Well, now that I'm 15 spin profiles behind, it's time to get writing again!
I left off back in August right before my last big themed spin class: Covers! The game here was to guess whether the song was an original or a cover and who sings the original/cover.
See for yourself if you can guess "Original or Cover"! No cheating! Post in comments.
1. Respect by Aretha Franklin (2:25)
2. Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm (3:29)
3. After Midnight by Eric Clapton (2:51)
4. Everywhere by Yellowcard (3:35)
5. Turn The Page by Metallica (6:06)
6. I Want It That Way by Dyanamite Boy (3:32)
7. The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band (3:44)
8. All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix (3:59)
9. Red Red Wine by UB40 (3:04)
10. Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley (2:00)
11. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor (8:02)
12. Time After Time by Quietdrive (3:05)
13. Cat's In The Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe (4:04)
14. ...Baby One More Time by Bowling For Soup (3:29)
15. Proud Mary by Tina Turner (4:59)
16. I Am The Walrus by Bono (4:44)
17. Such Great Heights by Iron & Wine (4:11)
Spin Profile #27: Cecilia
I created this spin profile to congratulate my spin buddy Cecilia upon her dissertation/defense completion. I pulled out my stalker skills and looked up her favorite music on her facebook page. That's what it's there for, right?
1. Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel (2:55)/Warm Up Mix
2. Persiana Americana by Soda Stereo (4:52)/Run @ 1 w/10 sec pickups
3. Friday I'm In Love by The Cure (3:35)/Jump Mix
4. Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) by Shakira (3:14)/Verse: Seated Cadence; Chorus: Standing Surge (alternate choruses, HP 2 <==> 3)
5. Drums of Belfast by Scythian (2:54)/Cadence; Increase Resistance every 30 sec FR ==> 2
6. She Wolf by Shakira (3:08)/Modified Jumps, (Middle of Seat ==> Back of seat, Standing HP 3)
7. Ojos Asi by Shakira (3:58)/Stair Climber Intervals. Standing HP 2. 60 sec bounding @ 3 (high resistance), 30 sec recovery @ seated, FR
8. The Prince of Parties by Flight of The Conchords (1:48)/Easy Cadence, Active Recovery
9. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones (3:43)/Run with pickups @ 1.5
10. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (3:34)/Cadence & Climb, Standing HP 3, 1.5 ==> 3. Steady!
11. Beautiful Liar by Beyonce & Shakira (3:22)/Isolation Intervals. 20 sec isolate, 20 sec pace. Isolate legs by keeping core squeezed in tight, upper body completely still, and working the circular pedal strokes. Weight back over legs. Slow! The higher the R, the easier it is to keep core still.
12. De Musica Legera by Soda Stereo (3:33)/Back to FR the start climb again. Half turn up every minute. Slight pickup during chorus.
13. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (4:09)
14. Jump That Rock (Whatever you want) by Scooter & Status Quo (3:24)/Verse Cadence Seated or Standing/HP3; Chorus Sprint w/resistance getting less each time (@ 2, @1, @FR). Finish seated, all out sprint.
15. Me Gustas Tu by Manu Chao (4:00)/Cool down mix
16. Vivir Sin Aire by Mana (5:44)/Stretches
Spin Profile #28: School of Rock
Profile inspired by the movie. I never actually used it for a class, just for my own workout.
1. Growing On Me by The Darkness (3:29)
2. Set You Free by The Black Keys (2:45)
3. Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks (5:26)
4. Santeria by Sublime (3:03)
5. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin (2:24)
6. All Over You by Live (3:58)
7. Sunshine of Your Love by Cream (4:11)
8. Substitute by The Who (3:48)
9. Bell Bottom Blues by Derek & The Dominos (5:03)
10. Alive by Pearl Jam (5:41)
11. You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi (3:43)
12. School of Rock by School of Rock (4:13)
13. Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden (5:18)
14. Heal Me, I'm Heartsick by No Vacancy (4:46)
Spin Profile #29: 3 Obsession
This was a great profile. Workout was killer and ppl enjoyed this mix. Going on the top ten list for sure.
Think of the profile as three steps. Each 'step' consists of three songs which are at the same resistance level (more or less). Sprint -- Run -- Climb. What each level targets: power--heart rate--strength.
Get to the top of the third step, comes all the way down to the bottom for a second set.
1. Hey Mama by Black Eyed Peas (3:35)/Warm Up Mix
2. Surfin' Safari by The Beach Boys (2:07)/Run + Pickups
3. Do You Love Me by The Contours (2:52)/Run + Pickups
4. Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows (3:09)/Jump Mix @ 1.5
5. She Wolf by Shakira (3:08)/Modified Jumps @ 2
6. Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz/Stair Climber Intervals @ 2, 20 sec on/20 sec off
7. Bring Me To Life by Evanescence (3:56)/Isolation Intervals @ 3
8. Come to My Window by Melissa Etheridge (3:36)/Heavy Jumps @ 3
9. Dream On (Live) by Aerosmith (4:53)/Alternating Seated/Standing Climb
10. You Get What You Give by New Radicals (5:01)/Cadence + 10 sec pickups
11. Song 2 by Blur (2:01)/20 sec sprint intervals
12. Gonna Make You Sweat by C+C Music Factory (4:04)/10, 20, 30, 60 sec sprints + 10 sec receovery
13. I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness (3:37)/Verse Cadence, Chorus Surge out into 3 @ 2
14. The Monkees Theme by The Monkees (2:21)/Run + chorus pickups @ 1.5-2
15. Punk Rock Princess by Something Corporate (3:52)/Standing HP 3 Cadence, chorus pickups
16. You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi (3:43)/Seated sprints w/resis during chorus @ 2, verse standing cadence @ 3
17. I Alone by Live (3:40)/Chorus: Standing sprints w/resistance @ 2
18. Kiss The Girl from The Little Mermaid (2:42)
19. Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers (3:36)
Spin Profile #30: Back To School
This was made for the first class of the Fall semester...I now have two 45 minutes classes in addition to some hour-long classes, so I had to change my profile dynamic to fit the shorter format. More intense, less warmup/cool down to make up for that 15 min loss.
