Tag: spinning

ClassPass in Review: Thoughts & Reviews of Classes

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Well, I’m sad to say that my month ClassPass membership has come and gone. Where the heck did those 30 days go?! Since my pass is done, though, I wanted to take some time to share my thoughts on the experience, as well as a brief overview of the classes that I was able to take in and around the Boston area.

Core Fusion Cardio- Exhale Spa

  • Location: Battery Warf
  • Website: http://www.boston.exhalespa.com/boston-battery-wharf-class-schedule
  • Instructor: Chrissy Snyder
  • Thoughts: It’s no surprise that I LOVED this class. I love everything about Exhale Spa. I think the classes are challenging, but rewarding, the instructors are super knowledgeable and the whole experience is worth a visit. I love that they have a phenomenal locker room because it’s nice to be able to shower after a class and carry on with the rest of my day.
  • Review: Exhale Spa: Core Fusion Fest

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Velo 45- Velo City

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Pursuit 45- Pursuit Boston

  • Location: Back Bay- Boylston Street
  • Website: http://pursuitboston.com/pages/schedule
  • Instructor: Amanda Lilley
  • Thoughts: I loved Pursuit Boston! Everyone was super friendly, the space was airy and bright, the energy was high and they had a shower (or 2?) that you could use after the class. They also had plenty of places to change and even had an area to stretch and use weights. The class didn’t use weights, but they are adding new “boot camp” cycle classes soon. They also had some shoes to borrow and provided free hair elastics and chapstick and your first class is free. Lastly, they offer a bunch of special packages which are worth checking out. I highly suggest trying it out.
  • Reviews: This Week: Workouts {lots of teaching again}, Review of Velo City & Pursuit Boston, Things I’m looking forward to

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Exhale Flow Yoga- Exhale Spa

  • Location: Battery Warf
  • Website: http://www.boston.exhalespa.com/boston-battery-wharf-class-schedule
  • Instructor: Michael Alba
  • Thoughts: This class was exactly what I needed the day that I went. It was a Sunday morning class, so the energy was peaceful and the instructor was amazing. Michael walked around throughout the class and assisted us, which I love. He helped me get deeper into poses so I could push myself past my boundaries and get the full effect of the post. The flow was well planned out and had smooth transitions. I left the class feeling 100 times better than when I went in!

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Request Ride- Recycle Studio

  • Location: Back Bay- Newbury Street
  • Website: http://www.recycle-studio.com/schedule-2/
  • Instructor: Linsday Bucci
  • Thoughts: Again, it’s no surprise that I loved this class.  Out of all the cycling studio’s I’ve been to in Boston, Recycle stands true to be my favorite. I feel like it’s the best total body workout because we do chest presses, triceps pushes, core exercises and upper body weight routines all while on the saddle. Lindsay’s classes are awesome because her playlists are amazing, her words are motivating and she has us in 2nd or 3rd position most of the time, which I love since I hate sitting in the saddle for too long! The only thing I think Recycle lacks compared to other indoor cycling studios is the fact that they don’t offer a free first class… or anything free for that matter. Shoe rentals are $2 and they charge for elastics and other little things like that that most other studios offer for free.
  • Review: #hellyesyoucan {My First Recycle Studio Experience}

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Fly 45- Flywheel Boston

  • Location: Back Bay- Prudential Center
  • Website: http://boston.flywheelsports.com/reserve/back-bay
  • Instructor: Jessica L
  • Thoughts: Meh. I wasn’t feeling this class, partly because it was a Friday morning, which means I’m usually beat from my double on Thursday night and partly because the room was more empty than full. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the instructor’s music, choreography or instruction style. However, I have been to classes there that I loved- Ana is an amazingggg instructor, so I would suggest a class with her! I love that Flywheel is huge, so it can fit a lot of people. I also like that there is a score board- I was concerned about this at first, but the fact that they only put that up when they want you to race and challenge yourself makes it a great tool! All of your rides are stored within your profile, so you can see your progress throughout the weeks, which is cool. Shoe rentals are free (yay), your first class is free (double yay) and they have hair elastics. There are a few showers to use as well.
  • Reviews: Indoor Cycling at Flywheel, ClassPass is here!

