XCO Walker Substitute

Today I saved myself over $50!  After yearning for a pair of XCO Walkers,  I put a wrist band around a Lays Stax can partially filled with rock salt.  The band worked like a strap so I can use the weight without actually holding it.

Here's a video of the XCOs in action


and here is what mine looks like

ETA: and here is what it looks like after cutting the wrist band in half, making it more comfortable and easier to don and remove:

I do not have to hold the can at all while the wrist band keeps the can attached.

I love my Fitstix but sometimes my hands become numb if I hold them a long time.  Sliding filler weights are much more gentle on the joints so really good when bouncing on the bungee or ball.

This morning I did a couple of edited Tanya Djelevic routines on the bungee and ball, alittle of the original Pacha Dance, and ended with the UK Biggest Loser cooldown using pads that glide for these moves:

I never edited the Pacha Dance and have found its music uninspiring but can play it online with different music on wellvideo.ru

The cardio routines with Tanya D worked great with the MUsic I added.

Lots of Variety

This morning I started with an edited Dynamic Stretch  Unfortunately, I cannot find the original routine online because of a language barrier but here's my edited routine:



Next I did some of an edited Beach Bum workout which worked the lower body then Michael O's Killer Abs and Back for some upright Abs.
Here's some of the original Beach Bum


Finished with an edited version of Nell McAndrew's Ultimate Challenge which was great on the bungee and ball.

This morning I adjusted the tension on my one year old JumpSport 550 so the cords would have a different point of friction and found it firmer and bouncier :)

Laptop Best Choice for Me

This morning, I did the rest of my edited boxing file from Z-Box Fitness then most of my edited Dance segments.  I liked dances 1 and 3 alot so am editing out dances 2 and 4 for future revisits while playing the smaller file on my laptop.

Most of the moves worked great on the bungee and ball.
As usual, I enjoyed my MUsic.  Speaking of my MUsic,  I can now upload my favorite MP3s to WellVideo.ru and play them in one tab while I visit a muted video in another tab.    Its Administrator added a better audio program with more options.  Most of what I upload is for private use and I am starting to enjoy using videos through my laptop hooked up to stereo speakers for sparks throughout the day more than burned dvdrs.

As far as working out and electrical equipment, I am beginning to see all I need is a laptop preferably with a larger screen and stereo speakers.    The laptop can replace tvs, streaming devices, media players, dvd players,  etc.  Many routines can be streamed from video sites, played from my laptop's hard drive or any other storage media.  Best of all, I can easily change the music and edit files to remove moves.

Abs Diet for Women

This morning I did my edited version of Jessica Smith's Abs Diet for Women.  It had solid moves for both the bungee and ball and decent weighted moves for the purple Zumba sticks.  The MUsic I added really clicked for me.

I also did alittle of my edited Z-Box Fitness and liked it enough to want to do the rest as a spark possibly today.
http://www.z-boxfitness.com/zboxDVD.html
I really couldn't tolerate the shrieking voice of one of the instructors so replacing its audio really worked.

Benefits of Bouncing and MUsic

This morning I finished the rest of my edited Jennifer Ellison Fatburner on the bungee then did my edited file of the Gaiam stability ball routine led by Tanya Djelevic.  Instead of standing and holding the stability ball, I sat on it and held a purple Zumba stick.
Enjoyed both routines very much with the MUsic I had added.

I am looking forward to trying more edited routines led by Tanya.

I do not understand why most stability ball routines ignore sitting on a ball and bouncing for cardio.  For that matter why not combine the bouncing and MUsic????


Here are some sites which suggest the benefits of bouncing:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/302880-can-lightly-bouncing-on-an-exercise-ball-help-the-lymphatic-system/

http://empoweredsustenance.com/benefits-of-rebounding/

http://www.healthiersolutionsbymarie.com/rebounding.html

http://www.wellbeingjournal.com/rebounding-good-for-the-lymph-system

http://owen.curezone.com/healing/lymphrebounding.html

http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/effects-of-rebounding-on-the-lymphatic-system.htm

http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/rebounding-for-detoxification-and-health.htm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2203735/Fibromyalgia-Neurological-condition-causing-numbness-insomnia-pain-fatigue-1-8m-Britons.html


Here are some sites about the benefits of MUsic:

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/03/13/seven-reasons-why-music-benefits-your-health/

http://greatist.com/happiness/unexpected-health-benefits-music

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/258383.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/health-benefits-of-music/

more current post:
http://neverendingplateau.blogspot.com/2015/09/music-and-exercise.html

Edited Routines

I did my edited version of the Skinny Bitch Fitness mostly on the bungee for the first 20 minutes then the barre/martial arts fusion standing off the bungee.  There were lots of new moves which worked well for me with minimum tweaking.  Really liked the hip opening moves in the second segment.  Between the unique moves and my MUsic, I intend to revisit this one.

