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Bala Cynwyd 610-664-6464

Feasterville 215-355-2700

Radnor 484-840-4500

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Strength & Movement

Sorry! I’ve been slacking…. On the writing, not the working out! (Okay, a little bit on the working out, but some working out is better than no working out, right?) So after taking Kristin’s Lean Barre class two weeks ago, I decided to give another one of her classes a shot. I took her Wednesday 10:45 AM class, Strength and Movement. This class is similar to some of the other classes that I have been taking – it was located in the Jivala studio and consists mostly of mat exercises. The exercises varied in terms of what we were working on – core, arms, legs. Overall, the class was hard, but not impossible. I worked up a sweat and I was definitely sore afterwards, but I made it through, and almost enjoyed it. After taking the class though, I was actually thinking more about classes in general, as opposed to just Strength & Movement. Rather than giving you a full recap of the class here, I want to concentrate on a little bit more of an outlook on taking classes.

Working Out Should Be Fun

When it comes to the classes that she teaches, Kristin is a pro, and the members like her a lot. She can kick your butt while keeping a smile on her face, and somehow convince you that you are having fun while doing it. To get a better idea of her mentality while teaching a class, I asked her if she could give me a quote for this blog post. Thinking about it for a while, she said:

“Working out is supposed to be fun, do what feels good for you and don’t worry about what anybody else is doing! It’s not that serious!”

This is something that she actually says in some variation or another in most of the classes that she teaches. I think that pointing this out to members, especially to new members, is a great thing. This one simple phrase contains a couple of tips that you should keep in mind while taking classes – or even working out in general.

It’s Not That Serious

I, like many people new to fitness (at least I assume, maybe I’m on an island by myself here) am nervous. I get self-conscious going into a class that I haven’t taken. I don’t know why exactly, but there is a brief period of anxiety for me when I walk into that class room. I get nervous that I won’t know what I am doing, or that I’ll look funny doing it. I get worried that I am not as good as everyone else and that people will judge me for it. But honestly? Kristin is right, it’s not that serious. At some point (and I’m still working on this), you need to put all of that aside. Working out is a great thing for you – for your body, your stress levels, your energy levels. Who cares if I can only balance to 10 seconds, not 20? Or who cares that while everyone else has perfected their plank and I probably look like a toddler mimicking someone like Kristin? To be honest, everyone is so busy doing the workout, concentrating on their own movements and breathing, no one is paying attention to me. And if you’re that nervous new person in class, you should know – they are not paying attention to you either. Don’t stress over what else is going on in the room. Go at your own pace and make sure that you are comfortable in the exercises that you are doing and work hard. But work hard for you, and your own progress- not for anyone else. Have fun with it and be proud of yourself. Every little bit counts.