The Pinnacle workout

Pinnacle is another AOS DVD offering featuring Anthony DiLuglio. Good stuff.

There are 6 rounds performed for reps not time, and you get to pick how many times you want to go through the rounds as well as how long you want to rest between rounds. I opted to rest 10 seconds between rounds for more of a cardiovascular effect, although on another day I might opt for 30 which would allow me to use a heavier kettlebell on most exercises.

Round 1 consisted of one-arm dead swings and one arm swings, 5 of each to each side

Round 2 consisted of dead cleans and long cycle cleans, 5 of each to each side

Round 3 consisted of dead clean and press and long cycle clean and press, 5 of each to each side

Round 4 consisted of high pulls, half snatches and snatches, 5 of each to each side

Round 5 consisted of dead cleans to squats, long cycle cleans to squats, 5 of each to each side, followed by 10 flip & squats (except I can't get the hang of the flip so I just did a release and catch as I dropped back into my squat)

Round 6 consisted of windmills, 5 to each side, figure 8 to hold alternating sides (except I subbed one-arm hand-to-hand swings because the figure 8 still eludes me), 10 total, and hand to hand sumo deadlifts, 10 total.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately--yesterday I was fighting off a migraine, and today I've had cramps that I think may be TOM-related but it's hard to be sure. So, anyway, I quit after three rounds. I think I was working out for a about half an hour total. It felt like enough, anyway.

I also took a 90 minute ballet class, but it mostly was rehearsal--just a quick barre to get us warmed up, then straight into Reed Flute (that's the bit from Act II that I think is the most recognizable part of the score to most people. I mean, if I hummed it you'd know it ... or if you didn't it would be my humming that'd be at fault.) Then we worked on the Act I party scene for a while. My Arabian pas de deux has been cut because my partner couldn't be bothered to show up at rehearsal, and we don't have time to rechoreograph it as a solo. Also, I think my instructor has trouble envisioning it as anything other than a pas because that's the way it was done at San Francisco Ballet where she trained. So, anyhoo, no Arabian :( Instead, I'm one of the dolls in the party scene. It's the same part I danced last year, and it's a real crowd pleaser and something I'm very comfortable with. It sort of makes sense to have me do it again, because as choreographed I'm the only person in the group who's physically capable of pulling off the jumps. There's this one bit where I go from a straddle jump (or as close to same as I can get) directly into an Italian changement (it's just a regular jump except that as I come up I pull my heels up toward my groin), and then I repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Then I go into an attitude turn/karate kick sequence, and thankfully that's just about it.

Anyway, I sort of had that dance in mind when I did the Wendy fitness girl workout last weekend, because I think the explosive movements will make my jumps even stronger. I need to keep working on hip flexibility and core strength as well. Oh, and my front assemblees suck, so I need to practice those.

The pas would have been a fun challenge but in a way I'm a little relieved because, well, I'm a little weirded out by the concept of any man who isn't (1) Paul, (2) a trained dancer, or (3)gay having that much physical contact with me.