An unspoken understanding: fitness class style (cont'd)

After the unfortunate incident of most of my first post from yesterday disappearing, I've decided that I want to try to resurrect it. I'm starting at the beginning, but feel free to skip down (obviously). All the new stuff is in black.


I like to switch up my workouts...a lot. I currently have memberships to two different gyms. The gym on campus I only pay about $12 a month for since I'm an employee, and I mainly use it for taking fitness classes. The gym by my house, I use for the regular old gym workouts (cardio machines and weights). I also partake in workout DVDs at home, run outside on occasion, and I'd like to get back into yoga (Why is taking yoga so damn expensive?! $10/class? I just can't justify that).

Since it's Summer, the fitness class choices at the campus gym are pretty slim, and new schedules begin and end way too often for me to keep up with. A new schedule started this week, and I was thrilled to see that Cardio & Pump was offered yesterday after work. I made it there (along with probably 30 other people. The room was packed!), and had a great workout.

I had some epiphanies along the way. It's pretty awesome to be able to get in a room with other people (mainly girls) and sweat it out.

Epiphany: We are like family
I know it sounds strange, but just hear me out.

Along with all the other "regulars", I set up my stuff in the front row of the room, right behind the instructor and in front of the mirrors. It's just sort of an unspoken understanding. The back of the room is typically filled with the people who are exercise newbies, or are younger (my gym is on a college campus). I remember the days when I didn't want to be in the front and make a fool of myself. Now that I'm old, I feel free to make a fool of myself any time I please. Plus, I think part of the reason we do this is to push each other. No one wants to slack off when others (especially the instructor) are watching.

During my fitness class workout on Wednesday, my water bottle fell over and spilled onto the floor. It took me a second to realize this, and by the time I reached down to sop it up with my sweat towel, the girl to my right had already thrown her sweat towel down to help me out. Do you know how much we sweat in these classes? Sweat was dripping off my calves, and she was willing to sacrifice her sweat towel for me! I think in fitness class terms, this means we're "besties".

A few months ago, in the middle of a kickboxing class, I got a wave of nausea. I stopped and leaned over and put my hands on my knees, waiting for it to pass. The girl in the front row next to me  stopped the workout to make sure I was ok, and asked if I wanted her to get my water bottle for me. This was in the middle of an intense combination of kicking, punching, and moving. She was willing to stop in the middle of her workout just to make sure I wasn't going to die. We're besties, too.

The funny thing about all this is that I don't know any of these girls' names and I've never told any of them my name. It's like we have this strange mutual understanding that once we leave the gym, we go our separate ways, but we'd have each others' backs if shit went down. It's pretty awesome.




And now, a little glimpse of how the dogs get their workout in while I get ready for work in the morning.

Rocco has no idea he's twice her size. He's constantly pinning
her to the ground. Notice her back legs fighting to push him off.

He likes to put his entire mouth around her head. I hate
this. She ends up all wet with slobber. Dogs are gross.

I'm pretty sure this is dog for, "I surrender".

Holding hands and making nice....for about .2 seconds.