MEASURABLE PROGRESS USING MY NEW STEALTH CORE TRAINER

 

WOW! This morning I was able to hold the plank position on the floor for a full 90 seconds just a week after getting a Stealth Core Trainer.

 

This is quite the accomplishment, I think, since I’ll turn 70 in March, less than two months from now.

 

I have been planking (sporadically) for a month or so but prior to getting the Stealth Core Trainer a week ago it was a struggle to hold the position for a full 60 seconds without feeling like I was going to blow a head gasket.

 

Yesterday I set my timer for one minute and got into position on the floor and started counting “one thousand one, one thousand two,” etc. and was surprised when the alarm went just off as I was reaching “one thousand fifty-five,” so I knew I had been holding the plank slightly longer than a minute since getting the Core Trainer.

 

So, this morning, I set the timer for one minute, got into position and started counting again. When the timer went off this time, I decided to continue to hold the position for as much longer as I could without blowing a head gasket, and I was able to hold it for an additional 30 seconds.  I probably could have held it for longer, but I don’t want to overdo and risk hurting myself.

 

I’ve also lost almost two pounds this week. That’s great because, as I gain muscle, the scale could go up (since muscle weighs more than fat), but it’s going down, so that’s excellent news! I’m losing fat and gaining muscle!

 

I’m playing and exercising on the Stealth probably an additional three minutes every day (except Sundays), but not the whole time on my toes. I split the time between toes and knees, and I’m also doing other exercises (side steps, down dog)  during that cumulative three minutes. Oh! And usually once a day I do a jogging/walking/leg-lifting routine for about 12 minutes by streaming a jogging music video on my PC in my den and moving to that.

 

It’s working well and I’m delighted, because I want to get into as good shape as possible before I have the panniculectomy surgery later this spring (when a reduction in COVID cases allows hospitals to schedule non-emergency procedures again).

 

Why the panniculectomy? I lost over 100 pounds decades ago, so I have an apron of loose skin that has begun to impact my lower regions adversely now that I’m almost 70, so my physician at UW Northwest Hospital cleared the way to have the panniculectomy procedure to take off the excess skin.  That will result in a weight loss of up to an additional 14 pounds. (A doctor years ago estimated that’s about how much loose skin I have hanging off me.) So, I’m looking forward to getting rid of that, for sure!

 

I’m enjoying the heck out of the Stealth Core Trainer. There’s a private Facebook page for Stealth Core Trainer enthusiasts where we can announce our progress, post videos of our exercises, and support each other, so that has been a lot of fun, too.  Whenever feel I don’t want to work out, I just go there for about five minutes and my motivation soars again.  The exercise doesn’t take a big chunk of time, and it’s gamified to take your mind off the “exercise” part, so there really is zero excuse not to stay with the program. (You put a short game on your smartphone that has you twisting, turning, diving, and doing whatever else you need to do to strengthen your core muscles.)

 

My Stealth Core Trainer is well worth every dime I paid for it. (I got the yellow, basic model for $118, including shipping.)

 

If you’re looking for a fun new way to strengthen your core muscles (and other muscles, too, using a variety of exercises), I think the Stealth Core Trainer may well be your solution.  As expected, it is becoming mine at close to warp speed!