As I begin to re-learn my "old" ways - ways temporarily forgotten with a sudden swap of surroundings and resources - I'm dismayed to discover new areas of weakness and lower levels of productivity.

Perhaps it is an obvious consequence of time being invested elsewhere, but I had optimistically hoped not for my endurance to wither within such a short period. Returning to regular pilates sessions was not particularly difficult, though chills were frequently felt, as were moments of abnormal warmth. The mind and body were drained despite little engagement with the outside world.

​Breakfasts consisted of: coffee, far more accessible than before with all equipment and roasts on hand, and items derived from a seemingly endless freezer stash. Buttermilk Eggos were a recent addition, unknown to me until my return; blue sky bran muffins and banana bread (marbled or unmarbled) welcomed me back in a toasty, cinnamon-laced embrace.

The first few meals back would comprise of congee (for detoxing), kale (for iron), and lean pork (for more iron). At times of weakness, Ensure was consumed for a boost of protein. However, nausea and a persistent headache refused to depart. An inability to obtain quality sleep was another telling exhibit of unwellness.

​After unpacking, I began to tackle the next order of business: my medical appointments.

During this procedure, I also unveiled a delightful assemblage of artwork from orderlyblue.

​Beyond being a friend of mine since the Before We Begin Vancouver stop, she is a flourishing artist, teacher, and entrepreneur in her own right. To declare my pride in her is an understatement; she is young but intrepid, and contemplative but resolute.

Prior to the Lynn Canyon trip, I had expressed interest in supporting her craft, to which she responded enthusiastically.
Her stunning creations, meticulously sealed in individual sleeves and bubble-wrapped for extra protection, were finally revealed upon reaching home. Delicate, precise linework, harmonious colours, impressive innovation, and astounding attention to detail were witnessed in each and every piece. 

​I was also in awe at the souvenirs that she had obtained for me from her recent trip to Hawaii. The first was an adorable fridge magnet, in which the magnet was embedded inside of the wooden design itself, rather than affixed to the outside with oozing adhesive. The second was a lucky cat pin slurping ramen, and on the bowl showed the islands of Hawaii.

​Amongst the largest voids emerging throughout the trip were: a distinct lack of Larry and the convenience of a personal vehicle, for door-to-door trips that could take whenever my heart desired.

I proceeded to satisfy the first of these longings immediately after being relieved of the aircraft grime. Larry, along with both sizes of Sulleys, had undergone deep cleansing rituals in my absence. Radiating from them were fragrant clouds of cleanliness, along with noticeable boosts in fluffiness.

News of the heavenly heptet's return as seven had already been a blessing for us all. For them to expand beyond digital releases and attend group schedules was another degree of elation altogether, whether we be observing the process in person or not.

At long last, my fingers would glide over a physical album, over lyrics that each member had thoughtfully assembled with the sole intention of "repaying" ahgases. Truthfully, our patience needed no compensation, for once an ahgase is always an ahgase.
​GOT7 is home, after all.

"A concert!!!...AT 3AM?!?!"
Following a brief moment of dismay towards the announcement of a domestic in-person concert came the realization of a livestream opportunity for global fans. Ahgases have waited patiently for the members to regroup again, and the comeback announcement had brought nothing short of delirious excitement.

The term "homecoming" was especially fitting, for it implied a grand return: GOT7's return to a scene where they rightfully belonged. Whether it be performing on stage in front of screaming ahgases or broadcast channels via YouTube content, they would, after this long, grueling period, be seen together - seven as one unit - once more.

For the boys, "HOMECOMING" meant a lot more. Their home was the warm embrace of ahgases, a place where their work was appreciated, efforts were supported, and love was given, unconditionally. Despite being renowned worldwide, they remain the humblest of artists: While BamBam worried over whether the fandom would remain after their group hiatus, Jinyoung claimed himself to be a "nobody" who could only shine as much as ahgases allowed him to. These comments summoned an aching heart - Do they not know how awesome they are?! Of course we'd stay!

