Bodypump = Bruised Ego

I had a friend post something today about showing up a guy in her Bodypump fitness class doing lunges. It quickly brought back to my mind my few humbling experiences with Bodypump, and group fitness classes. Bodypump is a combination strength training and cardio fitness class focusing on supersets and combination lifts in a near continuous, highly repetitive nature.

Upon moving to MN the wife and I joined the local YMCA. She was big into the fitness classes so I decided, moreso agreed, to try a Bodypump class with her. It proved to be an excellent workout, but in the first class my "football ego" got in the way a bit. I had adequate strength and endurance to make it through the cleans, rows and such. ...then came lunges. I remember loading up on the weight and doing my big guy show of brute leg strength thing.

Part way through the workout the trainer singled me out and told me that I was "doing it all wrong" and to lower my weights. This put me at a weight lower than what the wife was using. Needless to say that put my ego in intensive care and had me fuming angry by the end of the workout. I must've looked pissed as the trainer apologized after the workout.

In hindsight, I have some appreciation for the class and even look forward to another opportunity to give it a try, working technique then strength.

As for my ego, it's finally out of the intensive care unit and with years of physical therapy and some luck it'll be ready to be put back in the ICU by a trainer shortly.