charitable cykl

lucky penny spins her little heart out when stressed out… especially for a good cause!

cykl (across the street from thompson hotel) is hosting their first annual 12-hour spin on saturday, november 27th from 10am to 10pm… the goal is to raise $10,000 for the daily bread food bank holiday drive.

how it works:
pick a team of 4-6 riders
register with cykl and online
pay $75 registration fee (all proceeds donated)
raise $100 per team member; $75 is part of the total
ride 1 bike for 12 hours!

***psst…  cykl is toronto’s first realryder indoor cycling studio. unlike a traditional spinning bike, the rider can now turn, lean and steer… the closest to actually being on the road.

penny in yvr: bar method

lucky penny’s best friend just finished law school, and was called to the bar. what an interesting choice of terms, she thought during the call ceremony… then, last month, she herself was called to the bar, too—a very different type though.

the bar method is a yaletown studio offering a core-strengthening exercise program that combines yoga, pilates, and ballet in a barre- and floor-based program. founded in san francisco in 2001, celebrity fans include zooey deschanel, drew barrymore, and anna paquin: all pretty *cool* girls.

during lucky penny’s first class, her thighs burned… but she pushed through the interval training and dance conditioning exercises. a more lifted rear, flatter abs, defined arms, and elongated muscles… these are *all* things this girl wants, and is working hard to get.

5, 6, 7, 8!

eye of the tiger

lucky penny must confess her tremendous fascination with boxers. she remembers sitting transfixed, while watching raging bull… jake lamotta on the ropes, eye half-closed with blood, finding the will to go on… or thrilla in manila, ali’s speed vs. frazier’s primal power. horrible beauty of the sport is compelling.

more of a lover than a fighter, she likes a good sweat challenge. enter boxing classes at flirty girl fitness every saturday and monday.

cute boyfriend gave a loving little laugh. sure thing tyler durden, “i want you to hit me as hard as you can.” but he quickly shut his trap when she described the hour-long sesh.

tara (baddest ass teacher around) leads the gloved girlies through a series of circuits… jump squats to the speed bag. jab, cross, hook and roundhouse kick combos focus on form. oh, and the pushups never end. *sigh*

lucky penny’s killer abs have been her reward. she always floated like a butterfly, but now confident she can also sting like a bee!

penny in yvr: seawall run

lucky penny believes that looking absolutely adorable at all times is a must. even while grocery shopping, taking out the garbage and most of all, working out… (a) what if there is a hot guy at the gym? or (b) an *uncomfortable no makeup sweaty hair* post-workout run-in with an ex? a girl must always be prepared!

it is not hard to look sassy when running around the seawall. swinging ponytail, lululemon shorts that hug in all the right places, and her new reebok zigtech trainers (ones with the soles that look like squiggly worms).

by the time lucky penny sails under the lion’s gate bridge and passes third beach, she has turned more than a couple of heads. good thing cute boyfriend is not the jealous type!

spin me right ’round

lucky penny was never one to shy away from a workout while she lived away from home… from hiking canyons in los angeles to window shopping (form of cardio, n’est pas?) in notting hill. but she never quite understood the appeal of spinning.

the very idea of being confined to a stationary bike in a hot, sweaty mess seemed hugely unappealing. that all changed last year. with the bitter cold months ahead, and a climb up kilimanjaro looming… it was time to give a spin class at quad a go.

located right below century room on king street, her first class was brutal. lucky penny could barely walk (let alone sit) for two days. but being surrounded by bikers of all levels, she felt comfortable peddling at her own pace. there is even a live dj for extra motivation!

twelve months later, she is an addict. my name is lucky penny. i am a spin-aholic.

all the teachers are wonderful, but take special note of her favourites. (1) magdalena is the ultimate supportive cheerleader. (2) george is a butt buster, and full of tough love (he also runs the bootcamp at flirty girl fitness). (3) quintin has the best themed classes… metal rock? yes, please. (4) micheline is truly inspiring. she founded all the quad locations, and manages to coach every student in a full class.

new year’s blah-blahs

lucky penny has a long list of failed resolutions of years past… read 100 classic novels of all time. exercise regularly. cook healthier meals. cut out sweets from diet. get more sleep. imbibe less veuve. invest wisely. shop only when necessary. learn a new language. take up a hobby. travel to exotic destinations. drink more water. procrastinate less. et cetera, et cetera.

on the eve of a new year, she decided to be proactive and enroll in a pilates reformer class taught by the lovely amber joliat at core studio. lucky penny enlisted a dear friend (slash amber’s bestie) for company, and literally braced herself for these slightly medieval-looking torture devices.

since it was her very first time (even though lucky penny is no stranger to mat classes or yoga), she was a tad nervous and could barely sleep the night before. it was worth it! the workout was phenomenal… using core strength and body weight to move wheels, pulleys and bars on a stott pilates machine.

lucky penny’s little weakling legs and abs were shaking in the end. (you know, the good kind of sore.) she’ll be back for more, especially the lunchtime reformer mat drop-in classes.

to refuel after an amazing hour-long session, the girls lunched at their local vietnamese cheap and cheerful, pho hung, on spadina avenue. lucky penny always orders her usual… a bowl of grilled chicken on a bed of vermicelli and veggies with a spring roll. mmmm, nothing like comfort food on a bitterly cold afternoon.

p.s. happy last day of 2009… what a difference a year makes!