spoiled chinese girl

(Written/posted on December 31st)

Alright, back from class and first things first, I signed up.

I left work early (we’ve been dead all week so we’re taking turns on who leaves earlier) and got to the gym way too early for class.  I bummed around Markville for a little bit (super crazy busy still, everyone takes their kids to the mall when there’s nothing better to do I suppose!) and finally just headed into the gym.  Since there wasn’t anything really to do until class, I hopped up onto an elliptical and just started going at an easy-going pace.  I think I was on for about 20 minutes until I hopped off to stretch out a little and headed up to class.

I’ll have to remember to leave for class a bit earlier, as I didn’t expect it to be that packed.  I walked in right as the instructor was setting up her mic & music.

The class was fun.  I felt uncomfortable only because I was far off to one side, meaning if we were meant to face the end of the studio I was at, I had to turn a lot to see what the instructor was doing, so my neck got a little sore.  But since I have a background in martal arts, along with an overall awesomeness when it comes to keeping a beat (HA!) I think I did overall pretty good.

I had a blast modifying any moves I didn’t feel like doing though.  Currently at my weight and body shape, everything jiggles uncomfortably during more of the high-bouncing like movements, so doing my own version of a low-impact cheat is how I got away with it, while still allowing for constant movement.

Too much fun was had by watching the two men who were nearest me in class.  Both seemed to take the “martial arts inspired” part of the description way too seriously, and one in particular really should just join a martial arts class rather than an aerobics class with a martial arts theme.  They were both in shape but due to their high-energy/almost show-off antics, left little time for them to keep the beat, which I found irritating, since they were always in my line of sight.

And yes, I ended up joining.  $60.00 per month with a 12 month contract.  I’ll be signing up for their intro 6 half-hour training sessions for an additional $130.00.

My fitness assessment is next Wednesday, and we’ll see how it all goes!

I promise to post everything honestly!

(Written/posted on December 31st)

Bah.  I was all set and ready go to to the Body-Attack class (the sports-inspired aerobics class) with my one week trial membership.  Except for the fact that I was NOT set and ready.  I realized I would have to obviously drive there, and made plans to leave on time.  But I failed to realize I don’t have a gym bag packed up and ready to go. 

So out comes looking for a t-shirt (not difficult) gym pants (slightly difficult) and a combo-lock I actually know the combo to (more difficult.)  Ended up with me driving into the parking lot just as the class should be starting… and I couldn’t find a spot.  So I just turned around and drove home.

Maybe tomorrow.  I think tomorrow is the Body-combat (martal arts inspired) class.

(Written/posted on December 31st)

The Goodlife I plan on going to is the one at Markville mall.  I found out that two days before christmas is a bad time to start looking for a parking space anywhere near a shopping facility.  But either way, I was able to make it in and meet with the person trying to sell me on the gym.

It amuses me to be in that location, it used to be a movie theatre so it’s really interesting in a way to see how it got revamped into an exercise facility.  The equipment looks good, as do the trainers bio’s. (I plan on getting a few sessons every once in a while to have a routine set up but generally be on my own) and there’s tanning… should I want it.

The aerobics/group classes seem interesting at least.  From the descriptions, my main interests will likely be in the martial arts inspired aerobics class, the sports inspired aerobics class, and the dance/hip-hop inspired aerobics class.  The yoga/pilates class as well.

The exciting thing is this will be my first gym membership where I’ll be able to attend any location (and being female, obviously all the womens-only locations as well!) which is good since I spend so much time in Bradford with Colin, that I can always sneak off to the womens-only location at the north end of Newmarket, should I get tired of watching him play video-games (or if he ends up with another job in the area)

The gym memberships are pretty wonky though.

I have the option of either go everywhere (except the super-premium clubs in super-high traffic areas) for $700-ish a year, or the one location and only 3 days out of the week, for around $400-ish a year.

This was the first I’d ever heard of “you can only come to the gym Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays” before.  But since I can’t MAKE it to that location on Sundays and Fridays there would have been no point to sign up for that.

I’m going to try one or two classes next week, and take advantage of their “boxing week special as long as everything works out.

(Written/posted on December 31st)

Alright, so today I scheduled an appointment for tomorrow to check out the next closest big-name gym around my area.  Good Life Fitness.  I remember the guy at the last place I signed up at, telling me that I should always look to sign up for a gym membership in December, as that is the slowest month of the year, while January (with everyone’s new years resolutions) is always the busiest.

I’ve been a member at Extreme Fitness, stopped due to moving away for school.  Also it was pretty far away (I joined with Emran and it was a middle-ground between our two residences,) located pretty inconviniently (requiring a left-hand turn from Yonge St without any lights or other traffic control,) and was pretty expensive (I think I paid around $300 for my 3 month membership)

I’ve been a member at Premier Fitness, it was awesome and I did great there, learned yoga and had a personal trainer.  Their sales tactics made me laugh because of how hard they were trying to push you into purchasing personal training (I signed up for 6 sessions, when they wanted me to sign up for 52… to 26… to 12… finally letting me go with 6,) problem being when I lost my job about 5 months after, I became depressed.  I started going again but at my 10 month mark into my 12 month contract the location I was at suddenly and “unexpectedly” (there were multiple rumours) closed.  Members were shuffled around to various other locations, I ended up at the gym we were supposed to go to, which was much smaller and didn’t have nearly the same ammenities.  I stopped going again.

I’ve been a member at the Boxing gym at Dundas West & Bloor (Toronto.)  That was short-lived since I only bought the membership off Phil’s girlfriend since she never used it.  but $50.00 for 3-4 months worth was pretty awesome.  I think I only went in about 6 times to use the cardio eqiupment while waiting for Unicycle club practice to start… but that’s 5 more times than Phil came with me (with the idea that we’d BOTH go and wait for club to start!)

So here we go again… let’s see how it pans out?

(Written/posted on December 31st)

Alright, so I’m pretty certain this was the last day I attempted to work on the six week program.

I do remember clearly that it was very difficult, and that I didn’t hit any of the proper set numbers.

However, I did accomplish the following: 20-20-20-20-20

And with the impending parties and activities, I figured “good enough!”

I’ll probably start this up again in the new year after everything settles.

Or… something!

Way too awesome.  I’ve been buying xbox consoles left right and centre, because I’ve been comendeering Brandon to turn them into media centres for my various televisions.  Now at the same time I’ve been checking out Shop wiki in order to see what kind of games and gaming-guides are available and they’ve been super helpful.

Reason for checking out shop-wiki?  Because they have a whole bunch of information on all the good games that are out for both new and older systems.  So not only am I checking it out for myself, but I’m looking up Wii games and Xbox 360 games for Colin as well.  Go wiki’s! Go shop-wiki!