True ahgases will remain for certain and, what's more, support the members' individual pursuits to foster a stronger sense of awareness in the global music market.

A self-proclaimed regular observer of Twitter happenings and collector of data, BamBam was quick to ask the crowd of their ahgase seniority status. Majority had participated in their last world tour of 2019 - myself included - with a handful seeing the group in person for the first time. Interestingly, he also noted the possibility of those joining the fandom after JYPE era. He noted that a number of articles had circulated upon news of GOT7 going separate ways from their parent company, and that he wouldn't eliminate the possibility of those articles stirring up interest in the group and their past endeavours.

​I had purchased my ticket a few days after the release date, reassuring myself that my Saturday plans would not interfere with the decision. In reality, I was terrified.

Entry into the working world has solidified the importance of events that never truly garnered much interest in my teen and young adult years.
Politics matter, whether you believe true democracy will prevail or not. Familiarizing oneself with the various parties may be a hassle, but these respective platforms, supplemented by general public opinion, are deciding factors in the government's future investment(s) and job availability. Every instance of tax relinquishment reflects our investment back into the system, so thorough contemplation of these matters isn't entirely optional, as much as the act of voting is made out to seem.

​Spendings have been striking this quarter, spanning utility bills, vehicle maintenance, small appliance replacement, and special occasion dining ventures. Adding to the financial burden is a pending vacation (at long last!!) and GOT7's comeback. VICTON and ASTRO are also releasing EPs within this month, though their impact is negligible in comparison to OT7.
It is with much dismay to note that my quarterly review is delayed. The corporate class is frustrating, with an insatiable appetite for prosperity and ascent on the social ladder; what is more: these circumstances are consistent across majority of companies, with the same woes being expressed by those simply looking to survive, and maybe strive towards their career goals.

The week commences with Dalgona Lattes, one with espresso and one with a concentrated dose of genmaicha. Sickeningly sweet are the shards when incorporated in generous handfuls. In small doses though, they are quite enjoyable, contributing a caramely robustness to the iced beverages. ​Granola with vanilla Greek yogurt subs in for blue sky bran muffins on a few breakfasts.

​In the absence of a functioning microwave, creativity continues to be employed for the delivery of weekday meals in a timely manner. Sourced from the freezer are frozen vegetables and a mini pizza, which is elevated with additional cheese cubes and a few strips of Arirang takeout bossam.

Creations of the week included:

1) Marbled Banana Bread Feat. Mini Marbled Loaves

Congestion creeps up when you least expect it. Countless weeks have I traversed the same route on the 401 to Studio Bon without issues, yet the days that are not executed solo entail issues.

With a late departure and notification of all Express lanes closed for who-knows-what, a delay of ten minutes befell upon my drive. Distractions were plenty, but from the passenger seat as opposed to the vehicles surrounding me. Disturbing the driver with non-constructive opinions is ill-advised, yet it happens frequently to those unaware of the implications of their actions.

Facing perpendicular to the Bosu ball with one foot placed atop, we proceeded with twists of the upper body with arms in genie position ("shoulders down!" was reminded of all of us), side crunches, and, finally, the "speed training" lateral steps guaranteed to raise one's heart rate. Instead of aiming to cover greater distance, I tried to keep the body as still as possible, bouncing from one foot to another without extension of the legs or drastic shifting on the body. A safe landing on the other side of the Bosu was crucial, for any instability in the ankle could lead to injury by rolling. The move was executed slightly different by each class participant: my neighbour placed heavy emphasis on the bounce-off, while the other girl kept her body fairly upright.

​Lying on the Reformer, we took several deep breaths to calm the body. The legs were sent to the left and right to release any lower back tension. From that point, we would engage in a core routine with a partially deflated ball placed between the inner thighs. Squeezing against the ball at all times, we completed hundreds, toe dips to the "wood plate", leg extensions, and leg extensions with a crunch.

