 GPX SWEAT
By Allyson Marrs
Becoming a part of the Bellevue Club team was the best thing that could have happened to my fitness level. Five days a week, I am surrounded by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable health and wellness advocates—not to mention, the most athletic. I consistently have the opportunity to speak with them, learning techniques to keep the body fit and happy. It's prime motivation.
To welcome the New Year, I hope to break off a piece of my motivation and share it with you, making my way through the more than 70 classes offered each week—choosing one per month—and sweating the details.
This month, I experienced indoor cycling (11 a.m. with Shannon) for the first time in four years. About ten minutes in, I felt a light burn creep up my hamstrings; although I blamed it on the lunges I did the night before, the resistance Shannon had us crank up played a part.
Alternating between high RPMs and delving back down, kept me, quite literally, on my toes. I may have dodged a resistance crank once or twice, but Shannon occasionally dropped motivational stories and one-liners, leaving me with enough guilt to push as hard as I could.
Halfway through a workout, I reach, what I like to imagine, a runner's high. I don't actually run, so it's hard to be sure. I get to that state where pain is gone, replaced with sheer drive. It's hypnotic. Sometimes it lasts the rest of the workout, and sometimes it disappears as quickly as a breeze. When variation is introduced, it usually bids ado.
Shannon took us into "jumps," a few seconds standing then right back down to sitting, only to stand again. This is when the towel met my brow most frequently. We jumped to both LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It" and my personal power song, "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + the Machine. Music moves. It moved me up and down, and up again.
My favorite pose came when we intensified the energy into arrow. With my head bowed, my eyes rested on the resistance knob and two words: Stop, Push. Isn't that always the story when trying to improve your health? It's comically easy to stop at the onset of discomfort and fatigue, but if you're like me, the twinge of sore muscles the next day feels as good as it hurts, maybe not literally, but definitely in theory.
Because of this, I've always preferred group exercises to striding alone on an elliptical. Simply put, working out with others instills a sense of drive (and embarrassment if you give up before everyone else). It's just too easy to quit when you're in something alone.
Ready to sweat?
The Bellevue Club GPX program includes more than 70 classes. From water aerobics to meditation, yoga to indoor cycling, there is a class for you. Visit bellevueclub.com/gpx for more information.
Need more?
If you want a more individualized approach this year, the Club's new Your Body, Your Life program might be for you. It's a six-week weight loss and health improvement program. Call 425-688-3461 for more information.
MONTHLY SCHEDULES
Group Exercise (GPX) & Yoga Schedule (PDF)
Group Personal Training Schedule (PDF)
BC Connector (PDF)
For additional Fitness information, please visit the Classes & Events page. |
