Gym Wedding Cum Musical......

Let's face it. Attending a GXI's wedding, in FF, and prob in most other gyms, is a RARE occasion..... if you get my drift.

So yes, finally the speculation ended, ....Teoh (FSI) remarked, "I warned him you know, there's no turning back".... and Shades finally took the plunge. Yup, with Karynn. Actually, I think no one was surprised to find the wedding a semi full fledged musical. So the venue had a horrendous sound system, so the guests lost 80% of the lyrics, so 60% of the guests couldn't see their song and dance....but as long as the bride and groom had a good time, that's the most important thing.

So yeah, its also kinda strange to see all the GXI's (females) dolled up, and with clothes...as in, non gym attire. My my, what a visual feast. Even Macho Nippon Lady Instructor looked so lady, that the Macho moniker sooo does not apply. Jakarta Jan was stunning, as were Cindy and Swee.... it's also nice to see everyone so smiley and happy. Scenes like this always remind me of Louis Armstrong's It's A Wonderful World.

I've always known the couple to love singing. They're both heavily involved in their church's choir and music ministries, so as I said, I wouldn't have expected anything less. Heck, even Terence, no 1 in Tianjin, sang at his wedding. What more Shades, who probably harbors secret dreams of cutting his own album. I know the kind.

The entrance, he at the stage, she at the door, belting out a WHOLE NEW WORLD, from Aladdin. The sound system was a real let down. So we could only hear bits and pieces of the Jasmine and Aladdin duet. But it was a sweet concept.

The next number, after we were somewhat satiated with food, was a re-written PART OF YOUR WORLD, from Little Mermaid. Actually, it was rather touching, and funny, but again, the lyrics were lost coz of the bad sound system. As I was wandering around taking pics, I heard most of it, and thought it a pity that such effort did not reach the audience 100%.

Then there was a Grease number, YOU BETTER SHAPE UP..... hahaha, soooooo SHADES!!!!

The finale was definitely the brain child of Body Jammers, and I have to say, exceedingly well choreographed. It was to the Greast song, WE GO TOGETHER.... very entertaining dance moves. Wife commented she never seen a bride and groom do so much work on their wedding night. Was there enough energy for the other conjugal duties, I wonder?

For more pics of the event, you can go to these links. Part 1 & Part 2.

Anyway, congratulations, to the newly weds, and May God bless you both as you embark on this journey together.

Watching Reruns

After I emerged from Kenny's step class last Thursday, at Manulife, Jacq, (gorgeous woman) who was outside, waiting to teach Jam, muttered as she walked past me, "Hmmph, you had tickets for a red carpet premiere and you chose to stay home and watch reruns?".... She was of course, referring to her numerous invites for previews to the new release, (well, she DID pop 91.66% of my cherry, as I HAD done 11 out of the 12 tracks from the new release preview with her), and the fact that I found time to attend a usual class of old tracks.

Kenny's class is always entertaining. And a very mixed crowd, with ages ranging from errr...maybe early twenties to late 50s.... He was team teaching with another instructor. Loved the tracks he chose, and taught. What a great sweat.

Lets see, now, there was Kento's classes as usual...Lionheart has been missing the last two weeks. Which meant the classes weren't murder sessions. Combat as usual too. Was pleasantly surprised to see Shahnon there last week. This younger generation of combaters don't seem as willing to shout as the old ones.

And I've just done my back in, from lifting light grocery bags... roll eyes. Hope can still workout!

The Partial Popping....

In the previous episode of Fatboybakesatgym, ...there was food involved....
In this episode, yeah, well, there's food involved again....

Twas Lionheart's surprise birthday, about 2 Tuesdays ago.

The youth of today! You can read about the whole surprise thingamajig here, but that young chappie, the only one young enough to be Lionheart's son, on the guestlist, actually FONG FEI KEI-ed!!!! I am speechless. When I was 20, if I had an invite from a 4o ++ year old senior, I'd be there faster than you can say body pump.

Yeah, so, gosh, my gym membership has been severely underutilised. I don't think I went to the gym at all in that week of Lion's birthday.... at least, not to Fitness First. ExFCI did drag me along to Pushmore gym, for a free trial class....I swear he's trying to kill me.

