| Dec 01, 2011
I’m very proud of myself—I finally overcame my greatest fear last week. No, I didn’t do the Macau Sky Jump or get Botox: I finally fulfilled my New Year’s Resolution circa 2008 and attended a Bodypump class at the gym. Granted, I had read the schedule wrong and thought I was going for yoga, but I figured that while I was there, I might as well give it a go.
Bodypump, if you’re not familiar, is basically a resistance training program using adjustable barbells (mine were a paltry one kilo per side) with the aim of working all of your major muscle groups to improve your tone and strength with squats, lunges and more. Oh, and it’s set to a psychotic 90s soundtrack ranging from a dance remix of Eagle-Eye Cherry to “Enter Sandman.”
The extremely strong and fabulously toned women in the class are living, clean-and-jerking proof that it really works. So after putting it off for literally three years, I can now say that it was actually pretty fun—although the morning after I’m staggering around the office with the crab-like gait of someone unaccustomed to actually using their bodies for anything other than as a vessel for body lotion.
My buddy K says that I’ll start to associate the pain with getting stronger. If that’s the case, then I’ll be bench-pressing my desk by next week. Ouch.
Want a yoga mat that’s comfortable and also eco-conscious? Well, now that Lululemon is out of vogue—having chosen an unlikely brand ambassador in Ayn Rand, “Atlas Shrugged” author, pioneer of objectivism and probable sociopath—it’s time to cast your net wider for yoga accessories with a more positive message.
Read Lululemon’s explanation of the move here and an interesting slate.com article here. Cue JadeYoga mats (from $700). Made of sustainable, natural US rubber, the company plants a tree for every mat sold, and also assists communities around the world by introducing yoga programs to shelters and in children’s educational programs.
Now, there’s something a little more palatable than the “virtue of selfishness.”
1/F, Regency Centre Phase 2, 43 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., Aberdeen, 2813-2212.
The festive season is an excellent excuse to hit the massage table. So here’s what some of the city’s top spas have got going on:
Plateau Spa at the Grand Hyatt: “Deluxe Winter Pampering” 45-minute nourishing almond scrub, 60-minute restorative facial, including your choice of cranberry, papaya or pore-purifying masque by June Jacobs. $1,900 per person until January 31.
Melo Spa at Hyatt Regency Sha Tin: ”Melo Cocoon Retreat” warm oil cedar spice body buff, pumpkin and cocoa butter silky body wrap and scalp massage, anti-chill back massage. I tried this treatment last weekend and smelled like a delicious slice of pumpkin pie afterwards! $1,200 for 1.5 hours. Available until January 31.
Peninsula Spa by ESPA: “Sweet Dreams Spa Rejuvenation” 30-minute salt-and-oil scrub, 60-minute Swedish massage, 30-minute head massage, a cup of sugar-free hot chocolate, lunch and use of spa facilities: $1,600 for two hours. Available Monday-Friday until December 30.
Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA: “Autumn Restore” 75-minute hot stone massage, 30-minute ESPA facial and 15-minute foot ritual. $1,580, including a light lunch and use of the pool. Available Monday-Friday until December 30.
Email me at sfung@asia-city.com.hk, or follow me on Twitter @sarahefung
