Circus Life

Well I started my aerial acrobats class on Wednesday night and let's just say I it feels like I've been beaten up by Tony Soprano and crew.  I had to cancel my pole class last night, my legs and upper body are feeling serious soreness today.  But, I had the best time and can't wait to go back next week.  The instructor was great, the class size was small and we got to stretch and cool down with the advanced students which is pretty cool.  I climbed to the top of the silks and loved every minute of it.   We did a straddle invert which looks something like this which was taken during my intro:

We stretched (properly) and learned to swing on the trapeze using our hips not our legs.  It's so much harder than it sounds, I have calluses from the one class.  I have to work on my upper body strength and my splits.  She told me to do planks and "hollow body" poses on the days I don't have class.  She also said I will be toned by summer...WOO WOO!! I hope she is right.  I can't wait to learn more and move into the advanced class those students were so awesome (I was totally distracted watching them the entire time)!!

All in all I had a great 2 hours and I am so happy I joined this school.  I will keep this blog updated with my progress and hopefully I can be helpful to anyone slightly interested.  I already converted two more people who joined with me.  Damn i am good, I should market for this school!!!  Buzz marketing??  Hmm...not a bad idea.

Catch ya on the flip side...
Mish

Running away with the Circus

Just a quick note to say I've been so busy and haven't had a chance to update this blog.  Already this precious little newborn is feeling more neglected thanKourtney Khardashian's baby!  I promise to change that.  I swear!

So tonight is my first night of aerial acrobats at NY Circus Arts!  I can't wait to begin.  I've dreamed of this day for years (ok I know that sounds rehearsed but it's the damn truth)!  Unfortunately I have been feeling sick lately, probably from all the running around and running myself down.  So I woke up this morning with a monster headache which seems to have over stayed its welcome. What can I do?  I refuse to let it ruin my night.  Drug up and run away with the circus!  I will be posting about my experience later on today or tomorrow if I am too tired.  The class is 2 hours and begins at 7pm, so there's a good chance I will hit the hay the minute I get home.  I think I am going to love it and I think I might have to convert some friends into circus freaks with me.

Stay tuned to track my aerial experience.

New Acro-like Findings

Ok, I know I have been MIA for a few days, I was under the weather and then I was away and didn't have access to a properly functioning internet connection, i.e. my sister's house with her virus infected laptop!  Shame on her!  But I have been meaning to discuss something exciting!  Read on...

Since I have been enveloping my world with acrobatic/pole climbing/yoga based activities, my newest fascination makes total sense and I must explore this further.  It's called..."Antigravity Yoga!"  I stumbled across this when I was researching the silks and found that this is the exact apparatus used at the Grammy's by Pink.  I knew I was spiritually connected to this chick!  

So of course that drove me to stop everything I was doing and focus all attention on how I can get my plump ass into one of these classes.  Unfortunately for me, everything that's remotely fun or interesting resides in Manhattan, so I must travel....and I will!  As of now there are only 2 studios offering antigravity yoga classes, one of which is Crunch fitness, and I refuse to join another gym especially one that's in NYC; for that matter I may as well pack my sh*t and move to Chelsea!  The other is a yoga studio called Om Factory.  So I am veering more toward this as a first choice until I can figure out my gym memberships and  budget my other infatuations.

I want to talk more about this idea of "antigravity."  I heard the word "anti" and I am all for it.  Then combine it with yoga and a hammock on which I get to flip upside down?  I'm in heaven!  So basically for those of you who are too lazy to click on the links I have provided and read for yourselves, I will try to give a synopsis of my own.  Apparently ths is one of the top ten trends of 2009.  Whoops!  I am a little late on that but better late than TOO late I guess. Also, my good friends (sarcasm) from the View even heard about this before me!  If I find out that wrinkly old coot Barbara Walters was swinging upside on a hammock before me, I am going to raise hell!

The hammock is a soft piece of fiber that hangs from the ceiling and it can be lowered or raised depending on the type of workout being taught.  I believe this activity was originally created for gymnasts so they can get in touch with being aerial and now it's been modified for the average Joe; I'm not so sure I buy that since every time I take a class that claims anyone of any age shape or size can do it, it's usually not the case!  But we'll see as soon as I try it out and report back.  The studios claim in this class you learn to balance and hold yoga positions as well as fly on a hammock which they compare to a soft trapeze.   They had me at "Pink."  All I had to do was see a pic of someone hanging upside down on a hammock (in sweat pants on the website) and I was sold.  One class costs about $17 for an hour and they offer weekend workshops which sound pretty intriguing.  Usually consistent yoga practice helps you to gain awareness and flexibility and this particular form of yoga is also said to increase joint mobility.  I plan to take a class next week and give an update on my findings :-)

Before I go, I also want to mention something called AcroYoga.  I find this very interesting and of course, I might try a class or two if I can fit it into my already crazy schedule.  I am not going into detail here but if you are remotely intrigued by the name, then you can find out more info here.

Happy Findings!!

Snowed in, sick and web surfing

So I have been stuck indoors all day due to body aches, sweats, head cold and of course a wonderful nor'easter. In the many hours I've been couch-bound, TV has been utterly boring (think Mr. G in his black turtle neck talking about snow snow and more snow), so I used this time to update my profile on StudioVeena.com.

For anyone interested in pole dancing and wanting to learn online as well as connect with new people and get friendly advice, check out StudioVeena.com. I stumbled across this a few months ago and never had a real chance to update my profile. It's free to sign up (the online instructional videos however are not free) and you can upload your videos and view fellow polers videos for learning purposes.

Well!! I have become totally addicted to watching other people's videos that I sometimes forget there's a pole staring me right in the face. I am totally amazed by how many girls are in love with pole dancing and how many of these girls are so fantastic. In fact, I discovered this past week that a few of my favorite SV girls actually attend the same pole school I do...how small is the world??? It never ceases to amaze me!

Anywho...today I realized that StudioVeena also has a fabulous little forum which I've already found some very useful information on. And I might add that this community (pole fitness/pole dancing...whatever you want to call it) is one of the friendliest most welcoming community I've ever been a part of. Everyone is so encouraging and helpful of one another, and you get to know women from all over the world. It's really very intriguing and I encourage anyone who a real interest in pole dancing to check it out if you haven't already.

That's my input for today folks. See ya'll later..or sooner if tv continues to disappoint!!

You've Gotta Start Somewhere

The idea for this blog came to mind when my friends kept asking me questions about the latest "improving me" stuff I've been doing.

For instance....

I am taking pole dancing fitness classes and I love it!

I do yoga and I think I'll soon be a master pretzel maker. (Joking)

I learned how to sail through the air on a flying trapeze.

And with those things, comes a lot of interest. So I decided instead of repeating the same information over and over to this friend and that, I would put it here, all in one place.

I tend to do a lot of research on topics of interest, and then I will bombard my friends with numerous emails telling them what I found and what events we should attend, etc. So not only will this be a place for information I gather on all my latest loves (and free up my friend's inboxes), but I'll also post some random chatter - books I've read, movies that touched me, fashions I love or hate, and any other crazy thought that comes to my head...and believe me, there are many!

So I hope you'll stop by to see what latest thoughts have been flying through my head....on a teeny tiny trapeze....and usually upside down!