Class Review: Exhale Vinyasa Flow

A few months ago, my friend and I got a Lifebooker deal for 3 classes at Exhale spa for $45.  That's a great deal - their single classes are $37 for a core fusion and $26 for a yoga class.  Steep pricing for a girl on a teacher's salary.
We went to a Core Fusion class back in April (I can't believe it was that long ago) and haven't had the opportunity to use the other 2 classes since then.  SInce we had off on the 4th of July, but not the days around it, we were both in the city for a day off and we decided to try a yoga class.

The yoga studio was gorgeous (see left).  It had beautiful floors and was very large.  The door (the wooden piece in the forefront of the picture) was awkwardly heavy and oddly not sound proof given its weight.
There were only about 7 people in our class which was pretty cool - I guess not that many people go to Yoga classes on the 4th of July.
The class itself was pretty good.  I was surprised at how hard it was considering it was a not a hot yoga class.  I always except not hot yoga to be easy, but it really isn't.
The instructor was really good.  She was descriptive in her directions and provided corrective notes as needed.  I also really liked how she broke down the plank/upward dog/downward dog flow... she went through it painfully slowly, but it was very helpful for me because I never go from plank to upward dog correctly.
For those of you who know me, you will remember that a few years ago at Inner Strength, the owner actually stood on my hands in an attempt to get me to position into downward facing dog correctly.  He also manually guided me through the flow several times... but still I have struggled with this and usually just try my best.  I actually found it helpful the way the Exhale instructor verbally broke it down as it was easier for me to conceptualize and it also made me feel less frustrated (it was initially really embarrassing to have the owner of a studio manually guide you through half a class...but over time I've accepted that that happened...)
It was a pretty standard yoga class - there was not a balance series, which is always my favorite part, but I've found that a lot of studios in NYC don't regularly do all the different balance poses at once/in one class like Inner Strength did when I went there.

Pros:
1) I liked the instructor's descriptiveness
2) The 7 person class was nice, but probably not normal for Exhale Spa
3) It's always refreshing to do not-hot yoga once in a while

Cons:
1) I like more balance poses, also there were no shoulder stands which I like
2) Exhale is waaay too expensive
3) The door was not sound proof, which was annoying towards the end of the class when the next class was milling around outside.

Do you prefer Hot Yoga or Regular Yoga? What is your favorite part of a Yoga class?

Yo-yo-yogalini

Tip for all New Yorkers looking for free exercise: Like all Lululemon and Athleta stores in NYC.  They post free events frequently as status updates.

Which is how I found the Sunday Salutations class through Lululemon.  Lululemon Lincoln Square does a Sunday Yoga class in their store every Sunday at 9:15am.  Except for the month of June... they are doing their free class at the Nalini Method studio.  For those of you who stalk me, you'll know that I've wanted to try a class at Nalini Method (it's on the list of classes I want to take), but their drop-in price is not aligned with my "exercise for cheap" policy.
So I was PUMPED to discover this free class at a place I've wanted to try!
I woke up at 7:45 on Sunday morning (yes, I got up at 7:45 on Sunday morning.  That in itself deserves a pat on the back... I'm not a late sleeper, but 7:45 is still quite early.)   I took a very challenging 90 minute hot yoga class at NY yoga on Saturday, so I was looking forward to a relaxing non-heated 60 minute yoga class.
I did not do my research correctly.
I was right; Nalini Method does not have traditional yoga classes.  The Sunday morning class was a Yogalini class, which their website describes as:
YOGALINI Our brand new signature class which is the ultimate marriage of Nalini Method and Yoga. Picture a yoga mat with ankle weights! Get into a Vinyasa flow and center your body with this challenging class.
Ankle weights!  That is not what I was picturing for 9:15 on a  Sunday morning!
OK, fine, after collecting my needed materials for class, I resolved that this was no walk in the park yoga class and I'm getting something even better than what I expected!  I'm taking an actual Nalini Method class.
The class was pretty good.  It was a lot of repetitions with lighter weights and incorporating yoga and pilates poses into weight training.  It was definitely exhausting and I had to take some of the bars out of the ankle/wrist weights a couple of times because my arms felt like jelly.  Overall, the actual class was not that much different than the barre classes I've taken.
However, the instructor, Rupa, who is also the founder of the Nalini Method, was fantastic.  One thing I really liked was that they have white boards along the walls and she personally introduces herself to everyone and then writes their name on the wall so she can provide personal feedback.  I thought it was amazing.  Normally, I wonder if instructors are just talking vaguely when they provide praise, but I felt like she was direct and specific to people.  That made me a lot more confident in my movements.  I also liked when she gave me corrective feedback.  She was direct, easy going and thorough.  She didn't need to be hands on because her directions of what to fix were detailed without being confusing.  I knew that I was doing something incorrectly and then I knew exactly how to fix it.
Honestly, the format of the class was not that stand-out compared to Core Fusion, Figure Four, the Bar Method etc, but Rupa was a star of an instructor.

The class: I'm nearest to the door with the white floral tank top and black capris
Picture from the Nalini Facebook page

Pros:
1) Rupa was great
2) Free!
3) Overall a good work out

Cons:
1) Not free other than these 4 Sundays in June
2) A unique concept, but still felt familiar.
3) I was not mentally prepared for a weight training class - I didn't even bring water with me because I thought it was an easy yoga class!

I would definitely do this class again!  If the Nalini method was cheaper, I would love to try out other classes at the studio.  I'll have to keep an eye out for other great events like this one from Lululemon!

Have you ever had an insrtuctor you really liked?  What free events do you like to go to?

