Saturday, September 4, 2010

The joy of partnering

Dear bloggie,

Yea, been to a quite a number of classes that need pair up to do poses/exercises. Typically it's a good way to befriend someone new. I paired up with quite a lot of peoples de from both gender (but not yet anyone from the in between gender), different sizes, races, etc.

It's quite a nice change to pair up to do some exercises instead of doing it solo. Typically, most pairing exercises I gone to focuses on one person. This means one person will be doing the exercise, while his/her partner will aid this person get a better stretch or correct form. Another is both also do pose together one with somewhere both aid each other to get deeper into the pose. While I rarely see male and female partnering up (except for couple and bf/gf), I do occasionally see random male and female stranger partnering up. For such partnering, this is great chance to some physical contact. For me, the part I often get to touch is people's sweaty hands and people's smelly legs/foot.

Anyway, since my long intro on exercise partner is done, here is my main story. Yesterday la, I went to pilates class. I was 1/2 asleep in meditation pose as I came straight from work and endured around 40 minutes of Body Balance class, so abit worn out physically and mentally. The main regulars were MIA, dunno where, the instructor was reading book infront. Then a 3B Dude (Big, Bald & Black) came into the class. My first impression was this guy looks like a gay. I didn't really bother with him since he pulled his mat to the front, far far away from where I was (back row). 1/2 awake, I notice a movement, this dude was walking to me. I thought he wanna go out the class, but then he squat beside me. I play my favorite pose, "My mind is not really here" poker face.

Next I know, this guy asked me...

"Wanna go for a drink?" (If tis really happen, I will straight do a 100m sprint outta the gym)

"How is this class one?" (Pls imagine a girly voice)

I looked at this dude for a few seconds, and for a brief moment was wondering if I mistaken him/her/it for a guy... "It" was wearing listick somemore, Walan eh... Why I never get approach by leng lui chicks, why attract tis kinda thing one... CB! Anyway, I thought of answering "it" question with a carbon copy of the instructor's opening intro speech to pilates which is "We mainly work the core to improve posture." but since I wan to impose an anti social feel wall around myself, I answered "Ok la, you want a proper description, you can ask the instructor infront there". Kick the ball to the instructor... LOL...

Anyway the guy say never mind la, but asked if this class was tough or etc. Since tis is a rather hard to answer question, as tough or not tough depends on several variables one mah. 1st if the person has strong core, if strong not tough la, if no exercise one, mampus la. 2nd, this kinda classes usually is multi level, means the instructor will give 2-3 options for one to challenge urself, so it's really tough or no tough, depends on urself one. But I since I dun wan waste my time give tis grandma answer to him, I give a neutral answer, "Average". Lucky he went back to his place after I answer him.

So class started, and as the instructor did his routine intro (Hi, I'm XXX. We will mainly work on the core to improve posture. Pain on blablabla..). Oddly the main regulars missing, so the class drop a notch down in toughness. Learn a few new things, such as the core muscle consist of TIER



T = Transverse Abdonimis (I think is inner most core muscle)
I = Internal Oblique
E = External Oblique
R = Rectus Abdonimis (6 Pack muscle)

Also learn how to activate the abs muscle to get better strength and stability during workout.

So back to story, do workout 1/2 way. The instructor decided to do some partnering. Sh*t! I realized got 3 batang students in the class. Amkhan liao, I thought. Lucky for me, the instructor want to demo need a student. Since his regular demo student MIA today, and since he know I quite okay in core strength, ask me up the stage be his puppet. Wah damn lucky! Escape! 2-3 partner exercise, back to normal exercise. No incident since, hope won't be seeing 3B next next week.

End of partnering story. Or so I think. Today morning, went to yoga class. 1/2 way class, again... partnering yoga. 3 Batang again. Lucky not like 3B one. Seem all the opposite sex one not open enough to pair with me, so the instructor ask me to take turns do pose with the other 2 batang. 2nd exercise, the instructor needed someone taller than her to demo, by luck I somehow was chosen. Now, partnering with a instructor is often a win-win, especially if the instructor is a leng lui, since you don't have to really worry bout the other partner screwing up. But since I partner with this instructor before, I know she can really push you into the stretch one. Yea, pull my hamstring to the max. In front of the stage some more, everyone seeing my leg hamstring shaking like earthquake. After release the pose, I walking abit goyang, some people were laughing. 3rd exercise, again... this time coz I tall and and am most light weight among the talls one (Tall skinny runt T_T). Do the back lift thing. I abit worried I would kemek her if her strength karput but she managed to lift my body on her back. The class was clapping. Wow, the tale of how the petite yoga instructor managed to lift a "baldin" tall skinny runt would be a tale forever remembered in the history of tis yoga class.

So is partnering fun? I have to say most of the time "Yes". Just hope u dun get paired up with a 3B...

0 b*tchin: