Desperate Measures

The Manila Report: December (Part 1)

The problem with trying to hibernate during the Christmas season is that it isn't really possible, is it?

To my credit, I haven't been going out that much.  Since, I've gotten back to Manila on Dec. 6th, I've only been out three times.  Except that, two of those times, I've needed at least two days to recover.  (Am on the third day of recovery from the last one and had to cancel plans for tonight.)

Which means that, while I fully intended to work out six times a week, that hasn't happened.  I started doing Curves and barre3 last week and only managed to go Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday.  This week is looking pretty much the same, although there's a small chance that I'll get Sunday in, but am not very hopeful.  (Curves is closed on Sundays and I prefer to maximize my time out of the house if I'm going to brave going out on the last weekend before Christmas.)

I only chose Curves and barre3 because they both had great 60-day deals on Deal Grocer and they are both located a stone's throw away from each other at Eastwood, which is about five minutes from my folks' place.  (Plus the barre3 deal can be used at any of its other locations, which is convenient for me when I move to Makati for the next two weeks when Nicolas joins me in Manila for the holidays.)

Curves, as I found out, is a franchise from the United States.  They've been in the Philippines since 2010, opening its first branch at Serendra at the Fort.  The second branch opened in Eastwood in 2013.

The Curves circuit at Eastwood.  (Photo c/o their Facebook page.)

The Curves workout is a 30-minute circuit program that alternates strength-training and cardiovascular training.  For strength training, there are 13 different hydraulic resistance machines that work out different parts of the body.  In between the machines are "recovery stations" for cardiovascular exercises.  These are exercises designed to elevate the heart rate like butt kicks, jumping jacks, etc.  Total time spent at each station is 30 seconds before a prerecorded voice announces "change stations now".

Click here to see what the circuit is like.

What I like about Curves is that they don't have fixed class schedules (except for something called Curves Circuit with Zumba Fitness, which I haven't tried yet).  You can come in at any time and there is always an instructor to assist you.  If there is a workout already underway, just jump in at any available station and join in.  Your circuit is over when you've completed two rounds.

Every few stations, you'll be asked to check your heart rate.  Mine is always at 85% of my maximum heart rate so I know I'm getting a good cardio workout.

I also like the stretching station where you can do deep stretches after the circuit.

Two things that I don't like about Curves Eastwood is (1) that they are closed on Sundays, and (2) that they play the worst electronica music ever.  Think baranggay gym music.  On a loop.  Ugh.

Oh, and there is one other thing:  I noticed that the instructors never wipe down the equipment.  They really should, especially when there are a few people in the circuit huffing and puffing away.  Same goes for the stretching station.

Anyway, the downside of working out at Eastwood is that I am at a mall everyday.  So, one day, I emerged with three new pairs of shoes.  Another day, I sampled all the ensaymadas at Must Be Mom's, which has a temporary kiosk at Eastwood for the holidays.  And, another day, I discovered lechon porchetta!  (Details soon.)

No, the diet isn't working out.  Again.  Will try again in earnest next year.

The good news is that I am less than one kilo away from my target weight and, according to my measurements at Curves, I am now back at the height that I always thought I was:  5'.6.5".  Either their ruler thingie is off or my past readings were wrong.  Or maybe my posture has improved?  Who knows? But, for now, I'm officially back at being 5'6.5".  Yay!

***

Curves Checklist:

• Comfortable workout clothes.
• Workout shoes.
• Filled-up water bottle.
• Small towel.

Scenes From Today at Safehouse MMA

Manny Pacquiao lookalike, Coach Dean Bermudez (left) has an upcoming fight so, today, he was training.

Dean's older brother, Darwin, coached me today.

***

Safehouse MMA Checklist:

• Comfortable workout clothes.  Bear in mind that there is no air-conditioning.
• Shoes are optional.  Most everyone is barefoot.
• If you are boxing, bring your own wraps and gloves.
• Filled-up water bottle.  One-liter bottled water is for sale at P40.
• If you intend to use the shower, bring everything you need.

*Safehouse MMA is located behind Max's Fried Chicken (which is beside McDonald's) along Quezon Avenue.

Dancing With Myself

Ten billion years ago (or in 2004), I caught Teri Hatcher doing this on Oprah:

 

Apparently, so did one of my girlfriends and, when we did her routine in front of other friends, this sparked interest in strip classes.

We made some calls and, before long, we were organizing strip classes in Manila.  We'd scout around for an available dance studio, and then contact one of the three instructors that we managed to find and arrange a class with whomever was available.  Then we'd send out emails to girlfriends who, in turn, would send them out to their girlfriends.  We'd divide the cost of the studio rental and the instructor's fee between the attendees.

