Be Careful What You Ask For

You know that you are getting your butt kicked when time starts to stand still as if you're in your own personal version of The Twilight Zone or a childhood nightmare where you're running down the hall and trying to get to the door but the hallway keeps getting longer and longer.

All that to say, tonight was Cardio and Muscle night. It's so beautiful in The Lou and I thought about taking my workout outside but I was outside yesterday where I incorporated stair climbing with walking as I donned four pound weights. I felt like yesterday's exercise was decent but I felt like being pushed today.

Be careful what you ask for...

Kate's phrases for today were push and push it. And push she did.

At one time, I felt like an under matched fighter against the ropes when Kate said:

I can tell that I'm workin' you all because it's getting quieter and quieter.

I had to resort to lower modifications on more than one occasion.

I like jumping jacks and I couldn't quite figure out why but I was reading the Jan./Feb. issue of Health magazine. Health posed a question to several women. It began with this starter: What My Body Really Feels Like...

Carrie Ann Inaba from Dancing with the Stars said:

What My Body Really Feels Like...In Motion

But I must say, jumping jacks are probably one of my favorite movements. It's a full-body workout, plus there's a lot of joy because you're jumping like a child and it sort of takes you back to that place...It takes you back to the freedom of being in the air and not held down by gravity. It's defying the laws of physics for a minute, like you're doing something you're not supposed to and getting away with it...

Yeah, what Carrie Ann Inaba said.

Towards the end of class, Kate said Do you notice how much space I have around me? I snickered because her assessment was true. Everyone was pretty much in the back of the class. Why is that? The same happens at church. You would think that if you want to be in church, you would want to get as close as possible to God's messenger unless, of course, you're uncivilized like me. Same thing with school. Well, I don't think a lot of youngins appreciate school which reminds me of a forward I read about living life in reverse -- like we should start out retired and end life on an orgasmic note.

The whole front of the class/church/studio reminds me of Patti (one of my belay partners). Patti has invited me to laughing yoga a couple of times. She said that there's only one rule: to maintain eye contact. I hate eye contact so that's why I've never gone. Just kidding.

So, my question is: if you're up front, is there more contact and, if so, why is contact shunned?

By the way, Kate had on pink and black and it was hard to differentiate her from the bunny since she just kept going and going...

A Stir It Up Moment

You seriously have some kind of problem. Forget Crazy Tracy. Crazy 'Drea.

-My friend Lori after I told her about rock climbing after having participated in an intermediate step class the day before.

People have no concept of what the human body is really designed to do. They have no concept of their strength! And they function in a zone that is well below what their potential really is.

-from A Jillian Michaels' interview that appeared in the November 2009 edition of Health Magazine.

Health bestowed Michaels with their America's Healthiest Body honor.

The Lists

I was chuckling at my list of lists that I have on my door. I created the lists so I don't forget any crucial workout paraphernalia. I even double-check it once I have my bag packed. I need to put my extra pair of tennis shoes in the car as well. On Tuesday, I went to open swim at Mehlville which didn't start until 7:30 p.m. I knew the marching band was not a good sign and, sure enough, when I went to the pool house, there was a sign saying that the pool was closed for a week even though I hadn't seen any previous announcements of the kind.

I could have gone to a branch of my gym about two miles from the pool. I didn't have on ideal workout clothes but I could have made it work except for my shoes because I only had flip-flops. I was so disappointed that night and ended up forgoing exercise. My newest list is the bicycling one and it will be longer soon.

Bicycling List

Bike (duh)

Emergency Poncho

Fruit

Gatorade

Helmet

MP3 Player

Pepper Spray

Sunglasses

Water

Swimming List

Contact Case

Contact Solution

Counter

Flip Flops

Glasses

Goggles

$ -- If Necessary

Pre-Workout Snack

Plastic Bag

Soap

Sunblock Lotion

Swimming Earrings

Swimming Suit

Towel

Undergarments

Water

Workout List

Lock

Lotion

Magnetic Gym Card

$ -- If Necessary

MP3 Player

Nikes or New Balance

Pre-Workout Snack

Socks

Water

Workout Bottom, Top & Towel

Sunblock is a new addition to my list. I didn't wear it before because I was a little cavalier about the pigment quotient. I thought I had enough pigment to protect me until I read Health magazine. This woman held the same belief that I did and ended up with skin cancer and that's the reason that sunblock is now on the list.

I went to the pool today. Whenever I see post-swimming droplets, it makes me think of the St. Louis Blues' advertisement: Do you bleed blue?