Work Out Like an All Star

When we first moved to Manhattan ~6 years ago, I was really excited when I discovered our new cable package included FitTV. We had never had the station before and it was like having exercise classes available 24 hours a day (ok, to be fair, it probably wasn't 24 hours as there were some infomercials in the early morning/late night hours). Fantastic! I would just exercise to whatever was on when I turned it on, whether it was Gilad or Sharon Mann (both were perfect half hour pre-work workouts) or something else. Didn't matter as long as I was moving.

As the years went on, I saw the programming start to shift from all day workouts to pockets of workout programs and pockets of "lifestyle" programming (e.g., let's watch how other people get in shape or eat which doesn't really help the viewer get in shape). I couldn't just turn the channel on and exercise. Eventually, the workout programs were gone. Now the channel is part of Discovery Health (or something) and workout programs are relegated to ExerciseTV on demand (which sometimes doesn't work because our cable box sucks).

During that half-and-half stage of FitTV, they did have some good programs that I really liked - especially Namaste Yoga (a half hour yoga program with serene backgrounds and good sequences) and All Star Workouts (hour long workouts which varied from Bosu to exercise ball to boot camp to stretch class to kickboxing). I loved All Star Workouts. It was different every day. I recorded a whole bunch of them on our DVR so that I could workout when I had time to do it (instead of only at 9 am and whatever time it was rerun during the day), except I sadly had to keep deleting them as we ran out of space and then lost them altogether when we had to trade in our malfunctioning DVR box (thanks, Time Warner Cable). I thought I would just re-record them later, but when I tried, I realized they were just gone. Nowhere to be found. My favorite workout program, gone.

ExerciseTV on demand isn't bad. There are a lot of programs and it's available whenever you want (provided that the cable box is working and that you're not DVR-ing 2 things at once in that time period - another advantage of previously having them on the DVR). Today I was looking for a half-hour workout and came across a Kendall Hogan boot camp workout. It reminded me of the hour-long All Star Workout that he did and I started missing the program again. It was a great workout and I'm still soaked from it, so at least I know I can do that one. I still miss All Star Workouts though (and from reading online forums, I'm not alone). I think it will always be my favorite.

Double Class

Each year I make a new years resolution to get back in shape. Each year it... doesn't happen. It's so hard to find time with long and unpredictable hours at work and things just feel like they are spiraling out of control. I barely recognize myself in the mirror. Must get in shape!

This week I have been trying to at least do a 10 minute workout before leaving for the office in the morning. Since I don't know what time I'll get out (usually, not early enough for a cardio class at the gym) or how sedentary I will be that day (usually, very, although not my fault, it's the nature of the job since treadmill desks aren't an option), at least I'll have done something that day to try to meet the goal. I prefer exercising in the afternoon, as that is when my body most wants to exercise, but I think the best time to exercise to make sure you get the work in is the morning. Sadly, I'm not a morning person. That needs to change.

Today, I was lucky because it's Rosh Hashanah so I had the day off. I decided to push myself and take 2 classes at the gym: body combat (martial arts-inspired cardio) and vinyasa yoga. I love body combat, as it's the one workout where I really feel like I'm getting good cardio in all the time, and I love yoga, as I usually feel fantastic after every class.

Body combat was great as usual, but yoga today kicked my a**. After the class started, she announced that it wasn't really a beginner class (they probably should note that in the schedule). I've been doing yoga for years, so knowing the moves and the technique isn't my problem. My issue is that I'm out of practice and lack the strength to get it done. There were so many things that I know I've done before that I just couldn't manage. Of course, it was after body combat, so my arms would barely hold up for downward facing dog! I was reminded constantly (by myself) of how far out of practice I had fallen. It was very sad. This was probably the first yoga class in a long time where I haven't walked out feeling super stretched out (since I had to keep stopping during the moves) and in sync.

I need to start working out more. Any suggestions for things I can actually do in the office (other than pushups)?