Yesterday I attended my first Les Mills Super Quarterly. Can I just say........"WOW?" What an experience.....
I was a bit apprehensive about going, not because I wasn't excited, but because this weekend, this stupid geologist predicted an earthquake (I know, I know) and my family would all be in different parts of the state. I would be in San Ramon, Franklin was driving to LA for a soccer tournament, Alexander would be in Turlock at a State Cup Round of 16 finals, and Cassie would be with my mom in Redwood City. I couldn't help thinking about what would happen if we were all in different places when a big one would hit.....and of course it freaked me out. Franklin talked me off that ledge, telling me that mom could handle Cassie, Alex would be with adults we trusted, Franklin could take care of himself and I could take care of myself. We cannot stop living our lives and I grew up in this area so I am not a stranger to earthquakes but having 2 kids puts a different spin on the fear. I really need to look into building a preparedness kit, so I just found one and printed and tomorrow will put one together.
I was woken up at 3:00 am by Franklin telling me to come outside and look at all the hail. We are on the bottom floor of a condo complex and normally cannot hear the rain, but I could hear the hail coming down! We opened the front door and the size of the hail...enormous! like marbles. I was going to wake up at 4:00 to get ready to go and I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn't stop thinking about the weird weather.....sigh. So by 4:00 Franklin left the house to meet the teams at the field to head to LA but had to turn around because his truck wouldn't make it up the hill.....the hail was not melting and he kept sliding back! Joe, a dad coming that was driving the other rental van picked him up and off they went.
I had a hard time getting the kids up that early so by the time we left home it was 5:00 am. Took them to mom's and instead of taking the freeway, went down the hill and went VERY slowly.....the hail, two hours after falling, still had not melted and it was crunchy all the way down. I was beginning to worry about driving across the bridge to San Ramon but luckily by the time I dropped the kids off, the streets were just wet and the rain had stopped. After getting my Starbucks, I was on the road and the drive was clear and quick. I arrived at the 24hr in San Ramon by 6:30.
I am really impressed with the whole operation. I had no idea what it would be like, but they had a check in table, an area set up with clothing, and half of the huge basketball court sectioned off with a stage, lights, etc. and it looked like a rock concert! I immediately went shopping because I really wanted some BodyPump tops for class. I ran into Donna and we stood in the long line to purchase, hoping we'd make it before our 7:00 am BP class. I scored and found a BP top in my size (I had purchased one online from LM NZ and it was too big so I have to send it back unless I can sell it) and a jacket on sale (that my son now likes and will be wearing as well).
Walking in to the basketball court where most of the classes were being held.....what a sight. Must have been more than a hundred equipment set ups - steps, bars with weights....all ready to go. Donna had saved us two spaces so we just went over, set up for warm ups and began taking pictures! Anja and Kimi came to say hi, and then the introductions for the day began. It was so cool to see people on stage that I've only seen on DVDs......Glen, Dan and Rachel, Sheldon, Jackie Mills. I was starstruck!
BP77.....love this release. It gave me chills to do this release with so many instructors....with lights on the stage.....Glen, the Program Director and Choreographer leading the way. It was almost like being on the taping of a new release....the energy in the room, knowing the familiar music and putting it together with the tracks...I haven't really started learning the chorey yet and so it was amazing to do the release for the first time in this format. I can't wait to teach it!! After the class, Glen was up at the front by himself so I went up to him, introduced myself, and took a picture with him! Too bad it's blurry but oh well! What a moment!
After this I had a 90 minute break because I didn't want to take BodyStep - too concerned with tripping over the step and falling on my face! So I took the time to check email, check in with the kids, ran into Willi, who I haven't seen since Crunch got rid of LM, so it was nice to catch up with him. I ate some snacks, and then BodyFlow, with Jackie on stage. So cool.
RPM with Glen again. So far Donna and I had every class together. The only bike was in the front row, which was not ideal but I took it. While I was sitting on the bike waiting, Glen came up to me and said hello, then checked my seat and handlebar height, along with the lady next to me. Class started, and it was fun, hard, and hot in there! A couple of times someone would come over and turn on the fan, which was in my corner of the room, piss off the woman next to me, who would turn it back on again.....it really was a freezing cold fan and I could have done without it! At least 3 times, Glen looked at me and told me to relax my shoulders away from my ears. Now WHERE have I heard THAT one before?! HAHAHA. Must be an issue of mine....
Between each class from BodyFlow on, there was only 10-15 minutes to transition, bathroom, snacks, chatting. It was well organized, though! After RPM it was downstairs for the Round Robin Education session. This was where they would break out into "small" groups based on program and we would get to hear the latest educational research on our program and talk to the program directors about specifics. Sitting on the floor with Glen and other instructors, well, this was cool as well. He talked about the scientific research showing that the same results can be achieved between two groups of people - those lifting heavy weights for fewer reps and those lifting lighter weights for longer periods of time. Each release has an education session and this is the one for this release. What this shows is that BodyPump is an effective way to increase your metabolism, burn fat, build lean muscle, and for the ladies, not bulk up. It is nice to have the information because members want to know and will ask, so we are given the tools to respond intelligently.