Continuing with more thigh work, both feet were threaded through the tension straps. Remaining in a lying position on the Carriage, the legs were lowered to the point where a neutral spine could be maintained. With the resistance of two red springs, this was quite the challenging starting position. The partially deflated ball was placed between the calves, slightly above the ankles this time. While squeezing against the ball, we would lower the legs with an imprint spine and lift back up to neutral. Scissors and Double Ds - in both directions! - were also executed while attempting to keep the Carriage as still as possible. Finishing this segment was the stretching of the inner thighs by extending the legs beyond the Reformer in a V-shape and pressing them down towards the Carriage.
Tension cable-bases exercises are particularly interesting in that they expose lack of mobility. Where flexibility is lacking, the range of motion becomes limited. Where strength is lacking, the cable quivers as the body moves. My left side, the infinitely weaker side of my body, struggles to resist the red springs, such that even maintaining the neutral starting position is a challenge.

​Flipping over to a high kneeling position on the Carriage, we gripped the loop of the tensions straps for upper back exercises. An additional white spring had been added to our usual blue, increasing the level of difficulty. I was reminded to keep the tailbone tucked on many occasions, for the imprint pelvis was apparently not pronounced enough. Grand efforts were made to keep the chin lifted and shoulders relaxed while isolating the back and triceps.
Rotating 180 degrees to face the footbar, arms were threaded through the hand straps and raised from hip height to slightly above the shoulders. We would then extend the palms outwards while inhaling, and contract the pectoral muscles while bringing the hands back to the raised position before bending the elbows and lowering to hip height once more.

​More lower body exercises would be executed while standing. The Reformer Box was obtained from the wall and placed in the Long Box Position on the floor next to the Reformer frame. One foot was placed in the centre of the Box, while the sole of the other was slid against the shoulder rest. The knee of the standing leg would be bent while the other foot pushed out against the Carriage. In the lunge position, the body was hinged forward slightly; the glute of the resting leg was to be squeezed to maintain squareness in the hips. Constant reminders were made towards all class participants, for failure to isolate the correct muscle rendered the exercise significantly less effective.

Wrapping up the class were several stretches, ranging from a tension-affixed child's pose on the Reformer, a standing rolldown, and shoulder rolls - three in each direction.

​My path reconvened with the girl whom I had unintentionally matched leggings with several weeks prior. It was learned that our paths would cross again in the future, though regrettably not within the same class slot.

Lunch was slated for 1 PM at Terroni Price, prompting a speedy change of clothes and rushed brushing of compressed strands.

A popular pick for Hallmark holidays, the table had been secured weeks in advance via OpenTable. Across Price Street was the familiar asphalt lot we had encountered during the last visit. The minor road was still uneven with more rutting and utility cut patches to count, while construction was still ongoing just east of the restaurant. Beyond these elements, the neighbourhood was quite serene, as expected of the affluent Rosedale-Summerhill district.

We had requested the patio, and were gestured towards two flights of stairs to the rooftop. There, another hostess table was positioned. One of the members of staff, dressed peculiarly in a Sherpa-lined jacket and runners, greeted us lethargically before impatiently revealing our seating options for the meal. The tables in direct sunlight were dismissed in favour of a round table with high stools by the bar.

View the full album HERE !

​Mother Nature, the indecisive higher being, has a tendency to be extra undecided towards Ontarians. A jacket-less March and shedding plus storage of my down puffer wasn't indicative of an early spring. T-shirt weather was still a bit away, and snow hadn't escaped us entirely yet either.

​​​The first signs of a new season were audible before they were visible. A delicate croon of chirps from my backyard prompted me to straighten my neck, peering beyond the laptop screen that filled my everyday work-from-home existence. The trees remained barren before a backdrop of brilliant blue.

​But animals of creatures of survival. Despite the lack of climate clarity, warmer temperatures had been forecasted. Our humble abode began to swell with invaders, ants specifically, in search of respite.

​The week had commenced with expired mint chocolate truffles (a gifted package from forgotten Christmas inventory), braised pork with purple yam (quite the splendid suggestion, if I do say so myself), and the most unexpected timing for a stork sighting.

