After recovering from my soreness brought on my Monday's vigorous re-introduction, I went back on Wednesday for more. Was it going to hinder me? I had no idea.
This week, I definitely started feeling more like an old-timer, standing around, chit-chatting with people before class, knowing more people than I had before, as opposed to the newbies who were sitting on the floor, knees hugged closed, with a look of fear/panic on their faces.
Titus, from his roost on the log roll obstacle, hollered, "7:00 - seven laps!" I started out at a moderate sprint, hoping not to come in last. Laps 5-6 started to get tough, but then Wong called out for us to run it in. Was thankful for the 6 laps versus 7, since yes, I am a wimp.
Back to the PT area for stretches. Then, 50 jumping jacks, 20 pushups, at which point we were given 12 seconds to get around the gym. But, a couple of people decided to take the easy way around, and run on the inside of one of the columns, versus the outside, which irked both Wong and Titus enough for (one of) them to holler, "Oh hell no - no cheaters, another 12 seconds round the gym!" This time, I was mentally beseeching everyone to go all the way around, so that we could get on with the warm up. 30 more jumping jacks, then 15 pushups; this time I attempted to do them the non-girly way, but it wasn't happening. Switched over to the adjusted ones after 5 pushups. 12 seconds around the gym, back to pushup position. Wong showed us the proper form for mountain jumpers - none of the half-assed stuff that he'd seen us doing forever. We were to bring one leg up to our chest, while keeping our backs straight, and butts low. 20 of those, rather slowly. Very tough, but I got through them.
Another 12 seconds around the gym, and then 15 clapping pushups - only made a bit more challenging by the fact that my new camo pants kept on sliding (I hadn't used the new ones since I re-upped in October, so I had them hemmed and decided to use them for the new year). Afterwards, Lauren walked around and individually assigned us a number of squat thrusts to complete before we had another lap around the gym; I was given 22. Most of the time, I would have been happy to get to 20, and was almost about to give up as I reached 20, but the difference between stopping there and completing the task for only 2 squat thrusts. I steeled myself, and finished - whoo hoo!
After one more lap around, Titus partnered me up with one of the newbies for canteen sit-ups; he assigned us 85. Grabbed a tire, two mats, and a canteen and got started. Not an impossible task, I've learned that if you keep going at a good clip, it makes it easier. Kept on encouraging my partner, who was struggling, divided our count up into smaller chunks, and then counted backwards when we came down to our final 10. I remember Castro doing something like this for me when I was newer to the program......then, two laps around.
A group of us were assigned to Wong, who instructed us to grab a green bar (if I remember correctly, it's a 15 pound bar). We were lined up, facing the obstacle course, and were given the following exercise: squat, curl, flip the other way (facing the wall), then repeat. All the way around the gym. He was like, "Come on ladies, gotta get that butt in shape - bikini season is coming up!" I was fine for the better part of the perimeter, but it started to get tough around 3/4 of the way......so I focused on exhaling as I curled, inhaling on the way down. Made it.
We put the bars away, and ran it over to the rock wall. For some reason, some people thought that it was one lap around, and then when Wong signaled for us to stop, it was like our squad turned into the Keystone cops - one stopped, and the others kept going; must have been quite comedic to the random observer.
Wong had us make space for each other, and then stand with our right hands against the rock wall. Then he showed us the proper form for a kick; left hand in a fist, covering the side of our face, lean into the wall, bring your left knee up, and then kick out, with your foot sideways, and then when you come back down, your knee is 'chambered'. 25 reps. And then the next exercise was a kick-and-hold for a count of 25. That was TOUGH - a couple of people started grunting with the effort, and I was gritting my teeth as we got closer to 1. Switch sides, and then another 25 reps on the right leg, followed by another kick-and-hold with a count of 25. We did this 2 more times; the groans became more audible, and I was definitely not immune to them. OUCH.
Over to the hurdles, where Wong had each person stand behind a hurdle, with our hands resting gently on them. 25 slow squats, easy enough - and I tried to make it harder for myself by not using the top of the hurdle too much (reminded me of back in the day on the Stairmaster where they told you not to grip the handles). Then, 20 fast squats. Somewhere in the middle of this, one of the recruits from the earlier class, Trucco, started dancing in front of Linda like some sort of spastic jumping jack. Momentarily distracted, I allowed myself a guffaw.
Next, Wong had us keep our left leg straight, and do 10 one legged squats, then switch legs and repeat. We had to do 2 sets of these; I was definitely concerned for my knee, which had always been a source of irritation to me in the past. Then, 2 laps around, back to the PT area, where we did 30 squats on the tires. Now, normally I motor through these, but with all the glute exercises we'd been doing, they were significantly more difficult. 2 more laps around.
Then the final exercise - SQUAT THRUSTS!!!! Ugh, what was he trying to do to us? I attempted to get through them, and came the closest to throwing up that I ever have; and then mercifully, after 5, we were called over to the rock wall for group sit-ups. As we passed Wong, he hollered, "Okay, ladies, the butt party is over!"
WTF?? All kinds of wrong. But not for nothing, my butt did feel immediately firmer.....am thinking about new jeans in a few weeks.....
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