I don't usually do the classes, normally I go straight to the ladies' gym and do some mat work and pretend to burn calories on the treadmill (though in fact I am always walking far too slow for it to be classed as cardio!).
It's at least 20 years since I took a Step class but I figured how hard can it be, it's like riding a bike right, you never forget.
Er, wrong.
The teacher, Mindy had a quick word with me at the start and said hello and mentioned that her class was "quite dancey", oh good I said, thinking it would be a bit like Zumba on a Step, shimmy shimmy side step, knee fold, 1, 2, 3, 4 ...
It was not, I repeat NOT like Zumba on a Step. No gentle wiggle wiggle, two steps to the left, oh no, just a few easy step up, step down moves for about two minutes then BAM! straight into the routine.
It took a good ten minutes for me to realise that I wasn't getting it. I was the wrong way round all the time when the rest of the class were leaping like gazelles over the step and it wasn't like I was in a class full of super fit yummy mummies either, nope, there were gran's, grandad's, ladies and gents of all shapes and sizes and they were all much better at it than me!
I decided to watch and copy the extremely nimble feet of the gentleman in front of me who was at least my Dad's age (70) because he was brilliant, his coordination was great and he wouldn't have been out of place doing the River Dance. This worked for me for a while, until Mindy thought it was a good idea to jump across the step, turn round and change direction ... then I was floored. I managed the jump across but I turned the wrong way and nearly collided with River Dance Man who was shimmying and knee kicking diagonally across the Step box as we'd been told. I stopped for a drink and noticed my extremely pink face in the mirror, glanced at my watch and realised that there were still 40 minutes to go!
Now, I'm not one to quit so I decided to stick it out even though it was confusing. I did feel like I was getting a good work out because I was OK with the facing front step up, step down stuff and I basically just muddled my way through the rest of the complicated routine which was in three parts it turns out. By the time we had to do the whole thing, I'd forgotten the first part and I had only mastered a quarter of it anyway. River Dance Man helped as much as he could, by directing me to go the 'other side' whenever I got it wrong and I was grateful but he was probably just fearful of me knocking him over and I can't blame him, I caught sight of myself in the mirror and I'm not exactly built for Cirque Du Soleil!
Eventually, Mindy 'slowed things down' which basically meant bringing things back to a slightly less confusing routine i.e facing the front which meant I could at least attempt to copy what people were doing. 11.09 am and it was nearly finished. A few stretches and that was it. I was too proud to slump in a corner in exhaustion so I legged it to the car park and slumped in the car eating emergency wine gums before driving home but not before Mindy had shouted at me "great job new lady, see you next week".
Hmmm, will she?
Maybe. I'll have to replace the wine gums though ...
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| My feet ... pre class! |
