Project 90: My Fit n Fast Journey - Report Five - Virtual Cardio Pilates

If you have followed my Fit n Fast journey for the past few months, you'd know I am on the tail end of my three month journey. But, it's also only just the beginning for me.

Eating right has of course been an integral part of my weight loss, as has keeping up my gym work. There is no boredom factor when it comes to the gym for me.


Two days a week I train my Hayley, my wonderful trainer (who truly kicks my butt... but, you know, in a nice way). The other three days I train alone. I mix it up with treadmilll, stairmaster (killer!), bike, rowing machine - I love it all. I'll even add this at the tail end of my sessions with Hayley - that's how much I enjoy it.


It was suggested I try a virtual class at Fit n Fast and I had been curious since day one, when I got a tour of the entire gym. There's a spin bike virtual class (I had not tried a spin bike until last week during a circuit session with Hayley), and then there is that huge darkened room in the gym I'd never ventured into since my tour.


It's essentially a massive room with the lights always off, and a class always ready and playing. There's a big screen at the front of the room, and gym mats hung up on the wall... all you need to do is enter. And yesterday, keen to do a virtual class, I did!


I am hooked!


There was a class about to start in two minutes. I decided then and there to drop my bag, take my layers off, grab a mat, and go for it. Here's the screen that awaited me... innocent, unassuming... you know, just a screen.




NO! Mari Winsor kicked my arse!

I have never tried Pilates.


Yes, let me say that again.

I have never tried Pilates.


How hard can it be, right? A more flex-y version of yoga, yeah?


Noooo!


It was tough and challenging... and utterly awesome. And I can't wait to do it again.


Cardio Pilates was excellent - it's a pretty high powered, full body workout, which combines Pilates with cardio. It elevates the heart rate and burns calories - and gosh, can you feel it immediately

The basis of Pilates is body conditioning, which helps build flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abdominals (Mari keeps emphasising that part!), arms, hips, even back.

Much emphasis is placed on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core, improving coordination and balance.

In fact, I was grateful during the session that I was in that room solo... I am un-co at the best of times. But amazingly, I got better as I went during that first session.

Indeed, the basis of Pilates allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty - from beginners to advanced. The level of intensity can be increased over time, as the body adapts to the exercises.

I can't say enough good things about a Fit n Fast virtual class. It's drop and go, you feel strangely connected to the instructor on screen, and even though she or he can't check on you during the class, you give it a red hot go and want to do well.

After all, even in a darkened room (or any virtual class), if you're cheating, you're only cheating yourself.

Give it a go!

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