Perfect Fit

Cam used to work at the 92Y so we get a lot of mail from them.  He happened to get a postcard from them about an event: Perfect Fit.  For 2 days, the 92Y opened its doors to the public for a free fitness event. This included lots of free classes, access to their equipment and my favorite part: free frozen yogurt from 16 Handles.
Well, its free, so this fits my requirement for keeping it cheap in the city.  Did I feel bad because this was an event aimed at getting new members? No, not really.  They wouldn't be so open if they didn't expect people who were just looking for a free workout.
To back up a few minutes... or weeks... Cameron and I made a deal that if he went to a yoga class with me, I'd try a spin class with him. (See "Oops!  I did it again")  He has taken 2 yoga classes with me, so I definitely owe him a spin class.  We've been trying for weeks to get into the SoulCycle Community Class on Fridays, but you have to sign up as soon as the class opens up, and right now I haven't figured out when that is! Regular classes at SoulCycle are $32 for a single class, and FlyWheel is $30 for a single class, so those are definitely cost prohibitive.  No one really offers a Spinning to the People class with accessible rates probably because it is expensive to have spin equipment!
Cameron's latest suggestion was for me to rent a bike and go bike riding with him along the Hudson River.  I think that sounds like a great idea, except I actually have a fear of bicycles.  To be honest, I did learn to ride a bike later than most children, but I was fine riding bikes as a kid/teenager.  Then when I was about 20... Cameron and I went for a bike ride around my parent's neighborhood and I had a panic attack.  An actual panic attack - this isn't like when most people say they nearly had a panic attack or freaked out.  I had Panic Attack Disorder at the time, and suffered from poorly timed panic attacks.  One was on a bicycle.  I haven't been back on a bicycle since.  Honestly, it doesn't bother me like 95% of the time, except that cycling is one of my fiancee's favorite hobbies and I cannot participate in that with him. When he presented that as an option, I was suddenly very determined to find a spin class!  I am most definitely not ready to get back on a bicycle in the middle of NYC where cars, people and other bicycles will get in my way and make me nervous.
Fortunately, that suggestion coincided with viewing the schedule for the 92Y event.  They offered spin classes!  Yay! I can stay on a safe indoor bike.
I got to the Y first because I also took an Absolute Ab class before hand.  I kind of loved the Y.  It reminded me of the Montclair Y I used to go to with my friends in high school (back when it costs $135 for a year if you were a student) for Tae-bo classes.  I loved that there was a track overlooking the gym and that there was a pool.  It all felt very oddly suburban in the middle of the UES.

The 92nd Street Y Mack Gym - looks like a high school gym!!

The Absolute Abs class was okay.  The instructor was a male trainer, and I was surprised that I liked him.  At first it felt like he was a drill sergeant, but I warmed up to him quickly as I felt like he knew what he was doing.  We did some great lower ab exercises - raising and lifting your legs with control, which was very very hard for me.  Clearly my lower abs are weaker than I thought, so I really pushed myself through these exercises because I really need them.  The class was in the middle of what looked like a high school gym (with a track above it) which was nostalgic also.
After that, I met up with Cameron and we went to the spinning class.  It was me, Cameron and about 6 other people total.  The instructor spent 15 minutes teaching us how to set up our bikes and taking us through terms you'd normally hear during a spin class.  After that, she conducted a 30 minute spin class.  It was hard! I have to say that I mostly feel cycling in my legs, which indicates to me that I have weak legs, but I'm not entirely sure.
The instructor apparently studied music, so she kept getting distracted and would play songs to see if we recognized them.  She was peppy and energetic, but after a while, the music thing got a little old.  Although, looking back, it did distract me from cycling because I was listening to see what the next song would be.
I have never taken a spin class, so I really have nothing to compare it to, but as an exercise class... I think I'd try spin again.  I liked that you control the resistance so while we're all doing the same thing, we can adjust it for our own levels.
When we got out of the spin class, I was pumped for my free 16 Handles... only to discover they had cleaned that up and finished!!  Considering they still had classes going on at the time, shouldn't they have continue the 16 Handles until all the classes had finished?  Who wants ice cream before they go exercise?!


Have you tried spinning?  Do you prefer cycling or running?

Free Yoga!

Every Thursday, Lululemon sponsors free Yoga in Bryant Park from 6:00-7:00.  As we all know, I'm newly obsessed with Lululemon, but can't afford any of their clothing, so I'm pumped I can afford something that they offer!

I decided to run to Bryant Park from work and then go to Yoga.  I work on the Upper Westside, so the distance from my school to Bryant Park is almost exactly a 5K. I changed and left work and headed to Central Park for a nice run through the park.

As a resident of the West Village, I don't have that much experience with Central Park.  I don't live that close to it, so I don't go there much.  And when I do, we usually wander aimlessly and I'm not using it to get from point A to point B.  I entered the park at 93rd street and headed towards the loop.  I get to the loop and one way looks like its going directly east, and the other way looks like it is going directly west and possibly even out of the park.  I decided to go east because Bryant Park is east of work, so at some point, I have to get east. Several blocks into this run, I look over to my left and realize that Central Park West is still next to me.  I can't be going East if I'm running along an Avenue!  I had to run out to the street to see where I was and yup. 99th street.  Dammit.
I ended up running an extra 12 blocks total, which apparently really slowed me down.  The other issue that I encountered was when I exited the park at Central Park South.  MIDTOWN IS CRAAAAZY!
I thought that 6th avenue wouldn't be so bad, but I was dead wrong.  I could not run basically from Central Park South to Bryant Park, so that 15 block leg took me like 20 minutes.
Lesson learned... if I'm going to run a 5K for training purposes, make sure to avoid midtown.
I got to the park at like 5:56 and found one of my friends who was meeting me for yoga.  I got a mat, but he wasn't able to.  He said he didn't care because it was kind of cool to do yoga on the grass, so thanks because I wanted a mat!
The class was pretty straightforward- lots of Vinyasa flows.  The teacher was from NY Yoga and she was very pregnant but also very energetic.  There were almost 200 people doing yoga, which was pretty awesome.   We were towards the back, so it was a little hard to see her at times, but since I have yoga experience, I was able to follow along to what she was saying without as many demonstrations.  For newbies, it would be beneficial to show up early and practice in one of the front few rows (maybe not the front row as it's always helpful to see what other people are doing).  The instructor did a very good job explaining modifications you can make to make a pose harder or easier based on your flexibility, strength and experience.  Considering there were so many people there, it would have been very easy for her not to do this, and I appreciated that she took the time to mention binds when appropriate or leg changes when appropriate.
I'm a little ADD (as you can tell by my blog post title), so it was a little hard for me to concentrate on yoga at all times.  I kept looking around and looking at the sky and looking at the buildings and then I would realize I'm supposed to be doing something else.  However, that's just me.  It was a very New York experience.  Also, I would say its not for people who don't like being watched.  I did feel kind of like part of a yoga flash-mob.  People would take pictures and I heard tons of tourists stop, watch and talk about us for a while.

