I’ve had a pretty good week of working out. On Monday, I did a swim training class. The workout was good, but the pool was packed. Since the pool is not legal size, the lanes are both shorter and narrower than a regulation pool, and I kept jamming my hands into the lane lines and knocking them with other swimmers. I could keep up with the fastest swimmers in the lane, which I honestly think irked them, but I definitely felt my energy dwindle and my stroke fall apart over the course of the hour. I’m hesitant to return only because one of the other swimmers was really rude to me. She asked me to lead a set because I was tagging up to them, but then as I got exhausted I let others pass me so as not slow them down. Everywhere I’ve ever swam, this was protocol. This evidently irritated one of the other women in the lane (why is it always a female?) who gave me this little speech about how I needed to lead a whole set if I was going to start it and this “we’ve been swimming together for a while now and just really try to enjoy ourselves” – what does that mean? So sorry to pee in the pool (figuratively only, of course). So like I said – exercise great, experience left something to be desired. I think I’ll probably just swim on lap swim mornings and use the workout left on the board. That way I’ll get the workout and save my fingers and ego from further injury.
On Tuesday, I worked out after work since I had a two-hour window before my evening class. I had anticipated a long run, but I got caught up at work and only had time for a fast 30 minutes. I was happy with the breakdown of my run. I’m just slowly getting back into shape, so anything around a 9-minute mile is fine with me for now. LPAC has televisions on their treadmills, so I watched the Valentine’s version of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” It’s hard to get tired running when you’re laughing at a show.
On Wednesday, I did a Full Body Blast workout. This is 30 minutes that incorporates legs, abs, and arms. It’s pretty challenging. We did lots of squats and plies, so my legs and butt were sore this morning.
Nonetheless, off I went at 6am this morning for a spinning class. Fortunately, I had enough foresight after the last spinning class to buy a pair of padded biking shorts. This is what protects the pubic bones from aching like CRAZY after sitting on a tough bike seat for an hour. My legs and butt, naturally, feel ten times sorer after the class, but it was worth it. And the biking shorts helped, you’ll be happy to know.
This morning’s class is what brings me to today’s topic – the teachers for these various classes. I’ve probably done ten different classes now with ten different teachers, and I’ve found most of them really great. The teachers, as I mentioned in a previous post (see No ponytail), are the friendliest people I encounter at the gym. I’ve always shied away from the whole aerobics class set-up because I think the teachers are just a little goofy. It’s like sports broadcasting – they talk just to talk. But that hasn’t been the case at LPAC. The teachers talk about form and when to inhale and exhale (which I find fascinatingly challenging) and options for making a workout harder or easier. They’re knowledgeable and helpful. This morning’s teacher was not, though. She talked just to talk. I mean – we’re on stationary bikes – how much is there to say? Pedal, pedal, pedal. Pedal faster. Recover. Stand up and pedal. Sit down and pedal. (Fight, fight, fight and pedal). It got old. Then she starts telling this story about giving a talk to group of women about fitness and nutrition. Turns out the group of women were 65-85 years old. She basically sat there for five minutes and bashed old people and those out of shape. I mean, a little humor is fine, but she did not finesse it at all. Ugh.
I think from now on I’m going to keep track of who’s teaching the classes and stay away from this one. But needless to say, I am enjoying my workouts at the gym. I can’t say the same for my legs right now, though.
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