No One Expects the Spanish Inquisition!

For those of you not familiar with the title, it's from an old Monty Python skit, which is one of my favorites.

But over the past few weeks, I've thought of this phrase a lot.  I've really let my exercise routine lapse since my surgery last summer.  I would get small bouts of inspiration, and then just stop when something ... well, anything came up.  But I had gotten to the point where my clothes were becoming uncomfortable, and I was feeling more and more depressed.  I knew that exercise helped with both things, and that it was time to get going again.

I wasn't in the mood for the "regular gym" stuff, and we were having a major heat wave, so riding my bicycle was out.  Then I saw where a local Pilates studio was having a special promotion for learning to use the equipment.  It was a five-week session and the price was truly reasonable.  Figuring that I waste that much money on God knows what pretty regularly, I paid and signed myself up.

In the past, I've done some mat Pilates, and loved it though I was really bad at it.  I am less than flexible and not overly coordinated.  But the equipment classes have actually been going well.  Mostly because the equipment helps to control not just your movements, but also keeps you in the proper positioning.  I've been enjoying the classes, and it has inspired me to exercise in other ways on the other days of the week.  I'm nearly back to regular activity 3 times a week, which is my basic goal.

But the Pilates equipment?  It looks like modern versions of medieval torture equipment!  At the first class, I wondered what I'd gotten myself into.  In my case, it does keep me focused, since I don't want to mess up the equipment (when it truth, I'm pretty sure it could hurt me more than I could do anything to it!).

This Wednesday will be our 4th class, so this session is nearly over.  Part of me would like to continue to the next level, and part of me would like to try something else, and continue with my mat Pilates at home.  Sadly, none of the options are free, but there are ones that are affordable, and I do have to admit that when I am starting out on something, I'm more likely to keep up with it if I've already paid.

So stay tuned.  Will it be more Pilates equipment?   Will I try kickboxing?  Will I try bodycycling?  Only the next few weeks will tell.

Remember though, that in the meantime, NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition!  :-)