Sunday, December 28, 2008

Post-holiday workout


You know how it is.  You eat too many of Mom's spritz cookies and chocolate-covered toffees over the holidays and before you know it you have a roll of jelly in your belly.  But do not despair!  The very healthy and fit Ivy will lead you through a series of exercises to help you firm up and regain your pre-December shape:

Step One: Stretch.  Touch your toes and chew on a mini-barbell.  Count to 8.  Feel the burn, babies.  Release.  Repeat on other side.

Step Two: Biceps.  Turn a spinning wheel or similar device round and round until your pipes begin to steam.  Stop and reverse the direction.  Do this as many times as possible or until your mother realizes that you're messing up her spinning at which time your attention will be diverted to a pile of blocks in the middle of the living room floor.

Step Three: Agility and strength training.  Ask your father to hold a small length of rope in front of you, grab it with both hands and scale it to his shoulders.  This exercise is particularly useful when preparing for the President's Physical Fitness test. (OMG, history buffs, check out the first chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness.  No wonder I've always been suspicious of this annual gym class torture.)


Step Four: Cool down.  End your workout by raising your hood over your head and take a cheerful crawl around the dining room.  Then head on down to the locker room and hit the showers and sauna.

(Ivy's workout wardrobe courtesy of Grandma Pauline, Aunt Christine and Grandpa Frank)

2 comments:

Stardancer said...

Ivy can be my personal trainer any day! love that cute smile!

marf said...

I can't believe tricky dick was in charge of this. no wonder the bent arm hang was a component.
i say we train with ivy and retake the test when we turn 45!