The very end of yoga.  As you can see,
I put socks on because my feet were cold.

Pros:
1) It was free!!
2)  It was awesome to do yoga outside.  Other than my distractibility, it was great to be on the grass and to be in NYC enjoying the city while still doing yoga.
3) The instructor was really good for someone who had to teach to that many people

Cons:
1) People will watch you
2) You don't get any physical correction and you can't always be sure the people around you are doing the right thing, so supplementing your yoga practice with smaller classes as well would be beneficial
3) I happened to get cold at the end of this class, but that won't be an issue in a few weeks.  I just didn't have a sweatshirt because I'd come straight from a run.

In short, I would definitely do this again! It was free, fun and relaxing.  Great way to enjoy NYC without spending any money.

Do you get distracted working out outside? Have you tried any free classes around NYC or anywhere else?

Urban Girl Squad Run

Just a quick reminder that there are less than 12 hours left until my giveaway closes!!  Comment on that post and tell me your motivation/goals for a chance to win HOT PINK shoelaces!

Now to the actual topic...
Urban Girl Squad does a lot of cool events, some of them cost money and some of them are free.  They do an outdoor running series in Central Park which started up today.  Every other Sunday from now through the fall, Urban Girl Squad will be sponsoring group runs from Athleta stores in NYC.  After the runs, there is a quick stretching class, some refreshments and a workshop of some kind.
So my friend and I signed up and went to the UES Athleta store.  There were a ton of women there!  I was very impressed by the turnout.
The start of the event was very well organized.  They had 3 people checking us in and gave out rubber bracelets to indicate you were part of the running group.  There were dressing rooms in the back which were designated as bag checks, and the store has a restroom (which is definitely a perk if you need to go before you run!) About 15 minutes after we got there, Rachel, the event leader, explained the run and we all headed over to Central Park.
The whole group was divided into three smaller groups; advanced runners, intermediate runners and beginner runners.
Advanced = approximately 7 min mile
Intermediate = approximately 9 min mile
Beginner = approximately 10 min mile OR there was another walk/jog group as well.

We elected to go for the beginner/10 min mile group.  The beginner group was still pretty large, but literally as soon as we started running, the whole group dispersed really quickly and it was just me and my friend running together.  She is also a newer runner, and neither of us have run with another person before.  We enjoyed it (OK, I did, I guess I shouldn't speak for her!) We were able to have a conversation mostly (although there were definitely some awkward breathing pauses) and it was good to have someone else who can monitor the pace and keep me from speeding up too much.  We ran around the reservoir 2 times, which is a 5K.  Unfortunately, my cardio trainer on my phone did not work and we have no idea how long it took us.  I would say I ran slower than I normally do, but we also did not walk as much as I have in the past either.
We did a quick stretch, and then headed back to the Athleta store.  There were complimentary drinks from Honeydrop as well as teeeeeny tiny Luna bars in my favorite flavors. We also got gift bags for being part of the very first one of the season. My gift bag contained 2 hair ties, a blueberry bliss Luna Bar (which I've never had before), an Athleta catalog and a water bottle (as seen below).  My friend's bag the same things, except instead of a water bottle, she had a hat from Athleta.

Amphipod waterbottle - it is designed so you do not have to actively grip the waterbottle.  The strap also has a great pocket that would fit keys, gel, a small MP3 player or other small items.  It's nice when you wear clothes without pockets!

The workshop after was about nutrition, but by the time we got back to the store, there were too many people surrounding the nutritionist for us to even hear what she was saying.  I think this was the only disappointing part of the event - we wanted to learn more, but we couldnt hear everything that was going on.  My guess is that the number of people running will thin out over time and we'll be able to get more out of the workshops as time goes on.
All in all, I enjoyed the event.  We are planning to go back every other Sunday as long as we're available.  I would love to see some more familiar faces at these runs too!  I always thought I didn't want to run with another person, but it turned out to be pretty enjoyable and made the run feel like it was much quicker.  Also, my friend is a lot better at maintaining the pace, so when I'd speed up, I'd realize I have to slow down to stay with her.

I haven't planned out the rest of my week's workouts yet.  I have 2 more Core classes, a week at Clay Fitness to try and a month at NY yoga still!  I need to get started on some of these things before they expire.  I'm hoping to get in at least 3 workouts this week including at least 1 run from work to home, since I have not done that in almost a month.

Do you prefer to run alone or with other people? Have you tried any running groups in your area? What do you think of the snazzy new water bottle?

