Heartcore. More like Sorecore

Or some other name that adequately conveys how SORE my entire body is after doing one of those classes. Ahhh, Heartcore.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the most sporty person. Sure I could go out and run a half marathon right now, if I wanted to (no, I couldn't). Or go for a 200k bike ride before dinner (nope, can't do that either). In school when we had to do those stupid fitness tests and run a timed mile I was always the one coming in last or very close to last, mainly because I stopped to talk to my friends half way through. I never agreed with those state fitness tests, so I refused to comply. (I do not understand the directions so I will not obey) And I also hated to run as a kid so the thought of running a mile made me want to gossip. Or not run. I took Racquetball for P.E. my freshman year of high school only because I knew it would involve the LEAST amount of fitness/running of any P.E. classes on offer. Considering we spent the class period in separate concrete cubes, again mainly talking, while our teacher went back and forth spending about 5 minutes "coaching" in each court, I was right. Total cake walk for those of us who were less fitness inclined. I did join the tennis team my senior year of high school, but that was only because I needed the P.E. credit to graduate. I miscalculated and found out my one semester of racquetball wasn't enough to carry me through to college so tennis team it was.

After college (or high school for that matter) I pretty much retired my fitness gear and spent the last oh, let's call it 5 (give or take 8) years not doing much. I started going to the Bar Method while living in San Francisco, and that worked for a while. I needed motivation to go, nicely provided by a friend. When she got me to go, it was great, and we got to gossip before class started. Otherwise, no dice, I hardly ever went alone. Since getting Riley I have had to take her for walks and that gets me out during the day. She loves walks so when her walker doesn't come she relies on me to take her out for at least one hour a day.

However after moving to London I wanted to find something exercise related to do other than catering to my dog. While reading a free Vogue supplement I got from H&M last spring (random) I learned about Heartcore and saw they offered a free class to first timers, so I did it. I bit the bullet, took out the spandex (is it still spandex? Lycra?) and went to their Notting Hill studio. And I liked it. Sure, I couldn't walk for the next day, or five, but I went back. And I have now been doing it for over a year. I tend to take a few weeks off here and there but overall I do find myself going back. Since I started last year they opened a studio on King's Road, which is very convenient for me, so now I have no excuse. OK, I have a couple, and they are good ones, but I am not going to list them here.

Well, I did take about two months off after the robbery, you know, during my "robbery period." I eventually tried to find a time to go back but my favorite instructor was always booked. I managed to schedule a class for yesterday and so returned, after a two month absence. My instructor asked me how long it had been and I told him "two months." He replied by saying "so today should be interesting." I said in return, "no, tomorrow will be interesting," referring to the soreness I knew I would encounter. And hot damn am I sore today. Last night I made the mistake of trying to turn over in bed, which uses an amazing amount of stomach muscles. And walking Riley this morning I looked like I just got off a horse after riding for 48 hours straight. I also sneezed, and as soon as I felt my stomach sort of clench up in anticipation of the sneeze leaving I immediately tried to abort it, to no avail. So that felt good.

What I like about the classes, soreness aside, is that they are all different and so hold my attention and keep me from getting bored. And I have managed to stick with them for over a year, a record for me. Well, I took tennis for a few years growing up, but that was what, one hour a week with a friend, talking half the time? Doesn't count. (By the way, notice a pattern? I seem to like talking more than working out. Huh.) And eventually you get over the soreness. I thought having done the classes for a while I wouldn't get sore even with the break, but I was wrong. Very, very wrong. But I know that when I go back, either this week or next it will get better, and I will get to the point, hopefully after two or three more classes where I won't be sore at all. I am SO looking forward to that day.

One final thing about the classes. Yesterday we did reverse lunges, which means we stood on the machine facing backwards, moving one leg forward to lunge. When looking down at the machine in that position it looks like this:

I kid you not, the machine stares back at you with a sad face. And often, while doing reverse lunges that is exactly the way I feel. I had to stop myself from laughing because I did not want to be one of those weirdos who spontaneously laughs during lunges while the rest of the class sits there thinking "what a nut job. Who laughs during lunges?" So I held it in, and continued my lunges and am now paying the price. But I will be back. Once the soreness is gone, so maybe in a month or two.