Why Do I Do It To Myself?

I am a glutton for punishment...

I decided yesterday that I need to be more active. Hockey twice a week isn't enough. I used to go to the gym, by now my gym is 30km away, give or take a few km. That's a bit far for 45 minutes. I could check out the other locations for something closer, but I hate new gyms. The people are different, the layout is strange, I'm not used to the noises. And they always smell different, but I attribute that to the different people. Everyone stinks in their own way, especially at the gym.

Anyways, I decided to start doing Pilates and what better way to start than on YouTube. By better I mean cheaper. I took a "Yoga-lates" class once and yes, it was just as weird as it sounds. It was a Yoga Pilates combination class. I found there was way too much Yoga and not enough "-Lates". Too much breathing and posing, not enough movement. I like to move when I exercise. To me, yoga is all about stretching, posing, breathing and relaxing. Clearly it works for a lot of people, but not for me. I guess I'm more aggressive in my approach to staying fit, hence the hockey twice a week.

So anyway, back to YouTube. I found a series of beginner Pilates classes. Nothing terribly strenuous, but a good 20 minute workout. There was a lot of focus on the "core" and lifting through your ribs. Based on how I feel today, my ribs have never done any heavy lifting in my life! 20 minutes! And it wasn't 20 minutes of straight sit ups or anything! The exercises seemed pretty basic, a few crunches (but they weren't called crunches), leg lifts and table tops and of course, a few hundreds. I felt good, just like I do after a good workout at the gym. Felt the burn a little, but nothing like a hockey game or even two!

Today, it hurt to cough. My abs (and ribs) are so sore! I feel the same way I did after I got tricked into taking a Cardio Kick Boxing Class. Of course the kick boxing was more of an all over pain, but these sore abs definitely feel familiar. Needless to say, I have a whole new respect for the world of Pilates. Those girls are hardcore...

Second night was a little tougher. My "core" is tender and the pelvic tilts were a little excruciating. Still felt good, especially when it was over. Thank god I have hockey tomorrow night, it will give me some time to recover!

I'm hoping YouTube will keep the videos coming until I find a one that I can use daily. To be brutally honest, I'm mostly looking forward to the wicked abs and toned thighs. I think this will be a great way to get into shape for the martial arts classes I want to take. In Pilates, I'm learning to work my core. In martial arts, I hope to learn how to break plywood and bricks with my bare hands. I love exercise!

~Bean