Bootcamp Tabata: RIP

Just the idea of bootcamp brings chills down my spine. I picture pain and people screaming at me but not as loud as my muscles are screaming. Although this picturesque representation is from movies, I could not help but have daydreams (more like nightmares) in the hours leading up to attending Boot Camp Tabata. The scariest part is I did not have a clue what Tabata means. Maybe its latin for "Xtreme Workout" or "This is so hard you will die." Both don't seem like great options. 

Just look at this giant rack of indecision! Credit

So I am not going to lie, I was actually nervous for this workout, so nervous that I dragged a friend along for moral support. The first step when you walk into the room is to pick out your hand weights. This decision is almost more difficult than chosing which college to go to. Like how can you choose the amount of weight if you have no idea what you are going to do with it. Scared for the future, I chose the safe route (actually extremely safe route) meaning 3 lb weights. I know, I know, this is weak but you would be satisfied to know that half way through I upgraded to 5 lb weights. If you ask me, I would call this moving up in the world. 

Credit

Bootcamp Tabata means cardio, strength training, and tabata (high intensity interval training) as described earlier. At first you do cardio and strength for four minutes. The class is split into two sides of the room, cardio and strength and you switch every 30 seconds which side of the room you are on. Then you do four minutes of the tabata, 20 seconds on, ten seconds off, for four minutes. Then the process starts over and you learn a new cardio, strength, and tabata set. This continues for the duration of the 45 minute class.

So first five minutes I am feeling pretty confident in my abilities, even 20 minutes in, I am on top of the game. But then at around the 22 minute mark my friend and I made eye contact. You know that all-knowing eye contact, where you understand everything, and exchange a plethora of information with just your pupils. Yes, that eye contact signifying "OMG this is so hard" and "WOWZA" and " THIS IS GETTING INSANE." But hey, for the blog and for the body, so we continued. We left feeling satisfied with a good workout even if we could not get our White Building gym locker to open for the bajillion time. 

Today tells a different story...just read the text convo to the left. As a runner for many years, I am used to having sore muscles after workouts, and even strangely enjoy that light soreness knowing I got a good workout. But let me tell you... every single time I stand up I am strongly reminded of those 45 minutes yesterday and each step is a aching reminder of one too many tabatas.  I will equivilate the feeling in my legs to 30 tiny alligators clamping down and clenching with each movement.

Just be aware if you chose to go to Bootcamp Tabata...take this experience as a warning. If you want a definite workout, go to this class! Let me know if you ever will give it a try or if you knew what the heck a tabata was before reading this blog! Thanks for reading!