Yoga Vida is Spanish for Yoga Life

Ironically, the title is poking fun at one of my close friends who misquoted Anchorman by saying, "El niño is spanish for THE BOY" but the Yoga instructor at Yoga Vida grew up in Spain so my title kind of relates (it's a stretch).
Anyway, I have a cold.  It's the first real cold I've had since moving to NYC (August 2010).  I've had sniffles and coughs, but nothing that's lasted more than a day.  I'm a huge baby when I'm sick, but I also will not call out sick for work unless I either have a fever, I'm throwing up or the doctor has told me I cannot go to work (i.e. strep). And if I'm going to work, I'm pretty much continuing my normal life, with a few moans and groans and extra whining thrown in.
I have not been sick since I started exercising, so I have really not had a reason that would force me to not exercise.  This week is a big test for me to see if I can get back on track with my goals when I feel better.  OR! I could exercise this week and just tone it down a notch.
On Sunday night, I was trying to figure out what to do on Monday evening.  I really wanted to do Hot Yoga because I have been feeling very stressed and I find that a nice sweaty yoga class de-stresses me very well.  I decided that if I'm sick, it's kind of gross to do Hot Yoga because the heat makes my nose run.  Maybe I could do some light running?  Except my chest is on fire normally, and actually running on Friday really burned (but I chalked it up to pushing myself), so that's probably a bad idea too.
Why not try non-heated Yoga?  This way, I still can de-stress and do some movement, but its not too strenuous.
I went onto GoRecess.com to try to find a Yoga class on the cheaper side.  I found Yoga Vida which is located on University Place and 12th street (There is another SoHo studio).  Yoga Vida is $12 for a drop in, which is AMAZING, but better yet: its $10 for your very first week with one free mat rental.
Yoga Vida offers Flow classes, Advanced classes and Beginner classes.  The Advanced and Beginner classes are capped at 21 people to allow for more individual attention.  The Flow class was very very crowded. I wish I'd counted how many people there were.
The studio itself was nice - nice floors, nice windows... it felt open and spacious and very calming.  I didn't go to the locker room, but I did notice a long line for a 1-person women's bathroom, which sucks, so thats a downside to the place.
The instructor - Hilaria, was overall really good.  She had a great personality.  I guess she regularly solicits suggestions from the class about what to focus on, which I've never really observed anywhere else.  This class chose the Core and Quads and she designed a class to focus on those areas.
Most of the class was similar to what I've done in other yoga classes - lots of flows, warrior 1 to warrior 2, etc etc.  She did incorporate extra planks in there or holding poses that required core strength for longer.  She also pointed out when we were supposed to be engaging our core or our quads and what it should feel like. She went around and corrected people, although she never corrected me, so maybe I was doing everything okay?  Or maybe there were so many people she couldn't always get to me.
After the typical yoga series, she did a whole core workout.  We did sit ups, bicycle crunches, lifted our legs, alternated lifting legs, did planks, did planks while lifting one leg at a time, did planks by twisting side to side etc etc.  Huge core workout.  It was great.  I was able to do most of it despite being sick (and having done 100+ crunches before class started) but it was definitely not easy!
Oh and personal accomplishment: I was able to get into Wheel pose and maintain it!

Pros:
1) Hilaria had a fanstastic, light, funny personality that made me really enjoy the class.
2) The ab workout was great (which btw, Hilaria did with us the entire time)
3) I enjoyed having an alternative when I was sick that was less intense but provided me an outlet
oh and 4) It was dirt cheap.  If I don't take another class this week, it was still worth it. However, I might to make it more worth it,

Cons:
1) I didn't feel as de-stressed as I do when I go to Hot Yoga
2) The class was very full and at one point, the girl in front of me almost kicked me in the face
3) We didn't do the balance poses, which are my favorite part of any Yoga class

I would definitely do this class again when I need something simple and relaxing without being too strenuous or tough on my body.  I enjoyed it and I was proud of myself for getting out and doing something while sick.
I don't know if it will help me get better faster - I thankfully don't get sick often enough to have anything to compare it to.  I do feel like I have to go to work and not hide in bed because if I can do yoga, I can resume my life as normal.  However, today I decided to sit on the couch with some yummy homemade soup (Thanks Cameron!) and watch the Biggest Loser Season Finale.  Hey, I take nights off when I'm not sick too!

Do you exercise when you are sick? What makes you feel better when you feel sick?

Core Fusion

Sometimes it's hard for me to write a post if I haven't been to a new class or done something major.  So I apologize that sometimes the blog is a little sparse... I'll keep fine tuning my writing skills so I can write about other things.
Anyway, today one my friends and I tried a class at Exhale Spa.  Exhale has locations in NYC, Boston, Dallas, Miami, LA, etc.  We bought a discount on Lifebooker for 3 classes.  Exhale offers their version of barre classes - Core Fusion, as well as some variations (Core Cardio, Core Sculpt or Core Sport) as well as Yoga classes.
We took a Core Fusion Basics class at the Upper East Side location.  The actual building the spa is located in was very nice.  The entrance was welcoming and the spa had a great lobby.  Lots of brown and earthy tones.  Then... we went to the studio, which involved exiting the actual spa and going through what looked like maintenance doors to a small studio.
The studio had 1 large window and 2 smaller windows, but it felt dark and small.  It had tan carpet and there were bars on one of the windows.  There were no mirrors, which bummed me out because I like to use mirrors to adjust myself and also to see what other people are doing and follow along.  It's a lot more distracting to have scan around the room instead of just looking at a different point in the mirror.
My friend and I observed what other people had done, and got ourselves mats, light weights (2lbs), slightly heavier weights (3lbs), and a strap. It's always great to go to a class with a friend because I feel like I'm not alone in being the new person.  As much as I've adjusted to that feeling, it is always great to have company and not feel alone.
The class started pretty slow, but we did these reverse pushups (see below) that really irritated my triceps:

Reverse Plank - we did an adaptation where our feet were planted on the floor and our knees were bent

My triceps were really tight after doing these, which made the other arm exercises a little painful, but still manageable.  The rest of the arm exercises were very similar to what I do in the gym on my own, but instead of using 7.5-10lb weights, I was using 3lb weights. The leg workouts were REALLY intense and I'm getting really bummed out that I live on the 5th floor and I'm going to have to go up and down stairs tomorrow.  The ab exercises were pretty good - there was a lot of balancing which hurts my back, whereas traditional crunches and similar exercises don't as much. Which means I don't get quite as much of an ab workout as I normally do because my back can't handle the work out.
Overall, the workout was a full body workout, but I can't help feeling like it was an hour of little movements that added up to 15 minutes of bigger, quicker, more effective movements.
I was not a huge fan of the instructor (Karen), but my friend was.  I just thought that the instructor kind of lacked personality, but my friend pointed out how directed the class was and how quickly we moved through everything.  Clearly that was just a personal preference.
Pros:
1) I definitely got a workout and the class was different from other barre classes I've taken
2) The spa itself was gorgeous
3) I didn't feel like the class was too cardio oriented - I'm learning that I like to feel out of breath in classes, but not to the same level as when I run.  I'm not taking the class to improve my running, I'm taking it to strengthen, tone or increase flexibility

Cons:
1) I didn't love the instructor - I like instructors with personality and more energy
2) I do feel like most of the effects I could have gotten on my own in shorter time
3) I didn't like the room!

