Complaints Regarding the Insanity Workout

I am currently in the process (finally!) of becoming a group fitness instructor. This has been a dream of mine for quite some time, and I am obtaining my certification through AFAA (Aerobic and Fitness Association of America).

I work out at home often, and I just finished doing the 40 minute Pure Cardio Insanity workout for my first time. I suppose it is called Insanity for a reason. For someone who has had to make daily exercise and fitness a lifestyle since the age of 14 years old, I have a few complaints regarding this workout. Before I complain, I recognize that if you or someone you know loves Insanity, then good for them! As long as you are moving and exercising I applaud, encourage, and support you! Keep at it if this workout works for you.

A few major complaints (in my personal opinion):
First off, the warm up.
Wait, there was NO warm up.
So the instructor forgot the importance of gradually building your heart rate until a steady state is reached. He just dove in to an anaerobic level of exercise, which is great after your muscles are warm and your body has ample blood circulation to really push yourself. But if you dive right in there is no conservation of energy so you are already exhausted at the beginning of the workout! He used the wrong metabolic pathway of exercise way too soon.
That really bothered me.

Second, working out should be (at least somewhat) fun.
I am picky about this. There has to be a balance to enjoy what you're doing (otherwise you'll just burn out after a few days and the exercise will not become a regular part of your lifestyle) but still push yourself to your fitness thresholds. While I do not care for something like Zumba (if I am going to spend time away from my family to workout, I am going to make it count and really burn) I did not care for this workout at the other end of the spectrum. At least I laughed out loud at how serious each of his participants were. I liked the trainer fine, but everyone else looked absolutely miserable and appeared to be hating life. Want to workout every day of your life that way? Me neither.

Okay and a pro about doing this workout and why I will go ahead and try his other routines: I like getting new movements and ideas for my own kickboxing/fitness/strength training choreography that I will soon be creating. There were some good moments, for sure! I do always love a good 60 seconds of burpies or heismans (once I am warmed up).

I thought of ranting on Facebook, but what good would that do? I do not want to offend anyone, I just want to write out my thoughts as I prepare to motivate and hopefully inspire my future class participants. I LOVE working out. I think everyone should learn to love it too! And if you love Insanity, then Kid, KEEP MOVING and being insane with Shaun T. All that matters is for you to exercise daily to maintain a higher quality of life and well-being.

Love,
Instructor Rach

That One Time I Turned 30

When something like this happen in your life, I find it is best just to embrace it.

And so I have officially said goodbye to my twenties and welcomed the year of "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving" whole-heartedly. My goal is to dance my way through life, both literally and figuratively speaking, and to stay young at heart. In some ways it is easy to remain youthful and fun, especially with the cutest most darling 2 year old who I get to be with all day every day. She is the greatest little thing. And yet, becoming a mother (twice!) has given me greater feelings of anxiety and worry than I ever thought possible.

I thought I loved fiercely. I really did. Then, these two came along.

Cuteness overload.

And my days are filled with simple tasks like making food, changing diapers, singing songs at the top of my lungs, teaching the alphabet and how to count to ten, wiping dirty fingers and faces, tidying up the scattered toys and books strewn across the living room, painting pictures, playing barbies, and putting off that ever dreaded huge pile of clean laundry that still needs to be folded. I will forever have laundry coming out my ears now. I need to embrace that too I suppose. 

And while my daily tasks and responsibilities of striving to be a good housekeeper are simple, my job of being their mother is far from simple.

It is my calling and my purpose. 

 And I am exhausted and I often feel guilty that I need to spend my time in more meaningful ways with them, what mother doesn't? But there are some moments that everything syncs together, like when we're playing in the snow or creating something with playdough or just laughing at each other. 

And in those moments, I am filled. 

Being a mommy is truly the best thing that has ever happened to me, because I have never given so much of myself and my time and my service to anyone before.

To be honest, I am naturally a rather selfish person. But to really feel like you've had a good mommy moment, there is little room for selfishness. 

The stomach bug overtook my girl for nearly an entire week. It was awful. But the extra snuggles were pretty tender.

I turned 30 in the midst of motherhood. And every day I sit and think how these three are my entire universe, and how blessed I am to have them forever. 

And I will continue my prayer to be in the right place, at the right time, I sure hope I do something right today.

:) 

Violet's First Movie :)