Peloton Straight to the Core Progress
After starting Rebecca Kennedy’s 4-Week Straight to the Core Peloton program with a benchmark test on April 10th, I officially wrapped things up with the final test this past Wednesday. Below are the results and comparisons from both tests.
Program Dates: April 10 – May 6
| Exercise | Benchmark | Final | Status |
| High Plank | 90 / 90 Sec | 90 / 90 Sec | Maintained |
| Hollow Hold | 60 / 60 Sec | 60 / 60 Sec | Maintained |
| Left Side Plank | 30 / 60 Sec | 60 / 60 Sec | Improved |
| Right Side Plank | 36 / 60 Sec | 60 / 60 Sec | Improved |
| Tuck Ups | 40 Reps | 65 Reps | Improved |
Beyond the test results, the real victory is how I’ve been feeling. After the initial benchmark, I was concerned when I dealt with some foot numbness – an issue that has plagued me off and on for years – but I’m happy to report it was a complete non-issue this time around.
Prior to starting this program, I completed Emma Lovewell’s 2-week and 4-week Core Pilates series, and the cumulative effect has been incredible; my back feels better than it has in years. While it may never be 100%, the progress is undeniable. I’m definitely sticking with the Peloton core Pilates classes – they’ve been doing wonders for my back health.
Overview of the Week
Before getting into each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…
Sunday
Cycling: 30 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.6 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 9:09 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65° in the basement, 46° (feels like 37°) and partly cloudy outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Pilates: Peloton Rebecca Kennedy 15-Minute Core Strength
Walking: 3.03 miles
• Average pace: 15:01 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 101 feet
• Start time: 1:11 PM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 57° (feels like 47°) and partly cloudy, climbing to 59° (feels like 49°)
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, nylon shell, gloves, and visor (took gloves off after 2nd mile)
It was a crisp 39° when I headed off to church around 7:15 AM, so I quickly ruled out an outside ride later in the day. Fortunately, the forecast later in the week looks much better for cycling outdoors. It was cold, but not too cold for an outside walk—after all, I’ll shiver until my teeth chatter before walking on a treadmill!
My indoor spin this weekend, though, helped Dawn Patrol cross our virtual finish line in DC. Just like last year, we’re keeping the momentum going and logging our miles for the return trip to Washington.
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Pilates: Peloton Rebecca Kennedy 20-Minute Core Strength
I got an early start to fit in my workouts before my husband and I had to head out of town for the day. It turned out to be a long trip, and we didn’t make it back home until 11:30 PM.
Tuesday
Cycling: 16 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.7 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:21 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65° in the basement, 55° and cloudy outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Walking: 6.23 miles
• Average pace: 15:20 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 221 feet
• Start time: 8:14 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail from Leesburg to home
• Weather: 61° and sunny, climbing to 72°
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
Stretching: Peloton Adrian Williams 15-Minute Stretching for Longevity
Gardening: 1.5 hours
After not getting to bed until almost midnight, I was up early to see my only client of the day and multitasked by doing a steady spin while training her. A little later my husband and I dropped off his SUV at the dealer for servicing and walked home via the W&OD Trail. Back home, I was pooped from lack of sleep and the invigorating walk so I took a nap.
After a fantastic nap, I went to my favorite nursery to buy flowers and started the planting process once home.
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Pilates: Peloton Rebecca Kennedy 10-Minute Strength Test (see results at top of page)
Walking: 5.25 miles
• Average pace: 16:04 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 152 feet
• Start time: 12:19 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 66° (feels like 58°) and cloudy, climbing to 70° (feels like 64°)
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, nylon shell, and visor (took shell off 2 miles in)
Gardening: 1.5 hours
By the time I wrapped up my morning clients it had stopped raining and I met my friend Betsy for a walk. After the walk, I made another trip to the nursery for a few more flowers and couldn’t wait to get home to plant them and the flowers I’d purchased the previous day – flowers in the top left pot in the collage were planted on Tuesday, the rest on Wednesday.
Thursday
Cycling: 20 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.5 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 5:59 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65° in the basement, 53° and cloudy outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Stretching: Peloton Robin Arzón 5-Minute Post-Ride Stretch
Gardening: 1 hour
I opted to hop on my spin bike rather than going outside for a walk so I could log some miles for the Great American Ride during my weekly virtual cardio workout with Kim.
Collage credit: Kim
Later in the morning, I planted five beautiful Rose Marvel salvia (bonus that they’re perennials) in front of our foundation shrubs (one of my 26 in 2026 goals) and I’m loving how much the bumble bees and butterflies are already flocking to them.