Although the classes were popular (some of the husbands were very thankful, and the ladies always looked forward to our sessions; to this day, I still get requests to revive the strip classes), we couldn't organize very many of them because we were constantly traveling and it was difficult for us to synchronize our schedules.  We also ran into some controversy with one studio when the owners got wind of what we were up to and weren't very happy about it.  And then I lost all my mobile phone contacts and that was the end of that.

Years later, I ran into our only male strip instructor, the legendary, Ed Aniel, and he told me that he had started his own pole dancing school (Pole Academy).  I congratulated him and told him I'd try it out, but his classes were always in the evening and were in locations that were inconvenient for me.

Fast forward to today.  Ed and I have reconnected on Facebook and it's always a pleasure bumping into him at clubs and parties.  We have fun times, dancing together.  But I still haven't made it to any of his classes.  Which is a shame because, out of our three strip instructors back then, I enjoyed Ed's style and routine the most.  He was definitely more sensual than the female instructors.  It would have been such an honor and a privilege to have had him as an instructor again.

But I've finally acknowledged that that might never happen.  So when Polecats came out with a promotion recently that would allow me to try Pole Dancing, as well as two of their other workouts, I thought, "Why the hell not?"

Polecats is located at Ortigas Center which, on a good day, is only about ten minutes away from my house.  And the good days are only ever on weekends.  Polecats' promotion was for two sessions of Pole Dancing, two sessions of Aerial Hoop, and two sessions of Aerial Silk.  And, on Saturdays, they have a 10 AM Pole Dancing class, a 12 PM Hoop class and a 1 PM Silk class.  Perfect!

I went to all three classes two Saturdays ago.  And then my friend's father died and his funeral was last week, so I only finished my last three sessions today.

Hanging out on the hoop today.

The Polecats instructors are, without a doubt, competent dancers.  And they would probably be competent teachers if their classes weren't overcrowded.  The studio is tiny, yet they accept as many as two students to a pole.  (They have around 12 poles and even less hoops and silks.)

Which wouldn't be so bad, if the classes didn't feature mixed levels.  For instance, this afternoon, during the Silk class, the instructor got tied up with the advanced students, so she asked another instructor - who was taking a break, after having just conducted two consecutive classes - to show the rest of us the basics.  The basics which I had already learned two Saturdays ago.  Which I, normally, wouldn't mind, if I hadn't signed up for only two Silk classes.

Stretching the silk a second time around.

But even with two instructors on the floor, they still couldn't monitor all of us effectively.  And for classes like these, which require a certain amount of flexibility, strength and coordination, and which feature novel props like poles, hoops and silks, I'd expect close instructor supervision to be paramount.  During the Silk class two weeks ago, the new students started copying tricks that were being done by the advanced students, much to the dismay of the overwhelmed instructor.

Contributing to the chaos at Polecats is the back-to-back scheduling of classes.  The lessons feel hurried.  For instance, this morning, towards the end of the Pole Dancing class, the instructor showed us a short dance routine which she seemed to expect us to get right away.  Of course, we failed miserably and there was no time for us to do it again because she still had to go through a slightly more difficult routine with the advanced students.  Of course, they failed miserably as well, but the 11 AM instructor was getting ready to start her class, so our instructor herded us all to the back of the room for a quick cool down.

It's a bit of a mess and, after my two Saturdays at Polecats, I feel dazed and bewildered.  Especially since the advanced students display such remarkable skill that I can't help but think that maybe it is possible to learn something amidst all that confusion.  (Of course, the advanced students are probably professional dancers.)

I harbor no illusion of ever becoming a performer, except maybe as a freak at the local ferya, but after these sessions with the Polecats, I am determined to work on my flexibility and strength when I exile myself to Siargao for a few months next week.  (Then again, you are familiar with the flexibility of my determination...)

***

Strip Class Checklist:

• Layers of clothing, ending with a bikini or the minimum of clothing that you are comfortable with
• High heels
• Filled-up water bottle

Pole Dancing Checklist:

• Sports bra
• Fitted top
• Short yoga shorts or a bikini bottom
• Filled-up water bottle
• TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY.  DO NOT PUT ON LOTIONS OR CREAMS OF ANY KIND.  

Aerial Hoop:

• Sports bra
• Fitted top
• Leggings
• Gloves, optional
• Filled-up water bottle
• TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY.

Aerial Silk:

• Sports bra
• T-shirt
• Leggings
• Filled-up water bottle
• TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY.

