mixing it up

so lately i've been trying some new workouts. throughout the week each one of my workouts is different, one way or the other. but when you look at the weekly picture the weeks are exactly the same. back at the 4th of july BBQ i was at, sarah suggested to do some more weight training, which as of february hasn't really been part of my workout routine. she suggested a class called "barbell strength". i've thought about trying this class in the past, but it's on tuesday, and tuesday is my one day that i always take off. plus new workouts are intimidating. i often question myself, and wonder if i can do it? i obviously know that i'm stronger, but i definitely question myself and what it is i'm capable of. but i did the class a couple of weeks ago, and i really enjoyed it. if you've ever done a "body pump" class it's exactly the same. you workout all the major muscle groups of your body for 5 minutes a piece. so you do lots of reps. two days later, i was SO sore, but i plan to make this a new "regular" workout for myself.
last saturday i tried a T.E.A.M. weight loss demo at the gym. it was good because it got me using the incline on the treadmill. ...i am SO not a fan of that! plus we did some weight machines i had never used before. i felt great when one of the trainers complimented my muscle's in my shoulders and arms!
the other new class i recently tried is a lifetime fitness signature class, called core. again this is a class i've thought about trying for quite awhile, mainly because it is sarah who teaches it. it is a 30 minute class that focuses soley on the core area. i did this class for the first time on friday. it was a good class, and the soreness is effecting me today. you feel that "hurt" in your stomach when you either laugh or cough. it's a good feeling.
lastly was yesterday's workout. i have some co-workers that sometimes do a fitness bootcamp on the weekend, and they often invite me, and i always turn them down. except for yesterday. i thought "why not? just do it." this was a hard workout. unfortunately i gave myself the excuse of it being a new workout, to not really push myself. i know i could've pushed myself harder than what i did, but i didn't. oh well, next time.
the great thing about doing something new is the soreness feeling. with my routine that i've had for the past 6-8 months it had been a really long time since i had gotten really sore. it's a reminder to me that i'm working part of my body that i hadn't been worked in awhile, and that my body is actually getting stronger.
i think toning is important. lately i've grown more self-conscious about my arms. that is the one area of my body where you can actually see i've lost some weight because of the skin. all of that flab. ew! so i'm working on it.
so here is what i'm thinking my weeks will now look like:
sunday - either STRIKE! or 50/50
monday - either my own cardio (combination of elliptical and/or treadmill) or 50/50 or day off
tuesday - barbell strength
wednesday - zumba
thursday - STRIKE! or day off
friday - dance jam + my own cardio
saturday - strictly strength or my own cardio
both 50/50 and strictly strength have some sore of weight training in them, and barbell strength is all weights. so i think that is a pretty good combination.
i'm always trying to mix it up!

STRIKE! 60min