Jumping For Joy

I am jumping for joy today. The gym is closed for a week! Don't get me wrong - I absolutely LOVE my job. I am a strength and conditioning coach aka personal trainer and I own a women's gym. (Sometimes a man or two signs up and we're all ok kicking a guy's butt in the gym!) I see anywhere from 50-70 women 2x a week, depending on the time of year. I train up to 8 women in a "class" and each class meets twice a week. Usually run 20 classes a week.

I'm not your run of the mill "exercise instructor" that you get in a commercial gym. You know the ones. They stand at the front of the class (looking really good)
and lead you through a variety of moves or dance steps or whatever. Typically they never look to see if you are doing the move correctly. Rather, they count on you to watch them perform and at the same time get a good workout. Not exactly easy! I feel I am qualified to be a bit sarcastic about this type of "training" because I did it for years and my body is worse off for it. Chronic lower back problems is my biggest complaint. All those uncued crunches! Aghhhhhh...

Anyway - the beauty of what I do is that each person gets individual attention throughout the entire workout. That's why it's called "Personal Training", people! I train from the sidelines, correcting form, calling out cues, making sure every single person is performing the move the way it was designed to be performed, using the muscles that are supposed to be used. Making sure no one gets injured.

As I said, I love my job. I am motivated to change women's lives and I love every class that I work with. Each class has it's own dynamic and I thrive on the variety. The energy of 8 women is amazing. I could be having the worst day and walk into a room full of women gabbing it up, laughing and bonding and my whole mood changes. It's the best job!

So, why am I so happy the gym is closed this week, you ask? Oh come on! Everyone loves time off! But mainly I'm really happy because on Tuesday and Thursday this week, I don't have to get up at 4:30AM to train my beloved 5:15AM class!!! Don't get me wrong! I love and totally respect my 5:15AM girls. LOVE THEM!!!!!!! Who wouldn't love and be so in awe of a bunch of women who get up as early as 4:30am, get into a cold car in 20 degree weather and drive to my gym in the dark to workout BEFORE they go to work. But sleeping in? PRICELESS! Plus - I am willing to bet they are just as happy to sleep in this week!

I learned early on that I need a week to rejuvenate before each new session begins. And it CAN'T be the week of school vacation! I learned that early on too. I always take the week AFTER school vacation off. That way I recover from the kids being home for a week and also re-charge for the next 6 weeks. I am so lucky. Seriously, could anyone be more grateful than me? I have the best job, working with the best people and I take 11 weeks off every year! Who's better than me? Do you get my joy!?

PS - That is NOT me in the above picture. I look way better. Haaaa! Kiddingggggg...she totally has a better tan than me.