Thursday, April 30, 2015

Qik or It Didn’t Happen!


I love catching up with my family and friends. Actually even when we are together on the same home we still communicate with the most popular chat apps. But I wonder when will the time that we can share also cool and funny videos and include it in our conversation? Well, great news! There is a new app that we can share crazy, funny and lovely videos, may I present to you the Skype Qik.

Skype Qik has enabled me to share random, funny, wacky and other amazing moments, with the people I love!

So, I tried it myself and here's are some of the screen shots of me doing random acts like singing haha.



 

I'm also wearing my summer hat to show it to my buddy by making video of me I'm feeling the summer at the office while swirling around, sample screen shot below:


And since Tina and I are missing each other, we decided to do wacky video, see below screen shots (forgive our faces) :) 

We were able to share it to our colleagues for spreading good vibes :). Thanks to Skype Qik.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Yoga @ Urban Ashram Manila is on of my best bought deal

Yoga is definitely helpful for my health, physically and emotionally.

I bought a deal again at DealGrocer.

Here's my scheduled yoga during the duration of the promo:




URBAN ASHRAM 2


Day 1 Jan 29 FNR Athletics by Margaux

Focused on core and arms, we used strap to stretch the legs, bend on both side. Plank for several minutes and modified plank with blocks as support, like what I usually do. I think my shoulder and core sore that day 

What’s different to this practice is that we did a plank using a block that’s in between our bend below to squeeze it and focus on core. We also did bridge pose and put a block on the sacrum, it’s really a good feeling. On Downward dog pose, butt should be raise and spinal should be align, regardless if you can’t straight your legs, teacher prefer you bend knees. We also did Eagle pose, cross the arms until palm touching each other, arms are away from you but still straight. Low lunge is there also.


Day 2
Day 3

Day 4 Feb 1 Vinyasa Open 1 & 2 By MJ
This practice should be hard for me – I think- since it’s my first to try Vinyasa Open 1 & 2, actually I don’t know what is 1 and 2 is about. MJ focused on balancing the stretched on body. She seemed strict; she had this notebook and frequently looking at it throughout the practice. She corrects my pose several times, but its OK with me, I like it, for me to learn correctly. We did Warrior 1, 2, 3, sun salutation and Vinyasa which requires Chaturanga, but practioner can opt to go on downward facing dog and child pose.

What’s different to other practice is we did pose for neck, it’s very relaxing, I never tried that. Lift a hand and then tilt the head against the direction of the hand, then move the raise hand to the front then you’ll feel different stretched on the neck. Seated forward bend is also there. Beside me is a pretty yogini, she’s good at it.

Day 5 Feb 2 FNR Athletics By Trisha
Teacher Trisha looks young and pretty. Practioner was around 10 (2 yogis and 8 yoginis) in the room. We did a lot of Sun salutation, modified Warrior 1, 2, Reverse Warrior and extended right angle. Balancing on left foot was kind of hard for me, but focused is really important. We did tree pose, chair pose.

What’s different to this practice is that during tree pose we lift our hand and hold the other hand in the pulse and twist body on opposite direction. We also did head to knee pose, we used a strap to hold on it while looking at the ceiling chest forward, it’s really relaxing to oblique and thighs.


Day 6 Feb 3 Stress Free Gentle Flow and Restoratives by Amanda
Started late, we’re already in the room; we’re 11 practioner (2 yogis and 9 yoginis). I stretched already, relaxing, and there’s the preggy, lying, she might be sleeping  then there’s teacher Amanda, she look young and chubby, but she seemed nice.

Throughout the practice, I noticed that the teacher was very good at explaining the steps on how to achieve the poses. She made minimum mistakes but its fine.

What’s different to this practice is the Warrior pose is modified; we used a chair to support our butt. We used a bolster and towel to relax while lying on the mat, it was so relaxing, I’m thinking so many things like how lucky Isca to be on-shore on the USA and earning millions  We also used the strap to straighten our legs and turn our side to different side to stretched. I did not sweat a lot but during savasana, Amanda put an ointment in our back of the ear, neck, on forehead and she pressed hard our upper shoulder, it was indeed relaxing.

Day 7 Feb 4 Vinyasa Open Level By Nica
It’s my second time for Nica, she’s toned and flexible. She’s very good at yoga, she taught so many yoga poses. I actually want to take a photo with every teacher but then I got shy, for remembrance hehe.

What’s different to this practice is we did knee- pressing pose, using 2 blocks, we placed it at the back of our ankle, put our hands on it and squeeze the back of our knee on our elbows then shift the weight backward to lift our self us. I did it! Nica saw it and said Good! I actually want to try and try, but then there’s no more time. We also did Warrior 1, modified version, we lift our left hand and hold the pulse and using the other hand and twist on the opposite direction.

