My Group Fitness Schedule - August 30 to September 5, 2015

Ride it like you stole it.

Sunday, Aug 30
No scheduled classes

Monday, Aug 31
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, Sept 1
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, Sept 2
6:15-7:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, Sept 3
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, Sept 4
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, Sept 5
12:30-1:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - August 23 to 29, 2015

The only one who can beat me is me.

Sunday, Aug 23
No scheduled classes

Monday, Aug 24
No scheduled classes - Happy Birthday to me!!

Tuesday, Aug 25
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:30pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, Aug 26
6:15-7:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, Aug 27
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, Aug 28
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, Aug 29
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - August 16 to 22, 2015

Sweat more. Bitch less.

Sunday, Aug 16
No scheduled classes

Monday, Aug 17
12:00-12:45pm  Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, Aug 18
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Wednesday, Aug 19
6:15-7:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, Aug 20
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, Aug 21
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, Aug 22
9:00-10:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - August 9 to 15, 2015

"I just felt like running." ~ Forrest Gump

Sunday, Aug 9
No scheduled classes

Monday, Aug 10
12:00-12:45pm  Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, Aug 11
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, Aug 12
No scheduled classes

Thursday, Aug 13
No scheduled classes

Friday, Aug 14
6:15-7:00pm  Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, Aug 15
12:15-1:00pm  Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - August 2 to 8, 2015

She believed she could, so she did.

Note: The Rehfit Centre is closed for annual maintenance and cleaning from July 30 - Aug 3

Sunday, Aug 2
8:00-9:00am Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Monday, Aug 3
9:15-10:15am Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Tuesday, Aug 4

5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, Aug 5
6:15-7:00pm Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, Aug 6
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, Aug 7
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, Aug 8
No scheduled classes

Class schedule subject to change.

My group fitness schedule - July 26 to Aug 1, 2015

The strength is in the struggle.

Sunday, July 26
No scheduled classes

Monday, July 27
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, July 28
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, July 29
6:15-7:00pm Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Note: The Rehfit Centre is closed for annual maintenance and cleaning from July 30 - Aug 3

Thursday, July 30
No scheduled classes

Friday, July 31
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, August 1
No scheduled classes

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - July 5 to 11, 2015

It doesn't get easier, you just get better.

Sunday, July 5
8:00-9:00am - Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Monday, July 6
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, July 7
7:00-7:45am FIT45

12:05-12:50pm FIT45

5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, July 8
5:00-5:45pm FIT45

Thursday, July 9
7:00-7:45am FIT45

12:05-12:50pm FIT45

Friday, July 10
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, July 11
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - June 28 to July 4, 2015

It hurts now, but one day it will be your warm up.

Sunday, June 28
No scheduled classes!

Monday, June 29
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, June 30
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Wednesday, July 1
No scheduled classes - Happy Canada Day!

Thursday, July 2
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC

Friday, July 3
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, July 4
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - June 21 - 27, 2015

Ride it like you stole it!

Sunday, June 21
No scheduled classes!

Monday, June 22
6:15-7:15am Cycle/Core, Rady JCC

Tuesday, June 23
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, June 24
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, June 25
No scheduled classes!

Friday, June 26
No scheduled classes!

Saturday, June 27
12:30-1:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - June 14 - 20, 2015

Don't wish for it - work for it!

Sunday, June 14
No scheduled classes!

Monday, June 15
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, June 16
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, June 17
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, June 18
No scheduled classes!

Friday, June 19
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, June 20
9:00-10:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - June 7 - 13, 2015

"I'm so unfamiliar with the gym, I call it James." - Ellen Degeneres

Sunday, June 7
11:00-12:00pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Monday, June 8
No scheduled classes!

Tuesday, June 9
6:15-7:00am Cycle Yoga, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, June 10
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, June 11
No scheduled classes!

Friday, June 12
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, June 13
9:00-10:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Group Fitness Schedule - May 31 to June 6

I will run harder than my mascara.

Sunday, May 31
11:00-11:45pm Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Monday, June 1
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC.

Tuesday, June 2
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, June 3
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, June 4
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, June 5
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, June 6
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My (Mostly) Group Fitness Schedule - May 24 to 30

You don't get the ass you want by sitting on it.

Sunday, May 24
No scheduled classes - I have an epic bike ride planned.

Monday, May 25
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, May 26
6:15-7:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, May 27
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, May 28
No scheduled classes. (Shh..we're taking a spa day!)

Friday, May 29
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, May 30
No scheduled classes - big bike ride!

Class schedule subject to change.

My Fitness Schedule - May 17 to 23

It's a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together.

Sunday, May 17
11:00-11:45pm Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Monday, May 18
12:00-12:45pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, May 19
7:00-7:45am Fit 45
12:00-1:00pm Fit 45

Wednesday, May 20
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
5:00-5:45pm Fit 45
6:30-7:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, May 21
7:00-7:45am Fit 45
12:00-1:00pm Fit 45
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, May 22
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:00-5:45pm Fit 45

Saturday, May 23
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

My Fitness Schedule - May 10 to 16

Be strong. You never know who you are inspiring.

Sunday, May 10
No scheduled classes! Happy mother's day to me!