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Pilates Mat ReMIXX- Boston Body

  • Location: Back Bay- Newbury Street
  • Website: http://www.bostonbody.com/locations-schedules/boston-new/
  • Instructor: Jessica L
  • Thoughts: I loved this class! It was a nice change of pace from my usual high-intensity, high-impact workouts. This was the same instructor as the Flywheel instructor and I have to say I liked her a lot better in this environment! She gave a great workout- we did weights at the beginning that literally made my arms cry. I was embarrassed that I had to take breaks with 3lb. weights! From there we moved to some core work and then the glute work, which, again, killed me. I couldn’t even finish a set, which actually got kind of discouraging. I like to be challenged and feel the burn, but I also like to be able to achieve the task at hand. Oh well, something to work towards! I liked the studio space a lot and the employees were super friendly. They offer a wide range of Pilates classes.
  • Review: This Week: Workouts & Things I’m Looking Forward To {Birthday Week pt 1}

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Pilates Tower- Studio J

  • Location: Government Center
  • Website: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=44032
  • Instructor: Kristina Shumsky
  • Thoughts: LOVED it. I was lucky enough to end up having a private lesson with Kristina and she was amazing. She asked about my fitness levels, areas of concern and what I would like to achieve during our half hour and went to town. We did all sorts of stuff that left me quite humbled. I liked that the majority of the classes were just a half hour- it was a nice change from the usual 45-60 minute commitment. We used the tower machines, which can be intimidating at first, but they are really an amazing tool. The studio has only been opened for about 2 months, but they offer a number of pilates and yoga classes. I definitely suggest trying it out and maybe you could be lucky and have a private, too.
  • Review: This Week: Workouts & Things I’m Looking Forward To {Birthday Week pt 1}

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As you can see, I was able to jump around to a number of different studios to try out a nice variety of classes. The beauty of ClassPass is that it doesn’t allow you to visit the same studio more than 3 times in a month, which is great because it forces you to venture out and try new places. It would have been easy for me to go to the same studio and class throughout the month, but I tried to branch out and try classes and studios that I may not have tried otherwise.

Although I absolutely love ClassPass and think it is the most brilliant idea, there are some “cons” to the system that I found out as I learned more about the membership. I feel it’s only fair for me to share these with you, too. They definitely aren’t deal breakers for me, but rather just things to keep in mind!

  • You have to schedule your class 24 hours + in advance. While this isn’t a huge deal, it can be frustrating when you realize you can take a class the next morning, yet you can’t actually book it since it’s less than 24 hours away. It can be hard to plan out your week of workouts days in advance, but it’s kind of necessary to do when using ClassPass.
  • You can’t cancel a class. Once you book the class, you’re committed to it, otherwise you lose your class and have to pay $20. I do have to say, though, that when this happened to me (totally on accident), they waived the fee and gave me the class back. I wonder what would happen if you learned you could no longer take a class you signed up to take? I bet if you emailed them an let them know about the situation they would help you.
  • Not all classes at a particular participating studio are included in the ClassPass schedule. I’m not sure why this is the case (maybe because they are “high demand” classes and fill up on their own with non ClassPass members?), but it’s something to be aware of.

As you can see, my “cons” aren’t anything too major, especially if you know about them in advance. Otherwise, I think ClassPass is absolutely worth the money for a month membership. With the number of participating studios seemingly increasing on the daily, you’re sure to find a class that fits your need/want for a particular day. Whether it be a high intensity cardio class, barre class, Pilates class, yoga class or spin class, you can find something both in the city and the city’s surrounding towns.

Thank you, again, to ClassPass for providing me with a membership to see what it was all about. It was such a fun month!

Disclaimer: Although I was provided with a free month membership to CLassPass, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Questions for you: Have you been to any of the classes or studios I’ve listed above? Have any of you signed up for ClassPass?

