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.

Around The World And Some Planks

No wonder I felt like I was about to keel over yesterday. I woke up and....mucus which is not unusual after swimming but this mucus had, um, color character.

I took some Emergen-C, drank the last of my ginger tea and hoped for the best.

I sometimes take for granted how nice it is to be well and to move around unfettered. I was dragging today and wondered if I should just go home, get under the covers and skip Step and Muscle class but I pressed on.

Step and Muscle is the one class that I have consistently gone to. I like the instructor who is energetic but not too perky and her off and on popping of faux ocean blue colored gum doesn't even bother me. Her routine is challenging but not difficult to follow.

I learn something new in every class that I take and I want to tell you that a plank by any other name is still a plank.

We did planks on the step and we did plank jacks. We also went around the world on the step -- stepping back and hopping over it as we literally faced every part of the room.

I noticed that it's getting easier to watch myself exercise in the mirror and I thought that I looked strong while lifting weights. I've always wanted more upper body strength and, now, it's becoming a reality.

I think that I missed my calling as the next Laila Ali because I loved the kickboxing moves that she threw in today: uppercut, jab etc.

It seemed kind of perverse to be doing a jumping jack/hopscotch move to a remix of Celebration but it kept me moving. In fact, I was so hyper after class that I hit the treadmill for 15 minutes. I had to dispense with some energy by doing my little jogging thing -- for a few minutes anyway.

Strong Is The New Beautiful

The locker room gauntlet, at my usual post-work destination, continues to fascinate me. Clothes are furiously being changed as if it's an Amazing Race detour. I like how all of us press on after work and traffic to find the energy to exercise.

Two women were talking about the different gym locations. Rock Hill -- too small. Creve Coeur, one of the nicest clubs in the chain with sauna and steam rooms. In addition, you can order a smoothie while you get ready in the locker room. It's as if we don't like steam and smoothies in the city.

After I got dressed, I passed by this woman and, in troglodyte fashion, I said You rock climb. She was flabbergasted and asked me how I knew. I said The sticker on your water canister. It was cool to be thought of in the same vain as Houdini for a moment.

I headed to the Step and Muscle class. What an uncomplicated name and description for that matter:

Combines step cardio with resistance training moves!

I knew the jig was up when Ms. Perky walked in and said that she had been overindulging. We were going to fog up the windows she proclaimed and I do believe that she said something about it's going to be a slaughterhouse up in here.

I was looking at myself exercising in the mirror. I am so thick. I was trying to obstruct my view by exercising directly behind the woman in front of me but by the time I got through jumping all over the place, I was still looking at the 'Drea in the mirror. I took comfort in the instructor's Nike shirt:

Strong is the new beautiful.

We did the usual: squats, jumping jacks (with weights), your garden variety of step moves. We did ab work, leg jacks, mountain climbers, push-ups, tricep dips all on the step. Who knew that a little unassuming platform could deliver so much pain?

It's working though. While the scale is doing its usual not moving thing, I'm losing inches. My latest group of clothes is loose and last year's winter tops are so loose that they seem like they belong to someone else.

By the way, if I buy one more top in the neighborhood of black and white, someone please stop me.