I’m kind of getting a kick out of like, telling you what I’m doing as I’m writing. So now, I’m sitting in the lobby at work (because I needed a locale change), taking a little break from work-work, and decompressing with a little writing. The lobby is a challenge because you literally see everyone you’ve every known in your life.
People keep stopping, and looking at me sort of suspiciously.
Them: …did you??
Me: Yeah, I did!
Them: …what did you…
Me: A little boy, want to see a picture?
I think everyone is like really hesitant to ask, in case I’m not who they think I am, and then they’ve got this awkward moment where they’re in two camps – I either look like all the other black women they know OR they’ve just implied that I look like I just had a baby. Which I don’t mind at all, because I did, but I understand how that could be a little off-putting to someone not feeling their best on that day.
*******
So I finally, taught a BodyPump™ class. It’s one that I haven’t really committed to teaching because it requires a lot of forethought, and teaching it is really hard. They recommend for instructors to teach the tracks with the same weight that you’re instructing the students to do, so I was not super looking forward to squatting with like a billion pounds on my back when I’d just given birth.
A week or so ago, Abbey, who typically teaches the lunchtime class at this other place I fill in at, cut her hand like cooking or something. And she cut it badly enough that she had to sub out all of her classes, one of which was like a 30 minutes pump format, followed bay BodyAttack™. Which I don’t teach, but I offered up a cardio step. 30 minutes works, right?
So, I tried to get my tracks together on one playlist the night before, for organizations sake, but ended up falling asleep when the baby went down around 9:45, and then never waking up to do much of anything. By the time I got bottles packed and Liam off on that morning, I was running around like a lost little chicken, and barely had my phone charged and myself dressed before I went to go teach the class at noon. I ran in a few minutes before class was supposed to start (big no-no), and pretty much started the playlist and went off.
I screwed up the entire warm-up. I’m talking about (if you know this format, you’ll know what I’m talking about) the entire part at the end of the warm-up where you’re supposed to lunge on one side, and then the other was lost, until I realized and fumbled my way back there. But I smiled a lot. Since I was running late, I hadn’t gotten the chance to pump and drain everything like I like to do before I work out, and I turned around and what I saw was absolutely obscene. I was wearing a grey tank top that I’d worn through most of the pregnancy. Grey is really fun because it shows all of your sweat, but I think I look pretty decent in the color so we have a dilemma. But as for the obscene part, my boobs were hanging out of the top of my shirt and bouncing with like every single step I took. It was nuts. Because there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about it, I just pretended like I didn’t notice, and avoided eye contact with the guy in the front row. Eep.
Other than my complete chest hanging out due to my lack of planning, and the flubbed warm-up, the rest of the class went really really well, and the cardio portion that I incorporated a step into went awesome as well. I snapped this before I left…
…and I suppose I’m really feeling okay with the way things are going as far as teaching. I’m definitely, definitely not back to, or capable of, teaching 5-6 days a week right now, or multiple classes a day, days and days in a row. I’m still healing up some of those ligaments that went loosey goosey during the pregnancy, and I’m still not up to 100% high-impact moves. Jumping, for instance, is something I’m not comfy with just yet, so I modify by keeping one foot on the ground, things like that.
So I guess I’m getting back to some things? And feeling okay about it? But that was my first Pump. Looking forward to a few more in the new year.
Your lobby observations made me laugh! Glad you’re getting back out there with body pump, it’ll do you so much good! x
It’s definitely helping me get some strength back!
You look beautiful in the picture. Back when I was nursing I used to wear a tank over my bikini at the aquatic center. One day i decided I was ready to go without it. A 10 or 11 year old boy took a look at me and said,” Whoa Momma!” Tank went back on. lol
Have
I know exactly that feeling. I turned around and BOOM, there they were!!!
Bodypump is a tough class. Good on you for teaching it so soon after recovering from your delivery!
omg you’re so sweet – it was tough but I allowed myself TONS and TONS of modifications. I’m 5 months out now, and still modifying a lot – there is so much deconditioning that happens regardless of how hard you work out when you’re pregnant and it can get so so frustrating!