Up in the gym working on my fitness

For months my co-worker-friend Melina and I would bitch to each other about our figures and lack of discipline to stick with a workout routine. We decided to try working out together, hoping that would keep us motivated. And accountable. She lives in a hilly neighborhood, so we started out hiking up around the back hill of her house. OMG, straight up, just when you're ready to die, it flattens out for a few steps. That kept us interested for a little bit but at one point she mentioned The Bar Method. We both agreed to try a class.

We took our first class on May 23rd. The class starts out simple enough, deep knee bends with some arm punches. Then you pick up your 2 or 3 pound weights and you do arm lifts and variations arm lifts. After about the 3rd movement and 50th rep I gave Melina a look like what have you gotten us into. Had I only known what was to come.

My first clue should have been a conversation with a women in the lobby while we were waiting for the earlier class to end.

Door opens sweaty women pour out
Random Girl: Oh I bet their happy that's over.
Melina and I look at her with blank faces.
Random Girl: is this your first class?
Us: nodding yes
Random Girl: Oh then you have NO IDEA what I talking about.

The class is comprised of bar movements at the ballet barre, mat stretching and other various stretching between active muscle work, core work and but lifts.

Things like this:

At the barre out arms distance, with your hands resting lightly on the barre. toes and heels together, stand on tippy toes, tuck your butt up, suck your gut in, bend knees a foot. Little up little down x32, down down hold x32, pulse x32.

Second position (toes pointed out feet just at hip distance) tuck butt, suck in, put one leg behind you, hinge forward, lift leg to hip height and lift the leg up an inch down an inch x 32. Followed by little adjustments, toes pointed, flexed, knee bent..... x 1,000,000

Feet together, knees bent, ball between your thighs. Squeeze, tuck, up, down, tuck tuck tuck, squeeze squeeze squeeze.

All this butt and thigh work is rewarded with crunches. Followed by back dancing, as they call it. On your back, feet together butt tucked, squeeze..... right, right right... left, left, left

And on and on. Your muscles just quiver and shake. They really encourage the shaking, the more you shake the more your core muscles are working, it builds change that is repeated by all the instructors. The instructor walks around the room giving praise and encouragement, telling you how beautiful your shaking is, how beautiful you are. You do wonderful stretching in between, a itty-bitty break.

After that first class we took advantage of the trial offer of unlimited classes for 50% off for 1 month. The first couple days after that first class, I thought I might die. Melina felt the same. Our muscles hurt so bad, to sit, to stand to walk. OUCH.

We have stuck to it! I've gone to 13 classes! I'm still sore all the time. I have a really hard time with Arabesque movements, my lower back just burns, but less and less each time. I know if I stick to it, at some point I'll see it in the mirror.

Both Melina and I plan to sign up for 3 more months. I'm excited for results.

In the meantime, my legs hurt every time I move, so its just better not to move.