Bye Bye Erin :(

Today was Erin (Evans) last class at BodySmith. :( She was my first pilates instructor and she was absolutely incredible! I shall miss her sorely. :(

Alone In Boot Camp

Today was the first time I was along in boot camp since I started going last year. I wish the solo class had been with Shelly rather than with Edwin. Though, I think I was the only one in class because Shelly doesn't teach us anymore. Siiigh. Catch 22.

I did learn one new thing in class today. Body weight rows. These photos are the best I could find to show what they are. Also, from looking online I found out that body weight rows are EXCELLENT to correct your posture and spince curve (from the bad c-shape to the correct s-shape)

Sstep 1: Start in this position

Step 2: Then pull yourself up with your arms to this position.

My First 5k!!!!!!!

Saurabh and I ran our first 5k race today!!!!! It was the First Annual Semper Fi 5k Run/Walk held at Hains Point. I picked this race because of the location. I love Hains Point. It's really pretty and it reminds me of the first time I went there, with Aunty Chandra and Uncle David. :) Smita came along as our cheering 'squad'.

We left home at around 6:30 in the morning and took a cab there. We got there by 7, picked up our tags and then hung around until the race started at 8:00 AM. We ran the whole thing and I think I finished it in 37 minutes 51 seconds (according to the clock photo Smita took). Still got to wait for the official time though. It was a lot of fun!!! :)

After the race, we walked about 2 miles to get out of Hains Point and get a cab home. Tiring!!!

I never thought I'd ever run a 5k. And now I did! :D

Just About to Start!

Close to the Finish Line

Raced Out!

Spine Stretch on Ball

Today, at the end of the pilates workout she had me do the spine stretch on the exercise ball. It was friggin' brilliant! I was sorely disappointed when she said I had to do it only one more left! Boo! I could have easily hung out there for a few more minutes. It's a brilliant stretch!

Yes, More Pilates! :D

I got an email last evening letting us know that they moved things around and that the Pilates class will now be at 6:50AM instead of the usual 6:45AM! Yay!! A 5 minute change is no big deal! Weeee! :D :D :D :D

Whiteouts. Fire Hydrant. Windshield Wiper.

This morning in boot camps Edwin had has do these different work outs that I thought had interesting names.

Whiteout

This one was BAD. We had to get into a squat position and then for 10 seconds jump taking our legs in and out. Then, right after 10 seconds of holding a squat. Repeat! This we did fora minute straight. After a little break, we did it for 40 seconds!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Fire Hydrant

Basically, this is like getting into a dog pee-ing position, as the photos shows. It kills the glutes! We did it 10 times on each side and repeated that thrice.

After this basic one we had to rotate our legs. One at a time. First going forward. Doing 2 sets of 10 on eachside . Then going backwards. Again, doing 2 sets of 10 on each side.

Windshield Wiper

We had our legs up straight, not bent like in this photo

We lied down on our back with our legs lifted at a 90 degree angle to our torso. Then, we moved them to one side and then to ther other, so it looked like a windshield wiper working.

No More Pilates :(

This morning after class Erin informed us that there was going to be a change in the timings for the pilates class to 9:00/9:30 in the morning. It is impossible for me to make class at that time, so I am going to be limited to pilates only on Sundays. I had this going so well for 2 months! Boo! :(. I kinda did see it coming since I was often the only person in the class. siiiigh! I will miss you immensely, pilates!

Reformer Room

Reformer

Pilates Chair

I was alone in the pilates class today, again. After warming up a little on the mat we went to the reformer room to use the Pilates Reformer and the Pilates Chair.

It was fun using new equpiment. The equpiments use spring resistance (which can be adjusted, obviously). She made me do some interesting things on the chair and reformer. They are hard to explain and most time when she would ask me to lift my leg or body or whatever, I kept feeling the spring would snap to low tension and I'd fall. But, I remained quite stable. Good stuff.

We worked on my legs and they are sore. I don't think I have ever been sore after a pilates class.

Oh, on a side note, on the reformer the spring would make an interesting sound, like that of the ocean. I thought that that was how it was made, but apparently it was just this machine. So probably just a weirdly creaking spring. hehe. At least it made a calming sound!

Push Up on Med Ball

Something new that I did today.

Burpees were invented by Satan

We had to do them during bootcamp on Tuesday (Marcus was subing). DEATHHHHHHH!!!!

Rubber Band Assisted Pull Ups

Today's boot camp included amongst various other things, rubber band assisted pull ups. The photo kinda shows what it is like, but we had both our feet in the band. When you try to lift your body up, the rubberband tried to go back to least resistance taking your legs with you. So, while trying to pull yourself up with your arms, you are also fighting to keep your legs down. THIS I did NOT realise when I first took off. It was highly comical 'coz my legs SHOT up and were 90 degrees to my upper torso. I let out a scream, Shelly came to my aid, and the rest of it went through event free...more or less.

Toys at Pilates this Morning!

I was alone today at the pilates class. Erin asked me what I wanted to work on. I said, "my legs". It was nice to have a class geared to what I want. What was ALSO fun was that we used many different "toys" today.

Pilates Band (the one I used was blue. I like this colour better) - Used it for the first time today

Mini Exercise Ball - Used it for the first time today

How the Mini Exercise ball can be used - I used it in a million different ways

Magic circle - Used it plenty of times before in Pilates

Exercise Ball - Used it plenty of times before in various classes

Happy Baby

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Happy Baby is a yoga position. The photo above seems to portray the name aptly. However, the photo below shows the position accurately! :)

-The mere purpose of this post is adorability

Yoga

I went for my first yoga class today. Well, technically I have done yoga before. But, today's was definitely the first proper yoga class I have gone for. It was really good, and I like the instructor a lot. I think that is important since breathing and position is so important in yoga. I don't know how regular I am going to be with yoga with all the other classes I am doing, but I hope to go as regularly as I can.

On the Ball. Off the Ball!

Today at the pilates class there were just two of us, so she had us work with the ball for the most part. It was hard for me since, apparently I have no sense of balance. Below are some of the exercises we did. I don't know what they are called, so pictures need to suffice. There were a lot more, photos of which I haven't been able to find.

First Pilates Class today! :)

I went for my first pilates class today at BodySmith (at 6:45 AM...yawwwn). I have been going there for their Boot Camp classes and previously for the Body Sculpt classes. I battled long and hard with myself this morning. Being sleepy, and sore from my bootcamp class on Tuesday I kept telling myself that it would be okay to not go since I AM sore. The other side of the brain (the left, I think!) then said that if I didn't go today then I would only be able to go for this class on Monday, since I will be in NYC until Sunday, and I am sure to come up with an excuse again then. The left brain went on to say that the instructors at BodySmith are generally very nice, so I should just suck it up and go and if I don't like it this one time I needn't go again. As this argument went on, precious minutes had creeped by. Then, what I presume was the right side of my brain, told me I won't get to class on time and do I REALLY want to walk into a new class late? Thankfully Mr left spoke up and pushed me to leave. I rushed and got ready, made it to class, albeit late. And I got rewarded for listening to Mr left. I was the only one in the class, so Erin, the instructor, was able to go slow with me and actually teach me the breathing and basic movements. I want to go for more classes. I hope the enthusiasm I feel now remains until Monday.