​There is an indescribable anxiety that comes with inactivity: a feeling of lost opportunity due to lack of productivity. Thoughts of rest and recovery normally take a back seat until the fatigue can be postponed no longer. To be engaged in work is a day well spent, and clearly I've been engaged enough this past week to automatically forego rest.

​Pilates (feat. Teaser Tuesday) was slipped into my self-declared weekday lunch break in order to accommodate a post-work visit to the sleepy polar bear.  Forearm planks were executed with much difficulty following a nasty elbow scrape from the overzealous dive at Nerf Challenge from the weekend prior.

A Grapefruit Yakult with Coconut Jelly from CoCo rewarded my exercise-and-cake-finalizing efforts, bringing about invigoration and zing to an otherwise incredibly hectic day.

Meals of the week comprised of 粟米斑塊, a Cantonese classic, and last-minute additions from Taza Xpress for iron needs.

​It was regrettable that the Beef Shawarma was not only tough and dry, but also peculiarly sour. The hummus was soupy and similarly tart, as if lightened with lemon juice (likely, to be fair). Black and green olives had been plopped onto the surface, enabling a brief period of infusion. The accompany Pita wrap was as dry and rigid as the shawarma. It should also be noted these observations were made following a ridiculously lengthy delivery period, exceeding the UberEats estimate of 10-20 minutes and extending it to 40 minutes instead.

​The remaining Black Sesame Purple Glutinous Rice Dumplings from T&T were served as a mid-afternoon snack with homemade ginger syrup - crafted with yellow rock sugar rather than the typical dark brown to draw emphasis to spiciness instead of nutty, caramel notes.

A sudden penchant for 2020's coveted Dalgona Latte propelled me to recreate the specimen with a 1:1:1 ratio of decaf Nespresso Gold, granulated sugar, and hot water.

​​Nighttime saw the release of Jinyoung on Youngjae's radio segment, where I relished in the all-too-familiar chuckles and characteristically GOT7 goofiness with a side of Waterloo Craft Lager. Yacha ("Yaksha" on Netflix) was slated to premiere worldwide the morning after.

​As temperatures soared to double digits in the latter half of the week, I opted to adopt active transportation for my post-work plans. Navigating about my community on foot is often the best way to identify areas requiring infrastructure improvements, as well as areas deserving commendation.

​Feelings of frigidity ought to have forecasted its arrival: flurries flitted into view on Sunday morning, supposed having commenced the evening prior. Few specks remained on the ground though, for external temperatures promoted a dissolution rate proportional to their descent.

​​Dreariness and dull grey over my head, I readied myself for pilates, shimmying into the hoodie of the sleepy polar bear I had hurriedly demanded to combat the chilly return ride of the evening prior. Much to my excitement, the warmup series would incorporate the Bosu ball once again: 40 counts of walking, then 20 counts of running with an immediate swap to the other starting leg. Side leg lifts, oblique crunches, and genie twists for the transverse abs sealed off the Bosu section.

With the footbar in the lowest position, gear bar in the second position, and stopped in the third, we proceeded onto core work. A foam roller was placed underneath the hips, laid horizontally to intersect the Carriage at 90 degrees. The addition would summon an imprint pelvis as to prevent shifting of the foam roller. Prepwork involved lifting one leg to tabletop position, then drawing circles with the knee. These circles were executed in a counter-clockwise direction for 15 counts, then clockwise for 20 counts. Clicking could be audibly heard in the right hip, prompting instructions to reduce the range of motion (lessen the circle diameter). From there, the following ensued:

• Single leg toe touches from the tabletop position
• Double leg toe touches from tabletop position (required checking of foam roller position)
• Double leg lifts - as far as could be maintained but not all the way (blogilates-style) since form was not to be compromised

​Shifting the foam against the shoulder rest, side-lying thigh exercises were conducted. Threading the top foot through the hand straps, the leg was lifted to hip height while maintaining knees bent at 90 degrees for both legs. Maintaining a neutral pelvis, we would:

