Marriage Test

My latest coupon adventure involved kayaking at La Jolla Shores for an afternoon with friends.  Mariana, Steve, and I were ready for an afternoon of fun in the sun on the water....with lots of calories burned in the process! We had our coupons for 2 hour kayak rentals from a local place and headed out there late in the morning.

I've rented kayaks before and usually the staff will ask you your experience level and/or go over kayak basics before you head out. I am thinking this shop was run by twenty-somethings coming off their pot-high from the night before. OR they really just didn't care. No ID needed. No deposit. No credit card. Just sign the liability waiver and head down to the beach for your kayak!

Ok....so we get down there and apparently you just help yourself to a kayak and paddle. No worries about what time you left the shop. Evidently they assume you will be tired either at two hours or even before then....or they don't care if you have the kayak all day! Not really sure....

So you help yourself to the pile of kayaks and paddles and just go for it! One thing I did not realize before we started...Steve had never been kayaking. Minor detail....we (meaning his wife, Mariana) didn't go over paddling basics with him. I didn't think of it either (to be fair), so they had a rough start.

This is how you test a new marriage....get two people into a tandem kayak. At least one person has to be new to kayaking, then let them shove off into the waves and see how it goes.

I had a single kayak, so I paddled out past the waves as quickly as I could to try to avoid getting wet (didn't quite achieve that) and then turned around to see how Mariana and Steve were faring. I turned my kayak just in time to watch them capsize the kayak...not really sure how it happened although the story I got later was that they were paddling on opposite sides of the kayak (with Steve unknowingly paddling on the wrong side) and the kayak ended up being at a vulnerable position when the wave hit them. They didn't look too wet, although I am sure they were more wet than they would have liked. They righted the kayak and tried again.

I watched the whole thing but again I am not sure what exactly went wrong....all I know is they ended up capsizing the kayak AGAIN! I could tell they were both getting frustrated - especially Steve. Poor guy didn't know what the heck he was doing and this was not a fun way to start.

Being the troopers they are, they got right back into the kayak and went at it again....this time they made it past the waves!! YAY! The relief was evident on their faces when they got to the calmer area past the waves. I found out that the paddle had accidentally smacked Mariana in the face during one of the times the kayak overturned, but she didn't look too beat up.

The rest of our adventure was rather uneventful....actually it was quite peaceful being away from the shore and all the beach goers. Gliding over the kelp forest was relaxing. The only other marriage test Mariana and Steve ran into was that Steve smacked his hand against the kayak while paddling and reacted by shaking his hand out. Unfortunately his hand must have been a bit cold from the water, when he shook it his wedding band flew off and disappeared into the ocean!

Mariana declared him to be single for the day! Actually I think they both took it pretty well. They do have insurance after all!

So the rest of the adventure was less exciting but that was a good thing. We had a great afternoon and really enjoyed the great weather. We plan to go again soon!! Enjoy these other pics from that afternoon.

Pilates Enthusiast

Ok, so despite my last entry, which I know was awhile ago, I have been regularly going to these Pilates Reformer classes for the past few weeks. Guess what? I am loving it!! Yes I do have issues with masochism (I am sure my clients and some of the patients would attest to that.....no wait, that would be sadism they could attest to). Anyway....I do enjoy a good workout that leaves you feeling sore. Otherwise, what is the point? If I am not sore after a workout, then it was NOT a good workout!

I have done about 8 Pilates Reformer classes now and I have been sore after every single one! It's GREAT! Lauren and I were introduced to the springboard and the jump board. Both of which were excellent cardio/strength workouts.



The springboard offers a whole different range of exercises you can do using handles or a bar attached to springs which are then attached to the wall (see pics). So our initiation included jump squats, chest press, triceps extensions, V-ups (abs) and oblique raises (killer exercise). We were both hitting the wall towards the end of that workout. Especially with the oblique exercise: feet against the wall, legs stacked on top of each other, twisted at the waist so your shoulders are on the floor and then holding the bar with both hands. You lift your upper body off the floor about 20 times. Then we had to hold our upper body off the floor and do 20 small pulses in the same position. Then switch sides! Whew!! I definitely felt my obliques hit muscle fatigue with that one!

At another class Lauren and I did most of the session using a jump board. This involved the reformer but you place a board at the base (See pic) which allows you to do "jumping" exercises with resistance. For instance we would jump off the board and do a leg lift (and then repeat 20 times), then do a hip abduction (and repeat 20 times), then leg circles (10 in each direction). Then when you feel like your leg is going to fall off, or at least it feels like it's on fire, you switch sides and torture the other leg!

After those grueling exercises, our instructor had us do sit ups using the jump board and the spine corrector (otherwise known as the hump-see pic). So you sit on this thing with your feet on the jump board and your upper body at a 45 degree angle. You "jump" off the board and bring your body upright as much as you can before going back to that 45 degree angle before your feet hit the board again. Plyometric ab exercises!! Awesome!!

