I AM NOT A “FLY BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS” KIND OF GIRL.  THAT MUST COME AS A HUGE SHOCK TO THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME (LOL)!  I LIKE TO BE PREPARED, I LIKE TO MULL THINGS OVER, WORK THINGS OUT IN ADVANCE SO THAT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS AS GOOD AS IT CAN BE.  I DO THIS IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE – WHEN I ENTERTAIN, WHEN I MAKE A BOARD PRESENTATION, WHEN I PLAN A BAR MITZVAH!!!  AND, OF COURSE, I DO THE SAME WHEN I CREATE CLASSES FOR YOU.

MY MIND IS CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT EXERCISE, MOVEMENT AND BALANCE.  SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A COMEDIAN BECAUSE I’LL WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO JOT DOWN AN IDEA FOR A WORKOUT I HAD IN A DREAM (THAT REALLY HAPPENS!).  I TEND TO THINK OF 1 OR 2 EXERCISES RIGHT AWAY AND THEN TRY TO BUILD A WORKOUT AROUND THEM THAT MAKES SENSE.

FOR A WORKOUT TO MAKE SENSE TO ME, FIRST IT HAS TO HAVE A PURPOSE.  WHAT MUSCLE GROUPS ARE WE ENGAGING? ARE WE FOCUSING MORE ON PULLING EXERCISES (ROWS, BICEP CURLS) OR PUSHING EXERCISES (CHEST PRESS, SHOULDER PRESS, TRICEP DIPS)?  ARE WE WORKING ON BALANCE? (ANSWER: WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING ON BALANCE!). SECOND, IT HAS TO WORK FOR THE GROUP.  IT HAS TO BE CHALLENGING BUT IT HAS TO BE SCALEABLE.  I ALWAYS HAVE CERTAIN MEMBERS IN MIND WHEN I SELECT EXERCISES – CAN SO-AND-SO DO THIS? WILL XYZ WANT TO USE WEIGHTS FOR THIS?  I MAKE SURE I HAVE MODIFICATIONS AND PROGRESSIONS AT THE READY FOR YOU.

I DO WATCH A LOT OF FITNESS VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION -ON YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM AND OTHER FITNESS SITES- BUT I AM REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I TAKE FROM THEM.  THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY BAD IDEAS ON INSTAGRAM (LOL)!  IF I SEE SOMETHING I LIKE, IT’S USUALLY JUST AN IDEA WITHIN AN EXERCISE RATHER THAN THE EXERCISE ITSELF.

AND FINALLY…I PRACTICE.  I PRACTICE EVERY SINGLE WORKOUT BEFORE WE DO IT TOGETHER.  I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS THE BEST WORKOUT I CAN GIVE YOU.  I MAKE SURE IT WORKS AND THAT IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE. I MAKE SURE THE CARDIO INTERVALS I CHOSE ARE CHALLENGING BUT NOT OVERWHELMING.  AND, AS ALWAYS, I MAKE SURE THERE ARE MODIFICATIONS & PROGRESSIONS. MY HOPE IS THAT YOU ENJOYED THE WORKOUT AND FELT SUCCESSFUL. AND THEN I BEGIN AGAIN!!!