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.