I have always had this kind of ignorance when it comes to group exercise, I firmly believed that my own methods of training was way better and smashing out a 10 k run or 5k sprint intervals was the best way to stay fit and in shape.
But all this time I have been oh so wrong. After cracking my hip, don't even ask me how I did it.. becuase I could not tell you the defining moment, apart from the fact that I had been going so hard in the gym and running an awful lot. Anyway.. so with my injury came bad news that I had to have at least three months of no running and spend four weeks on crutches.
I am now back at work and I have accepted that right now I just can't run like I used to be able to but that is fine because I will get it back sooner or later, but until then I have had time to try out other ways to work up a sweat.
I have started weight training a lot more, re introducing squatting with weights, using the squat rack, and using the weight machines.
Every gym session I do I always include cardio and this is for a minimum of at least 45 minutes to an hour. I have had to start using the arc trainer which is a cross between an elliptical and a stepper. It's great as a form of cardio and offers a no impact solution, it targets the legs and the bum especially and you can alter the incline and the resistance to target the area you want to work on the most. For example I set it to an incline of 15 for ten minutes with a resistance of 27 (targetting my legs) , then the next minutes I switch it to about an incline of 4 with a resistance of 35 (targetting my glutes) and I keep repeating this cycle for an hour.
I then tend to move to the weight machines, I love working on my arms at the moment as I feel that is an area that I seem to have neglected.
HOWEVER the one thing I look forward to the most- when my roster allows it, is the exercise classes I have been taking.
The gym I go to is called 'TribeFit' down in Dubai Marina. It offers so many different exercise classes, all Les Mills.
I have managed to go to a few Bodyattack classes, which is basically an hour of HIIT training, and I tried my first ever RPM (spinning) class the other night.
It was my flatmate who was telling me she used to do the group exercises back at home, and how good they were. So she dragged me along to Bodyattack with her... and it was amazing. I felt places ache the next day that I didn't know was possible. It's great because it targets the whole body and it's high intensity cardio which I love as I get a real sweat on.
I now try and mix up my workouts with my own sessions and include classes too.
So I have only done RPM once but I will definitely be doing it again, I really felt the burn in my legs and again I loved the fact it was High intensity cardio for 45 minutes.
So to anyone who thinks group exercise is easy, think again. To be honest its up to you what you get out of it, after all you get out of if what you put in.
Although I have converted, I still think Zumba is an awful excuse for a workout (sorry, not sorry!)- having said that- again, it all comes down to you and the effort you put into it.
Lotsa Love,
Rosie
x
No comments:
Post a Comment