oh wow, I just got a call from my dear friend Shona………who moved back to NZ in August last year. For those who don’t know her, she was a balance participant from my classes who ended up becoming a balance instructor, shadowed with me then later became a dear friend.
Awesome to chat to her again. Still miss her so much and sometimes I can’t believe how much life has changed since she left.
oh wow, it’s not even easter yet and I’m being very spoilt 😛
On the weekend I received a very nice block of chocolate as a gift from a member that does my classes. It was Cadbury “eden”…..very nice dark chocolate. There’s no longer any left 😉
And now today I pick up my mail and there was a parcel for me from Switzerland. Inside is a bunch of Swedish chocolate for my upcoming birthday. Thankyou to roamingstudio for the gift 😉
I love European chocolate……oh man, watch me get fatter over the next few weeks, haha. I think I’m going to have to do a few more attack classes!
The last 2 days I’ve been taking Echinacea and vitamins like crazy to ward off this cold, and I think it’s worked because tonight I felt pretty good in combat. Or maybe it’s all this chocolate…….overload of endorphins 😆
I got a new bookcase just for my chorrey notes. Man…….it looks so pretty. Can you believe it, all that chorrey and doesn’t even include the stuff from the pre-DVD days.
I counted 35 Les Mills DVD packs in total. At around $51 each pack……..OMG, I don’t wanna add it up 😯
No wonder I can’t remember anything…….look at all the stuff I need to keep in my head!!!
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I’ve installed a “captcha” on comments now, cuz I’m getting fed up with the number of spam robots posting floods of spam on the comments. They have to be approved by me anyway, but the volume is getting a bit much to deal with, grrrr.
So I hope you all don’t mind, but you now have to enter a visual code in when writing comments.
I promise, it’s better than viagra……..really….
bah…….I’m getting a cold. I sneezed this entire morning, with somewhere between 30 secs and 10 mins between each sneeze. Felt like contractions…….they just kept coming, for several hours……lol
Guess I’ve been a bit quiet in the last week. A few things I could have added here, but not sure I can be bothered now. Probably the most amusing thing to share with you is that I forgot about daylight savings finishing and was ready for my classes on Sunday an hour early (well this will surely be amusing to all those who know me and know how ditzy I am). When I was about to leave, my flatmate pointed out that I had an extra hour. grrrrr…….I could’ve slept, especially since I didn’t get much sleep because I went to a 21st the previous night.
Anyway, short update tonight, just letting everyone know I’m still alive….
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This morning was interesting, for the first time I experienced what is every instructors nightmare…………the power went out!
I was in the last pose of the hip opener track in BB36, I just kept going and resumed without the music. I guess I’ve been teaching long enough now that it didn’t phase me nor did I even feel a bit uptight. It’s just like doing a PT session, except with a group of people….lol 😆
The meditation was interesting though, it’s very VERY different doing it without music. Bangs and crashes of the weights next door…….and one of the members said they could hear the buses going past outside and that the clocks were out of synch with their ticking…….haha. ok, so we didn’t meditate too well…….but I told them that it was a really good exercise to practise it 😉
The thing I found MOST amusing is that my ipod was still actually playing (even though there was no sound – it runs off battery, not mains power) and when I started the meditation my ipod was 10 secs into the meditation track……..AWESOME timing hey! I didn’t actually follow the BB36 chorrey, I just freestyled it with my own chorrey because I thought it would be too difficult to do some stuff without the music. So the fact that I timed it perfectly with when we WOULD have finished is just insane! 😯
I did a fill in for Fernwood last night, but this morning was my first time teaching my classes again since all the “mic stuff”. The members gave me a really warm welcome and they all clapped at my return! 😛
They felt like amazing classes this morning. I felt fresh and energetic, and they were all the new releases but I’m just past that initial chorrey learning stage which is the perfect time for me when I’m teaching……so it was just so much fun.
It’s only been 2 weeks, but I’ve gotten lazy……lol and I’d forgotten how hard it was doing the three in a row (BP/BA/BB). It’s ok and I love it, but I’d just forgotten that it actually makes me work pretty hard……hehe.
