Disappointment at 5 PM

So there's this kickboxing class at the tennis club that I adore. Don't ask me why. It's a great workout, but that's not quite it. I think it's more the intensity of it that draws me in. Like, when I'm in there, it's me and my muscles and me kicking some imaginary perp's butt. But, as I've been to these classes, I've also come to learn that they are not all created equal. I've had four different instructors and they all do things a little bit different. My all time favorite is Jen. She's my favorite group exercise instructor in general, but particularly for kickboxing. The problem is, that she only teaches Tuesday nights at 5pm and occasionally on Saturdays. I haven't been able to make the Tuesday classes since Morgan started back in ballet in the fall since the class falls squarely in the middle of her class. The last Saturday class I went to, one of my least favorite instructors was teaching. I'm not really sure what it is about her that bugs me so much. Maybe it's her excessive use of the STEPs or maybe it's the annoying way she never allows us to finish the 8th count of something, but she just really bugs.

So, imagine my ELATION when it occurred to me that since Lance is home, I can actually go to the Tuesday kickboxing class. Oh, it was pure joy. I actually enjoyed my morning, going out to breakfast with the guys, living it up on Health Nut pancakes with sugar free syrup and egg substitute scrambled eggs, fully knowing that I had a workout coming later. With Jen. And I *heart* Jen. As the time grew closer, I went and picked out my favorite workout attire, put my hair in a high ponytail and took off for the gym. I walked in and saw a woman whom I've seen at the club many times. She's been in a lot of the classes I've taken. I actually like her a lot -- she's a fellow mom of a 2.5 year old and I've even seen her outside of the gym at local parks and whatnot. Except I never imagined her teaching. She's not exactly a Self magazine model, if you know what I mean. Not that that's the reason I didn't enjoy her class. I can see past that if the instructor is good, trust me. But, I want to be PUSHED. I want someone to make me do things I don't want to do and I want to have fun doing it. I want to look at the instructor and simultaneously cuss her and envy her fitness. I want to strive to be in as good as shape as her while she whips my butt in shape. That's what I want. I don't want to do the same slow-paced knee lifts over and over and over and over.

I was so bored in the class tonight! I worked up a little bit of a sweat, but nothing compared to how that class normally kicks my butt. She had us doing "zig zag" things that, in my opinion, are just one impulse away from jazz hands. She also frequently just jumped into some complex maneuvers without giving us any warning. Like, suddenly we'd go from doing the "zig zags" into a jab-cross-hook-upper cut-knee-back kick thing. Just like that. Without any warning or explanation. I HATE that! Oh, and then there was the "warning" we did get about a section that was coming up called TURBO. Oh, beware of the TURBO section, you're heart rate is really going to get up there! This consisted of a football shuffle and a few bob and weaves for 30 seconds at the most. I think my max heart rate the whole time was a 24, when I'm used to knocking on 30's door!

On the plus side, she was really nice. And I liked the music she picked. She obviously put a lot of time, thought and effort into it. Too bad nice and good music isn't going to reshape my ass.