Oh and also, they offer a $40 introductory week, but after that, each class is $37/class!!!  $37!  That's way too much for me.

Have you tried Core Fusion? What qualities do you look for in class instructors?

Kettlebell Kickboxing

Finally got into that Kettlebell Kickboxing class I mentioned a couple weeks back (see this post).
Went down to Soho, which was pretty cool because I don't go to Soho much, other than for shopping, and this wasn't in the shopping part, so it was cool to be in a different part of the city.
The building is a little difficult to find - its nestled between a shoe store and some other random store and there are no signs that indicate it's in that building.  But go in, it's there.
The entry way is very nice.  You walk in and there are chairs and magazine and lots of inspirational photos and quotes.  It had very nice hardwood floors and looked very clean.  I checked in and filled out the obligatory paperwork.
The locker room was TINY and the bathroom is through the studio.  While I was in the locker room, I met another girl who has taken many kettlebell kickboxing classes so she gave me lots of information.  And then we go into the room to go to the bathroom, and it turns out she's taken a class to become a certified Kettlebell Kickboxing instructor!  Crazy, I chatted up the A+++ student in the class.  Score.
We went in and she set me up with a 12lb and a 15lb kettlebell.  Then when the class started, she led the warmups.  Overachiever!  No, but seriously, she was super nice and very supportive and helpful.  It was nice to have someone watching my back and checking on me during the class.
The class was really good.  We did a lot of different movements and the instructor (who owns the studio by the way) didn't get stuck on any one exercise for a long time.  She kept it interesting and was up front about how long we'd do each movement for etc.  She also gave me a little extra attention as it was my first class and worked with me through some things that are difficult for me.  So for instance, I'm naturally very uncoordinated and cannot follow multiple directions, so she would do the movements directly in front of me so I could see exactly what she was doing.  She was very encouraging and specific with her corrections.  Also, referring back to my post about the Yoga instructor from Crunch, she did not need to be hands on because her verbal directions or models were clear when I needed the extra support.
There were times where I was confused.  Like I said before, I don't follow multiple directions well, so when we have to do 10 swings then 1 high squat then 1 low squat then a jab with the left then a jab with the right then a left kick, then jump three times... I get a little confused.  My A+++ classmate told me after that it gets easier because the instructor always does the same basic movements, but she'll combine them in different ways, so its really only 7-8 different units to learn.
The workout was great.  The 12lb kettlebells might have been too heavy for me for when I was only using 1 hand, but I did the best I could.  Cardiowise, my heartrate was up, but it wasn't like the Crunch Bosu class where I ran out of steam in 15 minutes because we did non-stop cardio.  I felt like there was a solid balance of aerobic activity and weightlifting with some stability and balance work in there too.  My quads and glutes are already sore and I'm pretty sure the rest of my body is going to feel it tomorrow too.

Pros:
1) Instructor (owner!) was fantastic  - thorough, motivating, provided support/broke instructions down as needed
2) The workout was nicely balanced and was difficult but not impossible
3) I really liked getting to know someone else there and loved how friendly people were

Cons:
1) There were a lot of people in the room, so I had to crane my neck for some demonstrations, which is why I was lost sometimes
2) I was confused by long lists of directions, but I think that might get easier the more you get used to the class.
3) There are no single class options for purchasing - it's all membership based.  I'd like to take more classes, but not as frequently as a membership.

I would 110% go back to Kettlebell Kickboxing.  Especially if my classmate was teaching classes. They have an open house this weekend that everyone should check out.  I really enjoyed the class - the more I think about it, the more I felt I got out of the class and the more I liked it.

Have you taken a class that exceeded your expectations? Have you tried Kettlebell Kickboxing, or maybe just Kettlebells, or just Kickboxing?

Full Friday (including Crunch! Hot Pilates)

Yesterday was a big day for me exercise wise.  I was at my parent's house in NJ overnight on Thursday night, so I decided to run a 5K in the neighborhood I grew up in.
I grew up on the top of a mountain, so planning a 5K route that doesn't involve going down the mountain is very challenging  Going to the bottom is one thing... but then I'd have to get back to the top somehow, and I'm not really ready for that.
After I figured out my route, trying to avoid running up too many hills, off I went at 10:00am on Friday morning.  About 10 minutes into the run, I turn a corner and see a BIG hill.  Crap.  I thought that was going to be downhill, not uphill. OK, fine, so I'll run up this hill and then walk at the top.  So I did just that.
Fast forward through the rest of the run (that isn't that interesting) - I ran it in 32.30.  Which is not an improvement on my baseline time, BUT I did have to go up and down several hills (albeit small hills) and I'm not used to running at an incline.  Not that that is an excuse, but I'm happy that I didn't lose more time than that with the hills.
Also, during my run, I ran past a woman with a stroller who said "Wow! you're running so fast!" I was running out of steam at that point, so it was a nice little pick me up.  Thanks, random woman.

