Thursday, September 11, 2008

My Aerobics Instructor has a Streak of Satan

I tried a new class at my gym yesterday--barbell  strength. I am not new to lifting weights, but I am more into the hand weights and body bar. I did not even know how to load up the bar bell.

So I ask the instructor for help loading up the bar. She walks over with me to the bars and plates and begins pulling out the largest weights and placing them on the bar. She says just one on each side is a great starting point. She shows me how to lock them in place. And then hands me several smaller plates so I can load up on larger muscle exercises.

Now usually, I glance around the room and see what everyone else is doing but honestly I was so caught up in making sure I had my step, hand weights, bar and plates that I did not even notice.

Once the class began, the instructor said to get out the bar bell and we begin to do step ups. She continues stating "We might as well start with our bar bell since the goal is to use the bar bell for the entire class."

Without thinking I put the  bar bell on the middle of my shoulders and start to do step ups. And it's hard. It is only the first 5 minutes of class and  I. am. struggling. What type of wimp am I?

And then I finally glance around the room. Out of the 30 some people in the class, about 6 are  like me, struggling with a big ol' weighted bar bell. The rest are smiling and stepping up and down with a body bar (a weighted bar that is usually at the most 15 pounds). Every bone in my body wants to switch but I don't want to look like a wuss and the instructor was so kind to fix my bar for me.

The class continues and I follow my supposed sweet instructor's advice. She even comments to my fellow classmates taking the easy route "I know you didn't wake up at 5 am to look good. You came to work so add the weight."

The advice makes sense and I struggle to fatigue with each and every exercise. set.  and. movement. I make it through the class and although a tad sore, I am pleased with my work.

24 hours later, I am not so pleased. My walk is much like those of a much older generation. Reaching for the bowls in the cabinet is a task too painful to even consider. Walking the kids to their classrooms this morning is a scary thought. And going to my five am spin class? Unthinkable.

So today I have a choice. I can tell my friend I am meeting for breakfast and coffee the reason I am walking and grimacing with each step that I 1. took a weight class I was ill prepared for and need to spend more time at the the gym or 2. I took a weight class at the gym and the instructor was a crazed psychco path who wanted to bring pain to each and every student.

There is the answer that is the truth and the one that helps the ego as sore as my calves. I don't like to be sore and perhaps I myself have the streak of satan ;)

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think instructors like that are hired, ONLY if, somewhere on their resume they indicate time spent in hell under the tutelage (sp) , because otherwise, there is no way they could be so masochistic!

Word!

Anonymous said...

OOOOHHHHH I feel that pain (literally).

I took a barbell strengthing class in Denver, and I hated it. My girlfriends who came with me were SOO strong. They were popping on 5-10 pound weights while I was struggling with 2 and 3 pounders. All I ever really do for exercise is Run....so my upper body is weakening when I don't work it.

anyway.

sorry about your experience. I agree that there must be a special [masochistic] personality that must go along with your trainer....he....he...

mah-meeee said...

ooo that sounds painful. but being sore is good, no? that means the work out worked!

you are so brave... i would have gone the wimpy way. :)

Carol said...

Oh Lisa, that is dreadful.

Feel better soon.

And good for you for not giving the hellish instructor the satisfaction of you giving up!

Amanda said...

Ouch!
I'm feeling the pain for you!
I think i would have spent a few days in bed after that class!!
" No pain ,no gain" !!!!
he-he!
l,
Amanda x

Laural Out Loud said...

I always think the pain will be that good kind of pain, but it never is. Isn't it bad to start off above your level? Next time, go and be happy using just the bar (and 15 pounds is nothing to laugh about!).

Sue Wilkey said...

Now that I'm older and need to watch my knees, I've finally gotten over worrying about looking like a wuss - cuz I am. I do ONE riser is step class. When everyone else is doing lunges I do jumping jacks. and when class is over, my knees are intact, and surprise, surprise, nobody cares about what I did. :)

Brian and Staci said...

WOW!!! 5:00 AM!!!??? I'm sooo impressed with you. I know they always say soreness is a good thing..but who wants to hear that!? NOT ME!! I feel your pain sista! But you are much stronger than I....I totally would've quit! Hope your feeling better in a couple of days...just in time to do it all over again :( Did you hear about your Beanie Wells? He's questionable for this Saturday's game....ouch :( And are you affected by Hurricane Ike...if you need to evacuate to OK...I'll gladly open our house to your family :)

Gretchen said...

You are brave to even try that class! I always watch those ladies from behind the glass and think, whew I think I'll take a little break now. Maybe get a drink of water... No rest for the wicked, I guess! You rock!!

Lizz @ Yes, and So is My Heart said...

I guess I'm weird because I like the after workout soreness as it makes me feel like I worked out, which of course, I did. However, I'm not so much a fan of the work involved in getting sore. Ironic, no?

JCK said...

I believe you do. ;) Hope you can walk tomorrow...

Unknown said...

I hope you went with option 2.

As I was reading this I was just nodding my head b/c I took a pshyco's class at the gym yesterday and OH MY LEGS!!!

Yeah, she was crazy but I am probably crazy enough to go back... you?

EatPlayLove said...

Oh you'll embrace it when your body is transformed! I remember my first week of boot camp and how I had to take advil just to get through my second class.

Briya said...

I know exactly what you mean. The instructors at my gym take special pleasure in putting you on the spot so everybody can watch you struggling to keep up (because after all..you can't wimp out with all eyes on you, can you?)

Melissa said...

There are two kind of instructions... The bubbly, makes this look easy, and tried to make it look fun... I usually want to pop their heads off for the first 3 or 4 weeks. Or the instructors that sell their soul to the devil and get their enjoyment from your pain :)

Anti-Supermom said...

This is exactly what I thought about my instructor the first time I took boot camp, I thought she was crazy, she responded 'wait til I bring out the whistle'.

Susan said...

Oh yes...I know the type. We had a new instructor take over a toning class that I loved. She implemented the use of the barbell and I just about died. I gave it a couple times, but ultimately found another class. I think her name was Devila.

just jamie said...

I am so impressed that you were there. Period. I totally need to get my butt to the gym. I'm inspired. Well, sort of. The Satan part, um, not so much. ;)

Anonymous said...

This made me laugh out loud. I wrote a post called My Husband's Alter Ego's Name Is Sven, because I felt the same way! Thanks and Blessings, Whitney

Anonymous said...

Oh Miss VBW4, methinks there are two answers that are truthful!

"Crazed psychopath" doesn't even begin to describe her behavior, *clearly* designed to inflict pain upon any all who have the misfortune to cross her path. Really.

And the first explanation is partially true, but just a little harsh, don't you think? You took a weight lesson that used far too much weight for your initial sessions by MISTAKE when an instructor MISTAKENLY thought you had done more weight training before this session.

And then frankly, I would hunt her down and kill her, yes?

Yours in muscle pain,
tp

McMommy said...

You are my gym hero.
Tomorrow, when I wimp out with my weights, I will think of you!!

Anonymous said...

Oh I used to do a class just like that for about 6 months to a year. I loved it! But I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to look like the wuss in the bunch. I ALWAYS over did things, but eventually I got used to it and didn't quite feel as though I was hit by a truck. Eventually. :)