Barre & Yoga Diary for 2018

Jan 1

10am barre at PB VaHi taught by Sarah with some great new moves for Empower

Noon 108 with Briana and Tiffany at Exhale as fabulous way to start the year

Jan 2

5:30 Empower at PBVaHi with Lindsay followed by barre with Courtney pushing us with exceptional use of the double band - good start to the January challenge

Jan 3

Noon Empower with Andrew at PBVaHi

Jan 4

4:30 Empower with Andrew - lovely Amelia took as well, along with Emily, Jane and Jacqueline - fun crowd sweating out on super hard abs series (cross-over each leg crunches / flying crunches - sets of 3)

Jan 5

9am Empower at PBVaHi taught by the lovely Amelia - 60 degrees in the studio as she ran us through the paces - beautiful Kari, Jane, Mati and Addy were there -love the dance moves such as the brush back with your toes (the inner 5 year old that wanted to be a ballerina rejoices!) We all picked up our Pure Commit packs ... with a feather! Katy Bayless Gibson consistently shows class and genius.

5:30 Barre with Julie at Exhale - talk about starting the year off with a bang - ouch! Love her mantra "muscle burns fat ... even while you are sleeping" don't drop those weights! "see who you want to be and make it happen" ... am floored and following

Jan 6

9am PBVaHi classic with Becky. Loved the new abs series using the ball between our feet, and then using our toes to push down into it during crunches

10:45am Yoga with Briana at Exhale - packed house and so lucky to be beside super fit Jonathan and one over from Tiffany who shows how it is done - wow! Loved the quote at end by Marianne Williamson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us."

Namaste Briana

Noon Barre with Tiffany - uh oh, super tough! This time I could watch Briana when trying to do the near impossible Tiffany commanded. Love the Exhale mantra at the end:

"If you see an opportunity, take it. If it changes you, let it."

Jan 7

10am Empower at PBVaHi taught by Sarah. Super fun to have Sarah's friend John take the class with us. Burpies in PB? Fun! Wish we could do bridge 3 times as long, or perhaps do it as warm up and cool down. We had such a fun crowd taking with Jane, Kari, Susan, Stephanie and Amelia.

Jan 8

9am Empower at PBVaHi taught by Andrew. Love all the new balance moves. Favorite is the speed skater position using ankle weights for the side leg raises. Then took the 10am Classic taught by Amelia. Look out - abs on fire using the hand weights during the initial abs warm up series. Favorite part were the thighs with our backs pressed against the bar, highest heals, shaking like crazy. So grateful for the burn.

Jan 9

5:30 Empower at PBVaHi taught by lovely Amelia. Pushing through the push ups. So fun to have the platform next to beautiful Kari.

6:30 Classic taught by Courtney who keeps stepping up the game. For once I was almost ready to have the bridge end.

Have been thinking a good deal about the axiom "you can't out exercise a bad diet". Really do not like to think about any food as being "good" or "bad", but do want to be more aware of options that work well for me and those that don't. Sliced cucumbers lightly salted and peppered make a nice occasional switch for my nightly buttered popcorn.

Jan 10

Noon Empower at PBVaHi taught by Meghan with Katy taking. Enjoyed trying some new moves, and especially love the bridge holding the weights to our hips - just the extra challenge needed for glutes and hamstrings.

Jan 11

9:30 Classic at PBVaHi taught by lovely Amelia. Possibly the toughest PB class I have ever taken. While the moves were certainly challenging, Amelia's attention to detail and ability to gently adjust your position shifts everything into overdrive. When pulling back from the barre on low heals with straight arms in the water skier position, her adjustment to spread my collar bones and suck in my gut suddenly had every muscle screaming at me. Awesome!

Jan 16

5 days without barre or yoga.

Came home from a meeting last Friday and felt like a 2x4 hit me. Down for the count with the flu.

Jan 19

2pm Classic with Katy, and what a way to make it back to the barre after being out sick for a week.

Jan 20

11am Strength and Balance Intensive with Katy. Balancing on one leg while leaning forward with arms stretched back by sides and doing leg lifts works great for the hamstrings.

Jan 21

10am Empower with Andrew, and felt good to flush out limbs after the intensive on Saturday.

Jan 22

6pm Classic with Courtney, and finding the traditional classes to be the more challenging.

Jan 23

5:30pm Empower with Lindsay, and wondering when my energy will be back fully.

"Sooner or later I'm going to die, but I'm not going to retire."

Margaret Mead

Longing to be back in the game ...

Jan 24

5pm Classic with Lindsay doing new variations for the thighs and seat. Am looking forward to having full energy back after the flu - even a simple forearm plank feels tough right now.

