Do you work out? I have an undeniable couch potato track record (sneaking away from sports in camp, cutting gym class in high school) but recently, I’ve been taking a more serious look at fitness. Other than the game of belts in elementary school (remember that?), I shied away from all athletic activity throughout childhood. This is normal bookworm behavior, but I didn’t want that to always be me. Now that I’m in my mid-twenties, I’m looking to ramp up my strength, stamina, and flexibility.
A few years ago, I joined a women’s gym, mostly for the classes (aerobics! toning! strength-training!) but dropped out after a few months. The classes were large, and as a beginner I always felt lost without having someone correct my form or modify the exercises for me.
One of my sisters introduced me to the Ballet Beautiful video series (toning), which I have really enjoyed. I find the exercises to be simple and effective. I also took ballet lessons this year to improve my balance and flexibility. (Class is off for the summer but I’m looking forward to starting again in the fall).
After I read this before Pesach, I bought a pedometer, which got me walking more (daily goal: 8,000 steps), but I still felt that there were important fitness gaps I wasn’t addressing.
This summer, I started working with a personal trainer(!). I realized that until I had someone work with me individually on the building blocks of a workout (planks, lunges, squats, push-ups, et. al) I would continue to avoid gyms and exercise classes. I also wanted someone to help me reach my specific fitness goals and plan a routine that was the right level for me. We’ve been working on strength, core (a big deal for me and apparently, many women), and cardio. Although it’s admittedly pricey, I see these sessions as an investment because they’ll enable me to benefit from a group class later on. And if not now, when?
Do you take exercise classes? Any recommendations? Maybe yoga?