Friday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Stretching: Peloton Ally Love 10-Minute Full Body Stretch
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
Gardening: 3 hours
My gardening was split into two sessions. During a work break, I dug out a peach peony I wasn’t fond of and replaced it with a deep fuchsia variety. Then, after finishing my workday, I spent a couple of hours outside with the string trimmer.
Saturday
Gardening: 1.5 hours
Walking: 3.07 miles
• Average pace: 15:04 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 134 feet
• Start time: 10:54 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 64° and mostly cloudy, climbing to 67°
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
Stretching: Peloton Kirra Michel 10-Minute Lower Body Stretch
I was up early but waited until 8 AM to head outside with the string trimmer, making sure to let my neighbors sleep in (even though my new cordless machine is very quiet). Afterward, I cut some peonies (transplants from my mom’s garden) to bring inside and tackled a few more outdoor projects. I capped off the morning with a walk and some errands, then made sure to fit in a stretch later on. To celebrate Mother’s Day early, we headed out for a meal with the family at one of our favorite restaurants.
Garmin Badges Earned
Five Garmin badges made their way to me this week.
Last Week’s Blog Posts
In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…
Questions:
- • Have you ever started a fitness program thinking only about the numbers, only to find the most rewarding progress was how you felt physically in your day-to-day life? ~ yes
- • Are you seeing lots of flowers blooming where you live? ~ yes
- • Which workout did you enjoy most this past week? ~ If gardening counts as a workout, every second outside was my favorite.
And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!
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I’m linking up with Deborah at Confessions of a Mother Runner and Kim from Running on the Fly for their Weekly Run Down. Be sure to check out not only the hosts’ posts, but those of the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
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Way to go on the core progress, Debbie! Especially those side plank improvements!
The biggest win is what you said about your back feeling better than it has in years. Amazing what a difference a strong, consistent core work can make in everyday life.
And I love peonies! Even more special that yours came from your mom’s garden. What a lovely thing to have flowering in your own garden now.
Thanks, Catrina! It’s always nice to know that putting in the work makes a difference.
We heading back to the farm this week and I plan to bring home a few more plants.
Nice work on that core program! I need to do that. I have to admit that working core is my least favorite thing; that means I should be focusing on it.
Our peonies haven’t bloomed yet–usually late May for us. They are so pretty and smell so good! I think overall, our blooms are a couple of weeks behind you.
Thanks, Wendy! And I agree, core work isn’t all that fun.
That sounds about right that your blooms are at least a couple of weeks behind ours.
The core programs are great! it is not always about the numbers for sure. I feel so good when I do the daily core and/or Pilates. So may options on the platform-what’s next for you?
The entire Peloton platform is great! I’m loving it much more than I anticipated. 🙂 I’m just going to bounce around with core classes this week while at the farm and look for another program to start next week.
Great work with those core exercises and how amazing about what difference the core programs have done to your back! That must feel so good!
Your flowers are so pretty! Those salvias are fantastic and they can grow quite big! I miss peonies so much. I used to have plenty of them in Sweden but it’s too windy for them here.
Thanks, Susanne! And yes, it feels amazing to not have such a temperamental back.
The salvias are a dwarf variety and are almost full size already at 10-12-inches tall.
You made measurable and unmeasurable progress with that program. You almost have me wanting to try the Pilates classes but ….
I love all your flowers. The salvia is going to be a nice addition!
Thanks, Coco! Have you not tried the Pilates classes, or have you tried them and just don’t enjoy them?
I had no idea the salvia would make such a difference, but it really does!
I have not had any free time (especially last week)to get some flowers, nor would I have had time to plant them. I love those salvia plants! Your peonies look beautiful as well. You’re giving me all kinds of inspiration!
You did have a busy week! Can’t wait to see what you decide to plant this year.
Okay, that settles it! I need to get back to core- only workouts. The Iron Series workouts are great, and some core is incorporated, but my back has been sore and I think I really need to get back to those deadbug workouts and a couple others I was doing. Your story shows how important it is.
Beautiful flowers!!!
Jenny, you’re the one who got me started doing dead bugs again and now I religiously do two sets of 30 (that’s 15 on each side each set) on Mondays Wednesdays, and Fridays. Those and bringing crunches back into my workouts were game changers – I was focusing too much on the back half of my core with birddogs, swimmer,etc. The Peloton workouts have taken it to the next level!
Still too risky to plant as it gets cold in the mornings. O do enjoy planting. My big issue is the DEER!!
Glad to hear that your back feels better. Win win.
I was on vacation so one day I played tennis well, but the others meh. Being warm was the nicest part of my vacation and I did enjoy running that 5k.
I have a terrible problem with deer and groundhogs so all plants have to be things they don’t like. This year the squirrels are driving me nuts! They dig constantly and often expose the roots on flowers I’ve just planted. I spend way too much time refilling their holes. 🙁
Glad you had a nice vacation!