Last week I decided to try out my friend Amy’s fitness class, LacyFit! I know, two Amys in one space can get rather confusing, but she is a fabulous representation of the name, in my opinion. I didn’t quite know what I was in for, but had heard about the class from my dear friend Danielle. I have been wanting to incorporate more full-body workouts into my routine, particularly to focus on my core and my arms. My legs get plenty of attention between running and the elliptical, but I very often neglect my arms. In reading the class description on the LacyFit website, it didn’t sound too daunting…
“The toning circuits focus on a specific muscle group: arms, legs & abs. Light weights are used in the toning circuits to achieve high repetition, so your muscles become long and lean, rather than bulky. After each toning circuit, there is a cardio burst which is what keeps your heart rate elevated for the entire workout, getting you into the fat burning zone. The cardio bursts are intense, but short, so you can get thought it!”
The class incorporates barre, boot camp, pilates and a whole lot of fun (and shared groans and laughter), which is just what I had been looking for. I thought I was in pretty good shape, definitely the best shape I have ever been in. I was wrong, terribly wrong.
The class I attended took place in Denver’s Washington Park, more commonly referred to as Wash Park. We began the class with a four minute warm-up run around a portion of the park. No problem, I thought to myself, I can totally handle this. We followed-up the run with barre-style leg circuits. I wasn’t too worried about that, and although tough on the thighs, I can handle a little extra leg strengthening. After the first circuit we did modified mountain climbers for 30 seconds followed by a one minute sprint. Easy peasy.
The next circuit continued leg work, with a cardio burst of actual mountain climbers and another sprint. Next we focused on our arms, using 3 pound hand weights, while engaging our core during some exercises. I really enjoyed this section, as it’s an area I’ve wanted to improve. Although I didn’t master the push up, I felt pretty confident with the rest of the exercises. After the next cardio burst we began our abs circuit. I thought I was going to die, and that I was indeed the weakest human being on the planet. I have never had much issue with my core, and didn’t think much of my abs. While I am not toned beyond belief with chiseled abs, I have always been pretty satisfied with my core. In other words, I don’t have a 6-pack but I am comfortable in a bikini. However, I apparently have no strength in my core and struggled through the last two circuits. And I mean I really struggled…
I made it through, and I am definitely motivated to keep going. Amy did an amazing job pushing us on, pumping us up, and making sure we knew why we were doing each exercise. She explained the benefit of this workout format, how each movement contributed to our strength and our muscles, and made sure we had fun all the way through. I cannot wait to go again this Thursday. As she mentioned, each class is different, so you never get into a “routine.” My goal is to be able to complete the core circuits easily (maybe not perfectly, but easily) by the time this summer is over.
To say that I could still feel my abs through the weekend would be putting it lightly. It hurt to laugh. Getting out of bed in the morning was an actual struggle, and not just because I was sleepy. Hats off to fitness instructors – I dream to have your core strength one day. And to not feel pressure every time I give a good chuckle.
This weekend was all about celebrations! Friday night I spent the evening with some amazing ladies celebrating my friend Danielle’s birthday. We went to the 9th Door in Denver, a fancy tapas restaurant with a chic, mysterious vibe. We all had a great time over tapas and drinks. Danielle’s weekend was full of surprises, as planned by her boyfriend Scott (our Foodie Friday pals!). She and Scott spent the day up in Boulder, doing all of her favorite things. The day was topped off with AN ENGAGEMENT!!! I am so incredibly excited for them both and can’t wait to celebrate with them soon.
Saturday, the longest day of the year, was my grandmother’s 92nd birthday. She is one tough lady, and I only wish I could have been home to celebrate it with her. On Sunday my parents celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary in New York City. I know they’re having a blast, and can’t wait to hear all about it. Tomorrow will be another big day: the hubs and I will be celebrating our third wedding anniversary. How time flies! I cannot believe it’s been three years already, and that come July, we’ll have lived in Colorado that
long. It’s been an incredibly beautiful whirlwind of a journey together, and I am so eternally grateful for all the blessings I’ve experienced in my life. Have a great week everybody!
Have you ever taken a boot camp style class? What do you think about them? Any big celebrations in store this week? Is anyone else bummed that our days are now getting shorter? #summersolsticeproblems
rockymtnpearls 