In the memories there is solace

Lost my ipod =(

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:05:56 GMT

I lost my 30gb ipod video in the gym yesterday. I remember having it with me after conducting the class, but I must have left it somewhere in the changing room.

Called the gym to enquire, but no kind soul returned it. I don't suppose anyone would, especially if the person was a combatter. There's lots of BC stuff in my ipod, tracks from different releases, some DVD clips here and there.

I'm upset that I lost it, but I only have myself to blame. I'm especially upset because my ipod has followed me around for the past 2 years, and I've lots of memories attached to it. My entire BC journey... from those training days to TT to over 300 classes. All those time spent listening to the ipod on trains and buses. =(

It was towards the end of 2005, the ipod 30gb was newly released. I bought it as a birthday present for someone, but I liked it so much that I ended up buying one for myself. It wasn't cheap then, if I remember correctly it cost me more than $500. I had just started work and was still clearing some loans, so I didn't have much spare cash. This was quite an expense back then and it was one of those items I bought for myself, something I didn't really need as I already had a mp3 player.

I went to Sim Lim Sq to get a replacement ipod today. I bought the 80gb ipod classic, and I didn't feel the excitement I felt when I bought my lost ipod. I bought this one as a need rather than a want. Spent a few hours charging and sorting out my music. I am starting to like it cos it's new and it has improved features, but somehow I still miss my trusty ipod video. I am thankful for the faithful service it has given me all this while.

也许我们的缘份已尽.

Splat Attack

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:17:12 GMT

Back in the good old CS days, I've always joined the Counter-Terrorists as I'm more proficient in the M4A1 (Carbine) and the Steyr Aug. Finally, I got to reprise this role, albeit in a slightly different format.

Counter-Terrorists GO!

Terrorists GO!

Counter-Terrorists WIN!

It was fun shooting all those paintballs and I'm nursing my blue-black patches from being hit. The masks were stuffy, but the adrenaline kept us going. One has to play it to experience it, especially the split second immediately after being hit... the moment when we really feel stunned...

Les Mills Global Summit

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:41:10 GMT

I participated in the filming of:
BODYCOMBAT 36
BODYATTACK 61
BODYBALANCE 41
BODYPUMP 66
BODYSTEP 72
BODYJAM 45

I spectated in the filming of:
RPM 39
BODYVIVE 7

I also did BODYCOMBAT 35 twice... did 2 BODYATTACK and 2 BODYJAM classes. That's more than my all time record!

Totally awesome! =)

$3,000

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:29:07 GMT

I lent my friend $3,000 today, and if things go according to plan, I may have to fork out a few thousand more to lend him. When I passed him the money today, there wasn't any terms or conditions, I didn't ask for interest, nor did I ask him to return me by a certain date. All I knew was that I trusted him and I know he will return me the entire sum without fail.

Incidentally, this $3,000 reminded me of a purchase I made eleven months ago. The significance of this is that the $3,000 meant a lot to me then, and had I foregone the purchase, I would never have felt the sacrifice at that point in time.

It was the most wonderful thing I've ever bought. No words can describe the exhilaration or jubilation that I felt immediately after the purchase. I knew, deep inside my heart, that I can never ever replicate that feeling again with $3,000.

Which is why I did what I did.

2007 Favourites

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:52:28 GMT

I'm freaking exhausted now. I must have exerted myself too much during the 2hr class yesterday, and then in today's class again. Not sure if it's the jetlag from my holidays, but I feel that I could plonk in bed anytime. For today's class, we did a '2007 Favourites' themed class, consisting of my respective favourite tracks from the releases in 2007 - BC31 to BC34.

To me, every track is a learning journey and an experience. In the process of learning these, we sometimes encounter obstacles. Some of these tracks contain my emotions and whenever I listen to them again, I remember the process, the emotions I felt.

We did these tracks today.

(Warmup) 3101 - Ready 2 Go / Rock This Party
I came to rock at this party
Cause I can make you feel alright
Sweet boy, you're rocking your body
I'll get you straight to the night

I remember when the tracklist came out, I was shocked to see 'Rock This Party' in it as the lower body warmup. I was telling J, 'This is a hip-hop song, how the fuck are they going to do kicking moves to it? It's more for BODYJAM' When I saw the DVD, I was utterly impressed. Not only did everything feel natural, there was a nice reggae feel to the track. Unique experience.