Nica also taught for abs by slowly lying on mat using core, she also taught us during warrior 2 while our leg is in 90 degree, touch the butt to push it in, to have a proper pose, nice tip! We also did stretching on both legs using strap, the butt should be in the mat while the other leg is slowly going down, but before going down, and raise foot should be in 45degree. We also used block to practice our self to squeeze it inside our thighs during plank, downward poses. Low lunge with slightly bending the back.

She also taught chair pose twist, the knee should be straight, to properly do it. Pigeon pose is also there in the practice, my knee hurts because of some poses hehe Cow face pose is also in the practice, its like touching both hands on your back while your legs is crossed on right leg.



Day 8 Feb 5 FNR Atheltics By Janaka
Janaka is the teacher today, first guy for my practice this 3rd time. When he entered the room, our eyes met hehe. Then we start the practice, he’s voice is low, I can’t clearly hear what’s he’s saying. As we go on stretching, using a strap on top of heel, then fall on different side, happy baby pose, it’s kind of awkward coz he’s in front of us, well they’re maybe get used to that. And we sat Janaka is already in shorts only, abs is front of us haha. I noticed that warm up is longer compare to other practiced I did. We’re only 9 (1yogi, 8yoginis) plus Janaka –he might be that flexible but his strong, girl version of Nica.

What’s different to this practice is we did side planks and focuses on cobra pose then downward. We also did tree pose with modification like stretching the leg straight using strap and twisting. During that pose, Janaka also taught us to rotate the feet to 3 o’clock o 9 o’clock. We did a pose for the abs, buy lifting the legs 90 degree then raising arms parallel to you and body is 45 degree slant. We did child pose by going our hand on left and right direction of the mat to stretched the body. We did seated pose, different to other cause we put the elbow inside the leg, to push our self to twist more after 5 breathes, slightly twist to other side for a 1 breathe. We did wide-legged forward bend, hands in 90 degree. Half-moon pose is hard for me using right leg as the one in the mat, balancing is really your ally.

After the Savasana we did “OHMMMN” and Namaste and then I said thank you to him and smiled and our eyes met for a sec hehe. Oh. There’s also yogini, who’s strong and sexy, I admire her haha,


Day 9 Feb 6 Hatha By Tricia Sarmiento
Same warm up like what Tricia usually teach in FNR. We did eagle pose, where in both hands is twisted and 1 leg is twisted to other, 1 feet can be elevated to modify.

Day 10 Feb 7 Kundalini By Ines
Ines is my first foreigner teacher for this year at UAM.
She’s always smiling; we’re 8 in the practice (1 yogi old, 7 yoginis). It’s more like meditation, we did a cow cat inhale –exhale.

We also did a pose like a reverse plank, it’s long, more than 3 mins., thank goodnes there’s a music which help us to focus on breathing and stick to the pose, it’s ouchy on the neck but tolerable. Ines was also makwento, hehe she comment on daily traffic, fast paced world, pollution… we need to take a while and meditate, which is what we need.


Day 10 Feb 7 FNR BY Janaka
It was not my plan to go to another class but since Kundalini is such a relaxing one, i went to this. Same routine, were jam-packed almost 30, Gem (the receptionist) also joined the practice, we were on the further part, I was initially 2nd row but since I’m shy, moved at the back hehe.

He never guided me on my pose, which I must be proud of because Im always correct hehe. It’s funny during downward dog pose, I almost thought that I wear the reverse side of my pants, so I get shy, what if other might saw it but thank goodness that it was just the design hahaha


Day 11 Feb 8 Meditation By Clarity West
Another foreigner, she’s cute, she look young hehe. We’re around 7 in the class, (1 yogi, 6 yoginis). I would say that I like this other than the Kundalini, I’m more relax. We used music; i thought I’m on a good forest in the middle of the river sat in a leaf. So relaxing.. I did not sweat hehe. We used the bolster as we sat and 2 cover as a support to knee while legs are crossed.

We practice Pranayama and breathe of Fire, wherein you rapidly inhale in the nose while the stomach is constrict, we did this for 5 mins.

She even talked to me; she asked my name and is it too easy for me to do the class? “, I said, yeah but it’s relaxing hehe. She’s also warm and nice and approachable, I even want to take a selfie with her but the next class is starting. I learned to cleaner that she’s engaged to Janaka, lucky guy. Anyway, unlike Ines, she went to student to guide them. I must say that I need to focus on meditation since I easily get annoyed on my forehead, something is weird, but I’m sleepy after that practice.


Day 11 Feb 8 FNR By Mel
First time to be her student, we’re almost 20 in the room (2-3 yogis and 17 yoginis) I can say that she’s very hands on, she even guided me, on a pose wherein we twist our mid body while hands are both of mat and one leg is on downward and other is raised directly on ceiling. We did side planks, during stretching, we used the 2 blocks to support our knee while our feet is touching each other. Like Janaka, we did the stretching of our legs straight using the strap then go down on both aide of the mat. Mel also used the technique where we often plank to downward inhale exhale combo, she always repeat the start of the pose before going fully on the pose, I think it’s nice because a lot of the student in the practice were new, you can see that they easily give up, but you must push yourself to limit to challenge yourself.