1. Back to School Again (from Grease 2) by The Four Tops (3:49)/WU Mix
2. Hot N Cold by Katie Perry (3:40)/HP 3 Standing Surges during chorus
3. Life Is A Highway by Tom Cochrane (4:27)/Standing Climb, 1==>3
4. Kids by MGMT (5:03)/Jump Mix @ 1-2
MGMT, one of my "new" favorite bands. The next couple of spin profiles feat their songs.
5. Paparazzi by Lady GaGa (3:28)/Isolation Intervals
6. Mass Pike by The Get Up Kids (3:25)/FR-->3 Climb + 10 sec sprints w. res. @2
7. Kryptonite by 3 Door Down (3:54)/Slow inc. FR ==>1.5; Cadence/Fast!
8. Shattered (Turn The Car Around) by O.A.R. (4:14)
9. Chasing Cars Rmx (4:45)/Climb Mix; 2==>4
10. Right Now by Van Halen (5:23)/Climb Mix 2==>3 plus pickups on chorus
11. School of Rock by School of Rock (4:13)/Bring it home. Decreasing every 30 2 ==> FR. Pick up pace on each decrease so ending at FR sprint.
12. Live Your Life by T.I. (5:39)/CD
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Concertina: Spin Profile #25
Concert Going-Ons In The Past Week:
Last night I went to the O.A.R. outdoor concert with my Best Buddy, Emily, on Penn's Landing. Despite a severe thunderstorm following the opening act, perilous body surfers, beer bottle throwing, and a moderate rain throughout, the show was wicked fun. Everyone was dancing and singing along; generally very happy and content. The rain actually added to the magic of the show, as the stage lighting made the air sparkle and glitter. If only Guster and Ben Kweller had been there too...
Last week, I was asked to a show by one of my workout buddies, Greg. His explanation of who we were going to see: There's this guy playing...I don't know what kind of music it is or where, but we know his dog from Doobies [Bar]...
Unbelievably, I still agreed to go to the gig even though from his description, I thought we were going to see some dude and his dog play guitar or something.
We went to KungFu Necktie in Northern Liberties--a really awesome venue despite it sketch location in North Philly--and met up with another friend, Naomi, who fortunately had more details. Amazingly, not only did I know the band, but it was my bass player's (Jory) fiance's band EAST HUNDRED. Really awesome local, indie rock band (www.easthundred.com). They won Battle of the Bands last year at World Cafe Live.
Sure enough, as soon as I entered the bar, I saw Jory and Susan, who were very surprised to see me there! Spontaneous run-ins are the best!
Next month, I'm seeing Dave Matthews Band and hopefully Journey. In light of all these great shows, I decided to make a spin profile featuring music from concerts I've been to.
Here's a list of the biggest shows I've been to:
Neil Diamond, America, Madison Square Garden, 5th Grade, John + Dee & Family
Billy Joel, River of Dreams, 6th Grade, with Band Director Bob Lassonde + Family
Guster, Goldfly, The Shell, 8th Grade (first Guster concert, not going to list all)
No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom, 8th Grade, with Pam Hershey, etc, in white limo
Smokin' Grooves, All High School Years
Lilith Fair, All High School Years
Janet Jackson, Velvet Rope, Junior Year HS, Lara Clemenzi
Usher, Junior Year HS, Lara Clemenzi
*NSYNC, No Strings Attached, Senior Year HS, Chris Pearson, surprisingly very good!
College:
Guster multiple times @ Tufts, Bates, The Shell
Rusted Root @ Colby
O.A.R. @ Bowdin
Post-college:
Ben Kweller @ Festival Pier, @ Johnny Brenda's
Guster @ Festival Pier, with Cristin
Guster + Akon @ Franklin Field, Penn with Emily
O.A.R. Festival Pier/Penn's Landing
East Hundred, @World Cafe Live with Jory, @The Khyber with Jory, Jeff, Grant, Todd, Melissa, + Kevin, @KungFu Necktie with Emily, Greg, Naomi (and Jory).
The profile:
Four sets. Three song set.
1) Climb
2) Run/Jump
3) Sprint
Start out at highest resistance, slowest pace and work your way down to lowest resistance + fastest pace.
1. Love and Memories by O.A.R. (3:25)
2. Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel (3:53)
3. Spiderwebs by No Doubt (4:28)
4. Ants Marching by DMB (4:31)
5. Cherry, Cherry by Neil Diamond (2:43)
6. Center of Attention by Guster (4:07)
7. We Takin' Over by Akon (4:30)
8. Bye Bye Bye by *NSYNC (3:20)
9. Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson (5:31)
10. Deadpan by East Hundred (4:50)
11. This Town by O.A.R. (3:36)
12. Two Step by DMB (6:27)
13. Need You Back by Ben Kweller (3:17)/**1st min: climb, 2nd min: run, 3rd min: sprint!
14. Heard The World by O.A.R. (5:01)/CD
15. Slow Burning Crimes by East Hundred (4:09)/CD + stretch
Last night I went to the O.A.R. outdoor concert with my Best Buddy, Emily, on Penn's Landing. Despite a severe thunderstorm following the opening act, perilous body surfers, beer bottle throwing, and a moderate rain throughout, the show was wicked fun. Everyone was dancing and singing along; generally very happy and content. The rain actually added to the magic of the show, as the stage lighting made the air sparkle and glitter. If only Guster and Ben Kweller had been there too...
Last week, I was asked to a show by one of my workout buddies, Greg. His explanation of who we were going to see: There's this guy playing...I don't know what kind of music it is or where, but we know his dog from Doobies [Bar]...
Unbelievably, I still agreed to go to the gig even though from his description, I thought we were going to see some dude and his dog play guitar or something.
