Decatur: Week 1, Rocking out with the Noobs.

7am camp, I am ready for you! I was so excited that Decatur was able to branch out and offer this new time for the FitWitters. This will be a camp time that I can stick to no matter what the husband's schedule calls for. No more 12 hour turnarounds, or bouncing back and forth. My poor body just couldn't take night time workouts and then an early morning one.

So, I got the chance to start all over with this 7am. With so many newbies, I chose to stay in with them and re-learn some of the basics. As my body is changing, so is my form. This was the perfect opportunity to teach my body how to do some of FitWit's basics exercises.

I'm noticing a vast improvement in these exercises now. With squats, I can get all the way down to the crate below me and pop right back up with little effort. It still takes me a second to remember to point my toes, but a quick nettle in the knee sure fixes that. The pushups are still going strong, but I'd really like to be able to do at least one or two regular ones. I can get down, but not back up. I'll get there, but it's going to take some more work. Situps are slowly getting better. I can dig my heels in now and really stay rooted, where it used to take JB or a partner standing on my feet to keep me rooted. I guess after all that work, my core is actually starting to get stronger.

The second day we got to work with the weights. This was actually the newbie instruction I was looking for. I wanted to really push myself more with the weight training and increase my pound increments. I feel like I've been coasting, I haven't felt the results like I did from that first camp. That was my body signaling it's time to move up in weight.

I tried out the 25 lb kettlebell from some swings and squat high pulls. The swings felt great, I really could feel my lower back getting strong. The high pulls were definitely a little harder. My forearms were burning when I pulled it all the way up to my chin, but after one or two it got a little easier. I was feeling pretty good about my form. That trick that Jose taught me from first camp holds true. Look straight ahead and you'll keep your back straight.

We moved onto the medicine balls and body rows from here. Two of my favorite exercises. I can't tell you how therapeutic slam balls are in the morning. Really. Nothing phases you after that. All your aggression, irritation, annoyance... whatever, it's all gone after you smack that ball to the ground over and over again. I moved up a little on the weights for those balls as well. I tried it with the 12 lb and was pleasantly surprised at the ease of using it. I'd almost expected it to be more difficult, but in fact I got my wall balls higher than ever before. It did take me a little longer to find the rhythm for the slam balls though. They're a tad bigger, and I have small hands. I just couldn't get the hold of that ball to save my soul. Once I figured out where to place my hands, I got to rep them out.

Body rows. I have no idea why I even like these. They give me blisters, for goodness sake. But there's something awesome about pulling yourself up to that bar and actually hitting it. I've always gotten close, but not quite. JB let me get up there and rock 'em out like a rockstar. I hit the bar over and over again. I got ooohs and aaaaahs from the newbies. I told them if my fat butt could do it, there's no reason for they can't either. Just takes a little practice.

I'd like to think that I showed them that anyone can do it, no matter what their body type may be. All it takes is a little practice and some hard work.