Cute boys at the gym

Let's talk about something crazy that's happened not once, but twice in the last week: seriously cute guys taking or teaching classes at the gym.

Last week I took my 2nd spin class and ended up on a bike next to a guy who was a runner taking his very first spin class.

There are rarely any age appropriate guys in my classes at the gym, which is fine with me because I look like a pasty homeless person when I go to work out.

We finished class and I looked like I'd been dunked in a vat of sweat and R promptly did the Downward dog and cobra to stretch post class. Color me amused and red.  I get really red and sweaty in spin class.

Then I took a Pilates class this week and the instructor was adorable!  First, I was surprised to find a man teaching Pilates (yes, I know that is a sexist statement) and then I was delighted at his adorableness.  So I'll be taking that class again.

I mean he was so adorable and when class was over he said "Hey girl, thanks for coming to class to day!"

JUST LIKE HE'S RYAN GOSLING.

Barre for my Booty

It's no secret that I'm a failed ballerina.

By failed I mean I took five years of dance, including breaking my nose in ballet class doing the hokey pokey, and then quit when I got self conscious about wearing the leotard.

Instead I live vicariously through dance movies, like the epic Center Stage, and various documentaries about real ballerinas.

That being said I immediately bought the Groupon that came up for 10 barre classes for $49 bucks at Sculpt Tulsa .

The class description calls it a combo of pilates and ballet:

Sculpt barre classes are a blend of pilates and ballet barre work, yet so much more...
A head to toe workout that sculpts a long, strong, lean physique.
Using small sometimes barely perceptible movements we achieve very perceptible results.
Sculpt barre classes target and activate muscle fibers that have been minimally called upon even with other vigorous workouts. We recruit them with small purposeful movements and in an amazingly short amount of time what has been soft and drifting south is standing firmly at attention.
Using isometrics, high repetition, and working to muscle failure exercises are sequenced throughout the body, with special attention paid to legs and seats. Each quaking set is followed with a deep lengthening stretch.
Your distractions will dissipate in this focused, deep working class and your body will thank you.

I was really worried about the 'muscle failure' part of that class description, so I waited until my legs weren't sore from running to go, which was incredibly wise.  I wanted to cut my legs off during parts of that class.

The classes are in a dance studio with the barre in the middle and about 10 of us lined up, barefoot in a our gear.  It was a row of apparent real ballerinas and me and one other lady there for the first time.

It started simply enough, some Pilates moves to loosen up and work your core, then we stood and started the barre work.  I vaguely remember the ballet movies from my childhood, but it was really easy to get back into it.  My legs got a full workout, quads, thighs, calves and glutes all definitely reached the point of muscle failure and I loved it.

We ended the class with some good stretching to keep the muscles from getting too sore and I took my sweaty self back to work with wobbly legs. I'll definitely be back, not just because I have 9 more Groupon classes.

I felt longer and leaner and my posture was much better from working on my frame at the barre.  Definite win class!

Early Mornings & Sore Thighs

I am a gym member. It's been a few years since I've gone to a gym regularly, but I've been the last few days every morning.

The main reason I joined a gym was for cross training, and I've been getting up early and going before work. Elliptical one day and the cycle the next means I'm sore in places I haven't been sore in a long time, but just getting up early and getting it done makes me feel so much better.

I'm going to add some of the classes into my schedule now, starting with the 10 am pilates class today, followed by my scheduled run.

As for running, I'm still on Couch to 5k week 5 day 3. I don't want to go up the next week till I'm finishing the 20 minute interval in a better time, so I won't lose the speed I've increased the last few weeks. But it is getting easier, which is a good sign.

I'm hoping the newly unused muscles will help me get a handle on my running pace... and make me look better in my jeans.

I've always been very vain. Just ask Carly Simon.