Exercise isn’t something you occasionally meet for a sweaty afternoon soirée in the sun or an endorphin-releasing date at the gym. Rather, it’s a way of life that you embark upon in order to become a permanent happier and healthier version of yourself.
And for me, exercise is my escape from the chaos of reality.
I crave the release of stress that I feel after a couple hours at the gym or a few miles around the neighborhood. I find myself calmer, more collected and happier. And I often get cranky, agitated or even disheartened when I skip a day of working out. Exercise is pretty much an addiction for me.
Every day, I look forward to pulling on a pair of running shorts, throwing on an old t-shirt, lacing up my worn-in sneakers and working out all of my problems of the day by getting in motion. Because at the end of the day, exercising makes me feel like I am on top of the world.
And now, I am making it my mission to switch up my daily work out routines, try new activities and share with you all an array of exercises that you can test to get your daily dose of physical activity.
My first work out on the agenda?
One word: bootcamp.
To be honest, I have never feared one word more than I have this one. I’m a fairly fit individual, but the name alone intimidates me (not to mention the strength and conditioning associated with the class).
But I must admit that after surviving my first trial, the class was challenging and a great work out. And, it was fun!
I went to the bootcamp class hosted by the Southwest Recreational Center at McGuire Field that’s held on Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30. The class lasted one hour, and I have never sweated more in my entire life.
I was tested mentally, physically and emotionally – but in a wonderful way. I used muscles I didn’t know existed and I tried exercises that I never would have considered incorporating into my work outs – like rolling an oversized tire across a field, crab-crawling backwards along a basketball court and doing plank-crawling push-ups.
The class incorporated cardio, strength and conditioning all into one – so really, what more could you ask for out of a one-hour workout?
The instructors were really encouraging. They were great about offering simple adjustments for participants who didn’t feel comfortable doing particular exercises. They also pushed me to my limits, but they never made me feel out of place or unwelcome… even when I crashed face-first into the ground when attempting to use my arms to wheel-barrow myself across the field.
Overall, bootcamp was fun, messy and a great work out. But the best part about the entire class was that I woke up the next morning feeling splendidly sore, which is the tell-tale sign of exercise done right!