So now I am officially hooked. I am using my coupons (see previous post) to try out different Pilates studios and instructors. I am on to my second studio now and still like the first one better but I am enjoying the workouts anyway. I can't wait to see what the third studio is like!!

Any other Pilates enthusiasts out there??

Pilates Persecution

As you know (if you are a regular reader), I have been accumulating coupons (see previous post Discount Devotee) for various deals over the last month or so and some of those deals were for Pilates classes. I have really been looking forward to trying a class that uses the Reformer rather than just a mat class (mat classes weren't very exciting and there's only so much you can do)! So I FINALLY went to my first semi-private session last night with my friend Lauren!

In case you are not familiar with these classes, this is what a pilates reformer looks like:

Seems fairly harmless, right? Plus, I have been working out on a stability ball and Bosu for years, so I felt that I could handle the core work we'd be doing on the Reformer.....no problem!


WRONG!


Right off the bat, the instructor (Let's call her Pilates Persecutor or PP) threw me a curve ball. Apparently there's a specific way to get on the Reformer. You sit on the mat thingy (which slides back and forth). Then you're supposed to lift your legs into a V position with your arms straight out in front of you and turn 90 degrees so your feet are hovering above the bar.

HUH? How the hell do I turn without using my hands??

Well, she demonstrated the move beautifully......and then I mimicked her move but totally cheated and put my hand down to turn myself. Still not sure how the hell you're supposed to turn on your ass without using any limbs.....gotta figure that one out I guess.

Next up, we sit in this V position with the bar beckoning for you to rest your feet on it. But no....we have to keep using our abs to hold us in this torturous position. THEN without touching your feet to the bar, you SLOWLY roll back "one vertebra at a time" until your head is resting on the mat thingy. I proceeded to follow instructions, however I grouped my vertebrae into the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical areas as I lowered myself down. Five or six vertebrae at a time is close enough to one, right?!  Ahhh...now I can rest my poor abs.

Wrong again!! We repeat this move ten times WITHOUT touching your feet to the bar! (I am beginning to imagine PP holding a whip in her hand while she stands over us) I'm not sure how Lauren was doing at this point....I was too intent on imagining the instructor with her whip.

But then PP decides to show mercy and we are told to place our feet on the bar (Thank God!) and just push away from the bar and then lower yourself back down. THIS I can do!! Whee!! Now I am enjoying the reformer more.....definitely using the muscles in my legs but not killing my back. That feeling lasted for the first set of ten. Then you do two more sets ~ first set with your toes on the bar, second set with your arches on the bar, third set with your heels on the bar. THEN you make a V with your feet, "heels touching at all times!!" and repeat that whole series again!! OH MY GOD......my legs were SHAKING at the end of that one!

After that we had to put our feet in the straps which are connected by cables to the mat thingy so that we can lift our bodies by moving our legs. Or you can work you legs by pulling on the straps with your hands. I sense more torture coming my way...

Sure enough, with our legs straight up in the air we now have to draw circles with our legs going as wide as we can. My legs are not responding well at this point....I am not sure if I'll be able to stand once we are done, if we are ever done....

We ended up doing a lot of inner thigh work...not really sure why PP decided to concentrate on that area. Maybe she was trying to tell us something. As far as I know, Lauren is doing okay so far...I haven't heard any cursing under her breath which is what I would have expected if she was feeling tortured.

We finally ended the session with some stretching - definitely needed that! It was a little touch and go when I first got off the reformer but I managed to stay in an upright position without too much difficulty. Before we left PP informed us that we would probably be sore on Sunday - two days after the workout. I had my doubts about that....not about being sore. I was pretty sure I would be sore! I just had my doubts about the soreness not showing up until Sunday. Maybe Lauren and I did better than PP thought we would. Maybe we tricked her into thinking we were total fitness fanatics. Maybe I am delusional after being tortured for an hour with straps, cables, and a whip (imagined or not)! Lauren and I decided to numb our post-workout pain with some beers at a nearby Mexican restaurant.....I felt MUCH better afterward!

It is now not even 24 hours later and yes, I am sore!! My inner thighs are definitely feeling the workout we did last night! Strangely enough, my abs aren't sore, my core isn't sore.....the only thing I feel is soreness in my inner thighs!! I am not sure if I should be thrilled in thinking my abs are stronger than I thought, or if I should be depressed that my inner thighs are so weak! Each time I go to cross my legs, I get a lovely reminder of our workout. I guess I won't be wearing a skirt in the next few days. Sigh....

(Okay, for those of you who know me, you know this isn't a problem anyway since I RARELY wear skirts!)

Lauren and I are signed up for TWO classes next week. Apparently we are masochists. Actually, I already knew that I was, but wasn't sure where Lauren stood. Even though I am in pain now, I am looking forward to trying some different exercises on the reformer next time. Plus we have a different instructor for next time, so it will be interesting to see how the class is. It's the whip wielding instructor's husband that will be teaching us though, so I'm not sure if that means it'll be harder or not. Maybe I should have a couple drinks to numb the pain BEFORE class next time.

