Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Oops, I Did It Again

What have I gotten myself into this time? Initial thoughts lean toward good-for-the-body, muscle-toning, sweat-soaking fitness dialed to the nth degree. Second thoughts spell disaster when I have to stick to a plan, work out with intensity but not under my watch, and swap my sweat sessions from evening to morning for two weeks at the start of February. It's nothing extraordinary by any stretch of the imagination, just me being intrigued for my next big thing. Some people have New Year's resolutions yet I seem to be making a February resolution. I signed up for the next round of CorePower Yoga's BootCamp.

The sales pitch finally worked. I could read the newsletters, see the instructors' T-shirts, hear the announcements about BootCamp starting soon, but until a week ago, the interest level didn't stick. Maybe it was the direct ask--Megan, who teaches the yoga sculpt class I'm religious about attending, confronted me after class one day wondering when I'd try BootCamp--that finally tipped the scale. That and finally having a two-week period where the camp would be held at the studio closest to my house (I don't do well with distance even if I am a runner, cyclist, Ironman), a start time that wasn't at the crack of dawn (I also don't do mornings after too many swim practices that started at 6 a.m.), and the inkling that camp might be less crowded than 9:30 a.m. class (I'm not a huge fan of crowds especially when I have to weasel a spot for myself to sculpt). Combine those and something clicked and I was sold, reserving my spot sight unseen.

When it comes to winter workouts, I secretly must love gravitating toward fitness challenges. In 2009, I was determined to test myself at Taste of VQ, wavering until what felt like the last second to enroll and then feeling the trepidation of a kindergartener on the first day of school in the hours before my first CompuTrainer ride--it was the 40-minute fit test, I swear. Last year, I didn't have specifics aside from increasing yoga attendance and racing--if you could even call it that--half marathons and marathons with minimal mileage under my belt. And now there's this.

The sample class I attended on Monday--more because it worked into my regular routine than to actually assure I was committed)--had me hooked. Two days after the fact and I'm still sore--it hurts to pull tops on and off--but I like workouts that inflict pain. Apparently I also like attention, perfection and challenge while I'm sweating. Each boot camper gets a coach for the duration of the program to help encourage and support you through the workouts. The coaches watch you with a keen eye and nudge you into place when a triceps press is out of alignment or your shoulders aren't stacked over your hands in plank. And then they challenge you to push yourself to the next level--lift your knees higher, quit cheating on your belly-drop push-ups (that was me), curling your biceps with heavier weights. Don't quote me--my mind shut off after our three cycles of 10 or so moves--but it's designed to change your body, enhance your yoga practice and improve muscle performance. Judging from the sample class, I have a lot to work on.


That means I'll really have to focus for two weeks starting February 6. Classes run Monday through Saturday--after orientation on Super Bowl Sunday, Sundays are rest days--mornings from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m., 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. on Saturday. That's the Gold Coast schedule anyway, the others are too early for my taste buds, but you can check with your local CorePower Yoga of choice to find out what's on tap.

Has anyone tried BootCamp? What should I expect?


Photo grabbed from CorePower Yoga.

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