New workouts!

*Take from this what you will.  I have no job.  It's "summer".  Scott is at work all day.  A hobby is a must.  Also, in the last few years, I've done at least 50% of my socializing at the gym.  It's a built-in common interest.  I'm making new friends already = success.*

You know I had a pretty set routine in Alaska for over a year.  It was...good.  I don't think any one workout routine is doing much for you if you stick with it too long.  Changing things up is good.  In this case, it was clearly what I needed.

I went to my first group exercise class on the base last Monday.  It'd been almost a month since I'd been to a class.  I'd done some treadmill, elliptical, ab, and leg workouts on my own while we were moving/traveling, but I was ready to have someone kick me into gear again.

If I were to sum up this last week in one word, it'd be "sweaty".  I'm not sure if I just wasn't working hard enough in Alaska, or what...but I've been getting my butt kicked.  I haven't dripped with sweat like this since...I don't know when.

I probably just wasn't working hard enough in the last few months.

Some points:

1.  The gym on base charges for classes ($2).

2.  The gym on base offers more quality classes than I thought was possible.

3.  I've toyed with the idea of doing more than one a day (like I did last year) because I've got time to burn.

4.  The classes are tough enough that I don't seem to have the stamina to do more than one a day.

5.  Since this is a training base, there's a lot of wives who really do fill up these classes.  I've never seen such hardcore dedication.

6.  All the classes are of the cardio variety, though they do incorporate a lot of stretching.

What I've been up to...starting with last week:

Monday: Body Blast.  Yes, they have a class here that's also called Body Blast, but it was 10 times tougher than any I'd done before.  I was sucking for breath by the end of that first class.

Tuesday: Tabata Blast (they like their "blasts" apparently)  This was 8 back-to-back Tabata workouts.  Not true-true Tabata, because a true Tabata only lasts 4 minutes.  This went on for an hour.  There was a stretch break between each Tabata.  There were "butt-kickers", sprints, a super-quick step workout, planks, crunches, side-to-side lunges, and a few more things that I can't recall because I'm pretty sure I blocked it all out.  It was a tough workout.  Probably one I need to do more often.
*I thought about also doing a "Cardio and Core" class, but after that Tabata stuff, I couldn't even fathom it.*

Wednesday: Body Blast again.  This time it was set up circuit training style.  Holy heck.  I'd never thought about giving up so much as I did during this EIGHTY minute class.  Were it not for the fact that I had a partner, I would've stopped.  Not kidding.

Thursday: Kickboxing.  Not Turbokick, but it was a great cardio workout.  It was nice not to have to strength-train.  If my muscles wouldn't have been sore already, I would've enjoyed it a lot more.

Friday: 7 miles on a bike (set to "cross-country" so there were a lot of hills).  I had to take a break from the classes.  I couldn't do it anymore.  When you get to a certain point of soreness, your muscles aren't getting anywhere if they don't get a chance to re-build, right?

Saturday: Body Blast

Then, I had Sonic for lunch and a giant strawberry milkshake before dinner.  Milkshakes are becoming my new thing.  Not sure how I feel about that.

Sunday: I did some shopping.  Not a workout, but my feet were really sore by the end of the day.

Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Loft: The 4 major food groups to outlet shopping

Memorial Day: The gym was open!  Body Blast was jam-packed, and I slipped in my own sweat a couple of times.  It was great.  (Well, not really, but you know what I mean.)

Tuesday:  I tried a Turbokick class that was off-base.  Again, slipped in my own sweat.  The gyms here need A/C!  Then I met a friend (I know! A friend!) at a 45 minute Cardio and Core class on base.  It wasn't easy.  I regretted attending it almost immediately.  Afterwards, I went home and ate some cookies.  All about balance.

Today (Wednesday): I went back to that Circuit-style Body Blast.   

I'm pretty sure I hated every second of it.

Good news: My muscles don't hurt anymore.

Bad news: I'm starting to question whether I want to continue with this regime.  

Also: I'm sick of washing gym clothes.