Welcome to Week 9 – the final post of Wunda Wednesdays!   From May 1st through July 1st, I participated in a 60 Day Challenge with WundaBar Pilates.  I took 3-4 classes per week in exchange for documenting my progress weekly here on the blog.

I can’t believe that my 60 Day Challenge is officially over.  It went fast and damn, I worked hard!  WundaBar Pilates is no joke my friends.  From this experience, I assure you that in every single class you are guaranteed sweat, shaking, sighing and cursing but you’ll go back for more because in 50 minutes you get a fun (but serious) workout that will change the way you look at exercise classes.

WundaBar Studio City

For my last class, I went out to the flagship WundaBar location in Studio City for a class with WundaBar Pilates Founder and CEO, Amy Jordan.  Amy is everything you want to hate in a woman (and fitness instructor) – she’s tall, beautiful, fit, and smart but she’s so unbelievably nice and warm that you just want to hug (and not slug) her!

It’s me with the lovely Amy Jordan, Founder/CEO of WundaBar Pilates.

Amy knows her Pilates and her anatomy.  This WundaBar Toolbox Class was focused on the multifudus, a deep series of muscle found on each side of the spine from the skull to the sacrum.  The multifidi provide spinal support and rotation.  Workouts for a strong core aren’t only focused on the abdominal region.

In this educational class, Amy made sure that each attendee set up their lunge, manually felt their own multifidus muscle prior to and during specific exercises.  WundaBar has fabulous instructors at all locations I’ve visited but there’s no doubt that I will be trekking back to Studio City to take more classes with Amy (before she has her baby that’s due in the fall)!

Did I reach my goals for Phase 2 of the WundaBar 60 Day Challenge?

Image: Susan Van Struensee

Nutrition:

• Eat within 1 hour of class with emphasis on protein and carbohydrate density – I consumed a protein shake right after class.

• Do not skip meals – Difficult but achieved about 85% of the time.

• Ensure adequate daily amount of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates to prevent further lean mass decline and encourage lean mass addition – Made an effort but did not record.

OMG that’s this blog featured with some well known names in media!  Humbled.

WundaBar:

• Focus on proper breathing during exercises – Absolutely!  Still takes effort.

• Improve form on WundaChair Step Ups/Step Overs – Shoulders and hips still require effort to control but I’ve found my abdominal muscles!

• Improve alignment on Reformer Prayer Twists and Lunges – Work in progress.

• Softer lifts/landings for Jump Board Side Jumping – Proper foot rolls for lifts/lands is key! 1 yellow spring (lightest) is gentler on my back for landings and makes my core really work!

Fit-Fax Results Day 60

Body Composition:

Remember that muscle mass that I had lost at Day 28?  I gained it all back plus added a bit more:

• Skeletal Muscle Mass (Base): 49.2 lbs
• Skeletal Muscle Mass (Day 28): 48.7 lbs
• Skeletal Muscle Mass (Day 60): 49.4 lbs

I had my Fit-Fax done right after an airplane ride (and the 3 workouts per day at Fitbloggin’) which skewed my total body water and segmental lean body mass (it showed a significant increase in muscle in the left leg compared to the right).  Despite the reading outliers, my lean body mass did increase overall.

While weight loss was not my primary goal, this Fit-Fax did indicate that my weight increased marginally – not news that anyone wants to hear but I’m attributing the increase to effects from the recent plane ride and atypical excessive exercise.   Overall, there was not only an increase in my muscle mass but there has also been strength development that I can see in my arms, abs and legs and feel when I run.  I do plan to check in again with Fit-Fax in 90 days to monitor my skeletal muscle mass trends as I continue my rehabilitation and future fitness endeavors.

If this is your first visit to Wunda Wednesdays, welcome!  If you want to catch up on my WundaBar journey, here are links for Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7 and Week 8.

Next week, Wunda Wednesdays will be morphing to Workout Wednesdays so stay with me as I reach my 30 of the 10-20-30 Principle of Pilates and continue on my fitness journey!

Thank You WundaBar Pilates and Fit-Fax! Image: nateOne

This 60 Day Challenge would not have been possible without the wonderful staff and instructors of WundaBar Pilates and Sarah Lynn Dephouse of Fit-Fax.  My sincerest thanks for helping me on my path to getting stronger.  I’m looking forward to a fit future with all of you!

What has been your biggest fitness challenge to date and how was the experience?

*This post is part of my series Wunda Wednesdays which I agreed to write in exchange for classes at WundaBar Pilates for 60 days.  All opinions are my own.