I’ve just joined an 8-week salsa class in the city run by Latin Motion. We have a great teacher, Raf, who goes at just the right pace, and cracks the perfect amount of dad jokes to get us all relaxed!
The first week we broke the moves down into three easy steps: the basic step, the side step and the back (aka grapevine style) move. When I walked into the class at the beginning I did not think I would actually be able to have some salsa moves down pat by the end of the class but kudos to the teachers for making it really manageable and teaching it clearly.
I can’t wait til I look like this on the dance floor… And yep, she’s the girl from Dancing with the Stars so I think I’ve got a bit more practice to do!
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Or maybe a new way to get that body that looks like Thor’s?!
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is one of the new fitness crazes to hit our shores. The likes of Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Garner have been paddleboarding for years so there could just be some credibility (or fun) behind it.
I headed down to Vaucluse Bay one morning to try SUP out and, after my short arms eventually managed to carry the b board to the water, was surprised by how easy I found it. My friend Courtney and I had a quick trial on our knees before managing to stand up and paddle. We had a few death wobbles at the start, especially when we got too cocky & confident, but we were quickly paddling out of the bay to the headlands.
It’s a little bit like surfing but the board is wider and longer than most surfboards which makes them much easier to balance on. Apparently SUP originated in Hawaii and was actually an ancient form of surfing. We gave our cores a great work-out and got a bit of a tan (skin cells in trauma, I know) at the same time because it was such a stunning Sydney day. What was even better was that we could check out the Vaucluse real estate on the waterfront up close! And we may have even had a daydream about which house we would own … one day
It was a really relaxing but decent work-out. If you’re looking for an adrenaline-rush, try surfing or skydiving! But if you’re keen for an enjoyable way to work your core, thighs and arms and have over a couple of hours spare, then check out SUP.
Cost: About $40 for a 1.5hr lesson. Look out for a discount from one of the Daily Deals sites though.
Where can you try it? There are great SUP teachers at Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Manly and Sans Souci. You can probably rent boards from lots of other places as well.
I completed my first ever ocean swim this year: the Cole Classic 2km. I joined a record number of other keen swimmers – 0ver 4100! – to brave the Shelley Beach to Manly adventure as part of Australia’s largest ocean swim.
I didn’t train as much as I should have so was a bit anxious about jumping into the 2km without a 1km (or less!) under my belt. I looked to Scot Ennis, a regular Cole Classic competitor, who told me I just wouldn’t have the sense of satisfaction if I only completed the 1km and with that, I signed myself up for the 2km!
Scot was right. The 2km was achievable, if long! And the sense of satisfaction was pretty good, even though I didn’t get an amazing time (44mins).
I certainly don’t consider myself an expert ocean swimmer but here’s a couple of quick tips for those thinking about venturing into the ocean for their first competitive swim:
Train: It sounds really obvious but it’s something I think most of us (me in particular!) are a bit slack with. Get out there and practice swimming. Not just in the pool either, train in the ocean so you get a feel for the waves and currents. 2km feels a lot longer in the ocean than in the pool!
Mark the course with major landmarks on the horizon: arrive early on race day so you can spot all the buoys that mark the route. Then look for landmarks (big buildings, obvious trees or boats – just be careful they don’t move during your race!) that correspond to the line of sight you’ll be following to reach the buoys. The hardest part about an ocean swim is not knowing where you’re going and all the associated metres swum in the wrong direction and the energy wasted as you keep checking if you’re heading in the right direction. Picking out the landmarks should make it much easier for you to know which direction to swim in. If you know someone who has swum the course before, they might be able to give you insider’s tips on which landmarks to look out for.
Swim wide: ocean swims can be chaotic, especially at the start, so avoid all the flying legs and arms by swimming wide of the pack. It’s worth swimming a few extra metres during the course to keep your body in-tact!
What is holding you back from doing an ocean swim?
Or if you have already done an ocean swim? What are your hot-tips?
We ran all from Kirribilli to the Opera House, and everywhere else in between. I found the first 9km pretty smooth (probably because that’s how far I’ve been running when I train), had a lull between 9 and 14km but when I hit the 2/3 mark I got a psychological boost. It didn’t last long though and I was struggling again between 16 and 18km but then I was on the home stretch!
I just kept telling myself it was a “really long run” and I think that’s what got me through. Although, I also made several mental notes that no matter how satisfied I felt after the run, I never wanted to do one again. Never. Anyway, I finished the half marathon in 1hr 48m and really impressed myself because I was just hoping to break the 2 hr mark!
Now, in the same way mums apparently forget how painful childbirth is, I seem to have forgotten how bad the half marathon really was. So I’m contemplating doing another one!
What do you reckon: are marathons worth enduring the pain for the satisfaction or am I better off being comfortable on the couch?
Skydiving was incredible. I didn’t end up being too scared on the day; in fact, I was more nervous before the Cole Classic ocean swim the next day!
The plane was pretty tiny – there was room for about 10 of us. What really made the plane journey was the stunning view of Wollongong beach which eventually became a tiny speck when we got to 14,000 ft.
There was no time wasting when we got to the right altitude. I was second to jump and I was more excited than nervous! That first moment when you realise you’re not supported by anything, that realisation of the freefall is indescribable. If I become a millionaire, I’m taking up skydiving as my sport just so I can feel that rush every day.
My instructor said I just giggled the whole time during the free fall
I think I’m going to become a sky diving addict. I’ve even considered doing a course so I can get qualified to jump by myself. But I don’t think I trust myself enough to jump out of a plane with nothing but myself responsible for my life!
So, for now, I’m going to stick with the skydiving with an instructor. Anyone up for coming with me again?!
Here are some of the photos – they are stills from a video I got so they’re a bit grainy but you get the idea!!
My friend Yvette just got herself a fashion bike for her birthday! It’s pink with white tyres and a pretty basket – the perfect friend for my fashion bike so we’re planning a chic ride so our bikes can meet and be friends!
The folks at WheretoRide gave me a handy little book full of fun rides around Sydney (thanks guys!) so I’ve been reading up on some options:
- Manly, North Steyne: it’s about 2.6km ride that is relatively flat (yay! my bike only has 3 gears!) and let’s be honest, we’ll be checking the Manly fashion out more than riding anyway so it’s a realistic option.
- Balmoral Beach: a whopping 600m. Phew! I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
- The Domain: can’t really beat that view but we won’t actually be allowed to ride through the Botanical Gardens (we’d have to walk our bikes through there).
- Centennial Park: a short but pretty ride with ducks to watch and horses to race!
- Glebe: maybe the Blackwattle Bay ride around Glebe Point or the Wentworth Park ride (probably not very exciting?).
Where do you think we should take our fashion bikes for a spin?
Everyone in Sydney has been complaining about the terrible surf lately with surf report websites resorting to measuring wave size in inches, instead of feet. But for a beginner like me, I’m loving it!
I headed down to Bondi on the weekend for my first surf since I smashed myself whilst surfing in Byron (more on that later!). There were some infrequent 2 ft waves out the back but the ocean was packed. Packed with surfers who knew more than which foot you should be putting forward on the board when you try to stand up! Everyone floated on their boards like ducks, waiting until a half decent wave came along … and when it did, everyone thought they’d be the one lucky enough to catch it!
I quickly realised I don’t quite have what it takes to compete against these big kids so headed to the white wash closer to the beach. I tried surfing a few of these waves which was fun … until the board hit the sand! And so, I retired for the day but not for good!
so we’re planning a 