Then I did some of my edited Jennifer Ellison FatBurner routine.  Really did not like the warmup in spite of my great MUsic but did like the routine after the warmup.  Lots of bouncing and some kettlebell inspired moves.  Cannot always judge a book by its cover or a workout by its warmup.

Biggest Loser Circuit

This morning I did my edited version of the (non-US) Biggest Loser Calorie Killer Circuit on the bungee and ball and really enjoyed it!

ETA: Sparks today were an outdoor walk and some of the edited file of Skinny Bitch Fitness

I accepted a new 2 year bundle contract with Verizon FIOS but lowered our internet speed to their current lowest 25/25 because we were getting the same speed when paying more for the next level 50/25.  Actually my laptop got faster download speeds before the upgrade when 15/5!
To get higher speeds wirelessly on our laptops, we need their new router but I wasn't shelling out more than $100 for it when now they give it away free with speed upgrades.   Also do not want the headache of setting up a new router.

This morning I was on a Tracfone merry-go-round because my LG840 was not getting the tripled minutes which should have been automatic with its Triple Minutes for Life benefit.  Hopefully, that glitch has been resolved and it will be automatic next time even though next time will probably be a year or more down the road.

Feet Much Better!

I am very happy to note that my feet and legs did not cramp at all while in AC for two nights and we did alot of walking the second day.  I cannot believe how much better I have been feeling since quitting Lipitor!

(also am glad I didn't cave for the 49 inch Bellicon which may have aggravated my feet)

Biggest Loser UK

I did a Biggest Loser Workout from the UK (New Year, New You) to which I had added MUsic and really enjoyed it cuz the MUsic was awesome.  Though I did the warmup on the bungee, it would have worked nicely on the ball.  The weight section I did was kettlebell inspired so I used my purple Zumba sticks. However, I did its second set isometrically while bouncing which worked well too.  The cardio started out slowly but with alittle tweaking became more interesting on both the bungee and the ball.   I really liked some of the Cooldown moves too.

Here's a short sample

I will definitely revisit this edited routine!

Coleen and PopSugar

This morning I warmed up removing much of my equipment from the top of a storage chest to check its contents.  The great discovery was actually already on the top of the chest and previously ignored, a section of a stackable table which converted my desk to a standing desk.  Before I was using a cardboard box with an oven rack for venting.  The table I found has ridges which enables venting for my laptop and is much sturdier than the previous arrangement.

The first routine I did this morning had great MUsic:
Coleen Nolan's Neon WO from Let's Get Physical.

I also did the standing segments of her toning routine then enjoyed my edited version of PopSugar's Pilates:
original


My edited version became just 4 minutes, all of which were great sitting on a stability ball
sample

Perfect addition to a spark or just to wake up my stagnant body.

400 Cal Fix and MBodied

This morning I did most of the Prevention 400 Calorie Fix routine with replaced audio.  I loved the tunes but the moves got very repetitious so doubt I will be revisiting that one.  Same with some of an edited MBodied routine I tried as well but I may do its weight section another day.

There are just too many great routines to bother with any that do not click bigtime for me.

JumpSport Fitness Trampoline PRO Rave

If I were to advise anyone about which bungee to order for the best quality and price, it would be the Jumpsport Fitness Trampoline 350 PRO.   Why anyone would spend twice as much for a 39 inch Bellicon is beyond comprehension.  Here are its reviews on Amazon:
Reviews of JS 350 PRO

It has 6 more bungees, making the mat feel larger than the 350 and only costs $40 more than the 350.
(Note: you can save $5 or maybe more if they have a current discount code by buying it directly from JumpSport instead of Amazon with free shipping either way).
(I cannot recommend spending much more for a 39 inch Bellicon for a firm bounce and if you want a slower bounce, you can get the cheapest Jumpsport for $200)

Granted if you have the money and the space, the JumpSport 44 inch 550F is probably my top choice and will still save you a couple of hundred bucks compared to a 44 inch Bellicon.  I can guarantee that the center of the mat does not cone even on its loosest setting after one year of use.  Its cords have a 4 year warranty and are adjustable.  Bellicon cords have a one year warranty and choosing which set(s) of tension cords to order is quite a conundrum.
I prefer a firmer mat because of Plantar Fasciitis.  My feet do not like the instability of a coning mat.
(If you want a softer and slower bounce then you have to go Bellicon with Strong cords)

WARNING:
When new, the 550F is difficult to fold and unfold.
Removing a few cords near the hinges will make the task easier

Costco now offers the JS550F with a free handlebar!
http://www.costco.com/JumpSport%C2%AE-550fi-Fitness-Trampoline.product.100129083.html
(I prefer the single JS handlebar design for $90 to the Bellicon double bar for $160)

The only downside is this model has a 3 year cord warranty instead of a 4 years.
Costco has a great return policy in case you fear Buyers Remorse.
I did speak to a Jumpsport Rep who said the Costco 5550fi and 550fPRO were identical except for the handlebar so this is a great deal!

