Vive La Différence

I got quite the Groupon deal about a week ago so I was looking through The Heights' brochure to see what time I could lap swim when I saw that The Heights was also offering free fitness classes this week.

Free Fitness Week
So many fitness classes, but which ones are
right for you? This is your opportunity to try some
classes with no strings attached. January 4-10,
all land-based and water-based fitness classes
are FREE! You don’t need to register, but come
early; classes can fill quickly. All classes during
the free week meet on their regularly scheduled
day and time.

On tap at The Heights at 6:00 p.m. was Boot Camp class or I could go to my regular Tuesday class, Step and Muscle.

Did I have the stamina for Boot Camp class? See, with other classes, you might not know exactly what you're in for but with boot camp, you know that you're going to get your butt kicked.

I decided that I can always go to my gym for a class but The Heights would only have free classes this week. So, Boot Camp it was...Plus, I could go to REI and Whole Foods afterwards. How's that for incentive?

It's a little daunting to go to a class when you don't know anyone and you don't know what to expect because every instructor conducts class differently. I was standing a little bit off to the side when the instructor, Joy, beckoned. She explained to everyone what was going on. She had about 30 or 35 stations set up with an orange card that designated an exercise to be done for one minute but, first, we warmed up -- stretching while walking then we took a couple of jogging laps around half of the gymnasium. I was already feeling it.

When we finished warming up, Joy played like a preacher at church who tries to get people to move to the front rows. Initially, I was at the step station then the wall squat then the Superman and, as we filled in the gaps, I ended up being at a front raise station with eight pound weights. Other stations included:

Bicycle
Burpees (new nemesis)
Calf Raises with Side Lifts (with weights, eight pounds)
Chest Fly (on fitness ball)
Crunches
Dead Lift (with weights)
Fast Feet (on/off straddling of the step)
Ham Curls with Fitness Ball
High Knees (higher, higher)
Jump Squats
Jumping Jacks
Jumping Over The Line
Plank (on hands -- butt too high at first)
Plank (on forearms)
Scissor Legs
Side Plank (right, alignment issue initially)
Side Plank (left)
Ski Hop Move (my wording)
Squats
Step (heel touches, four risers)
Step (right, four risers)
Step (left, four risers)
Triceps Dips
Waddle-like move with resistance band
Walking Plank with Step Platform

I'm not going to lie. I took a time-out at, at least, two stations. There's no ifs ands or buts about it, I got worked out in an old-fashion manner and girlfriend said that she is always mixing things up. I hope to see you all on Thursday, said the Boot Camp instructor. Vive la différence, I guess.