We went to KungFu Necktie in Northern Liberties--a really awesome venue despite it sketch location in North Philly--and met up with another friend, Naomi, who fortunately had more details. Amazingly, not only did I know the band, but it was my bass player's (Jory) fiance's band EAST HUNDRED. Really awesome local, indie rock band (www.easthundred.com). They won Battle of the Bands last year at World Cafe Live.
Sure enough, as soon as I entered the bar, I saw Jory and Susan, who were very surprised to see me there! Spontaneous run-ins are the best!
Next month, I'm seeing Dave Matthews Band and hopefully Journey. In light of all these great shows, I decided to make a spin profile featuring music from concerts I've been to.
Here's a list of the biggest shows I've been to:
Neil Diamond, America, Madison Square Garden, 5th Grade, John + Dee & Family
Billy Joel, River of Dreams, 6th Grade, with Band Director Bob Lassonde + Family
Guster, Goldfly, The Shell, 8th Grade (first Guster concert, not going to list all)
No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom, 8th Grade, with Pam Hershey, etc, in white limo
Smokin' Grooves, All High School Years
Lilith Fair, All High School Years
Janet Jackson, Velvet Rope, Junior Year HS, Lara Clemenzi
Usher, Junior Year HS, Lara Clemenzi
*NSYNC, No Strings Attached, Senior Year HS, Chris Pearson, surprisingly very good!
College:
Guster multiple times @ Tufts, Bates, The Shell
Rusted Root @ Colby
O.A.R. @ Bowdin
Post-college:
Ben Kweller @ Festival Pier, @ Johnny Brenda's
Guster @ Festival Pier, with Cristin
Guster + Akon @ Franklin Field, Penn with Emily
O.A.R. Festival Pier/Penn's Landing
East Hundred, @World Cafe Live with Jory, @The Khyber with Jory, Jeff, Grant, Todd, Melissa, + Kevin, @KungFu Necktie with Emily, Greg, Naomi (and Jory).
The profile:
Four sets. Three song set.
1) Climb
2) Run/Jump
3) Sprint
Start out at highest resistance, slowest pace and work your way down to lowest resistance + fastest pace.
1. Love and Memories by O.A.R. (3:25)
2. Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel (3:53)
3. Spiderwebs by No Doubt (4:28)
4. Ants Marching by DMB (4:31)
5. Cherry, Cherry by Neil Diamond (2:43)
6. Center of Attention by Guster (4:07)
7. We Takin' Over by Akon (4:30)
8. Bye Bye Bye by *NSYNC (3:20)
9. Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson (5:31)
10. Deadpan by East Hundred (4:50)
11. This Town by O.A.R. (3:36)
12. Two Step by DMB (6:27)
13. Need You Back by Ben Kweller (3:17)/**1st min: climb, 2nd min: run, 3rd min: sprint!
14. Heard The World by O.A.R. (5:01)/CD
15. Slow Burning Crimes by East Hundred (4:09)/CD + stretch
Cruisin' to the 80's: Spin Profile #24
Following the popularity of the 90's mix, I had to compile an 80's mix as well.
Some Musings:
What makes one class better than the others? The music in this profile was just as fun as the 90's mix, however I didn't get the feeling that it was as popular. Why? Well, first of all, the 90's was fun because I made it personal. I grew up during the 90's and had a memory to share for each song. Also, because I was remembering back to my more geeky days, I had no problem cracking jokes about myself or grooving along to the club music. In contrast, I didn't have this personal connection to the music for the 80's mix. I mean, I love these songs, but I didn't make the mix my own.
This is alluding to what I described in my Body Pump training post back in January as "Fitness Magic." The magic comes from going beyond instructing the class to creating a bond between yourself, the music, the people, and the workout.
Resistance Scale: 0 (flat road, FR) to 4
Endurance Sets, Try To Keep The Intensity Level Up During Sets (no breaks, work all the way through to the next song)
1. Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen (4:00)/WU
2. Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper (3:55)/Run @1
3. Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran (3:25)/FR cadence, pickups during chorus
4. It's Raining Men by The Weather Girls (5:26)/FR ==> 1 Sprints
5. I think We're Alone Now by Tiffany (3:49)/Run + Pickups @1
6. When Doves Cry by Prince (3:48)/Climb, StP3
7. Material Girl by Madonna (3:53)/Jumps, Fast! @1.5-2, Medium Hill
8. We Built This City by Starship (4:55)/Power Climb!
9. What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner (3:48)/Active Recovery, 40sec, climb
10. What I Like About You by The Romantics (2:55)/Run! @1
11. Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics (3:37)/Sprints with resistance, real breaks btw intervals
12. Flashdance Rmx by DJ Party (4:34)/Climb + pickups, burn out!
13. I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston (4:51)/CD
14. Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House (3:57)/CD + Stretch
Some Musings:
What makes one class better than the others? The music in this profile was just as fun as the 90's mix, however I didn't get the feeling that it was as popular. Why? Well, first of all, the 90's was fun because I made it personal. I grew up during the 90's and had a memory to share for each song. Also, because I was remembering back to my more geeky days, I had no problem cracking jokes about myself or grooving along to the club music. In contrast, I didn't have this personal connection to the music for the 80's mix. I mean, I love these songs, but I didn't make the mix my own.
This is alluding to what I described in my Body Pump training post back in January as "Fitness Magic." The magic comes from going beyond instructing the class to creating a bond between yourself, the music, the people, and the workout.
Resistance Scale: 0 (flat road, FR) to 4
Endurance Sets, Try To Keep The Intensity Level Up During Sets (no breaks, work all the way through to the next song)
1. Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen (4:00)/WU
2. Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper (3:55)/Run @1
3. Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran (3:25)/FR cadence, pickups during chorus
4. It's Raining Men by The Weather Girls (5:26)/FR ==> 1 Sprints
5. I think We're Alone Now by Tiffany (3:49)/Run + Pickups @1
6. When Doves Cry by Prince (3:48)/Climb, StP3
7. Material Girl by Madonna (3:53)/Jumps, Fast! @1.5-2, Medium Hill
8. We Built This City by Starship (4:55)/Power Climb!
9. What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner (3:48)/Active Recovery, 40sec, climb
10. What I Like About You by The Romantics (2:55)/Run! @1
11. Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics (3:37)/Sprints with resistance, real breaks btw intervals
12. Flashdance Rmx by DJ Party (4:34)/Climb + pickups, burn out!
13. I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston (4:51)/CD
14. Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House (3:57)/CD + Stretch
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Started In Here: Spin Profile # 23
Admittedly it was hard to follow up that 90's class. This profile definitely didn't beat that one, but it was still fun and sweaty.
