No More Sidekick

The equation is:

,

where-

μ is the coefficient of friction, which is an empirical property of the contacting materials,

F_n is the normal force exerted between the surfaces, and

F_f is either the force exerted by friction, or, in the case of equality, the maximum possible magnitude of this force.

Translated to non scientific english,

F_f = Fitness First, coincidentally, or rather, the likelihood of going
μ = a number of factors, such as age, laziness, weight, day of the week, etc etc and so forth.
F_{n = hmmm, probably the F here inevitably linked to the F instructor.}

Anyway, it basically says the likelihood of going to FF decreases with age, weight, etc...

Alright, that was a load of crap.

Anyway, its an excuse why I missed going to the gym on Wed, Thurs and Friday. My subscription fee is beginning to look very exorbitant, divided by per class basis. Anyway, on Saturday, since Leon IPOD AGAIN wasn't teaching, I looked for other alternatives. I wasn't sure who was replacing him anyway. I later on found out it was FCI.

So, when I recalled that "Sidekick" (not to be confused with the other instructor, Sai Kit who has left for Shanghai/Beijing) was teaching at Manulife, I thought I'd give it a try. Sidekick used to attend Leon's class on Saturdays before he became a full fledged instructor, and earned the nickname Sidekick when he was team teaching with Leon.

But, I think that nickname is now obsolete. For starters, the class was quite crowded for a saturday noon class. Even Megs was there. And I have to say, it was rather enjoyable, despite the fact it was a tad quiet, which goes to show, you don't have to scream to have a good time. He must have recently lost his IPOD (the real thing) or something, as he had to resort to the CDs. Ah, I remember the good old days, when they only used CDs and the tracks will jump whenever we did the jump kicks.


Well, considering he's no longer anyone's Sidekick, would anyone like to contribute a nickname for the guy?

Walk, Pump, Step, Walk, Pump, Combat

...in a nutshell, that summarises what I've been up to since the last post. By walk, I'm referring to the Bukit Kiara Hill.

Anyway, on the 2nd day of Raya, during dinner, I slipped and fell on a very wet toilet floor at some chinese restaurant. I don't know which is worse, the venue in which I fell, or the fact that I fell and cut my toe, and hit my back on the edge of the squat loo platform.
So ya, that rendered me in pain (even till now)...it's not a major pain, just a slight nagging pain, that doesn't justify going to a doctor just yet.

Hence, I thought a nice long walk would be the least impactful exercise. That was last Monday, the public holiday. Tuesday, I went for FSI and Kenny's pump, which was fun, as usual, but had to watch for signs of pain. Surprisingly it was okay, but with a heavy heart (laden with cholesterol, I suspect) I decided I shouldn't risk doing FCI's combat cos of the higher impact. For the record, that was the FIRST Tuesday combat I've missed in the last 4 months. IF that's not LURVE, I dunno what is.

Then on Friday, I thought I'd try out the back, and since I couldn't make it for pump, I thought I'd try the new body step slot with KIM, my first instructress. BIG SIGH. You'd think that after attending her free step class on Friday lunches for a few months, (this was in 2004), and usually being one of the few roses amongst the thorns, there would be a FLICKER of recognition. I wasn't expecting a rousing, OHHH HALLO, HOW YOU BEEN, or anything of the sort. A smile of acknowledgement would have sufficed. Sob sob. Not a raised eyelash, of recognition.

Either I havent done step in a helluva long time, or her tracks are really different vintage. Very good though. Great class, apart from the "I've never seen you in my life" look.

On Sunday, it was walk again. It's like my fortress of solitude. With earplugs, I enjoy this me time very much. But it was also nice to have company. Was joined by Pits and Wife after the crossroads.

Monday, it was back to routine. YI's pump, packed class but no Lionheart, so I thought it'd be easy, but heck, no. He kept saying it will be easy. At the end of the class, regular Allan said, "which track EXACTLY was easy?" The biceps was a killer, with 2 sets of sixteen singles, and lots of bottom halves. Brrr..... and triceps. Those dips are such a killer, coz these teeny weeny triceps have to bear the weight of the entire body, almost.

