POUND class, Brunswick

 Before I get started... This is my 13th post on this blog!  

I have yet to have anyone comment!  I would LOVE to hear from you!  Leave a comment about what activities you love...experiences that have been challenges, but you are so proud for doing it... something you think I should try... something you want me to do with you... or something about this post or about the blog!  Thanks!!!

Activity: POUND  (Only offered on SUNDAYS at 10:00 am)
From Maine Pines Racquet's class description: A 30 minute*** full body cardio jam session, combining light resistance with constant simulated drumming. Uses cardio, Pilates, strength movements.

*** the class was longer than 30 minutes... it's about 45 minutes plus a bit for some cooling down...

Location/Address: Maine Pines Racquet & Fitness Center, 120 Harpswell Rd. Brunswick, Maine  04011
Cots: $15 drop in fee.  (I believe this is for use of the center for the whole day, but you should double check for sure...in case you want to use their other equipment or do more than one class in a day...if you are there on a day other than Sunday!)

Parking: Ample parking in the parking lot.  (The lot was icy, be careful!) 


FMI:   Visit Maine Pines Racquet & Fitness Club here and check out their schedule here.  (A local was surprised to learn that they offer so many classes! Perhaps it is a well kept secret!)
For more info on the concept itself, its origin, visit the POUND website here. 


Notes:  I had never visited the Racquet & Fitness Center in Brunswick before today!  I was not sure what to expect... In my mind I assumed it would be like other 'gyms'... complete with locker rooms... not the case!  As you enter the center there are two long benches over which rows of hooks are hung and a tall and wide shelving unit... this is where you hang your coat and leave your shoes... I was glad I had worn the clothes I intended to wear at the class!  There is a roomy bathroom just off the initial hallway, plenty of room for changing, but... no locker rooms... After the entry hall there is a desk... this is where you check in.  If you are a member they have systems in place to check in... and for those of us who are not members, you have to stop here to pay and sign a waiver to participate in whatever activity you are there to do.

I didn't see the entire center while we were there.. but I know there were several courts (not surprising considering it is a racquet club after all!), there was a cardio area... and there was the big room where we had our class... (the room was much bigger than the very narrow door suggested!  I thought the door must just lead to a small storage closet!)  The room where the class was held was well stocked with equipment for a variety of classes, hand weights, mats, foam rollers, resistance bands, etc... and two mirrored walls... There was a window that allowed people in the cardio area to see into the fitness class area.. (something I would want to know coming into a class!)  Then there was a second floor.. not sure what was up there, but there was a window that overlooked the fitness classroom...

Before heading to Brunswick I had reached out to the fitness center to ask about how many people take the class and if I needed to sign up in advance.  I got a quick response and was told the class usually had about 10 people in it, in a room designed for 25 or so students... and that they do not to advanced sign ups.

I had put word out on my social media that I was going to be going and invited other people to come should they be interested.  One person took me up on the offer!  (Thanks Angie!)  We arrived very early.  (I hate being late for things.)  We went into the club and waited for the class.  The instructor, whose name I think was Bea, (Bayah, not Bee) was pretty welcoming.  She told us to make sure that we listen to our bodies and modify as needed.  I don't know about you, but I really appreciate when instructors remind us to listen to our bodies and remind us to modify and show us how to modify!  Thank you Bea!  (and hydrate!!) 

So... we headed into the class room and were told we needed to get a mat and a set of drumsticks.... (I mean... come on!!  DRUMSTICKS as part of exercise!  How can you not start off smiling??!!) 

 

The class started, as all aerobics classes do... with a warm up... evolved into some more intense combinations, and ended with some core exercises and stretching.  

It wasn't that far into the class when the magic of Pound became apparent... 

The drumsticks, which are wicked fun I might add, are there for a complete distraction!  Well.. maybe they are also there for getting the arms involved in the workout... but... 

The routines are choreographed to some loud music with, as you can imagine, some great beats! (It reminded me of zumba in that way!)  The majority of the class is spent in a squat position... in some variation... the deeper you squat the harder you can hit the floor/mat with the drumsticks...there was also some lunging!  The modifications include not going low enough to reach the drumsticks to the floor. (Air drumming vs. air guitar if you will!)  

