Hey all! Thanks so much for reading, but I've now moved my blog to:
Healthy Closet
Hope you'll follow me there too!
Posted by Kim at 10:34 AM 0 comments
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Review: Face Down, Ass Up
Holy crap I've been so lacking in posts it's not even funny. School has started for summer (booooo). It's pretty funny because I used to look forward to the first week of school SO much back in the day (by "back in the day" I mean until two years ago). I'd get all my clothes ready (because you gotta look fly for that first day, yanno?) and I'd double, triple, eight million times check my backpack to make sure everything on my supply list was in there. (What's up box of Kleenex and bottle of hand soap?!)
Now, the beginning of school just brings on debt and a shit ton of homework that I don't want. I have to say, growing up really sucks. Also, my summer schedule is basically science and math classes so all the awkward Asian boys remind me of my little brother and makes me homesick.
Before I say what I want to say, I have to tell you the funniest thing that happened yesterday in my physics lab, which is half Asian and has a TA who looks like Screech. We'd make an amazing stereotypical sitcom.
Anyway, so we were all diligently working aka working as fast as possible and making stuff up to get the f*ck out of there because it's a 3 hour 8 AM lab. This girl's backpack falls to the ground and some guy from the back of the lab immediately starts going, "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" like we're in fifth grade again. Then, because we're such mature college students, we all join in.
I love those moments. Especially the ones where everyone in the class bonds for a moment, then we go back to hating each other for being med school competition.
Now that I've bored you with my life, I want to talk about what really got me over the hump of not posting.
The other day, Rachel from Shedding It & Getting It launched Face Down, Ass Up. It's basically a podcast where you take a spin class with virtual Rachel.
I know what you're thinking. "omg, genius."
In a moment of epic karma, Rachel sent me the 30 minute workout. Thanks for making my week!
Now, I don't spin. The first (and only) time I tried it, I fell off of the spin bike with my feet still strapped to the pedals. Traumatizing? Oh yeah.
Luckily, there are adaptations for Face Down, Ass Up on the elliptical or treadmill. So yesterday, I uploaded FDAU on my iPod and read through the treadmill instructions. It's all pretty intuitive, but I decided to write myself a little reminder.
IMG_14281
I'm a dork. I know.
I got on the treadmill with my bum headphones and pressed play.
It was my best treadmill run ever. EVER. Rachel picks songs that keep you going and have great beats. Her instructions are clear and all of the jumps/hills/sprints/death obstacles are timed fantastically -- far enough to let you catch your breath and recover, and close enough to kick your ass.
The best thing about FDAU though, is that it really does feel like you're working out with your BFF Rachel. She keeps up a hilarious one-sided conversation that makes you love her and then hate her for making you laugh because you're already puffing and red in the face. She's kind of like your own personal trainer -- you really want to impress her with how well you can spin that shit. Then you feel silly because you're trying to impress someone who's not even there, but you do it anyway. Just when you're flagging and wanting to just scream at the machine, she'll pop in and tell you to watch your form. I don't know how she does it, but her reminders were just perfect timing. Seriously, I was kind of freaked.
The workout is challenging and makes you feel like a badass afterwards. I love that you can make it easier or harder on yourself by changing the resistance, but you can still follow along with the workout so you don't feel like Captain Fail.
I loved Face Down, Ass Up! It pushes you to do better than you would on your own, so you get a more effective workout in the same amount of time. More effective = less muffin top. Plus, it makes you feel like you're BFF with the popular girl in school.
The only issue I had with FDAU was that I couldn't hear the music that well because its volume seemed low compared to Rachel's voice. I'm not sure if that wasn't just a result of my ghettofabulous headphones, though.
Once my bank account isn't in danger of being overdrawn, I'm ponying up the money to buy the 45 minute version of Face Down, Ass Up and Gymnertainment. (Click on the links to hear samples!)
So if you do decide to get FDAU, let me know! We can work out "together." In other words, you do the work out, I do the work out, and then we both complain about our glutes together.
