Paying for pain

There has been one bright spot for me this month (if you want to call it that).  When the brochures for all the summer programs came out I found out about all the fitness classes offered at The W, which is a joint venture between the city of Waverly and Wartburg College.  It is a new, state-of-the-art indoor fitness facility that includes a natatorium (which I discovered is just a fancy name for an indoor swimming pool).  Although I had heard a lot about it, I had never been there before.  It's actually pretty expensive to become a member.  However, you don't have to be a member to take fitness classes and the class fees are quite reasonable.  I needed to do something after another long winter, so I signed up for the Combo class on MWF afternoons.  It totally kicks my butt for 45 minutes, but I feel so good afterward.  The next morning is sometimes a different story. ;o)  We did so many squat moves today that I don't know how I'm going to make it out of the desk chair tonight, let alone out of bed in the morning!

Anyway, it is truly a combo class with aerobics, weights and toning using all sorts of equipment.  We've used steps, mats, free weights, resistance bands, body bars, medicine balls and boxing gloves/mitts.  We do something totally different every time, and the instructor sometimes makes things up as we go based on suggestions from the class.  I've done lots of moves and used some equipment for the first time (and I used to go to a lot of aerobics classes at church when we were first married).  One nice thing about the class is that it's not full of a bunch of fitness gurus.  Out of the twenty ladies (it's all female) of all ages, maybe only one or two are really able to completely keep up with the instructor.  There are ways to modify almost everything we do, and it's totally okay if you do.  I don't have to feel guilty if some days I use the lowest weights/resistance levels.  My back and shoulder muscles usually thank me later (or at least don't scream as loudly). ;o)  Fridays are usually the best because the class is notably smaller.  For some reason the college-age crowd is conspicuously absent at 4:45pm on a Friday...

The other great thing is I recently was introduced to a pair of middle-school-aged sisters who attend our church and live just 3 blocks away.  Between the two of them they are going to watch the kids when Austin isn't home (which is about 60% of the time).  They've both come now, and they're both great.  It may be a little more expensive to have to pay a babysitter and pay for a class, but having that hour to do something good for myself a few times a week is worth every penny and all the pain. :o)