Forever Fierce with Puma and Finish Line
Last weekend I was blessed to be invited to LA to participate in a Puma and Finish Line event. I had been participating in an Instagram challenge and received the message from Finish Line a few weeks ago that I had been found to be Forever Fierce and would be flown to LA to experience a training session with Puma trainer, Jamie Granger. I didn't know what to expect, I just knew I would have a blast! I invited one of my friends along for the ride and together we took on LA.
We arrived Sunday morning and since the workout wasn't until Monday, decided to spend the day touring Universal Studios. I have been wanting to check out the Harry Potter exhibit, so off we went. It was hot outside, but we were undeterred!
We enjoyed a few rides at Harry Potter - and a wand choosing experience - and then continued to the rest of the park. I could not wait to get doused by water at the Jurassic Park ride and Water World show.
I think one of my favorite things was the Transformers! They looked so real and were pretty fun to interact with. We met Bumblebee and Megatron.
We did every ride at Universal and saw so many things. We were there for 11 hours! Definitely had a great experience and made some amazing memories. Around 8pm we headed out to check into our hotel and get some rest before the big day with Puma!
Fierce Accommodations
We stayed at the Mondrian in Hollywood. It is a great little hotel with plenty of amenities. The beds were super comfortable and the mirror was also a TV. I really need to get one of these for home. Thank you Puma for putting us up in this luxury hotel!
While here, both Amanda and I received GIANT packages from Puma! I really wasn't expecting such star treatment, but boy did they go all out. We got more outfits than we could wear that weekend and will be kitted out all summer in new swag.
The crew at Puma and Finish Line also included the sweetest welcome note. We both felt like we were getting the VIP celebrity treatment. When in LA!
After trying on all our gear and geeking out Sunday morning, we got ready for out workout. Puma sent me a pair of white Puma Fierce shoes and white pants. Completely out of my comfort zone. But, hey, there is a first for everything! I decided they would be my workout outfit of choice.
We headed out to breakfast at a local cafe and then over to Retro Fit to meet our trainer, Jamie, and get our workout on.
The Workout at Retro Fit
Retro Fit is a great little studio, just newly opened. It had plenty of space and equipment for us to use and I felt at home right away. Jamie introduced herself and then went about warming us up and giving us a brief overview of the workout.
Warm-up
We started on the rowing machine with a 500 meter warm-up.
Then some activation exercises (Lunges with arms overhead and quick feet), followed by a slightly faster 500 meter row.
2 Rounds
- Squats (she was really correcting my form, I have such tight hips that it makes it hard to go in the full range of motion) x 12
- Straight arm lat pull-downs x 12
The main workout
Round 1
- Lebert Fitness Knee Holds as long as possible
- Dead Lift x 8
- Partner sit ups with medicine ball x 30
Repeat 4 times
Round 2
- Pull-ups x 8
- Jump Rope x 2 minutes
- Single arm clean and jerk x 24
Repeat 3 times
Stretching
Hamstrings, quads
I may be forgetting a few exercises (I feel like I am), but this was the basic workout. It was incredibly tough. Jamie is very good at correcting poor form and I learned a lot about focusing on keeping my chest up in my squat. Due to my tight hips, my back always gets pulled downward, I have to consciously try to avoid this and strengthen my back, while working on flexibility.
We took a group photo post-workout, but I was a bit bummed we didn't have anyone photographing during the workout. Next time i'll make sure to grab a few more pics! Loving that we are all decked out in our awesome Puma swag. I love the capris (though I am pretty sure the black stains on my white pair are never coming out, ha!).
After a few questions and answers with Jaime, we said our goodbyes and took quick showers before heading out.
We went for smoothies, a movie, and dinner after the workout then boarded our flight home. Not before we got photos with a Ninja Turtle though!
Again, I can't thank Puma and Finish Line enough for this opportunity to train and work out with the best. I plan on becoming more fierce in every workout from here on out and learning and growing as a trainer. How are you staying fierce?
