Equivalent of the 3 Tenors

They are what Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras are to the Opera. The 3 errr.... I can't think of a suitable word, not quite DIVAS, (only one of them is a true blooded diva)....

Anyway, I was referring to the Charity Combat event held in the Curve on Saturday. 1½ hour class, taught by FCI, FDI and No 1 in Tianjin. It was my first exposure to the new release, and I have to say, I love the music and the movements. Okay, I am not lithe enough to do those flying side kicks, AND in any case, with that kind of crowd, I reckon it can be quite hazardous. That pummeling move in the muay thai from SO WHAT is also back, in the current muay thai track.

I couldn't help thinking, seeing them on stage, all synchronised, that those three could have been male dancers in some seedy bar, without much problem. All three have vastly different styles. For the We Will Rock You muay thai, (which I lurve), FDI suddenly burst into a Can Can move instead of doing knees. He's hilarious. Well, since 2 days have elapsed since the event, I can't recall much detail anymore. It was like a reunion, FCI's normal crowd in MJH, and FDI's normal crowd on Saturday, (except sunshine...where oh where did sunshine go? Behind the clouds) so people like Megs and THX (or is it Dolby) were there too. Haven't seen them in ages. Sidekick was there this time. Presumably No1 in Tianjin's fans were there too. Choobacca was also present. Lots of instructors milling around too, FSI was guarding the entrance to the sacred lair, bumped into OFPI (outgoing Fave Pump Instructor), who has lost a lot of weight, and didnt appreciate me saying he looked so skinny, like gollum. YI, Riyo....Boy Robin...

Actually FDI sent me some pics but its on another pc, so will post them once I get home.

Oh, Merry Christmas everyone.

Monday Pump

Ah, back to some semblance of routine. Young Instructor's pump class on Monday. All the familiar faces. A lot more banter these days. One of the flers there just became a new dad. Two of us seasoned dads rolled eyes at his sleepless nights.

Anyway, it was a good class as usual. Sweated more than usual, coz I think it was rather intense. Can't remember the track names, but every track seemed tough. YI I reckon has great potential, and I am sure in a few years down the line, he'll be one heck of an instructor. As usual, he managed to squeeze 10 tracks into that time slot. The overall atmosphere in the gym seems quiet, as though some christmas plague of laziness has hit. The jam class afterward seemed quieter than usual as well.

Oh, I notice my ex FCI seems to be back in full swing, taking THREE classes on 2nd January, ie, Pump, RPM and Pilates. Must check it out.

Also, side note from yhsmom, TIME MAGAZINE MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD goes to YOU!!!! FDI must be chuffed!!!

Ah, To Be Able To Blog About Gym Again

After an incredibly long break, considering I wasn't abroad, (more than 10 days) of no Les Mills group x classes, I decided at 6.20pm on friday, I was going to leave my half iced cake, and dash to manulife for richelle's pump class. Now, in retrospect, it was kinda dumb of me to pick her class of all classes, to suddenly start pump again. I should have eased myself in with someone less killer.

It was like a family reunion. Lionheart, yhsmom were all there, and lionheart very kindly help me set up while I dashed to changing room to change. Funny how we all seem to know each other's weights. If I was helping him set up, I'd know that you need 4x10kg, 2x5kg and 2x2.5kg. No donuts for the man. Whereas I still need donuts for upright rows, as the elbow is acting up again.
All I remember of the class, its as if the brain had selective amnesia for pain (they say a woman eventually forgets the pain of childbirth....can anyone verify this?), was that the lunge track, had squats, and Lionheart, who was carrying only HALF of his normal squat track weight, was moaning like ..... a lion with a thorn in its paw.

Needless to say, I was aching all over the next day. This inordinate muscle ache coupled with a hangover from Friday night revelry was not a good combo to go for FDI's combat class on saturday.

FDI's class wasn't as crowded as usual. Was half expecting FCI to show up, as he said he might. Even after the warm up I was already feeling exhausted, AND I made the mistake of standing in the front row. I was telling sunshine that I was getting a stiff neck, looking up to FDI. Oridi he's quite tall, standing on stage sum more, was like watching a movie in the front row. Mistake mistake.

