Let me introduce you to Jorge. He frequents the 24 Hour Fitness in Elk Grove and is usually the only man in the class. I met him the first time on a Friday and I immediately positioned myself at the other side of the room. I am pretty good at reading people and knowing if I will or won’t get along with someone. Jorge knows the instructor and people in the class. He’s not bad looking, for a 50 yr old Asian man able to come to a 9a weight class on a work day. I don’t really think about him as an important person in my life, finish the class and put him out of my mind.
After a weekend of not being able to walk because of the class, Monday finds me sharing space with Jorge again. The class counts out groups and we end up in the same boot camp rotation. Here is my interaction with Jorge:
J: Maybe I should be on the other side so I can lead us.
A: What? No thank you. I’m okay here.
J: I’ve taken this class before.
A: Okay. I’m still okay here.
We do the jump rope section. He hands me the rope he “thinks I should be using” since he’s so much taller than I am. Argh!
Move to the mats for plank. Each section is a minute rotation and there is no need for any talking or interaction. Jorge doesn’t seem to understand this.
J: You should stay on the mat. It’s easier.
A: I’m okay. Thanks.
J: You’re form will be better if you use a mat.
A: Really okay. Thank you.
Move to the tri-cep station
J: I need the bigger weights.
A: (thinking to myself: Of course you do)
Move to the tuck jump station.
J: I’m going to go in front of you since I’ll go faster.
A: No. I’ll go first. You can wait. (What? Who is this woman? I smile at my strength in holding my station and not bowing to him. There is no reason he needs to be in front of me and I refuse to be someone he walks over.)
J: But I’m faster than you.
A: You can wait. It’s okay.
Instructor calls over: You should let Jorge go in front of you. He’ll run you over.
A: Nope. I told him he can wait. But thank you.
Inst: Oh.....okay.
We do the tuck jumps and halfway through he steps out because he hurts him back. I’m not surprised considering he did the jumps with such force I almost laughed. High jump all the way down to full plie. What is he thinking? I smile to myself as he stands and has to wait for me to finish my perfectly formed tuck jumps. Without the male ego.
We move to the push ups, which are uneventful. The next two stations are wordless. I have made my point that I don’t want to interact with him and he isn’t going to step on me or my work out.
We get to the jump ropes again for cycle two.
J: If you had let me go in front of you, I wouldn’t have hurt my back.
A: (Jumping rope) What?
J: (not jumping rope) I had to stop myself from running into you, forcing me to throw out my back.
A: (Still jumping rope) Nice try. It is not my fault. You should have waited. I didn’t tell you when to go.
J: (Still not jumping rope) You should have let me go in front of you.
A: (Done jumping rope now because it’s been a minute.) No. It is not my fault you hurt your back.
At this point I’ve written Jorge off as a complete douchebag. I am NOT backing down to him and I am NOT apologizing for something that is not my fault. This is a huge step for me. The old Amie would have apologized just to make him happy, regardless of how it made me feel.
We do another round, him only doing half the work-out because his back still hurts (which he has now told everyone in the class about) and me working harder than ever, determined to not let him get to me.
My favorite part of the work out? Our final time at the jump rope station.
J: So, what’s that on your back?
A: What? (I’m jump roping again.)
J: On your back? A phoenix? Or a male rooster?
A: A phoenix.
J: So you’re what, mid twenties? That’s usually the time women decide to ruin their bodies.
A: Um, I’m 32.
J: Ah.... You shouldn’t have a tattoo. You shouldn’t desecrate your body like that. Your body is a temple.
A: (At this point I stop jumping rope, completely thrown he is now giving me a lecture.) I know my body is a temple. That is why I’m at the gym.
J: So are you going to get it removed?
A: What?!!? No. I love it.
J: You should. It’s not okay.
Oh. My. GOD!!! I just look at him, take a deep breath and get into my plank pose for the final round. Still without a mat and still with the focused determination to sweat him out of my space.
Oh life. Thank you.
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