Monday, May 11
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
4:30-5:30pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, May 12
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, May 13
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC
8:00-9:00pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, May 14
4:30-5:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC
7:45-8:30pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Friday, May 15
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, May 16
9:00-10:00am Ride/Sculpt, Rehfit Centre

Class schedule subject to change.

First outside bike ride of 2015!

This year's inaugural ride was a 15.5 km (round) trip to Assiniboine Park. 

It felt SO good to be back on two wheels with the wind in my hair, but on my way home, I realized that I was riding my bike-bike like a spin bike - 8 counts up, 8 counts down. I guess it's true what they say - you can take the girl out of spin class... actually, no, you really can't.

My fitness schedule - May 4 to 9

You are in pretty good shape for the shape you are in. ~ Dr Seuss

Sunday, May 3
Mini vacation - no scheduled classes!

Monday, May 4
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, May 5
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, May 6
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, May 7
4:30-5:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Friday, May 8
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, May 9
10:00-10:45 Group Cycle, Rady JCC
12:15-1:00 Ride, Rehfit

Class schedule subject to change.

Spinning Profile - Hustlin'

After a two-song warm up, this ride will take you over four hills, a bonus hill with some HIIT-style intervals in the middle, a warm-down, cool-down and stretch. It goes pretty quickly and is a nice balance between speed and climbs. The jumps help to keep things interesting. My participants commented that it was a challenging, but fun, ride.

Playlist - all songs available on iTunes

1. My Type - Saint Motel 3:26
2. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars 4:31
3. This Time (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Husky & Matt Meler 5:02
4. Party Right (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Darryl D'Bonneau 4:38
5. Starstruck (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Thomas Brown 5:11
6. Hustlin' (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Crazibiza, Dave Aude, & Vassy 4:36
7. So Good (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Pray for More & Inaya Day 6:39
8. King - Years and Years 3:35
9. No Words - Eric Hassle 3:33
10. Crave You - Flight Facilities ft Giselle 3:55

The Ride

Warm up to My Type. Flat highway, moderate cadence, working on form and getting comfortable with the bike.

Continue to warm up to Uptown Funk, increasing resistance just before the chorus, then taking it up out of the saddle for a standing run. Resistance is scrubbed off after each chorus except for the second last, giving a nice little seated climb before the last standing run of the song.

The next five songs work together to create a cohesive piece of music, approximately 26 minutes long. Start with four hills: 1:00 seated flat, increase resistance for a 1:00 minute seated climb, increase resistance again for a 1:00 minute standing climb, 30 seconds of jumps (four or eight count, participants' choice), sit and decrease resistance for 1:00 minute downhill. (Some participants will use this downhill minute as recovery.) At the end of the downhill minute, return to the seated flat by increasing cadence, adjusting gears as necessary. Continue pattern through all three remaining hills.

At the end of the final downhill minute, start adding resistance, one or two gears at a time for a total of three adds over three minutes. The next three minutes are spent on six HIIT intervals - :20  of high effort (speed), :10 seconds rest, then repeat. Coach participants to stay under 120rpm, controlling speed by adding resistance, if needed. Once six intervals have been completed, resume climb, adding resistance at least two more times over two minutes.

The warm down song follows the same pattern as Uptown Funk, but with less intensity. Seated flat, then increase and stand on the chorus, scrub back and repeat. I like to stay standing for the last minute, optionally working in some light jumps.

Cool down - moderate resistance, moderate speed. Coach breathing techniques and form. I like to run through some upper-body stretches, starting roughly 1:30 before the end of the song.

Stretch - off the bike, please. Calves, quads, hips/glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors. Take your time; you have almost four minutes to stretch the lower body.

Feeling Taxed

In honour of tax season, and to celebrate finishing and filing my 2014 return, I have compiled a list of the top five things that I think fitness instructors should be able to deduct from their taxes.

1. Hair ties. This includes elastics of all shapes and sizes, stretchy headbands, barrettes, bobby pins, clips, clamps and pieces of shoelace. Not only do we have to purchase them in bulk, they are usually lost after only one wearing. (Coming soon - six part blog series called "Where does everything go?!?" On a related note, why is it that I am constantly buying and losing perfectly nice bottles, but I can keep a janky old Dasani bottle kicking around for months?)

2. Body wash. Specifically, my one-litre, pump-top bottles of tea tree and mint body wash which I can only buy during a full moon at one of two inconveniently located stores. Come to think of it, I really should be allowed to deduct my travel expenses, too. 

3. iTunes purchases. God help me. 

4. Expensive water bottles. Please see above.

5. Black capri-length yoga/workout/running pants. Actually, let's go a step further here and say that perhaps the government should just send us new pants every month. Like child tax credit checks! Because, to be completely honest, I just spend all of my cheques on new yoga pants anyway.

Anything you would like to see added to this list?

My Group Fitness Schedule - April 26 to May 2

Do one thing every day that scares you. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Sunday, April 26
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Monday, April 27
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, April 28
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, April 29
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC
8:00-9:00pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, April 30
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
4:30-5:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Friday, May 1
Mini vacation - no scheduled classes!

Saturday, May 2
Mini vacation - no scheduled classes!