Hourglass Workout and Energia reviews

I wanted to do a brief review on two new workouts/fitness facilities I've tried out recently: Hourglass Workout and Energia Athletics.

http://www.hourglassworkout.com/index.html
http://www.energiaathletics.com/

Hourglass Workout with Lyzabeth Lopez: I'd wanted to do a new strength training regiment for some time (and am still looking for others if anyone has ideas) as I don't have the time in my schedule to devote to the old amazing sets I had (upper, lower, push/pull, supersets, and a whack of others) because it was a good 3-4 hours/sessions of strength training per week. Also, while I love Body Pump, it's not challenging enough or confusing enough for my body on its own.

There are many bootcamps out there and most focus more on H.I.I.T. cardio interval training and I wanted to focus on leaning and strengthening. Based on reviews and word-of-mouth, I decided to try Hourglass Workout for the 1 month challenge given that Lyzabeth Lopez is a fitness pro and body builder. I wanted something hardcore but fun.

The fee for a month is $200 and includes "Hell week" (the first week is 5-days in a row of muscle confusion and intense workouts), 3 more weeks of 2 x a week workouts, nutrition plans and an outing. It takes place at Venice Fitness at King/Spadina, which is not the nicest of gyms but spacious, not busy, and centrally located. I chose the 6:15pm class and it's a pretty busy one (sometimes it seems a little too busy) but was the most convenient for my schedule.

After day 1 of Hell Week, I was super sore. This is when I was sold that I was doing the right thing. By week 4, I'm feeling stronger and really look forward to the workouts. I am considering signing up for another month too because I really enjoyed it.

Pros:
-When taught by Lyzabeth, it is a great workout. She pushes, and maintains the pace/intensity of the class. I enjoy the sequencing as it's different every time, and uses equipment I don't have so it's not like I could just replicate the workout at home (gliding discs, anacondas, parachutes, ladders, push/pulls, etc).
-You may start a bit late but you'll end late too and get your full 60 minutes in. If you plan ahead and go to the gym early, they're pretty cool about letting you use the cardio equipment and doing your thing to supplement your workout.
-Variety variety variety - indoors, outdoors, upper, lower, abs, bootcamp style, good tunes - all great things to keep your attention, make you want to go back, and see changes in your body.

Cons:
-A successful enterprise often means moving onto franchising. A few classes were taught by alternate teachers and the quality was not the same.
-Busy classes sometimes mean not enough equipment so you're stuck with the lighter or heavier kettlebell or dumbbells, trying to maintain form or challenge yourself.
-With a lot of regulars there, sometimes, it can feel clique-y for the newbies so be ready to try to make friends. While doing your own thing is fine, since you need to find equal strength partners for a lot of classes, it helps to have allies in the group who you can partner with and who will push you hard.

Verdict:
Try it out if you are looking for something to renew your strength training regiment. Be ready to work hard but find it from within too (it is only as hard as you make it).

Energia Athletics: Energia is on the Danforth between Broadview and Chester. They are jack of all trades in a way - offer spin, yoga, kettlebells, a run club and have a storefront with pretty good merch selection. I had never been there before even though teachers from MYD can go for free and bought a Groupon to check them out.

I haven't been to anything there except the spinning and I've heard good things about their kettlebell classes so I really should go back and try other classes. This review is just about the indoor cycling.

The studio is small/intimate and the equipment is good quality and functioning. The space has windows that open which is refreshing (literally) and allows for good air flow beyond just fans blowing in your face.

The teachers are all very different - some teach time trials, others drills, some to the music they choose for a all-terrain ride.

Pros:
Not too busy, easy to get a bike and no stress/rush.
Friendly staff/teachers who take the time to set you up if you're newer.
Variety in instruction so you can try different techniques on the bike.

Cons:
Seems like spin "lite". Music really quiet (likely due to other classes at the same time) and it really changes the experience of a spin class! Some of the classes seemed low energy,
Tiny changerooms/shower facilities.

Verdict:
Try it if you are newer to spinning. The teachers are attentive and the classes (for the most part, depends who you get and how hard you're willing to push yourself!) are not as tough as other studios so you don't feel like you can't o it. It isn't intimidating and the friendly people will help get you set up.
Also, try their yoga/kettlebell classes!

The Chase (was) on!

Another City Chase come and gone. One of my favourite events to do annually. This year, my partner was Matt again (reunited after a successful 2010) but I didn't realize that I wouldn't be able to do the August Chase so I wasn't able to have a team "That's What She Said" reunion with Whitey.

For those of you who don't know what City Chase is, it's like the Amazing Race and puzzle/scavenger hunt type event that is a fun, crazy, urban, non-linear course adventure. There are about 30 clues to choose from (some are mandatory, some have later start times, some end early, etc.) and chasers have 6 hours to complete 10 (that include the mandatory ones). Usually, the winning team finishes in 2-3 hours while many people don't complete the requisite 10 in the 6. There were 600 teams this year, for a total of 1,200 participants.

