Activity: Yoga, Sun Salutations
Organizer: NUS Art of Living
Instructor: ?
Location: UTown Education Resource Centre Rooftop
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:15+
Comments: This was a practice session as part of the Yogathon 2014.
Source: Yogathon 2014
What was nice was that the sun was setting, and there was a nice view of the UTown infinity pool. There was no instruction, other than the warm up which was very extended and good. The idea was to get us to practise the sets according to the counts. Michaela commented that it went faster at some points, and slower at other points (presumably when people are presumably more fatigued). Found out that it's done in varying speeds of slow, medium and fast. It didn't help that I didn't tie my hair, so it was a complete mess, interfering in my breathing space but I didn't stop, persevering till the end. Apparently we managed 30+ sets of sun salutations as a group?
Source: 108 Sun Salutations
5 February, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: Agnes
Location: UTown Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:40
Comments: This was better than the first lesson, and a lot of stretching was involved. The newest stretch involved that of the shoulder, where we would twist and put our entire body weight unto the other side of our body! Was looking for more of a challenge though.
6 February, Thursday
Activity: Abs, Butt and Thigh
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: ?
Location: NUS Sports & Recreation Centre Dance Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:40
Comments: Very taxing given that the first 20 minutes was a set of aerobics workouts. Gave students a break after 20 minutes, and we were all drenched in perspiration. The remainder of the time was spent working out on the mat, and it was the grossest mat experience I've ever had, with drops of perspiration filling the mat, fast and furiously... I wouldn't say I enjoyed it even though it was a good workout. It felt like those bodypump sessions at the gym, where it was loud, high-tempo music, where I felt more like an animal than a human... I realize that I prefer sports that have a more artistic element to it, rather than working out for the sake of it!
On the bright side, the fittest girl in the class asked if I danced ballet from the way I moved my body =).
7 February, Friday
Activity: Pilates
Organizer: NUS University Health Centre Wellness Division
Instructor: Rachel Ong
Location: NUS Sports and Recreation Centre
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:11
Comments: Did a variety of workouts in 2 sets each. Feels less musical than Alice's Pilates, and more mechanical but still enjoyable. Used Sanctbands for resistance. The bulky Caucasian guy in class burst the instructor's Sanctband :\. I liked that she introduced partner stretching as it really helped/ forced me to stretch to increase flexibility.
Source: More ways to utilize the Sanctband for Pilates
11 February, Tuesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: Diana
Instructor: Rashita
Location: CREATE Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:11
Comments: Decided to head for class despite menstrual flow and fatigue. Good decision as I felt better after class, coupled with a healthy salad from the Italian restaurant. Started with sun salutations and moved on to the individual poses such as warrior pose, cobra pose, wheel pose, kind dancer pose, camel pose, rabbit pose and ending off with fish pose etc. Working on executing these poses that is the combination of strength, flexibility and balance...
Source: Wheel Pose
Source: King Dancer Pose
Source: Camel Pose
Source: Rabbit Pose
Source: Bow Pose
A more layman understanding of Yoga poses
Source: A tongue-in-cheek view of yoga poses
Yoga Bunny
Source: Yoga Bunny
12 February, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: Agnes
Location: UTown Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:35
Comments: Did a lotf of stretching exercises. Although it was good, I didn't feel worked out enough as I didn't break out into a sweat. Not a drop of perspiration. I was looking for more of a challenge... Took a picture of us after class as it was full attendance!
Some of the poses we tried:
I'm a fan girl of this yoga lady, Rachel Brethen. Been following her daily posts on Instagram. Would love to attend her class one day, maybe when I'm stronger! She'll be in Koh Samui in mid-Feb 2015, that should give me loads of time to train up ;). Love her inversions and bogayoga posts (yoga balancing on a paddle board).
Source: Rachel Brethen's blog
13 February, Thursday
Activity: Abs, Butt and Thigh
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: ?
Location: NUS Sports & Recreation Centre Dance Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:35
Comments: Did 50 minutes of the 1 hour class as I had to rush off for Verbum Dei prayer group. First 20 minutes is the cardio aerobics workouts, which involves jumping jacks and lunges. The next 20 minutes involves working out by the barre, and it made me feel rather ballet-ish. The final 20 minutes involved mat work to target the abdominal muscles. Much preferred this class to the previous one. Fun to werk ittt with Daphne :D!
