Fitness fanatics

The gym I give my heart and soul to on a daily basis, the Bladium, teaches Les Mills classes. I think I've raved about them before on my blog in various forms (RPM, BodyJam, BodyPump, BodyFlow, etc), but here's a closer look. You'll understand why in a sec...

Basically, the Les Mills programs, which also include step, kickboxing, and good old fashioned high-low 80's aerobics, were developed in New Zealand and have since become VERY popular around the world. The choreography and music are updated quarterly. Each new "release" is sent out to instructors world-wide and for a period of time, everyone around the world does the same stuff in their classes. For example, my good friend R is currently in Beirut and he and I have talked about the releases for RPM and BodyCombat. Its pretty cool that we're taking the same classes even though he's on the other side of the world. When he comes back to the US, he'll be able to jump right in without missing a beat.

Its impossible to take a class from any of the Bladium's high-energy instructors without getting sucked into the Les Mills world. The classes and choreography are so well designed that you can't help but feel motivated and excited to come back for more. Yes, they're a hell of a workout, but what makes it so easy to get hooked is that they're FUN. I honestly never thought I'd really enjoy the BodyStep class, but I don't even realize that I'm kicking my own ass because I'm having such a good time. Same goes for BodyCombat and BodyJam. It also helps that the music and choreo change so frequently. Les Mills makes it easy to have a good time while working out. Crazy, I know.

Anyways, on to the point of this post....Every four months, Les Mills holds a Quarterly Conference in various cities to celebrate the release of their new material. One of these conferences just took place in Santa Clara, CA last weekend. Originally, they were only for instructors to get a sneak peak of the new releases, but recently, members were included as well. A large group of ladies from the Bladium all decided to go, and when Brent, one of the Step instructors, egged me on, I joined in as well.

I had no idea what to expect. I knew that it was an entire day of fitness, with classes running back to back from 7am until 6pm, but what exactly did that mean? Well, lemme tell you, this was like nothing I've ever seen in my life! A full stage. Lighting effects. Participants dressed up for their favorite class (like wearing hip-hop clothes for Jam or wearing cammo stuff for Combat). It was nuts! It was like a concert/rave/cardio-fest complete with the rock star program directors (some from New Zealand who had flown in just for the event) presenting the new stuff to about 250 crazed Les Mills fanatics fans.


The guy in the blue shirt is Brent, one of the Step and Attack instructors at the Bladium. Although you can't tell from this pic, he is about 5'8" of pure muscle and cheerleading energy. His classes are insanely fun and sometimes silly and he has quite a following world-wide. He is bubbly and sweats sunshine and he's everything you'd expect a former cheerleader to be. I luf him and his gorgeous wife Michelle. The other two instructors in the pic are from New Zealand. I couldn't understand a word either of them said despite the fact that they were speaking English. They were awesome.

So, the rest of the ballroom was totally dark and the only reason this picture came out kinda OK is because the people in it were literally inches away from the stage and the lights. Not sure if you can tell, but try to see how far back the group goes. These pics were taken during Attack, which was the second-to-last class of the day (there were eight in total). A large number of people had already left, and there were STILL this many people there. The Les Mills machine can almost be described as a cult. People were SO into it. Like, they-had-Les-Mills-tattoos-on-their-arms into it.

Oh yeah, did I mention I had a horrid cold on this day? Well, I did. After coughing my way through Step, an hour-long educational session, Flow, and Jam, I couldn't quite handle Attack. Hell, Combat was still to come! I opted to sit out and take pictures instead. About 10 people saw me and immediately shoved their cameras at me so I could capture the class for them as well. Instructors posed for pictures with everyone after the class ended. People were sweaty and not looking their best, but it didn't matter. They wanted pictures with their fitness idols.

