New job posting

So, it's official..

I will take up my new posting in Singapore effective next week.. and my new role will see me leading the marketing dept of my company in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta - the 3 regions my company operates in..

Having said that, it has dawned upon me that my Bodycombat classes would be affected as well.. This posting could last a couple of months at the very least..

November is also the month I have scheduled for clearance in both Celebrity Fitness and guess what, True Fitness as well!

Funny isn't it?

Anyway, I really don't know how my schedules will be like or when I will even be in KL.. My superiors have told me that it can be like probably just one week a month in KL or something like that...

While I won't reject this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there's a host other things I need to consider about also.. Despite temporary, it also has an effect on my financial commitments, my gym, work and among other things...

Sigh.



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Freakish Bodycombat

The gym is still deciding what the instructors should be wearing.. I was told that my attire "will be prepared"... hmm... I wonder... And I still have yet to know what tracks I would be doing!

Hmm..



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Final Preparations

It has come to the final preparations..

Clearance in both Celebrity Fitness and True Fitness are in sight now.. all I need is a confirmation of assessment... And I hope the date of both gyms won't clash with each other..

For Celebrity Fitness, it may be soon (not this week, not next week, not the week after either).. I have one little thing to work on which is my pitch of voice.. Too soft he says.. But I am already screaming into the mic! 

For True Fitness, it's tentatively on 8 November.. It's my second attempt.. I purposely select this date because it gives me ample time to prepare, and as well as push CF clearance to be after the Q4 Workshop but hopefully well before the Dec batch of trainees are churn out..

I really need to start teaching some class because it has been 6 months or 2 releases already, coming 3, and I really cannot lose out to the new batch of trainees from October batch as well as December batch.. I must get my green light in November.. 

I guessed I am prepared to go for clearance in both gyms.. As for Fitness First, the management are still considering to open up the slots to non-members who want to teach in FF, I would think while they are doing that, I will attempt clearance in both gyms first, and then only move in to FF to do clearance.. 

That's my best possible plans - and I hope no hiccups... 

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A test

I am not sure if I can resume back teaching..

But nevertheless, I should not be away from public eye for too long.. one week is too long for me....

I shall be doing two tracks on Monday class.. the 2 tracks I chosen are from my training release cos its the easiest ones for me to refresh my memory given that I have a very tight schedule for this weekend... Not that I particularly liked these 2 tracks, but its because I don't have to learn new tracks or look back at refreshing or perfecting techniques...

The lead instructor, who happens to be the gym's senior group exercise manager, will be assessing me and will let me know if I am ready for clearance in Celebrity Fitness...

Fingers cross... also, a test to see if my feet/toe is ready to be back in action after the bad cut last weekend..


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Momentarily Break

I was taking a break from teaching owing to an injured toe when I accidently kicked against a roadside pavement, resulting in a chipped toe-nail with a deep cut and bruises along my feet.. That was one hell of a cut because the pavement is made of granite and was very coarse..

This was after I clean the wound.. the blood was still flowing then... Took a good 3 days to completely stopped bleeding..

I am not sure if I can be back on stage next week... depends...

I actually miseed being on stage...



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Bodycombat 46 Review

This review is done by an instructor in New Zealand. Just for your reading pleasure. Note it is NOT my review. I am just sharing it, while taking cues of what is to be expected in the new release.

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BODYCOMBAT 46

Presenting Team:
Dan Cohen (New Zealand)
Rachael Cohen (New Zealand)
Hernan Lopez(New Zealand)
Shaunna May (United States)



I'll admit it.

I was very, very, VERY nervous about this filming.

I have good friends who are regulars at BODYCOMBAT, and being away from the Central gym this time around (and unlike BODYJAM, BODYSTEP and BODYATTACK, the smaller gyms like New Lynn and Takapuna don't get to see the new choreography until launch) I didn't get a chance to experience the release prior to filming. I had asked them to give me some feedback on what BODYCOMBAT 46 was like, and there was a natural hesitation. Reason being? I didn't hear much that was all that positive.

