Thursday, November 20, 2014

CX-y Ladies!

Since moving to North Carolina I've been forced to find myself some hobbies. It's definitely been the hardest of the three big moves we've made as a married couple-- compared to Philadelphia or Las Vegas, which felt like "home" almost immediately. Friends and play-dates were never just forthcoming, even now 3 1/2 years later in the same ward. As a result, I've had a lot of time to kill at home... Alone. A lot of time, in fact, and I've never been good at being a home-body. So I started getting more and more involved with fitness and working out at the gym, as kind of my "me-time" that I could look forward to on a regular basis, and as a way of getting out of the house.  Up until this point, exercise had never really been important to me, or even something I actually looked forward to!  But as I continued to attend Group Exercise classes the thought that, "I could teach this!" continually crossed my mind until one fateful evening driving in the car, I set the goal with Jon to try and get certified in Body Pump. Well, happily three years ago this December that goal was accomplished, and along the way I discovered how amazing exercise is for the body, mind, and soul!  Exercise is medicine.  Exercise for me brings balance to that part of me that hates dieting and wants a chocolate chip cookie every now and then. It re-sets me not only physically, but emotionally as well.  It's my anti-depressant.  It's my anti-anxiety medication.  It's my stress relief.  And better yet, it is SO incredibly empowering!  To set goals and then see yourself accomplish something you couldn't do even just a week ago is inherently a huge confidence builder.  I've absolutely loved sharing this passion as a Group Exercise instructor for the past 3 years, and it's probably been one of the best things that's happened since moving here to NC.  I often get feedback from participants that they never knew exercise could be so fun, and that it has literally changed their lives.  I've wanted to keep pushing myself to pursue more fitness goals, and recently decided to get certified in a core class called CX WORX. 
CX WORX is an intense core work-out, 30 minutes long, that tones and strengthens every part of the core-- including your glutes, abs, legs, and lower back.  It's hard. After having three babies in a little over five years, it's safe to say I've neglected my core.  The first time I did the class I could barely finish, and my abs were shot.  Part of my reluctance to get certified in this particular class was due to Les Mills' rigorous certification process-- they require you pass a 2 day training (20+ hours), and then a video submission of you teaching a perfect class from start to finish-- technique (form), choreography, and coaching. 
  And, at the training they require you to hold a 5 minute hover. Yes, FIVE MINUTES. Insane, right? 
Well, some girls (fellow instructors) at the gym kind of took me under their wings and finally talked me into attending the training with two of them. I thought I must be out of my mind for even trying!  Each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon for about a month before the training, we'd get together to practice the latest CX release, as well as work on holding that 5 minute hover for longer and longer and longer. 
And eventually my CX training rolled around, the Saturday and Sunday right after Leah's birthday. It was about 1 1/2 hours away, just outside of Charlotte, and I got to go with my good friend Jennifer (middle with crazy striped pants) and Erin (on my right). The first day consisted of doing the entire class start to finish probably 5 times, as we each took turns presenting particular tracks for feedback, and demoing moves for critique from our instructor (the black guy).  We had to leave Pinehurst by 4:30 a.m. in order to be there by 7 a.m., and we didn't get home that night until about 9 p.m. I was beyond exhausted.  My abs were on fire! The next morning we were up by 4:30 a.m. again and we started the day over, presenting and executing the same moves again and again, and then holding the dreaded five minute hover right before the end of the day and our final presentations.  The track I was assigned for the weekend included two 2-minute hovers (including alternating toe taps and arm extensions), so not only had I been practicing those all weekend, but I was so afraid that by the time my final presentation came (the pass/fail one for the whole weekend) after the five minute hover, my core would be completely wiped out! There's only so much hovering you can do in one weekend after all!  
Well, although it was the hardest thing EV-ER, I passed. Proving not only to myself that we are often stronger than we give ourselves credit for, but that we can totally do hard things.  The certification process isn't over yet, I still have to tape my "perfect" class and submit it for critique (which is SO nerve-wracking!) sometime in-between this mess of holidays and birthdays, but I feel like I personally accomplished something just by attending the training and passing with 3/3.  So what's next on this fitness journey? Who knows? A half-marathon.  A tri-athalon.  Certification in Body Step. I feel like maybe if I set the goal and put it here in writing, the sky's the limit.