What's so great about group exercise? Answers you might often hear are, "It keeps me motivated and accountable," or "It gives me more energy throughout the day."
While these are, in fact, amazing benefits of group exercise, one of the most overlooked benefits is the funny, motivating, sometimes ridiculous things you'll hear while attending a class at the Alexandria Area YMCA.
To give you an idea, we asked all of our YMCA group exercise instructors to share their favorite things they have heard or said in a group exercise class. Here are the top 10.
1. "That workout felt like I'm excused from chores this week."
Sometimes the class is so good, you feel like you've been productive enough and earned your right to sit on the couch and not do a thing.
2. "If you did not feel that, see me after class."
There are some exercises that the instructors know you'll feel.
If you can't feel them, we need to talk. 😅
3. "There are no mistakes in a Zumba, just unexpected solos."
The choreography in dance fitness classes can be hard to keep up with, but don't let it bring you down. As long as you're moving, you're doing it right.
4. "Are you saying cimichuanga?"
In a yoga class, a member approached the instructor and asked, "Are you saying chimichanga?"
She was, in fact, not saying chimichanga. She was saying chaturanga, a transitional yoga pose.
5. "PUSH-UPS FOR BREAKFAST!"
If you attend an early-morning class at the Y, you may hear an instructor loudly announce the breakfast menu.
It often includes a healthy portion of push-ups.
6. "Around the world without leaving the Y"
After a class that included Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, and Turkish get-ups, a member hit us with this quick one-liner: "I traveled a long way in a short period of time.”
7. "Use your pushing muscles."
When describing what muscles you will be using, one instructor likes to say, "These are your pushing muscles. You use them for things like closing a door or pushing a shopping cart... or your luck."
8. "Wipe off anything you touched... or dripped on."
At the YMCA, we respect the drip. You're here to break a sweat after all.
We just ask that you wipe down the stationary bike after you're done. 😉
9. "I was born without a core."
Here is a real-life conversation between a member and a YMCA instructor while doing core exercises.
Member: "I can’t do that."
Instructor: "Why not?"
Member: "I was born without a core."
As far as excuses go, this is about as good as it gets.
10. "Slam it down. Make the noise!"
Contrary to popular belief, the YMCA fitness studio is not a library.
That's why our instructors are always encouraging participants to slam those medicine balls down and make some noise.
Our hope is that next time you come to a YMCA group exercise class, you leave with a smile, a feeling of accomplishment, and maybe even a quote or two to carry throughout the day.
We hope to see you at a class soon!