Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: Agnes
Location: UTown Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:28
Comments: Finally perspired a couple of drops, perhaps because of my 5-day absence from exercise due to a situation. Found Warrior 3 difficult, and glad that Agnes came around to help me with it.
Source: Warrior 3
Need to build up my hamstring muscles, used to be stronger with ballet. Here are some of the poses that we tried out:
Source: Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
Tried a simpler variation of this pose, and struggled through of course, but easier when Agnes broke down the steps of how to do the transition into the pose, which helped a lot!
Source: Peacock Pose
I generally find it uncomfortable to have my head turned upside down, ala rabbit or fish pose, but apparently, it helps with migraines...
Source: Fish Pose (Matsyasana)
3 April, Thursday
Activity: Abs, Butt and Thigh
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: ?
Location: NUS Sports & Recreation Centre Dance Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:35
Comments: Toughest lesson yet! My entire sports bra was soaked in perspiration, due to the longer, more intense aerobic warm-up! Did scissors and jack knives for the mat exercises, and by then, I was reeeeallly beat.
4 April, Friday
Activity: Pilates
Organizer: NUS University Health Centre Wellness Division
Instructor: Rachel Ong
Location: NUS Yusof Yishak House Rhythm Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:13
Comments: Smaller, cosier studio with barres. Love it! First lesson of the 2nd round that I'm attending, and I perspired a few drops. Not sure whether classes getting tougher or whether I'm getting weaker. Been a rough week so it certainly helps to exercise. Experienced nose troubles again this morning, which is a probably a result of exhaustion + the weather.
6 April, Sunday
Activity: Running
Location: Ivory Heights
Comments: Short 15 minute run before dinner, to kill the work brain-deadness, and because I feel cranky when I don't exercise!
7 April, Monday
Activity: Running
Location: Ivory Heights
Comments: What better way to beat the Monday blues by going for a run? 21 minutes run and 10 minutes of weights at home. John purchased 1kg weights for me two years back, and I've been using them from time to time, after I learnt some dumbbell exercises from my full body toning class by Bryan at NUS Staff Club.
8 April, Tuesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: Diana
Instructor: Rashita
Location: CREATE Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:10
Comments: We moved from cat pose to tiger pose, as a core workout.
Had difficulty with strength and balance for revolved downward facing dog!
Source: Revolved downward facing dog (Parivrtta Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Did lunge with eagle arms and I found it a little challenging to balance with my hands high up in the pose!
Source: Lunge with eagle hands
Source: Tiger pose
Could comfortably manage a Phoenix pose.
Source: Phoenix pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Can't lift my head off the mat in wheel pose, and toes can't touch the floor in plow pose. Much to work on at home! :D
9 April, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Staff Club
Instructor: Mike
Location: NUS Staff Club Aerobics Gym
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:13
Comments: Mike's style is more meditative, and I liked the very gentle music, unlike Rashita or Agnes's more upbeat music. Mike's choice was more reflective, and I felt like I was in a retreat.
The exercises for the day focused on the core. The challenging part where my thighs started to hurt was when we moved from chair pose to book pose, after holding the pose for rather long. Michaela grimaced with laughter and I couldn't control myself either at this point. Another part that I haven't mastered is the transition from sun salutation, the same move I had difficulty with at the yoga challenge with Michaela. Will try again to catch it next week.
A new pose we tried is the reverse lunge, where we would open our legs in a v-shaped with our hands supporting from the back.
9 April, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: Agnes
Location: UTown Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:22
Comments: Class was really fun and I was amazed that I was going strong as it was my 2nd yoga class for the day. My hamstrings were fully stretched and my downward facing dog was solid, as my feet was grounded firmly into the earth. What I like about Agnes is that she varies the flow for every class, so it never feels routine! Today's class was quite fun, moving from plank, and hopping to squat/ garland pose.
The most fun part of the class however, was the head stands that we tried in pairs. Min Hye was my partner :).
I found the first - the tripod - challenging. Weak arm muscles...
Source: Tripod
The second - supported headstand - was a lot more manageable and I grinned so happily when I successfully completed it! As Agnes said, it helps improve blood circulation. I could even settle into a fish pose with no problems whatsoever after!
Source: Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana)
How to do a handstand Video
10 April, Thursday
Activity: Abs, Butt and Thigh
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: ?