• Extend the top leg in "one long line", then return to the starting position
• Keeping the top leg extended, bring the leg in front of the body while maintaining the neutral pelvis, then return to the lifted "one long line" position
• With the upper foot in a turnout position, raise the leg up towards the ceiling, then bring it back down to the body (adduction) for engagement of the inner thighs

These were, quite literally, a pain in the butt. The instructor had used one blue spring for the right hip and increased the tension with one more white spring for the left side to rectify muscle imbalance, but its impacts weren't as drastic as I had expected. Rather, it was more challenging with the right leg lifting and left hip planted on the Carriage, as hip stability played a vital role in maintaining stillness of the pelvis.

Modifying the routine to engage the upper body, the top hand was threaded through the tension strap. The starting position involved the upper arm extended at shoulder height, perpendicular to the body. Exhaling, the strap would be pulled towards the hip (adduction), then back to shoulder height. Notable shakiness was witnessed in the dominant right arm, even more so than the left. Weakness in the right wrist and shoulder were not unexpected due to my recent lack of diligence in stretching and resistance band usage, though I did find it peculiar that the left side showed greater stability. Tenderness in the triceps, chest, and shoulder was then felt for the subsequent four days.

Utilizing the Reformer Box in the Long box position facing the footbar, we continued with exercises  for upper body mobility: lateral shoulder raises with the palms facing upward and chest pullbacks ("gathering of the wings"!).

With the Reformer Box in the Short Box position angled over foot bar, such that the long edge was elevated slightly, and feet placed atop shoulder rests, bridges were conducted at low spring levels. The exercise was a true testament of body control. We would then push out the Carriage while in bridge position and retract, isolating the hamstrings while engaging the largest glute muscles.

Side stretches in mermaid position were then executed on both sides, facing perpendicular from the Carriage, followed by a standing hamstring stretch (pedalling the feet) and slow-and-steady rolldown to finish.

En route back to the west side of the GTA, I opted to detour for a sweet, icy beverage. Palgong's Mint Chocolate Smoothie was too far, Gong Cha's lack of parking proved annoying, and CoCo wasn't particularly on the way. Stifling these desires, I eventually found myself at Esso, then laid eyes on Circle K.

I was reminded of a modification made aware to the sleepy polar on a site visit: an Iced Capp with Chocolate Milk. Resist did I not, but enjoy did I neither. The purchase was swiftly made, granting a sip of insane sugariness amidst barely perceivable notes of coffee. I lifted the paper straw just enough to catch the topmost section of the drink, allowing the stickiest, densest parts to fall to the bottom. Eventually, I could withstand the sweetness-induced headaches no longer, forfeiting the monstrosity to the instigator.

Scrambling to render myself somewhat presentable, I donned a fuzzy sweater, some glitter, and sports leggings in preparation for a brief meeting with one of the July babies. 

​Mother Nature  ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ is indecisive. It remains early to commence outdoor activities, yet the few spurts of warm weather have tempted us to ponder otherwise.
With a light dusting of snow on the ground, the sleep polar bear voiced concerns over all-season tires versus winter tires, declaring that "more snow" hadn't been anticipated. I raised an eyebrow at this uninformed statement and matter-of-factly retorted, "It's Canada. You should expect the unexpected." because that is precisely what statistics have led us to prepare for.

The drive to Studio Bon was the most memorable one yet in my eight months of routing to York Mills. A collision on the 401 had stilled all movement between at the Express-Collectors split, forcing eastbound to the 427 and 409 alternative and even locally to Eglinton and Martin Grove. But beyond this collision was a far more traumatizing experience. No novice to the varying circumstances of congestion and delays, I would have weaved about the scene while in review of the big picture, perhaps resulting in only a minor delay in arrival. The more significant issue at hand was adopting the role of a passenger in a vehicle guided by aggression, anxiety, lack of spatial and directional awareness, and overall unfamiliarity with the workings of the real world. When navigation assistance provided in objective terms failed to bring about the desired result, I turned to relative measures. However, those relative descriptions were forgotten in a matter of milliseconds, leading to mutual frustration and unwarranted blame. Despite having several years of tutoring under my belt, I felt frazzled, wronged, and stifled.
How could I provide universally usable instructions without use of cardinal directions, without mention of street names, without trust, and without reference to nearby landmarks in the face of instantaneous forgetfulness? Stress levels were formidable, and I silently vowed to undertake the comparatively less tense, less risky solo commute for my sanity next time around.

