I think of myself as an optimistic pessimist..if that makes sense. I am not overly cynical and jaded, but I fall into that area so many people do where I tend to assume the most negative outcome possible. I think some of this stems from the idea that if you assume the negative you will be pleasantly surprised when the outcome is good, but really that' s pretty self destructive. I have to work very hard to focus on the positive; what good things could happen. Take for example my first full hour abs class last week. I was so nervous. I thought about it all day. I knew I needed to try it because I was irrationally scared and I want to conquer these kinds of fears. I walked into class and set a mat out on the floor. I noticed everyone was getting two sets of weights so I followed suit. Class started with some standing warm ups. Okay, good, I like standing warm ups. Then the instructor (a man-see my fear of boy classes is dwindling) said the words I hate in a class, "Get with a partner..." GAH. I really don't like partner work. I didn't like it in school and I am shy and weird and definitely don't like it when I am exercising. I immediately thought, "Okay, here it is here. In the first ten minutes I know I hate this class and won't come back even if it doesn't kill me." All the partnering consisted of was one person standing on the others' feet to anchor them while they did sit ups with a weight. Mind you, I would have enjoyed if my partner (who'd taken the class before) been clear that I wasn't handing her my weight and hadn't let me drop it on myself, but it wasn't that bad. I immediately assumed it would be terribly awkward and horrible and cement that this class was a mistake, but it wasn't. On we pressed. There was a wide variety of exercises, and we moved from one thing to the next so quickly that I never felt like I couldn't hang in there. There were lots of good standing ab exercises that I really liked. I wish I knew what my very favorite was called. I'll have to ask them. You stand with your feet and hips planted firmly and hold a weight (I used an eight pounder) and rotate side to side kind of scooping out a figure eight on each side. It's kind of like this canoe move:
It's great for love handles! Very effective and there is no reason I can't do some these holding my tote bag or something during a break at rehearsals or while I am catching up with my DVR.
Needless to say the class was 70% less scary than I made it out to be. I have been very active with going to classes for 5.5 months now and am stronger. Surely this class would have been very difficult if I took it in February, but I am much more fit now and held my own. The one thing I have to figure out is how I will handle floor work. I think I need to double up on my yoga mats, because several times over now in a class with significant floor time I skin my tail bone. Seriously. I think I must have a freakish tailbone. Despite having clothes and a mat between me and the floor I have an inch long scrape over my bum. Sitting in a desk is ok, but sitting on the sofa is really unpleasant now. I am trying to learn my lesson and not use this as an excuse for never taking an abs class again. I just need to try out alternatives. Maybe I could make my own little inconspicuous tailbone cushion or buy a bean bag to put there. I shall call it the Hiney Helper and now that I written this down you can't steal it. Intellectual property. Ha!
This week will be challenging since I will have rehearsals (and daily allergy/stress headaches), but I refuse to give up gym time. I am making time for:
Monday: Tabata Boxing
Wednesday: Turbokick
Thursday: Kicklates
It makes for long days, but I can't let my schedule keep me from exercise!
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