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Friday, February 5, 2016

The pros and cons of working out at work


I have completed four weeks of Xtreme Revolution. I'm halfway to the finish. It's been quite the journey so far. I can do more reps of certain exercises than I could at the start so I feel like I'm getting stronger, and some of the workouts have been really fun. It's safe to say I'm enjoying the program. 

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about sweating with colleagues when I started. Ultimately, it hasn't been terrible but there are definitely pros and cons for working out at work.  

Let's start with the negatives ...

:: Sweating in the middle of the day.
A few times I've had to go to one of the noon sessions. Even though I showered after class, I was still sweating when I sat down at my desk. It's the grossest feeling.

:: Working out with a crush (or even just eye candy, in my case) makes me flustered.
Most of my other group fitness classes are mostly women. Or older men. Or just married men. Not this one. There are some attractive men in my fitness classes, including one I'd noticed before the program started. Now, this should be seen as an advantage to get to know him better. But ... it really just makes me more self-conscious at times. One day, we were playing red light green light and he was near me. I was so aware of his presence that I couldn't focus. And I failed the game. Miserably.

:: Appearing weak in front of colleagues.
I'm not the most athletic person, and I knew there would be times I would struggle. I'm fine with that in regular group fitness classes where that's the only place I see those people. It's different when it happens with people I have the risk of running into each day.


And now, moving on to the positives ...

:: It's convenient.
I've been doing afternoon classes mostly, and it's really nice to be able to get to the gym without getting in the car. I just walk across the building to the locker rooms and facilities. I'll be hitting the morning session in the near future, and it'll be nice not to have to go out in the cold with wet hair.

:: I'm meeting people outside of my department.
My work is kind of isolating. I spend most of my days on the phone. And the people I talk to most are adjusters from other insurance companies. There are more than 900 people in my building, and I'm finally getting acquainted with some of them.

:: Camaraderie.
Some of the workouts are really tough. But at least I don't have to go through them alone. I can look around and see 30-plus other people suffering the same way. And sometimes there are high fives. For me, high fives are like power stars in Super Mario. Plus, we can commiserate in our soreness when we see each other in the hallways and cafeteria.


Do you think you'd enjoy working out with your co-workers?

+++++

Last week's workouts
Friday: Xtreme Recovery (30 minutes)
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
Monday: Xtreme Revolution Cardio & Conditioning (30 minutes)
Tuesday: Xtreme Revolution Body Sculpt (30 minutes)
Wednesday: Xtreme Revolution Attack (30 minutes)
Thursday: Xtreme Revolution Plyo & Agility (30 minutes)


4 comments:

  1. I used to go to the gym at lunch. I loved getting it done in the middle of the day, but I hated sweating it out. Even so, I might look to get back to that.

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  2. I have to work out at the end of the day if I'm working. Showering and getting ready to go somewhere is a lot of work otherwise, I think. I don't think I could ever do lunchtime workouts...it sounds like you had a good week of classes!

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  3. I workout over my lunch hour and don't shower! Sort of feel bad for those who have meetings with me in the afternoon but not enough to do something about it. I have two kids so this is my only chance to get a workout in, uninterrupted!

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  4. I agree with Kristin! I love that you can just go right to your workout and then head home!

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