I kept an open mind going into the filming, since after all, I'd only spoken to a few people and hey, the first time I saw BODYJAM 55, I didn't like it. And the first time I saw BODYJAM 52, I hated it. Both of these releases have turned into two of my favourite Jam releases!

When the warmup kicked in, straight away there was an incredibly energy in the room. Track 1a and 1b for BC46, by far, is the best warmup I've ever seen for a long, long time. I liked Track 1b from BC45, even though it is quite a long one. The moment I heard that warm up, I thought, "Oh MAAAAAAAAAAAAAN this release is going to be AWESOME!!!", and I was totally geared up for a heart stopping release.

The theme of this release was encouraging participants to go into their warrior zone, and the warmup set that up nicely.

I'm afraid from there on though, most of the release didn't really hit my sweet spot. Track 2 was cute, and Shaunna May from the USA is a absolute ball of fire and bundle of energy, though to me, it was a bit too cutesy. There is an opportunity to have a bit of fun with the song and the lyrics with this track, though I'm unsure of the longevity of it. I'm also unsure of how such a track fits in with the 'warrior zone' idea of the release as it is, though maybe this track might work better when it is mixed with tracks from other releases.

I felt the same way about track 3. I was unsure about how the very 'lovely' style of song really suited the warrior zone theme of the release. It might work well when mixed with tracks from other releases, just like track 2, but it didn't quite go off for me the way that some of the other track 3s have done.

Here's where my brain goes to mush a bit and tracks 4 and 5 blur together a bit. I do know that one of them (I believe it is track 5 - a while ago I was certain it was track 5, but now I'm not so certain) was too strange for my liking. The moment I heard the beginning of the track, as soon as the choreography started, I just wanted the track to be over. I'm sorry... I don't like saying this, but I hated that track. I could very happily never do it again. Sometimes unique and weird sounding music (Warriors Dance from BC42, anyone?) works well in Combat, but I wonder if trying to be original and creative with this track selection may have backfired. I found it very difficult to draw any energy and inspiration from the music and the choreography.

I know I've made it all sound like doom and gloom though. It's not! Track 6, in my opinion, is AMAZING. With the lack of energy I felt from tracks 4 and 5, I got it back tenfold from track 6. It's heavy, aggressive, and really showcases the essence of BODYCOMBAT. It's the first track 6 that I personally have enjoyed since BC43. Track 7 for me was unmemorable (mind you... 'You're Shining' from BC44 was unmemorable the first time I did it, although the second time I did it, it became one of my favourite track 8s ever!), and I was waiting for track 8 to captivate me and provide a strong finish to the release.

The track 8 from BC46 is not one of my favourite track 8s. It might grow on me, like I said, with You're Shining.

The conditioning track has zero trickery to it. It's all simple, uncomplicated choreography, to the point where I was scratching my head going, "No... this isn't a Combat track? Surely Glen Ostergaard choreographed this? Is this supposed to be a bonus track for BC76???" It will be a breath of fresh air, particularly for the Australians who due to the PPCA have had nothing but alligator pushups for two quarters in a row. In fat, Rach intros this track by saying, "You asked for it, and now you've got it."

The cooldown ties in nicely with some of the choreography from track 6, which is quite cool.

Overall? The highlights of this for me are the warmup, and track 6. Shaunna May is a great presenter, and alongside Hernan, Dan and Rach, it was a great team. The four of them were donning the new range of LMI clothing, and my personal opinion is that while the t-shirts are nice, they're not special. LMI have also come up with a new range of Combat board shorts, which I'll leave you guys to form your own opinion of.

During the filming, there were a couple of stoppages - mainly where Dan kept upper cutting into his microphone (instructors - have you ever done this? I can imagine myself doing it, so it's probably a relief to know that it happens to even the big guns of the game!), and his mic belt kept sliding off. I'd taught RPM that morning, and I had the same problem, so I could empathise with him! It really is annoying and off putting feeling that belt slide down your body when you're trying to give it your all up the front.

