimes you will feel like calling your trainer names like “asshole or Satan’s little helper” it is ok because they have heard it all. In my experience he likes it and gets off on it!

Rule # 9 wear something to keep the sweat out of your eyes

Sweat is going to come out of every pour! Keeping it out of your eyes will help when doing stuff like cleans with the kettle bells, nobody want to take one of those to the head.....trust me it hurts!

Rule # 10 when saying “I need a good ass kicking or bring it on” make sure Walking is optional the next day!

You can, & should say this from time to time. However, if you do make sure Walking is optional the next day!! I have done this and when I have it is a very intense session. They know your limits and want to push you beyond them, so egging them on is always fun!! However like I said make sure Walking is optional the next day!!

Rule #11 food is fuel

Eating the right food before a workout is an important key to a good session, if you eat a junk or fast food your workout will not be a fun experience.

Rule # 12 your trainer is always right.

When training from time to time you will find that your trainer has made an error in counting or the order of the circuit, I find it best to let that go, sometimes it is best to not to be right. Correcting your trainer can result in more burpees, best not to argue with the person who decides how many burpees are in your future.

Rule # 13 the only thing worst then saying “I can’t” is saying “I am trying”

Like Yoda your trainer does not like the word try, some say trying is lying, or I will tell you when you’re trying.... saying I am trying will make for an unhappy trainer. Again Unhappy trainer = Burpees lots and lots of burpees

Rule # 14 try to never be late

Being late to a training session or bootcamp will cause undo attention, your trainer has a plan for your session arriving late will result in most likely no rest time, also in a bootcamp I have found if you are late they will give you added attention so catching your breathe is out .