 

This Week: Workouts {lots of teaching again}, Review of Velo City & Pursuit Boston, Things I’m looking forward to

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Hi, friends! Happy St. Patty’s Day! Is anyone celebrating? Did anyone go to the Southie parade yesterday? I opted out of it this year- it was cold and I really just needed/wanted a day to myself where I could catch up on life (cleaning, blogging, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.), not to mention I didn’t want to be tempted to drink too much because my day today is too long to be hung over! I’ve got lots to talk about today, so let’s get right to the workouts 🙂

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I decided to go to the gym during my lunch break to get in a quick 30-45 minute upper body and core workout. I was SO happy I did this because I ended up having a horrible end of the day at work and stayed late talking to my manager, so it was great knowing I could just go home after work and have a huge glass of wine make dinner, blog and do laundry.
  • Tuesday- I used my ClassPass membership and tried out a new-to-me studio: Velo-City. I’ll share more on it below, but I liked it!
  • Wednesday- I ran 3 miles on the treadmill before teaching UXF Burn.
  • Thursday- I taught SHRED (did most of the workout with them, but skipped out on the cardio) and Kickboxing.
  • Friday- Nothing 🙂
  • Saturday- I went to Pursuit Boston, which is a new spin studio in the Back Bay. I LOVED it. It was especially fun since I ran into someone I went to high school with and met u with my new blog friend, Lucy. Sweating with friends is so much better!
  • Sunday- I went to Exhale Spa for a 75 minute yoga class and it was wonderful. My body and mind needed it in a bad way! So happy I have my ClassPass membership so I can jump around to all these studios 😉

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This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- By the time this post goes up, I will have taught my 6am Muscle Work class and I am subbing the 6:30pm cardio kickboxing class at the Watertown BSC after work. Happy Monday and St. Patty’s Day to me!
  • Tuesday- I’m going to a 6:55am class at B-Tone Fitness in the Back Bay. I’m trying to use my ClassPass to try new studios I may not otherwise try, I’m excited about this class. After work, I am training someone who wants to get back into shape now that she’s had her baby!
  • Wednesday- Maybe some light cardio before teaching UXF Burn
  • Thursday- Teaching SHRED and then cardio kickboxing
  • Friday- Rest 🙂
  • Saturday- Teaching kickboxing at the Oak Square YMCA
  • Sunday- Not sure. I’d like to get something in since I’ll be traveling the next week, but I haven’t figured out what I want to do yet.

Velo-City Review

As I mentioned above, I went to an indoor cycling studio in the Back Bay on Tuesday night. I had never been, but it came up on ClassPass and there was a class at a good time for me, so I decided to try it out. The staff was SUPER friendly, and the instructor, Megan, was actually someone I knew when I used to work at Prana Power yoga- small world! I loved the music Megan played and really loved a lot of the song choreography that she had- we did some things that I hadn’t done at any other studio, so that was fun- I always love learning new things. I also loved that the studio had black lights…. I just wish I had worn something white! The one thing that was kind of a bummer was the fact that the class was not filled, so it felt like the room was a bit empty. I like when these types of classes are full because I can feed off of everyone’s energy, which I wasn’t able to do on Tuesday. Otherwise, though, I really liked the studio and would definitely suggest going, especially since they offer a free first class!

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Pursuit Boston Review

Saturday morning I headed back to the Back Bay for another spin class, this time at Pursuit Boston, which just opened in January. I loved the studio because it was on the second floor in a building on Boylston street, so it was really bright and sunny. They had showers (huge plus for me), changing areas, a weights/stretching area to use if you wanted to do something before or after class, and really great specials (5 classes for $59!!). The only downside is that they don’t rent shoes, but they do have a handful of shoes you can borrow, which I ended up doing because I hate spinning without spin shoes now.

The class at Pursuit was a traditional spin class, so we didn’t use weights or anything like that, which I thought was a bummer at first, but by the end, I didn’t mind at all. It was only a 45 minute class, but I was legit spent by the end. I was sweating SO much and my legs barely got me down the stairs after class- I call that a success 😉 The instructor was great and really encouraging and I liked that she jumped on and off the bike a lot to get closer to us to push us harder. I definitely suggest checking out this studio as they have different kinds of “rides” (they are going to start a spin boot camp class, which I think is totally up my alley) so you can pick one based on what you’re looking to accomplish in your workout that day. They do a free first class, too!

