When asked us if we were interested in doing its FlyPlus challenge (three barre classes and three indoor-cycling classes a week for four weeks), we were pumped. We're super competitive by nature, but we'd never done a challenge before. And as people who love workout classes, this particular challenge felt like it was perfect for us (we liked the cardio-strength training combo aspect, too!).
If you're the type of person who loves structure and routine, though, you may not need that space from the workout after the challenge ends. "I've gone on runs the day after a half-marathon and went to a barre class five days after the challenge officially ended," says Robin. "What can I say? I'm a creature of habit."
“Do your legs also want to die today?” “I’m so not in the mood for a workout tonight.” “I felt AMAZING in cycling this morning!” We said all of these things to each other at some point or another during the challenge. We can’t convey how nice it was just to know we weren't in it by ourselves.
It was so, so great to have an expert helping us through. Clearly, not everyone can have that in a challenge, but try to find a friend who’s talented in your challenge’s respective fitness area and ask him or her for advice, tips, and encouragement along the way. It's such a great motivator.
Fact: When you do a challenge, you do a lot of laundry. So go buy some baller exercise gear. You’ll get your best results that way anyway, right?
RELATED: Turn an Old T-Shirt into a Cute New Gym Top with This Video Tutorial
Our challenge involved six workouts a week, but at the beginning of week two, there was a big snowstorm in NYC. The mayor told us to get home early on Tuesday night, so Alison skipped her downtown barre class and headed home instead. Though she tried to shoehorn that workout in throughout the rest of the challenge, she never got a chance to. "You know what? I’m okay with that," she says. "That particular circumstance was out of my control, and I still gave the challenge everything I had." Life happens; you have to roll with it. (Or, as Flybarre-ers would say, you have to pulse with it.)
RELATED: Why You DON'T Need to 'Go Big or Go Home' at the Gym
For many people, it’s a smart idea to strive to become a morning exercise person. You start your day on a great foot, and you get your workout out of the way early so you can’t excuse your way out of it later. "As a fitness editor, I have attempted for years to become a morning exercise person for those very reasons," says Alison. "But the thing is, when I work out in the morning, I feel weak and like I’m not as capable of a great workout. When I work out at night, though, I end my day on an awesome note, and I exhaust myself so that I can fall asleep no problem." Maybe it's the opposite for you: You feel amazing when you sweat in the morning but totally depleted when you work out after work. Or maybe the flexibility of being able to sweat during different times of the day is best for you. One thing's for sure: Doing a challenge will help you discover how you can hit your personal fitness stride.
RELATED: 25 Playlist for Every Possible Workout Routine on the Planet
No comments:
Post a Comment