Tuesday, back to combat, of course, greeted with a sarcastic sneer, "oh, you're here..(rhyming with sneer)". Anyway, his regular cheer squad wasn't around, no Lionheart, no Stevie Wonder, no Ah Girl, no Megs. Only a quiet Sunshine, and me. The class was eerily quiet, so I thought I'd do my bit, for my favourite combat instructor, and tried to shout as best as I could. All I got in response was, "....oh well, better than nothing".

Such gratitude. Oh well, better than nothing, I guess.

3 Classes in 25 hours

It's not an achievement for many, but for me, it IS!!! Tuesday, Pumbat, (pump + combat) and Wednesday RPM.

Having missed YI's class on Monday (contrary to Sunshine's declaration that I never miss that class), I was having my withdrawal symptoms of body pump, which is weird, considering I don't enjoy it. It's like having my oatbran in the morning. It's vile, its disgusting, but after years of eating it, or drinking it, I feel kinda naked if I don't. You know the feeling, that tingling sense of guilt.

So, since the baking business has been slow-ish, I could make my way to the gym at 5.25pm for pump, immediately after work. Kenny and FSI were teaching, it is their usual spot. Richelle mumbled something about "oh, why when I taught this slot you never came?"....Oh, I forgot to mention, last week, for FSI's step class, the class seemed full, with no more step boards left, but FSI left the studio to go somewhere and lo and behold, came back with another step board. Does he keep one in his locker?

I was impressed with FSI's weights. 8½ kg for chest. However, he spent about 1/5th of the class standing and demonstrating.....pah!!! I wonder if all the weights and bars are calibrated properly. I swear some 5kg weights feel heavier than others, especially in Richelle's class. Yar, so while we were doing the chest track, I saw FCI outside, making signals at me as to why I so weak, only carrying 7.5kg. I'll have you know, I've got an elbow injury that hasnt healed since last year, and I am merely swallowing the pain.

Kenny's biceps track was a real killer. Lionheart wasn't there, or he'd have approved. The good/bad thing about doing the full hour class is, you know there's no chance of missing a track, unlike YI's 45 minute class.

Combat: Shades was supposed to be assessing FCI, but was caught in a jam, and only appeared at about track 3. Gave some hogwash about having to come all the way to Manulife to see ME. Ya right.

FCI's class was unusually empty, and rather subdued. Were it not for Certifiable Steve, it would have been VERY quiet. Me, winded from Pump, could only manage an occasional mistimed shout. He loves doing that "do you remember your choreo" thing, whenever we switch sides to left leg in front. There was one track, were almost everyone forgot what the move was. Goes to show, we are mindless people attending a workout BECAUSE there is an instructor to guide us. Most of us anyway. People like Lionheart are walking talking Les Mills dictionaries.

Since FCI has stopped making snide Leon IPOD remarks, there isn't much side entertainment in class. I guess he could sing, "I'm not there for your entertainment". Oh, he almost fell during the jinga, which made me wonder if history would repeat itself, as in Leon fell when Shades was there assessing him. Snigger. But FCI has a much lower centre of gravity, and is therefore more stable.

Wednesday, making sure I didn't bump into FSI to change my mind and go for Step instead of RPM, I resolutely headed to the RPM studio, which was also quite empty. Horny was at the bike, I admire her, I think she was fasting, as she only drank at around buka time.

Darn good sweat in RPM, just what I needed. But the pain, the PAIN. Oh, it amazes me how I can still walk the next day. I think seated climbs are probably the worst. Great selection of music though. My only comfort was that at 7.25, when I knew our pain was almost at an end, I knew that in Body step the pain was just about to peak with the speed track and track 10.

Choices Choices

Well, the fasting month hasn't done anything to reduce the popularity of Richelle's class. She isn't my PFPI (probationary FPI) for nothing. She is really good. And she carries heavier weights than most men. It was a packed class. Lionheart who's breaking fast every day of the week, except tuesday, was absent. The other usual suspects were there, ...yhsmom, Atlas, Certifiable Steve. There was some chappie shadowing Richelle, didn't quite catch his name but for a scrawny fella like that, it was pretty impressive that he could do 15kg on each side for squats.