I recall my struggle with the gingas (8 on the right, 10 on the left) because I could never hear the beats clearly enough. It was also the beginning of BC's gradual progression towards the use of original songs instead of remixed songs. I started to modify my approach - instead of counting beats, I 'feel' for the song instead.

(Combat 1) 3402 - Thks Fr Th Mmrs
Another track which I dreaded on first listen. The song felt very raw to me. But it's just one of those songs where the more you listen to it, the more catchy it feels. My favourite part would be the elbow/back fist/knee/kick combo in an otherwise simple track.

I chose this one over the other Track 2s because I like the song the best.

(Power 1) 3103 - 2 Dream
I have to dream
I have to forget about these things
about broken heart that is beatin' so fast all the time when it rains

I call this the lung buster. While watching the DVD, the directors said that one has to have great fitness levels to coach this. I recall the many times this track pushed me to the limit. I love this track because this is the first add-on track which resembles a free-style choreography where they put all the pieces together.

(Combat 2) 3104 - Call Me When You're Sober
Don't cry to me.
If you loved me, you would be here with me.
You want me, come find me.
Make up your mind.

What more can I say about this song? I love Amy Lee's vocals. This song is sad and I find myself doing this track exceptionally well if I'm feeling sad. This is one of my favourite songs, and the moves in the track flow so well.

In my opinion, if one executes this track correctly, this is arguably the most tiring track ever because of its flow - ginga, ginga, ginga. The track never stops until the kata.

My favourite part? Doing the gingas slow and low during this part...

How could I have burned paradise.
How could I, you were never mine?

Just waiting to explode.

(Power 2) 3305 - Girlfriend
Having had 2 back to back lung busters, it would be an easy option for me to just do Girlfriend since it's easy. But I did this because I like Avril Lavigne a lot. She reminds me of my schooling days when I was listening to her first few hits like Complicated, Sk8terboy, and one of my favourites - I'm With You.

(Combat 2) 3206 - Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)
Pink has a few catchy tunes and this is definitely one of them. It's like one of those irony things - go away or come back? Leave me alone but yet lonely? There was once I let slip and just filled in the blanks, hehehe. =)

Cuttin off the phone
Leave me the ***k alone
Tomorrow I'll be beggin' you to come home

The most memorable time I did this song was when the system broke down and the class hummed along to the tune. It was hilarious.

(Muay Thai) 3207 - Check Your Head
This track is deceptively wicked. It starts slow but yet finishes with an aplomb. I love love love the jumpknee sequence at the end. While learning this, I initially struggled with the jumpknee because I had a knee injury before and I was just scared to make that leap for fear that I would hurt my knee. It took me a while to get my courage to really make that jump, and do it safely.

The key to it, I learnt, was simply being fit. A fit person would just leap off into the air gracefully and land safely because the legs would not feel heavy at all. I attribute the improvements in my fitness levels to the hardcore releases of BC30-32. Till today, I still remember the satisfaction of doing it for the first time and leaping off the ground. Wooh!

(Power 3) 3208 - Welcome To The Black Parade
Now this one would probably come as a surprise to some because many would have thought the natural choice would be BC33's U R My Phantasy. But 3308 is not even my second favourite Track 8, that belongs to 3408 Believe In Me.

This song brings back alot of emotions because I've experienced that adrenaline so so many times when I do it. This is one big motivational track that gets me high and crazy everytime.

Defiant to the end we hear the call
To carry on

We'll carry on...

Let rip the body rip!

BC33's Angel Eyes and BC34's Believe In Me complemented the release before we ended with my favourite cooldown from BC34. It used to be BC28's Because Of You (Kelly Clarkson) but this latest one is impressive.

(Cooldown) 3410 - What Have You Done
Explosive cooldown with nice use of forks (inspired by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and lovely vocals and beautiful kata.

Would you mind if I hurt you
Understand that I need to
Wish that I had other choices
Than to hurt the one I love

Every track is a collection of emotions. Which is why I will always love some tracks over the others.