Jan 25

6:30pm Classic taught by the lovely Becky with friends Tiffany, Jane and Susan taking with me to celebrate my 500th PB class. While we enjoyed some smooth moves, the fun heightened at the bar with beverages and fries at the new MK across the street.

Jan 26

5pm Empower with Mati pushes us to lift higher and work harder. Tons of fun to take it with newbies (open house weekend) and Amelia who makes it all look effortless.

Jan 27

9:15am Power Yoga at Exhale with Briana - quite the bold move to take this challenging 75minute class given my neophyte level of practice, and even more so as my first yoga class post-flu. Could only attempt, wobble, fall with many of the poses, and loved every minute of it. Am always grateful to have Briana emphasize the "practice" aspects.

11am Empower with Andrew at PB VaHi infusing a new group of recruits to embrace the platform.

Jan 29

6pm Classic at PB with Katlelyn - first time taking with her. Good use of the double band throughout, particularly for abs work. Was impressed with how hard she had me working as I was zoning out after a soul parching day.

Jan 30

6:30 Classic at PB with Courtney who continues to rock new moves with the double band. Loved the seat work using the band looped over the bar, and love the new using the band like a rower for abs - yes, actually enjoyed an abs series! Super fun to have Becky, Lyndsey and Jenny in the class as instructors taking and bumping the vibe up a notch.

Jan 31

6pm Classica at PBVahi with Lyndsey on the mike whipping us into shape. Every minute of the class was challenging, and especially appreciated using the ball for abs and then the double band for the bridge on our toes the entire time. Great way to honor the blue blood full moon, and my post barre stroll in the backyard with the pups while sipping some medicinal ;) wine felt appreciatively soothing.

Feb 1

4:30pm Empower at PBVaHi with Andrew who taught an outstanding class - wow! Thighs, seat, abs - all of it was crazy hard - we were all laughing at the end asking ourselves "seriously, what did he want us to do?" Thank you Andrew!

Feb 2

9am Empower of awesomeness with the lovely Amelia teaching. Best thigh and seat series sans the initial platform jumps - love the balancing on one leg while leaning forward and lifting the other leg with weights attached. Then moving to the floor to utterly exhaust each seat. Yes!

Feb 3

10:45am Flow Yoga Basic at Exhale with the amazing Briana. Felt good to do the more basic class, and exalted in my emerging tree pose.

Noon Barre with incredible Julie. Loved the gripping the brown band looped across the barre twice, leaning back on one toe while lifting the other leg between the the bands above the barre. It had been too long!

Feb 4

3pm Classic at PBVaHi with Katy who always teaches a tough and fun class. She took us through a relaxing extra 15 minutes of stretching after the class as well. Made for good prep before our Super Bowl parties.

Feb 7

Noon Empower at PB with Meghan. Talk about a lunch break - the new seat series really kicks it up a notch extending my favorite move of having your front leg at 90 degrees and then working the other leg bent and extended behind your hip.

Feb 8

Noon Classic at PBVaHi with owner and rocking teacher Katy. Used the velcro bands for maximum effect.

Feb 9

5pm Empower at PB with Mati on the mike kicking off the weekend with some super tough flowing dance moves. Bit of a turbo-kick vibe with squats and squat jumps.

Feb 10

9am Classic at PB with Sarah shining bright as always.

10:45am Yoga at Exhale with James teaching us the true meaning of "basic does not mean easy" for our practice.

Feb 11

4:15pm Barre at Exhale with lovely Julie lighting up the room, our muscles and our spirits. "Showing up isn't easy. I commend you."

Feb 12

5:15pm Barre at Exhale with awesome Brianna teaching us the importance of how you move.

6:20pm Power Yoga with Brianna, and the guy next to me doing extraordinary beautiful things on the mat. Class involved lots of falling over for me simply trying to do the first phase of the position.

Feb 14

5:30pm Barre at Exhale with Julie inspiring us to stretch ourselves, and become what hearts know can be possible.

7pm Empower with Andrew at PBVaHi, great way to celebrate the day with some good humored sweat.

Feb 15

5:30am Barre at PBVaHi with Sarah jolting us into the day. It is a blur, but know she led us through a great workout.

Feb 16

9am Empower at PBVaHi with the amazing Amelia pushing us through series of long, lean moves with bursts of intensity.

Feb 17

9am Classic at PBVaHi with Courtney carving us with the double band. Fun to have Amy in the class with me, always pushing.

10:45 Yoga at Exhale with Briana guiding us through the asanas. "Feel yourself grounded so you can lift and grow taller." Kenny and Tim were in the class as well - lovely to sweat with (super cute) friends.