I have to say when you're a star diva, you're a star diva. For track 6, I'll do anything for love, FDI completely got the choreo for the back kick, front kick and knife mixed up. We were doing front kick, back kick, knife, which felt realllly strange.... then midway, he selamba only, without even uttering a word or batting an eyelid, but with a slight knowing smile, changed it back to the correct move. I guess that's what the divas and stars do when they forget their lines.

The class seemed rather quiet overall. Around track 7 or 8, FSI made an appearance with video camera in hand. According to FDI the class energy suddenly seemed to increase. Anyway, sunshine was also feeling exhausted, according to her, and so was FDI, so maybe there's a vortex in the Curve sucking away our energy on saturday.

Almost made it to YI's class in Curve on Sunday afternoon, coz kids had a birthday party in Royal Bintang, but the traffic was HORRRRRRENDOUS, and by the time I parked, it was too late.

New Launch

Another new launch dawns upons us, heralding the end of another quarter, reminding us how quickly time flies.

I haven't been to the gym since last tuesday, ie, 5th December. As FDI's status message on his msn says, "Tis the season to be FAT."

I am amazed at the inordinate amount of comments spawned by the When Will I Jam Post. Some of the comments are completely out of topic. Hallo, this isn't fitness fever or a forum. Doesn't really bother me la. Just that someone pointed it out.

So, apparently there's this big big launch in SPK this Monday. Aiyo, can't even drag my lazy ass to Manulife down the road, expect me to beat the mad KL traffic (especially if it rains) to ASS PEE KAY? Gotta be kidding right. And get this!!! To do JAM!!! Get stuck in one kind of jam to do another kind.

However, doesn't mean coz I haven't been to gym means I haven't been exercising. There are other ways of burning calories, and keep the heart pumping, apart from ahem, Les Mills classes. But having said that, it has been my longest hiatus from Group Ex classes since I started joining, (apart from the times that I've been overseas....but even then, apart from the one trip to London and Bordeaux last year and another one to Australia end of 2004, the other trips have been relatively short, less than a week kinda thing), nearly 10 days and counting. Which means I haven't seen Lionheart, yhsmom, and even FSI, FDI, for gasp, a long long time!!! (FCI i see from time to time, and his was the last class I went to before hiatus)

Will Be Of To Penang

Dont expect to hear from me till Wednesday, earliest, as I'm off to Penang for wife's aunt's grandson's baptism and aunt's 70th.

Meanwhile, I am posting this on behalf of yhsmom, who was bemoaning the fact that some people expect their 1000 sq ft of floor space around to be empty when doing combat. Yar, it can get rather annoying to get the odd person telling you you're standing too close, when in reality, they coulnt reach you with a two shuffle right and a sidekick. She said that if this particular person did combat in Manulife, 1/3rd of the studio would have to be vacated for her.

There there now, yhsmom, no need to get irritated by these small things. Next time just sock her in the face or roundhouse her bum la.

When Will I Do Jam?

Due to the overwhelming response of calls and invitations to do Body Jam, I feel a dedicated post is justified to reply. Anyway, when will I do jam?


Answer: When....

If You Can Shout On Saturdays, You Can Shout On Tuesdays

The jam going into Jln Gelenggang was HORRENDOUS. Surely they can't be ALL going for combat!!! It took me a good 8 minutes to meander through that set of lights, and enter the building. I forgot my parking ticket, so had to go back to the carpark to get it. Wasn't feeling well either, aching from pump yesterday, and felt nauseous, maybe from the spare specs I'm wearing, which was giving me a headache. But out of LOVE for FCI, I dragged myself to Body Combat....