BODYCOMBAT 35 Sizzler

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:08:43 GMT

Never surrender, never give up and NEVER stop moving in BODYCOMBAT® 35! The theme for this release is Kick-boxing. You’ll build strength, kick speed and stamina in your legs, change the shape of your butt and burn heaps of calories. The choreography is intense and this release targets beginners so there is a low complexity — but beware, this is a non-stop release! Watch out for Track 2, Scooter’s The United Vibe. It’s the longest ever BODYCOMBAT® track combining a strong static Block and Karate Punch with a Travel Roundhouse Knee Sequence which gives participants the feel of two very different Martial Arts disciplines — Karate and Kick-boxing. There are more than 100 kicks in Track 4 which includes the Roundhouse challenge. This challenges and improves balance and leg strength. Track 7 is HUGE and features new innovation the Clinch — a manipulative move used commonly in Thai ighting to gain control over your opponent. The Foo Fighters’ top-selling single, The Pretender, is the perfect song for this Muay Thai Track. It has all the elements a great fighting style should have — speed, aggression and power. Your class will love it! The music is electric and BODYCOMBAT® 35 features SIX Top 40 hits. Fight to a hit from the movie ‘Hairspray’, rock out to a popular hit from The Hives and be motivated by Good Charlotte.

Can't believe how fast time flies. When I post something like this, it means that 3 months has passed by yet again. I started doing BC before BC20 but I have no idea which release. With 4 new releases a year, how many years have I done BC already?

Regardless, I'm looking forward to have Top40 hits for the tracks rather than those old-school euro trance/electronic sounds. And I absolutely hate classical remakes. So bring it on!

Finally Back Home

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:53:24 GMT

The 2 weeks has been useful for the recharge. My batteries were running empty, and it was great to get out of the country to splurge and indulge myself. I consider myself fortunate to be able to travel to different countries and see the world. Nothing beats the insight gained from getting out of Singapore.

My first stop was Japan, having visited there 5 years ago. Having visited the country before took nothing away from this trip. It was awesome, and there's so many things in Japan that makes it so loveable. Nice food, nice people, nice weather, nice shopping, nice cities, everything nice.

However, Japan is a terribly expensive place to visit. I don't think I can go there every year unless I eat grass when I return. I hope that my next visit to Japan would be Hokkaido - the idea of just going there to relax and binge appeals to me perfectly.

In contrast, I don't think that I liked Korea that much. Perhaps I would have enjoyed Korea better had I gone there before Japan. But Korea really pales in comparison to Japan. My last visit was 10 years ago, and things haven't really changed that much, from looking at the photos and what I can remember. In terms of infrastructure and all that, I think Singapore has leapfrogged Korea over the last 10 years.

I didn't enjoy the food as well - spicy food still doesn't do much for me and I have to take it every single meal. It was only on my very last day there that I acquired an appreciation for kimchi. Maybe it was because I realised that I won't be going back there in the near future, so I ate quite a bit of kimchi during my last meal in Korea.

There's something about Korean culture which annoys me, and despite being a much more patient person than I was 2 or 3 years ago, I still don't appreciate being shouted or screamed at. It's their culture, I can't change it, I can only dislike it. When I visited the supermarket there, it was like several shouting matches being held concurrently. And Singapore efficiency, despite what Singaporeans complain about, far outstrips Korean efficiency, and this Korea trip really made me appreciate Singapore much much more.

During these 2 visits, I got the feeling that Japan and Korea were not that expensive anymore. Perhaps it's the rising cost of living in Singapore, perhaps it's the fact that I'm a working adult now and can afford one or two things which I couldn't previously, or perhaps it's based on my observation that things haven't changed in these two countries that much over the last 5-10 years. They've made the leap earlier and it's Singapore's turn now.

I was so elated to be back home in Singapore after 2 weeks. I really can't explain why, but there's just something magical about home that makes it different. I kinda miss being with inpatient Singaporeans, I miss the usual complaints from the typical Singapore and I miss my food here, especially my chicken rice and wanton mee. I also miss my BC classes, can't wait to get my ass back to the studio to work on those stiff muscles.