Location: NUS Sports & Recreation Centre Dance Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:30
Comments: Attended only the first half of the class, but was perspiring a lot as usual!
11 April, Friday
Activity: Pilates
Organizer: NUS University Health Centre Wellness Division
Instructor: Rachel Ong
Location: NUS Yusof Yishak House Rhythm Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:12
Comments: Fatigued to begin with, but managed to get through the class... not feeling great chemistry with Rachel... objectively-speaking, her classes are by far the best (provides instruction, explanation, correction and variation), but I'll re-evaluate when class comes to a close in June.
14 April, Monday
Activity: Full body toning
Organizer: NUS Staff Club
Instructor: Bryan
Location: NUS Staff Club Aerobics Room
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:14
Comments: As intense as and similar to abs, butt and thigh. Good workout, but not sure that I want to perspire so much mid-day... well 11 more weeks to go :P. Embarrassing moment when I flung my shoe across the room while kicking it. See, that's what happens when I don't wear sports shoes. That really killed my Monday blues.
15 April, Tuesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: Diana
Instructor: Rashita
Location: CREATE Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:9
Comments: Today's pace was significantly slower to accommodate the two newcomers, and it was relaxing. It was good that she came around to correct my triangle pose. I've been placing my palm on the floor when it should be on my ankle, so that I can push my shoulders backwards. The other was the tricep opener where we opened our legs in an inverted V, cupped our palms together, head to the ground, and stretched the palms to the ceiling. Rashita helped me stretch them further back, and for once, I was hurting in that pose. Moral of the story? Something is wrong if every pose is comfortable :P.
16 April, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Staff Club
Instructor: Mike
Location: NUS Staff Club Aerobics Gym
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:6
Comments: Class was very manageable, thankfully, due to my body feeling the effects of Monday's workout... going to class can literally lull you to sleep. Don't get me wrong. It is a good workout, especially with the sun salutations, but it's his voice + music + lights. Very restorative :).
17 April, Wednesday
Activity: Yoga
Organizer: NUS Aerobics
Instructor: Agnes
Location: UTown Aerobics Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:27
Comments:
Did headstand again, but was looking forward to learning handstands which didn't materialize as Agnes was helping the other students with it... oh well, will get the husband to teach me!
From a few classes ago :).
From our last class!
Could be better, but this is the first of many to come :).
19 April, Saturday
Activity: Hot Yoga
Instructor: Kumar
Location: Real Yoga YOHA Jurong East
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:12
Comments: It was killer. After months of training, I thought that I could take the intensity but it was still just as torturous. Worst, Kumar actually told me that I had no stomach muscles... on a positive note, I really have to work on my core. Made J help me with my headstand yesterday, but I need to be able to get up on my own, in time to come!
J very sweetly bought me sports shoes for my full body toning after last week's embarrassing lesson where my ballet flats decided to do a flying kick during a certain move in class, which is to be expected, since people wear sports shoes to a fully body toning class, for a good reason.
Well, being price-conscious, I'm happy it's pretty enough for it's price :D.
25 April, Friday
Activity: Pilates
Organizer: NUS University Health Centre Wellness Division
Instructor: Stand-in for Rachel
Location: NUS Yusof Yishak House Rhythm Studio
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:9
Comments: This male instructor came in as a substitute for Rachel and made all of us perspire. Given that it's been 6 days since my last exercise (work commitments), it was quite the workout I needed but I was shaking and had drops of perspiration... :). Aside, bought new workout clothes (Nike top going for 40% discount, and Etsy leggings for SGD$25!).
Am thinking of purchasing the following leggings since it's only SGD$22 each, what a steal! Now I just need guts to wear them =).
28 April, Monday
Activity: Full body toning
Organizer: NUS Staff Club
Instructor: Bryan
Location: NUS Staff Club Aerobics Room
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:15
Comments: It was so good, perspiring so much, killing the Monday blues. Happy that I could remember the routine and it was rather fun I must say. And much more do-able that the first class. Amazed, given how sleepy I started out, from the tiring weekend! Cheeks flushed red and wide awake now! A touch of coincidence but I was decked out in Nike from head to toe - my nice, new, bright pink Nike sports shoes sponsored by my husband =D. And my new dull orange Nike polka dot top which I got for a 40% discount!
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