Groupings of songs meant to be done "as a set." Meaning: try to endure through the whole set without breaking/backing off the intensity. Take water as needed!
1. Fire Burning by Sean Kingston (4:03)/WU
2. Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship (3:18)/Verse = Seated Cadence @1; Chorus = Standing Surge. Let's get some speed early on today!
3. Do Wah Diddy by Manfred Mann (2:23)/Run @ 1
4. Shawty Get Loose by Lil Mama (3:33)/Jump Mix @2, Standing Surge during chorus
5. What I Got by Sublime (2:51)/Standing Position 3, Cadence @ 3
6. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (3:34)/Seated Climb 1 ==> 3, Add in some standing surges
7. Swing, Swing by The All American Rejects (3:53)/Standing Position 3, Cadence during verse, sit down pick it up during chorus.
8. Ignorance by Paramore (3:38)/Back to the flats. Sprint Intervals. All out!
9. Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne (3:18)/Climb, seated + standing mix
10. I Know You Want Me by Pitbull (4:26)/Jump Mix @2
11. Baby Got Back by Sir Mix A Lot (4:23)/Speed Bumps, FR > 1.5 > FR. 20 sec intervals. Pace stays constant through the resistance changes.
12. Welcome To Paradise by Green Day (3:44)/Active recovery. Cadence @ FR or 1. Recovery so you can go at the last set with 100% effort.
13. Let's Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas (3:37)
14. Just Dance Rmx by RedOne/Lady Gaga (4:19). verse = standing post 3 @ 3, chorus = mix of standing and seated sprints w/resistance @ 2 or 3.
15. New Divide by Linkin Park (4:30)/standing climb from 2 ==> 3, add in surges.
16. Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets (2:10)/Race to the finish! 1min standing run, 1 min seated all out sprint.
17. American Boy by Estelle (4:45)/CD
18. Smile by Lily Allen (3:16)/CD
Groupings of songs meant to be done "as a set." Meaning: try to endure through the whole set without breaking/backing off the intensity. Take water as needed!
1. Fire Burning by Sean Kingston (4:03)/WU
2. Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship (3:18)/Verse = Seated Cadence @1; Chorus = Standing Surge. Let's get some speed early on today!
3. Do Wah Diddy by Manfred Mann (2:23)/Run @ 1
4. Shawty Get Loose by Lil Mama (3:33)/Jump Mix @2, Standing Surge during chorus
5. What I Got by Sublime (2:51)/Standing Position 3, Cadence @ 3
6. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (3:34)/Seated Climb 1 ==> 3, Add in some standing surges
7. Swing, Swing by The All American Rejects (3:53)/Standing Position 3, Cadence during verse, sit down pick it up during chorus.
8. Ignorance by Paramore (3:38)/Back to the flats. Sprint Intervals. All out!
9. Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne (3:18)/Climb, seated + standing mix
10. I Know You Want Me by Pitbull (4:26)/Jump Mix @2
11. Baby Got Back by Sir Mix A Lot (4:23)/Speed Bumps, FR > 1.5 > FR. 20 sec intervals. Pace stays constant through the resistance changes.
12. Welcome To Paradise by Green Day (3:44)/Active recovery. Cadence @ FR or 1. Recovery so you can go at the last set with 100% effort.
13. Let's Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas (3:37)
14. Just Dance Rmx by RedOne/Lady Gaga (4:19). verse = standing post 3 @ 3, chorus = mix of standing and seated sprints w/resistance @ 2 or 3.
15. New Divide by Linkin Park (4:30)/standing climb from 2 ==> 3, add in surges.
16. Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets (2:10)/Race to the finish! 1min standing run, 1 min seated all out sprint.
17. American Boy by Estelle (4:45)/CD
18. Smile by Lily Allen (3:16)/CD
Opposites Attract in the 90's: Spin Profile #22
Flasback to the 90's! And it was a hit! People (including myself) had so much fun working out to this music. As an added bonus, I told a story during each song. See, I didn't just pick out random 90's songs, I picked ones that drew up strong memories. Like the first time I drove my Mom's Volvo all by myself with a good friend riding shot gun. Or my first concert by myself (No Doubt). Or hanging out in my sister's room, listening to Vanilla Ice or New Kids On The Block and thinking that she's the coolest person in the world (in her scrunchy and jams!). And of course there are the high school dance memories...
Anyways, each song has a particular meaning to me and it was fun to bring us all back into those times.
During the second song, Opposites Attract, explain the workout. Think of it as six sets of two songs. Breaks should hold off for after the second song of a particular set.
First song: Flats. Fast and Furious.
Second song: Climb!
As soon as the second song ends, turn resistance all the way down and pick the pace up. The point is to exhaust yourself in "opposite" ways from one song to the next. Work your power during the sprints, work your strength (and butts) during the climb.
NB: I finally changed my resistance scale to something that makes more sense.
0 = Flat road (FR), just enough res to feel the road beneath you(NOT no resistance)
1 = Light hill, just enough res to stand up
2 = Medium Hill, starting to feel the quads burn, but can keep up with the beat
3 = Moderately heavy hill, want to jump out of the saddle, uncomfortable, starting to want to slow down
4 = Heavy hill (top of the hill), cannot hold for more than 20 sec, cannot pick up the pace even if you try, are behind the beat of the music
1. Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry (3:59)/WU, cadence, 0
*All 90's, all hour long! Get excited!
2. Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul (4:25)/WU, jumps @ 1-2
*Pre-reality TV show, Abdul was a great singer and dancer in the 80's/90's. Although there are plenty of more popular songs by her, this one happens to be my favorite. Why? Because of the awesome music video. Only in the 90's would it be cool to be dancing in your video with a cartoon wolf in a bright blue zut suit...
3. Just A Girl by No Doubt (3:26)/Pickups, 80% during verse ==> 90% max speed during chorus. 80% = cadence. Not all out sprint yet.
*In the 8th Grade me and Pam Hershey (and others) rented a white limo to take us to the No Doubt Concert at Great Woods. We thought we were so cool going to the concert in style without any parents!
4. Jumper by Third Eye Blind (4:33)/Climb, seated + standing mix FR ==> 3
*I spent the summer before sophmore year of high school learning how to play this song on the drum set. I started taking drum set lessons (in secret) my freshman year and blew people away at the jazz band auditions at the end of that summer.
5. Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team (3:45)/Speed bumps, cadence/constant pace, 20 sec intervals: FR > 1 >FR. Pace stays the same no matter the changes in resistance!
*Remember to bring that resitance down quick and work the turnover. No breaks yet!
6. I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred (2:51)/Modified jumps @ 3
*I'm too sexy, 'nuff said.
7. What Is Love by Haddaway (4:30)/20, 30, 40 sec all out sprint interveral followed by same amount of active recovery.
*Sure, today people associate this song with the goofy dance from Night At The Roxbury. I, however, always think of Ricky from My So Called Life. He busts out his moves at the school dance, leaving Angela alone in her drama with geeky Brian and Jordan Catellano.
8. No Scrubs by TLC (3:38)/Standing climb, FR ==> 3, add in pickups during chorus
*Every 90's mix must have TLC in it. Period.
9. Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 (3:30)/Keeping same fast cadence, inc resist from FR ==> 2. Slow and steady burn, do not go higher than 2. Want to keep it fast and furious.
*Still can't figure out what the heck they are singing about, but Senior year of high school this song was popular at the dances. Not knowing the lyrics would never stop me from belting the song out!
10. I will buy you a new life by Everclear/Standing Climb, 2 ==>4, adding seated pickups here and there.
11. Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice (4:31)/Speed bumps, this time changing res: FR > 1.5-2 > FR every 20 sec. Fight thru the resistance to keep that pace constant!
*Yeah, I still know the dance...
12. American Woman by Lenny Kravitz(4:22)/Isolation drills @ 3 or 4 = 20 sec isolation intervals. 20 sec isolate the legs by focusing on keeping the upper body still, slowing the pace down, circular pedal strokes, high knees. Keep the weight back! No weight in the arms. Work the core to stabilize. Flat backs, abs in, shoulders down and back. Then 20 sec of cadence. Repeat. I call out "Isolate!" and "Pace" to signal changes. Notice the difference between isolation of legs and using your body weight to help you push the pedals.
*Great running/workout song then and now.
13. Boom, boom, boom, boom! by the Vengaboys (3:22)/100% sprints during chorus, for greater challenge, bring it up to 1 or 2. But fast! Cadence during verse.
-Last chance to sprint! All out!
*Another high school dance favorite my senior year.
14. Closing Time by Semisonic (4:34)/Seated climb 1 ==> 3, standing surges during the chorus. Exhaust yourself!
*Love, love, love this song. First heard it in my car summer before junior year. Again, was the first summer that I could drive by myself (I was the last year to be able to get my license at 16.5).
15. No Rain by Blind Melon (3:37)/CD
*Great song, but in the 8th we performed it in the school chorus and butchered it. Ahhh, some songs should just not be harmonized by a group of 14 year olds.
16. Torn by Natalie Imbruglia (4:05)/CD
*I will always remember me and Rob Jack cruising in the Volvo, all the windows rolled down, belting out this song. He sang it even louder than me! End of sophomore year.
Anyways, each song has a particular meaning to me and it was fun to bring us all back into those times.
During the second song, Opposites Attract, explain the workout. Think of it as six sets of two songs. Breaks should hold off for after the second song of a particular set.
First song: Flats. Fast and Furious.
Second song: Climb!
As soon as the second song ends, turn resistance all the way down and pick the pace up. The point is to exhaust yourself in "opposite" ways from one song to the next. Work your power during the sprints, work your strength (and butts) during the climb.
NB: I finally changed my resistance scale to something that makes more sense.
0 = Flat road (FR), just enough res to feel the road beneath you(NOT no resistance)
1 = Light hill, just enough res to stand up
2 = Medium Hill, starting to feel the quads burn, but can keep up with the beat
3 = Moderately heavy hill, want to jump out of the saddle, uncomfortable, starting to want to slow down
4 = Heavy hill (top of the hill), cannot hold for more than 20 sec, cannot pick up the pace even if you try, are behind the beat of the music
1. Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry (3:59)/WU, cadence, 0
*All 90's, all hour long! Get excited!
2. Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul (4:25)/WU, jumps @ 1-2
*Pre-reality TV show, Abdul was a great singer and dancer in the 80's/90's. Although there are plenty of more popular songs by her, this one happens to be my favorite. Why? Because of the awesome music video. Only in the 90's would it be cool to be dancing in your video with a cartoon wolf in a bright blue zut suit...
3. Just A Girl by No Doubt (3:26)/Pickups, 80% during verse ==> 90% max speed during chorus. 80% = cadence. Not all out sprint yet.
*In the 8th Grade me and Pam Hershey (and others) rented a white limo to take us to the No Doubt Concert at Great Woods. We thought we were so cool going to the concert in style without any parents!
4. Jumper by Third Eye Blind (4:33)/Climb, seated + standing mix FR ==> 3
*I spent the summer before sophmore year of high school learning how to play this song on the drum set. I started taking drum set lessons (in secret) my freshman year and blew people away at the jazz band auditions at the end of that summer.
5. Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team (3:45)/Speed bumps, cadence/constant pace, 20 sec intervals: FR > 1 >FR. Pace stays the same no matter the changes in resistance!
*Remember to bring that resitance down quick and work the turnover. No breaks yet!
6. I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred (2:51)/Modified jumps @ 3
*I'm too sexy, 'nuff said.
7. What Is Love by Haddaway (4:30)/20, 30, 40 sec all out sprint interveral followed by same amount of active recovery.
*Sure, today people associate this song with the goofy dance from Night At The Roxbury. I, however, always think of Ricky from My So Called Life. He busts out his moves at the school dance, leaving Angela alone in her drama with geeky Brian and Jordan Catellano.
8. No Scrubs by TLC (3:38)/Standing climb, FR ==> 3, add in pickups during chorus
*Every 90's mix must have TLC in it. Period.
9. Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 (3:30)/Keeping same fast cadence, inc resist from FR ==> 2. Slow and steady burn, do not go higher than 2. Want to keep it fast and furious.
*Still can't figure out what the heck they are singing about, but Senior year of high school this song was popular at the dances. Not knowing the lyrics would never stop me from belting the song out!
10. I will buy you a new life by Everclear/Standing Climb, 2 ==>4, adding seated pickups here and there.
11. Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice (4:31)/Speed bumps, this time changing res: FR > 1.5-2 > FR every 20 sec. Fight thru the resistance to keep that pace constant!
*Yeah, I still know the dance...
12. American Woman by Lenny Kravitz(4:22)/Isolation drills @ 3 or 4 = 20 sec isolation intervals. 20 sec isolate the legs by focusing on keeping the upper body still, slowing the pace down, circular pedal strokes, high knees. Keep the weight back! No weight in the arms. Work the core to stabilize. Flat backs, abs in, shoulders down and back. Then 20 sec of cadence. Repeat. I call out "Isolate!" and "Pace" to signal changes. Notice the difference between isolation of legs and using your body weight to help you push the pedals.
*Great running/workout song then and now.
13. Boom, boom, boom, boom! by the Vengaboys (3:22)/100% sprints during chorus, for greater challenge, bring it up to 1 or 2. But fast! Cadence during verse.
-Last chance to sprint! All out!
*Another high school dance favorite my senior year.
14. Closing Time by Semisonic (4:34)/Seated climb 1 ==> 3, standing surges during the chorus. Exhaust yourself!
*Love, love, love this song. First heard it in my car summer before junior year. Again, was the first summer that I could drive by myself (I was the last year to be able to get my license at 16.5).
15. No Rain by Blind Melon (3:37)/CD
*Great song, but in the 8th we performed it in the school chorus and butchered it. Ahhh, some songs should just not be harmonized by a group of 14 year olds.
16. Torn by Natalie Imbruglia (4:05)/CD
*I will always remember me and Rob Jack cruising in the Volvo, all the windows rolled down, belting out this song. He sang it even louder than me! End of sophomore year.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
5 "Aha!" Moments In The Lab
Alternatively, I could have also called this post "five illogical things I did in the lab today that seemed to make perfect sense at the time..."
1) If the label on a powder chemical says, "use mask, toxic to airways," pulling the collar of your pink, Nike long sleeve running shirt over your nose is not an acceptable substitute for a real surgical mask. In fact, the fabric doesn't protect at all from the diffusion of powder through the air, through the semi-spandex non-barrier and into your air passages. Indeed, as you are coughing and choking on the white substance, you will probably think back to what it does and why it's toxic: dissolve proteins. You may then be slightly concerned about it coming into contact with your lungs and the membranes being degraded...
2) If you are working with mice that are known to be a particularly aggressive strain, make sure the head is securely held back between your thumb and pointer and tail is wrapped tightly around your pinkie before attempting to inject estrogen inhibitor (particularly if you are a twenty something female hoping to have kids one day) with your other hand. The aggressive mouse will fight you, bite you, and squirm away from you before you can say "infertile." Before you know it, you will be on your hands and knees, heart racing, trying to grab the tail with oily, estrogen inhibitor all over your gloves, hoping not to get it on any of the surfaces.
3) If you are working with aforementioned aggressive mouse strain, be sure to notify the animal facility technicians of this lovely uniqueness. This prevents escape of feisty rodents from the cage to the Great Unknown. This is handy information if the mouse is worth, say, $400 plus six months of hard labor on your part.
4) If working with your mice requires you to be in a surgical mask for 5+ hours, be sure to take hourly breaks to get fresh air. This prevents development of mouse allergies and, for instance, nose bleeds. Should you get a nose bleed after being in a mask for six hours, do not be surprised and try not to leave a trail of blood from the lab to the bathroom. Oh, and FYI, the lab's paper towels are not very blood absorbent, so the blood will just pool on top and then spill over the sides, thus adding to the trail.
5) If making a buffer from a powder base, remember that a buffer is a detergent, even in powder form. So, should you spill several grams on the counter top, try not to clean it up with a wet paper towel or you will soon find the entire counter covered in suds. Not the worst thing to happen, but it will take at least 10 minutes to remove all bubbles and lots of H2O.
1) If the label on a powder chemical says, "use mask, toxic to airways," pulling the collar of your pink, Nike long sleeve running shirt over your nose is not an acceptable substitute for a real surgical mask. In fact, the fabric doesn't protect at all from the diffusion of powder through the air, through the semi-spandex non-barrier and into your air passages. Indeed, as you are coughing and choking on the white substance, you will probably think back to what it does and why it's toxic: dissolve proteins. You may then be slightly concerned about it coming into contact with your lungs and the membranes being degraded...
2) If you are working with mice that are known to be a particularly aggressive strain, make sure the head is securely held back between your thumb and pointer and tail is wrapped tightly around your pinkie before attempting to inject estrogen inhibitor (particularly if you are a twenty something female hoping to have kids one day) with your other hand. The aggressive mouse will fight you, bite you, and squirm away from you before you can say "infertile." Before you know it, you will be on your hands and knees, heart racing, trying to grab the tail with oily, estrogen inhibitor all over your gloves, hoping not to get it on any of the surfaces.