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Thing I’m Looking Forward To

Last week was SO fun, so this week definitely has big shoes to fill! I’m excited to try out B-Tone fitness on Tuesday, as well as train my friend’s sister-in-law. It was so sweet of her to reach out to me for help losing her baby weight, so I’m excited to put a plan together for her. I’m looking forward to my sister coming home on Friday- she will have been gone for 2 full weeks! On Saturday, I’m going to a wine tasting with my friend Jessi, Cristina and Lauren (and maybe my sister), which is going to be a blast! Nothing better than a wine-filled afternoon (heads up to my kickboxing class on Saturday- we will be working out for me to earn my wines… you’ve been warned!).

Questions for you: What was the best workout you had last week? Did you try out any new classes or studios? Do you like regular spin classes or do you like indoor cycling classes that include weights? What are you looking forward to this week?

#hellyesyoucan {My First Recycle Studio Experience}

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Boy, oh, boy. Where do I even begin? If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably know that I’ve never really been a “spinner”. In fact, I actually used to hate it. The more I take classes, though, the more I am growing to like it.

With that said, did you know indoor cycling is different from spinning? I didn’t, until I read this excerpt from Boston Magazine which explained the difference:

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“Indoor cycling, though, features choreography that works the whole body. Classes also target arms and abs, and not just as an afterthought. The choreography and the music keep you mentally engaged, so you’re never bored. The best part is when all of the riders are in sync, sweating together to tempo to create an energy unmatched by any other group class out there.”

This is what sold me on the idea of indoor cycling. All of the things listed out in the article are exactly what I look for in a class. Why go to a class and only work your lower body? I want to leave feeling like I got a full body workout… and after taking my friend Lindsay’s Saturday morning “Reboot” ride, I can honestly say I didn’t feel like I need anything else after that class. We worked our core, we worked our legs and holy moly did we work our arms (a 4 minute song with 2lb weights for upper body toning is NO JOKE.), so it’s no surprise that I left there feeling totally hooked on the “indoor cycling” workout.

Let’s back up, though. Lindsay and I met a few years ago, back when she just checked people in at Recycle Studio. Recently, Lindsay went through the teacher training and now has 3 permanent weekly classes on the schedule and when she sent me a free code to come try a class, I was stoked!

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I wore my brightest pants to get me pumped up… it worked.

I arrived at the studio, rented shoes (btw, spinning with spin shoes makes a WORLD of a difference. I feel like I need to buy a pair.), and got set up.

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Lindsay turned the lights off and at 9:30 on the dot we got spinning. She started the class with an intention and some motivational words and thoughts, which reminded me of yoga and has been something I’ve been trying to bring into my own classes. Here’s what Lindsay’s intention was:

I suffered a hip injury years ago which has totally inhibited my running. I went to Barry’s Bootcamp Friday night and on the treadmill  realized I can be pushed and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. So, today my intention is to break through the point of comfortable because that is where your body will change- If it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you.

I couldn’t agree with this more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: decreasing my cardio and increasing my weight training has changed my body in the best way possible. Sure, it’s “easier” to jump on a cross trainer for 45 minutes to an hour, but that’s not going to give you the best results. We often skip the challenge because it’s hard, but Lindsay’s message about needing to break through that because that’s when change happens couldn’t be more spot on with the truth. If working out and being fit and healthy was easy, everyone would do it. It takes determination, motivation and dedication to get the change you want to see, and that is NOT easy.

With that said, I kept that mantra (If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you) in my head throughout the whole class and it really helped push through the various challenges I was faced with. Between the “booty drops” (umm, loved that move and the name!), tricep presses, chest presses, isolations, hill climbs and 4 minutes of crazy upper body work, the class certainly pushed me out of my normal boundaries, but I loved it! I am big on choreographed routines, so “going with the beat” and being able to anticipate the next move and keeping up with the routines made the class fun and literally made me smile through the pain (yes, I caught myself smiling AND laughing at various times throughout the class).

As an instructor, I have to say I can be overly critical of other instructors, not because I think I’m a terrific instructor (because I am not- I have loads of ways to improve), but because I just hold them to a higher standard because I know what goes into training and prepping and actually teaching the class. Lindsay far surpassed any expectations I could have had. She had so much energy, gave clear directions, had amazing music and really pumped us up with various things she said throughout her class.  Her words made me want to push myself harder, even when I didn’t know I could!

