CSI: The Gazelle

CSI: Michelle Corso in the 6 AM edition Wednesday morning. I arrived a little late but it mattered little in the scheme of things because I knew I would never catch the gazelle but I could mimic her pedal stroke. And with the lesson I learned from John Victor last week I quickly adapted the resistance wheel to the whirring cadence that is Michelle.   It is very hard not to notice the magnificence of the Corso machinery mostly because you simply get transfixed at her sinewy form that pulses like an open heart beating, beating. 

I am finally starting to  listen to her science as well. She has tremendous specificity in her sessions and nothing; nothing is done without purpose or in perfunctory fashion. She has a plan but she takes the pulse of the room on the fly. She pays attention to what and how we are doing in the Lavender Palace.  I never thought that an instructor would adapt their plan based on what she saw in our energy but Corso does and that is why her professionalism never ceases to amaze me. 

As I looked into the Main Studio I saw my friend PC and he was on the elliptical and I thought to myself, why? He is a devotee of the pre-dawn spins with Tripper and I started to ruminate why he isn’t in here? I caught up with him in the locker room and he explained that there were no breaks in CSI.  I took that to mean the reason why he chose not to attend. I had that perception at first as well.  I could see his point, but you have to take your own breaks in spin no one gives us breaks there is only the illusion that we are getting one. With Michelle there is no obfuscation it’s full tilt all the way, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take water or pull up for a few moments. It’s all about perception, but generalizations can leave us out of some of the great experiences and the Corso Zone is one of them. Just my opinion Peter, but give it a fresh look you will begin to love CSI for its intensity as well as its design which with your brain you can easily appreciate. 

The Gazelle: It’s a thing of beauty standing still but when it moves its art in motion. 

Spring is Nigh

Can you hear it? Spring is nigh. At least the harbingers of the change of season are there. Those winged creatures are in full chorus at least outside my open window as dawn breaks. This is the one sure sign that the winter of 2010-11 is history. This white season was a most debilitating one from a health point of view for me and for those friends around me.   I never experienced the strain of bacteria like the one we just had. Good riddance. This writer had 3 battles with asthmatic bronchitis the likes of which I have never experienced. But spring is but a week away and the literally tons of snow and incessant hacking have abated. 

Nearly three weeks have passed since my last KSC with the Evil Woman and as per usual it was worth the wait. She was in rare form in her usual Monday morning 8:30 AM slot sporting a Bahamian tan from her well-deserved respite. She had a sanguine demeanor and was as loquacious as ever. It’s talent sure but the singular trait that brings her devotees each morning is her personality that speaks to our hearts as well as our minds. When she is happy it is written all over her countenance and even on those rare days when her spirits are below heavens gate she always delivers a fine performance and she never lets her ‘outside’ disturb the hour in the Lavender Palace. Welcome back Evil Woman.  

The White Angel

Lori Salti. Here we have another diminutive star in the making and without the fanfare of a morning slot, Lori is breaking into the spin lineup on Thursdays at 4:30 PM. One might say that is not exactly a propitious time to make a name for herself but Lori has done that already in exemplary fashion in-group exercise in the Main Studio in her Core Sculpt classes and as a P.T.  It’s just a matter of time in this writer’s opinion that her workload might find her more often in the Lavender Palace. I realize this is up to the Evil Woman, but there is no better judge of talent at Woodbury than her and she knows raw talent.  

If I was to characterize The White Angel it would be that she is more ethereal  than anyone I have taken classes with and merely by her ambrosial nature you feel compelled to nail the pedal stroke just the same as if you were taking a high energy class with Svengali or with The Evil Woman.  Lori has a deep understanding of the human psyche and from a confab I had with her at the end of last night’s ride I also know she understands what people want and need. They want attention and to be entertained and The White Angel delivers on both counts. Oh and she is a mother of twins 8 years old and I have to tell you that Lori is another instructor in phenomenal shape.  

