CruCycle: When Hardcore Cycling Meets A Dance Party
CruCycle is a whole new ballgame for a workout. It is indoor cycling to upbeat music! I have been going to CruCycle ever since it first opened its doors more than a year ago. To me, it’s a dance party, cue untz untz untz.
The music
CruCycle has the best mixes in the house. Expect a healthy combination of the latest remixes. There’s even music that you can sing along to while pulsing it out on your bike. There are even themed rides you can sign up for – nostalgic 90s, gangsta rap etc. – you name it, they’ve done it.
The best part? The music-themed rides you can sign up for – nostalgic 90s, gangsta rap etc. – you name it, they’ve done it. Kinda feels like a party more than a workout!
The concept
CruCycle is modelled after the ever popular SoulCycle in America. Each ride is a 50-minute spin session with weights and abs in between.
CruCycle works around a “wolf pack” mentality. Everyone in class rides together to the beat of the music, leading with the right leg first.
To stay with the pack, you’re encouraged to follow the pace of the instructor and keep rhythm throughout the class. Everyone rides to the same beat, pretty cool uh.
The workout
Most of the time you’ll be off your saddle. You’ll need a good amount of coordination to ride to the beat, especially when hand movements are implemented. The basic dance (we’re kidding!) moves include:
- Pulse. With your hands at the top of the handle bar, you drop your elbows with each beat.
- Push. Extend your elbows outwards to do a push up over the handle bar.
- Tap back. Reach your bum as far back as you can, arms straight and extended.
- Sexy corners. Swaying your body over all four corners of the bike
Of course, there’s also the killer sprints where you’ll have to be off your saddle and pushing to the finish line for eight counts, 16 counts or more. This part of the class kills me the most – that’s when it stops feeling like a dance party, and more like a workout.
But you do get a rest at the halfway mark where you get to sit back down for abs and arm workouts. 0.5kg, 1kg or 2kg – you choice. I usually go for the 1kg which can be a challenge when you’re pulsing with your arms extended for a good minute or so.
The ab workout is super effective. I never fail to feel the burn the next day!
The music distracts you from your trembling muscles. So, enjoy the break before it’s time for you to get your bum off the bike again. You’ll have to lead with the left leg for the remainder of the workout.
With such great music, CruCycle often feels like dance party more than a killer workout. However, don’t be fooled. The aching muscles at the end of the day will convince you that CruCycle is like a dance party and a workout!
CruCycle
Location? 68 Duxton Rd, Singapore 089527
Website [PURE YOGA GIVEAWAY] Win A Pair Of Passes To Super Cool Yoga Studio!
Collette Miles: Fitness Enthusiast, Accidental Model & Her Love For Singapore’s Hawker Food!
A model, blogger, and fitness junkie – Collette Miles is certainly is a young lady with many talents. Did we mention that Collette was also a finalist for The New Paper New Face Pageant in 2009? Read on to find out more about DiscoverSG’s newest influencer!
1. Hi Collette! Tell us more about yourself!
Hi DSG! I’m currently a Communications major at the London School of Economics and am enjoying my last semester in university. I spend half my time writing my dissertation on social media influencers (really interesting stuff!). The other half is spent doing what I love outside of school – blogging, generating social media content and sweating it out at fitness classes.
2. We heard that fitness is a big passion of yours! How did that begin?
As a child, I loved outdoor activities like camps, martial arts and swimming. While this sporty enthusiasm died down during my teenage years, the spark was rekindled four years ago with yoga. I embarked on yoga because I wanted to be flexible. I also wanted people to stop commenting that I was “too skinny” – I knew I was stronger than I looked (and I’d like to think I still am haha). I am always up for a good challenge, so my first ever yoga class was actually a multi-level hot yoga class at 38 degree celsius!
3. Wow! So how is your fitness journey since then?
Well, bear in mind that back then, I was as flexible as a biscuit – I couldn’t touch my toes standing up or sitting down! But I was hooked after my first yoga class. Along the way, I learnt that there is no end to one’s yoga journey – there will always be a more challenging variation to every yoga posture.
Even after you’ve mastered the art of standing on your hands or head, you can still take the pose to the next level by lifting one hand – or even both hands – off the ground. Yoga aside, I also ventured into other forms of workout such as cross-fit and spinning to further strengthen my muscles.