“Thank yourself later for the work you put in this morning”
“We are a team, a unit that gets through 45 minutes together.”
 “When it comes to 2lb weights it’s mind over matter, you have to believe you are strong enough to push into the point of uncomfortableness.”
“Everyone here has a heart of a champion. We can’t stop won’t stop… so dig deep, leave your worries behind you and give 100% into a sprint that will leave you breathless“
“Every bead of sweat has a purpose. Every minute of your ride has a purpose.”

I loved this. It really made me think about why I was there, why I workout, why I love to workout and try new things. I’m there for the passion. I’m there for the endorphins. I’m there for the energy. I’m there for those 45 minutes where all that matters in my life is getting through the next hill/sprint/song/etc. And… it’s wonderful. Sure, the physical aspect and benefits of working out are great, but even more than that, I live for the mental benefits and the way I feel after an amazing workout is one of the best feelings.

So, thank you, Lindsay, for not only an amazing workout, but for asking us to give our ride a purpose, an intention. For making us feel like a team and for making us appreciate every bead of sweat that we dripped (ok, dripped is an understatement. I was pouring out sweat throughout the whole class.). Thank you for reminding us that we are blessed to be able to do what we do and that we have the ability to push our boundaries. It’s easy to take things for granted, so it was a nice reminder to appreciate all that we can do. I can’t wait to go back!

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Questions for you: Have you been to Recycle? What’s your fitness mantra that helps get you through a tough run/ride/class/workout?

PS- When you go, be prepared to sweat. A lot. I went in with straight hair and when I left, the end of my pony tail was totally curly. That’s the sign of a good sweat sesh if you ask me 😉

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This Week: Workouts, What I’m Looking Forward To & January Challenge {Week 2} Check-In

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Hi there! Happy Monday 🙂 Anyone have today off? I wish I did, but, alas, I am working and teaching. I hope your weekend was a good mix of everything you needed/wanted. Mine certainly was! I don’t know what I did differently with my workouts last week, but holy moly did they leave me sore! I ended up resting on Tuesday and Friday, yet I felt more sore than I did on weeks where I would have maybe worked out 6 or 7 days. I guess that just goes to show you that quality generally trumps quantity. While I like to sweat or do something active most days (mentally, I really need/like it… it’s my “me” time), I would take quality workouts on fewer days during the week than a week full of “meh” workouts every day. Anyone else feel this way?

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I went to the East Boston YMCA for spin. It was a sub, but it was a nice change and I liked the different things we did. I had time before the class so I did some biceps, shoulder and back strength training and did some core after class. I had decided I was going to rest on Tuesday, so I wanted to get a good workout in on Monday.
  • Tuesday- Rest day. I was still feeling sick on Monday and knew that if I wanted to workout on Tuesday, it would have to be in the morning, so I decided that sleep was more important than a workout. Guess what? I woke up feeling much, much better. Funny thing about that….
  • Wednesday- Because of my rest day on Tuesday, I was AMPED to workout and to teach. Seriously. I was looking forward to it all day. I ran a 5K and then taught UXF Burn. I joked that I hadn’t done squats in so long… and by the way my glutes and legs felt on Thursday, I wasn’t joking!

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  • Thursday- I taught a really fun SHRED class where we did all sorts of exercises across the floor. It was so fun and left my legs and upper body feeling like jello after class and incredibly sore on Friday. I also taught kickboxing, which was a good challenge for me because out of a class of 16, 12 of them had never done kickboxing or really worked out before. This was a great practice for my patience and my teaching/instructing skills. Since my “regulars” are so used to my teaching, I feel like I get off pretty easy because I don’t have to verbally instruct/coach/cue as much, so it was good for me to be taken out of my comfort/”cruise control” teaching zone and bring it back to the basics.
  • Friday- Rest! To try and loosen up my muscles I did about 25 minutes of yoga in my apartment, which ended up leaving my shoulders and triceps sore on Saturday… haha whoops!
  • Saturday- Taught another sweaty class at the Oak Square YMCA! There were almost 50 people in there again and we worked hard… I was so sore on Sunday!
  • Sunday- I went to a Power Yoga class at Exhale Spa. I got a Guilt deal so I was excited to go to yoga to stretch after a week of intense workouts. The class made me, again, realize how badly I need more yoga in my life. My hamstrings and hips are so tight!