I hope BODYCOMBAT 46 grows on me, I really hope it does. Though I am looking forward to doing that warmup again. I wish it was a proper working track rather than having it wasted in the warmup, but all the same, I can't wait to do it again.

It'll be interesting to see how I feel about the release when I see it again, as opinions change over time.

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LesMills have a new program!

And it's called Sh'Bam.

Despite best efforts to keep the existence of this program under the radar in its pilot phase, news spread fast of a new program developing, and videos and false information started hitting the web.

It looks as though that's about to happen, and then the official showcase of Sh'Bam - with the filming of Sh'Bam 3 - will take place at GFX 2010 in November at Auckland.

A snippet?

Bodycombat 46 Tracklist & Youtube Links

Here's the list to Bodycombat 46.. which will be launched in local gyms in December.. Instructors will go for the workshop on November 14... AAaahhhhh time to learn up new tracks again!! =)

Some of the youtube links don't work in Malaysia due to copyright thing.. but nevertheless, once we're out from the workshop, I hope there will be people who share the musics and all kekeke...

BODYCOMBAT 46 tracklist

1a: Teenage Dirthouse (Topmodelz Radio Edit) – Patrick McFly (alternative: here)
1b: Black Betty – Masia
2: Shut Up & Kiss Me – Spacegliderz
3: Truly, Madly, Deeply (S&B Remix) – Cascada
4: Kalinka (Russian Hit Mix) – Captain Jack / Kalinka – Za No Za
5: Contagious – Boys Like Girls
6: Spitfire – GhostHunter
7: Braveheart 2006 – Frantic & Gammer
8: I Surrender (Hixxy Hardcore Remix) – Cadence
9: Take It Off – Ke$ha
10: Wait Till You See My Smile – Alicia Keys

Swiped from NZGlen

Congratulations

Congratulations to the new batch of Bodycombat trainees, who graduated from KL Module Training BC45..

And another piece of good news came this morning - Fitness First has relaxed its rules and I will be among the pioneers who are not FF members to shadow, team-teach in FF.. More details will be informed to me once the management decides on the direction to go..

Cheers for the week!


Wangsa Walk members... don't forget... 1 November 7.10pm... Halloween Bodycombat Special Class...

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Bodycombat Special Class

PK was in town for the current Bodycombat Module Training in KL... and he granted True Fitness a special master class, I went - only because I graduated under him..

PK is LesMills Asia Pacific trainer, born and based in Bangkok, and who has trained over 600 Bodycombat instructors.. He is a no-nonsense guy who can be very particular when it comes to Bodycombat but outside of class, he's really funny guy..

Thanks PK..

Yours truly me, I am in black shorts and black tank top in the front row.. beside the blue shirt lady...





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Finding my right of mind

I began to feel that perhaps the decision to quit teaching in True Fitness is a good and wise decision.. Barely a month doing classes in Celebrity Fitness, I have gained fans and members who gives good feedbacks and encouragement after each class, besides the instructor..

I was invited to many of their gatherings, but because of work commitments and me being outrageously busy, I didn't managed to attend any yet, but I will try to make myself available to go to one this Saturday, if I can.. it's just makan-makan at one of the member's house..

I was just attending class this evening, and being late, I quietly enter the studio and stood at one corner.. I do not need to see the stage/instructor because I trained myself to look into mirrors and to listen.. and the mic was out today, so I had to take little glimpse of unfamiliar tracks..

For the familiar tracks, I was very confident of doing, and let the rest behind me follow me...

And after class, some members come over and say, "why didn't you stand with us? we reserved a spot for you seeing you entering the lockers"...

So sweet.. I mean, gaining acceptance is one, but because they don't see me as instructor but as friend, it makes it all the more loved..

I think I will just stick to teaching in Celebrity Fitness for now, and doing replacement classes at Synargym and Berjaya Sports Toto..


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