After the run, Cameron and I headed back to NYC.  We ran some errands and then I went to my last Crunch class for the week.  Hot Pilates.
I did not like it.  I didn't really get it to be honest.  I barely broke a sweat, despite being in a heated room.  Today I don't feel like I got a work out.  It was a very slow moving class and we just didn't do very much.  We would do 5 minutes of some exercise, then "shake it out" and go into Child's Pose.  I'm so used to my Hot Power Yoga classes where Child's Pose is "always available" but only offered a few times a class.  Not after every single thing you do!  I was trying to keep my core activated the whole time, but there were some movements where you didn't need to, which honestly I think defeats the purpose.  I could sit on my couch and clench my abs for free.
I've never taken another Pilates class, so I don't have another one to compare it to, so I'll leave an open mind about Pilates until I've had more experience.  However, I was excited to start with a Hot Pilates class because I was looking forward to the challenge, so I'm disappointed that this class was much less than a challenge.  No summary of pros and cons for this class because I would not recommend it at all.

So my week at Crunch is finished, and I have to say, overall, it was not so good.  I wish I'd been able to go to some of the other classes, like the Body Web TRX class, but I think the fact that it was so difficult to get into didn't encourage me to keep trying.  Crunch is $89/month when you pay month-to-month, and I think more if you pay the year in full (the total came out to $1,234 for the year, which is $123/month), which doesn't make sense to me.  Thats $10 more/month than my gym, and I have to walk 20+ minutes to get there.  I think it might be worth it if the classes were more accessible and provided a more intense workout, but it seems that there is a lot more smoke and mirrors than anything else at Crunch, Union Square.

Have you ever felt disappointed by an exercise class you signed up for?  Do you prefer Yoga or Pilates?

Crunch! Body Web TRX

Did not happen.
Got to crunch... class was full... except the list was full... the actual room was not.  Until 11:03.  Then I got the boot for people who had signed up on the paper but hadn't bothered to show up on time. Strike 1.

So I went to Paragon Sports instead.  I want to buy shirts that are not my $6 Target tank tops to exercise in.  I love my $6 Target tank tops, but they ride up and they also are cotton so I sweat through them easily.  Unfortunately, my shape is not conducive to most shirts and my sensory issues (I like to wear tighter clothing - I almost always wear a tanktop underneath everything because I hate the feeling of loose fabric on my stomach) ruled out the rest of the shirts.  I need a shirt that does not have a built in bra, as I wear a sports bra anyway, but that is form fitting.  Apparently they don't make those.  Strike two.
Instead, I bought new shorts and a new pair of running capris. The shorts were on sale, and then the capris were 20% off! I definitely have enough pants to run in now, so I need to start concentrating on tops now.

New running capris by Adidas + running shorts by Brooks

To make up for not being able to go to a class today, I am going to try out Hot Pilates on Friday evening.  I did want to try this Body Web TRX, but I would have had to go back to Union Square at 6:15 and I had a 6:00 phone appointment with our wedding band.
I do have to say this is a definite drawback of that Crunch.  It is a 20 minute walk from me, which isn't that far, but if I walk there for a specific class, I want to take that class.  So it sucks that it's not first come first serve based on who shows up to the class on time.  That makes more sense to me, but that's also how I've seen it almost everywhere else.
In other news, I bought my veil for my wedding yesterday!  No details here because Cameron can't know anything about it, but I'm pumped that everything is coming together!

Have you ever wanted to try something only to hit a setback?  Do you have any recommendations for shirts that I might like for running in? 

Crunch! Bosu

So Crunch, day 2... decided to step it up and take an unfamiliar class - Bosu Body.
The Crunch class schedule describes it: Integrate balance with strength in this deep body defining class.
Straightforward, no nonsense description.
You can google "Crunch gym Bosu ball" and get this video:

It's actually really cool that Crunch has videos online of their classes.  The video is a decent representation of the actual class.  Except there was a lot more sweating, some stepping (ok falling) off the Bosu ball and we didn't all move perfectly at the same time! Some of the movements were different, some were similar - that might vary based on instructor/class, so I can't really judge that.

The class was pretty good overall.  The first 15 minutes focused on a lot of squats and leg workouts.  I'm very uncoordinated, and I thought it was pretty easy to follow.  That was definitely the toughest 15 minutes - my heart rate was up pretty high and I don't do leg workouts outside of classes, so it's not as familiar to me.  After that, we did some arm workouts, including planks on the Bosu Ball, bicep curls, lunges with shoulder lifts etc.  I used 5lb weights and for most of it, those felt a little too light, but by the end, my arms were very tired.  When I do arms at the gym, I use 7.5 or 10lb weights, but its a lot less repetition, so I didn't want to burn myself out too fast.  In general, the first time you take a class with weights, I think its better to use lighter weights until you get a feel for the class.  Which is a disadvantage of my ADD; I can't push myself as much because I don't know what to expect.

Anyway, we did about 10-15 minutes of abs, which was also really hard for me on the bosu ball.  Most of what was hard was the balancing, and I also think I was running out of steam. And lying down makes me want to stay lying down!  I was able to do most of it, but I had to take some breaks to just watch what she was doing or find my balance.  A second time around, I'd be able to do this better. But thats not the purpose of my experiment here.

Summary of the class:

Pros:
1) The instructor made it really easy to follow
2) The class wasn't too fast or too slow - sometimes in Yoga, I feel like I'm just hanging out in downward facing dog for 15 minutes while they continue to explain things.
3) I got a nice leg workout, which can only help my running

Cons:
1) I should have been able to do better with the ab workouts, but I was just out of steam
2) There is this very weird brick structure in the middle of the studio which made it difficult for me to see the instructor at times
3) Other than the Bosu Ball, it wasn't actually that different from any other exercise class I've done - some legs, some arms, some abs, etc etc... the gimmick was the ball, but you can get the same effect without it.

I did really like the instructor, and thought she was pretty easy to follow even when she was demonstrating multi-step movements.  She also demonstrated more challenging things a couple of times which always helps.

Overall, I thought the class was a good workout, but not as original as I expected.  I would take it again if I could, but I wasn't in love with it either.  We'll see how sore I feel tomorrow!

