Whip it Good!

Hey friends!
Thanks for stopping by the workout blog. Sonya and I keep thinking we're going to run out of ideas for this series, but the new forms of fitness routines just keep flowing into our inboxes. Thanks to all of you for contributing!

This week we're doing rope training with Barb Mendoza from Fitness By Design. "I like to say there's a big fitness toolbox," says Barb, "and this is one tool." Barb has been a personal trainer for twenty years, so she's seen it all. She says she likes these new, weighted ropes because they're a form of "functional training" - which means we're mimicking a lot of movements we perform in everyday activities.

This turned out to be another workout that's a lot harder than it looks. The ropes are long, heavy, and anchored to the floor at one end. We have to hold on to the free ends and then do the moves Barb tells us to... whiping the ropes up and down and side to side takes a lot of strength and coordination. "The heart rate goes up, the legs get tired, the core and the arms are very engaged," explains Mendoza.

It doesn't take long at all for our biceps to start burning. Soon Barb has us start doing jumping jacks while holding the ropes, and then our hearts are thumping. The break from the cardio involves ab moves on the floor and we realize this is a total body workout. Throw in more toys like disks and a BOSU and soon we're working muscle groups we didn't even know we had!!!

This workout was a blast and Barb is a great trainer. If you're interested in trying the rope workout, contact Barb. 277-9721 or info@FitnessByDesignDM.com.

Here's to a happy and healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com