Fitness Cure

Space yourself people!

I don’t really MIND crowded group exercise classes as the people add to the energy of the room. HOWEVER, when it’s so crowded that people shove their way to the front, and THEN you can’t even see yourself in the mirror (even when you are standing in the second row) then the crowd get’s pretty ridiculous.

I think what annoys me more than anything is how people don’t understand the concept of standing in ‘windows.’  If you are unfamiliar with this concept, basically it means this: you need to space yourself out so everyone can SEE themselves. I use this concept in cheerleading, in baking cookies and with group exercise classes!

Here is an example:

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Yesterday I was at a group exercise class and while I was standing in the second row, I was behind a HUGE guy. Now, I’m not going to blame him for my inability to see myself …I blame all the people standing in my row. ALL of them were standing directly behind the person in front of them. ugh!

Usually I DO say something. But I wasn’t in the mood to talk.

The line up ended up looking like this:

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Just ugly!

So if you are in a group exercise class…PLEASE space yourself accordingly!

 
don’t compare yourself with others…
Francisca Dennis had 6 kids!

Now I KNOW I am in great shape after having a child 6.5 months ago. My fitness success comes from eating, exercising and knowing my body well enough to break through plateaus and alter my routine weekly. Before I was pregnant, people (mostly women) would tell me: “Wait until you have a kid and see how your body will look like.”

Well…I had a kid! But that’s still not going to make the person next to me compare her physique against mine from a neutral standpoint. NOW it’s: “Wait until you get my age and see how your body will look like.”

MY response? “When I’m your age, I’m still going to be working it…”

Seriously! It’s very, very, very, (did I say VERY) annoying when people make lame excuses like:

- I had three kids

- I have 40 hour work days

- I am ten years older

- I don’t have all day to spend working out

WHEN the fact is:

I work A LOT. I started training at a very young age. I make fitness a priority even if it’s at 4am in the morning and I guarantee you my next two pregnancies will be even better than my first!

Read more pet peeves here.

I personally don’t use it. ESPECIALLY not now, but David swims at the gym all the time and complains OFTEN about a couple things regarding gym pools.

- TOO much Chlorine.

- Dirty Jacuzzi’s

This is a result of possibly too much usage AND BECAUSE people don’t take showers BEFORE they get into the water.

Gyms should clean their pools without over-toxicating them and ENFORCE all users to take showers prior.

Read opinions on: ARE GYM POOLS SAFE?? CLICK HERE.

Bad coordination is not cool.

I haven’t done a post like this in a while – but I felt sooo inspired after going to my gym late last night. I usually take a Zumba class on Thursday and was surprised to find a substitute for the class. NOW, usually, I don’t care and give everyone a fair shake, BUT, this particular instructor really, really isn’t very good.

Here are my peeves:

- She isn’t charismatic: she doesn’t talk to the class in a fun, energetic way. It’s too instructive and seemingly harsh.

- She doesn’t coordinate her music: nothing is worst than having a calorie-burning workout and having to stop when the instructor messes up with the music 2-3 times during the workout.

- MOST IMPORTANTLY: SHE doesn’t have rhythm. She has no idea how to do an eight-count. SO SAD. She doesn’t dance to the music, she stops mid point and she frustrates people like ME, who actually have a good ear.

SO>>> what do you do when you hate the instructor…do you leave? do you be polite and stay??

I say LEAVE.

The earlier the better.

Think about the opportunity costs.

Think about the happiness you are sacrificing just so you don’t hurt her/his feelings.

I left and I went on the stair stepper. And as I stepped my  heart away, I saw a handful of others (regulars to the class) leave that class too.

How sad.

uggghh!

Check out more peeves here. 

That’s what I heard from a woman today when I was training at the gym tonight and decided to pop into the last half hour of a kickboxing class. It was fun, it was semi-hard, but it was not as fantastic as the last instructor’s class…and she retired from the class a month ago!

Aerobic Instructor’s create almost a cult-like following. If you are good, anyone will follow you EVERYWHERE. I’m not kidding. I go to my Zumba instructor’ class in 2 different gyms. I will see my old, old instructor downtown at a structure building to train there – If you make me sweat and want to vomit, I will go back to you anytime and anywhere.

So what do you do if your favorite instructor leaves?
YOU still do whatever it takes to stay in shape. Just because your environment changes, doesn’t mean you have to.

I used to be one of those fitness snobs (immature I might add) who was sooo frustrated when I had a bad instructor. That instructor made  me feel less energetic and un-motivated to train HARD. In fact, my WHOLE workout seemed ‘messed up’ because of a single person.

These days – regardless of who is teaching…I will still jump up and down, punch and kick hard…even do super, duper advanced moves just to make sure I have an intense workout.

The point is:

- Even if your trainer is on vacation

- Or if you aerobic’s instructor retires.

- Or If I don’t post a motivation….

YOU SHOULD STILL TRAIN….HARD!

So don’t make the excuse that:

- Your gym is closed

- The gym crowd is making you frustrated

- Your training partner didn’t show up

…to not train. TRAIN and TRAIN HARD.

GO! GO! GO! You don’t like the instructor? so what!! GO!!!!!