All in all, this was the single most wild, crazy, painful, sweaty, and amazing day of fitness I've ever experienced. I'm as sore and as tired as I've ever been, and I think its safe to say I am forever hooked. Wherever I go in the world, I will always have to be near a gym that offers the Les Mills programs. The classes, the instructors, the choreography, the feeling I get from doing them...I have to have it all. I've finally found something I can stick with for life. Now, if only I could get my diet in order...

Looking back

2009 was an interesting one for me. I didn't have an actual job for the entire year. By choice. Instead, I spent my time in various classes, fulfilling various requirements, learning new and interesting things and refreshing my knowledge bank. I tried my best. I submitted applications for nursing programs that will hopefully allow me to one day have a job that I love...again. I continued to cheer for the Cal Bears football team, and continued to be let down...just like every other year. I worked out harder than I have since college, but sadly, with less results. DJC and I celebrated our fifth year together, and started making plans for our wedding this year (YAY!!). I bought my wedding dress. As a couple, we grew closer than ever and faced a number of very difficult challenges together. We traveled, although not all that far. We ate lots. We laughed endlessly. We cried. He dried my tears. We made the best of the situation. Somehow, we've managed not to kill our downstairs neighbors and have resolved to allow them to upset us less. We're going to do our best to simply ignore their pathetic presence (although currently, I can hear exactly what video game the shitlets are playing as well as their fat little squeals of glee from time to time) and do the things that make us happy. I kissed my parents goodbye and hoped that their road trip across the country was uneventful and their new life in Florida makes them truly happy. I miss them. Terribly. I've read a lot. I've written a lot. I started a reality TV blog with my best friend from the seventh grade and had a wonderful lunch with her after not seeing each other for close to 20 years. Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I connected with tons of long lost friends...and even made a few new ones.

All in all, I can't complain. 2009 wasn't the greatest year ever, but it wasn't terrible, either. I can't wait to see how all of the decisions and choices I made in 2009 work out for me in 2010. I can't wait to be Mrs. DJC. However things may go, I feel positive and excited to see what the future holds. I'd just like to finally root for a winning college football team for once. How about it, Bears? Can you make all my dreams come true? ;)

Core Challenge and Therapy

A few days ago, I joined my local gym for their free June promotion, because as much as I loooooove running (read: not at all), I find that I am lacking the motivation and discipline to do it more than a few times a week. Maybe that's because I hate every mile. Hmmm...

Anyways, I took my first group class yesterday afternoon. At only thirty minutes long, it seemed fairly innocuous. The name of the class should have clued me in to the fact that it'd be anything but. Foolishly, I chose to enter the world of Amelia's CORE Challenge. Maybe it's just me, but when I am lying on my back, with my shoulders off of the ground, hands outstretched over my head, and an oversized exercise ball between my knees, the last thing I need to hear is bubbly Amelia singing along to "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard", but that's a story for another time...

I've had lower back problems since I was a teenager. I've always attributed these problems to weak core musculature. For a while, when I had several hours a day to devote to exercise, I was doing pretty well. I felt strong, tight and thin. Of course, BT will tell you that I was also a sucky person because I wasn't really eating, but again, that's a story for another time...

After yesterday, I'm not so proud to announce that my core muscles are still weak and VERY sore today. Every time I take a breath, I am reminded that I need to go to this class every damn time it's offered. (OMG, I just sneezed twice in a row! Holy bloody F*CK!) Core strength is important for those with chronic back issues, and clearly, I need to work on it.

DeKap and I are supposed to run the Alta Plaza steps later today. Eeek.

On another, more positive note, when I do manage to get off my arse and run, I am LOVING the sounds of Therapy Sessions Volume 4 mixed by Limewax. I know DJC will cringe when I say this, but I'm totally impressed with Limewax, both as a DJ and a producer. He's only 20 and has consistently cranked out amazing tracks and mixsets since he was a teenager. His style continues to push drum n' bass forward and keep it current. Anyways, Therapy Sessions: It's dark, rough, and gets the adrenaline flowing when I need it. I am especially loving SPL's unreleased "Reckoning". MAN, that track pumps me up! I know hard dnb is tough sell with most readers here, but if you're in the mood for something different, find this one. It's siiiiiick!