Opening Up To Kundalini

While out shopping yesterday afternoon, pain started to creep underneath my skin.  Caught unaware, I had to sit down and ponder what I did to deserve it.  And then I remembered that, that morning, I had done about two hours and 20 minutes of Kundalini yoga.

What is Kundalini yoga?  I can't say for sure.

I knew it had something to do with the releasing or opening of chakras or energies.  It certainly provoked an emotional response in my friends who were into it.  And, while I am not a new age junkie, I do like to keep an open mind and am always open to new experiences.  Especially when they are described as "orgasmic".  I expected to be elevated to a higher plane through chanting and meditation.

Shortly before 7 o' clock yesterday morning, I rocked up at Rosan's place in a tank top and harem pants.  She took one look at me and threw me a sports top, yoga shorts and a yoga mat.

Hokay.

We drove to our friend's house in Makati.  There were about six of us and the Kundalini guru.

Marisa wasn't at all what I expected.  She was fully made up, had a bright bandana around her head, and wore what looked like an all-white body suit, with a transparent, light blue cover-up.  She was quick to smile and had a loud, booming voice.  She played music and chanted, she sang, she read some inspirational verses from books.  And she did yoga.

It was really rather impressive.  She was small and round but, when she demonstrated moves, she could clearly isolate parts of her body and move them with control.  Unlike mine, which moved in one uncoordinated, jumbled mess.

I didn't realize Kundalini yoga would be so physical!

Imagine doing this:

... CONTINUOUSLY for THREE MINUTES, while breathing like this:

 

The poses weren't all difficult.  Sometimes, while seated, we just had to hold our arms up.  In a 30-degree angle in front of us, palms down, thumbs joined together.  Or out directly in front of us, with palms up but with our bodies leaning back at 120-degree angle, faces looking up at the ceiling.  Or with hands clasped behind our backs, necks tilted forwards.  Easy, peasy, right?  Now, try holding those for three minutes doing the breath of fire.  Those three minutes cannot end soon enough.

Of course, I couldn't hold the poses for three minutes!  My shoulders kept threatening to sever themselves from the rest of me.  Sometimes, I'd get dizzy from all that crazy breathing.  Other times, my fingers would tingle.  No orgasm yet.

We were supposed to be opening the throat chakra.  I'm not sure what that means but I'm no longer coughing as badly as I had been the last few days.  Hopefully, I am on the mend.

Apparently, I had wandered right smack in the middle of a four-week intensive Kundalini course.  I still have no idea what Kundalini is, but I have two more weeks to find out.

***

Kundalini Yoga Checklist:

• Yoga outfit
• Yoga mat
• Yoga mat towel
• Optional:  small towel and water bottle

Flights of Fancy

I had my last Anti-Gravity Yoga session last Wednesday.

It does get easier.  Less apprehension doing inversions, less disorientation...

I actually really like it.  I wouldn't make it my main workout, but it would be a good supplement to do - maybe once a week, one every two weeks, once a month?  It is rather pricey.

Apart from the price, the only thing off-putting about it is that it has this one pose called...   Wait for it...  "Chillax".

ACK!

<shudder>

Groan.

I loathe that word.

And now that I think about it, I'm not too crazy about the word "chill" either.  Think about it.  In what context would it be acceptable to use either word?  Even just saying, "I'm chilling in my room," sounds like I'm trying too hard to be cool.  And if anyone told me to "chill" or, worse, "chillax", I'd probably want to bury an axe in their head.  (Chillax on that, asshole!)

And this is why I am not a yogini.

Ommmmm...

So, yeah, getting into "Chillax" is nauseating for me.

"Chillax" is similar to this, but with the arms down, like you're just hanging out on the hammock...  (Internet file photo.)

<HURL>

Yesterday, since I was in Makati, I thought I'd try FTX Gym's Fly Yoga.  At P650/session, it is a lot cheaper than Beyond Yoga's Anti-Gravity Yoga.  But, while the concepts are similar, there are notable differences in execution.  For instance, Anti-Gravity Yoga will start off with the hammock at the hip bone, while Fly Yoga will have the hammock a lot higher than that.  (The instructor had hers around the bra line.)  And I'm not sure if it was because the class was composed of mostly beginners, but I found Fly Yoga to be a lot easier than Anti-Gravity Yoga.  We did a lot of static stretches, with the hammock coming into play to deepen the poses, much like Iyengar uses straps and blocks to aid in alignment.

We did a lot of stretches like this in Fly Yoga, although this is a photo from Anti-Gravity Yoga.   (Internet file photo.)