Started off with pump which I’m still loving 61. I love tracks 1, 2, and 7 the most…..but I’m starting to get tired of the bicep track. One of the usual regulars wasn’t there this morning, but apparently she doesn’t know “I’m back” yet?
In attack there were a few this morning that also did the fill in that I did last night…..even though they said they didn’t plan on doing attack this morning……lol.
Balance still hurts my butt 😯 😆
Anyway, it’s good to be back……..especially with a welcome like that. I put in so much energy in my classes, and it’s really nice to know that it’s appreciated.
Thankyou to everyone that make me love what I do 😉
At Zest we get regular employee newsletters, and they list the top BodyTrainers and Club Trainers in the state. For Club Trainer guess who got 2nd in the state!!!!
I wasn’t quite expecting that, in fact, I’d barely noticed that section on the newsletter. So when my name was on there it took me by surprise. It’s a nice surprise though 😉
I got a call today from someone in Melbourne regarding the issues with the microphone at Fernwood and I have to say she was great to deal with. We spoke about what happened and she was fantastic to talk to, speaking about the issues from both sides. Without going into details I can say that we’ve resolved things and I’m resuming my classes there this Saturday.
One thing I can say is it’s really nice to be appreciated enough as an instructor and for all the effort I’ve put in for them to make this effort, despite what’s happened. I’ve always been a virtually 100% reliable instructor that hardly gets sick or takes time off, and when I do I usually have plenty of warning, like when I go to Auckland for holidays or something.
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By the way, did I end up mentioning that I ended up finding my balance notes? I found them under the seat in my car 😆
Of course, that’s where I often learn my chorrey, so I should learn to always check my car first……hehe
As part of the BodyTrainer course we get an official “graduation”. I think it’s basically just an excuse for the PTM’s to drink really but hey, I think it’s a good excuse 😉
As part of it we get formally introduced to the Buffalo Club and we pledge our allegance. This is a Les Mills drinking tradition that anyone who’s found themselves in the heart of the Les Mills family will know what I mean 😉
I got a slight preview to the Buffalo Club when I was at the filmings last year, but I didn’t really think much about it then.
Then next up someone started a game that when the person who is “it” freezes, the whole room must freeze. The last person to freeze must scull their drink. I’m not much of a sculler, but hey…….rules are rules 😉 Can get a bit messy if you’re not paying attention!
I’m so glad I actually had this Saturday morning off!
oh and I just found out tonight that one of my clients used to work with a guy that I did a group University assignment with……….freaky!
wow, I actually did Bodystep tonight. Now that I’m no longer teaching my evening classes at Fernwood, that meant I had a little bit of time to kill between my gym shift and my evening clients. This will probably change as I reschedule clients to fill in that space, but for tonight I thought I’d do something different (and I was feeling a bit sad and empty with that vacant spot in my timetable).
We did the latest release (what number are we up to?). Can’t say I liked this one much…….I often don’t with Bodystep cuz most of the music doesn’t do it for me. Sometimes I come across one and think “oh yeah, I liked that”, but not often. There is one track I loved in this release though……..not sure which one it is, but you do 3 side taps and a squat (punch the air as you side tap). I guess I could probably try and look it up on my tracklists site, but I’m feeling lazy and it’s 11pm and I’ve got to get up at 4.30am tomorrow. But well, yeah…….I liked that track 😉
As usual I don’t feel I workout quite as hard in step, however I was feeling pretty sore as I cained myself last night on the gym floor doing weights………I’m a bit achey 😯
Well, I taught this release again tonight so I think I’ve done it enough times now to give it a proper review. I quite like this release although there’s a couple of tracks I’m not sure about.
1. Love this warmup! Lots of energy and Rock This Party starts off awesome with the step into the Ginga. Awesome!
2. Great track, slow double roundhouse kicks……..wicked! Motivating music.
3. I like most of this track, but towards the end the chorrey feels a fraction messy. Not as bad as track 5, but you just don’t quite get into the zone. I dunno what it is that doesn’t feel right……maybe it’s just me with struggling with the chorrey?
4. Ginga + jumpkick = MADNESS. I probably wouldn’t have liked this remix of Bon Jovi under normal circumstances, but you’re so busy gingaring and coordinating everything that you don’t even notice 😆 Love the kata blocks……lots of power.
