I tried a TRX demo class this week and I’m tempted to sign up for the real thing. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.

I arrived two minutes early and stood in front of a strap attached to the wall, surrounded by people in spandex. I, of course, was wearing a baggy old t-shirt because I’m not going to spend $20 on a shirt I’m only going to sweat in. (I’m looking for sales, though. I’d spend $4.) I passed my first TRX challenge, which was to NOT run out the door. Whenever I enter a group exercise class, I have this illogical fear that I’ll be found out: someone will walk up to me and say “Hey, you’re not athletic! What are you doing here?” That didn’t happen. (Whew! Fooled ‘em again!)

PRO #1: The instructors were welcoming and helpful.

It took us 15 minutes to do our “5 minute” warm up because we had to learn how to use the straps. Lengthen them, shorten them, hands in the handles, feet in the handles, face the wall, face the center of the room, put your left leg in and you shake it all about.

PRO #2 This could be the closest I ever come to being a trapeze artist.

It was a good workout. We worked our arms and legs, sucked in our bellies, and tightened our buttocks. When asked how I felt at the end of class, I answered honestly: “Shaky”. I congratulated a fellow classmate when we managed to walk up a flight of stairs after class without collapsing.

PRO #3 This kind of intense workout will never happen if I don’t have an instructor “making” me do it. I could end up with visible muscles.

When the instructor described the goal for the class (about 3x the work we did in this demo class), I was scared. I’d have to learn how to plank. I’d have to do pushups and sit ups. I would sweat. I would be sore (and as a stay at home mom who bends, lifts, and moves all day long, that makes for a very long day).

CON #1 No chance to wimp out and be lazy.

This is exactly the type of exercise I don’t go for. But for some reason, I think I’m willing to try. And it just might, maybe, sorta kinda have something to do with bathing suit season being only six weeks away. Trapeze artist, here I come!

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8

Images courtesy of www.trueconditioning.com (group), greenleafmovement.com (jumping guy), consistentfitness.blogspot.com (plank), www.golffloridemag.com (butt lift)