Opportunities

“Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss”

So I’m two months into my London life so far, and I think it’s fair to say that I have grabbed every opportunity that has come my way in group fitness! From being called up to cover a triple in Camden the day I arrived, to whipping out my CD and finding the mic at Baker Street when an instructor didn’t show to a class I was participating in, I’ve been seizing opportunities left right and centre in the quest to become an established instructor in a new city.

My best class this month would have to be a 2 hour RPM I rode at Bloomsbury Fitness First to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. I think I managed people’s expectations of the ride well, and had quite a few members who were adamant at the beginning that they wouldn’t last the full 2 hours, actually stay for the duration! So a real sense of achievement for many in that class, and of course it was a great cause. For me personally, it probably wasn’t a good idea to ride 4 other RPM classes that morning and lunchtime, haha, I estimated that I rode 180km worth of classes that day – I should have swum 4km and run a marathon then I could tick the iron man off my list ;-) One day!

Favourite play list for the month was the special class I selected to honour the Chiefs (Hamilton based NZ rugby team) playing in their first ever Super 14 grand final! Playing “We Are The Champions” for the cooldown was, in hindsight, a little presumptuous, as the Bulls destroyed us in the final 61-17. Here is the full playlist:

Warm Up - One Step Away - DJ Jurgen (51)

Squats - Walk On Water - Milk Inc. (61)

Chest - Breakaway - Inaya Day (65)

Back - Never Surrender - 2 Unlimited (43)

Triceps - Hungry - INXS (64)

Biceps - Eye Of The Tiger - Heart Attack (42)

Lunges - Love (Rugby) Is A Battlefield - Rochelle (48)

Shoulders - War Machine - Techno Boy (52)

Abs - Stronger - Kanye West (65)

Cooldown - We Are The Champions - Robbie Williams (40)

Having instructed at many different and new clubs this month has brought some interesting and memorable moments, perhaps the most outstanding was the first class I instructed at Walworth Road Fitness First. I was a little nervous, as you always are at a new club (sssh, don’t tell anyone). Not sure what the members would make of my music selection, whether they would laugh at my jokes, if they would be able to understand my hybrid Kiwi-Aussie accent, and so forth. Well before I even had a chance to introduce myself, a larger than life Afro-English woman, with a smile to light up the room, approached me and said her daughter usually comes to these classes but was away this week; and then she asked if I had a girlfriend! To which I quipped back “Well that’s a little forward. How do you know I don’t have a boyfriend?” We both burst into laughter, and that has really set the tone of that class, it’s my new favourite!

My current schedule of permanent classes is:

Monday - 630pm - BODYPUMP @ Covent Garden Soho Gyms

Tuesday - 700am - RPM @ Fulham David Lloyds

Tuesday - 745am - Ab Blast @ Fulham David Lloyds

Thursday - 600pm - RPM @ Covent Garden Nuffield Health

Saturday - 1130am - BODYPUMP @ Walworth Road Fitness First

Saturday - 1230pm - Ab Blast @ Walworth Road Fitness First

My main goal for the remainder of the year is to attend the next Professional Development Module (September or October, as I missed the cut off for the July module). Once I have completed that, I will take the necessary steps from there to become part of the UK national presenting team! I will keep you updated on my progress.

Also, and I have literally been saying this since I was 16, I have to do my BODYBALANCE training this year! It’s time I started looking after my body, instead of constantly punishing it with BODYPUMP and RPM.

On a final note, the biggest challenge I have faced this month… Having to wait for the new music!!! Seeing facebook updates, and pics from fellow instructors launching the new music in NZ and Oz is absolute torture! Even Fernie will be launching in Singapore before we even have the workshops in London. I continue to wait (not so) patiently.

Kia kaha, be strong.

Latest Release - RPM 43

Pace and push – or speed and resistance management – are the main focuses of RPM 43. You’ll be introduced to the concept of base resistance versus working resistance and in Tracks 2, 4 and 6 you’ll be managing your resistance to help you stay on the beat for longer. This, combined with some awesome new music, will really get that heart racing!

You’re eased into the workout with Ne-Yo’s Closer. Take the time to set up the correct cycling position and become familiar with the base and working resistance.

Your heart rate will lift in Track 2 with the two one-minute intervals. Katy Perry’s Hot n Cold will have you singing along before the hard work hits in Track 3. The Killers’ Spaceman will help you through the three short, steep phases which are followed by one power effort.

Snow Patrol’s Take Back The City is a great track to catch your breath to during the cruisy climbs but get ready to push yourself in the sprints.

The Prodigy are in the house driving Track 5 – a big song, big sound and intense interval training track. There are four efforts on the flats in the hardest gear which will have you gasping for air.

You get the chance to flush your legs and recover in Track 6 – but don’t get too comfortable as there are two big, one-minute speed work-efforts.

The key to surviving Track 7 is to manage your intensity wisely. Go big but pace yourself as you’ll need to put in a huge effort to make it to the top. Two short 30-second efforts are followed by two 90-second strength endurance phases.

Your hard work is rewarded with a ride home to Broken Strings – James Morrison’s beautiful hit featuring Nelly Furtado.

Latest Release - BODYPUMP 70

The key focus of BODYPUMP 70 is perfect timing. This means your body spends more time under tension and this will get you in shape fast! The music in this release really ‘goes off’ – keep an ear out for beats you’ve never heard before in BODYPUMP.

Game on in the Squat Track! Challenge yourself with more resistance. Don’t be fooled by the slow start and the Pop-Rock nature of the track – the back half bites hard with four sets of Singles and Bottom Halves back-to-back to finish!

Go a little bit heavier in the Chest Track – Infinity 2008 is awesome and builds anticipation before you pump it! The new tempo means your muscles will be under tension for the maximum amount of time.

True Believer will inspire you to give it all you’ve got in the Back Track, before Christina Aguilera’s Keeps Getting Better drives you through the Triceps Track. You don’t need your bar but get ready to feel the burn in the Pushups and Kickbacks!

Rock through the Biceps Track with Nickelback’s Gotta Be Somebody where Singles are the name of the game.

Take a deep breath before the Lunge Track. Sash! is back for this endurance track that is VERY intense and includes Lunges and Squats with a heavy weight. Ouch!

Another classic Rock track is in the house with Thunderstruck motivating you through the Shoulders Track.

There’s a new move in the Abdominals Track – the Rotator Plank. Kanye West’s Love Lockdown is unlike any Abs Track – get ready for a dark, dim, sexy beat!