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- Subbing the 6:30 kickboxing class at the Watertown BSC! If you’re around, come sweat with me!
  • Tuesday- I am not sure… I usually seem to have after work plans on Tuesdays, but I don’t have anything planned as of yet so I may head to the gym for a weight session after work.
  • Wednesday- Probably running and then teaching UXF Burn.
  • Thursday- SHRED and then kickboxing. Any suggestions for formats/exercises you’d like to do??
  • Friday- Rest day! Maybe some at-home yoga since I think that’s a nice way to stretch on an off day.
  • Saturday- I’m taking a class at Recycle Studio with my friend, Lindsay, who is a new instructor there. I am SO excited, but kind of nervous to take a class at a “fancy” type of spin studio.
  • Sunday- Maybe yoga again? I liked that last week!

Things I’m Looking Forward To

I think one of the things I’m most looking forward to is going to Lindsay’s class. I feel like it’s going to make me finally cross over into the “I love spinning/cycling” world. I might be getting dinner with my friend Meaghan, which would be great since we haven’t seen each other in so long. Lastly, I’m excited to see my sister this weekend. She was in NYC last weekend and it was weird to not hang out!

January Burpee & Push-Up Challenge: Week 2 Recap

Time for week 2 check in!! How did everyone do this week? I know that Jen Ryder absolutely rocked and beat her time from week 1 by over 4 minutes!! I am so impressed! Dana also sent her time to me (I love seeing all of your posts on Facebook– it’s a great motivator!), which is so impressive because she can do push-ups like a champ. Seriously. I wish I had that type of upper body strength!

I wasn’t sure if I was going to get mine in, to be honest. I planned for it on Friday, but I was so sore from Thursday’s classes, that I skipped it. Then, I was going to do it on Saturday after teaching kickboxing, but clearly that was a silly idea since I’m always beat after that class. That left Sunday… but after yoga and showering and puttering, it’s the last thing I wanted to do. But… I did it! And, somehow, I beat my time by 30 seconds. The secret? I think it’s because I opted to do more reps in each set: 40, 40, 20. By doing this, it eliminated the transition time from 4 transitions to 3, so that has to have been it? I don’t know, but I’ll take it. Maybe next week I’ll shoot for 50 and 50! The push-ups still sucked more than the burpees, oddly enough. IMG_6467

I want to hear from you! Did you do week 2 of the challenge? How did your time compare this week to last week? What’s the last exercise/workout that left you really sore? What are you looking forward to this week?

This Week: Workouts, Things I’m Looking Forward To & January Challenge Check-In

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Happy Monday! How was your weekend? I hope you were able to get out of the house and do something fun!

Last week, I started to come down with a  cold. It started with an itchy/scratchy throat and then moved to sinus pressure/congestion, etc. I’ve been loading up on Emergen-C, Mucinex and Sudafed and while they are working, it’s getting old taking so many meds! I blame the wacky weather for my cold. I tried to take it easy with my workouts once I started feeling sick, but I’ll be honest, unless I’m SUPER sick and physically cannot move, it’s really hard for me to tone it down. Which, is ultimately why I get super sick- I don’t rest when I should and end up getting more worn out and sick. You’d think since I understand this I’d be better at doing the right thing (resting) to make sure I don’t get full blown sick, but, I’m not. Oh well. With a that said, let’s look at my workouts last week!

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I was really in the mood to get to a spin class and was stressed when I called the gym and they said you can’t pre-register. There’s nothing worse than getting to the gym for a class and then not getting to take it because it’s full, right? Luckily, I got the golden ticket and was able to take the class! I’m still not crazy about the instructor, but at this point, it’s just good for me to keep getting more experience.

