Cake Shop & BodyCombat!

Heyooo!

Sorry I have been MIA since Friday, my friends...there has been SO much goin' down!

This weekend surely included lots of the promised:
Beach, beer, friends, dancin', music, and more.

We also saw a gazillion birds on the powerlines while walking to the beach.

Birds!

Birds for as far as you can see!!!

Some friends stopped by to say hi (and get in a dance, of course).

Everyday we shufflin'.

Coop's mom and her boyfriend came to the beach for the day/night and we had a great time hanging out on the beach, did a little happy hour, and then dinner and vino at an awesome BYOB place, Tonio's Seafood Shack, with an outdoor patio. I, of course, forgot to take pics, but my broiled crab cake, flounder, shrimp, and scallop sampler was amaaaaze. At dinner we discussed anything and everything, laughed for hours, and had a great time with our waitress Cheryl. She remembered Coop, Norty, and I from our group the last time we went to Tonio's, and she also happens to have the voice of these fine ladies...

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After dinner!

The next day we headed up north the New York City for the day...Coop's band was invited to play in an all-day music fest at Cake Shop. His mom and her boyfriend were able to meet us up there on their way back to New Hampshire, so that was wonderful! Lots of our friends who live in NY stopped by to check it out, too. It was an awesome, intimate venue and there were some seriously talented musicians there. You guys are the best!

Killin' it

Loved the ambience of this cake shop-turned coffee shop/record store/venue for concerts/bar!

It was an exhausting but super fun weekend.

Today I was craving a super schweaty workout since I have been out of the gym/studio since early Friday morning. I finished a project at work before RUSHING out to make it to the first of back-to-back classes I planned on taking...Pilates and BodyCombat.

Now. I am sort of a snob against pilates/yoga classes taught at regular gyms. I know that this is a huge generalization, but after joining a kickass yoges (yes, yoges, I call it that sometimes) studio in the next town over, I haven't wanted to take a class of that type anywhere else.

Well, today proved me right...at least for the day. I was not a huge fan of the Pilates class. That being said, it still targeted mostly the core, which is my FAVORITE area to work, and I know I'll be feeling it tomorrow...I guess it just didn't push me to the brink like most of my favorite classes do. I like when I have to go beyond the reps I feel like I can actually do, and muscle-shake, and hurt-so-good, really make my body work, but this literally was very leisurely. My usual yoga classes are power-infused vinyasa classes, normally, and a weekly Barre Sculpt class (an amazing toning class similar to Core Fusion) that I missed in lieu of today's workout. Still, better than sitting on my butt at home. It was good to get some nice stretching in, too.

I also HATED that the instructor kept referring to Child's Pose as "currrrl into your turtle shell!" (Source)

I may never take that class at my gym again, but HOLY MOLY, today BodyCombat was good. This was only my second BodyCombat class ever, and the first one was an Express one (cut a few minutes shorter), but I am starting to get the hang of it. The first class I took a few weeks ago, I was stuck in the back of the HUGE room so it was tough to see the instructor and was so lost, so today I moseyed up to where some other instructors that were taking the class were all standing so I could get a better look and be surrounded by them.

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Here is the description of BodyCombat from the Les Mills site:

BODYCOMBAT™ is the empowering cardio workout where you are totally unleashed. This fiercely energetic program is inspired by martial arts and draws from a wide array of disciplines such as karate, boxing, taekwondo, tai chi and muay thai. Supported by driving music and powerful role model instructors, you strike, punch, kick and kata your way through calories to superior cardio fitness. Like all the LES MILLS™ programs, a new BODYCOMBAT™ class is produced every three months with new music and choreography.

BENEFITS

• Improves heart and lung function and reduces the risk of heart disease
• Tones and shapes key muscle groups
• Burns calories for a leaner body
• Improves co-ordination and agility
• Improves bone density
• Improves posture and core strength and stability
• Builds self-confidence

HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE?

BODYCOMBAT™ is for everyone with moderate fitness levels. And because the moves are simple, you don’t need to be especially well coordinated. Just give it a go!

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TAKE A CLASS?

BODYCOMBAT™ is addictive, but don’t overdo it. For best results try and battle it out two or three times a week.

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I think I found a new loooove! I think some coordination helps, but really, people of different levels can pick it up (I am certainly no boxer...yet ;) ). It takes a few times...and because they have a new release every three months, people really learn the choreography and have favorites, just like the tracks in BodyPump that I have read so much about (yes, I have yet to take that one, too). I guess today we did a bunch of oldies but goodies for fun; I didn't recognize that because I am still a newbie. And MAN it gets you dripping if you go all out. Love it! Thanks to Baby Sister for showing me the light. I think it would be awesome to teach it one day!

Lotsa kickin' and punchin' (Source)

Came home to a crazy excited husky, so I leashed him up for a quick mile walk/run around the block.

Silly shoes always untie. Rawr.

I call it a "walk/run" being that my "run" is his scurry, and his "jog" is pull-me-leaping-through-the-air-and-eventually-onto-my-face, so Iditarod Dog and I are working on that. He does know that at the end of our walks, I ease up on his leash and he gets to DASH to the house. I know that it is not even his full-out run, and yet I am several feet behind him sprinting. Those pups are fast.

C'mon you slow poke! (Source)

We can run for days, lady. (Source)

Ugh! My mom stinks at running. What a joke.

Hope you all had a fabulous day...halfway through that week tomorrow! WHEW, it's been a crazy one!

Latah gatahs!