Barre Obsession Continues!

My newest fitness obsession is barre workout and my latest foray is the Physique 57 DVD set. The set comes with 3 DVDs and an inflatable exercise ball:

• Physique 57 Classic Full Body Workout
• Physique 57 30 Minute Express Full Body Workout
• Arm & Ab Booster 30 Minute Workout 

I've only had the chance to do the  57 minute full body workout and boy, does it kick butt. I've done it twice so far (2 days in a row) and I'm feeling the soreness. The first day, the back of my thighs were sore. Today, it's shoulders and upper back (must be from the all push-ups!)

 

For the Classic, 57 minute DVD, I used two kinds of hand weights (5 lbs and 3 lbs), yoga mat, our loft rail (or you can use a chair), a rolled up towel and the exercise ball.  The DVD is divided into 4 parts - warm-up, upper body (using the weights), legs and seat (using the rail or chair and excise ball) and abs (mat, exercise ball, rolled towel). 

I had to give my legs a break a couple of times and the ab work is the hardest I've encountered (DVD workouts and gym class combined!) 

They recommend doing the workout 3-4 times a week for maximum results and you can see visible results in only 8 workouts. Will it give me a dancer's body? We'll see.

Purchased my set from Amazon. They also sell the DVDs on the Physique 57 website. Both offer free 30 day trial.

Bend it in Bikram

I went back to Bikram yesterday after a 3.5 month hiatus. My #RWRunStreak over the summer didn't leave much room to do anything else but run. Then I went to the Philippines for two weeks. Then I had to fight jet-lag when I got back. Then it was too hot in August, etc, etc.

So many excuses. Truth was, I was afraid that I'd stayed away too long and I had to start from scratch. And that I had become a wimp and couldn't handle the heat anymore. Jim, the Bikram studio owner, said to me yesterday "well, its the same 26 postures so there's no surprise there."

And there really was no surprise. I still can't my toes to wrap around the standing leg in Eagle pose. I'm still able to kick out in Standing Head to Knee (but wobbly). I still really dislike Triangle pose. I still could only do Toe stand in one side. I still couldn't get my forehead to touch my knee in Rabbit pose. I still rock the Spine Twisting pose. And I still felt super after my class.

The body is a wonderful thing. The muscles remembers my practice. Being away for awhile, my mind was really present in class and in the "moment" (my mind used to wander sometimes when I was in class.)

Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Because I realized how much I miss sweating and stretching in Bikram.

My shoulders are sore today but I still plan to run later after work. But my yoga bag is packed and in the trunk of my car for tomorrow's class. May I be stronger than my excuses.

NAMASTE.

Rock n Roll VA Beach recap

Ran my first Rock n Roll race on Labor Day weekend!

My family have always tried to go to Virginia Beach during the last weekend before school starts so since we were already in town, I signed up for the mini marathon which is 5K in RnR's world. I knew I had not trained to run a half marathon plus I don't think I'm prepared enough for the humidity so I opted for a shorter race.

First, the Expo. One of the funnest Expo I've attended. Lots of goodies, freebies and I had time to talk to various vendors that were there. Packet pickup was smooth and each participant gets a Brooks technical shirt (green for 1/2 marathon and blue for mini) and a red swag bag. None of those see-thru plastic bags for this organizer. Swag bag included one chocolate GU, one Starkist tuna foil pack, one Smart Food cinnamon chips bag plus coupons and flyers for lots of other things.

On race day, I had an option to take the shuttle that takes runners from oceanfront hotels to the VA Beach Convention Center or to walk. Did not think it was worth it to wake up early just to take the shuttle so I walked. Along with hundreds of other runners who were walking so it felt safe.

Found my corral easy enough - first number/s on your bib corresponds to your assigned corral. My number was 13155 so I was on group #13. Loved the staggered start so when my group was "released" the road in front of us was pretty clear! Not too much weaving through slower runners.

It was hard to run in the humidity though. I was drenched after only 3.1 miles so I can't imagine running 10 more in that weather. Post race area was nice and clear too since only the 5K finishers were there when I finished. Lots of post-race give-aways (water, G2, banana, Snickers marathon bars, ice pop, fruit cup, chocolate milk, more Starkist tuna packets, Icee, etc. Unfortunately, they don't give plastic bags so I only grabbed what I could hold comfortably on both hands. Sat down on the boardwalk to eat banana, fruit cup and chocolate milk while chatting with other runners. Then walked about 10 blocks back to my hotel. Of course, hubs and kids were still sleeping when I got back.

Swaggin' Hard

Brooks technical t-shirt. Cool design.

Post race grub grab + medal

Official time was 33:35.

A Tale of 2 California Cities

Spent a couple of days both in Los Angeles and San Francisco this past week. Both for conferences. I go to both cities at least one a year so I have my favorites every time I visit. Of course, I also have to find time to fit in a fitness activity while I'm there. It's not hard in LA where sunshine and warm weather is plentiful.

Pro Beach Volleyball Tourney at Manhattan Beach

August in LA is not as hot as August in the east coast. It was pretty windy (chilly at night) and cloudy from the marine cover during out time there. Hubs and I rented bikes in Santa Monica and did a 10 mile leisurely bike ride to Venice beach and back. Although it was cloudy, I still got super dark from not wearing sunblock (duh!) The next day was a 4.5 mile run day along Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach and back. The sun was out and while running, hubs watched the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball competiton. Alas, no Olympians to be found on day 1 of the competition. Lots of tanned, lean and tall volleyball players though.

What a difference a few hours north though. San Francisco in August is chilly and windy. Spent the day walking around the city (Union Square, Market, Embarcadero, etc.) and I finally understood the whole micro-climate thing. Each part of the city feels different temperature-wise. I am taking off and putting on my jacket (Lululemon in stride jacket) constantly. Eating in San Francisco though is top notch. I've been dying to try Senor Sisig food truck for awhile so I glad that I was able to go to where they were located for the day. Senor Sisig is a Filipino fusion food truck that was voted Best Food Truck in SF Weekly. Line was crazy long but nothing I haven't seen yet here in WDC. Dinner was at one of my favorite places, Slanted Door, a Vietnamese- fusion restaurant that uses organic produce and ecologically produced meats. The menu is not long but everything I have tried so far have been crazy good. Their drinks are top-notch too. Other places I ate at was Fog Harbor Fish House on Pier 39. Picked it because I was really jonesing for garlic roasted dungeness crab. It was good and our server was very good too. But I still prefer the crab at Crustacean from my last trip. Also had a drink with friends at Clock Bar at the Westin St. Francis, one of the many Michael Mina establishments in the city. Alas I had to return home while the hubs stayed longer for the rest of his conference.

Last review - SFO Terminal 2 is rocking awesome by the way. United was always in an older, crummy terminal with one 1 food choice. But since I flew Virgin at this trip, I got the chance to be at Terminal 2. Lots of organic and sustainable food vendors. Obviously not cheap but I was pleased to buy an organic strawberry cream cupcake from Kara's Cupcake which was available from Napa Farms Market there. Nothing cheers me up like a lovely pink box of cupcake deliciousness!

Organic Strawberry Cream from Kara's Cupcake website