The week before that, I came back to Aerial Hoops after a very long hiatus and was doing simple tricks to start, like the Bird and the Bat. But last week, I found myself doing drops and attempts at splits and all sorts of other tricks I never thought I'd even be trying in my first week back.
It was a little terrifying and incredibly draining and my hands now look like this…
…but man, was it satisfying!
I love the pressure of training with patient and inspiring people who are more advanced than me by miles. I love seeing what they can do (just watching them is an absolute joy!) and hearing about their past struggles; they make me believe that I, too, can become as awesome as them someday. I also love how it pushes me to do more and to train harder. Heck, I even impulse-bought a pull-up bar just to build up strength on days that I'm too busy to join them.
This is something I had never experienced in a yoga studio or a gym before (barre3 aside - barre3 still rocks!) where people mind their own business, judge you, nitpick on your flaws and don't really care much about your journey and how you got there.
Last year, I weighed much more than I do now and here I am, 30 pounds lighter without any effort to diet, without MySlim (though you were a big help, my love!), and without a strict workout schedule.
I highly recommend trying out Chrome Divas (you can find them in Shaw now, too, if BF Homes is too far for you). The teachers will push you, yes; but you'll be surprised by what you can actually do because of them - no matter how much you think you can't do something.
I end up shaking at the end of every class, nursing my ugly scars and bruises in places I didn't even know I could get scarred or bruised in, and I ache for days on end after a session; but it is truly worth it.
Of course, it is something that I believe you need to experience for yourself because I know there are some people who can't really handle the feeling of failure or don't like getting scars or bruises, in general.
For me, though, this is the only place I've worked out in since barre3 where people of all shapes, genders and ages come together to grow as a community. And it's beautiful. It truly is.
(This is not a sponsored post, by the way. I have paid for all of my classes at Chrome Divas and truly just love them, thus the post.)
I hope to see you there sometime. Or, if you need a workout buddy in the South, feel free to let me know. I need one, too. :)