Yeah, I shoulda had a clue, when we arrived, and the few people there were all young enough to be my spawn, and half my weight. As the owner, Jonathan (ex trainer and GXI in FF) ran us through the concept, and made us sign the indemnity form, and as I felt the life force drain from me the way money is drained from the BN coffers, we started. The warm up was 5 minutes of SKIPPING. SKIPPING!!!!! I HAVEN'T SKIPPED (with a rope) since Form 5 I think, when I was at least 30kgs lighter. Thump thump thump. I felt sorry for my soles and ankles.....I felt like the little mermaid, who had given up her tail for legs, where every step was like walking on nails...(read the original Hans Christian Andersen, not the romanticised Disney one)....

Then the next phase, in between warm up and main workout....situps, pushups, chin ups, (which obviously I cant do), .... THEN, came the real thing. Kettlebells, burpees, Handstand pushups or tricep dips (guess which ones I did), and box err..... jumps? Shudder..... anyway, gosh, the sense of achievement after that was enough to make me want to open a case of champagne...(which I did, the next day)....

Highly recommended for the young and adventurous seeking an alternative kind of workout. Thanks Jonathan for the free trial, and thank you, Hero, for dragging me along. By Sunday, the body was entirely paralysed....

Twas back to routine again on Monday, Pump with JPS. Lionheart wasn't there, and JPS was late, so he stuck to the 45 minute routine, and therefore it was quite an easy class, mercifully.

Tuesday was combat as usual, ...the class was crowded, but mainly with newbies. It's becoming a less and less familiar crowd. Also, quieter.... these young folk are not as inclined to shout as the people of old. However, it was very energetic, and a great workout. FCI commented I looked tired. I guess the weekend of partying, plus pushmore's killer workout was really taking its toll.

I was supposed to go for Wonder Woman/FSI's preview step class in Axis on Wednesday, but couldn't because of exhaustion. She sms-ed, "ONE LAST CHANCE, CURVE ON FRIDAY".

Good time to utilise my underutilised passport, to which she said, use, use, I'll stamp it and throw in some duty free too. Where's my duty free, Lady....

So I dutifully paid the exorbitant toll to get to the Curve.... on stage were Wonder Woman aka Gorgeous Woman, (depending on who's blog you read), FSI, (still clinging on to his title), and Fetty, a guest instructor from Indonesia. She's great!!! And as for GW, goes without saying la.... she could teach garbage collection, and it would STILL be a great class. Those three on stage are definitely in a different league. BUT, to my horror, they skipped conditioning, as it was a 45 minute class, SOOOO, my cherry is only partially popped!!! (for the new release)....

As I type, she has popped up on msn (bizarre) announcing:
Jacqueline says:
if you would like to be fully popped
wednesday axis 6pm last chance
all 12 tracks

WOW. Yeah, will try to make it.

So, that's the two weeks gone by.....

Yay, Mr Cool Is Back

The stars were finally aligned for me to grab the opportunity to attend Mr Cool's lunchtime pump class on Tuesday. The kids schedule, the availability of transport, etc etc.... AND the fact that I missed FPI's Monday class coz it was a public holiday, and chap gohmei, and I was getting wasted on champagne while gambling.....

Initially I thought I had stumbled into the wrong class....it felt like the British Women's Association Pump Class... everyone there was an expat wife....fortunately, the others started trickling in, and by the start of the class, it was a pretty respectable number for a lunchtime crowd. Certainly far far more crowded than the Tuesday 5.40 class in Manulife.

Yeah, Ben Sim is in a league of his own. No doubt about that. The bar seems to be a natural extension of his body, and the cueing etc all so natural, as if he speaks it in his daily conversation. I love that he teaches and reminds you how to breathe. I think he has gathered quite a following in his tuesday class. They really should slot him for more classes.

I had done the Gasing Hill hike the day before, (Monday), and it being my viriginal hike, I expected massive aches all over, but surprisingly, there were none. However, the same cant be said after Ben's class. I am aching all over, (also I haven't done pump for a couple of weeks), from my breast....oops, chest, to my legs. Damn good workout.

Anyhow, despite the erratic gym attendance during this CNY period, one mustn't forsake one's friends, and well, a picture speaks a thousand words.

IMHO, A Star is Born.........

