Calf Pump

Finally! Summer has arrived in Seattle. It took so dang long to get here - and today is a glorious nearly 90 degrees. Too hot? Well perhaps, but we can't complain around here or we get buckets of rain like we did last weekend. My work out buddy and I did our Urban Work Out on Tuesday. Hefted up the hills, in which we had to instill the no talking rule because it was hard! A 40 minute circuit, including window shopping, it was lovely. Yesterday was warm, and my friend was working late, so I came home and walked the dog. The Ding's idea of a 47 minute walk involves 8 minutes of walking and 39 of sniffing, so I get a not so challenging work out. So I came home and checked out the fitness video options that are available with our cable package.

The Girls Next Door offer work outs - who knew? Although I am certain that these are viewed not for their instructional nature, but for private time with the remote, if you know what I mean.

I settled on the "Ultimate Fat Burning Workout" for here I was sure to see a legitimate exercise video. The video was done in a classic 80's-style aerobics video. One instructor, 4 girls behind her in color-coordinated outfits. Trying to do anything in time to a video is not easy for me and it brings back memories of playing Pole Position. Careening around the race track, crashing, starting up again and feeling confused. My experience was much the same. This video is improved in that the instructor gal at least announces the next move before showing it to you. Although I still found myself fumbling and saying "Calf-pump - what?" from time to time. So we're sweating and pumping and burning our fat. And here's the But. At one point when the instructor is reaching her hand weight over her head to reach to the other side, the camera zooms in on her side - positioning right between her sports bra and boy-short bottoms. For a long time. You can't even see the whole hand weight 80% of the time. Come on! How am I supposed to follow along if all I'm looking at are her perfect abs? So ridiculous. But, I finished, and then got up at 5:45 this morning and did it all over again, because I rock. And despite the glorification of her abs, I picked up some good moves to take back to the Y when it opens again on Monday. Wahoo!

In the feeling good department - the new receptionist told me today that I have awesome calves. I was like "Do you need to borrow money or something?" And she said that it was true, I walked by her desk in my skirt today and she noticed them. I didn't even think my calves rocked. I don't even really notice them. Surprising compliments are the best.