Exercise chat and tips round 2!

[ladybird11]

Ahhh ok that makes sense! Combat is by far the best class, waaay better than stoopid Step or gay Attack (seeing if Leesa bites ) lol!

Rach!! ....I'm biting back .

We all know Attack is a seriously awesome class, right? Don't we??

In all honesty though I can feel almost as shattered after teaching a combat class as I can after teaching an attack class. Whatever you put in you get out - it's the journey that makes the difference .

BecZ - hun, what classes are on offer at your gym? There is a difference between being unco and unfit in reality. If you seriously think you're unco avoid step classes to begin with, but give yourself some credit hun, heaps of ppl have felt the exact same way to begin with. But once you keep going to the same timeslot / class - you'll blend with everyone else.

My first class experience was doing Body Attack about 11 yrs ago. During the stretches at the end of the class the instructor came up to me as I was holding my calf in the air doing a hamstring stretch - grabbed onto my shoe and announced to the class that I had holes in the sole of one shoe !. I wasn't detered at all (but I did get new shoes the next week lol). She encouraged me to get into instructing shortly after this; and she is now a role model of mine and we joke about this story allll the time - STILL - 11 years on!

[C~Q]

:yeahthat: seriously if you think you are unco (i'll bet you aren't) then don't start with Step! To be honest I think that Combat would have to be the least coordinated one of them all (this would be so much more fun if you didn't teach Combat Leesa!). Attack you still have to move your arms and legs at the same time, at least with COmbat it's one or the other

Don't feel shy, you can hide up the back and no one will notice (except the instructor). There are, I think, three types of people who do classes, newbies who aren't sure what they're doing - they don't pay attention to anyone as they're concentrating on learning the moves, regulars who know what they're doing but won't pay attention to anyone because they are concentrating on their workout...and finally FRD's (Front Row Divas ) who stay at the front, announce loudly when the instructor makes a mistake, and never notice what is going on around them because they're too busy watching themselves in the mirror

So please...come along! You live close to me...PM me if you like and i'll sort you out with a free pass

[ladybird11]

BHAHAHAHA - you'd have to maybe start instructing Body Step or Body Vive Rach.

All programs have their positive points - each program I chose to instruct for some reason, however vague I was at the time.

Balance - well the gym paid for me to do it due to staff shortages - how could I say no?
Attack - was a fave - my 'baby' as some instructors call their fave program.
Combat - I was really into it, and they had a gap at the gym for an instructor - perfect fit it seemed.
Jam - hell I love to dance - that was a no brainer!
Pump - new gym opening whilst I was policing up north - I had always wanted to do Pump - so that was a no brainer.
RPM - was the only other LM class they had on the timetable which I wasn't trained in.

You'd laugh Rach, I went for this job of a fitness instructor in a new gym that was being built in a small-ish country town. I'm freaking out wondering how many other instructors will I be going up against. Get to the interview with the two owners - it was an 'open' interview where me, and six other chics were sitting around this table. One of the owners puts on a Les Mills promotional DVD and says "right, now out of BB, BC, BP and RPM do you want to go to training for?". .
The girls saw less than a 20 second snippet of each class and make up their mind.
Then I say 'well, Pump and RPM I guess - I teach all the others already '. You should have seen the look of relief on their faces - they then make me GFM instantly lol!!

[AngelPunks]

well I did a strange form of exercise today - first day back at work, parked car about 10 min walk away from work, easy walk to work (down a hill) - well this afternoon was a doozy - I had to walk the 10 min walk up the hill in heels!!!!!

I'm back to my going for a walk in the mornings as of tomorrow - forgot to set my alarm this morning and didn't have time to go for a walk (but I was good and I did eat breakfast & make my lunch)

[Mother Goose]

Well, I'm not doing anything today. I am so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open!

[ladybird11]

Ouchies for AngelPunks - get in some good stretches hun!

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i am meant to be doing step today but i am really not feeling like it. i have a really sore throat and headache and had a bad night with dd2 wanting to breastfeed ALL NIGHT! i am still tossing it up though cause it would suck to miss out on the week that i want to start back up again. oh i looked up attack and my gym only does it twice a week both on thursday and thursdays are no good for me.. bummer!

[Mother Goose]

Well, I normally have PT today but don't because D is away I feel disjointed Have promised DD a picnic but will try and get on my treadmill if she has a nap. AND I have to do my core stuff today - I'm still sore so need to get it all back into line ASAP.