I'm pretty sure they're the same banana, with one tweaked to avoid copyright infringement and all that.

Having said that, I preferred Anti-Gravity Yoga, probably because they got us doing tricky inversions from the get-go.  Maybe FTX's Fly Yoga's instructor (- gorgeous woman that she is) treated us with kid gloves because some of the other newbies were already freaking out doing simple inversions.  (You'd think this is where an annoying "Chillax" might come in handy. - Er, still no.)

I still found it interesting and it did challenge my upper body strength when we had to pull ourselves from the floor to a standing position up the hammock but, based on that one session, I'd say Fly Yoga was a little too "lite" for my tastes.  I didn't even break a sweat.  It's something I would like to do after working out with weights, to stretch and cool down.

***

Fly Yoga Checklist:

• Fitted top that won't roll up when you're hanging upside down
• A T-shirt over it to avoid chafing your armpits
• Tight shorts or leggings
• Water bottle

Defying Gravity?

Normally, I'm the one dragging my friend, Sylvia, to boxing, barre3, or kettlebell training...  (Sylvia, by the way, is the one responsible for me starting this blog, so she's the one to either blame or thank for all of this.  I thank her.  Thank you, Sylvia!)

Last night, it was her turn to drag me out to try Anti-Gravity Yoga.  Apparently, she was having a bad day last week and ended up enrolling herself in three Anti-Gravity Yoga sessions while I was in Lisbon.  Last night, was her session no. 2, and she showed up with three friends in tow, me included.

I didn't mind.  I gained two kilos from Lisbon and I haven't worked out since forever.  Neither have I gone back to Paleo.  I've mostly been living on chocolate chip cookies.

Oh, and I tried a new restaurant the other night - Wildflour Cafe + Bakery.  Not bad...  We liked the salads, the ribs, the croque madame, and the desserts, particularly the peanut butter banana cream pie.

Former kettlebell and P90X buddy, John, asked me if I was going to Krav Maga earlier in the week, but I was still reeling from overall lack of sleep (- I can't tell insomnia from jet lag anymore), and the rains were discouraging.

So I was grateful to be dragged out for what was shaping up to be a girlie night out (- Sylvia's friend, Angelu, booked a restaurant, and Sylvia made appointments for foot massages after dinner).

I had first heard about Anti-Gravity Yoga from Monica Eleazar-Manzano, one of Beyond Yoga's instructors, whom I had met in Palawan while I was doing the raw food-yoga retreat at Bahay Kalipay.  (Beyond Yoga is the only studio in the Philippines offering Anti-Gravity Yoga.)

It sounded to me like Cirque du Soleil's JUKARI Fit to Fly, which I've been dying to try but is not yet in the Philippines.  I know FTX has its FLY Yoga, and Movement Dance Studio offers Aerial Silk.  I could be wrong but they all sound to me like they're cut from the same cloth.

So Anti-Gravity Yoga seemed like a good enough place to get acquainted with this sort of thing.  At P1000/session though, it's pretty steep, so we all got the first-timer package of P1500 for three sessions (to be used within a month).

We, newbies, were nervous, which was obvious by the chatter, the giggles, and the confusion with left and right, up and down, etc.  It didn't help that, the night before, Rosan told me a horror story about someone falling off the hammock and knocking out her front teeth.

Plus, I've never been comfortable with falling.  Which is why I sucked at learning how to ski, or to snowboard, or to surf.  I'd always jump off or make myself fall before I could really fall.  Stupid, right?  I hated doing back rolls when I was diving.  I preferred doing giant strides into the water.  If that wasn't an option, I'd ask someone to shove me off the boat, but not before hyperventilating and consuming almost half my air on board.  In Krav Maga, when we have to practice falling forwards or backwards, I always try to break the fall before I should.  So tumbling, back-flips...  No.  Not for me.

So it took me a while to feel comfortable with Anti-Gravity Yoga, and to trust in the safety of the gear.  One time, I wrapped by arms around the cloth so tight that I cut off their circulation.

During our first inversion, I hooked my feet around the fabric and was too freaked to loosen them to align my legs so that I ended up having one leg way up higher than the other and, no, you won't be seeing any pictures of those.

The other girls getting it right.  Left to right:  Bubbles, Angelu, and Sylvia.

Also, it wasn't always comfortable, especially when the hammock was at our hip bone and we had to balance our weight on it.

Woops!

But I, eventually, relaxed, and it became fun.  There were some exercises that were similar to TRX, but getting all wrapped up and twisted in the cloth was the best part of it.  The one I liked in particular was hooking the cloth around the shoulders and hanging upside down like bats.

