Great tips! Yeah that thing’s going to be a favorite for sure. Upper body cardio is underrated.
Not to brag, but after considerable practice I can burn forty calories a minute on that sucker. And do the calculations showing these numbers are reasonably accurate. (It is much easier to calculate work energy pulling on a rope than it is for, say, jogging on a treadmill). Nothing else I do comes close to that.
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That’s funny! I actually kinda like it. I put it in my coffee and make a mocha thing. It is not bad. If you drink coffee, give it a shot and lmk if you’re still weirded out. lol
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I mean, like I did private practice for like seven years, if you’re looking… lol.
I’d recommend finding someone who will individualize recommendations based on her goals, likes, dislikes and lifestyle over all. What you don’t want is someone militant or some “meal plan in a can” approach.
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Sold. I’m taking my son to track, but I’ll respond to a link or email address later tonight.
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You can shoot me an email at amyk.rd at gmail dot com. 
Sorry for totally derailing your log, Dani! Feel free to delete this if you’d rather it not be here!
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No need to apologize! I’m glad you posted it and I’ll leave it right there so that others can see it for future reference. 
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I was sure you were going to do a @TrainForPain and say Arm day. LOL
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I like the hip thrust machine too. The “good” news is you can do much more weight with more comfort than with a barbell or Smith. The “bad” news is it feels different, so I assume the benefit is more diffuse. Since you can only add so much weight, I find it helpful to sometimes slow things down and also to hold at the top and bottom position.
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This is a really good point and you’re absolutely right.
The machine is actually different than any I’d seen before. I’ll snap a pic next time and show you, but it’s a cable hip thrust machine. You’re probably more familiar with that kind of set up than I am.
I need to play around with it, but the bottom range of motion felt wrong for the hip joints. So I stayed in the upper two thirds where the strength curve felt heaviest and my joints felt safe.
What’s weird is that I was hitting complete failure at like 6-8 reps despite using what I would’ve assumed was pretty light weight.
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Dang it! That’s such a good idea. I’m keeping it handy for next time.
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Okay well now I’ll save it for when you come over. 
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No, the pelvic machine at our gym has no cables. Not seen such a beast. It is a chair with a waist seatbelt, with a bar you lift with your hips while your feet rest on an angled plate. The bar is attached to each side by a hinge and (unlike a barbell or Smith) does not go directly above your thighs or body. Your legs are about a foot above the ground. The bar can fit a maximum of about 630 pounds of 45s, and the bar has a weight of 15 pounds when empty.
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I love that. And now I have to come for sure. lol
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Seems like there are more butt-related appliances than we ever could have imagined. Or needed.
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I don’t know Bret Contreras. Probably a solid researcher and good guy. Butt I can’t help thinking he deserves some of the blame here. 
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Failure, Imperfection, and Belonging
I have to write this somewhere because it’s one of the most remarkable experiences I’ve had in 2024.
Last night we were practicing “object work” and it was challenging. But our instructor must’ve sensed that a lot of us were feeling like we had messed up. (He was right, I definitely felt that after one of the games.) So, he brought in a crumpled-up piece of paper and told us to stand in a line.
He said, “I’m going to throw this at each of you and I want you to intentionally miss. Don’t catch it. Then I want the rest of the class to cheer loudly for every single person, celebrate, and give him or her a high-five after they’ve missed it.”
(Cheering on grown adults for no reason, and in the most absurd, over-the-top way, is invigorating; I hope you get to try it at some point in life.)
Then we sat down and he explained the drill. Here’s the gist:
The purpose was to fail and get rewarded. Why? Because failing is human, and in improv, it can be hilarious. It can even be the best part if you own it with confidence. But trying to be perfect on the other hand, makes you boring. Nobody wants to watch a perfect person on stage.
So we got rewarded for failure.
I think this hit me hard because my brain automatically started applying it to life in general. And I can’t speak for the others, but it felt like receiving a cold glass of water when I didn’t even know I was parched.
I have so much more to say about this because, coincidentally, I’m in the middle of Brene Brown’s, The Gifts of Imperfection. And it’s teaching me about concepts like real belonging versus fitting in. My mind is getting blown. Dots are connecting.
Here’s a thing I highlighted in her book:
One of the biggest surprises in this research was learning that fitting in and belonging are not the same thing, and, in fact, fitting in gets in the way of belonging. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.
So anyway, I’m loving this improv community because there’s an automatic feeling of belonging… even when you think you’ve screwed up.
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Without context, this line is hilarious.
Theres a meme in here waiting to be born.
Like if aliens were watching us and writing home with their observations.
"The hairless monkeys seem fascinated with their butts.
Always looking at them, showcasing them, strengthening them, shaking them, inserting things in them… they must be of great significance or means of communication.
We’re going to abduct some and inspect the butts. For science."
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Apparently your improv coach has watched the 2024 Toronto Raptors try to shoot NBA free throws.
The fad for decorating one’s yoga pants with corporate slogans seems to have disappeared. I never understood the women who had “Juicy” (from Juicy Couture) printed on their ass. For certain body parts, this might not seem to be a positive quality… but you do you.
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Oh my goodness that’s too good! We need a documentary for the butt obsession.
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