To be honest, I am a bit worried that when this present batch of FIs get old and wither away, like the autumn leaves in autumn, and when their ligaments wear off like old brake pads, who will replace them? Let's face it, some of them are wearing out even before their time, due to over exertion, constant thumping, ..... but my worry doesn't only stem from loving concern for their welfare, but for my own good, for ahem, to be quite honest, I dont seem to "connect" with most of the newbies classes I've attended. Maybe with the passage of time, they will eventually evolve to be as good (good being a relative term) as their predecessors and mentors. There seem to be gaping holes in the succession, ...... much like the Chrystanthemum Throne.... like Combat, for example. If FCI retires, I cannot think of whose class I'd like to attend....maybe its time to start shopping around. ... For Step, for now, there are still a lot of fantastic oldies around, but when they go, ....who then?

SO, indeed, it was a breath of fresh air, when this young lad, same birthdate (as in day and month, not year) as me, who added me onto Facebook because of that (geee, normally I wouldn't have entertained these additions from strangers), invited me to attend his pump class, where he was replacing Sue. Yeah, it sounds almost scandalous, chatting on FB with a lad young enough to me my son, but heck, so is FPI aka JPS. But anyway, I did frivolously mention once that if he ever taught in FF, Manulife, specifically, I'd make an effort to attend the class.

Anyway, the Wed 4.45pm class isn't as hardcore as the Monday 4.45pm class, and the young lad, being a guest instructor and all, certainly wasn't going to try to cram 10 tracks, so I knew I should be able to survive the class. Not a bad turnout, probably around 10 people. I enjoyed the class, although there was no flicker of recognition, no smile, no nod, NUFFINK AITELYA, to even hint that he knew I was the FB "penpal". Good strong command, good diction, good cueing..... physically he reminded me of a cross between JPS and Eugene Nyam.... JPS prob because of the age, and height. I reckon this one has potential. No regrets, going for the class. As we're still on the new release, there were no surprises there either..... except it seemed a bit easier than JPS' class.... hmmmm, wonder WHY!

Tuesday combat as usual, the class is regaining its crowds, lost somewhat during the fler's suspension. As I entered just before the start of the class, there was already no space in the frontal area....This release is tiring, especially track 6, with the Esciva? Escobar? whatever.... with the lunges and front kicks. Far too many directions in such a short time for an old man like me. FCI looks happy, and cheery, which is good. The tall guy, who had disappeared for a long time now, suddenly made a reappearance. Maybe he's on summer holiday or something. The landscape of the class is changing, with fewer and fewer familiar faces.

Monday, JPS's class, painful as usual despite the relatively easy release. I dread next week when the old tracks flood the class once again. Managed to balance the bar on my shoulders for that weird squats during lunges.

Pop Pop Pop

Saturday afternoon, 3rd January, .....

"I am still feeling the after shock effects of the New Year Eve party. Sluggish can't even begin to describe my state. It's more like zombified. I have to get myself out of the rut. I need to SWEAT, NOW!".

I head to the gym, and because I had other errands to run that morning, I decided the most effective way to spend the time was to jog on the treadmill. I plod along quite happily, when suddenly there's a tap on my shoulder, and its Serena (Richelle). Arghhhhhh, she can't be running next to me. It's like a hippo running alongside a gazelle!!! (Note, it rhymes with richelle). Sigh. Anyway, the hippo completes his 30 minute stampede, covers 4.4km, sweating like a pig on heat.... (actually I learnt recently in the Singapore zoo that hippos cant sweat, that's why they like to soak in the tub).

Feeling very proud of myself, that I had managed to detox a bit of the excesses of alcohol, I continued with the rest of the day, when I got THIS sms:

From Jacqueline Wong aka Gorgeous Woman:
HAS YOUR BS74 CHERRY BEEN POPPED YET?

Thanks to the online schedule that wasnt working, I didnt even know she was teaching that day, or I myself would have sms-ed her to ask if she was teaching. Well, as it happened, I hadn't popped my cherry for any of the new releases.

I reply that I will try to be there, and she replies, "YES! POP POP POP!!!"

With much effort, limbs still aching from the hippo run, (sheesh, gazelle was galloping away effortlessly), I dragged myself to the step class. Of course, GW can teach anything and the class would still be excellent, so what can I say, it WAS excellent. As I fumbled over some steps, she sniggered, and said, "I'm laughing WITH you, not AT you". Yeah, right.

With more cherries to be popped, I almost eagerly went for Body Pump on Monday as usual. As expected, Lionheart does not grace classes in the first 3 weeks of new releases, as he bores easily. JPS aka FPI kinda hinted that it was a tough release.

