Thursday, November 27, 2008

Dying A Slow Death

.......this blog.... that's what's happening.

Now, [thinking very hard], to answer "anonymous" comment in the last post, about why no update. Hmm, OOOOH, I went for RPM!!! Two Wednesdays ago. That was a crotch numbing experience. You know its gonna be a long ride, when you're winded after the warm up. But there's something to be said about extreme pain. The pleasure derived during the cool down is proportional to the pain. It's almost esctasy. Female RPM instructors all seem to have a certain profile. I guess cycling is an ahem, rather male dominated sport, (I can't think of a single famous female cyclist), so it then stands to reason that Female RPM instructors would have to be rather macho to lead an RPM class. I am reminded why I dislike RPM. A crowded claustrophobic room, all kinds of odors permeating, loud thudding music, its like being in a nightclub without the alcohol, and lots of sweat. Nothing like the great outdoors to remind me of the Stallion within, galloping free and munching hay in the sunshine, and oinking away. Hangon, I mean neighing.

There's this PT who's been calling me to come and utilise a free 1 hr session of PT, .... alas, the session has been postponed twice.

Did the treadmill on the Sunday following RPM, coz of inclement weather, depriving me of my Sunday kiara walk. Monday was back to the grind with FPI. Lionheart was in BKK, but was the class any easier? No. There's that girl equivalent of Lion, who carries like 15kg weights for squats. It's quite dizzying, when the heaviest weights in the room are being carried by a lady. Makes one feel so impotent. Pity those wee lads who carry 3.5kg for biceps, vs the lady's 5kg.

Had to skip FCI's comeback class on Tuesday, as had a dinner that night. A long hiatus from the gym ensued, till Saturday, when I decided to check out Body Vive again, for the 2nd time. The timetable was vague, it said Eugene, and I was expecting 2ndFSI, whom I haven't seen in yonks, but it was the combat Eugene. Despite the presence of a lot of aunties, and uncle, in Vive, it is far from being an easy class. But actually I quite like it. One gets a sense of being stretched, and it gives an overall sense of well being....

I thought I'd give the combat a try, after vive, but after the warm up track, my brain started shutting down like a person on the verge of entering the beta phase of sleep, and I couldn't stay on for another track. Some new fella, whose name isn't on the list of COMMON INSTRUCTOR NAMES, was teaching.

And that brings us back to FPI's class again on Monday. Another torture class, with Lionheart in the house this time. It was like a joyful reunion, all the usual faces were there....except Uncle Tan and Susan Sarandon. He-who-does-not-speak, the Chilli Padi doctor, the other doctor, (two doctors in the house!!! Not a bad time to collapse), Clark Kent, Dave Nooku twin, etc etc and so forth.

And on Tuesday, FCI's much awaited combat class. There seem to be a number of new faces, and certainly a more enthusiastic bunch of shouters. Since the disappearance of Janvier, and Certifiable Stevie, the class has been rather reticent. But now it seems to have regained some noise. YM seemed to be very hyper. The first few tracks seemed incredibly long, and by 7.05 we were just finishing track 2. (Class starts at 6.45)...

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Peacefully Pumping

After the initial misunderstanding as to the identity of Serena's replacement on Friday, Ben S, whom I thought was Ben Sim, Lionheart, Yhsmom and I decided to try out Sunshine's Darling, (hereafter referred to as SD....like a memory card). Crystal was once again assessing, wow, that's twice in a week that we see good old Crystal sitting in a pump class.

So, yeah, Sunshine was beaming with happiness to see us there, and SD, of course. She warned us he was very proper, ..... and yes, with eye on the clock, he said, "we have one more minute to go before 6.45pm, so we'll wait". I doubt FPI would have bothered, afterall, different clocks in Manulife show different times, so its quite arbitrary.

