Feb 4, 2009
A Less Painful Exercise Solution: Community Ed!
A couple of my girlfriends asked me to sign up for a Community Education fitness class. I agreed because:
- I need to get out of the house more.
- I just had two back-to-back pregnancies.
- It would be funny to do this with friends.
- Morrow’s getting too old to use the “I just had a baby” excuse.
Last night was our first class. Here are some observations about why I like Community Ed. exercise classes:
- People were in real clothes. I honestly have 3 pairs of workout shorts, and I’ve had all of them for at least 6 years. I own no stylish workout clothes. I feel like I’m doing pretty good to have a few semi-stylish choices in my regular clothes. But here I didn’t feel the same fashion consciousness that I usually feel at other fitness venues. It was refreshing!
- The instructor was really good. And yet, a real-looking woman. At this point in my life I’ve realized that I won’t have the body of a 21-year-old. For pushing 3 kids and pushing 30, I think I’m doing pretty okay. I didn’t feel like I was being judged by a fitness goddess. Again, refreshing!
- No gym-class heroes! Instead, there was a chorus of assenting groans every time she called out, “Are you feelin‘ it?” We were all being similarly tormented and there was a camaraderie in it, not competition. I hate when you go to a fitness class and you’re looking around the whole time wondering, “Does anyone else feel like they’re about to die?!?!” The answer is yes.
But next week I’ll put on my ancient workout clothes and we three moms will make another fitness pilgrimage to the nearby high school. If I’m lucky, I’ll get over the muscle soreness by then. We’ll groan our way through the seven weeks of pain together… in community ed.
I’m really excited you found a solution like this. Having a friend doing it with you is SUCH an encouragement, and a few? even better!
And just for the record, for pushing 3 kids and pushing 30, you look absolutely fantastic!
Exercise IS fun when you’re not surrounded by “gym rats!” That’s why I like Curves. Hope you and your friends continue to enjoy it.
Totally feeling ya! I’ve been grunting and groaning all alone—what a grandE idea- community classes…I’m going to look into that! Way to go! Keep pushing hard! :-)
I totally understand about the cute workout clothes. I own one pair of gym shorts and two pairs of gym pants. I just can’t justify buying expensive clothes that I am going to get sweaty in. But every time I go to the seminary weight room I feel frumpy–maybe I need to come to your place!
I’m with you on the cute workout clothes too. I wear tank tops and bum pants. I just got home from the gym; I felt like I was walking into a Nike ad. I don’t get spending $50 on yoga pants. Maybe I’m missing something.
I love community ed. I used to go to their little workout room at Andersen before I got my craigslist exercise bike.
I get the community ed brochures and am like, “ooooh, pottery, oooh photography, ooooh pilates!”
I’ve not made it to an actual class yet. Just those open exercise times.
I’d love to have the name of your instructor and the location you go to. I don’t always trust community ed classes because not all of them are good.
Andie— Whenever we get the brochure in the mail we usually spend an evening highlighting classes we’re interested in. We’ve never actually signed up for one, though, until now. And I would have rather taken pottery or photography, but you know. I suppose I have to have priorities. :-)
Katie—We’re going to South High and our instructor is Robin. I can’t remember what the title of the class is right now, though. Something really distinctive like Buns, Hips, Legs…
Molly- that is so funny. My work out clothes are in the same condition! The last class I took at the Y was just called Low Impact. I went and felt like the star. It might have had something to do that everyone else had gray hair and was in at least their sixties! It was so funny. We had to run across the gym as fast as we could- I felt like a show off!
i took a “cardio kick boxing” class once. community ed. loved it. anything aerobics-like though, i try and stand in the back. i’m so uncoordinated when it comes to following an instructor in dance-like moves. i just don’t quite have the rhythm…and it would be embarrassing to have the rest of the class behind me. i would probably throw them all off.
I used to teach a fitness class through community ed. It was fabulous. Real people and FUN! So glad you found a good class and instructor.
Toning your Tummy, Thighs, and Tush:-)
It was a little ambiguous there–numbers 2 and 3? You’d like to do back to back pregnancies with friends? :) cracked me up.
LOL, is all I gotta say here.