Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Push It

Called my aunt tonight and announced myself by first name but no one in my family calls me by my first name unless they are doing it for emphasis, teasing or trying to get my attention.

What have you been doing?, my aunt wanted to know. I explained that I had just gotten back from a cardio class. She, of course, suggested that it was probably time for me to hit the relax button since I was having trouble with my name.

Kate was in rare form. I don't know if she was Salt or Pepa put she was pushing us big time. I felt like she threw everything in her arsenal at us: fast feet, lateral and tire turns, jumping jacks, planks and push ups on the step plus shuffles. Kate was belting out calls like a military officer.

Back straight. Head above the heart. Tuck those abs in. Go hard. Push it.
After one cardio set, we went into squats. Squats are kind of perfect for placing your hands right at your heart and praying that you will survive the hour.

Kate's wisdom for tonight:

All of your movements are strong (travel farther, get lower)... You get out of your workout what you put into it.
The class was packed and I didn't hesitate to square off with the mirror. I look leaner so I'm going to ignore the number on the you know what...

What's your most memorable workout or toughest event that you participated in? Did you push yourself and endure? When you're working yourself out, are you able to look yourself in the mirror and say that you are pushing it?

4 comments:

  1. The worst/hardest workout I ever had was the first one I did. It must have been 1980 or thereabouts, and I went with my brother's girlfriend to an "aerobics" class. It was absolutely frickin' horrific, I thought I would die in the first three minutes. I didn't make it through, I think it was a 30-minute segment and I might have done 12 minutes of gasping, heart-pounding, about-to-cry effort.

    That was the first deliberate, volitional workout I ever did, outside of forced gym class experiences. Then I didn't do another one until 2003.

    I can put up with a lot more suffering when it's self-inflicted.

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  2. @gingersnapper,

    It's always good to know what works for you.

    When I'm working out at home, I'm definitely capable of pushing myself but not all the time.

    If I go to a class, I feel instructor and peer pressure. ;) There are many days, though, when I feel like I'm such a glutton for punishment and Kate really brought *it* on this day. I don't know if she ate her Wheaties Fuel or if someone made her mad...

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  3. Well, I have a very different attitude than I did in 1980. Now I do like something to guide me, because otherwise I will slack off without meaning to. But I don't like exercising in groups, it's just too personal to me, so I prefer an instructor on a DVD. I will work harder by myself, rather than trying to conserve energy just to not look foolish.

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  4. gingersnapper,

    I hear ya. Honestly, I didn't step foot in a class until around November of '09 because I didn't feel like I was a class kind of person and I do have to say that I feel comfortable with the people in the Tuesday class that I now go to. When I think about it, there are about three really friendly people but it makes a difference and Kate (the instructor) makes it a welcoming environment.

    I've been to other class and the instructor was so intense that it didn't feel right. In another class, the participants didn't see very friendly and I didn't go back. I also concede that I’m at a point right now where I feel more comfortable with myself and I’m doing things that I would never have imagined a mere two years ago…

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