Exercise Classes - Your Rhythm or Blues?

Why do some people have rhythm and others do not? I personally fall into the second category. Well not so much as into that category, more like below it. To say I do not have rhythm is darn near a compliment. I really don’t understand why some are blessed with the ease of coordination and the flow of dancing. And then there are those such as myself that apparently have two left feet. I prefer not to think of it as an intellectual issue because certainly less intelligent people have been known to have the ability to groove down as well as the brilliant beings that don’t have a move to grove at all. What I do know is that it’s very obvious when one lacks the necessary coordination to carry out certain tasks. All of this comes to mind because yesterday when I was at my cycling spin class at the gym, this is what I observed:

As I was perched upon my stationary spinning bike, I was diligently following all of the directions from the teacher. She was shouting “faster, faster you can make it up this incline” (of course there was no incline, we were indoors in a gym on these odd little bikes, but with the tension turned up it feels like a massive hill) the music was blasting. She continued to push us, to make us work harder; “Peddle harder, stay strong, you can do it, only ninety more seconds” (I guess ninety seconds sounds more encouraging than it’s just another minute and a half). My heart was pounding, I was breathless, my legs were burning from the intensity. As I was peddling faster and faster my imagination slowly lifted me into another dimension. For a brief moment I thought I was in Kansas or perhaps ET had possessed my body. I swear I had lifted off the ground and was observing my world from an entirely new angle. Actually, the cycling room is on the second floor and one wall has all windows overlooking two racquetball courts below that have been converted into one very large fitness room.

I looked down and saw this aerobic class in progress, I could not hear anything, it was all visual. I was watching them step up on the step, back down, turn around, jump three times. Step to the left. Step to the right. Touch your toes. Step on the step, step down, turn left, turn right. I was mesmerized. There were at least twenty people in the class and I’ll be damned if every one of them was in perfect sync with each other. How the hell did they do that? Was this some professional aerobic class? How come nobody was turning the wrong way or bumping into the next person? That happened every time I tried one of those classes. Let me clarify, that is what I did every time I took one of those classes. And I have tried these classes more times than I can count. As I was peddling away on my bike I continued to watch them. It appeared that everyone was truly enjoying the exercise class and no one was getting hurt from the person beside them.

I think I would be a much thinner person if I had any sense of rhythm. I say this because so many exercises I have tried are just too damn difficult for me. The teacher says left, but I move right because that is what I see when I am watching her as she is facing the class. Then there are all those mirrors, wall to wall mirrors. I understand why, but is it really necessary? Us chunkier gals with no coordination could certainly get a much better workout if we did not have to see our silly grinning, backwards stepping faces every time we turned around. It is absurd.

Let me tell you, I am not kidding when I write that I have tried so many of these various classes. Just to name a few - kick boxing, step, beginning step, basic step, just abs, circuit classes, cross fit, fun & fit, all of them so challenging with the music/exercise I just got overwhelmed and quit. For someone with already borderline low self esteem/body image issues, this is not a good place to be. I have not tried and would not even consider; Boot fitness – here is the description – A class incorporating balance, strength and cardio training. Come and join this challenging workout. The description alone makes me break into a sweat, does that count? Here’s another good one I would not consider; Athletic Step. Ready? A little Choreography and high intensity, powerful movement on the step. Now I know any description that includes choreography is immediately out of my league, not to mention the title has the word athletic in it. No need for me to further describe how challenging and disastrous either of those would be for me. Talk about a blow to self esteem.

Lucky for me that I am persistent and understand that I must be active or I will be overweight. By the time I get to work every day, I have not even exerted myself enough to burn fifty calories. I then sit on my ass for at least eight to nine hours with little or no activity, except my fingers tapping on my computer. The lack of activity adds up quickly and accumulates right in my belly. Therefore I must find activities that I can do AND enjoy. Okay well maybe enjoy is stretching it a bit. Exercise I am capable of doing without hurting anyone else or myself. Actually I have settled in on a few, but boy would it be nice to have all the other options too. I just read an interview with Brooke Shields, she said that "she enjoys working out much more after than during." Wow, could I relate to that. Here is a list of what I can do; running and walking, even while listening to my IPod so I guess that’s something to be grateful for. Then on a very limited basis- yoga and pilates (as long as they go slow and I do not look at myself in the mirror). One glance in the mirror and I could tip right over Again, I certainly would not want to hurt people in this class. Aqua aerobics because ninety percent of my motion is underwater so nobody but me knows what’s really going on. Besides the music is washed out over the motion of the water so I can focus on the movements. I can do my own individual work outs with the weights (machines mostly) combined with the treadmill, rowing machine and bikes but I have a tendency to not push myself as hard when it is just me. And then of course my spin class. Oh my god I am in a spin class, as I come back to reality.

“Go! Go! Come on you can do it, only ninety seconds left of our workout! PUSH, PUSH AS HARD AS YOU CAN!” Woo Whoo, as I flashed back, that was the quickest workout I have done yet. I like spin class. It’s easy, you need no rhythm, I’ve yet to hurt anyone and there is someone pushing you to push way beyond your comfort zone. It’s my personal favorite.

NOTE TO SELF: Do what you can do to keep active!