Do You Know Where Your Core Is?

That was the question posed to the boot camp class by the instructor Tracy.

I'm not one for group exercise but I went to check out the new Carondelet Park Recreation Complex or, as I like to call it, the city-funded YMCA and, since I've been curious about boot camp style classes and one was being offered on Saturday, I didn't think that a better opportunity would present itself. It was really good timing because only eleven people were in class.

Not only did Tracy help locate our cores, she also showed us à la Diana Ross who was the boss.

Tracy, who is a great instructor, struck all the right notes. The class was challenging yet fun.

We tossed around a three pound weight while moving rather rapidly in a circle. My friend Lori was not crazy about the tossing of the ball; I think she might have had a flashback from her dodgeball playing days.

We did that football-jogging-in-place-crouch then sprawled on the floor. We did planks, push-ups, burpees, squatted with our backs against the wall and, at one point, we compressed ourselves ball-like and rolled on the mat. Lori's squat form was excellent according to Tracy who also made the rounds to check our jabbing intensity level with a punching mitt. I love props almost as much as I loved the sensation and echo emitted when I connected with the punching mitt.

I've been rocking steady with exercise for about two and half years now and I almost felt as if I had never done one moment of cardio. I was worn out but definitely in a good way.



Update: After taking the boot camp class, I took a few laps around the track and it seems that another blogger caught me in stride with my new blue Danskin Now top on. It really is a small world after all.