Second Half Medora and Coleen

This morning I did the second half of the Medora Torsion and Coleen Leg Warmer routines, starting on the bungee with Leg Warmers (skipping the floor cooldown) and switching to the ball when Torsion got me breathless during the Primitive song which started around the 46 minute mark.

Really had a good time!

Medora and Coleen

This morning I did the first half of Medora's Torsion class on the bungee then ball.
Info for Medora Classes

Also did half of Coleen Nolan's Leg Warmer Workout from Let's Get Physical.
Torsion's first song was so good that it got me moving even though I probably didn't get enough sleep last night.  Really loved her Blow routine (3rd song).

I also enjoyed Coleen's Leg Warmer routine.  The moves started to feel a bit repetitious but the  MUsic was great.  Tomorrow I plan to try the second half of each.

ETA:
DailyMotion has had some technical problems with videos uploaded from September 2013 to April 2014.  They are trying to resolve the problem but it is taking longer than expected.  I have stopped uploading new content to DailyMotion, preferring other options.

Nice Spark!

Since we spent last night in AC, I did some of this Yoga for Real Energy with Maya Fiennes as a spark:



I am not a fan of yoga but I did like what I did of this routine


This was a Qigong spark I did later today

which was much better with the MUsic I had added

Angela Dancemix

This morning I did most of Angela Griffin's Dancemix with Niki Wibrow.

It had some good moves and decent music but I think I would like it more with pumping music and no cuing.  Also I will remove some of the extra TIFTTs along the way.

Coleen and Paul

This morning I did a pleasant dance routine with decent moves which tweaked well on the bungee and great MUsic:
Coleen Nolan's  80's  Cardio  Blast from Let's Get Physical

Then I sat on a stability ball holding a purple Zumba stick and enjoyed an edited version of Paul Katami's Hardball.  It clicked immediately for me from the very first song (Blurred Lines).  This one will be revisited hopefully regularly!

Just alittle update on rebounder comparisons.
I used my Urban Rebounder a short time and it was very noisy and a bit jarring.   The JS 370 PRO has a similar bounce without jarring and totally quiet.  The JS 550 PRO is definitely feeling less firm than the 370 PRO but I am still enjoying it too much to adjust any cords.
I do not understand why a person would order a 39 inch Bellicon for over $600 with shipping with a one year cord warranty instead of a JumpSport  200 for $200 with a 2 year cord warranty or a firmer  350 PRO for $340 with adjustable cords with a 4 year warranty and a slightly larger mat.
By ordering the JumpSport 39 inch model, there is no guessing game of which cord tension to order either.  There is no way a 39 inch rebounder is worth over $600!

West End Cooldown

I did the second half of the routines I started yesterday except instead of the Indian Funk warmup as a cooldown,  I did the Jennifer Ellison West End Workout Cooldown to which I had added perfect MUsic (Sia's Chandelier and Ed Sheeran's Sing).

ETA:
With some editing, these 2 ZF routines became a great spark while sitting on a stability ball in front of my laptop.  Of course the MUsic I added was great and I have my laptop hooked up to stereo speakers.

originals






sample

Medora and Indian Funk

This morning I did the first half of the Medora KillinIt routine, 20 on the bungee and 10 on the ball then some of Gin Miller's Power Abs while holding a purple Zumba stick instead of a ball.  Really love the moves and MUsic in KillinIt but one song blasted much louder than the others so I had to rush to lower the volume LOL
See post below for more about Medora classes:
http://neverendingplateau.blogspot.com/2014/09/medora-classes.html

Finished with the warmup from Indian Funk which I really liked!
Will be visiting more of it using my laptop for sparks.
The warmup reminded me of Karen Andes Temple Dance which I have to dig out to share.

Finished another DVDr

This morning I finished the untested files using the same burned dvdr that I had been using.  My favorites were the MUsic added to Fatburning for Dummies, a combination Jessica and Popsugar for legs and a sample of Yin's Abs and Arms.  Also liked Jessica recent Ab routines.

