Excuses for exercising never stop

A new year - one more time! I see a lot of new faces and a lot of "old" ones, too. Some of you got a head start on 2005 and came back to fitness in December. Some of you even asked Santa for new exercise clothes, anticipating the coming year of sweat. I'm proud of you all. It takes a lot of moral strength to crawl back into exercise and demand our old place back.

No excuses, even if your socks don't match and your shorts have holes. Your chosen sport will welcome you back in spite of your lack of fashion. Every year about this time, I list the most popular exercise excuses, but this year I think I'll make up some of my own.

Let's start with the easy ones. "The floor is too cold." "The floor is too hard." "The room is too hot." "The air is too cold." "The room smells like sweat."

"The music is too loud." "The music is too soft." "No motivation." "I don't like western, jazz, rock, old, new, fast or slow music." "It's too crowded."

"I need to lose 15 pounds first before I start back to exercise." "I need to gain some weight first, especially in the chest." "The lights in here are too bright." "What happened to the lights? Did somebody die?" "I need more running sequences." "Gad, do we have to run for so long?" "Why do we have to spend so much time on abdominal exercises?" "I want more workout time with hand weights." "Is it really necessary that I work with these stupid weights?"

"I like traveling routines. Can't you include more of them in your routines?" "Don't put any of those fancy traveling steps in, or I'm outta here." "I want a class just for women." "Where are all the men?"

"What do you mean you're substituting for our regular teacher? I can't work with a sub." "How about a different instructor once in awhile? I'm tired of you." "I hate that song." "I had a fight with my boyfriend, and I can't come to class if he's there."

Jerry Vance is owner of The Sweat Shop/Wet Sweat. She offers classes through Carson City Recreation and Aquatics Center and is a fitness instructor for the Senior Center.