Flipping out!

Downward dog, Anti-Yoga Gravity style.

"Looking good but not good looking!"  ;-)

Angelu, Sylvia, and Max hanging out.

Sylvia and Max had to sit out parts of the class when they felt faint, and Angelu got a bit claustrophobic while lying cocooned in the hammock during Savasana.

Max, Angelu, me, Bubbles, and Sylvia.  The instructor's the one in red at the back, whose name I forget...

But, all in all, we had a great time.  Of course, we pooh-poohed it and said it wasn't much of a workout but, today, there's an ache in my lats.  And my legs and my butt.  I wouldn't do it as a regular workout, especially since I can't afford it, but a once-a-week thing wouldn't be so bad.

Of course, after the class, we ate like there was no tomorrow at Ryu Ramen & Curry (- loved the food, but the service needs improvement) and had amazing foot massages at Beijing Foot Spa (- P500 for 70 minutes which included a head, hand and shoulder massage!!!).  Then - and this is why I really love living in the Philippines - we ordered frozen sangrias from this place in Blue Ridge, got the driver to pick it up, and girl-talked the whole night while scooping sangrias from a tub.

So, yeah, the yoga was really just an excuse to indulge.  Can't wait to do it again next week!

Please see the rest of the pics here.

***

Anti-Gravity Yoga Checklist:

• Fitted top that won't roll up when you're hanging upside down
• A T-shirt over it to avoid chafing your armpits
• Tight shorts or leggings
• Small towel
• Filled-up water bottle

***

Beijing Foot Spa

• Greenhills:  +63-2-695-3002, +63-932-883-8907
• Blue Ridge:  +63-2-912-9744, +63-922-833-8903
• Pasig:  +63-2-706-1678, +63-922-833-8902
• Quezon City:  +63-2-921-2156, +63-922-833-8909

Linea Sangria:  +63-917-850-7651

What Is Krav Maga?

The Krav Maga logo consists of the Hebrew letters K and M.  (Internet file photo.)

Krav Maga is not a martial art.  There is absolutely no art to it at all.  It's a self defense system developed in Israel, designed to be efficient in dealing with dangerous real life situations.  The objective is to get you out alive and in one piece, but not before you've neutralized your enemy.  Apart from being used by the Israeli Defense Forces, it's also been adapted by law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world.

 

Krav means "battle" and Maga means "contact".  It is brutal.  Think UFC without any rules.  And, yes, for most situations, a kick to the groin is the answer.

The few lessons I attended last year showed us how to deal with close quarter attacks (- strike with your elbows and knees) and how to get out of a stranglehold while on your back.

There's a lot of information to absorb and one has to practice constantly to develop the muscle memory for it.

 

Eyal Yanilov visits the Philippines from time to time to conduct Krav Maga seminars.

One of the most useful things I learned from Krav Maga is to be mindful of my surroundings and the people around me at all times.  I've had to adapt this after leaving the kettlebell/Krav Maga classes.  Walking the streets of San Juan after dark to find a cab is not the most pleasant of experiences.  There are a lot of homeless people and scavengers in the area and I have to be hyper-aware of everyone passing me by.  I am also conscious of where my bag is at all times (- I clip it close to the body on the side away from the road, lest it interest thieves on motorbikes) and turn off my mobile phone so that I am not distracted by it.

Krav Maga Philippines instructor, Fred Nogales, pointed out yesterday that the Krav Maga fighting stance is different from boxing in that it has the body facing towards the enemy at all times.  It is not twisted to the side in a defensive stance.  It should be ready to attack and deliver non-stop blows until the enemy is neutralized and one can get away safely.

While all of this is very interesting and exciting, I must admit to being intimidated by the simulated violence of it all.  For instance, when we had to try to pull off a guy from a bag he was pummeling, he was going at it so violently that I didn't want to go anywhere near him.  Last year, I sat out all the grappling exercises.  I guess it's all fine and dandy when we're watching a demonstration or we're simulating an attack in slow motion but, when it comes to enacting a situation, I find any sort of violence directed at me, even if it is merely simulated, to be quite unnerving.

I guess it's something I'll have to get over.  And quickly too.

***

Krav Maga Checklist:

• Comfortable workout clothing
• Comfortable shoes and socks, optional
• Knee bands, optional - If, like me, you like wearing shorts, then your knees may get scuffed when you do exercises that require you to kneel.
• Water bottle
• Small towel
• Toilet paper, optional - If you intend to use the scary toilets at the San Juan center.

