Booty Barre

I went to my first "fun" thing of the year last Friday - Booty Barre.

My belly got all upset like this was a race.  It was odd in a way - I was surprised by it even though I shouldn't have been.  My nervousness entering any new situation is completely hardwired into my gut.  I should know that by now.

So I left really early and found the place fairly easily.  I allowed a huge cushion for my classic direction screw-ups, but other than really having to hunt around in the parking lot for it, I had no issues.  I was so early that I sat in my car for another 15 minutes or so listening to my audiobook and when I went in I was still 30 minutes early.

I went in, filled out a questionnaire, got my gear off, and went up to the room.  I was only the second person there, so I became a little copy cat, sitting on the floor until more people arrived.  I divined that I was supposed to grab hand weights, I chose 3 pounders not knowing how hard things would be, and grabbed a complimentary bottle of water.

Eventually the instructor arrived.  She asked if it was anyone's first time, and sort of hinted that I might want to downsize to 2 lb weights when she found out I was a newbie.  My reaction was twofold.  I don't like being addressed individually in groups - I get super embarrassed, so there was no way I was gonna walk to the front of the room to get new weights.  The second part of me was all: no way, I do P90X with 5-8 lb weights, I'll be fine with these dinky 3s.

So we start with some classic ballet warm up moves.  I think I need to take a ballet class.  I miss it.
 
Then we come to the center of the room for some more warm-up squat-type moves and some stretching.  This got a little rough, but I hung in.

Then we got our weights for the "arm series".  Holy. Shit.  I hung with her while she massacred every single muscle in my arm, over and over again without mercy.  I hung with til the very very end when I finally called uncle and dropped a few reps.  The chick right next to me did the same, so I felt ok, but instructor totally zeroed in on us and told us we could lighten the weight.  Screw that - we were almost done!  So I toughed it out and finished reducing my arms to quivering jelly.

Then it was back to the barre for leg torture.  Yes, I said it, TORTURE.

Then there was leg torture with a ball.

Then there were push-ups and planks.

Then there was a bit of stretching.

Then I quivered my way home to paint.

I've already made my reservation for next Saturday.  Bring it!