Crunch! Yoga

As a teacher, I have the wonderful vacation schedule that I've had since I was about 5 years old. So it's Easter/Passover, so I have off this upcoming week!  To take advantage of my week off, I decided to sign up for a free week at the Crunch Gym in Union Square.  They offer 15-20 classes per day, including spinning, yoga, heated yoga, pilates and many more!  Even if I only go three times, that's 3 different classes I got to try.
I went today and decided to go to the 5:00pm Vinyasa Yoga class.  I know Vinyasa Yoga (although I am definitely no expert) and figured that was a nice baseline for me to get an idea of what the gym was like.
I got there at 4:15 because I assumed I'd have to have a tour and I'd want to be at least 10 minutes early to the class.  It took about 4 minutes for me to get signed in and then they pointed me towards the yoga studio.  I guess we all know what happens when we assume... I ended up with like 40 minutes to spare.  I went over to Lululemon in Union Square (more on that in a separate post as I may become a Lululemon addict.) and then came back about 15 minutes before the class.
Since I was still there so early, I did some crunches while I was waiting - I don't sit still well.  When the class started, there were only 4 people in the room.  A few more came in, but it was a total of only 8 people in the class.
The studio was very nice - it didn't feel like I was in a gym yoga studio... it felt like I was at a yoga-specific studio.  You could hear the music from the weight room, but only faintly and it was a nicely lit space.  I was going to take a picture, but I didn't because there were other people in the room.

Crow Pose (this isn't me)

The class was good enough. I have never actually taken a non-heated yoga class, so I was excited to see what yoga was like when you didn't also feel like you were trapped in a sauna.  Overall, I still prefer hot yoga because I find that the heat forces me to focus on what I'm doing at the moment rather than allow my mind to wander.  However, I do think that occasional non-heated classes might be nice to really focus on poses and going further than I have in the past.  For example, today was the first time that I was ever able to go into crow pose successfully which was pretty awesome for me.  I also was able to work on my flow from plank to upward facing down to downward facing dog and I felt like I made progress on that.
However, I felt that the instructor was a little too hands on.  I'm pretty comfortable with getting corrections, but there were times where I felt like a verbal instruction would have been sufficient enough to tell me what I could do to help fix the pose or get more out of it.  I had a yoga instructor once stand on my hands to help me, but for some reason, today felt a little excessive.
To sum up the class:
Pros:
1) Felt like a yoga studio, not a gym class
2) In terms of stretching and making progress, a non-heated class really allowed me to focus on moving forward with my practice
3) It was nice to have a small class where there was a lot of space and the structure was a little more personalized because there were only 8 of us.

Cons:
1) People kept coming in and out which was a little disruptive for me.  I'm distractible, so that made it hard for me to focus
2) Crunch didn't have time to wash the mats from the last yoga class, so the yoga mat may have been used by another person before I used it.  Which actually is pretty gross now that I am reflecting on that...
3) The instructor was a little too hands on and I think he could actually use some work developing his verbal direction skills.  I need to learn how to get my body into a pose without someone else pushing it, so I should be working on that.  Sure, sometimes I need to know what a pose is supposed to feel like or a little correction might change a lot, but constant physical guidance actually might prevent someone from making progress because they don't learn how to move that way themselves. Also, I think it might make some people lazy because they'll just wait for the instructor to fix it.  It actually made me work harder because I wanted to know that I was able to do each pose without having someone make adjustments.

I don't think I would go back to another one of this instructor's classes because I didn't feel comfortable, but I did like the overall results of the class and the overall feel of the gym.  I'll be going there all week, so look for more class reviews!

On another yoga-related note... vote for Helena, my maid of honor's sister, for this yoga talent search contest: http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/view/1526?sort=recent! Look at how awesome she is :)

Total Body Conditioning at NYSC

Yesterday I took a total body conditioning at my New York Sports Club.  Already a member, so it's free - that's a plus!
This was only my second class at the NYSC, which was a little nervewracking because the last class was a Hatha Yoga class that I was not a huge fan of.  When I got there, everyone else knew what equipment to get and how to setup.  While this can be intimidating because I'm clearly the only newbie, I decided to play it cool (after all, I'm going to have to get used to being the newbie in lots of classes) and follow everyone else's lead.
So the class began simply enough with some stretches.  The instructor gave pretty good directions and demonstrated everything. I'm a very uncoordinated person and I was able to do most of the movements after just watching 1-2 reps.
With the exception of Figure Four and yoga, this is the first exercise class I have taken since Tae-bo when I was in high school.  It was reminiscent of Tae-bo to me - obviously we were not kickboxing or doing any of those movements, but it was a similar pace and exercised similar muscles (theoretically my whole body based on the name)
Most of what we did was challenging, but honestly, I could do it, which surprised me. I am so used to not being able to follow exercise classes either because I'm not coordinated enough to follow that many movements or because I'm not strong enough.
The instructor does one part that she calls "cardio commercials" which are 4 30second intervals of different cardio work outs.  Basically, you don't stop moving as fast as you can for 2 minutes.  That was very difficult!
Overall, I enjoyed the class, but I did not feel as pushed as I expected.  I came to realize that I might get more out of a class if I do it a second time because I will be able to follow the class a little more fluidly.

Some pros:
1) There are some ways to customize the class - by using different size weights and occasionally the instructor gave different tips to make it harder or easier
2) My thighs and triceps are sore today so they clearly got a good work out.
3) It's at my gym, so it's free!!

Some cons:
1) I felt the ab portion of the class was not challenging enough.  I really want to focus on my abdominals and increasing my core strength, so that was a bummer for me.
2) I would have liked more feedback during the class about how I was doing specifically.  I used to hate when people corrected me, but now I've learned that it is very helpful and willingly look for feedback to help make me stronger.
3) I could see myself getting bored in this class very easily.  The instructor told me she does the same routine each week, which to me is very rote and uninteresting.

I would go back again, but probably not very many times or too often.  It's a good fall back if I want to get in a full body workout without the sweaty weightroom or traveling too far.

