WORKOUT

SOOOOOO I have not remembered to blog every time I have worked out, however, in the last 2 months I have been putting my gym membership to use, going at least 3 times a week (sometimes more) with Scott (Marklin).

Having a workout buddy really helps. We switch each day between legs & abs, chest & shoulders and arms & back. Today was arms and back, and I am going to be sore tomorrow! I always do at least 20 mins of cardio running or biking before lifting weights or doing toning exercises. We usually always spend at least an hour to an 1h30 at the gym each time. It's been a lot of fun and I'm starting to see (and feel) a bit of improvement! Once summer is here I plan to hit it a bit harder because the weather will be nice and I won't have to study any more, yay!

Although the blog has been inconsistent (sorry) please take note that the exercising has NOT been inconsistent :-)

Happy Summer

A belated Workout post

Since New Brain has been over, I've been trying to get back into a running regime. During NB, I'd say warm-ups and the show were a pretty decent work-out. I do a LOT of walking downtown and am looking forward to be living in the Cap. Hill Area so I'll be within walking distance of everything and plenty of great parks to spend time jogging this simmer.

WORK OUT!

I have completely forgotten to keep up with a log, but I have been going to the gym every week (trying to get there at least 3 times which is pathetic but its all I've been able to do lately) and I usually hit the bike for 20-30 mins of cardio (woot! sweaty!) and then I usually alternate upper-body work-out one day with lower-body so that each time I go its different. I just got a gym membership so I'm trying to get into the swing of things.

Ran for an hour twice this week & did a super circuit each time.
Plus rehearsals for A New Brain... I'm not in a huge amount of choreographed pieces, but I do spend the show (and every rehearsal) in heels, which lends itself to the discipline we learned in the Rivals unit. I learned the choreography for 'Whenever I Dream', which I'm in heels, sitting on Josh Holcomb's lap and moving simultaneously via rolling stool and belting at about a million miles an hour... I'd be lying if I said that wasn't physical.

Rivals Scene Reviews

Image comes from here.

Christae and Sophia
They did a fantastic job. I particularly enjoyed Christae's integration of the mirror as a prop. It looked funny being used as a fan, but I'm quite sure she noticed, as she used it as a mirror later in the scene (for very comedic effect). I noticed her wrist movement was very careful and practiced while still maintaining the mask of ease and leisure. For Sophia, I have to compliment her on her timing, which was pretty perfect on a few choice lines. I do agree with Matt, a little more buoyant energy probably would have helped - or maybe just posture.

Danielle, Nicole, and Jen:
Danielle is both hilarious and scary when she puts on the Lydia voice. It was very well suited to the character, but also kind of disturbing at the same time. I loved the way she used her wrists to indicate things. Nicole's entrance was very well done, and I liked the way she used her skirt to accentuate the shape of her walk. Jen's use of turning was also very well done, as well as the way she presented the books in a Price is Right fashion.

Zak and Malolory:
Loved the use of voice and movement. The asides were done particularly well, especially Jack's comment to the audience over Lydia's head. The use of the flower was amazing: the timing, the physicality, the conflict between attempting to appear cool and the difficulty of the clothing was one of the funnier things I've seen this semester. Mallory's facial expressions to signal her intent after dropping the flower each time were also worth noting. I loved the way she held her eyes up and her lips partly puckered. I also very much enjoyed their use of the love seat as a prop piece and the standing and sitting efforts.

Rachel and Taylor:
As was said in class, the dueling fanning/fainting was hilarious. The posture for that bit added a lot, particularly with the corsets getting in the way (or enhancing it, depending on your point of view. I think I'd go with the latter). I loved the way they used their limbs while sitting, it was very evocative and brought the characters into a nice sharp focus.

As for my scene with Matt: After reading the other reviews, I can see it probably would have been better to have a bit more blocking. Once we started, though, it felt most natural to be close for this scene. If it'd been the argument scene, it probably would have been easier to note the places where a movement was called for. But que sera sera. The most challenging part for me was (as I'm sure was obvious), getting the lines down as written. I had more trouble memorizing this set of lines than any other piece I've done. I can do Elizabethan, I can do modern, I can do Victorian, but Restoration seems to have my number. That said, I loved this scene very much. Anthony is my favorite character in the whole of the play, and I love the way he carries himself.

As for movement: I tried to keep most of my movement in the chest and arms, as that's where I believe Anthony "lives." The torso is his center and all the rest of his body, as well as the universe, revolve around it. The pelvis is also important to him, as displayed in his lusting, but it's more denied, part of the appetite. The mask is all chest.

The coat was the hardest part of clothing to deal with, after the corset, shirt, tie, etc. were put on under them. I can say I think the people of the 18th century were quite insane trying to affect ease and easygoingness with clothing restrictions like that. It does raise some questions about the military men of the era and how the hell they managed to go to war. Not being able to bend was a trouble as well, even though I probably had more range of back movement than the whole of the rest of the class.

And finally, workout log: Did a lot of walking, particularly quick walking in order to run a few errands down town over the course of the week. Having trouble with my leg muscles getting extremely tight after a walk. Not sure why.

Workout Log.

Almost forgot.

Didn't do a lot this week, kind of fell behind due to crushing homework on other classes. So here's what I did:

I took a couple of hour-long walks while it was warm downtown.
I did a little in the way of lifting to move boxes of stuff out of my house.

I'll try to do a lot more this week. I need some stress relief in a major way.