Here's Yin
Arms and Abs from Yin The Zone Exclusive on Vimeo.

I like her unique moves (and of course, her MUsic) but most of her routines have too much floor work for my tastes.

ETA:
For a spark today I did an episode from Classical Stretch BUT instead of standing in horse stance, I straddled a stability ball, mostly focusing on my core and upper body instead of my lower body

Found a Youtube Winner!

After trying some boring Zumba Gold routines and feeling less and less motivated to MUve, I finally got to try Linda Edler's Summer Dance:




It was a party in a box and easily became my youtube favorite.
It's about as perfect as a workout can be as far as moves and MUsic.
The moves work well on the 550 bungee as well as the stability ball.
I hope to try it on the 370Pro soon using my HDTV with internet apps.

MUsic MUsic MUsic

This morning I did some of the same Remy bouncing routines but this time my edited files with MUsic added on my 550 then Gasper's Fatburning for Dummies with MUsic added on the bungee then ball and had a blast.

I had so much fun, I felt like a kid again, not at all like 65 years old

ETA:
Just wanted to mention that I finally made a contribution to Adblock after using it successfully for quite awhile.  It allows videos to play without ads on several sites like DailyMotion.
https://getadblock.com/

How to Download with RealPlayer

At the bottom is a method for using Realplayer for very stubborn downloads.

WARNING!

The tips in this post apply to the original version of Realplayer with RealDownloader, not the new Realplayer Cloud.

You can find the original Realplayer here

http://www.oldapps.com/real.php

I use version 16.03.51

which is also in my Google Drive

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8RA_zKRbLDpMFNGTHhNWkFOV2M/view?usp=sharing

Luckily my laptop refused to replace my old Realplayer program and install the RealPlayer Cloud!!

Realplayer Cloud does not enable the actual video files to be downloaded for dvdr burning unless you get the Plus upgrade.  Also only the first 2 gigs of storage are free. It provides streaming of the stored videos to many devices but that is not my current focus.  I need an actual video file to edit and add MUsic then burn to dvdr. 

If you already have Realplayer Cloud and want to uninstall it

try

c:/program files/real/RealPlayer/RPDS

which will take you to the Realplayer uninstall option

More from the Real website:

With the release of Chrome 35, Google has announced that they will only allow customers to use extensions from the Chrome Web Store. Therefore, Download This Video will not work in Chrome 35. We are working on a solution that we expect to release in the near future.

In the meantime, please use Internet Explorer or Firefox to download videos. You can also use the RealPlayer browser to download videos.

Here’s how:

1. Open RealPlayer.

2. Click on RealPlayer Logo.

3. Go to File.

4. Then select New and then New Web Browser.

5. Type http://www.youtube.com and then choose a video.

Play the video and click on the
*Download this video*
message in the upper right corner of the video screen
(or right click and choose download this video)

Tip: instead of entering youtube in step 5

you can enter any video website like

www.dailymotion.con

www.wellvideo.ru

www.medoradanceclub.com/class
or even the url for a specific video

etc.

Here's a screenshot of steps 1 through 4

enter any video site you want in step 5

here's an example accessing the videos from the Medora site by typing in its url

www.medoradanceclub.com/class

Sometimes a script for an ad doesn't load properly but be patient and the video will eventually start to play and download.

Sometimes when downloading with Realdownloader using Firefox as the browser, you get a message that the download is incomplete and you have to refresh the video and play the video again and click the *download this video* message again.  Keep RealDownloader opened throughout this process and eventually it will combine all downloads attempts into a completed video file. (see bottom of post for more info)

ETA 10/11/14:
Realplayer used to work nicely on wellvideo.ru but no longer does.  However Firefox Download Helper still works most of the time (faster when less traffic) and so does (Windows Operating system) *blue* Freemake Video Downloader when there isn't an overload and videos are loaded without alot of buffering.  In other words, if not downloading after refreshing a few times, try it the next morning instead.  

ETA: 12/23/2014
Sometimes, all other download methods fail but RealDownloader succeeds!
It is actually a double download process.   In Firefox, first a smaller dash file for audio is downloaded with a message that the download is incomplete and requires the video to be refreshed and downloaded again.   It then  downloads a larger dash file for visual.  Just be patient and wait and RealDownlkoader will automatically combine the two files into a complete MP4 video file.   With MSIE, it is the reverse with the larger file downloading first. My RealDownloader works on IE and Firefox, not Chrome. The older version of Realplayer can also be used as the browser.