3) If you are working with aforementioned aggressive mouse strain, be sure to notify the animal facility technicians of this lovely uniqueness. This prevents escape of feisty rodents from the cage to the Great Unknown. This is handy information if the mouse is worth, say, $400 plus six months of hard labor on your part.
4) If working with your mice requires you to be in a surgical mask for 5+ hours, be sure to take hourly breaks to get fresh air. This prevents development of mouse allergies and, for instance, nose bleeds. Should you get a nose bleed after being in a mask for six hours, do not be surprised and try not to leave a trail of blood from the lab to the bathroom. Oh, and FYI, the lab's paper towels are not very blood absorbent, so the blood will just pool on top and then spill over the sides, thus adding to the trail.
5) If making a buffer from a powder base, remember that a buffer is a detergent, even in powder form. So, should you spill several grams on the counter top, try not to clean it up with a wet paper towel or you will soon find the entire counter covered in suds. Not the worst thing to happen, but it will take at least 10 minutes to remove all bubbles and lots of H2O.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Tasty Cup: One Woman's Search For The Best AM Brew
Favorite morning beverage: Medium Chai With A Shot Of Espresso
(Otherwise known as Dirrrtay Chai, Chai Charger, or The Hot Nina...only rarely do I go for a Cold Nina...)
Since moving away from the Gayborhood and my daily coffee haunt, Brewhaha, I've had to find a new morning coffee shop to frequent. In the past three weeks, I have visited a handful of coffee shops and was shocked to find that none of them have had the same melange of goodness found at Brewhaha. For someone who used to think Starbucks was great coffee, I had to ask myself, "What made the Brewhaha experience so pleasurable? What am I looking for in a morning coffee shop?"
Here's my list of criterion, in no particular order:
1) They know what I want and how I want it.
2) They taste good.
3) They are laid back and don't rush me to into making decisions or leaving.
4) They make me feel special, i.e. they like to chat me up and know what's going on in my life
5) They seem genuinely happy to see me each morning.
(Chris says whenever he sees me, "Let's get Dirrrtay!" with a grin on his face. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside)
6) They are easily accessible (I don't want to walk too far out of my way in the am).
This one I'm willing to sacrifice a bit, if the other criterion are met.
Here's the list of coffee shops I've tried so far.
La Colombe: Mr. Emotionally Unavailable
I went to La Colombe after reading rave reviews on CitySearch. Their coffee and espresso are supposedly the best in the city. Perhaps the place is different post-am rush, but I have to say I was traumatized by my experience here. I went in around 7am--admittedly prime time coffee rush. As soon as I entered, I was shoved into what felt like a frenzied production line. It was strangely robotic: step up, cash down, small cup taken, exit, repeat. As the line quickly moved along, I started to tense: I have no cash, do they accept cards? Can I order a chai or is it just coffee? Upon frantically scanning the joint for a menu to no avail, I ardently listened to the interactions between the barrista and the patrons to get a clue. Unfortunately for me--an obvious foreigner in a strange land--there really was no conversing. Everyone was getting the same thing and already had the exact cash counted out. Everyone else knew exactly what was expected. My turn approached and I actually contemplated stepping out of line because I didn't want to be a cog in this otherwise smooth and efficient machine. Why hadn't I looked this up online beforehand to become familiar with the protocol?
Anyways, I got to the front, frowned, and hazarded actual conversation with the gorgeous Italian-looking man behind the counter (which believe you me did not help at all with the tenseness of the situation): "Hi, how are you?...Medium Vanilla Latte?" The suave man returned the frown and uttered, "Latte?" Yes, please. I embarrassingly shoved my card at him and shrunk off to the side to wait for the seemingly out of place latte. FYI, they do make lattes, but they have no syrups. Just simple coffee, espresso, and lattes. And there is only one size.
Once I left the intensity of the interior, I breathed deeply and sighed. My God! That was definitely not the laid back and friendly experience I was looking for. I understand that there are plenty of people out there who rush around in the morning and want their coffee experience to be quick and efficient. I like to gab a bit in the morning. I like to take my time and enjoy the aromas and tastes. And I definitely don't want to feel like I should've looked up a protocol just to get my steamed beverage.
Good Karma: Mr. Physically Unavailable
Good Karma ranks up there with Brewhaha in terms of quality of espresso and friendly/laid back service. I usually go there after work or on the weekend when I want to read. See, I'm in the habit of taking the bus to work and walking home in the evenings. And when I walk home, Good Karma is right in my path. However, in the mornings, Good Karma diverges 5-7 blocks away from the bus stop. Factor in my gabbing and slow walking pace and all of a sudden it has taken me an hour to get from my house to the bus stop. An hour that I'd rather be spending elsewhere.
NB: I'm not saying anything bad about Good Karma! I love Good Karma with all my heart. This is the quest for the perfect AM coffee shop and it's just not at all convenient or practical to make it there in the morning.
La Va: Mr. Overrated/Mr. I'm-Too-Cool
People rave about this hipster coffee shop on South Street. Umm, not to be harsh, but their espresso sucks. Big time. And their chai? Gross. It tastes like the chai at Bucks County, now known as Saxby's, which is a chain. Anytime an espresso tastes like a chain-store's espresso...I'm just saying.
I think the real draw of this place is "The Scene" and the tasty snacks and sandwiches offered. Their are a lot of cool looking people there. And a plethora of scrumptious looking pastries. However, I can barely finish my coffee/latte/chai ordered from there, so I'll pass.
Cafe De Miel: Mr. Changed
About 6 months ago, Cafe de Miel went under a change of management. Now they do not offer chai or any syrup-containing drinks. This limits the beverages to simple espresso, coffee, or latte. The quality of espresso is high, but as a sweet tooth, I really need to have the option to get a vanilla latte or a chai with a shot of espresso. Do not worry, the pastry selection is still divine! Just not what I'm looking for in the am.
