This past week of workouts can be split into 2.
The first 2 workouts of the week were at home as I’ve been doing for the last year. I did my usual weightlifting routine, but I didn’t think too much about it. And this post isn’t really going to be about those workouts.
Because last week, the Orangetheory studio by my house finally opened again!
This is the moment I’ve been waiting on for so long and it was crazy that it finally happened! The studio reopened on Thursday, but I decided to keep my normal workout schedule so I wasn’t there until Friday. The night before, I was so excited. I was a little nervous about having to get up earlier than I’m used to, but it turned out I was so excited to be back that I woke up an hour before my alarm was going to go off. But that was fine because it gave me time to relax a bit before I had to be up.
There are a few new rules at the studio. First, and the one I knew to expect, is that masks are required at all times. You can take quick sips of water if you need to, but you need to put your mask back on right away and you are supposed to stay stationary when you drink water. Also, they don’t have the lockers right now. The doors are off of all the lockers so they are cubbies instead. There are studios I’ve been to that don’t have lockers so this wasn’t too weird. But I decided to just bring less with me into the studio. I attached my keys to my water bottle and had my phone on me. The rest of my purse stayed home.
Also, you have to line up outside before class instead of waiting in the lobby. This was fine and just being lined up outside made me so excited!
People are checked in one at a time and you are told where to start instead of getting an equipment card. I was able to start on the bike, like I used to.
My first workout back was an interested experience. It felt like I hadn’t been there in forever but also like I was just there the other day at the same time. It was so familiar and I didn’t realize how much I needed that until I was in the middle of the workout. Working out in a mask was different, but not as hard as I was worried it would be. I have ordered a little brace thing to try inside my mask in the future so it stays a bit further from my mouth (but still being a mask). There were some times that I felt like I was eating the mask.
And as expected, I had lost some strength and endurance. I struggled in the workout, but it wasn’t worse than I thought it would be. My rowing form isn’t great, but it’s been 13 months since I had rowed. So I took the rowing slowly and focused on my form more than anything else. I also got pretty sore being on the bike. My butt and hips aren’t used to having to sit on the bike, but I know it’s just a matter of time before it doesn’t hurt anymore. And on the floor, I was sometimes shocked that even weights that were lower than I’m used to using still felt heavy. Even when compared to what I’ve been using at home. But I think part of that is due to the rest of the workout before I was on the floor.
And of course, I had to take a post workout selfie with my coach. I was so happy that I was back and that it felt like I was returning home. I had joked to my friends that I would cry when I finally got back to OTF, and that did happen several times that day.
And I was back again on Saturday! I thought that I might be too sore after returning, but I only had minimal soreness. I am glad I was smart enough to not push myself too hard and I was able to do another in-studio workout.
In Saturday’s workout, the rowing was much more endurance based and I really saw how much I was struggling. Even rowing for a minute without stopping was really hard for me. It’s hard for me to remember how hard rowing was when I started at OTF in 2014, but I know I had to work up to where I was a year ago. And I will need to work my way back again. But I know it won’t take as long this time. I just need to keep going and trying.
And now, my plan is to be at the studio 4 days a week for my workouts! I’ll be doing all my workouts at the studio near my house. The Brentwood studio (that I used to go to on Mondays) isn’t open yet. But also, with my new workout schedule, I don’t know if I’ll be going to that studio again. I might go back for random workouts, especially if a Monday is a holiday. But because I work on Mondays now, it will be a lot harder for me to get to that studio. And it will be impossible for me to go to the class that I went to for the past several years since that class is during work for me.
But that’s ok. I’ve made it through a lot of workout changes over the past 13 months. And changing to have all my workouts at the same studio is a very minor change and one that will still make me happy.
I still am so incredibly happy to be back at OTF. As much as I thought I’d be happy to be back, it’s even better! And I really feel like this is a big turning point for me in feeling so much more like myself again.
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