I wasn't ready
So I did BodyStep last night. It was more grueling than I thought it would be. I won't be taking it again until I have more strength in my legs. It was much too soon for me to even try it, but at least now I know. It seems like it would be a lot of fun, if I could keep up. I had a very difficult time, and I was completely exhausted at about 20 minutes into the class. My feet became completely numb, which only made it more difficult. I wanted to walk out of there so much! But I stuck with it and lasted the whole hour. I honestly don't know how I did that, now looking back. But I was damn determined to do it! I was not going to give up!
I realized that I'm a hell of a lot less coordinated than I thought I was. I'm absolutely surprised I didn't fall, but I came a little close a few times. You can't watch your feet and the step platform while you're doing this. You have to constantly keep your eye on the instructor, which is backwards from what you're doing, so it makes it all that more difficult. And she wants you to be moving your arms the whole time, either up high, or to the sides ... It's all choreographed. But my arms couldn't do it. It was like trying to chew gum and walk at the same time. Moving my arms was just too distracting, I had to put all my concentration into my legs.
I couldn't pick my thighs up as high as they should have been going, so I missed out on a lot of the knee kicks. There are also a lot of little kicks and jumps, but I couldn't do that. I sure tried, believe me, but my legs weren't playing along. I was trying to do it all with sand bags attached to my legs! Actually, compared to where I was 6 months ago, I did really, really, really good. But I guess I'm not quite there yet to do step aerobics. I do want to pick it back up when my legs are stronger, though. It was a lot of fun, high energy, constant moving - but I'm not ready.
I sweated buckets, but I did not feel overheated at all during the whole hour. And only about 5 or 10 minutes after we were done, my feet were back to normal sensation. So that helped me worry less. My legs are very tired today, but I think that's more muscle exhaustion from working out than anything to do with MS. With or without MS, I would feel the same exact way.
Lisa (the HR Admin) just walked through the lobby, and I told her that I think I need to build up the muscles before I do BodyStep again. She said unfortunately, that's the way to build up the muscles. She's right. It was the first time for the both of us, and we were both having a very difficult time. The coordination, keeping up the pace, stamina, etc. (she doesn't know I have MS) She seems a lot more in shape than I am, even though she just started going to the gym, too. I guess you can't always assume that someone's "in shape" if they're skinny. And Lisa's very tall and very skinny!
Yup, it's classic. You don't know unless you try.
I realized that I'm a hell of a lot less coordinated than I thought I was. I'm absolutely surprised I didn't fall, but I came a little close a few times. You can't watch your feet and the step platform while you're doing this. You have to constantly keep your eye on the instructor, which is backwards from what you're doing, so it makes it all that more difficult. And she wants you to be moving your arms the whole time, either up high, or to the sides ... It's all choreographed. But my arms couldn't do it. It was like trying to chew gum and walk at the same time. Moving my arms was just too distracting, I had to put all my concentration into my legs.
I couldn't pick my thighs up as high as they should have been going, so I missed out on a lot of the knee kicks. There are also a lot of little kicks and jumps, but I couldn't do that. I sure tried, believe me, but my legs weren't playing along. I was trying to do it all with sand bags attached to my legs! Actually, compared to where I was 6 months ago, I did really, really, really good. But I guess I'm not quite there yet to do step aerobics. I do want to pick it back up when my legs are stronger, though. It was a lot of fun, high energy, constant moving - but I'm not ready.
I sweated buckets, but I did not feel overheated at all during the whole hour. And only about 5 or 10 minutes after we were done, my feet were back to normal sensation. So that helped me worry less. My legs are very tired today, but I think that's more muscle exhaustion from working out than anything to do with MS. With or without MS, I would feel the same exact way.
Lisa (the HR Admin) just walked through the lobby, and I told her that I think I need to build up the muscles before I do BodyStep again. She said unfortunately, that's the way to build up the muscles. She's right. It was the first time for the both of us, and we were both having a very difficult time. The coordination, keeping up the pace, stamina, etc. (she doesn't know I have MS) She seems a lot more in shape than I am, even though she just started going to the gym, too. I guess you can't always assume that someone's "in shape" if they're skinny. And Lisa's very tall and very skinny!
Yup, it's classic. You don't know unless you try.
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