Don't Shoot It!

My mind must be in the gutter after I heard Kristen giving us that warning because I felt myself blush. (Really Jack?) However I was relieved to realize that the Evil Woman loves double entendres and there was intent when she shouted that small epistle part way into class: “Don’t shoot it you have to stay up for at least 32 minutes more”. Hey we are all adults and a little dirty talk never hurt anyone I hope anyway.  Remember that first day in the new studio when she was brandishing a screwdriver and said: Does anybody need a little screw? Never gonna forget that one. 

In any case to foster this bit of X rated theme KJ has suggested that her discography for Saturday KSC will be the dirtiest songs she can find. The one that comes to mind quickly is Enrique’s Tonight I’ll be f**king you! The G rated version of course is Tonight I’ll be loving you. I am sure there are enough for her to plate for the full hour. She has suggested we all show up in bikinis and bathing suits, which would be SFH, but the Mother Ship if they ever got wind of that would drop anchor.  

Don’t Shoot It! It has been my experience that if you practice breathing through the nose you can hold out much longer.  

The Mirror Crack'd

This workout in the Main Studio at 8 am is called; let me check my schedule The Ultimate Workout. Nomenclature aside it was a bitch. Young Dana drew a packed room and why not she is a fan favorite (and one of mine) and as I bore down I knew that it was going to be sheer determination if I was to make it through this class. 

How I ended up here I will attend to later and for maybe the first time I will be more open about the goings on here at EQ without it sounding like a soap opera. In any case at the gentle urging of Cindy and Nancy (HBIC)* I decided to opt out of my usual KSC Saturday ritual. I am so glad I did too because I need to vary my regimen and since I love Dana’s skill set it was easy but filling out the hour was another thing. 

Within moments I noticed something viscerally that I had never experienced in spin and that was the essence of two people that I really like and respect and that’s Nancy and Cindy. I see them virtually everyday so what was it that had me captivated? Didn’t take long for it to hit me it was the mirror. In spin we never look at each other face to face but with the mirror our glances met every so often and I realized then the strong camaraderie we have. I don’t want to embellish this any more else someone call me metro sexual.  Both women were impressive in just how deep their overall fitness really is. I felt stronger than the last time I attempted the Main Studio and in the rear I noticed Ari who I think is in dynamite shape struggling to keep up with some of the gyrations and it gave me a strong felt sense of just how fit I may be. Thanks in part to my showing up but the lioness’s share to instructors like Dana and Kristen. 

I ended up in front of this room wide mirror because I thought I was making a statement about one of the instructors whom I had a misunderstanding with. As an alcoholic I no longer hold onto resentment because it’s a killer for me. I cannot judge anyone because in their mind they think they’re right I just look for what part I played. I saw Mr. Cooper   in between classes and since there are no coincidences I knew it was my chance to break the ice and I did so by patting him on the back telling him he was doing a great job.  Although he did “unfriend” me on FB all is forgiven. You may not like David’s delivery but you can never fault him on effort, preparation and determination. I will be back at some point just not at this point. Just sayin’

Well the mirror didn’t crack but it did give me an insight about some of the people I work out with every day and although we don’t hang out like after club hours it would be a lie if I didn’t think of them as my friends. A bit later I will write about these members and call it The Breakfast Club on Jack Briant Reporter on Sunday.

*HBIC- Head Bitch in Charge 

Your Mother Should Know

Rarely in the last 3-½ years have I strayed from taking Kristen and Tripp to the exclusion of all other spin instructors until this week. Yes I know we have great talent here but either force of habit or procrastination I stayed locked in my routine. Now that Kristen has vacated her usual Monday and Thursday spectaculars it came rather easily for me to make some changes as well. 

Monday night started me off with Maureen subbing for John Kocaj and in the ensuing days and nights I took Damian, Dana, Tripp and of course Kristen. Taking two night sessions really broke up the week and afforded me much more flexibility in my work schedule and I got some tasks completed I had been putting off for weeks.  The real benefit however was I had got into a rut and merely changing my exercise times  gave me for lack of a better phrase a new life.  Rejuvenation I think.  There are times that I go overboard in my efforts in class and my addictive compulsive nature can be overwhelming at times. Living up to some benchmark in my head can get in the way of pure enjoyment and for the first time in months I felt enthralled again. 

This week Dana helped me break through a “wall” into a new level of fitness and Kristen showed me around in this new “room”. A great tandem these two and both extraordinarily talented women who couldn’t be more different but nonetheless accomplish the same thing at least for me which is a constant desire to be better. This one hour a day changes the other 23 whether it is work, play and even sleep. My diet has improved with fewer things being consumed that are out of a package and candy comes in the form of smoothies instead of Butterfingers.  

There are not many places I have been in my life that have given me the socialization our club has bestowed on me. Being recognized is one thing we humans long and even clamor for and I have both at Equinox whether it is my writing or my enigmatic personality I love my 3rd space.  

Kristen James has assembled a great ensemble cast and each instructor is singular in nature and these last 10 years have been nothing short of the best years of my life. 

Oh and Mrs. Bean your daughter needs a dose of soap and I know you know what I mean. 

P.S. 

It was 44 years ago today my sister Carol was taken from her earthly form and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her and the gift she was for 16 years of my life. I just wanted you to know.  

P.P.S. 

My mother should know I am thinking of her especially on this Mother’s Day.  

Fire In the Belly

The young man with a plan and a broken wrist Damian (Young Atlas) had us in a pitched battle between power and force. Power; in the pedal stroke and force; with plenty of adjustments up and down on the resistance wheel.  I found myself for the most of the session in the anaerobic state and I kept an open ear to Damian’s constant reminder of breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. It probably kept me in all of the intervals of varying times and intensity. 

Damian is a fabulous instructor he brings passion, enthusiasm and a nifty delivery of voice and music to the speakers atop the Lavender Palace. He even had the quick witticism to notice that there was a Jack and Jill in the same row something I just wouldn’t expect a man of his generation to even know about.

 I am loving the variation of spinning at night. On Monday subbing for John Kocaj was Maureen Gallagher (a tremendously underrated spin instructor) and now Wednesday with young Damian.  It just breaks up the routine of spinning every morning and a respite of needing a lightning fast finger punching in for the 8:30 the morning before.  I had my desire flagging a bit and these two night sessions were just what the Spin Doctor ordered for me. Tonight I had the usual lake beneath the bike and I like to look at the designs as land mass formations. Usually it’s Africa and Saudi Arabia. Last week it was the continental United States and tonight it was Africa again but before the ice age. I probably just lost you with those few sentences but some people just don’t get me and that is but one reason why.  

Damian gave me back the fire in the belly and I am ready for Dana in the premier time slot Thursday 8:30. However if you haven’t taken Damian’s class lately add this element because he brings a whole new dimension to spin. Need more? Take his class. And who spins with a broken wrist? He does.