***

Main Training Center:
Asuncion Badminton Center
20 E. Maclang St. cor. P. Guevarra St., San Juan, MM
Landline:  (+63-2) 726-5021

Makati Training Center:
c/o 360 Fitness
7th floor, 107 Dolmar Gold Tower, C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
Landline:  (+63-2) 940-9575
Mobile:  (+63-917) 860-0360
Email:  [email protected]

Figuring Out FTX

Oncologist buddy, Dennis Doromal, and I bought the same groupon pass for ten sessions at this new gym in Salcedo Village, Makati so I invited him to check it out with me this afternoon, in spite of a heavy night of dancing and double vodkas on the rocks.  (Chelu, whom I gave a pass to for his birthday, was tired and sent his regrets.)

The Reception.  (All photos c/o Dennis Doromal.)

We met at the Salcedo Park and walked into FTX (Fitness Exchange) together.  We immediately liked the funky interiors.  It's a small gym and I can imagine it can get quite crowded during peak hours.  They have one room for their yoga and dance classes, and another room for boxing and martial arts.  The main area contains the equipment for their 15 "signature" circuit training workouts.

While we were excited about the place, my initial impression wasn't very good as the receptionist and the instructors didn't do a very good job of orienting us about the gym and its facilities.  Well, come to think of it, there was no orientation at CrossFit or Plana FORMA either.  Maybe I just expect the courtesies of the bigger gyms like Fitness First and Gold's Gym, where they take you on a quick tour and explain how things work.  I was at CrossFit for what? - six months? - and I still don't know if they provide locker keys.  (I never used a locker and always just left my stuff on a bench.)

But I guess what ticked me off with FTX was that the receptionist was inattentive.  First of all, she took care of the concerns of some foreigner who arrived after us before attending to us.  Then when we asked her about what we were supposed to do, she said that an instructor would take care of us.  ('See, I don't think we should have even asked.  That information should have been volunteered.)

We could plainly see that the two instructors were busy and were kept waiting until I called the receptionist's attention to it (I don't know what she was busy with but she always had her head down and didn't even notice that we were waiting), and it was only then that she called one of the instructors to attend to us and she took over addressing the concerns of someone inquiring about packages.

Later, when I informed her that the toilet was out of toilet paper, she told me, like I was stupid, that the paper was in that rolling thingamajig.  "Yes, I know that but it's still out of paper."  She went and checked first - I guess to make sure that I wasn't lying - before replacing the paper.  And, even then, she forgot the key to unlock the rolling thingamajig so it took her a while to get the job done.

The instructors, although friendly, didn't bother to ask for our names or introduce themselves and I thought they were a bit sloppy in their instruction.  Then again, they had to individually address the needs of everyone in the gym so I guess they were spread a little too thin and did the best that they could under the circumstances.

In the end, though, because we had a good workout and were on a post-workout high, I quickly forgot my initial impressions.

Until now, that is.

;-)

Our passes were for the circuit training and the two trainers tag-teamed in instructing us.

We started with a warm up that included mountain climbers, lunges and high kicks so we were already out of breath after those.

We were told that we would start with a program called "Lose Big Now", described on their website as "FTX’s total body workout that burns fat optimally and, at the same time, increases basal metabolic expenditure (BME).  Chest, abs, arms, back, and legs are shaken with occasional visits to the cardio zones."  More importantly, it was supposed to acquaint us with the different training "zones" around the gym and the various equipment that they featured.

So we used rings for chest presses, strange-looking blue "barbells" for deadlifts, a contraption similar to TRX for bicep curls and rows.  We did squats while hanging onto bars, squat cleans with sandbags, then got sent to the rowing machine for two minutes (- if I am not mistaken, I rowed 429 m.).  We also had to do burpees (- Damn!  I thought I was done with those!) into dumbbell overhead lifts and sit-ups on gym balls.

The instructor could tell that I wasn't a stranger to exercise so he assumed Dennis also knew what he was doing and would leave us to attend to other clients.  So I had to show Dennis how to do the kettlebell swing (- this being our first session, I only used the 12-kilo kettlebell; Dennis used a lighter bell) and I would have corrected his cleans (he was doing reverse curls) but he was already straining with the sandbags so I didn't bother.  Reverse curls are a good exercise anyway.

Although I'm not very strong, most of the time, I do have good form - at least, when I don't have to do too many reps or compete with others for time (in other words, when I am not doing CrossFit, har) - and I can transition from one exercise to the next without needing much rest.  When I was doing TRX, trainer, Reema Chanco, had to tell her students not to keep up with my pace after one of them ended up having to sit out the rest of the class after she felt dizzy and faint from trying to keep up with me.  I kept telling Dennis to take his time, and I was speeding things up anyway because I wanted to finish before him so I could help him out with his form but, well, he wasn't keeping count so he'd finish whenever I'd finish, even though sometimes he'd start when I was already halfway through a set.