Harumph. After the torture he's been subjecting us to in the last month, the new release was like drinking shandy after months of AK47 or Long Island Tea. That was my original assessment. However, maybe its like small doses of arsenic, as opposed to his usual hemlock, that kills you instantly. I found myself aching like hell the next day. Interesting changes. No bar work for triceps, some funny manouvre in lunges that require you to balance the bar in front, like a circus clown. Can't really say it's an evocative release. I doubt any of those tracks will see light of day once the compulsory period for new releases is over.

And finally, my combat cherry, reserved of course for FCI. Actually, of all the 3 new releases I've tried, I think combat is my favourite. Lots of seemingly new stuff. I guess it makes sense. Afterall, there are endless permutations for violence and fighting, whereas, how many ways can you STEP, right? Up and down and up and down. So combat choreographers have it good, as they have a far larger choice of movements.

I found combat exhausssssting. I enjoyed FCI's class tremendously, and looks like lots of absentees in December were now back, as the class was packed. I kinda like the 8th track, that back to basic jabs, uppercuts and hooks. Something very primal and adrenaline pumping.

Yeah, so happy new year everyone. I did attend some classes before the end of the year, but ugh, they are not worthy of mention. ..........

On a separate note, YAY, MR COOL is teaching pump in Manulife again. But aiyo, its on Tuesday lunchtime, when I would have hardly recovered from FPI's pump on Monday. Drat. But at least Mr Cool is now in the radar, so maybe he might drop into some of the other slots, or even RPM.

I've Been Lazy........

In the blink of an eye, its been 2 weeks since my last post. I think I've been eating and partying more than I have been gymming, which probably explains the lack of updates. I mean, I did turn another year older in the last two weeks....



And special thanks to the very good and beloved gym friends who made the turning of age so much more memorable. Sometimes, I look at the scales, and realise the best thing to have come out of me joining the gym is really the friendships that have been forged, both with members and instructors. Thanks yhsmom, Lionheart and Sunshine for the dinner and present. It was a wonderful evening. Aiyo, such generosity, very hard to reciprocate.

Hmmm, thinking very hard...oh, I was out of town from 2nd - 4th December, which meant skipping FPI's Monday class, because I was lazy, and FCI's class, because I was out of town. Then, I think I went for Serena's pump class on the Friday following that..... of course she expressed mock shock and surprise to see me there. But truth be told, I love her class, and would make it a point to attend regularly, were it not for the fact that it's on Friday night. Friday nights are usually bad. Between baking, bible study and partying, there is inevitably some obstacle.

Anyway, it was a darn painful class, considering the girl had just returned from a long hiatus from teaching pump. There was a board for yhsmom, in abstentia. But yeah, pain pain pain all the way. Lionheart was looking gleeful and relishing every bit of pain.

I think I went jogging, on Saturday morning, and Kiara walk on Sunday, so no gym, until the following Monday, which was FPI's class as usual. Ugh, it was a tough tough class. Felt my arms were about to fall off. It was a public holiday, and class was in the morning, at 10.30am. Don't people want to sleep in or something? It was a cold, rainy, british day, and STILL the class was full. In fact, Lion and Mrs Lion, yhsmom etc were all there. Like a reunion! But oh the pain the pain.

If I had any strength left in the arms, it was completely annihilated by Tuesday night, after FCI's class and triceps blasters. The cast of the class seems to have changed drastically. Apart from one or two familiar faces, everyone looks very new and young. Maybe I am in demographic denial. But FCI looked in good spirits and channelled his energies effectively in making the class enjoyable.

Then again the lazy bug hit with the momentum of a fatboy rolling down a slope, and I let myself Jabbarise in a mire of slime as I chomped my way through helpings of wagyu beef.....until I felt I had to sweat if not I might explode and infest the world with maggots....so made myself go to the gym in the only slot available on Saturday, which was body vive, with Klevin. Who of course, also expressed shock and horror to see me there. I find Vive quite challenging, but somehow it doesnt give me that adrenalin rush that you get from RPM (Gasp, did i just say that?), or a good Jog. As I was really tight for time, I had no choice but to do a quickie on the treadmill, after vive. Great class though, vive. Love the music. That Young Man who was probably not born when most of the vive tracks were written, alluded to Mamma Mia when he played Waterloo. Hmm, as far as I know, that song doesn't appear in the main musical, maybe only in the remix they sing as an encore. Certainly doesn't appear in the movie. These young flers ah, think all Abba songs = Mamma mia.... Roll eyes.