I didn’t start working out until I was 40. Now, it’s a part of who I am.
Pre-COVID, the gym was my happy place. I was a 5AM-er, hitting the weight room after a small group HIIT or spin class every day, rain or shine. The gym was my second home. My workout friends were like family.
I was also a [solidcore] junkie, adding springs and racking up milestones weekly. Working out under those blue lights was my saving grace during that first COVID spring and summer.
Since COVID, I’ve been a #basementgym rat and a Peloton (app) girlie—down in my dungeon six days a week, tallying blue dots and creating a near-five-year-long streak. Even during my #moldyears, I was downstairs working out religiously.
While I like the convenience of working out at home (no commute, no people, no waiting for equipment), after nearly five years of doing the same thing, I needed a change. So two weeks ago, we joined the local YMCA.
It’s safe to say I’m now a Y girlie.
I know my way around a weight room, but the small group classes at the Y are new to me. So far, I’ve tried six different types of classes: cycle, intervals, HIIT, pilates, core, and a barre/pilates/yoga hybrid.
I had high hopes for each, but so far, I’ve been mostly disappointed.
When it comes to cycling, I’m all about the music … And this class just wasn’t it for me. The Y is a family-friendly place, so the music was too clean for my liking. I need a little Biggie or Tupac to get me in the mood.
The pilates, core, and barre/pilates/yoga hybrid classes each had potential, but none were challenging enough. In one, I was so convinced I had mistakenly joined a Silver Sneakers class that I checked the schedule afterward.
I hadn’t. That’s just how this class rolled … Old.
The one class I did like was the HIIT class. It was quick, intense, and taught at the right time, so I’ll definitely add that to my new weekly schedule. The intervals class paled in comparison, but I still might add it in every now and then for some variety.
It’s only been two weeks, so I’m still trying to find my rhythm. I’m also still learning where all the equipment is. Despite my inpatient nature, I’m trying to embrace my beginner status and give myself time to adjust. Monday’s snow day threw me off a bit, but now that the college kids are back at school and most adults are back at work, I can finally get into a groove.
Soon, the Y will be my new happy place.
—LJDT
