Since I’m already warmed up from the Zumba for Kids class, I decide to stick around and do the next class as well – Bonnie’s Power Pump. I’m not sure if this is the right call or not because I’m in an in-between state – not quite well, not quite sick.
There are two schools of thought on exercising in this in-between state – one is to rest and one is to raise your core temperature a bit and burn out the bad stuff. Every swim coach I ever had used the same advice when I was in this place – “swim it off” they would say. Of course none of them were actually physicians.
Frankly, I make my decisions on it by “feel”. If I’m running a fever or think I’m contagious then I won’t exercise but if I’m just feeling a little sluggish I’ll see if some exercise perks me up. Today I’m in the sluggish camp so I’ll give it a go.
When Bonnie comes in she tells us we won’t need the weight bars today, instead we’ll use a medicine ball and “light” hand weights. I’m not sure what rigors lie ahead but I’m secretly glad she’s having us skip the weight bars.
It turns out to be an interesting class – Bonnie employs the accoutrements in ways that make me work but in a different manner than I’m used to. It’s a fundamental principle of fitness to keep changing things up so the body builds capacity in new ways. If you always do the same thing you will become more and more efficient but not as well rounded in your fitness.
On most of the exercises, she shows us three or four progressions – from easiest to hardest. She tells us that if the next progression is too hard stick with the previous one.
We do lots of squats and lunges, which really work the quadriceps and I’m pretty certain I’ll feel it in my thighs tomorrow. Toward the end of class she has us go get the bosu ball or “balance trainer” as she calls it to do our ab work on. I haven’t done ab work using the bosu ball in the way she teaches it and I can feel the burn. It’s tricky finding the right balance to do the exercises but once found it’s obvious how hard the abs are working.
Bonnie Robertson has been teaching at the Club since 1999 and first started teaching group exercise in 1995. About being an instructor she says, “I LOVE teaching aerobics, as I know what it’s like to feel like the “fat girl” in the group, and I want to inspire others to be fit and LOVE their bodies.”
Bonnie grew up in Greers Ferry, Arkansas and is the daughter of Blue Court Grill manager Dee Rust. Along with teaching Power Pump twice a week, Bonnie also teaches Zumba twice weekly. Outside of the Club she stays busy operating her own law firm (Robertson Law) and raising three children with her husband Brian.
Bonnie’s class today has about 12 women in it, most of whom appear to be “regulars”. They were all gracious to the lone boy in the room and I was thankful for that as always. It's a good group and I was glad to join them.
The $25 gift certificate for this class goes to Betty Freeland.
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