Feel the Burn.. 130 times to be exact

For the last 5 months I was at home I had become very good about working out regularly so I decided not to ruin my trend when I got to Seoul. I joined a gym, Joy Fitness, the first week I was here. The gym is great because a bunch of people from my school workout there so it motivates you to actually go since they will be there. There are also classes that you can take, though they are in Korean I have been able to barrel my way through it and actually enjoy myself. One big difference between the gyms in Korea and in the states is the staff. On the gym floor there are about 4 to 5 trainers walking around. They are there to do anything from set up a program for you to turn on the treadmill for you. I have actually seen a girl walk to the bike with a trainer who turned it on for her. When the girl was done she stopped pedaling, calmly raised her hand and waited for the trainer to come and take her off!! 

Unfortunately they also feel a need to tell you when you aren't working out hard enough. My first experience with this was last week when I was walking on the treadmill before I went to go take the hiphop class. The guy came over and pointed at the screen, told me I was going too slow and promptly raised the speed. This was my first encounter with the trainers even though I had been to the gym at least a dozen time and decided that it was because I did not have my headphones in. I have made it point to wear the headphones when I am on the floor since because I just want to get through my workout and leave.

Well this new headphone plan did not work out as planned. On Friday I went to the gym after work. I did my mile on the treadmill and then went to do some quick weights before I had to meet up with people for dinner. As I finished a set of skull crushers a trainer walked up to me and started to tell me what I was doing was very "dangerous". I begrudgingly took out my headphones and let him explain to me what I should do instead. I said I understood and did another set of 10 the way he did them [COUNT: 20]. As I completed them he said "well this way is actually better" then showed me a new way and I did another set of 10 [COUNT: 30]. As I finished those up he started shaking his head and "no no too light here use these". so another set of 10 I do [COUNT:40]. Once again as I finish up "no no still too light" (really cannot see that on 1 not 10?) hands me another set of weights, 10 more [COUNT:50]. Okay at this point my arms are getting just a bit tired and I am thinking I am done. He smiles and says thats the perfect weight.... now I must do 4 more sets! 

I give him a little smile and say okay and start to put my earphones back in but wait... no... he's not done!! I also must work in skull crushers with the bar. I sit down do 10 [COUNT: 60]. Smile, start to walk away "you do this 5 times too".... great we must be done because at this point I am sure my arms will fall off.... nope! He has grabbed the 3kg weights and is doing kickbacks. So I do 10 more, each arm of kickbacks [COUNT: 70]. He smiles and tells me that I will only have to do 3 sets for each arm. He then goes through explaining the entire routine again and smiles "when you are done, you will have done 13 sets.. no breaks!

13 sets!!! that is 130 tricep exercises in a row! I dont even think Jillian makes the biggest loser people do that!  I tried to look for an escape but the guy was standing right next to me, unfortunately for my triceps it was a slow day, so I started the whole routine over again. I was pretty proud that I made it through twice [COUNT: 130] more but then when I almost dropped the 10kg weight on my head and I saw he was looking the other way I did what I do best.... I ran! literally. I dropped the weights and ran to the treadmill and jumped on. I turned up the music and I kept running till I saw the guy went into the office!

Needless to say my arms are killing me! and it has been 3 days. I am also a little nervous to go back to the gym tomorrow but thankfully it will be another muscle group on monday so we will see what he comes up for me then!!