Monkey Balls

Now that I have a little more free time I get to take advantage of some of the free personal training sessions that came with my gym membership. My second of five sessions was on Wednesday last week. And I was sore for a good...well, actually I'm still sore.

There are so many different people that go to gyms. But once they get there, they all seem to sort of morph into a similar mold, myself included. I retreat into "headphone world" where we just life the same iron and coexist.

I do really like my trainer, though. He showed me some good stuff this time. It was way better than last time when all we talked about was that I should eat more yogurt or protein or whatever. I was really tired then and I knew my diet was bad and I told him I knew it. I just didn't have the energy to get more variety in it at that moment. It's better now.

So, if you read this far, you might still be looking for an explaination of the title of this post. It is coming, don't worry. It's one of the ab workout moves that I learned, otherwise known as "transfer," but with an alternative name like "monkey balls" who would want to call it transfer. It's like calling Superman, Clark.

My mom was asking about my work out with the trainer (and I wanted to write down the details before they slip my mind and go the way of all good intentions). I told my trainer I wanted a "butt, arms, shoulders" work out. And this is what I got:

Warm up/Stretching:

1. Lunges. alternating leg forward then other leg back, then switch legs. This builds your muscles and provides active stretch.

2. Stability Ball walks: this is probably a lot easier for guys, but with my upper body strength, it was sort of hard. Legs on the ball at the knee (or lower for more challenge) and then walk back and forth and do push-ups on alternating sides.

3. Squats: figure out where you legs should be by jumping up as high as you can and where your feet land your legs should be. Knees go out over feet and can go to greater than 90 degrees when you squat down. It is helpful to do this in front of a pillar or something else to hold onto if you need stability as you go down.

4. Resistance band pulls: I don't know if that's the real name or if there is a real name but you get the point. Hands on the handles and pull them toward your body without breaking your wrist (ie keep it in line with the pull of the band) and try to touch your shoulder blades in back. Keep your elbows in.

Circuit Training

1. Leg press: Big machine that you do sort of sideways squats in. My clavicles are so bony that is hurts a little to have that much pressure on them. Not to mention that my legs were vibrating by the last circuit. "Just one more!" Keith says. "All the way down." Ouch.

2. Overhead shoulder lifts: Down to 90 degrees, up fast over your head with two free weights of challenging weight, then slowly down. One count up and four counts down.

3. Row machine motion: Careful not to strain your back getting in to the machine. Same sort of motion as with the resistance band but this time with weight. Keep your elbows in and focus on using your back.

4. Smith machine: big thing with barbell sliding up and down it. Sit on a stability ball and push the bar up over your head.

Abs

1. Tough ups: weight in your hands, crunch position, lift weight straight up toward the ceiling imagining there is someone's hand there to touch it too just at the edge of your reach.

2. Catch and Toss: You need a partner or a wall for this one with the stability ball. Catch it on the way down and throw it back on the way up on the sit up.

3. Leg lifts: lying flat lift legs up and down. Touch floor on the down and then go off to either side for more challenge/different muscles.

4. Hip lifts: Lying on back lift legs to 90 degrees then lift feet up toward the ceiling.

5. Monkey Balls (the moment you've all be waiting for): stability ball between your feet as you are lying flat on your back. Lift your body up into a V and transfer the ball from between your feet to your hands. Down and then back up and transfer it back. This one killed me.