I’m taking advantage of a slight anomaly in our group ex schedule to wipe out, superman style, two classes in a single bound. It turns out that on Tuesday/Thursday mornings we list a 15-minute Core Crunch class immediately followed by a 50 minute Sculpt class. Some folks tack on the CC to the end of their previous class while others stick around for sculpting.
The point is you get two classes for the price of one. Of course, you can bet that a short class dedicated to crunching the core will be intense even if it only lasts a quarter hour. Today’s class didn’t disappoint on that score.
If one stays for the Sculpt session, as most people did, it’s out of the frying pan and into the open flame. In Michelle’s class, we used a weighted bar, stability ball (see photo below) and hand weights to aid in the wearing out of all major muscle groups. I don’t know about everyone else but the class and accoutrements were working for (and on) me.
This class is also notable as my first foray onto the gym floor. I had purposely avoided the gym so far, feeling I wasn’t quite ready for “prime time” but given the two for one enticement and a mid-morning start (not a super busy time) I decided this was as good as it was going to get.
The Club has always offered classes on the gym floor. The purpose for this is two-fold. The primary reason is the extra space, which allows us to hold classes here that would not fit in the studio. The other reason has to do with the excitement and energy that group exercise classes bring. In that sense, classes on the gym floor serve as an entertaining backdrop for those in the weight-rooms or on the track.
It can feel a little intimidating, I imagine, to be out on the gym floor exercising in this way. Of course no one really notices the individuals on the floor, it’s more of a collage effect unless, for some reason, you happen to be the only guy in a class full of attractive women. And how often does that happen?
So yeah, I was the only guy again today but hey, I’m not complaining. I couldn’t help but notice however, that I was sweating more than any of my classmates even though they were lifting comparable size weights and doing as many or more reps than me. Could it be these women are in better shape than me? Well, I’m working on it.
Our instructor this morning was Michelle Wilkerson. She’s been teaching for more than fifteen years and it shows. She started teaching after friends encouraged her to try it. At first she resisted she says, out of shyness but that was then – these days she’s a confident (and popular) instructor. She’s also a certified personal trainer but right now her fitness training is focused on leading group classes – usually large ones. Outside the gym, Michelle has a pet sitting business called Wags and Whiskers. She is also a collector of “rescue dogs” so along with having a strong heart we can be sure it’s also a kind one.
No doubt I will remember Michelle and her Sculpt class when I get up in the morning. I can already feel any number of muscles talking to me and they’ll likely be screaming by tomorrow.
Okay, two classes today and two $25 gift certificate winners – they are: Cecelila Blasier and SarahBeth Estes.
I think I’ll head to the pool tomorrow and take Mary Lu’s 9 a.m. water aerobics, talk to you after that.
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