Matt and I (the GoKart Stumblers, renamed White Banana as our rap group) completed the 10 required checkpoints (and did not go beyond and do EnduroChase, where chasers continue beyond 10 to see how many they can get) in 3:50:00. We thought we'd only done 'ok' because our time wasn't great considering it was a good 45 minutes off our 2010 time. But when we crossed the finish line, we found out we were in 26th place - which was ridiculously surprising and GOOD!

So while there were a ton of different clues and check points to choose from, and that Jer, who should seriously consider a job with CSIS, mapped out for us and got us all strategized by doing our research and figuring out where we should go, here is what Matt and I ended up doing:

-Hard Rock Cafe: 8 mile style, Matt and I had to write a rap with some required words and have a battle against another team. We (clearly) won and took the prize while the other team had to write out all the lyrics to a Beastie Boys song.
-East end of town: Matt had to do my make-up as a hillbilly. I couldn't get the latex on my teeth off afterwards and had a black tooth for most of the morning.
-Monarch Park: Frisbee golf. We rocked it.
-Greenwood Park: Palmolive + plastic bags/tarps + big hill + water = BEST WATERSLIDE EVER. Screw the other sporty stuff we did for 2 check points here. Matt and I did the hill twice.
-Ran with soggy shoes and soaked pants to the EMS station at Eastern and Knox. Decided to be firefighters instead of saving a baby.
-To Cloud Garden we went for some parcour. We rocked that shit!
-Down to check out the Running Room and passed on that one (the eating of the meal worm and touching of repticles or arachnids is soooo 2011).
-Went and TRXed at the Goodlife at Union.
-Did some carabiner rope puzzle at the water and a block away, did some blindfolded kayaking.
-Crossed the finish line and decided to beat the crap out of each other with some American Gladiator style jousting.

14km later, with a belly full of Halibut burrito and beer, I am home.

Soaked but SOOOO happy that we did water slides twice!

Best two out of three...

VICTORY!

Success and can't wait to do it again next year!

July teaching and running schedule!

I'm so physched for an AWESOME summer! I'm training for a tri (whoop whoop!), did Hourglass workout (review coming soon!), may do me some Jock Yoga, and am just overall pumped about being outdoors and training for some new stuff. Here's what's going on in July!

Teaching lots so come sweat it out. Hot yoga in the summer? You know it! I like it as it acclimatizes my body to the heat outside while detoxifying and lets me keep up my regular practice of breath and a calm mind.

YOGA
Moksha Yoga Danforth:
Wednesday, July 4, 4:30pm Moksha
Friday, July 6, 8:30pm Karma
Monday, July 9, 6:30am Moksha
Wednesday, July 11, 6:30pm, 8:30pm, Moksha
Thursday, July 19, 6:30am, 9:30am, Moksha
Friday, July 20, 6:30pm Moksha, 8:30pm Karma
Monday, July 23, 6:30am, Moksha
Friday, July 27, 8:30pm, Karma
Monday, July 30, 6:30am, Moksha

Moksha Yoga Downtown:
Monday, July 2, 4:30pm Flow, 6pm Moksha
Tuesday, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 9:45pm Moksha

Also, exciting news! Stay tuned for more info but my website will launch AND I will be delivering a Yoga for Runners workshop on July 15 at 7pm. Save the date!

RUNNING (and other activities)
The training for the Seawheeze 1/2 marathon continues with the lululemon crew so come out every Thursday at 6:30pm and Saturday morning at 8:45am at the Eaton Centre lululemon for some fun running. We'll have special guests and a social so stay tuned for announcements on Yoga & Running with Alice!

At CCRR, Sean Croon will be coaching the marathon clinic which starts in June but kicks into high gear in July. Pumped to do this clinic with all the usual suspects. I'll be running with the Rats on Tuesdays at 6:15pm as much as possible, do hill work on my own Wednesdays, and then run with the clinic on Sunday mornings at 8:30am.

On Sunday, July 22, I will be cheering on the folks doing the Toronto Triathlon Festival! No races for me, can you believe it?

When covers are better than the original...

Like we all know that J-Lo's I'm real wasn't all that good till she collab'ed with ja rule... and that Nelly made N Sync's girlfriend.

Check out this cover. Awesome little ladies.

Running tips, motivation and realities

Running season never really ends for those who train for marathons through the winter but now that it's nicer out, the contagion of outdoor running is high and the paths, trails and streets are full of runners - young and old, beginners and veterans. I've compiled some of my favourite running tips, superstitions and inspirations. Enjoy!