I had a WEIRD dream last night! I dreamt that D and I were at some different venue for PT and he left me for a few minutes to do an exercise near some rough nuts who were boxing whilst he went to get equipment. But they got too close and hit me in the temple! I swear I could actually feel it! Then, in my dream, when D comes back, he goes nuts at the guys for hitting me and takes me somewhere else in the venue to train and he's all mega protective (he is anyway due to certain issues) and I'm all sooky lala (so not me IRL!) and scaredy cat! Eek!

[ladybird11]

Push through it Hollo - you'll feel so much better after for doing it - honest!!

Oh wow, MG - that is a bizarre dream! Double eeek!

[BekZ]

Leesa - I would I am really unfit and then unco lol. I haven't got a gym membership, so my exercise is at home atm. There is a PT who holds classes in the park near me and he only charges $3. I'll check out his program. Funnily my fav class as a teenager was Step. Many, many, many years ago. Then I did Pump in my early 20's, and after that I only ever did cardio/weights. Although I've done nothing but the treadmill (on and off) for the last 4 years.

CQueen - FRD's rofl yep I remember those types. Combat..hmm sounds interesting. What do you do in a Combat class? Is it low impact. I have a sore lower back since having my last bub. I will be off to the chiro soon to see if they can help me sort this out.

[Winter]

Leesa, I need to pick your brains! I'm heading off to a Pump class today - first time back to one in 18months. What weights should I do? Also, I'm short & stocky & liable to bulk up easily. I would like to have long lean muscles - what exercise is best for this?

Thanks!

PS Wish me luck for today, I'm killer sore from yesterday's Combat, but figure I have to keep going, can't lose momentum!

[Winter]

Just bumping cos I know that Leesa is floating around!

DD's sleeps interupted plans for Pump so its back to Combat again!

[ladybird11]

Hey Winter - sorry chic, I was doing Body Jam .

With your first class just use the smallest plates available throughout the entire class. This is just to focus on getting your technique correct (if you do happen to do a move incorrectly then you'll have less weight / pressure and be more likely to recover for the mistake easily enough, hopefully your instructor will see you are new to the class and keep a watchful eye out).

From that class on try to increase the weights on the second track (squats) - they can take a pounding as you've probably realised after doing Combat yesterday! .

You sound similar to me in body shape, and I use 20kgs during squats and lunges now - and I don't bulk up. Why? Because we are using a light weight, for a longer period of time. It's when you start heading into the gym and doing weight training that you can 'bulk up' - as that type of training is usually focussed on low reps and high (ok, insane) weights. So don't stress about bulking up in Body Pump, it won't happen .

Sorry I didn't reply earlier hun! I feel terrible!

I would offer the same advice to yourself as I practice myself re - the lean body. Each week do 2 Pump classes, and do another form of cardio exercise 5 times a week. Depends on how serious you are about achieving your goals. If there are no medical issues to consider 3 x 30mins of exercise is not enough to shed some serious kg's and change the shape of your body. I like to think I train hard - however not everyone is able to do that. If you can seriously commit to training an hour each day (2 x pump and 3 x combat for example) then THAT is awesome. If you can take DD for a walk in the pusher on the other two days (incidental acitivity) - then all the more power to you! :-)

[C~Q]

BekZ - Combat...the best way I can sum it up is by showing you this...I love this clip, it pretty much sums up exactly what Combat is to me...(just skip through the first 1min15secs). BTW that isn't me lol...I wish it was(although her name is Rach and she is English)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-cVAES9kAI

Hope you enjoy it - I still get goosebumps everytime I watch it! Dont' get freaked out by it though - what they're doing is the high impact option and there are HEAPS of low impact options. If you come to one of my classes I give them through out

[BekZ]

Thanks for the clip Rach - It looks scary lol

[ladybird11]

BecZ - nothing to be scared about hun, it's all the little technique things which will be explained to you through out the class - that make you end up looking like that....

Hmmm, that clip even makes ME want to do Combat lol!!

However I've got called in for a class tomorrow night, Balance - first class I'll be teaching in 13mths - but I'm really looking forward to it - and i don't have to wear shoes, how cool is that! I better polish up on my Balance technique.

[ladybird11]

No slacking off now ladies!!!

What's going on out there?

[BekZ]

Hi Leesa!!

Don't laugh but I did the Pregi Bellies dvd today and I nearly passed out 3 times!!! I am not pregnant but I thought it would be a good way to start. Does anyone know this dvd? I find it hard to do some of the moves whilst sitting on the fit ball, but I really like the strength training part.

Ladies - I am tall and a pear shape with a high body fat percentage. Ultimately, what is the best exercise for me?