(Otherwise known as Dirrrtay Chai, Chai Charger, or The Hot Nina...only rarely do I go for a Cold Nina...)
Since moving away from the Gayborhood and my daily coffee haunt, Brewhaha, I've had to find a new morning coffee shop to frequent. In the past three weeks, I have visited a handful of coffee shops and was shocked to find that none of them have had the same melange of goodness found at Brewhaha. For someone who used to think Starbucks was great coffee, I had to ask myself, "What made the Brewhaha experience so pleasurable? What am I looking for in a morning coffee shop?"
Here's my list of criterion, in no particular order:
1) They know what I want and how I want it.
2) They taste good.
3) They are laid back and don't rush me to into making decisions or leaving.
4) They make me feel special, i.e. they like to chat me up and know what's going on in my life
5) They seem genuinely happy to see me each morning.
(Chris says whenever he sees me, "Let's get Dirrrtay!" with a grin on his face. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside)
6) They are easily accessible (I don't want to walk too far out of my way in the am).
This one I'm willing to sacrifice a bit, if the other criterion are met.
Here's the list of coffee shops I've tried so far.
La Colombe: Mr. Emotionally Unavailable
I went to La Colombe after reading rave reviews on CitySearch. Their coffee and espresso are supposedly the best in the city. Perhaps the place is different post-am rush, but I have to say I was traumatized by my experience here. I went in around 7am--admittedly prime time coffee rush. As soon as I entered, I was shoved into what felt like a frenzied production line. It was strangely robotic: step up, cash down, small cup taken, exit, repeat. As the line quickly moved along, I started to tense: I have no cash, do they accept cards? Can I order a chai or is it just coffee? Upon frantically scanning the joint for a menu to no avail, I ardently listened to the interactions between the barrista and the patrons to get a clue. Unfortunately for me--an obvious foreigner in a strange land--there really was no conversing. Everyone was getting the same thing and already had the exact cash counted out. Everyone else knew exactly what was expected. My turn approached and I actually contemplated stepping out of line because I didn't want to be a cog in this otherwise smooth and efficient machine. Why hadn't I looked this up online beforehand to become familiar with the protocol?
Anyways, I got to the front, frowned, and hazarded actual conversation with the gorgeous Italian-looking man behind the counter (which believe you me did not help at all with the tenseness of the situation): "Hi, how are you?...Medium Vanilla Latte?" The suave man returned the frown and uttered, "Latte?" Yes, please. I embarrassingly shoved my card at him and shrunk off to the side to wait for the seemingly out of place latte. FYI, they do make lattes, but they have no syrups. Just simple coffee, espresso, and lattes. And there is only one size.
Once I left the intensity of the interior, I breathed deeply and sighed. My God! That was definitely not the laid back and friendly experience I was looking for. I understand that there are plenty of people out there who rush around in the morning and want their coffee experience to be quick and efficient. I like to gab a bit in the morning. I like to take my time and enjoy the aromas and tastes. And I definitely don't want to feel like I should've looked up a protocol just to get my steamed beverage.
Good Karma: Mr. Physically Unavailable
Good Karma ranks up there with Brewhaha in terms of quality of espresso and friendly/laid back service. I usually go there after work or on the weekend when I want to read. See, I'm in the habit of taking the bus to work and walking home in the evenings. And when I walk home, Good Karma is right in my path. However, in the mornings, Good Karma diverges 5-7 blocks away from the bus stop. Factor in my gabbing and slow walking pace and all of a sudden it has taken me an hour to get from my house to the bus stop. An hour that I'd rather be spending elsewhere.
NB: I'm not saying anything bad about Good Karma! I love Good Karma with all my heart. This is the quest for the perfect AM coffee shop and it's just not at all convenient or practical to make it there in the morning.
La Va: Mr. Overrated/Mr. I'm-Too-Cool
People rave about this hipster coffee shop on South Street. Umm, not to be harsh, but their espresso sucks. Big time. And their chai? Gross. It tastes like the chai at Bucks County, now known as Saxby's, which is a chain. Anytime an espresso tastes like a chain-store's espresso...I'm just saying.
I think the real draw of this place is "The Scene" and the tasty snacks and sandwiches offered. Their are a lot of cool looking people there. And a plethora of scrumptious looking pastries. However, I can barely finish my coffee/latte/chai ordered from there, so I'll pass.
Cafe De Miel: Mr. Changed
About 6 months ago, Cafe de Miel went under a change of management. Now they do not offer chai or any syrup-containing drinks. This limits the beverages to simple espresso, coffee, or latte. The quality of espresso is high, but as a sweet tooth, I really need to have the option to get a vanilla latte or a chai with a shot of espresso. Do not worry, the pastry selection is still divine! Just not what I'm looking for in the am.
Beauty Shop: Mr. Real-Potential
This is the coffee shop that most closely fits all of my criterion. It's on the way to the bus stop. Laid back. They make an excellent chai with a shot of espresso. I have had pleasant conversations with the owner, John. He recognizes me when I come in and knows what I want and how I want it. It's a quality establishment.
Nonetheless, no matter how many criterion it fits, it's just not Brewhaha. This is an unfair comparison. I spent two and a half years making daily visits AND I used to spend entire days studying there. That's a long time to form connections and feel a real affinity for a place.
Trust and relationships take time. I need to be patient for the new links to form!
Check them out for yourself:
Nonetheless, no matter how many criterion it fits, it's just not Brewhaha. This is an unfair comparison. I spent two and a half years making daily visits AND I used to spend entire days studying there. That's a long time to form connections and feel a real affinity for a place.
Trust and relationships take time. I need to be patient for the new links to form!
Check them out for yourself:
Good Karma: http://www.thegoodkarmacafe.com/
La Va: http://www.lava-cafe.com/
Cafe De Miel (awesome pastries): http://www.mielpastry.com/Scripts/openExtra5ca0.asp?Extra=23
The Beauty Shop: http://www.yelp.com/biz/beauty-shop-cafe-philadelphia
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