Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Bodyrock - Good Feeling

One of the things I said consistently while training for the marathon was how much I missed doing Bodyrock all the time. I had to take a long hiatus from Zuzana, Freddy, and all the bodyrockers on the site, because all the mileage I was doing was exhausting me, and Bodyrock on top of it would have really veered me into overtraining territory. So, I was off the site for a good six weeks, and this past week post-marathon, when I didn't allow myself to do any working out at all besides yoga and walking River.

Imagine my shock when I finally logged back yesterday, all ready to jump right back into the workouts and the awesome community, only to see a ton of changes, like a new workout video host named Jess. A little poking around through past posts to the site, and I discovered what the rest of the Bodyrock community found out just last week: Freddy and Zu have decided to split up, Freddy has moved out and back to Canada, and Zu has decided to take a break from hosting the workouts, hence the hiring of the new workout chick.

Why did this bother me so much? I've really been trying to examine my immediate reaction of shock and devastation, and my prolonged reaction of dread that the site is basically over. I mean, I don't actually KNOW these people. It's not like they're actually my friends. They certainly don't know me from Adam. But for some reason, the idea that the seemingly rock-solid partnership that made Bodyrock so special, was ultimately as shaky and ephemeral as anything else, really cut me to the core. It's not at all on the same level, obviously, but it reminded me of my feelings immediately after my parents divorced, that somehow the fact that they were splitting up de-legitimized my entire childhood. Those feelings were reactionary and I don't feel that way anymore, but at the time I remember feeling that something fundamental about my identity had been ripped away. The way I feel about Bodyrock is kind of like that--something fundamental about the site has been changed irreparably.

I know, I know, it's just a website run by strangers who make fun, mildly porntastic workout videos. I shouldn't take it so seriously. But thinking about it, I've basically been working out with Freddy and Zuzana four or five days a week, for a year and a half. I start my day with coffee and Bodyrock. It's definitely more a part of my life than just some blog I happen to read.

(Part of me is also irrationally angry at myself, like a sorts fan who didn't wear a lucky jersey on game day and then their team lost--like, I turn away for ONE SECOND, or okay six weeks, and Freddy and Zu's whole world falls apart?! Dangit!)

No real conclusions to be drawn from this long spew of word vomit--I just wanted to introduce some of the changes to Bodyrock. Jess seems really cool, and she's really fit and great at the workouts. I enjoyed the first one she did, the Good Feeling workout, which I did tonight!

Returning to Bodyrock after a six-week hiatus? Um, yeah. Ow. Sweat. Felt like puking. I actually had to pause my gymboss at one point because I honestly thought I would barf. Breathed through it until it went away, and started back up.

This was the workout: Good Feeling

Twelve minutes of 10:50 second intervals. Here were my reps:

Ugi punch - 29/24
Frog burpee - 17/20
Side forward lunge R - 11/9
Side forward lunge L - 10/10
Sumo pushup - 19/18
Hanging Side knee raises - 13/16

Hard. I really flagged on the Ugi punch and the Frog burpees, which were a one-two punch of lethal quad burning. I don't have an Ugi or a sandbag, so I used my sledgehammer for the Ugi punch and the lunges.

All in all, I liked the workout, although it was bittersweet doing it without Zuzana talking me through it.



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