Fun at Fugitive Fitness

Last night I had a great first Functional Strength class at Fugitive Fitness - Parkour Dallas. I've done a couple Parkour Foundations classes there, but the scheduling is sometimes tricky, so I wanted to check out the strength class.

Since no one else signed up for that hour, I got a one-on-one session with the instructor and a personalized workout. It was very challenging, but I *just* completed it in the allotted time.

I definitely could have gone heavier on the deadlifts but wanted to start conservatively because I don't practice them and had never seen the large ball weights before. I rocked the push-ups (no knees!) with only minor wormy-wobbling near the end. Hated the crunches but got through with only a very few poorly done.

My resistance band pull-ups were admittedly pathetic, but I've never attempted nearly so many at once, so I'm okay with what I managed—especially since I did keep going until the end and did more than a shoulder shrug on every rep.

I should try to find more creative ways to do core work since it is definitely my least favorite.

I definitely want to attend more parkour classes, but I think I'll also attend the strength class again.

 

Losing My Balance

I have run three times in the month that’s passed since finishing my December 10 marathon. I’ve done a bit of yoga and parkour as well and more walking than usual, but it’s still a marked difference from my previous activity level.

I believe strongly in choosing enjoyable movement to benefit your mind and body, not as punishment or a chore.

Yet I’ve been struggling not to struggle with anxiety regarding the change as it relates to generally recommended amounts of exercise, the amounts I’ve relied upon to manage my stress and mental health, and the amount of weight-bearing exercise I need to specifically counteract the detrimental effects my birth control has on my bones.

Race training was difficult and riddled with aches and pains, minor injuries, and illness. The race itself was pretty awful. I knew I would need a break from running for my emotional and mental health, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to fill that hole to maintain my physical and mental health, or if I even wanted to fill it. I’d missed spending hours sitting and making arts and crafts, and I was so SO tired for so long.

I met my goal of finishing my first marathon, but the process of getting there wrecked the balance of exercise in my life.

I no longer want to train or race. I don’t want to keep hurting from the sheer volume of pounding the pavement. And I don’t know how to find joy in running again.

I’m letting my pool membership lapse because I hate having to drive to another city to swim laps at 5 AM in order to get a lane and get back before morning rush hour. I really want a membership for the rec center across the street from my house, but I cannot stand the idea of tolerating January-resolution crowds. I can and do use the fitness center at my office, but it has limited hours and I have to split the work day to get equipment and space to myself.

I enjoy yoga and weightlifting and walking and hiking, but will these be enough for my bones and my brain?

I have a strong interest in parkour and hip-hop dance classes, but the evening schedules are hard for me to attend, and I had to cancel last night's parkour lesson because of a migraine (which is likely to happen again).

I hadn't run in two weeks but woke today to a glorious 60-degree morning and laced up my sneakers to go hatch some Pokémon. I ran more today than I had the last two times I tried (both were shockingly challenging and painful and quickly turned into very long walks), and it felt really good. I don't think it necessarily marks a significant transition, but it is one good run, one good day. And that ain't nothin'.

I'm working hard to trust my brain and my body to do what they need to do for now.

And I'm meeting each day one at a time, adopting a bellydance teacher-friend's classroom rules as a personal mantra:

This body. This day.

A good day for a run. #runfie #fitfeminist #healthyliving #gottahatchemall #teamvalor #BAWG #feministselfie

A photo posted by Moniqa Aylin (@fierymon) on Jan 11, 2017 at 6:38am PST

A Parkour Class

Inspired by a rad Fit Fatty’s parkour photoshoot and a close friend’s recommendation of the local instructors, I attended my first parkour class last night, and I LOVED it.

I was really nervous about trying something new with a high likelihood of falling but ultimately enjoyed warming up with the kids’ class (which included one little girl!) and having a semi-private lesson with one other adult. The instructor was great—friendly and approachable—and gave clear, positive, actionable feedback, whereas I’ve had some poor experiences recently with an intimidating pro coach teaching a recreational class.

I'm glad I asked the instructor whether he was wearing minimalist shoes and will be more comfortable next time in my VFFs than the sneakers I wore in ignorance yesterday. I learned a few things I can play with on the equipment on the fitness trail near my office after it dries out and am probably going to take more classes this year and attend an upcoming competition as a spectator.

Part of me says it’s silly to get excited or even attempt such a difficult sport at this point in my life and fitness journey, but I remind myself that literally everybody—not just me—has physical limitations that impact their performance. What I have going for me are STRONG legs and a solid understanding of body mechanics rooted in a base level of fitness.

Parkour basics support my goal of building a lifetime of functional fitness, and the courses break down the fundamentals into very manageable pieces. Cross training supports my running and triathlon training. Maybe I’ll learn to get over a wall for my next obstacle race. Maybe I’ll learn a cool party trick. But I definitely want to get strong and have fun.

I never thought I could (or should) do parkour. I’m pretty excited to prove Past Me wrong.