Pump it up!

On Monday one of my good friends took me along to her weekly 'Body pump' class.
I had been looking forward to it for most of my (working) weekend, and when we coasted into the Macleod YMCA carpark I was curious and excited for my new venture.
We pushed the doors open and the usual gymnasium banter was around- toned men and women strolling the halls, old ladies replacing calories they had just burned off with skim coffees at the cafe and staff scanning membership cards and setting classes up.
After feeling slightly uncoordinated and unsure of all the weird and wonderful equipment that was stored against walls adorned with huge wall posters of tanned bodies, my friend set up our pump spaces and demonstrated the block and weight set-up routine. After laying the towel atop of the platform and neatly scattering my bag, cardigan and water bottle in a nearby corner, in walked Marilyn, our instruscter.
As she introduced herself to the newbies (ie-me) and collected recipets, she explained she would talk to everyone throughout the class and demonstrate correct techniques. At this point I was feeling a little uneasy. Just like waiting in a Centrelink line, you fear having your name called outloud, all in the name of [humiliation] guidance.
The music started and I grabbed my 1.25kg weight bar and copied my friend's movements of lowering the bar in slow, vertical motions. Club-like music pumped from the walls and Marilyn began shouting encourging commands in time to the music, such as "I DO NOT give up, woahh woahh", and "Who's yo' enemyyy?!?" Inside I (admirably) giggled inside; this super fit, 50 something woman was the epitome of all my gym preconceptions.
Between huffing and puffing our way through each bar lift, previous thoughts of being an 'outsider' soon diminshed and I embraced the warm and noticable feeling of my muscle movements.
Hard work, yes. But Marilyn's commentary provided drive and determination to sweat- "C'MON MONDAY MORNING PUMPERS!! What would you be doing if you wernt here? Ironing? Cleaning the floors?....having a coffee?!? PFFTTT I DONT THINK SO!"

By the end of the 1 hour class, I felt tired, yet relaxed and rejuvenated all in one. After dismantling my weight bar and stepping platform, I felt pretty damn proud with myself- being my first time and compared to some of the other ladies, I wasn't completley buggered! I walked out feeling like a gym junkie; all 'pro-life' and wanting protein to be my best friend.
An interesting experience, it was refreshing to try a differant approach to my somewhat overrated exercise plan of daily runs around the lake and cycle sessions to work.
Personally, I prefer to exercise outdoors as opposed to inside with machines, but the body pump class was fun, and being in a group, I was less likely to quit early/slow down/give up in the mindset of not wanthing to seem 'weak'.
The class experience was a positive one, and on the quiet...could pass as easy in my books. As Marilyn shouted "If your brain isn't having a good time then your muscles are!"
Wait, did my brain just register that I was the only one not lifting multiple weight discs?
...perhaps I'll take back the 'easy' part until next class...

Optimisim!

"(And if we had to lose our house) well, we’d just put up the fairy lights somewhere else"

  -Nikki Gemmell, Harper’s Bazaar, December 2009



Disregard the captioned part of this wonderful, optimistic and uplifting quote, but focus on the worry-free idealisim of these words.

Quote of the day

"It’s natural for us as humans to feel the need for revenge if we have invested our emotional energy into something we feel is of great value. Anger will create a seed of potential[ly] corrupt thinking. However, if you believe in karma, you will allow yourself to sit back and invest your emotional energy in a state where tranquillity, sublime presence and clarity" - Anon

Calm, calm calm. I like this.

Wants #1

I should have lived in the moment and handed over the 60 pounds...

Isnt this just fabulous?!?

Christopher Kane for Topshop: Croc Tee

Always the model...seen here in Brighton (UK) Topshop changroom...