Post the 370 PRO Virgin Voyage

After using the 370 PRO mat yesterday quite aggressively, my feet were good the rest of the day and fine this morning when I first got up.  My knees weren't stiff for the first time in a long time either.  Then my feet started a slight whine when I started doing my healthbounce (staying in contact with the mat) type moves on the 550 PRO so I am thinking they much prefer going Airborne.  Unfortunately, my low basement ceiling prevents much off the mat action.  However, I'll have plenty of opportunities for airborne sparks later, especially since it seems to help my knees as well.

This morning I started with a WellShaped.TV standing abs routine but the real star was the music I had added.  The moves were simple and could be tweaked to be more fun.  The MUsic was so good, I am making a large MP3 file from the routine to reuse.

Then I did a Roundlady's routine to which I had also added MUsic
original

My MUsic made the routine awesome!
sample

Finished with some Chair Aerobics on the Hopper ball
(with MUsic added of course)

Medora Classes

There are two long dance classes on this Medora site with great music playlists
Torsion and Killinit are their titles
http://www.medoradanceclub.com/class

I was able to download the video files with RealDownloader using Firefox as my browser.

ETA:
you can download the video files directly from the Medora site with RealPlayer as your browser but I don't think you can download the actual video files with Realplayer Cloud.

1. Open RealPlayer.

2. Click on RealPlayer Logo.

3. Go to File.

4. Then select New and then New Web Browser.

5. Type *www.medoradanceclub.com/class* in the address bar
Play a video and click on the‘
*Download This Video* button

(or right click and choose download this video)

see  Downloading with Realplayer for screenshots and more info

I would embed the Medora classes but do not want to risk my Blogger account because of its music.

All Youtube Vids on New PRO Mat

This morning I decided to try some youtube videos on my Jumpsport 370 with its new PRO mat since the 370 is in our den which has our HDTV with internet apps.
I started with


then did some of


then some of


and for a change of pace, I switched to some of this virtual walk:

It even had pleasant music for *Prancercising* on the bungee LOL


Surprisingly, my feet seemed to handle all of the above barefooted thanks to the new mat's firm tension.  Also I was able to do the same speeds as the instructors who were using Bellicons which cost more than twice the price.  Best of all, I moved breathing fresh air instead of basement air.  I did miss my MUsic a bit though.  Maybe I will record my Prancercising to a Virtual Walk one day! (and replace the audio of course)

Jumpsport PRO Mat and Cords

I was fortunate enough to get a PRO mat with 36 cords for my JumpSport 350/370 frame. I had been using that bungee regularly for 2 years then stopped when I developed Plantar Fasciitis because the loose tension aggravated the condition.  Also I had been feeling less and less stable on it even with its tightest tension adjustment.  The petals on the PRO mat are definitely smaller making the bouncing area feel larger.  Plus no petal noise!  Since the mat is smaller, the tension is even firmer than my 550 PRO but may loosen with time.  I believe I will be using it more often while watching TV.  I had developed a PF flare on Monday evening while away in AC and the new mat as well as the 550 do not seem to aggravate my heels.  If I ever decide to cave for the largest 49 inch Bellicon, I will definitely get the Ultra cords because of my foot problem.  May have to get a larger home first LOL

Before my foot problem, I loved the loose bounce so the firmer PRO mats are not for everyone.

This morning I did Brenda Dykgraaf's Disco workout.  It was similar to a Richard Simmons Disco workout but had different moves.


Then I did some of the original Older and Wiser workout and think I will really like it after replacing its audio.

AfroJazz

I really enjoyed what I did this morning which was a routine in Russian with African drums called AfroJazz.  Most moves were easily tweaked on the bungee or ball.  There was a bit of TIFTTing but not an annoying amount. Only complaint was some moves were one sided and didn't work both sides equally.  I really loved its Cooldown which starts around the 35 minute mark.


Afrojazz by POMBarb

Finished with some Zumba Gold chair.

Adding MUsic with Windows Live Movie Maker

Right click on the video file

Then Left click on *Open with Windows Live Movie Maker*

Left click on "Add music... (drop down button)

left click on "Add music at the current point... (menu item)"

Left click on the Music file in "Add Music" and left click open

Repeat these steps adding whatever music files at whatever points you want each.

You can play the video to see where it ends for the next point to add another music file
(Tip: you may have to click on *Home* upper left corner to see the *Add Music*)

Hotel Room Routines

I did 3 edited routines in my hotel room the past 2 days which I had loaded on to my Tracfones:

Standing Abs with Kathy Smith
(with the audio replaced)

Jenny Ford 's
Cardio Workout Fat Burner
(with the audio replaced with Middle Age MUsic)

and
some of the original Older and Wiser cardio

and of course, I walked and walked and walked.