We only did one set of each exercise.  We did either 12 or 20 reps, depending on the difficulty of the exercise.  Except for the kettlebell swings.  We did 40 of those.  The circuit was fun and I still had enough energy at the end to practice some one-arm kettlebell swings and box jumps.

Afterwards, one of the instructors stretched and massaged us with a medicine ball which is always a nice treat.    

Dennis, waiting for his turn to be stretched.

We felt great after the workout and would have gotten our whey protein shakes from FTX's little snack counter but we didn't know whom to approach (the receptionist, as usual, had her head down and the instructors were busy) so we walked to Greenbelt instead.  Dennis lives somewhere in the area and I had to do some shopping anyway.

I'm still not sure how the other FTX sessions will proceed but I guess I'll find out soon enough.

One down, nine more to go!

 ***

Some things to note:

• They are open from 6 AM to 10 PM, Mondays to Saturdays and from 8 AM to 8 PM on Sundays.
• Because the gym is small and they do not have too many instructors, I suggest going during non-peak hours.  Peak hours are from 5 to 8 PM on weekdays.
• There is only one toilet for both men and women, although there are separate shower stalls for both sexes.
• They provide drinking water, locker keys and small towels.  Well, the receptionist said that they provide small towels but she didn't give us any so I guess you have to ask for one.  There are bath towels for rent for P30.
• Wear comfy workout clothes and shoes.

Plana FORMA, Intro to FORMA, 8 January 2012, 3:15 PM

Last November, Andy Cruz Martel invited me to the launch of her new collection of bags for Gabriel*Martel, a collaboration between her and one of her BFFs, Celine Gabriel.

 

Before the show, I had a chance to chat with Andy about their latest collection, Tocco Di Lusso  (Italian for "touch of luxury").  As a result, when the sponsors were giving away some products before the show, I knew enough about the collection to win one of the prizes.

A water bottle from Plana FORMA.  Gee, thanks.  Let me just add that to my one-thousand-and-one water bottle collection...  I almost left it and the card it came with on one of the couches that night.

A few days later, while cleaning out my bag, I found the card from Plana FORMA.  It's a good thing I plucked it up from that couch at the last minute because it turned out to be a gift certificate for five of their classes.  Yay!

I had heard about Plana FORMA before, knew absolutely zilch about it, but was intending to eventually check it out and, here it was, handed to me for free - on a card with a water bottle.  I love it how things work out sometimes.

Plana FORMA is an offshoot of Physique 57, a barre workout similar to barre3.  Three of FORMA's top dogs trained in the Physique 57 method in New York and rumor has it that they could not acquire the franchise for the Philippines and thus developed their own barre workout.

I only did the introductory class this afternoon (with Viella Galvez), which wasn't really much of an introductory class in the sense that it's more instructional, I think it's just an easier class - i.e. has less reps - than a regular class.  I'll have to do a regular class before I can make a fair comparison between Plana FORMA and barre3.  (I'm hoping to sign up for tomorrow's 11 AM class with Plana FORMA's main mover and shaker, Julie Alagde.)

In any case, it was a fun workout.  After CrossFit, it was a bit bizarre working out in front of a mirror with a peppy instructor.  Although it was an introductory class, I wouldn't say it was all that easy.  Especially the leg exercises.  I couldn't get through all of them without shaking, and I had to take a few rests because my thighs were on fire.

The studio is in a remote area of Fort Bonifacio (near Essensa) and is not easily accessible by cab, which is a major drawback for me.

(Photo c/o Plana FORMA's website.)

It's small but sleek and polished and all the equipment is new.  I'm not a fan of carpets at a place where people sweat (even though I myself didn't sweat much in this particular class) and, although they are plush and new now, I wonder what state they'll be in in a few years.

(Internet file photo.)

Plana FORMA provides locker keys and towels, bathroom slippers, toiletries and hairdryers.

P.S. - Plana FORMA must be lucky for me.  After the class, Viella told me that she had picked my name out of a box and I had won some Nivea products.  

***

Plana FORMA Checklist:

• Comfortable workout clothes
• Sticky socks
• Filled-up water bottle

Plana FORMA's sticky socks.  (Internet file photo.)

Getting to the Core of Kinesis

If you've ever met Archie and Ling Ling King, of the King family that owns those chain of motels, the first thing you'll notice is how amazing they look.  They look - easily - 20 years younger than they are and are probably the fittest people in the universe.

