Recently I have been venturing out into the scary world of fitness classes. This is because I am cross-training as I wish to become a better pole dancer because I am dedicated to my Art, those are words I thought I would never type. As I am always on the hunt for a Bargain, I prowl the wider reaches of community centres and colleges where good-value classes might be experienced. I have just been to one that had possibly the highest muscle-working-to-pence ratio I have ever experienced, and I think it may actually have killed me. Weights were involved. Crunches were also involved and a man shouting at me ‘come on, Susie, stick your bum out’, it was not dignified.
I had to fill in a questionnaire where you had to state what regular exercise you took if you were over 35 (I mean, that is depressing to start with), and I wrote cheerfully, ‘yoga and pole dancing!’, I bet they will read that afterwards and think, oh, the poor innocent (although, I would like to state that I was the only one there who could touch my toes). I am now going to have as hot a shower as I can stand in an attempt to stave off tomorrow’s inevitable suffering, which will involve me crawling behind the desk in the art shop moaning and looking like Mrs Overall, trying to look sad enough that someone will offer to go and get me a croissant. All those PE lessons I missed at school – I have now been paid back. I am half tempted to go back next week and see what I would look like if I actually developed muscles somewhere around my middle, as at the moment muscles are there none. Weights! Bench pressing! Something that may or may not have been called a Burpee?! I may need therapy. Read the small print, other intrepid bargain-exercise-class-goers, that is my advice, because that was a very long way from Yoga, to which you can generally wear your most stylish leggings and not break a sweat.
(You know what else is hard? Zumba is hard. But do you know, I’m starting to kind of admire my own intrepidness. Do you know there's a 37-year-old Russian gymnast? You see, you can get fit at any age!).
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It's better made at home
4 days ago
7 comments:
I've been having a go at Zumba. You do sweat but the music definitely helps, as does having an instructor who is the wrong side of 40 and NOT a skinny mini. I couldn't have borne it if she'd been 6ft tall and a size 8!
Despite being a little rotund with a definite spare tyre and a tubby tummy, she's as fit as anything which makes me feel tons better re my own size. I'm very proud that I'm actually keeping up, although I do sweat buckets (she hardly glows, lol) and I feel fitter for it (and extremely smug). Seeing as I will finally be the wrong side of 60 tomorrow (birthday - yeeeek), it proves there's hope for us yet.
Keep it up, you can do it, and I can't wait to read your next post on the subject.
that sounds like something I attempted! Did it have anything to do with crossfit? Those nutters love burpees.
The one I tried had squats and weights, the trainer handed me weights which I knew were too heavy, and upon my protestations he said 'you'll be right'. i didn't last 15 minutes, and am not too ashamed to admit that I had a little cry at my failure in the change rooms.
Omlair, yes! Squats and weights! I insisted on having the lightest weights they had got, because frankly I thought I was doing well lifting the pole. You weren't a failure and I'm mad they made you cry. It sounds like the same kind of class I did in which case it's bloody difficult.
Susie, I love when you get a real mix of ages and body weights with instructors. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
I'm impressed! The hardest part is going to the first class. Just showing up takes a huge amount of courage.
As for age, I am 55 and just started doing Kung Fu a few weeks ago!
So Susie! What was the class??? Good for you, and for all of you ladies, btw :)
Good for you for getting adventurous. And if it helps, I absolutely, positively promise you that the gut-wrenching pain will get better after a few workouts. I started using my total gym a few weeks ago, and I could barely move for a week, but after the third session, it wasn't nearly as bad.
Good reading
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