We did the usual poses, but Mel gave a tip to touch the bones on the hips to be face on the front while doing warrior poses. She’s also friendly and she sometimes say a joke like when finding the hip bones since she’s chubby.



Day 12 Feb 9 FNR Athletics By Tricia Sarmiento
Our practice focused on opening the arms and shoulder, we frequently used the blocks to hold our palms in and squeeze it. Hold in front and back while maintaining the shoulder straight and open and arms are straight, its hard at the back area haha. we also did the pose wherein our hands are interlace while touching palms and legs are cross while knees are bend and slightly the back is arch. I also did chaturanga Hehe. She always used low lunge in all her teachings.

We did a reverse plank, the hands can be on forward, backward or sideways, depending on you, so I chose the sideways then the feet is on the mat and legs are straight.


Day 13 Feb 10 Stress Free Gentle Flow and Restoratives by Lexi
They we’re already starting when I get in, we’re only 4 (1 yogi, old man and 3 yoginis, both chubby). I must say that I feel relaxed, we did a pose that twisted our legs and hips then lie on the bolster, each side for 5 minutes. We did a lot of stretching to the hamstring and legs. I did not sweat because it’s stress free  We did an “omnnn” before saying Namaste
After class, Lexi talked to all of us, she asked my name, she did not recognize me hehe. I speak in tagalog, she’s pretty mostly when she smiles. She asked if it’s hard for me to stretch, I said I was relaxed specially on the back part, she also asked if it was my 1st time to attend Stress free, I said, it was my 2nd time, then she asked, what are the practice I joined, I said Vinyasa and FNR, so she said it was different, I agree, cause it was not fast pace, then I said again thank you. I took a photo of the class room before I went to shower.

Day 14 Feb 11 Vinyasa Open Level By Martin Ngo
Martin has been my teacher last time I went in UAM, as always, he’s strict and very good at yoga, just the way I like it!

We we’re 12 in the practice, (1 yogi and 10 beautiful yoginis), 1 cleaner of the UAM is also in the practice. I envy because there are 2 tall girls who look like models and Martin always corrects them and there’s this girl who’s pretty and sexy with her pretty chinita friend.

During practice, he guided us, he always walks, and he’s kind of strict mostly to girl’s hehe. Martin teaches is to breathe on 3 parts, inhale from pelvic – abdomen – breast/ribs then exhale to reverse. In Ujjayi breathe, we need to inhale in nose and the throat is sinking then exhales with a “ahhh” from mouth.

The practice is fast paced, low lunge – plank – vinyasa sequence – made twist – 1 legged plank then sun salutation. We also did a bridge pose but with a help of other yogi’s we used a 3 strap and a bolster, 1 strap is your thigh while the bolster is in between your thigh, then 1 strap is on the mat, waist area and 1 strap is on shoulder and armpit area. 1 person is stepping you shoulder while the other is on your legs, holding a strap to slowly lift your body, vertebrates by vertebrates (term of Martin, since he’s a doctor) and triceps is push away and interlace the hands and do a couple of breathe on that pose.

We also did pose in the wall, chair pose twist but the upper body is twisted on wall and elbow is on the knees and arms are touching each other. We also did camel pose facing the wall while strap is tightly on the thigh, 2 blocks on your both side, the upper abdomen, hips and thigh is stick on the wall while slowly doing a cobra and slowly touch the blocks on your side, this really activated your lower back, the sacrum and oh it’s kind of ouch but relaxing.

This practice is new to me since we did a interaction with fellow yoginis. Then after savasana, Martin immediately went out of the room, he’s not that friendly like other teacher.

 Day 15 Feb 12 FNR Athletics
This is the last time for this 15 day yoga class. It’s Janaka, and we’re only 4 in the class, all yoginis. So it’s good because Janaka can see us all and focus only on us. He never guides me, mostly the old lady hehe.

I kind of shy so I don’t look at him that much, but there are times that our eyes met hihi. After I say Thank you at him, he make a somewhat similar to beautiful eyes and smile a little hehe, I find it cute 

What’s different to other practice is that we raised our both legs straight then slowly down to left and right and arms are on mat, it’s for oblique. We also did a twist on legs crossed together then arms is in T position then bring down n legs on each side, breathing for 5X. Then the usual routine he taught, like warrior, half moon, chair pose. During warrior, he is on my front, so I see him up close, then he smiles in the eyes, maybe I just imagining things hehe. (Actually when I enter the UAM, he is already in the reception area, reading a magazine then there’s a girl near him, sat on an armrest, I think it’s Clarity)