So when I found out that Ling Ling was offering her trainer to a friend of mine, I pestered my friend to pass on the information to me.  Finally, I went through my old e-mails and contacted Archie myself.  He was gracious and kind as always and put me in touch with Nestor Hernandez who turned out to be the manager and head trainer of Core Kinesis, the first Kinesis gym put up by the King family in one of their hotels.  (It's at Legend Hotel Villas on Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong).

Despite the hefty fees, I signed up right away.

I could be wrong about this but I am under the impression that Technogym created the workout, Kinesis, designing machines specifically for it.  These machines are four sleek, ultra-modern wall panels, artfully encasing cables, pulleys and weight stacks so that they don't look intimidating to its users.

(Internet file photo.)

The machines allow for an endless variety and freedom of movement.  The workouts emphasize push, pull, lift and twist moves, combining traditional strength exercises with functional movements.  For instance, one of the lift and twist exercises mimics lifting a box and putting it away on a high shelf.  Another exercise combines lunges with flys.  You can control the resistance through the weight stacks and your distance from the machine.  (The farther you are, the more resistance there is.)  Kinesis challenges one's strength, flexibility and balance.

Warm-up is usually 15 minutes of brisk walking on a treadmill, followed by a few standard stretches.  Then it's down to business.  Total workout time could be anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.  The session ends with the student being stretched by the trainer.  You gotta love that.

When I was at Core Kinesis, they were in the process of putting up their Makati branch (at King's Court, Pasong Tamo) so I eventually lost Nestor as a trainer as he got busier and busier putting the new gym together.  Gelo Yabut would occasionally sub for him until they finally put Jeff Mendoza in charge of my workouts.  While I liked Gelo, I thought that, with Jeff, I had plateaued and started getting bored with the workouts.  Then December rolled around and, because I have a huge aversion to Christmas traffic, I arranged to have all my sessions at six in the morning.  That's when they assigned Aaron Ang to me.  Aaron was a newbie trainer like Jeff but he was more attentive and seemed to be challenged by me.  He liked it that I insisted on increasing my weights and would sometimes add more weight than I had asked for just to see if I could manage it.  He also started giving me more complex exercises that the more advanced students were doing.

Gelo Yabut at Core Kinesis at Legend Hotel Villas.  (Internet file photo.)

But, in the end, much as I enjoyed working out at Core Kinesis, it was just too expensive for me to sustain.  I also found myself bulking up from lifting heavy weights with low reps, which I didn't like.  (Most of the time, they only had me doing ten reps.)  And, now, after getting used to the frenetic pace of CrossFit, I'm not sure that I can go back to the much more laid back Kinesis.  (Although I am still coveting the Kinesis One, the four-in-one home gym that I hope to have installed in Siargao one day.)

Still, if money isn't an issue, I totally recommend Kinesis.  It's a great workout for all fitness levels.  Beginners will appreciate the state-of-the-art (and, most importantly, safe) machinery, the slow, steady pace, the low reps and the one-on-one instruction, while the advanced practitioners will be challenged by the complex movements.  (Try working those pulleys while balancing on a wobble board or lying on a fitness ball!)  Even with those ten reps, I guarantee you'll work up a sweat and you'll be aching all over the next day!

Plus at Core Kinesis, you can dictate when you want to workout.  It could be at the crack of dawn or the witching hour.  They'll adjust to your schedule.  Now that's service!

Core Kinesis seems to be popular with TV personalities and the fashion industry (models, make-up artists, fashion magazine editors, etc.).

(Internet file photo.)

While I am not a fitness trainer, I do have some advice for those wanting to try out Kinesis or are starting a weight-lifting program:

1.  Lift slowly and release the weight slowly (- releasing slowly is called "controlling the negative").  Don't rely on momentum.  Make your movements slow, precise and purposeful.

2.  Keep your water breaks under a minute.  Engage in "active rest".  Don't sit down.  You want to keep your heart rate up.

3.  If you want to bulk up, lift your maximum weight with as few reps as possible.  Normally, you shouldn't be able to do more than three.  But if you want to tone up, lift a heavy enough weight that you can do several sets of at least 20 reps.

4.  Work out consistently!  Push yourself beyond the pain.  Even if your legs feel like wood, you'll be surprised at what you can do when the adrenaline kicks in.  Maybe start out with three sessions per week but work your way up to five as soon as you can

***

Kinesis Checklist:

• Comfortable workout clothes
• Shoes, optional
• Small towel