This week was the 13th (actually 14th week b/c I missed one week in there somewhere) of my personal training. I think it might be time for some photos. I was looking at the before photos of my physique, but I’m wearing black pants, which don’t show anything.

I guess I’ll put all that back on and take a photo to see how I look now in those. Then, I will switch to shorts and a tank top to show the actual muscle definition. I am not finished. So, I am still a work in progress. Really wish I had earlier pics in shorts, though. Oh well.

Anyway, Melissa is now training as her own boss with her new company Real World Strength. Shameless plug:

Melissa Gessel

Real World Strength – melissa.rws@gmail.com

She operates out of Urban Fitness in Capital Hill, but she can work with you to fit the gym that you usually use. Also, you don’t have to be a member of Urban Fitness to go see her. It’s a sweet deal where the owner works with the trainers to allow the trainers’ clients to workout with the trainer for “free”. Wow!!!

Anyway, this week was awesome! I did NINE REGULAR PUSH-UPS off the FLOOR!!! Woohoo!!! I still cannot believe it, and I’ve done the routine again since then 🙂

I’m also back to lunges, which is great because I was getting really tired of all the squats. However, I had to start back at square one on lunges with regular prisoner rear lunges. Back to being super shaky on these, too. Oh well, it will come.

Then, more of the hamstring pulls on the ball.

Last exercise in first set was the archer move off of the cable machine. So fabulous!

Second round:

Start with rolling down to where shoulders and neck rest on the ball and have 12 lb weights on my thighs. I then use my glutes and low back to lower and raise my hips and thighs. This is awesome! It actually sort of circumvents the sciatica!

Then, keeping shoulders and neck on ball and hips in the air, I take the 12 lb weights and do the skull crushers for my triceps for 15 reps. Followed by 15 more reps of tricep presses. Whew!

Last on my side with the Bosuâ„¢ to do the same leg raises that Travis prescribed! Yay! Two birds with one stone!

That’s it, and it is wonderful. My arms are really fascinating in that I actually have solid muscle developing! Some day I may be able to lift heavy things on my own.