7 Minute Workout

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

This year's resolution was to add some cross training on those days I don't run.  I read about the 7 minute workout that seems to be the new trend towards quick 30 second sets of several different exercises with a brief rest between each exercise.  

The intent is to work up to doing 3 to 4 sets on non-running days and to do at least 1 set on running days.  What I tell people is I am doing this so I can run a half-marathon in 2 hours 40 minutes or less... but my real intent is to try to look as good a Laurie.

 I also thought that this would be a good opportunity to con DH into spend quality time with DH exercising together.

 Who knew Harlow had a secret desire to be a personal trainer on Biggest Loser...

But tonight Harlow's true talents came out.  When DH and I were doing the jumping jacks Harlow ran in circles around us barking "harder, faster".  When we did push-ups or planks she would lay on her back and give our faces copious doodle kisses of encouragement urging us to complete the sets.  She added extra resistance training to the crunches by laying on us with her paws on our shoulders (again accompanied with lots of encouraging kisses).

Our workout is now done, Harlow is play bowing telling us tomorrow we get to do 2 sets of the 7 Minute workout. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Harlow the Personal Trainer....who knew she had this talent!  I'm afraid my only exercise these days is walking my boys while trying not to kill myself on the ice.  I really admire all that you do to stay fit and healthy, Nina.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Send Harlow my way. I need an adorable trainer. I am losing my bikini bod :) LOL Way to go, Nina. I admire all the running you do and now this, too!

[Camilla and Darwin]

He he, Good girl Harlow!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Harlow has the right idea. I'll take her as a trainer over Jillian Michaels any day. 

Fashions come and go in fitness just like anything else, but I am here to tell you that "quick 30 second sets" is not an effective way to do resistance exercise, which is just another name for strength training. You must come to a complete dead stop at the top and bottom of every repetition, and hold the contraction at the fullest point before slowly returning to the starting position. "Quick" works for cardiovascular exercise and endurance exercise, but not for strength training. :)