14 February, Friday
Activity: Pilates
Organizer: NUS University Health Centre Wellness Division
Instructor: Rachel Ong
Location: NUS Sports and Recreation Centre
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:11
Comments: Once again, we covered 2 sets of everything... Love the warm ups and cooling down stretching with the Sanctbands! Rachel mentioned that one side of my abdominal muscles are stronger than the other, as I would tilt to one side when doing my planks. Was proud that I was one of the few that could hold the planks (front and side) till the end of the minute. Getting stronger... 4 days of exercise in a row and I'm not feeling any aches. Am I getting stronger or not pushing myself hard enough? I think it's a bit of both, conserving my energy for tomorrow's Yogathon! She also mentioned that I have 'inverted shoulders' so I've to consciously twist my shoulders to the back when exercising on my side. I love her classes, corrections and comments... helping me gain body awareness!
Source: Side Plank
15 February, Saturday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Art of Living
Instructor: Rotated between 4+ instructors
Location: NUS University Town Green
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:100
Comments: Was more fun than expected :). Thought that it would be tiring to do 109 sun salutations but it was very manageable, given that they actually spaced them out with short light-hearted breaks, and interspersed them with different rhythms, traditional ambient music, korean pop, bhangra etc. An instructor even took the stage to teach us two Zumba routines that were very hip-hop like. Best part was the post-workout where we lay on our mats, listening to the therapeutic live flutist and (other musical instrument), gazed up at the passing clouds, miniscule aeroplane etc. A funny incorporation was this instructor who taught us the different ways to laugh - the qigong laughter, boxing laughter etc. All in all, a pleasant experience with Michaela :).
Pre-Yogathon
Post-Yogathon. 108 Sun Salutations - check! Gold challenge completed.
With John who patiently waited for me to finish and fetch me home.
18 February, Tuesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: Diana
Instructor: Rashita
Location: CREATE Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:11
Comments: Was a good stretching session and my lower back hurt a bit after that and inner thighs hurt a lot. Especially from the splits that we did. Here are some of the poses that we did:
Source: Stretching
Source: Lunge with quad stretch
Source: Lizard Lunge
This is something I find hard to do, to extend my leg all the way outwards.
Source: stretching the hamstrings
Source: Practicing stretching
19 February, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: Agnes
Location: UTown Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:32
Comments: Did a lot of 'flowy' dance-like movements, to open up the body. In Agnes' words, flowing like the water, since the body is comprised of water. And that it helps to reduce water retention. Felt like a contemporary dance session. Rather interesting I must say, something different from the routine. Created figure 8 in cat-cow pose etc. One particular challenging pose was planking while alternating legs. Realized that I could do the camel pose really well, perhaps because of the lower back exercises that we did in class the day before.
20 February, Thursday
Activity: Abs, Butt and Thigh
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: ?
Location: NUS Sports & Recreation Centre Dance Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:28
Comments: Challenging class. A lot of plies, sumo squats, lunges+kicks and jumping jacks as usual. Mat work to build the abs - side saddle leg lifts & elbow plank with donkey kicks etc. Totally feeling the burn. Either the class got tougher or I became weaker but I was dripping drops of perspiration and feeling dizzy at two junctures. All in all, a good class though :). Funny how there's an energizer bunny girl, who does everything, but with weights. Daphne snarkily remarked that she's trying to be the instructor :P.
Source: Sumo squats
Source: Side Saddle Leg Lifts
Source: Elbow plank with donkey kick
22 February, Saturday
Activity: Swimming
Organizer: -
Instructor: -
Location: Amara Sanctuary Sentosa Resort
Comments: Staycation courtesy of John's best mens and wives, as a wedding-birthday present. Relaxing and amazing!
23 February, Sunday
Activity: Slacklining
Organizer: Elephant Slacklines Singapore
Instructor: -
Location: Sentosa, Siloso Beach
Comments: Interesting and intimidating to try, and of course, the husband is a natural as it is the sister sport of climbing, and he used to do unicycling, gymnastics etc.
26 February, Wednesday
Activity: Gymming
Organizer: -
Instructor: -
Location: NUS University Town Gym
Comments: Worked out the thighs, lats, biceps on the machines. Used the mat for some yoga and ab-work.
27 February, Thursday
Activity: Abs, Butt and Thigh
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: ?
Location: NUS Sports & Recreation Centre Dance Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:15 (because it's recess week)
Comments: Most excruciating class to-date! Did barre work to work out the butt. Perspired so much I think this is the single most productively beneficial class to date, but one of the least enjoyable :).
28 February, Friday
Activity: Pilates
Organizer: NUS University Health Centre Wellness Division
Instructor: Rachel Ong
Location: NUS Sports and Recreation Centre
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:7 (recess week...)
Comments: Rachel introduced the Togu Redondo ball to us, which added an element of difficulty, as we have to balance it whilst undertaking our routine exercises.
Source: Togu Redondo Ball
