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Editor’s Note: I am currently going through the Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping 10-week program. I introduced my reasons previously, and this is part three in a 10 part series following me throughout the program.

Well, it had been all peaches and cream so far throughout the introduction and the orientation, but late in my first week and into the second week, I really have started to feel the burn of the workouts, but that’s what we’re all here for, right?

The workouts so far have been energetic and fun, but definitely not easy. The schedule follows an every other format with cardio kickboxing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and resistance band strength training on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The staff at Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping, including the owners, instructors and coaches (who are former members who have been with the program and each take a cluster of students to work with) were great with showing the class the kickboxing techniques so you didn’t feel out of place. I’ve never thrown a competitive kick in my life and very rarely have I ever thrown any punches with any sort of authority, so it was definitely a new experience for me. You start with the basic jabs and crosses, but then mix in hooks, upper cuts and high kicks.

Despite cardio always being my biggest enemy when it came to working out, I’ve actually looked forward to going to these classes. Getting to throw at the bag and put together the combos as you move through more and more techniques have become an entertaining way to workout, which is huge for me. I’ve always played volleyball and tennis and have no problem playing them for hours, but if I’m running just to run or going through a boring workout, it’s always been very hard to push myself, that’s where the kickboxing has been a huge benefit.

Although I’m worried that with Aly learning the techniques just as fast that there may be some more serious consequences for me at home when I don’t put all my laundry in the right basket.

The resistance band strength training is different for me, but a welcome change. I was a fairly competitive weight lifter way back in my high school days at Forest Lake High School and put up big numbers. But I always thought I was a big, tough, macho football player so it was all big, heavy, clanky dumbbells and barbells and 45 pound plates thrown around the gym for our weight training. I loved that smell of iron and being surrounded by a cage while working out, but it took a long time getting everything set correctly when you’re doing high weights.

With the resistance bands, that familiar burn I remember from high school lifting is back, but it’s a much more sleek and streamlined process getting there with the bands. There are different colors with different resistance levels, and I assure you, no matter how big and tough you are, there is a band or a combination of bands that will get you feeling it deep in your muscles.

In the early part of the first week, I already reached my first wall. After not working out for years and years, two cardio classes and a leg-focused strength training day had me feeling miserably sore on Thursday morning. I felt good that I had gotten through the classes, but it didn’t change the fact that I my legs were SORE and felt like Jell-O. It also didn’t help that the Wild had an 8:30 start time in Game 1, went to overtime and then lost, so I was dead tired.

Things wouldn’t have been so bad except I knew I had another strength training class that night. I dreaded it all day. Doubt crept in to my mind. I didn’t want to go.  I didn’t think I could even do another high impact leg day.

But, I pushed through those thoughts and went to class expecting the worst. But a funny thing happened. The people at Farrell’s have a plan. It was an arm day. Outside of some warmups, we did next to no workouts that involved our legs, Now it wasn’t easy, but my arms were fresh and ready for the workout, so I was thrilled when the class got over. I was still sweating and still feeling like I worked hard, but I was able to give my legs a break.

That boosted my confidence and my energy level for the home stretch of Friday and Saturday’s workout. I had what I thought was my best cardio day on Friday night. It felt good, I was working hard and I had legitimate pools of sweat forming on the mat below my face when I was doing push ups in between kickboxing sets.

I had my first real nutrition test on Friday night after the workout. I went to the bar with my buddies to watch the Wild game and when I got there, there was a giant pizza in the middle of the table and they all had beers in front of them.

I kept up drinking with them, but I was ripping through the waters instead of beer and I ordered a nice steak house salad with some light honey mustard dressing. It was phenomenal, and I felt much better the next day than I’m sure they did.

Saturday morning’s class was packed with people, but it was nice to see a lot of the faces from orientation going through the same stuff I was.

Sunday was our first ‘cheat’ day for our nutrition plan and not having to workout. It also happened to be Easter. I did get our dogs out for a walk, so I was still able to fit a little bit of exercise in, but then I definitely enjoyed my Grandma Norton’s spiral ham and the typical Easter spread of cheesy potatoes, corn bread muffins and some carrot cake.

Getting to the cheat day felt good, but at the same time, Aly and I didn’t feel like we needed to gorge ourselves of everything that is bad for us. We’ve had a steady stream of shrimp, chicken, turkey sausage, fruits, veggies and protein bars, natural peanut butter, beef jerky, almonds and hard boiled eggs throughout the process, so we’ve been satisfied!

Hopefully by next week, I’ll have powered through the second week wall and can talk more about the nutrition.

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