Crazy Tracy

For someone who is not into classes, I wanted to try out another one. I called my friend Lori to see if she wanted to go with me. I ruled out Y-Sculpt which didn't have a description but didn't sound like the best option for my sore upper body. For some reason, I imagined that Y-Sculpt involved weights.

I asked Lori if she wanted to go to Turbo Kick. Lori said Tracy's teaching that class. I hadn't even realized it. Tracy was the one who had my body all locked up and on fire Sunday morning.

As I was entering the driveway toward the recreation complex, I thought I saw Lori going in the opposite direction. Oh, no; Lori changed her mind.

As it turned out, Lori did not change her mind and came bouncing into the class Tigger-like.

We did some kicking,(obviously) jabbing and jumping jacks. We also did some rowing and wheels. I really liked the jabbing and rowing.

Although, I must admit, it was challenging to exercise in front of a mirror because I'm still thick and the mirror is a reminder that I can stand to lose about twenty more pounds. Also, I wasn't crazy about the observers outside the glass doors of the studio but I got over it and chalked the watching up to curiosity.

When we got on the ground for wind down time, Tracy had the nerve to have us do some ab work. My little abs were still tender from Saturday's beat down. Despite my tender abs, I elevated my legs, got a lock on my core, made an A with my hands and did what I had to do.

Later on, Lori and I were talking about Turbo Kick. Crazy Tracy is in shape, Lori said. I laughed because that moniker fits her well. Tracy is, of course, crazy in a good way. She seems very informed and passionate about what she does.

Lori and I were discussing our Tuesday fitness options. She wants to take the Yogalates class. I told Lori that I'm down for the yoga but I don't know about the lates.

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.