Amy came at that time, she had to teach Step in the morning and then drove up. It was her first time as well at a Q so it was fun to experience it together.
After the session, it was time for BodyAttack. I have taken it twice before, with Anja back in March 2010 in Roseville and with Alex and Kimi at Bladium in July 2010. I had forgotten how intense the cardio was in this program, but I was able to keep up and only took the lower options a few times. The problem for me was the push ups, mostly because I have hard time on my knees on the hardwood floor and there were no mats. I know I burned a ton of calories that hour...I wish I could take BA on a regular basis because I think that would make a huge difference in my fitness level and ability.
Next up: Sh'Bam. This is a dance format, similar to Zumba but not. Chorey is easier to follow, but I do have a hard time getting my hips and shoulders to shake like that! Rachel, Jericho and Sheldon were the presenters and they are just so cute and so much fun! I did pop out for a bit at the end of that one - my right calf started to cramp up so Willi and I hung out and he gave me a calf stretch. The music on this Sh'Bam release was fun to sit and sing to! By this time, the bottoms of my feet were beginning to hurt, and my left knee was getting cranky.
Kimi was going over chorey for her stage debut for the second BP class, and I was bummed because I had signed up for BodyVive but decided that I wanted to be there for her, take pics and besides, another BodyPump? Hello, no brainer. I also saw this as a chance to practice again the release I need to learn for launch in a couple of weeks. I went down a bit on weights because I was feeling fatigued by this time.
I took a video of Glen presenting Kimi and Ingrid as the first two women in the United States to achieve Elite Status! So exciting for her. I took a few breaks here and there during the class to snap pictures, but now I am ready to learn all the tracks because I do love this release. The lunges? Still scary but I did them twice, finished them (mostly) and I think with a bit of practice, I will be okay.
After Pump #2, the last class of the day - BodyCombat!! I really wish it had been at the beginning of the day because by then, I was toast. But I love and miss Combat so much so I strapped on my red hand wraps and got moving. However, but about track 6, I was in some pain with my calf and my shoulders, the upper back issue started harassing me and I was starving, so I popped out, took a break and ate a yogurt, tried to jump back in and decided I was done. I was up since 3:00 am and I had finally hit my wall. It was running late, past 5:30 and I really wanted to get on the road back to the kids. I hugged Kimi goodbye and left. Found out when she texted me later that night that I missed an awesome closing ceremony :( oh well. Next Q!
I stopped at Safeway, bought a sandwich and Starbucks and headed back to RWC. It was nice to get the kids while it was daylight! A hot bath, some ice for the knees, some Advil......and in bed by 10:30.
Alexander had won his soccer game and the next round of finals was Sunday at 1:15 in Turlock, which meant I wouldn't be able to go since I had to teach BP at 11:15. He tried to get me to get a sub but there are no subs and it was so last minute.....
Thankfully this morning I got an email saying the storm had caused a lot of water damage to the fields there and the driving conditions were not safe so they canceled all the games. YAY! This meant I didn't have to miss his game, and we could sleep a bit longer.
Waking up.......wow. That old familiar "hit by a truck" feeling.....my calves? Hello, RPM and BodyAttack really did a number on them! And the shoulders.....ouch.
Class was better than I anticipated. I knew that I would work out some soreness by working out, and so I made light of it to my members - letting them know I had gone to a LM convention, got my butt kicked in 7 classes and was going a bit lighter on weights.....but that didn't give THEM permission to! Had a great class, and definitely felt better afterward. Had another conversation with the body builder that comes regularly to my class again and shared some of the educational research I just learned.....nice to have it so fresh in my mind and have it come up naturally in conversation!
But I know my body....day 2 is always worse....and sure enough, by evening, even after a hot bath and Advil.....I am to the point where I moan out loud when I sit down and get back up!! Can't wait for tomorrow...
Franklin, the two dads and all the boys got stuck in the Grapevine on the way back home due to snow and now, at midnight, have turned around back towards LA, will find an alternate route and keep driving. Probably won't make it till 4-5 am, so I am off to bed now. Praying they have a good drive back and they aren't too macho to stop if they are tired....
All in all a great weekend. The experience of a Les Mills Quarterly....I can't wait for the next one. It was better than initial training....the energy, the experience, it's hard to explain. I met instructors that I am friends with on FB but I got to meet them in person.
Probably a real eye opener for me was to look around, see people of all shapes, sizes, ages... I am not the oldest or the fattest one out there. I know that must sound terrible, but I looked at pictures of me with other instructors and had the realization that I don't look too bad. I still feel fat, maybe I always will, I don't know, but looking at the pictures, I didn't feel fat. It was a weird sensation. And being in the front row of RPM, watching myself on the bike......I didn't look huge. Yes my butt hangs off the seat. And jiggles. But for the first time, (and let me tell you, I went in already intimidated to be surrounded by great instructors) I felt almost, not quite, on equal ground. Not in ability, because I am new and I know it (although I observed many instructors during BP that had poor technique, which surprised me) but in looks, body size, age......I didn't feel OUT OF PLACE. At all. Wow. Such a weird feeling.
To know that I belong.
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