it's better in groups!

catchy isn't it?

It's one of the slogans from Body Training Systems, the company that comes up with the most brilliant and effective workouts.  I've lost 35 pounds in the past six months and attribute it to #1, better eating habits and #2, group fitness classes (or "Group X").

A bit of background: when my baby was four months old, I joined a gym at my doctor's recommendation to deal with postpartum anxiety (and weight loss).  I started with Pilates because I could take the baby to the studio.  When baby was six months old I felt comfortable leaving her in the daycare and began to try other classes.  I don't like working out on my own because it's too easy to procrastinate and I don't have the knowledge to create a program that will continually challenge and benefit me (this part is big for me, yes I can look at the little pictures on the weight machines but I don't have the expertise to use that and make a quality workout program).  Treadmills are horribly boring and I wanted to be around other people--even if we weren't talking, I wanted to know my daily world included other adults (and not just my three small children).

The more classes I took, the more I loved it and soon I had so many favorite classes and favorite instructors that the classes overlapped and I found myself having to choose what to attend each day.  I love DanceTrance, GroupPower, Spin, Pilates, Kickboxing and Zumba.  I loved it so much and was there so often that as I was leaving one day, I nonchalantly asked, "Is there any chance you're looking for another instructor?"  Imagine how thrilled I was when she responded, "well actually, yes."  HURRAY!

So last weekend, I found myself joining five other AMAZING women that I have come to admire (and stalk, really.  I figure if I want to look like them, I'll just follow them around to all their classes until I do) in training for GroupKick.  This program is INCREDIBLE! The weekend started with a master class--a demo of what an actual class would be and we invited all the other employees to attend.  The room was packed and the workout was fantastic.  After the class, everyone else left (rubbing their newly sore muscles) and the six of us continued working with our fabulous instructor (I'm pretty sure they sent us the best they had, he was awesome!).  We went over drills to perfect our technique, lectures on background, philosophy, coaching, cuing, physiology, more drills and finally went home...with homework!  We each learned a track and returned the next day to teach our track and do more drills and lectures. Lather, rinse and repeat to total 3 days of intense training and working out.   One of the other instructors admitted she feels cheated by her four hour Zumba certification because this program taught us so much about how to teach, how to modify for different levels, the background and benefits of each style of movement and more.  Now we will spend a few weeks rehearsing and practicing before we do our final certification (film ourselves teaching the hour long class and submit for review) and launch our program!

So what's this program?  It's an hour long intense cardio workout of boxing movements and martial arts.  It's weight loss, toning, strengthening and building self confidence, all set to high energy music.  It's dynamic, contagious, powerful and incredible.  I LOVE this program.

I sound like I should be writing pitches for them. I would if they would let me!  I believe in this program!  BTS (the company who creates GroupKick) has over 100 instructors, trainers, physiologists, physical therapists, and other specialists and professionals of every variety who are working together to create the best workout possible and then brings this program into gyms all over the world.  Our gym also offers their amazing weight lifting program called GroupPower and will hopefully offer more of their programs in the future (GroupStep, GroupCore, GroupCentergy, GroupGroove, GroupRide or GroupActive).

The training was intense but what an experience.  I am SO excited about this program and can't wait to launch.

Let's Kick!!!

(and now back to our regularly scheduled program of my children's misadventures and anecdotes.  Probably indistinguishable from the billion other mommy blogs out there but highly entertaining...mostly for my mom.  and my other dedicated readers, all three of them.  I love you.)  :)