4. Apart from being a fitness enthusiast, we know that you model too! Could you give some insight into your modelling career?
It started when my mom enrolled me in pageant competitions when I was a kid. Her sole intention was to build up my self-confidence by having me perform in front of an audience at a tender age. The results of these competitions didn’t matter to her! As I grew older, I got cast in several print ads, but never really considered myself a model because I’m not tall enough for the runway.
5. What is your story behind blogging and writing?
I first started blogging in primary school. Blogger was the most popular platform back then. Frankly, I did not expect to have an online following! I blogged because I wanted an avenue to upload the photos I took with my friends. Also, I wanted an outlet where I could share my problems (looking back, my teenage problems were minuscule, compared to today’s #adulting).
I was an aspiring journalist too. Growing up, I’ve always loved the English language! I’m a self-professed spelling and grammar neurotic. I guess blogging was also a way of expressing my love for English.
6. With all the commitments you have, what do you usually do in your free time?
Unfortunately, juggling part-time work, writing for leisure and my dissertation in university leaves me with little time to do anything else. But whenever I have pockets of free time, I enjoy food-hunting and scooting around the city. I also love chilling at Tanjong Beach Club, or simply just napping at home to recharge my mind and body.
7. On to something closer to home: What do you love most about being a Singaporean?
Definitely the amazing hawker scene and how our culture is very much reflected in our food. Where else in the world can you find such diversity? I love eating – I’m always on the hunt for the best food in town and I don’t mind queueing for good grub!
8. Speaking of being a Singaporean, we heard you have an interesting heritage!
Yes, I’m half-Peranakan and half-Eurasian –that means I get to enjoy food from both cultures. I’d say that both are arguably the best cuisines in Singapore!
9. What are 3 things you absolutely cannot live without? Excluding electronics that is!
Food definitely tops the list – I live to eat! The next thing would be exercise. I feel unsettled when I’m not aching all over after a kickass workout. Lastly, I’d have say I can’t do without my trusty Moleskine notebook because I’m old school like that. Pen and paper over technology any day.
10. Lastly, what is your motto in life?
My life motto is ‘to see the good in every situation’. I think life is too short to be anything but happy. So even at times when I’m completely bogged down by what life throws at me, I try not to let stress and all other negative emotions get the better of me. Instead, I focus on the positive things that could come out of such trying situations. Sometimes these obstacles can become valuable life lessons at the end of the day.
Look out for her upcoming articles on our site, we can’t wait!
Instagram: @collettemiles
Blog: collettemiles.blogspot.com
(Header image credit: Collette)
Also, read Bounce Your Way To A Stronger Core And Toned Muscles – Trust Us, It’s SUPER Fun
Bounce Your Way To A Stronger Core And Toned Muscles – Trust Us, It’s SUPER Fun
If you’re in search of a sure-fire way to shed those pounds, smoothen out nasty cellulite, and have crazy fun all at the same time, BBOUNCE it out! BBOUNCE was opened only a few months back by former national swimmers Joel Tan and Leslie Kwok. It is the first of its kind in Singapore!
Bbounce in Singapore – Hybrid Rebounding
BBOUNCE is known to laypeople as “the trampoline thing”, though not to be confused with free-and-easy trampoline parks. BBOUNCE requires so much more than being an energizer bunny. The workouts in this studio are in fact called Hybrid Rebounding – an intense cardio session that is two times more effective than running.
In addition, it also helps in toning muscles and building up core strength. You are forced to keep your core tight to gain momentum and maintain your balance.
Disclaimer: a strong core is not necessarily determined by whether or not you have a six-pack, so don’t feel demoralised if your abs have not made an appearance after your tenth class!
However, you can trust that your core has indeed become stronger – and a strong core is extremely important in helping to protect the spine!
Our experience
The fun begins when you grab a pair of 1kg weights (or 2kg if you’re up for the challenge) and pick a trampoline. If you bring along a bunch of friends just like I did, the class will be more fun and less painful. My first class was a beginner’s class called BBOUNCE Lite, where all of 50 mins was spent on the trampoline.
Other classes such as Hybrid Rebounding, BBOUNCE’s signature class, has you on the trampoline for 30 mins. You’ll spend the rest of the time off the trampoline, working your way to your dream bod.