As you are focusing on the drumming you ALMOST forget that you are squatting or lunging... almost... distraction! 

 I am gonna tell you the truth... After about the first 15 minutes I could tell my ass and my quads, and my butt were gonna be feeling it tomorrow (and the day after!)  so I eased up a bit and did a lot of modifying!  I liked the variations on the drumming... and when I was going deep enough to bang on the floor it was very gratifying!    

After about 30 minutes the instructor had us sit on the floor... I thought it was going to be the stretching cool down part of the class... I was WRONG! We had entered the AB portion of the class... sitting up then leaning back while drumming.. then adding in lifting our legs gave a crazy ab workout... I ended up really modifying that part!  

From there we laid down on our backs... and it was time to work on our J-Lo wanna be  Ba donk-a-donks  We laid on the floor with our shoulders remaining on the mat and our feet in the position that they would be in if we were going to do some crunches... leaving our shoulders on the mat and our feet on the floor we raised our butts... I suppose thrusting would be an appropriate description I suppose! While our pelvises were doing their thing and out gluteus maximusses were working hard our arms were drumming at our sides then over our heads.. in rhythms of course... at one point we would lift our pelvis pull it to one side- thrust, go back tot he center, thrust, then to the other side and thrust... all the while beating the drums with speeds from slow to fast... 

We were then back on our feet and doing some more squatting... then as I should have been able to predict.. the final song in a drumming class was...  We will Rock you!  

Here is Angie at the end of class!  

 

 (Pic taken at the end of class! Angie is demonstrating squatting and pounding!) 

Throughout the class I could feel the burn!  Not long after the class Angie and I stopped at a great gear exchange shop in Brunswick, Wood + Water Gear Exchange .(see some pics at the bottom of this post from our visit there!) .. and as we were walking in.. I stopped and bent forward to stretch my hamstrings... my oh my - am I gonna need my foam roller!  

the song "This Girl is on FIRE" came to mind.. (by Alicia Keys, hear it here!) I kept replaying that one part of the song in my head... but it went like this... "This ASS is on FIYYYYYYYYERRRRRRRR!"   And I am sure that as the next several hours pass by... it will continue to play in my head!  (And when I use the foam roller... I am pretty sure it will sound more like what a RAGE YOGA class would sound like!  I read a description of that kind of class recently and think I need to find one of those classes!) 

Also turns out as I sit here blogging... I am feeling the muscles in my arms more... apparently the over the head movements and drumstick hitting drumstick moves can get a good workout..... perhaps... perhaps this is a way to get Michelle Obama arms!  (One of my dreams!) 

This class was HARD.  HARD because the muscles I needed to use are not muscles I engage in that way very often.  It was good for me... to be reminded of what it feels like to engage those muscles.  

For me... driving to Brunswick just for this class and paying $15 seems like a lot... but.. Brunswick is a pretty cool place..and in kayaking season there are some great places to kayak... so I am thinking once paddling season hits I will return to this class and will follow it with a kayaking adventure!  (Or start with an EARLY kayak adventure, go to this class, then find a great place to have lunch in Brunswick!) In the meantime.. I will keep looking for a pound class closer to Portland ... and will also consider checking online for some pound routines I could do at home!  (That means looking for drumsticks!!!) 

Being on this journey to being healthier and living a more active life... I have focused on being active and eating better.  I promised myself that I would keep those things as my priority  and that I would somehow know when the time had come to be more specific with my activity to target certain areas to tone up... 

Well... I think this is that moment... NOW is the time to start focusing on toning... arms, legs  and core baby! Here I come!   

The last couple of times I have had my photo taken... specifically the one from today and one from roller skating... shows me that my body has changed a lot!  I definitely have lost weight!  (105 lbs!)  but I also definitely have areas that should be toned up. 

 I look at the pic on the left (taken close to the start of this journey) and can easily see how far I have come...how much easier it is to be active...how much more fun! My excitement for life has increased exponentially!  While I know my body is not perfect... I am so incredibly proud of it!   I may not yet have the confidence to wear a bikini to the beach, but I have the confidence to try new things... and I have more confidence in my body's ability to do what I want it to do. I am SOOOO much more active! 