New products and stuff

(Note: I cut the ever-living HELL out of my left thumb yesterday while trying to cut bread. My left thumb is my space bar thumb. Typing is really hard. Needless to say, my knife privileges have been revoked.)

I'm skipping the Tuesday Couch Potato Report this week (obviously). Because of the holiday weekend, most of the usual shows weren't on, and I just watched lots of movies....

On another note, I've been wanting to do a post for a while now on new things that I'm in love with, and I don't know why I picked today to do it, but recently, I've picked up a bunch of new items that deserve a little blog space...

First, I bought a new pair of running shoes. In the beginning, I LOVED them. But then, inexplicably, they went all sideways on me, and now I can't stand the way they feel. I have no idea what happened. I went the way of the Asics Oberon Gel and I think I'm feeling the reprocussions of betraying my love affair with New Balance. I'm still trying to make them work (with various inserts and whatnot), but I'm not holding my breath. Bummer...

Ok, so despite my love for hockey and burly sports, I love me a good pedicure. Here are a few cool things I've picked up recently to make my feets look bettah...

Not that I've worn anything but flip-flops and running shoes lately, but I used to spend lots and lots of time in stylish high-heeled torture devices. Apparently, Yoga Toes are great for stretching the feet out after a long day of modern-day footbinding. So far, I'm liking the way my feet feel after wearing them for about 30 minutes. I can't tolerate any longer than that, which apparently means that I need them! Stay tuned!

For super-smooth feet, look no further than the Ped Egg. Strange name, great product. Just be aware that even though the product description claims to catch all the dead skin, it doesn't. Using this thing should still be done over a trash can.

And lastly, once your feet are relaxed and dead skin-free, polish them up for sandal season with Nic's Sticks from OPI...if you can figure out how to control the brush. In theory, putting quick drying nail polish in pen form is a great idea. You can take them with you wherever you are and touch up chips in no time. YAY! Right?! Well, not quite. The execution of said idea is all kinds of off. First, the polish is too thick and doesn't go on smoothly, leaving lines and clumps. Secondly, the brush is the strangest thing I have ever seen. It's too wide and very hard to control, leaving polish all over the surrounding skin (note: this could just be due to operator error, but I struggle even with my dominant hand). I picked up "Feeling Girly" and "Do You Deliver?". Despite the problems, one coat of the light pink polish looks pretty cute. Any more than one coat, and its a mess. I've given up on "Do You Deliver?" even though I LOVE the color itself. It's a great red.

Ok, so it took me nearly an hour to type this post out, so I'm gonna give my thumb a rest for the day. Catch ya'll tomorrow, when I'm sure I'll have more amazing SYTYCD audition videos to post. Cheers!

Exersize: Ur doin it rong

Yesterday, I headed over to meet up with DeKap for our weekly stumble run up and down the stairs of Alta Plaza. I was sore from the previous day's run and wasn't really up for it, but if he was ready to go, I'd soldier through.

Thankfully, he wasn't. He and I have both been a little down in the dumps lately (but for very different reasons) and running was the last thing that either of us wanted to do. So, on a sunny but windy afternoon in the city by the bay, the only exercise that DeKap and I got came from walking two blocks uphill to the local bar, consuming a few drinks (mmmm, lychee and pineapple infused vodka martinis), walking across the street to grab some gelato (mmmm, lavender gelato), and then walking the same two blocks downhill to get back to his place.

And as good as running would have felt afterwards, not running, consuming lots of calories and chilling with a good friend for a bit felt even better. Sometimes when things don't work out as planned, it ends up being exactly what you needed...