I caught up on some of the news I've missed while I was out of the country. It amuses me each time I read the Straits Times Forum to see the things Singaporeans complain about. It's just freaking hilarious and uniquely Singapore.

I got back last night and slept very late. I was so tired this morning that I took a cab to work even though I didn't need to. I was quite unlucky that I got in at 7:01am and was levied a 35% peak hour surcharge. I could have avoided that had I got in 2 mins earlier. My taxi fare came up to $18.60 instead of the usual ~$14 that I'm used to. Guess the taxi ride is back to being a 'luxury good'.

I am of the opinion that taxi fares in Singapore were too cheap and people were just taking cabs like nobody's business. However, the increase this time is kinda steep, and is probably going to affect my lifestyle. I better cut my taxi rides otherwise I will have to eat grass more. Not sure if it was the holiday season, but there were 6 or 7 taxis circling my area as compared to the zero taxis each morning. The ride was smooth, I reached office in less than 20 mins. That must be record breaking.

Back to my normal routine soon, hopefully I can recover the momentum which I've lost for over a year now. And I still have a NZ trip to look forward to in February, in the spanking new T3 as well. 2hr Christmas BC tmr! =)

Korea

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:14:08 GMT

It's freaking cold in Korea, but not that cold anymore, if you listen to the locals. Snow is becoming harder to form and this year's winter has been a lot warmer than the previous years. They attribute it to global warming and climate change.

No surprise that they are charging for plastic bags at some stores and supermarkets. Think this will reduce the unnecessary usage of plastic bags.

And HD is Korea is boring. Just the plain old flavours like Coffee, Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla and Green Tea, which they make it out to be the latest flavour.

Food is bad as almost everything is kimchi or spicy. I find Korea boring compared to Japan.

Japan

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:59:12 GMT

I spent a fantastic week in Japan. I just returned home Saturday night and I find myself missing the place already. Five years since my last visit, and the feeling hasn't changed one bit. It's been a long while since I managed to really let go and just relax and enjoy my holiday without thinking about this and that back home.

There were some great memories and hardly any not-so-great memories, so this was a really really good trip that recharged me. I could do with such trips once a year.

Good
- Sampling the different flavours of HD ice-cream wherever I went. Flavours I tried - Chardonnay Raspberry, Bitter Caramel, Custard Pudding (was in SG for a short period), Kokuto & Kuromitsu, Rich Milk, Vanilla Caramel Brownie, Noisette Chocolat, Marsala Espresso, Affogato. My favourite is Noisette Chocolat, by far .
- Eating ice-cream in freezing cold weather.
- Onsen (hot springs).
- Strolling alone slowly in Shinagawa business district, against the traffic of working professionals walking briskly to the railways.
- Sashimi (freshest I've ever tasted, better than any that I can get in SG)
- Kobe beef (I can't get enough)
- Hokkaido crab (I will have problems finishing it by myself, need at least 4 ppl to finish)
- Rice (Japanese rice is just awesome, the stickier the better)
- Japanese Green Apple (fragrant and very sweet)
- Overall food (quality of Japanese food is very good, especially for someone who loves fish alot)
- Spending money (even though everything is expensive, it felt good to really let loose)
- Nike factory outlet (buying 4 pairs of Nike Free 5.0 at S$63 each, spent a total of S$600 there, which is quite alot considering t-shirts and stuff were going at S$13-20 each)
- Meeting wonderful people and making new friends
- Time to sit back and reflect (and also recharge my batteries)
- Fuel my desire to learn the Japanese language (so as to maximise my future holidays)
- I learn appreciate my mother more.

Bad
- I miss my bodycombat classes (From 5-6 a week to zero)
- Miss some peeps in Singapore
- No internet access (I should have brought my laptop there)
- Did not allocate enough free space in baggage for all those extra stuff I bought
- Dragging the luggage back
- Transit flight on TG, wasting precious time (not that I had a choice)
- Being served a Pepsi on the flight when I specifically asked for a Coke.
- Overshot my budget. (Way overshot)
- Chocolate cravings during the trip
- Too much time to think about stuff sometimes
- My last day in Japan

Well... one down, another one to go.

