Some of the instructors for our gym's classes also teach at a local (bigger) gym. I think last night's class is more like what the sub instructor does at her other gym:
BodyAttack
The sports-inspired cardio workout for building strength and stamina. This high-energy interval training class combines athletic aerobic movements with strength and stabilization exercises. 1 hr.
I was stuck at work late, and had half an hour to get home, get changed, and get to the gym. My commute is about 20-25 minutes so I knew I was going to be a little late, and figured better late than not at all.
Well, when I walked in, the other two girls in the class were doing wall sits. The instructor turned to me, and said, "Before you join them, I need you to do 20 push ups. On your toes." Yikes. So I did that, then joined them for some wall sits. We were then instructed to sit lower. Then to pick up our weights and hold them with our arms straight, above our head (Why did I grab the 5lbs, not the 3lbs!?)
Side Note: Did you know the Guinness World Record for a Wall Sit is 11 hours, 51 minutes, and 14 seconds!? Check out how tired she is after 11:51:14 has elapsed.
My leg muscles are probably my the strongest of my muscles, and they were shaking. We were told to put the weights down, then we were supposed to return to the wall sit and alternate lifting our heels off the ground. It hurt!
The rest of the class is now a blur (maybe I blocked the pain out of my memory) but consisted of:
- plyometric lunges
- jogging in place while kicking our butts
- jogging in place with high knees (you can lift them higher than that!)
- jumping jacks
- this variation on a jumping jack
- tricep overhead extensions with 5lb dumbbells, 3lb dumbbells, and a single 10lb disc
- more wall sits
- many planks and pushups mixed in (this time knees were allowed)
- jogging laps around the room (we were told to kick or butts while we ran? It did not come naturally)
- jogging forward until she yelled, then we switched to doing "jacks" backward across the length of the room, then forward jogging, repeat...
- abwork at the end including:
- crunches
- bicycles
- laying on your back with legs extended/feet as close to the ground as possible.
One thing I thought was interesting is that this instructor did not do the moves with us. She might have done one or two to demonstrate a new move, but she mostly stood there and yelled. The regular boot camp instructor did everything with us, and knew when it was time to take a little break or to switch to something else.
I think I'm crazy, but I would probably try a class like this again - just not every week. I think those plyometric lunges and some of the knee-high jogging is probably rough on the knees, and my main goal right now is to be training for my April half marathon, with a little strength on the side -- not killing my body.
Anyway.
Good thing Friday was a rest day! It was another 90 minute delayed opening for work due to a couple inches of snow that came in the wee hours of the morning. This is what it looked like when I got my 4:57 am wake up call. It was dark.
Hubby also had a delayed opening but decided to work from home. Working from home apparently also meant organizing our big sampler of K-cups for our new Keurig machine.
After work we tidied up the apartment a little then met a bunch of friends for dinner at a nearby Hibachi restaurant.
I was on the end, and the chef seemed to enjoy picking on me, as I missed the zucchini he tossed in my direction about 4 or 5 times before catching it in my mouth. After a failed onion volcano, he asked if we wanted more fire, to which we answered yes. He then held his lighter and whatever is in that squirt bottle of theirs in front of my face and told to me to open me mouth...haha.
I should be doing a 3 mile pace run today. It is cold out!
This morning we met friends for breakfast (bagels), cleaned the apartment some more, then decided we would finally go see the Harry Potter movie this afternoon (the one that came out back in November) with a movie gift card we got for Christmas. After sitting for 2.5 hours, I may be more inclined to get in my 3 mile run this evening, regardless of the temperature. Sunday should be fine for my longer run. I'm glad Monday is a gym day! Brr.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
How was the movie? I still haven't seen it.
ReplyDeleteWall sits are the worst!
This sounds similar to one of the classes I take. My trainer has me do wall sits with a medicine ball for 3 rounds and each round the ball gets heavier. We start with 8, 10 & end with 12lbs. It is hard. We also do the Plyo Lunges. I am finally getting pretty good at them but I've been working on it since July. Now we do them with a weighted body bar that goes up in weight each set. It's brutal but I love it. My husband and I go see all the Harry Potter movies but we wait until the crowds die down. I really liked it but this one was long. Looking forward to the next one.
ReplyDeleteGood work getting through the class!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain on the cold weather...it is pretty unbearable around here as well (WI)...spring, please come soon!
Wow, that class sounds intense! Nice job!
ReplyDeleteThat class sounds intense but AWESOME! Great job!
ReplyDeleteBody Attack is my favorite class ever but that boot camp sounds ridiculous! Nice job surviving it!
ReplyDeleteMichelle- I thought the movie was good! I haven't read all the books though, so I can't say how it compares to the books. The movies seem to be increasingly dark though, and I was surprised by the number of kids in the theater!
ReplyDeleteAnon- I can't imagine the plyo lunges with weights! I felt like my balance was a little off, especially as my legs got more tired. I like to wait until the crowds die down for movies too.
Becky C- thanks! I feel like a wimp for complaining about NJ winters when I'm from the snow belt in NY...but it's only my second year of keeping up with my running through the winter.
Green Girl, Jessica & Alyssa - Thank you! It was rough, I may work up the courage to try again in a couple weeks...haha.