But still, that did not immunize us from remarks like, "Come on, if you can shout on saturdays, you can shout on tuesdays", alluding obviously to FDI's saturday class in the curve. Sunshine and Sidekick were also in the class. Actually, Sidekick entered late, and FCI squinted to see who it was, and was hoping it was Lionheart, but of course, I had to tell him that Lionheart had gone for FDI's BODY JAM class together with yhsmom. Well, fair's fair, seems to have been an exchange program going on. Lionheart & yhsmom (well, she doesn't usually go for this class), traded for Sunshine and Sidekick. More jibes about Saturday classes came our way, like "can you please try to look like you're enjoying this class, like Saturday class", so much so, at one point, I could have sworn the others in the class looked abit annoyed at the extended banter, like, "what's this? private party ah".....Well, don't blame me, I didn't ask for it!!!

Speaking of which, I dunno why, but there were farrrr too many breaks in last night's class. I could have baked a cake in between the lengthy commentaries. Nevertheless, it was as usual, a great class. A tad crowded, but that's normal. Without dear old Cerberus at the door, the flood of illegals are like those into Sabah. Me included, yesterday.

Not Good To Take Long Breaks

First body pump in like 2½ weeks, and boy oh boy, was it torture. I swear, YI's classes are getting tougher and tougher....either that, or he's tailored the classes to suit Lionheart and choosing killer tracks. He made a reference yesterday, "your heart should be pumping now, like a lionheart".

I've actually missed the last two weeks of his class, the last pump I went to was with Mr Ben Cool Sim, who was teaching us how to breathe. Would someone be so kind as to summarise when to breathe, coz actually I reckon it's really important.
Fill in the blanks:

Triple Rows, inhale while?
Biceps, inhale while?
Triceps, inhale while?
Clean and Press, inhale while?
Chest, inhale while?
Pushups, inhale while?

(I guess the exhale will be for the opposite movement, as per Newton's laws, so its understood).

Apart from squats, I stuck to my usual weights, and felt like dying. Lunges was PARTICULARLY difficult for me yesterday, don't know if it has to do with the fact the last time I did pump, I was in my 30s, whereas now I am in my 40s. Maybe I have to do what the other oldies do oridi, and use the bar as a support.

Back From Holiday

Before I proceed, I should clarify why the song to the video tribute to leon was David Lee Roth's "JUST A GIGOLO", as yhsmom has asked me the relevance of the song. Actually, the mind is a strange thing....it's just that we've been calling Leon a Gym Whore, (or I have), afterall, if numerous gyms are paying you for your services, that's what it makes you la right.... but its said in a most complimentary manner, not derogatory, before the Defenders of Leon spring an attack on me. So, whore, gigolo, all same thing. Hence the song. In addition, its kinda catchy. And the words about dancing etc also quite fit. The only thing that DOESNT fit is in the song, the singer is bemoaning his loneliness, and since Leon's birthday celebrations, I've been told, stretch until the 17th of December, I hardly think loneliness is even remotely an issue.

Had a great time in Langkawi with the kids, sported a very slight tan, as wife kept reminding me of my age and how I have to slap on SPF 2000, etc etc....

So that was a break of nearly 10 days from the gym, as my last class was RPM with Cameron (another Mr Cool) on 23rd November. Missed Leon's saturday combat, coz I had the final class of my Level One Cake Decorating Course. Went for nikeboy's class instead, at MJH. The 10 day hiatus took its toll, and I found myself uncordinated and exhausted.

On Sunday, finally made it, after missing it for 3 months I reckon, to 2ndFSI's class. Actually, the guy is a great instructor, in my opinion. Clear cueing, humourous, great track selection. I was kinda glad he did his trademark One Night In Bangkok. I haven't been for a step class for so long, that I even forgot to raise the step board to the middle level, as such, nearly tripped during the warm up coz the board was too low. I can't remember the last time I was at step, probably it was young Klev replacing FSI. Also, it was to my relief, as if he read my mind, that he mentioned who was singing GLORIA. I mean, I've virtually grown up with that song, but at that moment, I was racking my brains to try and think whooooo the hell sang gloria....Melissa Manchester? Tina Turner? Bonnie Tyler? NO NO NO....PHEW!!!! As if reading my mind, 2FSI said, "we have two laura brannigan songs today".


And yes, this is a rather lacklustre post, mainly coz havent been gyming.