Believe In Me

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:08:00 GMT

For those who liked 'U R My Phantasy', here's another one from the same artiste - Sy & Unknown feat Lou Lou. It's called 'Believe In Me'. I believe it's so much better.

Beneath my smile
Is a broken dream
I bet you never knew

My eyes deceive
All the hope in me
How do I make it through

So long I've been waiting
I can't keep on failing
I know where I need to be

But now my chance is falling
My soul is calling
What can I do to make you see

Believe in me
Believe in me
Believe in me
Believe in me

Believe in me
You're the one that needs to know
Believe in me
Show me the way that I need to go

Believe in me
My life is in your hands
Believe in me
Why can't you understand

What Have You Done

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:26:11 GMT

Would you mind if I hurt you
Understand that I need to
Wish that I had other choices
Than to hurt the one I love

What have you done now?

I know I'd better stop trying
You know that there's no denying
I won't show mercy on you now

I know I should stop believing
I know that there's no retrieving
It's over now
What have you done?

What have you done now?

I, I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away
What have you done now?
Why? Why does Fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us
Between me and you

What have you done (x4)
What have you done now

Would you mind if I killed you?
Would you mind if I tried to?
Cause you have turned into my worst enemy
You carry hate that I don't feel
It's over now
What have you done?

What have you done now?

I, I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away
What have you done now?
Why? Why does Fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us
Between me and you

What have you done (x4)
What have you done now

I will not fall
Won't let it go
We will be free
When it ends

I, I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away
What have you done now?
Why? Why does Fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us
Between me and you

BC

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:25:46 GMT

BC participants need to understand the transition and know that the MT track (Track 7) is not the make or break track anymore. In fact, it's not even the toughest track in the recent releases.

Track 4 is. Ginga/ESK/Jumpkick. And the recent Combat tracks (tracks with kicks) are more tiring than the traditional Power (boxing training) tracks.

BODYCOMBAT 34 Sizzler

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:28:47 GMT

These things come out really fast, a subtle reminder of how time flies. It's three months since I posted the last one, and they just come and go like that.

Get ready to release your inner warrior in BODYCOMBAT™ 34. With 35% more kicks, this class demands everything you've got and more! The Jump Kick challenge and the Side Kick butt blaster are brought back in Track 4. Track 6 draws its energy from what some may know as point fighting or semi-contact. A feature of this track is the Kick Kata, again blasting that butt. Get ready for endurance with a capital E in Track 8. This track is simple for one main reason - each move has FOUR sets of repetitions which means you don't have to think. High intensity + simplicity = results. Watch out for the Abdominals Track - it's the ironman of abs tracks!

Track List

1. Summermelody (89ers Remix) - H2K / Does The Fish Have Chips? - Scooter
2. Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy
3. The Way (Put Your Hand In My Hand) - Party Playaz
4. Lights Out (Chris Vrenna Remix) - POD
5. Elevator - KopyKatz
6. Shut Up And Drive - Rihanna
7. 1-2-3-4 - Ultra-Sonic
8. Believe In Me (DJ Breeze Remix) - Sy and Unknown feat Lou Lou
9. We Got It Going On (With Big and Rich) - Bon Jovi
10. What Have You Done - Within Temptation feat Keith Caputo

Sick

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:25:58 GMT

Much worse than I expected. Coughing non-stop and my nose is dripping...

Went to bed at 10 plus, but couldn't sleep cos of the cough. It's terrible.

My Bits & Pieces

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:16:52 GMT

The throat's going down faster than I thought. Hopefully it will get better tomorrow. Will try not to strain it.

The Aeron chair I ordered finally arrived today. Maybe this will put an end to my restlessness in the office. The office chair that was provided is way too small and uncomfortable for my liking, and the old one creaks too much. At $1,765, I have some friends screaming at me. It is an indulgence of some sort, but I hardly buy anything for myself, so I guess it's better getting something I like for myself instead of buying other people stuff. And I'm not going to spend a 5 figure sum on a bed or a sofa or something like someone I know.

