I loved Genesis. The old Genesis gym before covid. I knew people in my classes and in the locker room to say hi to, even to have conversations with. We were a community. Covid messed that up and the new gym complicated it further. Now, can go into Genesis and maybe say a short hello to someone I recognize, usually one of the trainers. I rarely see anyone I know. I did step class but I have a conflict now and haven’t gotten back into the classes. I do like the sauna and the hot tub and some of the new machines. But I rarely make it there once a week.
Before covid, I discovered 9 Rounds and was going back and forth between Genesis and 9 Rounds. Now i go to 9 Rounds 5 or more times per week. I love it!
When you walk in the door, the trainers yell hello to you BY NAME! That means a lot to me. You check in and put on wraps and wait for the bell and jump in.
Round One is jump roping which I am improving at. Rounds are two minutes each. Between each round is active rest. The trainers yell out something like plank and hold or squat jumps and the whole gym does the same thing for 30 seconds.
Round Two is weights, usually two different exercises that combine upper and lower body. Another 30 second active rest, put on the gloves and you’re ready for Round Three, the tiny bag. The combos are written on a board at each round but the trainers come over and demonstrate individually. Sometimes they give pointers and help your form but they almost always yell out encouragement, again, often by name.
Round Four is a big, tall bag so there is usually some sort of kicking involved in the action. Round Five is a giant round bag, my favorite, as we usually get to shin kick or knee kick it. Sometimes the trainers yell out punch party which means two or three people go to one bag and punch it out as fast as possible until you about pass out. Also, once or twice, during rounds 4-6, the trainer comes up with the pads and has you punch out combinations with them. They give pointers and help you build up to as many steps as you can handle, “One, Two, slip, knee, three four, elbow, duck…..”. Its challenging but a lot of fun. And hard work.
Round Six is another tall bag. Round 7 is also one of my favorites, a horizontal cylinder bag for shin kicks, knees and hammers among other things. Round 8 are the tear drop bags which are so hard but I enjoy them and am getting better. Then Round 9 are crazy abs.
The thing I like the best about 9 Rounds is the variety. Like tonight. When I came in, they asked if I was ready for Max Out. I had no idea what it was even though I’ve been there for over a year. We kept track of the number of reps we got on each round. My trainer challenged me to 800. I wasn’t sure I could do it as I got 132 jump ropes then 30-50 on each of the other rounds, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, knee is one rep. I got a hundred something on the tear drop bag even with my shoulders screaming and then a decent number on the v sit one leg ups. I ended up with 932. Sometimes we run out the door and down to the end of the sidewalk, sometimes push a sled across the room and back. There are chows when we keep track of reps on one round at a time. And so much more.
The second thing I like about 9 Rounds is that it is 30 minutes in and out. I always burn close to 300 calories and sweat profusely.
Another favorite thing is the positivity and relationships. Everyone is cheerful, all the time. The trainers all know each other and get along. They all work out there, too.
Owners Melissa and Tim are some of my favorite people. They can be seen there training or working out themselves. One day I got to watch Mel training Tim who was working out. She had the pads and he was not holding back punching away.
I just recently got 100 work outs. I got a t shirt and a selfie posted. When I get 400 more, I’ll get golden gloves!
dianegclark 