5. ewwww, messy……..I just dunno……..hmmmm
6. Pink…….well, I don’t mind Pink, but I’m getting a bit Pinked out now. It’s one thing having her in pump and balance, but does she really fit in in combat???
7. WE ROCK!!!!! yeah ok I love this one 😉
8. Love this track too! 6 minutes……….haha, almost sounds too cheerful for combat, but hey, it’s fun. I loved this track in Attack too, so I was excited when I heard it in combat! Lots of fun to teach this track.
9. hmmmm
10. Yep awesome cooldown. Revisit the blocks from track 4, with a slight different feel. Fantastic!
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I have to say though, I think I’m feeling a little more skeptical than I usually would be cuz I’m a little bit burnt out from working hard. Hopefully I can hold things together and not lose my passion. I really think I’d be more positive about ALL the tracks though if I wasn’t quite as stressed with other things in my life. Oh wells, I’ll still have fun teaching it 😉
Well it’s been confirmed, I will no longer be teaching at Fernwood anymore. All over a microphone…….pfft.
When will gyms realise that the little things in regards to looking after instructors are really worthwhile, and in return they’ll get loyal, quality instructors. Oh well……..it’s their problem. The manager has no idea about group fitness so that’s half the problem.
They pay me less there anyway.
So now, I’m a fulltime Zestie. Means I can concentrate more on just my classes at Modbury and my PT, which I was thinking I probably needed to do anyway, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. So all is good.
I taught this one in it’s entirety for the first time today. I did an extra class this morning too because I was helping out another instructor. I taught tracks 5 onwards and it was a huge class at Burnside. Great class.
Then I had an hour break for when I drove to my own class at Modbury. Then during this class I encountered the back track yet again and suddenly realise that this is NO EASY TRACK! It was at this point that my BUTT really began hurting…..to such an extreme point that I didn’t think I could do it. But hey, as instructors we just HAVE to do it…..right? 😯
During this track while I was teaching I jokingly told the class “ok ok, this is hurting…….right now I don’t wanna be here anymore!” I’m pretty sure they felt the pain too, so I know they understood 😉
I’m really not liking this release anymore 😆
(kidding)
1. Tai chi is absolutely beautiful. When I look back to the old tai chi tracks we used to do, Jackie is just making it better and better. Each tai chi sequence we do is very unique and this one matches the song perfectly. As well as the fact that this has been a long time favourite song of mine.
2. Awesome song. I like the way we do the first sequence slower the first time around. This really gives good time to coach through the moves and help the technique. The consecutive rounds return to normal speed and you can just go with it. Another fabulous song by Conjure One aswell.
3. This is another great track and thankfully not quite as difficult as some of the previous tracks. Nice to have a bit of relief, especially considering what’s coming up in track 7 😯
4. Ok I hated this song in Combat and I hate it here too. Oh well, I guess there will be some lovers of Opera music. Can’t complain about the chorrey though. I love the fact bird pose is back, it’s just a pity that I hate the song so much.
5. This is a fav song, that says it all really. Who cares about the chorrey, I’m too busy singing 😉 Love the new stuff in this hip track, although I have to say it’s challenging my clicky hip. I don’t remember having problems with my hips for such a long time now, but the new pose in this one does make my hip click if I’m not careful. I just have to concentrate on stretching long and reaching down through my toes to keep my hip stable. It also clicks when we sit down from the pose at the end. I haven’t found a comfortable way around this yet.
6. Simple, sweet, effective. I think it’s ok, although there’s nothing that jumps out at me that makes it special for me or anything.
7. OK I’ve already spoken about this track………I’m not giving it any further discussion 😯 😆
8. Fav song of mine. Hurt by Christina Aguilera. Downdog twist is back, although the setup feels a little short. I feel like it’s a bit difficult to coach the options in this one, since by the time I’ve got everyone facing the right way with the hand to the right leg, it’s time to move on. But apart from that awesome track, one of my favs.
9. Definately one of my fav songs. Great stretches and love the new spiral type move. Stretches the whole body and feels good. Doesn’t get any better.
10 & 11. No particular complaints here. Nice music although doesn’t strike me as outstanding. I think I was thinking about my sore butt too much 😉
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