Michelle Obama offers glimpse of workout routine

WASHINGTON – Michelle Obama has finally revealed some of her workout secrets.

The first lady skips rope, does abdominal crunches with a weighted ball and jumps on and off a bench in a White House video released as part of the fifth anniversary celebration of her "Let's Move" initiative against childhood obesity.

She also chest presses 35-pound dumbbells and kick boxes with a heavy bag in the 35-second video, which was recorded in the gym in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House and blasted out late Tuesday on the first lady's Twitter feed.

Mrs. Obama, 51, has been asking the public to use social media to tell her what five things they do to stay healthy.

Celebrities are helping to promote the first lady's "GimmeFive" challenge and, this week, she began responding on Twitter to challenges from the public to reveal her five favorite workout songs, five ways her family stays active and five things she does to reduce stress. Meditation is one stress reducer, she said.

The video was Mrs. Obama's response to President Barack Obama's video of his five things, in which he challenged her to do the same.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden jog along the White House colonnade in the president's video. The president also jogs up the stairs to Air Force One and is shown conducting walking meetings.

"So that's me. What about you? Give me five FLOTUS-style," Obama says, using the acronym for "first lady of the United States."

At the end of her video, Mrs. Obama plugs a related initiative, one designed to encourage people to drink more water.

"Don't forget. Always drink up," she says, before sipping from a clear glass.