On Friday evening, I get an sms from Shades informing me that he would be replacing the 6pm class at Manulife on saturday. Now, ordinarily, I MIGHT have headed there, all the more since Leon IPOD was not teaching anyway.....but of course, Shades HAS to pick the ONE time where it's FCI replacing IPOD!!!! What a dilemma. Already having missed his IPOD replacement once, I can imagine the repercussions of missing yet ANOTHER of FCI's classes. Anyway, I am sure it's not my lurve that either of these fellas is craving. Must be the blog write up.

FCI announced that Leon wasn't teaching because he had gone shopping. While I thought it was hilarious, others were not so amused, and apparently, some actually believed him.

Anyway, if the diva is the moon, reflecting the sun, who are the fans, then I have to say the moon wasn't shining bright enough, because there were very few people in the class, and FCI kept shaking his head in disbelief that IPOD's class (almost with an evil veneer of triumph) had so few people. I had to ensure he remained on the ground by telling him, "maybe it's because Leon's not around, so his usual fans not here lor". 18 for a saturday class is very few.

Easy tracks for a Saturday evening, must have been his theme, coz he repeated that phrase, EASY TRACKS at least 6 times.

Cult Instructors

I think someone in their haste, while adding their comments, anonymously, put a comment in the wrong post. Probably alluding to the previous post about Leon and his doppelganger, anonymous wrote :
One chubby. One thin. What resemblance are you talking about?

Ouch. But the comment was misplaced, in a previous post about 3rd week of new release.

So, see, FCI, not EVERYONE loves Leonidas.

Speaking of loving instructors, apparently the Star is doing a feature on Cult Instructors. They should make it into a series. Weekly interviews. Actually, Shades at one stage was interviewing famous instructors, whatever happened to that. Maybe with the types of questions he asked, no one wanted to answer.

Well, Tuesday combat, great as usual. The class was SLIGHTLY emptier than usual, which was good, coz that meant we could move about without fear of getting kicked accidentally. FCI seems to have stopped making any more funny remarks about Leon, or Leonidas, and has reserved his comments for the comments section of blogs. How sad. Well, but I guess its high time he showed more lurve for the class instead of obsessing about Leon.

Back to the old tracks. Megs said, "don't you just LOVE old tracks". There is a sense of familiarity about the old tracks, in that same way we derive comfort from familiar things, such as brands of cereal, 70s music, and favourite kopitiams.

Class was great as usual, culminating in the dog peeing conditioning, and ending with Andrea's I Believe, which always warrants a BRAVO at the end.

On Wednesday, I was actually heading for RPM. And popped my head in to see Sidekick (now no longer a sidekick, but a star on his own right) teaching combat. Bumped into FSI outside, who INSISTED I come for step. He said I could leave after track 10, as I had to leave by a certain time, hence RPM, which ends earlier. Boy, did I regret that decision.

By track 2, I was EXHAUSTED, which is never a good sign. The class seemed to take an eternity, and at 7.25, I was wishing I was at RPM, coz at least that would have been ending. I was truly truly exhausted, and thought I might collapse. Dunno why. Out of practice probably.

Compare and Contrast

Courtesy of YHSMOM who sent these in for comparison. Will the REAL Leon Lai, please identify yourself. Quite an eerie resemblance. If the real Leon was dead, I'd have thought he had reincarnated.





It's quite bizarre right, I thought!!!!

Anyway, there have been no updates coz I've not done any classes since FCI's combat last Tuesday. Last Wednesday, I did go to the gym, but only to shower. I have to say I like the unlimited hot water, and rather powerful water pressure at the gym showers. Even the FF at Curve with its previously pathetic dribble is now quite a jet. However ex FCI did join me for my usual Bt Kiara walk/jog on Sundays. Of course he continued to do a few more rounds of that hill, while I went home.

YI aka JPS was slightly late for class yesterday, as a result, could only do 9 instead of 10 tracks, which suited me fine. For some reason, the weights yesterday seemed heavier. (as in, the same weight felt heavier). It was a rather crowded class though, for a 4.45pm. Hardest track would have been the Summer Rain chest track. Since Lionheart wasn't there, (YI asks me like I'm lionheart's PA.... "where's Lionheart?".....how would I know!!!!), the class was probably slightly easier.