Rope Training

Roy surprised me today! Actually I think he surprised himself too. The big, long rope is always running down the center of the gym, I never really paid much attention to it, I figured we would get around to it when we did.

He changed the shoulder workout, we started with standing behind the neck barbell press, I warmed up then on to 65 pounds then right to 75 pounds and that's where we stayed, 8 reps, 5 sets.

Then seated dumbbell press at 35 pounds, 7 reps, I think we did 5 sets, maybe 6?

Then he asked about the rope, "did we use the rope recently?" "Um, no, I have never used the rope, or any rope for that matter."

A look came over his face..."never...used....the rope?"

"No" I explained I always wanted to use the sled, the chains, the ropes, all the fun stuff. I got to use the prowler with SC, but he never let me use chains, not quite sure why...

I told him that I have been having so much fun with everything else we have been doing, it slipped my mind. The smile on his face seemed to get a little smirky at that point. 

He looped the 40 foot, 2 inch diameter rope through the sled (that was already weighted with a  few 45 pound plates) and told me to grab one end and bring it together with the other, and hold one end in each hand like this:

I was supposed to do one minute on full blast and one minute rest, seems like nothing...well have you ever "done the rope?" ha ha, I bet not!

So he stood on the sled, stopwatch in hand and says "go" and I am supposed to undulate alternating arms like the fellow in the picture above. Big, strong movements, hmmm, it's  not working that well.

Then I am to switch to both arms together up, then down, using my legs and  my entire body to create giant waves of undulating rope.

My breathing is very labored, I am sweating, huffing and puffing, it's not over yet. Below is one of the Kardashian girls training with ropes. I suspect she does this about as often as she takes out the trash...in other words it was for the camera only.  If she did it regularly she wouldn't have such a well endowed rear end. 

Next I am supposed to swing one rope over the other and smack the ground, then swing it back over, and keep alternating, almost like "double dutch " jump rope, but it's slow going, let me tell you.

4 frigging sets....maybe it was 5???? I think the last time I was breathing this hard was my first kickboxing conditioning class!

At the fourth set Roy started laughing and said "oops, stop- that was 1 minute 20 seconds"...

WHAT???!! What the hell is the stopwatch for then??? 20 seconds extra is a lot with the ropes, let me tell you!

But I loved it, 

LOVED

EVERY 

MINUTE!

After I got home and ate, David and I had to go downtown to get a cheese slicer (long story you really don't want the details on), and we decided to go by the new cheese shop in downtown Los Gatos. We see Nick coming out, the owner and chef of Nick's on Main, one of my favorite restaurants. We stop to talk, he asks if I am competing (he knows we never come to the restaurant when I am on a diet) and I explain that I am in the "get big" stage, no diet, so we should see him soon. 

He looks me up and down and says "still training? You just finished now huh?" "Yes" I said and smiled. "Shoulder day, we used the ropes."

He could tell, my arms were pumped and full. I could feel the swelling starting....

Next Friday will not come soon enough!