Tips and motivations:

• Force yourself to step out the door. Once you’re outside, start running. If after 6 minutes, you're still not feeling it, turn around, but chances out that first km shake out will keep you going.
• Get a song ready to power through that hill or sprint. Sing along and be hardcore.
• Dress right, have the right shoes, invest in the gear. Make it easier on yourself. Get your feet/gait assessed, find a good bra, get good technical, sweat-wicking clothing. You might actually enjoy running MORE (and feel good!)
• Whenever I’m lacking motivation, I think about how great I feel after my runs. And then I think of all the people that will razz me if I don't show up to run with my running crew. So if it's a Sunday morning, that is usually when I force myself up and stop snoozing. Running with a group makes all the difference!
• Don’t compare yourself to other runners. Set goals that are realistic and attainable for you. Write down your goals and keep them where you see them often.
• Stick to your training. Do the hills. Run in the rain. Run in the snow. Do your Fartleks. And see how much character you build, strength you develop and cardiovascular training you gain.
• In case the point before didn't stick, don’t ever miss a chance to train in really miserable weather! You'll be very "Canadian" for running seasons to come, telling novices about the time you ran in minus 26 up Bayview on a 23km training run. Also, you’ll feel great afterward, and when races come along, you’ll know it can't possibly be worse!
• Looking to get pumped for race day? Volunteer at a local race—meet runners, support runners and connect with your community.
• Don’t neglect and irritate your family and friends by spending all your time running and talking about running. This one's really tough. And with that I apologize to my friends and family.
• Sign up for a race as soon as you feel up to it - they sell out faster and faster! And then you're committed so you have to go through with the training! :)
• Accept and appreciate the fact that not every single run can be a good one.
• Be prepared to remove the words “can’t” and “never” from your vocabulary.
• If you normally run with music try skipping it and listening to your feet to hear your pace and your gait.
• Hydrate. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day. On runs, experiment early with electrolytes and nutrition that works for YOU!
• Carry a token or bus fare in your water belt at all times. Also, a copy of your health card in a ziplock bag is a good idea.
• Avoid eating spicy foods your long runs. I've learned the hard way.
• Use BodyGlide wherever things rub. Enough said.
• Do not increase your mileage more than 10 percent per week.
• Cut your Training by at least 30 percent every 4th or 5th week for recovery.
• Buy a foam roller, name it, and become intimate with it.
• Make your Saturday night routines an early night in with said foam roller, a nice tall glass of... water, a carb-heavy dinner, and a date with your pillow.

Superstitions and rituals (pre and on race day):
Week before the race:

• Trust the taper. If you feel you're going crazy, you're lazy, you're fat, you're injured and you haven't trained properly, that's normal for taper. Keep at it.
• For days before the race, have a water bottle attached to you at all times.
• Eat well. Carbload as early as a few days before.
• Get lots of sleep three and two days pre race.

Day before the race:

• Pick up the race kit. Let yourself get enthused and don't start psyching yourself out.
• Set up your race outfit (that you've trained in), bib, gels, water, shoes, pace bands, music, watch, etc. the night before.

Race day:

• Wake up really early the day of a race.
• Prepare the same food/beverages you would have on a long training run - my winner breakfasts are a pita with peanut or almond butter and honey and a tea. Or an oatmeal with goji berries or banana, almonds, and cinnamon and coffee.
• Drink water (early) on race day then cool it or you'll be in line too many times for port-a-potties pre race.
• Get to the start line area at least 45 minutes before the race. Pee at least once. The pee feeling at the start line 5 minute pre-race is nerves. Don't try to rush into the bathroom line again.
• Know the course, even if just mentally, and start visualizing it.
• Don't wear your race shirt on race day. A) You haven't trained in it and B) You haven't earned it yet. Don't get me started about this one.
• Retie your shoes to perfect snugness and double knot (or whatever trick you have to keep them from undoing).

During the race:

• Run with people you trained with.
• High five kids.
• Smile as often as you can, especially during the tough parts. It is really hard to have negative thoughts if you’re smiling. Plus, people watching the race will really respond to you.
• On a run or in a race, count down the miles instead of counting up. During my last marathon, with 11 km to go, my running buddy Sean said "this is just a regular Tuesday night run with the Rats". And then my legs got a kick to them of familiarity, of "I can do this".
• Think of a different person that encouraged and supported you through your training or that you're running for for every km you run.
• Say thank you to volunteers along the course.

Post race:

• Ice bath.
• Epsom salt bath.
• Hydrate.
• Pig out.
• Celebrate.
• Research your next race.

What are your rituals?

Repost - June schedule and events

Come sweat it out with me! It's almost solstice time :)

Slight changes -
not teaching at Uptown this month;
not doing HOPE volley tournament!

All else is a go!
http://hogtownbunny.blogspot.ca/2012/05/june-schedule-and-eventsraces.html