Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Latest exercise obsessions...

My obsession with yoga began when I had my first class with Vincent Tam. It wasn't the first time I tried yoga but it was the time I really started enjoying it. It is a lifelong practice and even though I may not be the most flexible or the most fit person in the class, the beauty of yoga is that you practice at your own pace and challenge yourself rather than anyone else. What I like about it is that it makes me feel good. Years down the road, I am still enjoying it.

I try to put some variety into my workouts because quite often, the lazy bug hits me and I just feel like lazing around and not doing anything. Only a few months ago, I started to enjoy running. I have always found it hard to run continuously because I think my body is just not used to doing it but I find that doing intervals (running, then walking, then running, repeat) spikes up my heart rate and I work up a good sweat.

This year I have also picked up Stott Pilates using reformers. I have never really liked pilates before because I felt it did not give me a good workout. I think I was probably not doing it correctly because if you do it the right way, it helps... It really does! It is definitely beneficial to strengthen your core and your back.

I found out about Zumba fitness a couple of weeks ago. It is basically an exercise class that incorporates some Latin American dance moves. It was a class offered in the gym close to my current client. I am not a big fan of group classes in the gym. It is just so crowded and people are not focused on technique but just doing anything they want. However, for Zumba, all you need to do is have fun. I guess it is a bit like Body Combat and Body Jam... If you feel that your motivation to exercise is flying out the window, it is good to try this. Put some fun back into your workouts.

Some of my friends have this hula hoop that they claim helps slim down the waist. Frankly, to slim down my waist, I probably need to diet more and exercise more. Anyway, I am always one to jump on the wagon to try something new so I also bought this Health Hoop. To reap the benefits, they say you need to do this for at least 10 minutes continuously every day. I can barely do more than 30 seconds right now. I guess I need to learn how to move my hips a little bit more. The little bumps in the hoop is supposed to massage your stomach and helps to increase blood flow to that area. It gave me bruises. Ouch! Ah well... Try try again I guess!!

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