I went to see a doctor to get some medicine for my throat, went to my neighbourhood GP clinic, was told that the regular doctor wasn't around. When I went in, I got a pleasant surprise. It was my JC schoolmate who I used to play soccer with. It's really a weird coincidence.

Watched Ep 3 of Survivor: China. Really enjoying the season, and was pretty pleased with the voting today, especially taking into context how this person behaved at the start of the game.

Hope that tmr my throat survives.

Personal Dream

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:16:36 GMT

07 Feb SQ285 SIN AKL
14 Feb SQ286 AKL SIN

It would have cost me $2,100 + $245 (airport tax) for the trip, but I got it free by redeeming my miles. Just have to pay the $245 airport tax. I love the AMEX Krisflyer card, it's really fantastic.

Can't wait to meet all those 'celebrities'. I want to stand in the front row. =)

Which One Is More Difficult?

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:42:08 GMT

Today, we did the ESK track from BC33 - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race. After the track, some member said that the track was easier than BC32's Call Me When You're Sober. I was just thinking about it, and I do have different thoughts. I think BC33's ESK is much more physically demanding.

My personal take is that everyone is new to the track, and doing it for the first time hardly gives one the opportunity to experience the full impact of the track. It took everyone a few tries to really experience the workout in Call Me When You're Sober. Familiarity of the music, understanding the options, knowing how to maximise by lunging lower and swinging the arms wider for rotation.

For people doing "This Ain't A Scene" for the first time, they get a chance to sneak in some recovery or break time as they are not familiar with the music yet. And without knowing the full song, most people usually leave some reserves... just in case. This track has 50 ESKs compared to the 30 in BC32.

Music wise, I definitely prefer Call Me When You're Sober. The angst in the vocals, the unleashing of the kicks, I love that track to bits. I love dark music. The lyrics are so intense.

For this latest one, I like the song, just not as much as the previous. But the workout is a killer. If one lets the ginga flow, the ESK + back fist combo should tire one out at the 5th set.

We'll try again definitely. =)

BC33

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:58:21 GMT

Here it is once again, BC33 is finally out. A brand new set of music, choreo to learn.

Key highlights:
- Lower Body Warm Up is very tricky. Punjabi music.
- Lotsa new innovative combos, new moves.
- As expected, 3 tracks with gingas (T1, T4 and T6). Loving it.
- T4, is an ESK track that is 7 mins.
- T6, the traditional recovery track, is hardly a recovery.
- T7 the Muay Thai track is only 3 mins.
- More usage of original songs

Personally, I think BC33 will be the most difficult release ever. I've seen people come and go, but I do think BC33 is not a release for beginners anymore. Not only is it physically challenging, the combos are a little tougher to follow, and longer too.

I get the feeling that instructors who dropped the ESK and ginga will start to regret it. The ESK and ginga combos are getting more and more difficult, and honestly, when the first ESK tracks came out, I thought they were difficult enough already, but the new ones just seem to outdo the older ones. Also, with more original music being used, its no longer the same old 4, 8, 16 sets one side then repeat for the other. I guess more of the old school instructors will drop the prog?

Really looking for it. Fav track of the new release so far... The ESK one. Ha ha.

'This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race' by Fall Out Boy. 50 ESKs!!!

Number of ESKs (since it appeared in BC30)
BC30 - Rock Me Amadeus (32)
BC31 - You Give Love A Bad Name (38)
BC32 - Call Me When You're Sober (30)
BC33 - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race (50)

BODYCOMBAT 33 Sizzler

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:17:38 GMT

Fiercely energetic. Empowering. Unleashed. The new class comes straight from the essence of BODYCOMBAT so get ready for a huge workout that will leave fighters absolutely shattered. Dan and Rach have pulled out all the stops, with great moves from just about every martial art and an awesome play list packed with red-hot sounds.

The class kick starts with an 'in your face' warm that includes a unique Eastern sound from Panjabi MC in the lower body work. Everybody's Screaming is an awesome selection for driving the first combat track and its major focus on the roundhouse kick. There's heaps of speedballs in the first power training track.

