Cuerpaso For You

My sister and I weren't allowed to play soccer as kids.  No, really.  Dad's a pediatric neurologist, and heading soccer balls is apparently quite bad for one's frontal lobe.*  Soccer wasn't the only forbidden sport (see also gymnastics), but it's the one I really, really wanted to play.  It's the only team sport I wasn't awful at, and it seemed easier to fake than, say, softball.  No one wants to be the kid that strikes out all the time.  (BTW - that's still not fun, and actually a little scary when you're playing in the lawyer league.)  As long as I didn't score for the wrong team, I figured I couldn't really mess up playing soccer, but it wasn't meant to be.

Apparently, it's still not.  This week, I was supposed to meet Tadeo and try out his class, Cuerpaso.  Cuerpaso is Spanish for "ultimate body," and the class combines Caribbean dance moves with... soccer!  True, dance and soccer seem somewhat incongruous, but remember how much fun I had at that latin dance/kick-boxing fusion class?  Anyway, Cuerpaso looks ridiculously fun.  They get to use soccer balls!  And, the buzz is that it's an incredible workout.  Sadly, though, my evil pinched nerve acted up, and I had to cancel last minute.  (On the plus side, kudos to me for taking my own advice and not pushing it.) 

I may have to get my soccer fix from counting down to the World Cup, but you can check out Cuerpaso.  In fact, if you're curious, Tadeo's teaching a six-week class that kicks off this coming Monday.  The $199 class is held at Reebok, but you don't need to be a member to sign up.  (Details here.)  Cuerpaso is also offered at New York Health and Racquet and on video. 

I'll be checking out Cuerpaso as soon as I can, but if you beat me to it, let me know what you think!

-Gym Belle-

*AYSO has since amended its policy, and heading is no longer required.

Self Magazine's Workout In The Park Day

The night before Self Magazine's Workout In The Park, I didn't have much hope.  I had been really excited for a fun day of trying different Crunch workouts in Central Park, but the weather forecast was terrible.  So, when my friend who was visiting from London insisted on one more glass of champagne, I figured I might as well; I'd be sleeping in anyway. 

Saturday morning, it really did pour.  Just as I was settling in to watch some rainy day cartoons, though, the sun came out.  It quickly turned into a hot, sunny day.  So, off to the park I went.

By the time I got there, the event was well underway and it was packed.  I had missed all the sign-ups for the Urban Rebounding classes, and the only yoga class left was a Breathwork Meditation class.  I signed up for that and then joined the crowd at the main stage area, which didn't require sign-ups. 

When I got there, a Masala Bhangra class was wrapping up.  Masala Bhangra combines a traditional form of Indian dance with Bollywood moves.  It looked really fun, and I was sorry I'd missed it.

I jumped in for Ab Attack, Cardio Tai Box and Retro-Robics.   It was crazy working out with that many other women.  Ab Attack was a good class, but I have to admit that I really didn't feel much in my abs.  Cardio Tai Box was awesome.  I love kickboxing classes, and the class made me very nostalgic for my Powerstrike days.  My favorite class, though, was Retro-Robics.

Retro-Robics was sheer cheese in the best possible way - like a Bat Mitzvah crammed into a twenty minute workout.  We did the running man, the cabbage patch, the electric slide, YMCA and a bunch of other old-school dances and steps.  The music was awesome.  (Get into the Groove, Maniac etc.)  Everyone got really into it.

After all the dancing, I was ready for Breathwork Meditation in the Quiet Zone.  During that class, we lay down on our backs on yoga mats, closed our eyes and breathed.  You were supposed to inhale deeply in your stomach, then in your chest and then exhale, and all of the breathing was supposed to be done through the mouth.  It sounds simple, but it actually took a decent amount of concentration, and at the end of it, I was pretty mellow.

Before I called it a day, I took a quick look at some of the sponsors' booths.  Asics had a tent where they had set up treadmills to evaluate people's gaits and recommend shoes.  Soy Joy and Silk were there providing snacks and drinks, and Maybelline was doing mini makeovers in its tent.  There were pretty long lines at a lot of the booths, but I did snag some Garnier samples and Livestrong bracelets on my way out. 

I wished I could have stayed longer, but it was time to head to midtown to pick up my number for Sunday's Mother's Day race.  There's always next year, though!

-Gym Belle-

Bosu Breakout Breakdown

All I knew about Bosu Breakout was that it was a conditioning class involving the Bosu ball.  But really, what more did I need to know?  The Bosu makes everything fun. 

If you're not familiar with the Bosu, it's basically a big rubber ball that's been sliced in half.  Some exercises are done with the curved part up, some with the flat part up; hence the name, Bosu, which is a truncation of "both sides up."  There are lots of different ways to work with a Bosu, but most commonly it's used to provide an unstable surface.  If you stand on either side, you need to engage your core to balance and keep from falling off.

I had been wanting to try Bosu Breakout for a while, but 8:30 am on Sundays is rarely ideal, even though Equinox is just down the block.  I have no idea why I was awake in time this weekend, but I was, so I went.

The class was solid.  We didn't do as many fun Bosu tricks as I would have liked, but I got a good workout.  We did a lot of weighted squats, lunges, bicep curls etc., all using the Bosu to test our balance.  I worked with a 12 lb bar, and 5 and 8 lb free weights.  The music was somewhat lacking, but the instructor, Terrell Pruitt, had incredible energy, so I barely noticed. 

Bosu Breakout was fun, and I'd totally go back.  While I'll was there, though, my thoughts kept drifting to CrossFit.  More on that soon.

-Gym Belle-