Today's class articulated some areas of weakness... some parts of my body that are weak... I am not saying that in a negative self talk way... but in a way of recognizing that there are things I can do, need to do, to continue to get my body to match how I feel and hope to feel!  

I am getting closer all the time.. I do feel like my inside matches my outside at this point, but... I am constantly working on how I view myself... and in recent months I am seeing myself as a healthy person... (I have the doctor's notes to prove I am not just healthy, I am WICKED healthy!!)  

I am still overweight... but that does not mean I am unhealthy.  Chances are I will always be overweight... at 6'6" tall those charts say  175-191 pounds is where I 'should' be weight wise... 

I found this weight chart for reference... first time I have seen one that lists women's height above 6'0.   I found the link here.

I will never weigh within that range!  I never want to be within that range.  I don't think I would be healthy there.  I am currently between 20 and 30 lbs from where I think I will be when I feel I am at my goal weight.  

Now if you look at the picture of me roller skating... 

It would be easy to see where I could stand to lose more than 20 or 30 more pounds. But... it is about how I feel... and what I can do... which, after all was my motivation to start on this journey... to be able to do things I wanted to do, not just what I could do.. to make decisions based on what I wanted to do vs. what I was able to do... 

The recent activities I have done... specifically the yoga class and today's Pound class... have helped me see that my body is not yet where I want it to be... for being as active as I want to be.  I want to be able to do some of those moves and while I want to 'feel' the burn... I don't want to feel the fire... if that makes sense.  I want to know I have done a workout, but I want to feel like it is strengthening the muscles I am using not just using muscles I have forgotten I have!  

I think I will always look forward to the post workout, post activity  'pain'... the kind of pain where you know you have done something good for your body... (Who would think I would WANT that?! HA HA)   What I don't want is the kind of pain where my body says 'Where the hell did that come from?!' or 'Yo, Crazy lady, what the hell are you doing to me right now!'  (My body didn't get that far today, because I was smart enough to modify, but... I definitely want to use those muscles more, strengthen them more, and hopefully tone them!)  So.. I am finding that balance!  Pushing, but not pushing too hard or going beyond my abilities... (I opted to not participate in FitMaine's weekend hike yesterday because I was pretty sure the length of the hike, given the increase in elevation, plus needing snowshoes, would be beyond my current abilities... It is smart to know where those lines are!) 

I am so grateful that I am trying new things... that I am now able to push my body in ways I could  not have done 105 pounds ago... and I am grateful that my mindset has shifted so that taking the pound class today, a class that was challenging, is something I can see as a success! Feeling sore or not being able to do all the moves without modifications could be something I look at as discouraging...but I don't!  I see it as encouraging!  I was able to do the class, at a pace that worked for me, while pushing my body and my muscles to continue! I completed the class!!

 I see learning more about my body and its abilities and performances as something to build upon... to set goals to work towards... seeing it as ways to continue improving my fitness... 

My head did NOT go to the place of 'I can't do this!' or 'What am I thinking being here, doing this?!'  

Even afterwards, as I sit here, feeling ALL those muscles... I am glad I did the class... I am proud of myself.  I want to do things that are hard... because I want to keep getting stronger... I want to do things that challenge me... because that keeps encouraging me to keep trying new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone. 

I want to will continue to get fit and healthier!  

Again... I would LOVE to hear from you!!  Leave a comment! 

Update: There is a place that does POUND in Windham! 

http://pnfme.com/fitness-classes/

Here are some pics from Water + Woods Gear Exchange.  This was a great little shop.  The woman working there was very nice and put up with out shenanigans!  

This is the kind of business I like to support...

They had a lot of winter gear and will be transitioning to snowless sports soon!  Apparently it is a consignment shop... so... if you have some gear you want to sell... check them out.  I learned about them from Fitmaine!   

Being from 'away' Angie thought this was a very large tennis racquet!  (kidding, but loved her sense of humor!)

And this sleeping bag was just screaming for someone to stand in it!