On another note, the instructor and I talked for a little bit after the class and I told her all about my blog and my goals.  She seemed interested and then gave me her business card and expressed interest in providing me with personal training to help.  While I think personal training can be a very useful tool and people rave about having personal trainers, I'd like to hold off for now because I want to try this my way to see how effective it actually is.  I appreciate the offer and effort, but if I start doing personal training sessions, it changes my little experiment here - of course I'm going to get into shape if I have a 1:1!!  Also, it's not going to be cheap, so that would negate that aspect as well.

Off to Florida to see one of my wonderful bridesmaids and then go to some spring training games (go Yankees!) So I will be taking the weekend off from exercising, and most likely from any sort of healthy diet.  What's a ballgame without a hot dog, some beer and a soft pretzel??

Oops! I did it again

When I first moved to NYC, I purchased a groupon for Bikram Yoga NYC.  Like I mentioned earlier, I used to take hot yoga (Inner Strength Studios) in Boston, and decided that I'd like to try in NYC. I bought the groupon, and then a couple months later, I finally got around to using it.

I hated it.  

What I loved about Inner Strength was that during the class I felt challenged and pushed myself, but afterwards, I felt relaxed and invigorated.  So I was looking for that feeling again at Bikram Yoga NYC.  

Why I did not like Bikram Yoga:

1. The room is 5-10 degrees hotter than Hot Power Yoga and that makes a huge difference
2. There were like 600 people crammed into a very narrow room, oh and the floor is carpeted which to me just felt unsanitary.  How do they clean it after each class?
3. The structure is COMPLETELY different.  The class felt militaristic to me, with the instructor counting and then clapping to signal the end of a pose. 
4. I felt woozy and exhausted, not challenged or invigorated.  And I sat for about 45% of the class, so it was really like I was in a sauna for waaay too long and that was it. 

So I never went back.  It was, essentially a $40 class, but I didn't think it as worth going back if I disliked it that much.

Today, I accidentally ended up in a very similar class at Yoga to the People.  I have been trying to convince my fiancee (Cameron) to come to a Yoga class with me.  Today was the day!!  He agreed to go!   We chose the Yoga to the People studio on 26th between 7th and 8th ave, since it is the closest to our apartment, therefore avoiding paying for the subway. 

We walk in, set up, etc.  And then the class starts and she tells us to stand up and start with a breathing exercise.  We start the breathing exercise and I realize, I've never done this at a Vinyasa yoga class.  Oh crap.  This is Bikram. (Note: I think there might be some copyright issues associated with Yoga to the People calling it a Bikram class, but I'm using the term to help differentiate between the two types of Yoga).  So now, I'm slightly panicked for a second because the last Bikram class I took was so miserable.  Relax, Nicole, just breathe.  I'm trying lots of new exercise classes, so lets just think of this one as a new exercise class to try.

OK.  With the new change in attitude that suddenly my relaxing Sunday afternoon yoga was going to be a grueling exercise class, I threw myself into the class. This class was better than the first Bikram yoga class I took. Here's why:

1. The instructor was more nurturing.  While she did count and clap and do all those things I hated, she also provided praise and support when necessary.  She wasn't as abrasive.
2. I took a different approach to it.  I think this class showed me that attitude is half of it. I was so pissed off last time that I was not in a relaxing yoga class, that I literally made no attempt to make the best of it, and instead just sat down and gave up. 
3. I knew what I was getting into once I realized that it was not Hot Power, and was able to anticipate the class better, which made me feel more comfortable.  Your first Bikram Yoga class is not easy mostly because you have absolutely no idea what to expect.
4. It was only $8 to change my attitude towards Bikram, not $40. 

I still do not like Bikram Yoga.  However that is an upgrade from hating it.  I still feel like half the challenge is not getting sick in the heat.  I also felt like if I'm looking it from the perspective of an exercise class, I don't feel like I got a good workout.  I sweat more than I've ever sweat before, but I don't feel like I was pushed cardiovascularly or that my muscles got a great workout.  I think that people who probably do Bikram regularly enjoy it and get more benefit out of it. However, my goal is to get into shape while switching up the activities I do, so one Bikram class did not really help me towards that goal. 

To sum up, I would not take Bikram, or a hot yoga class like Bikram, again.  I am glad I took it a second time because it did change my opinion of Bikram to a more positive one.  It's just not for me, but I can now see why people do it regularly.  

Yoga to the People

2 big things today... used my inhaler for the first time (how cool am I??) and I went to Yoga to the People for some cheap, stress-relieving hot yoga.

First: the inhaler... well, I don’t think I used it right, I don’t think it helped, and now I have a terrible taste in my mouth... however I had a really great yoga session so maybe it did help and I just don’t realize it?

Second: Yoga to the People. I went to the studio on 38th and 6th. The entrance is very hard to find, especially because their website directs you to the orange nails sign, but that sign is actually black now. So I showed up at 5:55 for the 6:00 yoga class and was given the 2nd to last spot. At the very front of the class. Facing perpendicular to everyone else. So everyone can see... that’s right... ME!

The class was really good. It was slow, but the instructor gave opportunities for you to move throughout a “flow” at your own pace, which I actually really liked. I felt like I was able to breathe at my own pace and with my own movements, rather than sneak a breath in between while everyone else is still figuring out what they are doing. I was upset however, that there was no balance series. The balance poses are my favorite in yoga and the most relaxing for me. I always look forward to that part of class, so I was bummed that we didn’t do that today. However, all in all, the class was really good. I don’t know if the inhaler helped or if being the person everyone else could see pushed me, but I felt like I made some nice yoga progress and was able to do more than I’ve been able to in a long time.

Would I go back again? Sure! The class was good and what makes it is even better was the price: $5! (it’s an extra $2 if you need to rent a mat)

All in all, a great day for exercise. Up tomorrow, testing out the inhaler with a run. We’ll see how that goes...