​We arrived at the studio later than preferred, but still in advance of the start time. The class, reviewed against the catastrophe of the eastbound drive, proceeded quite effortlessly.

​Our warmup series would commence with the Cardio Tramp, each move gradually escalating in difficulty. With a neutral spine, the following were performed:

• Feet together, extending the knees to jump, and landing on both feet
• Feet together, extending the knees to jump, lifting the legs towards the ceiling, and landing on both feet
• Feet together, jumping while maintaining a tabletop position with the knees, and landing on both feet
• Feet in turnout position, extending the knees to jump, and landing on both feet
• Feet in turnout position, extending the legs outward from the Carriage in a V-shape, and landing on both feet
• Upper body flexed upwards into a crunch, gaze at 45 degrees upwards, and feet together, extending the knees to jump, and landing on both feet
• Upper body flexed upwards into a crunch, gaze at 45 degrees upwards, and feet placed at hip width distance, bring in one leg for a single leg stretch, switch in mid-air, and land on the other foot.

​
​Continuing the session while lying on our backs, we were guided through a few thigh and hamstring stretches (with one red spring) in preparation for lower body exercises. One foot was threaded through the hand strap and eased into a stretch by steady tugs of the tension cable towards one's body (hamstring stretch), across the body while resisting pelvic rotation (IT band), and away from the body (inner thigh) while resisting pelvic rotation. This was repeated on the other foot for symmetry.
Then, with two red springs affixed, both feet were threaded through the hand straps and lowered such that a neutral spine could be maintained. A pilates ring was placed over the feet to engage the gluteus medium. The legs would be lowered down while keeping tension of the ring, to the side, and with knees bent to form a tabletop position. I recalled executing a similar series at the studio's old location, recapping an unmistakable struggle to keep the legs lowered in the "starting position". Since then, the exercise has seemingly lessened in difficulty, though pelvic rotation and a quivering left gluteus medium remain as areas for improvement.

The Reformer Box in the Long Box was used once again for upper back and tricep exercises. Shifting to an all-fours position with scapular protraction, one foot was placed on the footbar and the other resting on the Box. The knee would be extended to push the Carriage out, all while maintaining square hips. It was a modified variation of the bird dog, but perhaps one that placed more strain on the wrists than the class was accustomed to. When switching over the other leg, I was quick to readjust my hands into fists.

Most amusing was the instructor's next exercise. Standing behind the Carriage facing the footbar, we arranged our legs wide over the Reformer frame and eased into a plié squat position. A few regular wide squats were performed, then quickly transformed into single leg heels-up "bounces" - "pulses" in blogilates' terminology - and pulses/holds with both heels up. Familiarity with this move rendered less extreme of a response than my fellow classmates. That said, maintaining a wider stance than usual proved effective in challenging both inner thigh endurance and ankle stability.

​The class concluded a bit earlier than expected with a standing rolldown.

After recoiling in disgust at the fishiness of Kinka's Mentai Kimchi Udon, I had my heart set on revisiting MeNami. Again ensued another navigating calamity, followed by streams of profanities amidst an incomprehensible head-first parallel parking maneuver. But we arrived in one peace, with me more than eager to have two feet planted on stable ground.

Reservations had not been made beforehand, as my departure time from Studio Bon tends to range between five and fifteen minutes. However, I wasn't too concerned about a lunchtime queue. The hostess-waitress greeted us without much enthusiasm and gestured towards the dimmest table of the restaurant. She hesitated slightly at my request for a spot by the window, though gradually assumed a friendlier demeanour over the course of our stay, even introducing a smile on her once-sullen face.

