Self Magazine's Workout In The Park Day
Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 8:35 PM 
The night before Self Magazine's Workout In The Park, I didn't have much hope. I had been really excited for a fun day of trying different Crunch workouts in Central Park, but the weather forecast was terrible. So, when my friend who was visiting from London insisted on one more glass of champagne, I figured I might as well; I'd be sleeping in anyway.
Saturday morning, it really did pour. Just as I was settling in to watch some rainy day cartoons, though, the sun came out. It quickly turned into a hot, sunny day. So, off to the park I went.
By the time I got there, the event was well underway and it was packed. I had missed all the sign-ups for the Urban Rebounding classes, and the only yoga class left was a Breathwork Meditation class. I signed up for that and then joined the crowd at the main stage area, which didn't require sign-ups.
When I got there, a Masala Bhangra class was wrapping up. Masala Bhangra combines a traditional form of Indian dance with Bollywood moves. It looked really fun, and I was sorry I'd missed it.
I jumped in for Ab Attack, Cardio Tai Box and Retro-Robics. It was crazy working out with that many other women. Ab Attack was a good class, but I have to admit that I really didn't feel much in my abs. Cardio Tai Box was awesome. I love kickboxing classes, and the class made me very nostalgic for my Powerstrike days. My favorite class, though, was Retro-Robics.
Retro-Robics was sheer cheese in the best possible way - like a Bat Mitzvah crammed into a twenty minute workout. We did the running man, the cabbage patch, the electric slide, YMCA and a bunch of other old-school dances and steps. The music was awesome. (Get into the Groove, Maniac etc.) Everyone got really into it.
After all the dancing, I was ready for Breathwork Meditation in the Quiet Zone. During that class, we lay down on our backs on yoga mats, closed our eyes and breathed. You were supposed to inhale deeply in your stomach, then in your chest and then exhale, and all of the breathing was supposed to be done through the mouth. It sounds simple, but it actually took a decent amount of concentration, and at the end of it, I was pretty mellow.
Before I called it a day, I took a quick look at some of the sponsors' booths. Asics had a tent where they had set up treadmills to evaluate people's gaits and recommend shoes. Soy Joy and Silk were there providing snacks and drinks, and Maybelline was doing mini makeovers in its tent. There were pretty long lines at a lot of the booths, but I did snag some Garnier samples and Livestrong bracelets on my way out.
I wished I could have stayed longer, but it was time to head to midtown to pick up my number for Sunday's Mother's Day race. There's always next year, though!
-Gym Belle-
