What I Learned in Exercise Class

For the past seven years, four days a week, I've been attending drop-in exercise classes at my local gyms - yes, that's plural as my membership covered four different locales, two including pools. During those years, I went to every class from Aerobics to Zumba. I say "went" because I stopped going when they cancelled Step Class.

What I learned:

• Step Class Rules!
• Spinning is the most punishing but rewarding workout ever.
• All Yoga teachers seem to have inner peace.
• Don't even try to keep pace with the instructor who considers exercise her life and runs 8 miles BEFORE teaching class.
• I can't run.
• Sweating is good.
• While wearing a sweatband is totally uncool, it does keep the sweat out of one's eyes.
• Being able to follow the choreography in Step Class, doesn't make me a Hip-Hop dancer.
• Don't eat a big meal before class.
• Get over feeling that everyone is looking at you.
• Everyone falls off the Step at least once.
• Warm up is important.
• Cool down is important.
• I don't do running.
• The Plank is impossible to do at first.
• If you're the only student who showed up for class and the instructor offers to teach the class anyway, say "Yes".
• Pass on classes that don't make you sweat.
• I don't do skipping.
• Wear a special outfit only for class.
• Hot Yoga makes you sweat so you feel like you're getting a great workout but you're really not.
• Buy a special pair of runners and use them only for class.
• There's nothing like music blasting at 8:00 a.m.
• Music must be loud enough to cover up the sound of one's gasps for breath.
• What a great place to get introduced to new music.
• Music helps you forget that you're exercising.
• I like forgetting that I'm exercising!