I proposed their classic Corn Kakiage to start, along with newly-introduced appetizers of Salmon Tataki and Grilled Ika (Squid).

Residual bleakness had carried over from the previous day, lingering about until the early afternoon. My drive to York Mills was swift, and free from distractions. Snowbanks that had once persisted along the curb lane of Lesmill Road had disappeared for the most part, restoring usability of both southbound lanes.

We reverted back to the Bosu ball for the warmup series, much to my delight. After 20 counts of marching and 20 counts of running, we proceeded with activation of the gluteus medius:

• Side leg lifts with one foot on the Bosu
• Side lunge lifts with one food on the Bosu and feet in turnout position

Flipping over the Bosu, slow, wide squats were commenced. The instructor demonstrated the movement, noting a slow downward movement spanning five seconds, holding for a brief moment, then slowly returning to standing after another five counts, trying to minimize shakiness in the ball by bracing the core. She also attempted to do a one leg standing squat, but even moving both feet close to the centre of the Bosu proved shaky enough for all class participants to be deem the variation unsafe. Thus, we returned the Bosu back underneath the Reformer.

Reminders were extended to verify correct positioning of the gear bar and stopper. For this session, all four attendees were to have the gear bar in the second position and stopper in the third. Rarely was this setting altered for participants within the same height range, though adjustments have been witnessed for stronger and taller students, such as body-building types or the male companion of girlfriends/wives.

​​Core work ensued with one blue spring for my neighbours and one blue plus one white spring for me. The addition had been made likely to render the exercises fitting of my strength (core endurance) level, as an alternative to increasing the range of motion.
With the pelvis in imprint position and hands woven through tension straps, the following exercises were performed:

• With the head rested on the Carriage, hands were pressed down to beside the hips without touching the Carriage and returned to the starting position pointing towards the ceiling
• With the head rested on the Carriage, hands were extended out to the sides of the body with elbows locked, then drawn towards the trunk (adduction)
• Tabletop crunches while gazing at the ceiling at a 45-degree angle (The descriptiveness of pilates is truly wonderful, I must say)
• Tabletop crunches with leg extensions (5 reps) while gazing at the ceiling at a 45-degree angle
• Leg extension hold in pilates stance with hundreds - likely the most challenging of them all

​Returning the footbar to the highest position, the focus transitioned to the lower body, in particular the inner thighs. Performed were lying hamstring curls via leg extensions; the balls of the feet were placed on the footbar and a slightly deflated ball was placed between the inner thighs as to continuously engage the legs by squeezing. The move involved pushing the Carriage out with an imprint pelvis and returning to neutral. Despite using two red and one blue spring, the process felt lighter than an arm routine with only one blue. We then proceeded to shift the ankles to a flexed position, placing the heels on the footbar in preparation for bridges. The Carriage was kept as still as possible to test core stability. It was observed that, while others had one red + one blue, I had only one blue, which demanded a greater degree of core control. Attaching the feet on the footbar increased the level of difficulty and emphasis on inner thighs.

The upper body routine never strays too far from posture rectification and upper back exercises. We sat on the Long Box facing away from footbar and with legs crossed over the head rest and hands threaded through crossed tension straps - think an "X" formation. From there, we would engage in:

1. Upper back pulls ("Use your wings!")
2. Seated chest presses with elbows raised to shoulder height, isolating the upper back once more while maintaining a straight back
3. Holding the hand straps to form a circle with softened elbows slightly lower than the chest, then slowly conducting a rollback and returning to the starting position while maintaining a C-curve. A variation of this move involved rotating to left (inhale), centre (exhale), and right (inhale), and back to centre (exhale), then finally coming back to starting position via C-curve.

I received reminders to stabilize the body and prevent the trunk/hips from leaning towards one side.

The remainder of the day assumed a more social format, involving a long awaited meetup with orangecane and a comrade of the sleepy polar bear.