In keeping with the theme of trying new things now that I have been living in Switzerland for more than one year, I have joined the student gym and have started taking Pilates classes through the ASVZ. I have been trying to stay active by running outside for most of the year, but in the winter when it is cold and dark both before and after work, I have had a harder time convincing myself to get out and run, especially since part of my normal run takes me through the woods.
Thus, the classes offered through the ASVZ are really useful for these winter months, and, once you have a membership (less than 200 CHF for a whole year), you can go to as many classes as you wish. The location couldn't be more convenient, as it is just the next building over. In fact, we don't even have to go outside, since the buildings are connected with skyways. Score!
I've been going to class 2-3 times a week, usually with a colleague or three. We often go during the day (at lunch or late afternoon), since the evening classes are so full, and then just make up the time by working later or whatever. It is really nice to have a break during the day to be active and do something different. With the exception of a brief, ill-fated foray into yoga, I've been going just to Pilates classes.
This has been my first exposure to Pilates, and, of course, the classes are all taught in German. If I'm really lucky, the instructor will speak high German, but otherwise they are speaking Swiss German, which is almost entirely unintelligible to me. By going back to the same instructors, I've been making strides in understanding, and even learning some good body- and exercise-related German vocabulary. However, most of the time I just look at what other people are doing and follow along.
This strategy is mostly successful, except when you chose the wrong person to watch. For example, one time we were in child's pose, and then all of the sudden everyone was on their feet doing a warrior pose or something like that. But I had been watching the person next to me, who was apparently taking it easy and extending his time in child's pose. Ooops!
A few other times, the instructor has corrected something I was doing wrong, at first by attempting to speak to me, and then, when I showed no sign of changing my ways, by grabbing my body and manipulating it into the correct position. But, really, no big deal.
Until last week, when I was called out in two separate classes by the respective instructors. The first time, we were laying on our mats on our backs, having just finished an exercise. The instructor was explaining in German how we were going to add a movement with our legs (or something), and I was pretty confident that I had understood. However, the instructor just kept on talking, and I got lost, so I just stopped paying attention. Finally, my colleague Laura, whispered from right next to me, "Sarah! He's talking to you!"
I had absolutely no idea what he was saying, so I whispered back, "What is he saying?"
To which she responded, "He's asking if you understand!"
Clearly, I had no idea what was going on, so I had to confess that I did not understand, in English. He promptly switched to English, explained the exercise (which, in fact, I had understood), and then chastised me mildly for not having asked a question if I didn't understand. He finished his little monologue with, "You shouldn't just sit there in your delirium- you need to ask!"
Apparently, I appeared delirious? Anyways, it was pretty embarrassing to be called out for not understanding German in front of a huge class. But I got over it, enough to go to a class with a different instructor a few days later.
Luckily, the room was super full, so I felt safe doing Pilates in my German-ignorant way. We were almost at the end of the class when the teacher walked over, grabbed my legs, and started talking away in Swiss German. (By the way, even my German colleagues don't really understand this particular teacher, because her Swiss German is really strong.) And she wasn't going to go away until we had a discussion, so I had to say, "I"m sorry, I have no idea what you just said!" She promptly switched to English, said what she needed to say (something about my leg position), and then walked away.
Cue me melting into the floor. I'm afraid that the combination of my Pilates ignorance and my rudimentary German skills just means that I will be a problem Pilates pupil for a while. But I do enjoy it, for the most part. It's an experience, anyways!
Thus, the classes offered through the ASVZ are really useful for these winter months, and, once you have a membership (less than 200 CHF for a whole year), you can go to as many classes as you wish. The location couldn't be more convenient, as it is just the next building over. In fact, we don't even have to go outside, since the buildings are connected with skyways. Score!
I've been going to class 2-3 times a week, usually with a colleague or three. We often go during the day (at lunch or late afternoon), since the evening classes are so full, and then just make up the time by working later or whatever. It is really nice to have a break during the day to be active and do something different. With the exception of a brief, ill-fated foray into yoga, I've been going just to Pilates classes.
This has been my first exposure to Pilates, and, of course, the classes are all taught in German. If I'm really lucky, the instructor will speak high German, but otherwise they are speaking Swiss German, which is almost entirely unintelligible to me. By going back to the same instructors, I've been making strides in understanding, and even learning some good body- and exercise-related German vocabulary. However, most of the time I just look at what other people are doing and follow along.
This strategy is mostly successful, except when you chose the wrong person to watch. For example, one time we were in child's pose, and then all of the sudden everyone was on their feet doing a warrior pose or something like that. But I had been watching the person next to me, who was apparently taking it easy and extending his time in child's pose. Ooops!
A few other times, the instructor has corrected something I was doing wrong, at first by attempting to speak to me, and then, when I showed no sign of changing my ways, by grabbing my body and manipulating it into the correct position. But, really, no big deal.
Until last week, when I was called out in two separate classes by the respective instructors. The first time, we were laying on our mats on our backs, having just finished an exercise. The instructor was explaining in German how we were going to add a movement with our legs (or something), and I was pretty confident that I had understood. However, the instructor just kept on talking, and I got lost, so I just stopped paying attention. Finally, my colleague Laura, whispered from right next to me, "Sarah! He's talking to you!"
I had absolutely no idea what he was saying, so I whispered back, "What is he saying?"
To which she responded, "He's asking if you understand!"
Clearly, I had no idea what was going on, so I had to confess that I did not understand, in English. He promptly switched to English, explained the exercise (which, in fact, I had understood), and then chastised me mildly for not having asked a question if I didn't understand. He finished his little monologue with, "You shouldn't just sit there in your delirium- you need to ask!"
Apparently, I appeared delirious? Anyways, it was pretty embarrassing to be called out for not understanding German in front of a huge class. But I got over it, enough to go to a class with a different instructor a few days later.
Luckily, the room was super full, so I felt safe doing Pilates in my German-ignorant way. We were almost at the end of the class when the teacher walked over, grabbed my legs, and started talking away in Swiss German. (By the way, even my German colleagues don't really understand this particular teacher, because her Swiss German is really strong.) And she wasn't going to go away until we had a discussion, so I had to say, "I"m sorry, I have no idea what you just said!" She promptly switched to English, said what she needed to say (something about my leg position), and then walked away.
Cue me melting into the floor. I'm afraid that the combination of my Pilates ignorance and my rudimentary German skills just means that I will be a problem Pilates pupil for a while. But I do enjoy it, for the most part. It's an experience, anyways!
