[open] pump up the jam (a.k.a the fitness mingle post)

[galactically]

Who: Sheryl (galactically) and YOU!
What: Exercise classes (see the class schedule)
When: April 11th/13th/15th, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM
Where: Menrva's temple @ the ballroom
Warnings: Fanservice, possible violence, and Genos

Notes: Feel free to make your own top-levels! Threadhop to your heart's content. c:

[Sheryl doesn't attend classes too often nowadays due to her work schedule, but she always makes sure to be on time once the clock strikes three thirty — or at least be fashionably early. Even teachers like herself have to look her best, especially in simple but flattering gym clothes. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon, the ballroom is open for all things fitness, and Sheryl plans to give her students one hell of a workout.

Don't let her vibrant smiles fool you; she turns into an enthusiastic yet merciless drill sergeant should you ever fall behind on your exercises. The microphone she carries around has a built-in cord that she uses as a whip — definitely not for show! A certain assistant will also be by her side, and he's just as tough if not more so.

To all slackers... abandon hope all ye who enter.]



Outside the Ballroom
[Nothing brings more prospective students together in one place than good ol' promotion, and Sheryl is not above using whatever is on her disposal to gain more members. She already made a BBS post announcing her classes, so now it's time for another tactic: food.

With a charming smile and a wink, she gestures at a small platter of turkey and cheese sandwiches on a nearby table right next to the sign-up sheet.]

Want to get in shape? Gain some extra muscle on your arms or legs? Build up stamina? Then you've come to the right place!

Exercises
[Congratulations, you're now part of the exercise class — whether you're only just stopping by for one session, visiting out of sheer curiosity, or who knows what else. There is plenty of sweating, stretching, fat burning, and muscle building to be done. Mats are on the floor for people to use, and various equipment such as exercise balls, dumbbells, jump ropes, and hula hoops can be seen. There's also a radio that Sheryl is using to turn up the volume so to speak.

So, what can a typical student expect from Sheryl's class?]

Yoga: A whole lot of stretching limbs, balancing acts, and dramatic poses. They start out as simple as lotus positions and cobra poses, but slowly progress into the intermediate positions such as downward-facing dog poses and tree poses. And then... the dreaded plow pose. At least there is music to relax to.

Pilates: Core strength training, breathing, and more stretching through special moves. Feel the burn as you stretch your limbs while squeezing your stomach at the same time!

Other Exercises: Sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, playing with jump rope and hula hoops, etc.

Muscle Training: Want to be super buff? Grab some dumbbells and go to town! They are available from small (about five pounds) to large (about twenty).

Running: Enjoy your laps around the ballroom while catchy music plays in the background! Go race someone! Or you could be a turtle...

Break Time
[Sheryl may be stringent, but let it be said that she's capable of mercy. Everyone should get a break or two now and then, hence why there are healthy snacks and drinks on the table. She's actually taken the opportunity to make small bowls of pot-au-feu, which smells and looks incredibly edible... and some fruit bars, which look lumpy. Sheryl may excel in certain skills, but baking is not one of them — much to her chagrin, coming from a woman who's usually very confident.

Take this opportunity to socialize, eat some food, sneak out of the ballroom, fool around, hide in the corners, etc.]

Comments

[bighand]

[Ah... He looks down at the weights in his hands, brow furrowed like he's not entirely sure how to phrase this-]

I... already possess extraordinary strength in only one arm. Lifting the same amount of weight in both would be like lifting a feather for this hand.

[The big one, he means. Obviously, but he's still holding it up, weights and all.]

[galactically]

[Kija's scaly arm looks rather strong that even the regular weights would weigh like nothing, she suspects, flicking her gaze over to the selection of weights on the table.]

Balance is still important, isn't it? But so is the amount of lifts.

[This might be tricky...]

Try lifting twenty for your regular arm to strengthen its muscles even more.

[bighand]

[But... alright, she's the boss. He still looks somewhat wary as he puts his weights down and reaches for the twenty with his other hand and tries to pick it up. It's definitely a strain...]

I don't think it's going to work.

[galactically]

Are you feeling the burn yet, Kija? Because you should!

[She's also checking to make sure his wrist is all straight even as he picks up the weight because, well... she's stringent as heck in an attempt to ensure there wouldn't be any injuries on her watch.]

[bighand]

[His wrist might be straight but his whole body is suffering. At least he's not too prideful to look anguished about this, because he sure is.]

Am I going to burn? Is it preventable?

