Group Exercise and the Gossip Girl

Last week the low-impact aerobics/weight lifting class at my gym had a substitute while the regular instructor was on vacation. Naturally the sub had her own ideas about music and movement, and we did a bit of dancing, some step routines on the floor and worked hard with the weights.

A change in routine is always a good thing, because otherwise one’s muscles accommodate themselves to the regular routine and don’t get the workout they might.

There is one woman in the class I don’t like. Did not like her from the moment I set eyes on her. One of those natural antipathies. I don’t even know her name, but she is a gossip and a troublemaker and probably has been since kindergarten. “Doesn’t Sally have a dorky dress?”

Naturally, I wasn’t too surprised when I overheard this woman grousing about the sub. In fact, she didn’t attend the second class. This morning she went on her malicious rounds, trying to get one after another of the participants to bad mouth the sub.

You could sense her disappointment when most of the women had actually liked the sub. She just wouldn’t let it alone. Now I have to confess the sub is a fellow writer and a friend and I didn’t like this badmouthing of my friend at all.

There are as many exercise variations as there are instructors. I’ve taken water aerobics in Puerto Rico, a step class at Mohonk Mountain House, interval training in Tucson, and even a somewhat bizarre class in East Germany. All different, all enjoyable.

Lest you think I am Molly Muscles, it ain’t so. I just try to keep a minimum level of muscle tone and fitness.

Why are some of my sex like that? I can’t imagine guys doing this. Can you?