Then it all gets nasty in with the ginga form, the evasive side kicks and a lunging front kick with a stinger in the butt. Fall Out Boy's This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race provides the motivation needed to get the most out of those kicks. Have some fun with Avril Lavigne's latest hit Girlfriend in track 5, then get ready for a big martial arts mix in track 6 - kungfu, kickboxing, karate and capoeira - and a Muay Thai explosion where you just go crazy. Don't try this at home!

Be sure to save some energy for the tricep blaster conditioning track. It's wicked! And then enjoy the big shift in pace to a new, deep-stretch cooldown with Infernal's cruisey Vienna. Aaaaah. Sweet relief!

In the BODYCOMBAT education session instructors learn how to become "propulsive move master" with particular focus on two of the most recent and explosive additions to the program - the Evasive Side Kick and the Jump Knees.

Favourite Song Of The Moment

Sat, 05 May 2007 15:18:48 GMT

Call Me When You're Sober - Evanescence

Don't cry to me.
If you loved me, you would be here with me.
You want me, come find me.
Make up your mind.

Should've let you fall,
Lose it all,
So maybe you can remember yourself.

Can't keep believing,
We're only deceiving ourselves,
And I'm sick of the lies,
And you're too late.

Don't cry to me.
If you loved me, you would be here with me.
You want me, come find me.
Make up your mind.

Couldn't take the blame,
Sick with shame.
Must be exhausting to lose your own game.
Selfishly hated,
No wonder you're jaded,
You can't play the victim this time.
And you're too late.

So, don't cry to me.
If you loved me, you would be here with me.
You love me, come find me.
Make up your mind.

You never call me when you're sober,
You only want it 'cause it's over - it's over.

How could I have burned paradise.
How could I, you were never mine?

So, don't cry to me.
If you loved me, you would be here with me.
Don't lie to me, just get your things.
I've made up your mind.

The song is incredibly powerful. Been playing it on repeat mode. The challenge now is how to deliver the song with the most heartfelt emotions.

Just when I thought 'You Give Love A Bad Name' was powerful enough, this is much much stronger.

Fiji Adventures

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:29:44 GMT

This season has been so good that I can hardly believe it myself.

I suspect they changed the editing team, or the editing style. I guess after so many seasons, I've become accustomed to seeing those voted out get that extra footage or additional few seconds.

When Mookie started getting alot of airtime last week, and then again this week before TC, I thought he was gone.

The immunity idol was used. I knew it was going to be wasted.

But at the death, the smart asses thought 2 steps ahead and countered with a sucker punch.

The facial expressions on the faces at TC were priceless.

Then when they showed previews of next week's episode, I see Mookie and Alex finding Yau-man's immunity idol. This is getting too exciting.

Wicked

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:03:52 GMT

Today's episode of SURVIVOR was wicked. One of the most enjoyable ones. I wonder if they've changed the editing team for this season, it's been so good that I can hardly believe it.

It's been a good day overall. Met H to go for class together. We waited nearly 20mins for the bus and ended up late. Felt the energy during class. Dinner, then home.

Tiring Week

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 16:01:22 GMT

6 down, 2 to go.

Nice to receive an update from someone who was at somewhere I was supposed to be.

Evasive Side Kick - Teaser

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 17:37:45 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QAKzxLglxg

BC3004 - Rock Me Amadeus

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 18:23:36 GMT

BC3004 Rock Me Amadeus has got to be the most physically demanding track ever in the history of BC. My whole shirt was drenched by the time I was done with it. The new kick - the evasive side kick - from capoeira is a killer, and there's still a jumpkick combo to contend with. Siong to the max.

Finally achieved both sides of the kick, thanks to 10 mins of step touch and lunges to set the kick up. The trick is actually in the torso twist and lunge and propulsion - the more you rotate, the easier it is, and the lower you lunge, the higher you lift, the easier the kick is.

I made these discoveries myself while practising the kick, but I feel like an idiot cos I was telling my friend my little tricks on how I executed them, without realising that these tips were given on the freaking DVD!!!!! Argh! Patience is a virtue, I should have sat down and watched the entire portion of the coaching part.

The set up in the song is simply BRILLIANT. Can't wait to do it. And can't wait for some of my friends to attend the training so I can support them one day. =)