[galactically]

That burn is a good thing, actually. It means your muscles are getting the work-out they truly need to become stronger.

[In other words, she's letting him suffer feel the burn. 8(]

Just five more curl-ups to go! You can do it!

[bighand]

[Pain is good?? Now he's going to overdo it, watch out for this. But later, when he's not agonizing over five more curl-ups.]

If I must suffer the burn to gain strength... [He will. He will do five more. Or four and a half, before he gives up and lets his arm hang limply at his side.]

In the end, it was impossible.

[galactically]

[So close, Kija, so close! Except she won't let him off easily, unfortunately. With her arms crossed in front of her, she shakes her head with a stern look.]

You think I'm going to let you slack off when you're on your last one? Finish it!

[So bossy, Sheryl...]

Also you need to pace yourself!

[bighand]

[Sheryyyyllll...!!]

Am I not exercising at this speed? How many times must I feel the burn?

[He'll do it. He'll do the last curl. He's trying.]

[galactically]

You were going too fast at first!

[Too fast by Sheryl's standards, at least, as she squints at the way Kija is finishing up his last curl.]

But it looks like you fixed your speed in time. Once you're done with this, you can take a break.

[bighand]

[He has no self control and he will learn nothing from this. He's honestly pretty sure he did that last one wrong because it hurt the most, and one day maybe he will realize the fault in his thinking. But not today.]

Hmm. [taking a break seems fake, even if the burn is terrible.] Then, would you explain the purpose of the squishy floor in the meantime?

[galactically]

[Breaks are necessary, okay!]

The squishy floor?

[Sheryl pauses, leveling her gaze on to the mats and poking her toes at it before she looks back at Kija.]

Ah, you've never seen mats before? I brought them over so when someone falls over, they don't crack their head open.

[bighand]

[Ah, for safety... That's pretty obvious in retrospect. His gaze drifts over to the designated yoga area, next.]

And sitting in strange positions is for... entertainment?

[galactically]

Strange positions?

[Sheryl follows Kija's line of vision, then lets out some chortling, shaking her head.]

That's to make sure your body becomes nice and flexible. Some of these exercises are actually helpful in losing weight and controlling your breathing.

[bighand]

Oh! ... I don't understand how.

[It's just bending?? It just looks like bending from here.]

[galactically]

If you stretch your limbs often, the muscles will turn strong. You'll prevent injuries that way during certain exercises.

[She curls a finger around her chin in thought. Explaining it is different from actually seeing the exercises themselves.]

It'd be better to experience it for yourself.

[bighand]

[Well, it sounds... pretty good!! He already likes the sound of it more than lifting these weights and feeling the burn.]

Will you teach me? If you're too busy, I will understand...

[galactically]

[Sheryl takes a moment to pause, pretending to look thoughtful about this as she takes an idle glimpse at the ceiling. She's already made up her mind.]

Next time.

[And then a firm nod with a smile]

I'll definitely teach you the basics, first.

[bighand]

[That's a really intimidating couple seconds before she answers him- he really thinks she might refuse!! But ah, the talented Miss Sheryl will teach him how to increase his strength without burning...]

I will arrive early, then!

[galactically]

I'll hold you to that!

[As his teacher, how could she possibly say no?? She can't, not when she appreciates how Kija looks, all gung-ho about exercise. It's adorable.]

[bighand]

[He'll be there an hour before he's supposed to, waiting patiently, come hell or high water!! It'll be great.]

O-of course! I wouldn't dare disappoint you by being tardy... Should I bring Jae-Ha? I worry about his strength waning with all of the late nights he spends out.

[Just telling people this stuff about his buddy, that's fine, he won't mind.]

[galactically]

[The best kind of student: one who shows up an hour early before everyone else.]

Of course you can bring him along! I've seen his stretches and they're on point.

[She'd also seen his jumping techniques for herself, too, welp.]

Is he a friend of yours, Kija?

[bighand]

[Rest in pieces, Jae-Ha. Doing yoga in boots.]

Of course. He's my destined companion, so naturally we get along perfectly.

Ah, and we serve the same god.

[galactically]

Heeeh, you're making it sound like the two of you are soulmates.

[She's teasing you, Kija! She knows exactly what he means; her tone says as much.]

Do you now? That's nice to hear.

[bighand]

[Okay but what if they are... they kind of are for a different reason... Kija's pause and subsequent sheepishly looking down betrays that he's totally thinking about this. Hm.]

Y- Yes, she is the goddess Eos... She was here with us earlier today.