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Weekly Training Summary
Tuesday lunchtime 45m Tempo X-Press class with Pavlina
Wednesday evening 45m Tempo X-Press class with Jasmine
Thursday evening 45m Tempo X-Press class with Michael
Last week I was shaky and felt a bit thrown into the deep-end with reformer Pilates. As a runner I’ve never focused so much on static strength so the transition into the reformer method was a challenge to what I thought was a generally strong and fit body of mine.
This week was all about attitude. I came into each class with positive goals to not just survive the 45 minutes with Tempo Pilates but use them to challenge myself and get better at the exercises. At lunchtime on Tuesday Pavlina got us sweating with the usual tabata strength training stabilising our bottom half while working our top half (also known as: making every muscle in your body shake!). On Wednesday, still sore from Tuesday, I went into class with Jasmine positive and ready to keep building up core strength. Jasmine brought us back to a more traditional Pilates repertoire and had us hold the poses for-ev-er. That girl can count down from 8 slower than anyone else in the world. The best part of her class was doing 20 sec. on / 10 sec. off of fast knee stretches. It was high-intensity interval training (HIIT) at its best. After a bit of trash-talking from Michael on Twitter (click here) Thursday morning I knew his reformer class would be tough at the end of a long week. It was nice of him to remind me to smile throughout the class but even after his best efforts; I was still able to walk away from class on my own two feet.
Outside of Tempo Pilates classes I had a really busy week and I found it easy to fit the X-Press classes in and around other commitments. I love how the classes are done by 6 so dinner or drinks after is no problem and popping in for a lunchtime class is the perfect stress-break to otherwise busy work days. Granted, I showed up at the pub in my lycra one day post-class but just styled it out and pretended it was intentional! My energy levels are staying high even with the increase in exercise, and find I fall asleep within seconds of hitting the pillow at night.
As I go into my last week of the X-press challenge I have a couple of races that I’m hoping to get a PB on thanks to all the core strength and conditioning I’ve been doing I’ll be pushing harder than normal around the track. Fingers crossed!
As always catch my updates on twitter @ledavies or come say hi in class at Covent Garden Gymbox.
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Got an important race coming up? Why not supplement your training with Tempo Pilates X-Press classes - perfect to fit around the rest of your life and training. This month, X-Press classes are on offer in WC2 - 8 for £88, valid 5 weeks from purchase to keep you committed. Book here.
Laura's Weekly Training Summary
Tuesday lunchtime 45m Tempo X-Press class with Pavlina
Wednesday evening 45m Tempo X-Press class with Gina
Friday lunchtime 45m Tempo X-Press class with Pavlina
I’m writing this blog just after finishing my last Tempo Pilates lunch class of the week with Pavlina in Covent Garden, so I have a mix of glorious endorphins and searing pain in my shoulders (don’t worry it’s good pain). From what I’ve noticed this week this feeling is fairly typical and I always seem to walk out of the WC2 studio with the biggest smile on my face feeling ready to take on the world (or the tube at 6pm… same effort).
My first week of training with the reformer X-Press classes has been a huge learning curve and I can’t believe it was 6 days ago I first learned what a knee stretch was. The WC2 studio and amenities are really nice and I like how it’s located in Gymbox so you get into the hustle of the gym atmosphere before and after your classes. Also a bonus, there’s no shortage of inspiration walking around that place! The studio itself is safely tucked away from the gym area and once inside it’s a lovely calm area where you can really focus on the Tempo method.
The 45 minute classes are perfect for my concentration level. Pilates takes a lot more concentration and control than other forms of exercise I’ve done so I’m mentally and physically wiped after what seems like a short amount of time. I also love the mix of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) & Pilates method together, especially in Pavlina’s classes where we do tabata style training in 30, 40 and 60 second increasing intervals. Although, technically in tabatas there is supposed to be a “rest” between intervals… not sure if holding 2.5kg weights straight up for 20 seconds counts as rest..
As a whole I feel stronger than I did last week, and was finally able to hold the plank for 2 minutes (it wasn’t the prettiest plank, but no knee drop!) but have definitely noticed the fatigue in my core and shoulders. I’m looking forward to a few days off to recover then picking up next week to build up even stronger.
As always catch my updates on twitter @ledavies or come say hi in class.
Sound like your kind of reformer Pilates class? During May, our X-Press classes are 8 for £88, valid 5 weeks from purchase - Start your 3 classes a week for 3 weeks challenge to get fit, fast, today by booking here
Thanks Emma. Click here to read more on Wahanda