Let the Games Begin: Hunger Games Workout

I don’t understand how it’s been more than a year and a half since the first Hunger Games movie came out. I mean, I was still in my 20s! #oldnow

But last night, Catching Fire came out, and New York Sports Club invited me to a Hunger Games-themed workout today.

Ropes, bow, gong, GO.

The Train Like a Tribute workout is 12 stations, on NYSC’s turf UXF Zone. (UXF is basically their version of CrossFit.)

The super-buff trainer Shayne Staley led us through a 4-minute warmup before we began.

AND THEN WE BEGAN.

The workout is a circuit workout with twelve exercises, each of which is done for a minute.

Some of the exercises:

Katniss Killers: Lunges with a bow. Harder than they look.

Peacekeeper Battle Ropes: Throwing down those bigass ropes up there. Have you ever used those?? No? They will kick your ass, promise.

Paralyzing Fog Flips: I think these were when we picked up a medicine ball and slammed it to the ground. These are supposed to mimic “the fog paralyzing the tributes, and others have to carry them to safety.”

Forcefield Planks: These were my favorite! We did a plank with one hand up on the wall, and then the trainer came up to me to tell me to lift the opposite leg, too. If i had fallen, I would have been zapped by the forcefield, obviously.

White Rose: Improve posture with upper back rows named for President Snow’s boutonniere. These were done with TRX straps, which I forgot that I kind of love.

Tsunami Row Machine: NBD, just train for escaping tidal waves on this machine.

Quarter Quell Kettle Bell Swings: These are to “shoulder” the burden of the victors fighting to “remember who the enemy is!”

Pretty sure Alex and I are ready to enter the Arena.

We attended the media preview, but this is a free class (open to both members and non-members!) that will be held on Mondays (1:30pm) and Fridays (noon) at the 62nd and Broadway NYSC for the next month or so. Philly, Boston and D.C. – they will also be doing the program there!

I tried CrossFit once and liked it, but if this is sort of what CrossFit is like (fun, functional fitness)…well, then I get why everyone sips the Kool-Aid. Awesome, now I have another variable in my Quest for Next Fitness Challenge.

Hunger Games fan? CrossFit fan?