Random stuff

I got my Economic Stimulus check the other day. Whoop. I know I'm supposed to take my free $600 and spend it frivolously on material things, but I'm gonna just leave it in my account and eventually use it to pay rent. If I wasn't so stressed about my financial situation, I'd do what I did last time the Bush administration decided to give taxpayers free money: I'd donate it to Planned Parenthood in President Bush's name. I didn't vote for either Bush, and I sure as hell don't want this latest round of free money that will only serve to deepen the US's problems. I'd rather donate the whole lot to a worthy cause that Bush would NEVER fund...and do so in his name. But alas, I am jobless and need the cash. Bah.

Last weekend, I received a call from one of my old coworkers. He called just to check on me and see how I was doing. He also said, "I want you to know how much I enjoyed working with you and how sorry I am to hear about everything. You go out there and kick ass." The conversation lasted about two minutes, but I can't even tell you how much it meant. You see, he's the first person from my former company to contact me. All the people I worked with who I considered to be my friends have seemingly turned their backs on me. Losing my job sucked, but not hearing from anyone sucked even more. That two minute phone call meant the world.

Two days ago, DeKap and I went running at a park near his house. This park encompasses an entire city block and is comprised of stairs...lots of stairs. I've been running on nothing but flat ground and sand. Suffice to say, my calves and hips *hurt*. DeKap wants to do this twice weekly. I don't know if I can handle the soreness. On the bright side, I know that if I keep doing it, I'll eventually adapt. But in the meantime...ouch.

Is it wrong that at 9:30am I'm headed to the kitchen to eat hummus and Wheat Thins and then watch last night's Top Chef?

God, I need a job...

The best run...EVAR!!

Two days ago during one of my more difficult runs, I lost an earring. And not just any earring. One of these:

The ones I have are like the middle pair in a 14 gauge. I loved them. Once I noticed that the right one was missing, I shook out my t-shirt and fleece in hopes that it got pulled out when I removed my clothes after running. No dice. I was pissed. I had to accept the fact that it got pushed out by my fleece's collar somewhere along my run. I told myself that when I got a new job, I'd replace it, but not until as they're not exactly cheap. Thank goodness they're sold individually instead of in pairs.

Yesterday, as I set out on my run, I figured I'd take the same course as I had the day before just in case I might stumble across my earring. It was a long shot, but I thought what the hell.

Looking at the ground while running can get old real quick. But fortunately, I used the fact that I was actually looking for something to distract me from how much I suck at running and how badly my knees were hurting. I saw lots of sticks and tree matter, but no earring. It was gone. About a mile in, I gave up looking. And just as I did...

...something shiny caught my eye. Could it be my earring?! No...there is no way, I thought. And yet, I got excited and ran faster.

As I got closer, I realized that sure enough, there was my carefully crafted surgical steel earring laying on top of a speed bump. I think I actually said "YES!" really loudly, although I can't be sure. I was so excited. It's a little scratched up, but no worse for wear.

I finished my run with a huge smile on my face, which is a first. Usually, by the end, I am ready to either pass out or vomit. But not this time. And all because of one little earring! YAY!

Running on Empty

I know I have several friends and readers that are serious runners. For you all, I have a question...

Seeing as that I've got lots of free time lately, I've been running almost daily. While that doesn't seem like a big deal, it is. Here's why.

My legs. My big, massive hunks of Type IIB muscle are designed for nothing more than quick bursts of power and strength. Distance? Endurance? Forgetaboutit. Seriously. With this in mind, you can imagine that my runs aren't very long. I can handle maybe 4-5 miles TOPS before my legs are just spent. Some days, its less than that. Walk breaks are frequent and necessary to avoid cramping in my calves and hamstrings. The good thing about Type IIB muscle, though, is that I recover fairly quickly with minimal soreness.

Lately, though, my legs are sore almost constantly. It usually takes A LOT of effort on my part to get any kind of lasting soreness. Squatting massive quantities of weight, yeah, that'll do it. But what I've been doing lately is not even close to that and the soreness is just as bad. Am I just doing too much? Should I take a break to let my muscles recover? Would walking the same distance be a better idea, ya know, just to keep things moving?

Your thoughts?