Reforming my ways

Now that the Festival of 50 is over I can return to my normal life without all the emotions and celebrations of the birthday week.  It is an extremely hectic time at work and my calendar has been crammed with appointments.  I welcomed the Easter weekend as a time to catch up without the constant barrage of emails and phone calls.

The one thing I do for myself to maintain a level of balance is to go to the gym.  I love exercising and I know that it balances out my stress levels.  It is a not negotiable in my calendar.  I have been attending the same fitness classes for the past 5 years and find the social side of our group an important element that keeps me going back.

My journey at Mission Possible Fitness started when I thought I would try out the trampolining classes they used to run.  While these are fun and take you back to your youth, they are very challenging on the pelvic floor muscles.  I found that the group fitness and boxing classes were more suited to my style.  I love the boxing and kick boxing classes.  There is something very satisfying about punching when you are in a stressed out mood.

Over the last few weeks I have been introduced to a new exercise style called Reformer Pilates.  I know this is not technically new – but it is to me.  I find trying new styles of exercise challenging as I am not confident in my physical abilities and worry I am going to look like a fool if I can’t do something well.  I am sure I am not the only one who feels like this.  Reformer Pilates is new to our gym so I was learning just like everyone else.  I was intrigued at how you can exercise while you are lying down!

Don’t let the passive nature of this exercise style fool you.  These machines can be dangerous and should be used under proper adult supervision (particularly if you are clumsy like me).  In a few short weeks I have face planted into the springs and still have the bruises to prove it. I also ended up in an unnatural side split position by mistake – unable to find a way to get out of that position without the assistance of my instructor Amanda.

I go to the gym for 2 reasons – to stay fit and to provide the rest of the group with someone to laugh at.  You have got to have fun while you are exercising.

I am amazed at how many different exercises you can do on the reformer machine.  The slow pace means you are concentrating on a small group of muscles at a time, ensuring the technique is correct.  You can really feel the difference.  I strongly suggest you incorporate a class into your normal exercise regime.

So I am back on track.  I attended a particularly tough circuit class last Saturday with an intense number of squats.  You know the type of squats, the ones that make sitting on toilet for the next few days excrutiating.  My Monday morning reformer class was the perfect way to unwind all of the tightness from Saturday and set me up for the week ahead.

Whatever it is you have been wanting to try – give it a go.  If I can do it, so can you!  And if you don’t do it perfectly the first time have a laugh and try again.