Bootcamp: Day 22

See that little girl there to the right*? That's how the Boot Camp felt today. Like I had never done it before. Day 1 all over again.

And I knew it the minute I got off the elevator. The 6:30am class looked like they were dying, lugging sand bags all over the place, doing wall squats, obstacles and other things that made me want to hide in the changing tent.

When it was our turn, we started with what seemed like the normal warm-up: running, stretching, jumping jacks, then the fun fun fun "12 seconds to get around the gym!"

But then, instead of going into a series of monster lunges, squat thrusts and/or star jumpers, we were instructed to do the hurdles, the walls and the other set of hurdles.

For a moment, I thought that we were going to have it easy-- I always feel like there's a little more breathing room in between the obstacles. Boy, was I wrong.

There were only six of us in class today. Where is everyone? I heard Alex and Nizio conferring on what I thought was who could go take a break-- one instructor can easily handle such a small class. Then I heard Alex say something that I tried to pretend I did not actually hear: "Just kill 'em".

And then he went into the tent and came out in street clothes, leaving us in the torturous hands of Nizio.

I have heard from more than one person that their hardest workout was on a Nizio Day. And after today, I concur completely.

By now you all know that I have a major issue with the tires and am looking for a chance to slash them at every turn. I am now also fostering that same contempt for the sandbags. Today we had to run laps with them, holding them "like a baby", as opposed to holding the bar "like a rifle" to which I have become accustomed (yet I still find hilarious).

We had to bear crawl around the entire gym, with Nizio warning us nearly every step of the way not to get up-- even on the shredded rubber parts in the middle we had to keep bear crawling. Unfortunately, one girl couldn't stand it and got up at one point, which meant another lap for us all. It doesn't sound like a lot, but after sandbag laps, I nearly dropped. And my hands were FILTHY, which, albeit the least of my worries, was really gross.

Then it was a minute of squat thrusts. Standing next to the Best Girl in Class (the triathlete), I managed to do a whopping 41. (I wouldn't exactly say they were shining examples of form, but I went up and down 41 times in 60 seconds.) Then a lap around the gym. Another minute of squat thrusts, this time with the warning that we had best beat or at least match our previous number. I did 44, and I'm not exactly sure how or why and I nearly died again on the next lap around the gym.

As if that wasn't enough, it was then a minute of jumping squat thrusts. I managed 25, and my legs were shaking as I ran that next lap. Then-- wait for it-- another minute, again threatening to match or beat our previous number. I got to 27.

We also did partner leg lifts with the throw-down, where your partner stands at your shoulders and flings your legs down, then you have to lift them back up. Usually, I don't mind this so much, since it involves lying down which is almost like resting. Usually we go at our own pace. Not today. Nizio led the count, and he counts real slow.

There were other things along the way that I'm still too brain dead to remember, but I definitely can't forget finishing off with three sets of ten chin-ups. I loathe anything involving the monkey bars. Luckily (is it lucky? really?), we get to do partner pull-ups, where the pull-up-er stands on the partner's legs, or the partner assists by holding the puller's feet. I do the leg standing and even though I feel like I'm cheating, my arms are worn out by the end.

I was never happier to do the final round of group sit-ups. I also had to immediately take a shower-- I couldn't imagine just throwing my coat on over my marvelously sweaty clothes. I showered, then sat in the changing tent in a towel contemplating getting dressed for the better part of ten minutes. One may also have viewed this as "spacing out".

I proceeded to fall asleep on the train home, feebly wobble up the stairs, meander home and crash out for a severe nap. I'm glad that hour is behind me. Two more days.

Two more days.


*from the End Times series by the awesome photographer Jill Greenberg, who is responsible for Will's and my new favorite gift book.