SD has a very soothing voice. He'd make a great Body Balance instructor. I had visions of me dozing off during the chest track and the bar falling on me and killing me. Very soothing. You'd think he was incapable of being flustered, and quite the kind of person you'd like to be around during a crisis. So unlike the other drama queens ....... also, being a one hour class, the pace is a lot slower I guess, with time to recover in between tracks, unlike FPI's FIT ALL 10 TRACKS INTO 45 MINUTES class. So Sunshine remarked I wasn't carrying enough weights since I wasn't sweating like a warthog in the sahara.

Lionheart must've gotten a call from Mrs Lionheart, for shortly into track 3, he packed up and left in a hurry. I am sure if the instructor knew WHO Lionheart is, he'd have been much relieved after the Lion left.

The moist weather gave me no choice but to use the treadmill in the gym on Sunday, depriving me of my usual kiara hill walk/run. There are surprisingly a large number of motivated people on a lazy Sunday afternoon, as nearly all the treadmill's were full.

Monday, the routine FPI class, or so I thought, until Ken, the young boy whom I haven't seen in ages, asked me, WHO IS WENISA AH? I asked, "why do you want to know?", and he told me that she was replacing Kento. ARGHHHHHHHH, her reputation as Torture Queen preceded her. So yeah, apparently she did a swap with FPI,.... I didn't hear the full explanation coz my heart was pounding with fear. Lionheart's look of glee made me worry even more.

Fantastic music selection. Most of the music would have been before FPI was even born, I reckon. None of the tracks, save one, were remotely familiar. It was the first time I had seen a shoulder track movement in the warm up. Very interesting. Ken's Friend, a first timer, was seen to lower his weights midway into the triceps track. Biceps was horrible. Okay la, the torture wasn't all that bad. Surprisingly, she finished 10 tracks too, and the Line Dance Funk instructor still hadn't shown up!

Great class, Torture Queen.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Been Gymming Quietly

Ever since FCI's "disappearance", I've been rather lazy and have been finding all kinds of excuses to skip gym. I would rather opt for outdoor workouts, like Kiara, or Lake Gardens. Yes, the impact (of FCI) is surprisingly quite big.

Let's see, I did drag myself on Deepavali morning to pump with FPI, and I was SHOCKED at how CROWDED the class was. I expected a handful of sleepy looking people, but noooo, I almost didn't get a spot! Very gung ho everyone was, and it was a darn good workout too. As I was also detoxing from a debaucherous weekend of Oktoberfestavali drinking & eating, it was good to get the toxins out of the system. I was surprised that Lionheart was not there.

On Wednesday, I thought I'd go once again for Leng Lui, Jakarta Jan's combat. Still on the new release, which I've only done ONCE, at the launch. I wonder if FCI will teach it when he returns. The new release burns at places that I didnt know could burn. All those squats in the middle of the class....great stuff. Great sweat too. That Wednesday class isn't as crowded as in the days of yore, when that Mat Salleh fler, Justin, was teaching, and subsequently taken over by FCI. Then FCI gave up the class and was replaced by Alvin Phey, aka The Sistine Chapel, coz his whole body seems to be covered with Art. Then I lost track of the plot.

On Friday, I thought I'd do a Body Step, and twas Bryan teaching. Followed by Ben S for Body Pump, and I thought it was Mr Cool, but according to Lionheart it wasn't. Gosh, how misleading can the schedule be. Ben S.... !!! Such hopes dashed. According to Lion, it is unlikely Mr Cool would be appearing in Manulife anytime soon. Drat.

The step class was very pumped. Not bad, had a great workout.... but that tribal dance track 10 with that very fast shuffle on the board....CANNOT POSSIBLY be good for the knees. Apparently the Mr Ben S in the following class is Sunshine's favourite...

And that brings us back full circle to Monday, yesterday, when FPI was being assessed by Crystal, GXC of Manulife. I expected an easier class, but heck, no such luck. With the embargo on new release lifted, it was like free game, and he picked difficult tracks. Arms could have fallen off after shoulders.

So what to dooooo today!!!!!