No more than a 30 second walk from my work is a new fitness studio, Nerdy Girl Fitness. It’s for women 25 and older. Seeing as this month I turn 29, I guess I qualify.
I thought about it for awhile. Should I go? Would I have time? Is it any better than just going to the gym on my own and using the machines, or following a video online? Who knew. But one afternoon while scrolling through Facebook I saw a post for an open house for Nerdy Girl Fitness. It was at the same time as work, so I knew I couldn’t go. I commented anyway, saying I wish I could go. I have no idea what made me do that.
But Patti, the owner, responded. Told me to come in for a free class. And if you know me, you know I don’t say no to free things. So I worked up the courage to get myself down to one of her 45 minute circuit training classes. She had minimal equipment set up when I got there: a few mats, some weights, and what looked like portable ballet bars.
Only two other women were there for the class, we warmed up, did three rounds of circuit training at six different stations. I was squatting, holding planks, doing laying on the floor style pull ups, and shoulder presses. I didn’t sweat and thought, we’ll that wasn’t that hard.
But about 24 hours later, I felt it. The sore muscles from lunges and the tense shoulders from the “pull-ups.” It wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t move, but sore enough that I knew the workout had been worth it. Maybe Patti was on to something. So I caved, got the Groupon deal that was going on and said I’d go to 15 classes (which is what the Groupon was for). This morning was my third class (including that first free one), and I actually am enjoying it. There is no grunting, no men who are stronger than me making me want to push myself until I hurt myself to keep up, and no judgement. We laugh at balancing acts we try on the Bosu ball, grumble together as we try to keep up in our planks, and compare notes about how many steps we’ve all got on our FitBits.
I’m not leaving in a sweating, soggy mess that leaves me exhausted and sore for days. That used to force me to rest for a day or two until I could walk up stairs again. I want to workout every day, and if that means circuit training with a bunch of women I don’t know while I supplement that with running at Planet Fitness, then so be it, I will do it. It’s 45 minutes of my day that lets me feel like I did something.
So I’m committed to Nerdy Girl for a while and if any of my friends want to join me for morning workouts, I’ll see you at the 9 a.m. classes!