Noon Barre with Julie to be certain every inch of the body and corner of the soul has been challenged and awakened. Somehow when she tells me to push both hands under the barre, or to let go ... it is possible.

Feb 19

Noon Classic at PBVaHi with owner / teacher Katy challenging us with the velcro band. Combos working on strength and balance are faves.

Feb 20

5:30pm Empower with Lindsay on the mike. Great triceps work with alternating one toe on platform doing dips. First time doing the new move of forearm plank with one arms boxed, toes on platform, and same side leg doing to the elbow crunches. Super hard.

6:30pm Classic with Courtney using the double band. Am a big fan of using the double band for crunches with one loop around both feet hip width apart sitting the mat using the other loop to curl back to lowest point. Alway cracks me up when some barre buddies call doing two classes in a row "double dipping".

Feb 22

Noon exale Flow Yoga with James - yes, for the moment I have become someone who does (at least today) yoga at noon during the work week. James teaches with a breath-taking focus upon technique and attention to detail. Even the simplest moves, such as how to sit (tail bone and pelvic floor down, abs in, shoulders down and back, chest lifted with heart open, spine long, head and chin lifted and stretching to ceiling ...), are exercises of the mind, body and spirit. This flow involved lots of falling for me. Also, my lower back was super tight (even more than usual) from all the yard work yesterday.

Feb 23

4pm Empower with Mati guiding us through some smooth moves with her lovely dancer grace.

5pm Classic led by Katy as private class for our Team Morningside winners of the January challenge. We headed to Whiskey Bird for wine and tacos to continue the celebrations.

Feb 24

9am Empower with Sarah, and Amy and Jan taking it. Fun surprise on a Saturday morning.

10:45am Yoga Flow with Briana and a packed house. Lots of wobbling (too close to fall) and a strong triangle pose.

Feb 26

6pm PB Classic with Courtney

Feb 27

5:30pm Empower with Katherine

Feb 28

Classic with Sam

Mar 1

5:30am with Sarah - like a jolt of espresso!

Mar 3

8am Classic at PBVaHi with Lindsey

10:45am Exhale Yoga flow with Briana

Noon Exhale barre with Julie

Mar 4

10am Empower with Andrew

3pm PB Classic with Amelia followed by some much needed stretching with the lovely yogi

Mar 5

5pm PB Classic with Becky

Mar 7

6pm Classic with Sam

Mar 8

6:30pm Classic with Becky

Mar 10

9am BP Classic with Courtney

10:45am Exhale Yoga flow with Briana

Noon barre with Julie

Mar 11

Noon Exhale Barre Bootcamp with Julie, and loved the jumps!

3pm PB Classic with Amelia

Mar 14

6pm PB Classic with Sam

Mar 15

5:30am Classic with Sarah - seeing Susan and Jan and the other lovelies at the barre almost makes being up for class so early painless

Mar 17

9am PB Classic with Becky

10:45am Exhale Yoga Flow

Noon Barre with Julie

Mar 20

4:30 PB Classic with Lindsay

5:30pm Empower with Lindsay - sometimes the classic is the hardest

Mar 22

4:30pm Empower with Andrew

Mar 23

5pm Empower with Mati

Mar 24

11am Thigh Intensive with Katy - hardest and best intensive which included the new move of shutting the car door with your hip

1:30pm barre + yoga with Julie as my new fave Exhale class

Mar 25

10am Empower with Amelia feeling a wee bit sore from Saturday

Mar 27

5:30pm exhale Yoga with Briana, and James taking as his last class - finally am starting to understand lifting out of the hips and waist to stretch the spine and not "dumping" in the lower back

March 30

5pm Empower with Katherine, and Amelia taking with us. Had to do lots of modifications since my lower back was still painful after too much "finding my edge" with backbends.

March 31

10am Classic with Katy - who knows how to push and stretch you to find new limits. Amazing.

11am Empower with Sarah teaching her last joyful class before heading up her own studio. Jan, Kari, Jane, Amy ... all of us miss her already!

April 1

10am Empower with Andrew as start to lazy warm Easter Sunday. Almost able to forfeit any mods. Long walk with pooches and then a good soak seems to have done trick.

July 29

What happened?! Life happened. The classes and the journey continued while the posts fell away.

Back at it!!!!

Yesterday, classic and then empower with the marvelous Lyndsay on the mike. Then barre at Exhale with Julie - total inspiration!!!!

This morning 9am classic with Alana, and then super fun fast paced with spin with Eric who makes my heart race!

Will take the Empower this afternoon - plenty detox after pink drinks last night.

Hello again!!!!