For your amusement, here are a couple exercises I am interested in trying at some point.....although I may need medical attention if I actually get to try these. Stay tuned....

In a Wii Bit of Pain

So I know that the Wii has been out for a long time but I've never been that into video games, so I didn't get caught up in the excitement with everyone else. My good friends Mariana and Steve introduced me to the Wii Fit which was fun and I can see (as a Personal Trainer and Exercise Physiologist) how it could be beneficial for people to use as a workout tool. There are definitely some challenging programs available!

So this past weekend my friend Pita had a Wii party so that we could watch each other get super competitive and make asses of ourselves. It was a blast!!

The best game we played was the Raving Rabbids Dance game. You can't understand a word the Rabbids are saying but the game is fairly easy to pick up. You simply follow the dance moves that a stick figure is doing on the screen. The trick is that you have to do the correct move at precisely the right time during the song to get the most points.

I am not a dancer. I have definitely been known to get down on the dance floor in clubs....after consuming an alcoholic drink....or four. So dancing is not my strong suit...or my weak suit for that matter. Luckily, these dance moves are fairly basic, mostly arm movements since you are holding the controllers in your hands. It's the timing and coordination that is the killer!!  I definitely needed a few practice rounds before I got the hang of the game but it's still challenging! Some of those moves come at you FAST! Then of course there's the added challenge of having your opponent standing too close to you so that you either hit them (sorry Mariana) or you get your controller tangled with theirs (sorry Lauren). See....it's a good thing I haven't tortured my friends with club dancing lately....someone could have been seriously injured!

Some photos for your enjoyment.....


Here is Lauren and Juan competing against each other. Note the intensity of their concentration.


I don't remember who won this round but I think it was close.

Here you see Lauren again, this time competing against Mariana (the former Rabbid Champ!) Ha Ha Ha!

Notice both of them are smiling and acting like their just playing for fun but really they are both SUPER competitive!

I LOVE this picture. It's not so great of Lauren and Steve who are competing BUT look past Steve. That's Helen, Pita's Mom, who is mimicking the dance moves!! She was rolling her eyes about the game at first and then she felt the need to join in with the dancing! We didn't get her to actually play though....maybe next time.....

I do not have any pictures of Todd competing against Pita, sorry.....things got a little crazy with that duo. Furniture was overturned, fists were flying, legs flailing, and the Wii nunchuks were all over the place! I think we need to pad the walls for their next match.

Discount Devotee

Somewhat recently a good friend introduced me to online group discounts (Thank you Mariana!). Not just an online coupon for random, everyday, boring items like body wash or tampons. I am talking great coupons for restaurants, spa treatments, kayaking rentals, scuba diving lessons, Pilate's classes, etc! Sounds good, right? But what's even better is that the discounts are anywhere from 40-80% OFF! That's right people! Get ready to add to your bookmarks!!

At first I was skeptical. How good could the deals be? What would possibly entice me to use the service?? Well, first of all, it's FREE. Free to sign up, free to peruse the various offerings, FREE!! Ok, no worries there. Maybe you have a little more to clutter your email inbox but for a chance at a good deal, I can handle hitting delete a couple more times a day! So my first group coupon crack-pipe was Groupon. They send you an email five days a week with the deal of the day. Easy enough. I check out the deal and if I don't like it, I delete it! If I am interested, then I just buy that coupon and I get several months to use it before it expires. AWESOME!

So I found a couple deals that I took advantage of ~ $25 worth of chocolate at Chuao Chocolatier for $10 (Niiiice!) and $45 worth of food at Bombay (nice Indian restaurant) for $20 (also quite awesome!).  So far...loving the Groupons!

Then my crack pushing friend, Mariana, introduced me to FOUR other sites!! All using the same concept, with one of the sites even lowering the deal price when more people sign up for the deal! How incredible is that?!

So now I can get my coupon high from Buy With Me, Reader Steals, The Daily Save, AND Living Social! WOOHOO!! I am in coupon bliss......ahhh....

Then the coupon crack started to take hold. I think I might be salvageable but it could be touch and go for a bit. I currently have coupons for an Indian restaurant, two kayak rentals, dance lessons, and THREE different Pilate's classes!! None of which I have actually started using yet. I LOVE getting the high deals, in case you couldn't already tell, but now I need to actually USE them!!

Well, maybe one of my new coupon hustling sites will come out with a deal for a twelve step process to wean me off the deal dependence.  I may be contacting one of you to be my sponsor. You never know when the urge may hit me to buy a hang gliding lesson at 60% off!! Be ready for that midnight phone call when I may need you to talk me out of that deal!! Then again, maybe I will be much happier just riding the coupon high....