MMA!!

I've heard so many friends and friends of friends starting to do MMA that I had been entertaining the idea of trying it out.  Although I'm not a big fan of pain and bruises (like the ones I see on my dear friend Diana who started about 3 months ago), I liked the fact that it's a good work-out that shows quick results - everyone I knew doing MMA had lost a lot of weight and got really toned in virtually no time at all.  So when a co-worker told me about the gym he goes to around the corner from work, I was excited to check it out.

I thought I was only going to observe, but ended up participating -  I  learned quite a few other things from this experience: 1. jumping rope is much harder than what I remembered doing as a kid and much much harder than it looks.  2. Kicking and punching is so much more fun when you make contact - the Wii variety of air-punching just won't cut it anymore.  3. Going back to work covered in sweat is definitely not an enjoyable experience - and it makes you all the more self-conscious when others walk by.  4.  The pain and the soreness that comes with strenuous exercise hits long after the workout is done.  But all-in-all, I'm proud to say that I had survived my first MMA class!

Treetop Trekking

It was so much fun climbing trees, walking on tightropes and zipping from one tree to the next that we're already thinking about going back - and we were lucky to have had conquered 3 obstacle courses before the thunderstorm came too close and the treetop trekking park had to be evacuated.  Too bad we didn't get a chance to try the Big Zip nor the Black course, which is supposed to be the most challenging of all.

Only 2-storeys high

Diana ready on zipline

 

It gave a great sense of accomplishment when we reached ground again, looking back at all the obstacles we overcame - not as thrilling as I'd thought (no, I wouldn't consider this an extreme sport) but definitely loads of fun.  Plus, it was a whole-body work-out - my arms and legs were sore well into the evening!

Zumba

Went to my first zumba class in months and it was awesome! There were some high impact moves I couldn't do since my right knee still hurts from that snowboarding injury but otherwise it took no time for me to get back into the groove. I do have to say the one thing I missed the most when we stopped going to the gym was zumba. It may not be hardcore enough to burn inches, as B suggests (he prefers the more rigorous BodyAttack), but I think it's a good start. I worked up a good sweat and my sore legs tell me it's just what I need to slowly get back on track. And the sauna was a treat - I haven't felt so refreshed for awhile. Can't wait to hit the gym for zumba again!!

Glen Eden

Last night we went to Glen Eden rather than the originally-planned Horseshoe Valley Resort to snowboard because it was much closer - meaning less drive time and more play time.  It was also Feifei's first time skiing, so we didn't want to be too adventurous and Glen Eden was just big enough a mountain for her to conquer.  Night ski passes ran at $30 + taxes per person, unless you only want to stay on the beginner slopes on the other side of the road, which were short and very crowded.

The slopes were considerably smaller than Horseshoe Valley's and I absolutely loathe the lift-landings at Glen Eden - they are all really steep and really narrow, translating to a fall-off-the-lift ratio of about 9 in 10.

We still had fun though - we split off after a bit but it was the first time we got to go with my brother and probably one of the very few times that he would be able to come out and play.  I only got to snap a few shots with B though -

 

We made it home in about 30 minutes and there was hot pot waiting for us - it was the perfect ending to a perfect night of fun!

evidence of hardwork

after 40 minutes on the elliptical, I got blisters on the top edge of both sides of my palms!?!!  I can't figure out why they're on my hands rather than my feet??

ULTIMATE FRISBEE!!!

Played my first game of ultimate frisbee yesterday - I didn't think a game of frisbee would be such strenuous exercise!  At first I thought my lungs were going to burst - and then I could only walk across the field soaked in sweat, as opposed to running to make the play or guarding the score line.  And most of the time the frisbee turns away at the last moment - let's just say I wasn't the best catcher.  Nor thrower, because I tend to aim at the ground when I throw for some reason.  It was definitely fun though - I am planning to go again next week :)

Zorbing and Tubing and Zip-flying

Since my brother's friend had a 2-for-1 admission coupon for the Horseshoe Adventure Park, we tagged along, thinking that we would get to try treetop trekking - which I had been eyeing as our celebratory "date" for B's birthday.  Only had we gotten there did we find out that Treetop trekking is actually not ran by Horseshoe and there would be additional charges and advance booking required to participate.  But we were there already and so were my brother's friends so we thought we'd meet up first before we decide.

We squeezed in a round of mini-golf on the way - then we each rode in a zorb at least once (and more for me because I also went in the water-filled one) - and slid down the hill on tubings even though there wasn't any snow.  We did some rock-climbing before taking the 15-minutes hike up to the peak and climbed a steel tower about 5-storeys high, then crossed the valley in under a minute on the zip flyer.  It was a blast!

I did it!

5 consecutive days of fitness:
Sunday: light weight-lifting sessions plus some sit-ups/push-ups
Monday: Body Attack
Tuesday: Zumba + my sit-ups/push-ups routine (20 sit-ups, 15 leg raises, 60 sec plank, 15 each of chest/triceps push-ups)
Wednesday: Zumba plus some sit-ups/push-ups
Thursday: Body Attack + Yoga

And I just realized I had gone vegetarian - the last time I ate meat was Monday evening when we tried the Michelina chicken flatbread.  I had been living on fruits and bagels and chocolate for the past few days.  Weird, because I don't miss the meat at all.

feet pain from body attack

Back to my Body Attack + Yoga combo and felt great - it really is invigorating!  Only problem is now my feet hurt from all the high-impact jumps and kicks - maybe it's time to look for new shoes?

numb and sore

2 days of BodyAttack in a row = no feelings nor strength in my legs and sore shoulders and back - but getting swimsuit-ready is well worth the pain!!

recovery weekend

Hell is finally over, or so I hope.  After being awaken around 3 a.m. on Friday I couldn't get back to bed, so I started my weekend with a lot of LOL practice.  I think they must have done something with Shen in the latest update patch because he used to be a better tank and much less squishy.

When the sun came up, I decided to hit the gym for some last minute shape-ups and tried a spinning class.  Boy, I thought I'd never sweat so much in BodyAttack, but this group cycling class they call "All Terrain" had me soaked 5 minutes into the routine.  I loved the music, but kept feeling like I couldn't go on every time the instructor cued us to increase the resistance.  I got a little wobbly coming off the bike, and my neck and shoulders were sore.  Otherwise, I felt great!  I think I will give it another try, this time sticking to instructions about upping the gear - I kinda cheated and kept the resistance about the same throughout most of the class.  It's definitely a good alternative to the high-impact BodyAttack.

After my workout I headed over to B's - I wanted him to see what I would be wearing to his cousin's wedding.  He didn't like the blue dress Michelle and I had picked out, so I went in a black chiffon dress instead.  Getting ready took longer than expected and since B's mom volunteered to do my hair, I didn't get to attend the ceremony. We did make it in time for the reception though.  It felt quite uncomfortable - I must have had way more hairspray in my hair than I'd normally use in a year and I had on makeup so thick that I had to wash my face twice to remove it all.

But it's worth it, don't you think?

I spent the rest of the weekend in Markham because I wasn't going to drive after all those glasses of wine Saturday night and I had a splitting headache on Sunday (maybe a hangover?).  It was definitely nice to not have to worry about anything - and now that mom's back from HK, I'm hoping that everything will be OK.

keeping up

I was really hoping to squeeze in a yoga class last night, but by the time I'm done with the cooking and cleaning - the class was already half way over.  I headed out to another gym that offered a BodyPump class at 8, but didn't make it neither because I had missed it by a few minutes and the class was already packed.  I still stayed for a little bit of cardio and weights, but the best part was the sauna.  I needed some "me" time and coming out of the sauna I felt much less stressed.

On top of that, I got to squeeze in some grocery shopping.  It's a brilliant idea to build a gym inside the supermarket.  I'm sure the supermarket benefits from increased sale because of the extra traffic drawn in by the gym.  I, for one, almost always do a quick lap around the supermarket after a workout and pick up a little something something - whether I need it or not.  Like that expensive block of cheese I'd splurge on, or crackers they'd put on sale (my new fave: PC's Swiss Sticks with Gruyère Cheese).  And I can always justify picking up some indulgent snacks because I've been good with going to the gym :)

Bootcamp Sequela?

Ever since we attended our first Bootcamp on Monday, I've been feeling a little bit off - but I can't quite put a finger on it.  It's just a general feeling of malaise, and it doesn't help that there's been thunderstorms in the afternoon for the last few days.  I really should be getting back to the gym, but with the downpour it's more likely that I'd stay in once I make it home tonight.

I am a Boot Camp survivor!

At the suggestion of my dear friend Michelle, we went for our first Boot Camp session last night!  We met up at James Garden, a gorgeous park I've only seen through the subway windows, and did a lap of running/walking mixed in with push-ups/dips and boxing drills.  It was intense, and at times I felt that I would just drop dead, but we survived, and it was so much fun!

I only realized that I had forgotten to bring socks after we got to the park, so I had to make do with my new Columbia sandals that I had picked up for our rafting trip.  These sandals were so comfortable, even with all the running and jumping we had to do!  The only drawback was that they were sandals - all the sand and twigs and leaves went in and my feet were so dirty that I had to soak and wash them twice before they were clean.

It's funny how we were taught this blocking move called the "Turtleshell", and we actually saw a giant snapping turtle lazing about on the grass on our way back.  Bootcamp was just like BodyAttack with a little bit of BodyCombat, held outdoors.  It was a nice change of pace!  I am so exhausted, however, that I don't think I'll be able to do Zumba tonight.  I hope the aches will ease up by tomorrow >.<

BodyAttack is addictive!!

Lately our usual Zumba classes aren't as much fun as it used to be - mostly because our instructor Jewel is so awesome that over 40 people try to squeeze into the tiny studio and end up hitting/stepping on each other.  I've been stepped on several times and it's such a turn off when people are so inconsiderate to barge into my space.  Half the time I manage to stay for the whole class, but even so I never feel like I get a good enough work out.  Especially after I've started doing the BodyAttack/Yoga combo.  I get a natural high out of it, whether it be the adrenaline from the intense workout or the triumphant feeling that I'd survived.  And yesterday I was actually craving it, so I scrambled over to the Millcreek gym after work and made it into the Body Attack class that was just starting.  What a workout!  I actually felt less tired last night and slept more soundly than usual.  This group exercise class is totally addictive!!

Body Attack + Yoga Double Combo

One of my 2010 resolution was to try Body Attack at least once this year - and I did it!!  I did run a little late coming out from work, plus I got distracted by the sale going on at Sport Mart (picked up a decent pair of Columbia snowpants for $75+tx), so I did join the class 10 minutes after it's started.  Regardless, I'd had a great work-out.


There was a running track where the whole class just ran in a big circle, then there was an aerobic track with jumps and kicks.  We also did push-ups (which I failed, if anybody was grading) and quite a bit of abs work like sit-ups and leg raises.  The moves were easier to follow than I thought - I think Zumba had trained me well with all the different dance moves so these knee-ups and heel-jacks weren't too much to pick up.  I was surprised when the class came to an end - I had survived!!  I was soaked and out of breath, but I survived!!


And I stayed for my usual yoga class - right after Body Attack.  I could feel that some poses (like the "tree") had became harder to hold, whereas other poses (like the "plank") I could hold longer than usual.  I wonder if that has anything to do with the intense aerobics I had just done.  Regardless, I had an awesome time last night, I slept like a baby, and this morning I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for just about anything.  I think I will try to do this more often.

Badminton + Zumba = Aching Calves

I think I overdid it this week - badminton, zumba and then weights in 3 consecutive days. I cannot feel my legs as they have gone numb - especially my calves, which has been aching since Monday. I can only go down the stairs one step at a time now, and it doesn't help that there are stairs everywhere at work - to come into the building there are several steps before you get to the door, to get to my desk I have to climb a flight of stairs, to go to the bathroom I have to go down those stairs (and up again on the way back), to go to other departments we collaborate with I have to go down those stairs and up another set of stairs...

On Monday we skipped Body Combat because Michelle was gonna head out for wings, so I had the opportunity to play some badminton. Boy, was it intense!! Ususally we go to the session from 8pm to 10pm and because there are so many players and only so many courts, we have to take turns to play. Which means for every 15 minutes or so we would get to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. However, this Monday we went to the session from 6pm to 8pm, and there weren't any line-ups at all! We got to play for 2 hours straight and we didn't even have to share the court half the time. It was awesome and I felt great afterwards, except for the numbing pain in my calves and right shoulder the next morning.

Despite the muscle pains, I went to Zumba on Tuesday evening, thinking I've had enough rest. Plus, I really don't want to miss that class - it's one of the only things I really look forward to during the week (the others being Fridays and every other Thursday when the paycheck comes). I thought if it was too much I can always make it more tame, and if I really couldn't stand it I could leave half-way. Wrong! It was so much fun that I had almost forgotten that my legs were hurting, and only after I got home I had realized that my calves were aching even more!

I half limped to work on Wednesday and had to rely on a couple of advils to last through the rest of the day. The only times I left my desk was to grab some coffee in the morning and for lunch. Otherwise, I stayed put, trying to minimize any actions (like climbing stairs) that might further aggravate my aching calves. But since Michelle has missed Zumba on Tuesday, we had decided to meet up and work out. Really, I should have stayed home. My legs were hurting and I almost wanted to take the elevator to go up to the gym. But I wanted to keep Michelle company, since she hasn't even gone to the gym once this week and our goal was a minimium of twice per week. It wasn't a great workout though - I couldn't warm up before going to the weigh machines because it hurt too much to do the bike nor the treadmill. I could only work on my abs and lower back, and in less than 30 minutes we hit the showers. Sauna was nice though, and definitely helped releasing some stress and relieving the muscle pains. I love to be in the sauna. Especially when it's so cold outside.

Goodlife = Good workout

Zumba was awesome last night - Goodlife is having an Open House (until Monday) and the gym was packed, but luckily we still had enough room to strut our stuff in the crowded studio. I just loved the music and have this tune stuck in my head now - I have to remember to ask Jewel what that song is called! For the second time in a row we've had about 15 minutes of street-style dance-off and I guess people must have been getting more comfortable with this idea because they were way more enthusiastic this time around and really showed off what they've got. It was hilarious to watch and so much fun to do. And what a good work-out - my hips and thighs are aching but it felt so good!

Tonight we are going to take it easy though - Michelle and I have been quite good this week having done Combat on Monday and Zumba yesterday. We are going to train with machines to build some muscles. No pain, no gain, right? So we will do our best today too!