Da Bomb

He was being billed as “da bomb” and being a skeptic I wanted to reserve the superlatives to my own experience. John Victor Self. In the words of Darth Vader: Most Impressive.  His physiology was beyond athletic and his tats gave me the impression that they were chevrons bestowed on him by his aficionados during his travels about the state of Equinox. A riveting presence that captivated a full studio and by rides end a spirited applause had broke out, which was unusual for our Lavender Palace. We just don’t give it up that easily as this man had us hanging on his every word. 

He told us that it would seem we would be always out of the saddle and always in the saddle and although that seemed like an oxymoron I got it, because that’s exactly what it felt like. I think I attribute it to the fact that I was so fully associated with the cadence throughout the ride that I simply forgot what position I was in. One thing about spin that has bedeviled me is that damn red dial. I could never figure out just how much of it I should have on at any point in time. But today I think that all changed. JVS said that he would rather us favor keeping the cadence over resistance. In other words if we couldn’t keep the pace then the resistance was too great and we should go left. I liked that because I never fake it when I ride, as I usually have too much resistance on and now I think I have yet another mystery, demystified. 

It was so great to be back after a two-week absence, first with bronchitis and then with my trip to Florida. It seemed an eternity.  And I knew that I had a double spin in store today because Svengali (Tripper) was slotted in the 1215 and it just has been too long away from the Trance Inducer. The faces of my friends Debbie (FAB) Jensen and Mary McCann gave me a sense of comfort making reentry a soft landing. I asked Debbie not to reveal what FAB meant lest Sister Bertrille admonish me. 

John Victor Self. A truly gifted and charismatic entertainer with a skill set that played even keel to the devotion he has to his craft. 

Latin Fandango

Hello from Aventura Florida my friends and as is my wont I just had to take in Equinox and see what the talent down south had to offer.  As you will read I was duly impressed. Their CS cannot compare to our Lavender Palace nor compete with our state of the art sound system, but other than that there was nothing to disappoint and I mean no-thing. 

 I was made so at home by everyone from the front desk to several of the trainers. It’s like the club must do a personality check before they hire anyone because there are just no gaps.  I did get to try out the Power Plate and it reminded me of Vic Tanny but this machine might just do as advertised. If you haven’t tried this piece of equipment yet I know you will soon enough.  And here’s a rumor I overheard. There appears to be yet another Schwinn in our future as they seem to be testing it in Los Angeles. Why Los Angeles I wonder what do they know? It takes 6 people out there to screw in a light bulb. One to screw it in, the other five to share the experience. As I said it was just a rumor but let’s wait and see, because Equinox Holdings Inc. never seems to be at a standstill when it comes to new equipment. 

Christina Leon. Here was a dark striking Latina woman enhanced by a décolleté befitting her extraordinary physique. I was so impressed by her technique that immediately I went the easier softer way of comparing her to some of my favorite talent up North. So to make it easy; picture the physiology of Michelle Corso, the magnetic charisma of Kristen Gagne and the fandango of Tripp Doherty and voila, you have Christina Leon. She like our Carolyn Mellace (The Blue Sapphire) is only in one day a week and as was my luck I caught her act and she did put on quite a show. When she said: You can’t keep a good woman down and with a bad one it’s even harder. I thought to myself, feisty and sexy just like the Evil Woman.  

Greetings From Aventura

I cannot wait to post Christina Leon is our instructor today! Story at 11

Missing You

It’s pre-dawn on Tuesday and I just wanted to wish you all a great week absent my bellowing and exhortations. I took my doctor’s advice and stayed away from spin for (gulp) 4 days. That was even hard to write let alone think.  I will be in Florida for a half and half with ½ a sugar. No I will be on business and I will visit my sisters and vanishing father. I will however take at least 2 classes in Equinox Aventura, where as fate would have it The Evil Woman once inhabited. I go with no expectations except  that with each pedal stroke I will think of my friends in the Lavender Palace. And I know you won’t comment but if you do please do.

Jack