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  • Tuesday- I had dinner/drink plans after work so I got up in the morning and did the strength part of a workout I taught in SHRED a few weeks ago. It was based off of a workout in Men’s Health and it was great!
  • Wednesday- I started to feel sick on Tuesday so Wednesday it was my goal to take it easy at the gym. Instead of running, I did 15 minutes on the elliptical and then taught my first UXF Burn class of the year. There were some new faces in the class which is always fun. I did about 75% of the workout (I just can’t not do any of the workout when I teach- I love it too much!).
  • Thursday- I still wasn’t feeling great, but I was able to get through my SHRED and Kickboxing classes. The numbers are up, but they aren’t up so much that it makes being in class miserable. It’s a good balance! I taught a new format in SHRED and since everyone seemed to like it, I’ll post it for you on Wednesday 🙂
  • Friday- Rest!
  • Saturday- I did my January Burpee & Push-Up Challenge before going to a class at Pure Barre with my sister.

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  • Sunday- I woke up pretty darn sore from the Pure Barre class on Saturday, so I took my time in the morning around my apartment before deciding what I wanted to do for a workout. Since it was nice out, I decided to go for a run to loosen up my tight legs. Little did I know I’d be running into an incredibly strong head wind the entire first half of my run. Woof. I stopped at the “gym” in the park to do some ab work before heading back. Solid workout!

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This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I’ll head to a spin class at the East Boston YMCA again.
  • Tuesday- I’m getting together with some other tenants in my building for some wine after work, so I’ll get up and do my usual Tuesday morning strength session (which I’ve been loving lately!).
  • Wednesday- Cardio and then teaching UXF Burn
  • Thursday- SHRED and then Kickboxing
  • Friday- Probably a rest day. I’d like to maybe do 30 minutes of at-home yoga since I haven’t done as much of that in 2014 as I’ve wanted to, but we will see.
  • Saturday- It’s my turn to teach kickboxing at the Oak Square YMCA- yay! Hope to see all my favorite familiar faces in the crowd!
  • Sunday- Not sure. I might try to get some strength training in (maybe BodyPump?), maybe something else, maybe a real yoga class? I’ll see how I feel!

Things I’m Looking Forward To

Well, I’m looking forward to feeling better. Even though I never got really sick, it’s not fun feeling off and “kinda” sick. It’s actually just annoying. Other than that, I’m looking forward to having wine with some of the other girls in my building and hopefully getting together with some of my college girlfriends this weekend.

January Burpee & Push-Up Challenge Check-In

Alright, it’s time to check-in with my challenge! Who’s participating? I’ve seen a few tweets and Facebook status’ saying you’re participating, so I want to know what you thought of the first week of the challenge! What was harder than you thought it would be? What was easier? How did you break up the 100 reps of each exercise? What was your time? Before tackling the challenge, I had no idea what to even have as a goal for the completion time. 5 minutes? 10 minutes? More/less? I ended up completing it in 6 minutes and 21 seconds (took a few seconds to hit the stop button) and I still have no idea where that stands in comparison to some of your times! I feel like I can definitely do it a little faster next week, but my ultimate goal by the end of the challenge is to do it in under 6 minutes, which I think is doable. Few things to note about how I completed it (how you complete it will influence how long it will take you to complete it, so remember that!):

  • 4 sets of 25: I did 25 burpees then 25 push-ups, times 4 rounds
  • I didn’t do CrossFit burees- I just jumped back into a high plank, back in and hopped at the top
  • I did my push-ups on my knees. Over 20 reps of push-ups on my feet leads to bad form for me, so to make sure I was keeping good form throughout, I dropped to my knees.

Things I was thinking during the challenge:

  • “Ok, that first set of 25 burpees wasn’t bad. Here come the push-ups.”
  • “Breathe, Monique… the push-ups are when you get your breathing back!”
  • “Gosh, these burpees aren’t as bad as I thought they’d be.”
  • “I hate push-ups. I need a break. No, keep going.”
  • “Almost done the burpees! Just keep thinking about the Spartan race when you had to do 30 at a time!”
  • “Ok, you can have a 2 second break this push-up round. Make it count.”

As you can see, the burpees weren’t bad for me, but the push-ups sucked! I wish I had more upper body strength, and you’d think that with the amount of push-ups I do (pretty much every workout), I’d get better at them, but I’m not! All in all, though, I was happy with my first attempt. It was fun to give it my all and get me a starting point for the challenge so I can try and improve next time!

Questions for you: How were your workouts last week? Did you try anything new? What are you looking forward to this week? How about the challenge? Did you rock it? What was hardest/easiest? Please share!