We were lucky enough to have the founder, Joel, push us to our limits during our first beginner’s class. Joel mentioned that a single class can burn up to an insane amount of 500 calories. Indeed, he worked us hard to reach that goal. We bounced to the rhythm of club hits and Mambo beats (who could forget Zouk’s iconic Mambo nights).
https://www.facebook.com/bbouncestudio/videos/379927725679272/
The class became tougher when hand movements and weights were incorporated, and when we were instructed to shuffle our feet. The friction between my shoes and the trampoline net made my quads work extra hard. My core was burning from making sure that my feet stayed within the confines of the trampoline.
The workout wasn’t just a test of stamina, but also a test of coordination – and boy did it feel good to be in sync with the music. My total calorie count at the end of it all: 352. I blame my lack of stamina for disallowing me to lift my feet off as high as I wanted to. However, I do see how 500 calories is possible if you gave your hundred percent.
Tip: Wear flat-soled shoes or cross-training shoes instead of running shoes. Running shoes are designed to make you go forward, but at BBOUNCE, the only way is up.
BBOUNCE Studio
Location: 176 Orchard Road #06-09, The Centrepoint, Singapore 238843
Tel: 6262 2273
Website F45 Training In Singapore: The Most Intense 45 Minutes Of My Life
F45 Training In Singapore: The Most Intense 45 Minutes Of My Life
Somewhere between HIIT and Crossfit lies F45, a 45-minute-long functional training programme that has recently hit our shores early this year. The F45 fitness franchise was first developed in Australia, and has since taken the rest of the world by storm with its fast-paced full-body workout.
F45 – 45-minute-long functional training programme
If you ask me, I’d describe it as HIIT with a little more equipment than you bargained for – expect to get up close at personal with TRX straps, free weights, bosu balls, kettlebells, spin bikes, pull-up bars, rowing machines, prowlers, sledge hammers and sandbags. You could also say that it’s a less intimidating version of Crossfit. The focal point is not to attain a personal record in an overhead squat but to complete as many reps as possible in each station.
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Image source: F45 Tanjong Katong[/caption]
Themed exercises
Each day is dedicated to a different workout so if you’re a regular, you can be sure that you’ll be working a different muscle every day of the week. The workouts are themed and playfully named – Brooklyn (MMA- and boxing-based), Romans (resistance-based), Quarterbacks (agility- and pylometrics-based). Saturday’s Hollywood class ends off the week with a bang; combining resistance and cardio exercises across a whopping 27-stations in a mere 45-minutes.
Workouts
These themed exercises are different each week, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised as soon as you step foot into class. At each station, each set of workout ranges from 35- to 55-seconds, with a 10- to 20-seconds rest between sets or stations.
The timings and workout videos will be flashed on a screen at the front of the room for instructional purposes. The trainer, Cat, walks around the room to correct our forms while spurring us on.
My experience
My first class was Quarterbacks. There were three pods and three stations in each pod – that’s nine different stations altogether. Sounds like a manageable handful? Think again. Each station within each pod has to be completed twice (35-seconds workout, 10-seconds rest), and once all nine stations have been completed as a team, we had to repeat everything for one last round.
The workouts for that day included chest press, pull ups, push ups, weighed lunges, kettlebell lifts and prowler pushes – just to name a few.
I started to grow pale as soon as I hit my second round. I felt like I was on the verge of throwing up my non-existent breakfast (maybe I should have had a bite before leaving the house). But I soldiered on. I tried to shift my focus to the specially curated, upbeat F45 playlist in an attempt to drown out the agony I was in.
Before I knew it, the 45mins was over. Even though I found myself hobbling up the stairs as soon as my muscle soreness kicked in, it was totally worth it because I knew that I had emerged stronger.
F45 trainings have proven to be a test of endurance, cardio capacity and strength all at once, so expect to feel aches in parts of your body that you’ve never known could ache. If you’re up for the challenge, F45 offers a two-week trial for you to have a taste of painful pleasure before you commit yourself to become a regular.
Tips!
Tip #1: To avoid disappointment, make a booking online or on the F45 app prior to coming to class. Classes can get pretty full – even the 6.15am ones!
Tip#2: Hop over to Do.Main Bakery (266 Tanjong Katong Road) after class for kickass pastries. It’s only a stone’s throw away!
This article is brought to you by Discover SG x Collette Miles
Also, read 5 Friendly Boutique Gyms To Kickstart Your Keep Fit & Exercise Resolution!
