Out & About #738 | Studio Bon (Session #2) + What A Bagel York Mills

For the second week in a row, I awoke to a Sunday with the promise of pilates. A follow-up group class slot had been secured for the 11 AM slot, this time in the absence of ochungg.

I woke to my regular work alarm, eased into a breakfast of coffee and freezer inventory items, and slowly began preparing for the drive. Departing approximately seven minutes later than the previous week - yes, I am aware of my underestimation in congestion levels - resulted in a delay of 5 minutes. Rapidly signing my name on the check-in sheet and sprinting to the bathroom, I escaped the temperature check. I had paused briefly at the entrance in wait of a staff member to conduct the screening, though observed a semi-private (2:1) lesson being held in one of the smaller rooms by none other than the owner who had guided me previously.
My own class had commenced on time. I dashed back out from the bathroom to find the instructor (my instructor!) in a sleeveless blouse, flowy black drawstring bottoms, and narrow Gore-Tex footwear. It was an interesting departure from the usual activewear and leggings. She urged me to lie down on one of the Reformers, as I had already missed a few of the warmup exercises.

​Beyond myself, there was one other student. She appeared in her mid-thirties, with a half-tied, medium-length bob and lilac top. The instructor had initially conversed with her in Korean, then switched channels with my appearance in the studio.

With the trampoline attachment inserted into the Reformer, we proceeded with several lying "jumps" to awaken the legs and core. I began having regrets in investment in blogilates' 20 Minute Inner Thigh Isolate the day before, for have the feet positioned in second position was a true travesty with tension-affixed rods. It was undeniable that maintaining control on the way added an element of difficulty; to execute each move with grace involved total control of the body, and any deviations would be visible in unsoundly slamming of platforms.

Shifting focus from the previous week's abdominal-intensive series, the day's session placed emphasis on the lower body and back, though the core was to be engaged throughout all exercises regardless.
With the Box attachment placed atop the carriage, we revisited several arm exercises with the tension-affixed arm bands. Again, some involved holding by the cloth-wrapped straps, while others by the metal hooks. A variation of the pull-backs entailed curling down to one's toes, then rolling back up slowly, allowing the spine to lengthen.

One of my favourite mat pilates exercises is the Parachuter (or bent-arm Superman for gym-goers). Lying face-down of the Box and positing its edge "underneath the bra line" (as directed by the instructor) entailed engagement of the entire core. The normal force providing support in mat pilates is removed, demanding stabilization from other muscle groups. It was generally easy to execute ten counts of this exercise. Swimmers did not prove too difficult either, though it's uncertain whether the improved strength and mobility should be owed to consistent practice or a comprehensive physio session.

​We looked to elongate the sides with a brief round of oblique moves. As with the previous class, the elbow was looped through the tension band, then the hand extended over the body. Rotating and bending down to meet the opposite knee was eliminated, however a more challenging alternative was incorporated into the routine. With the tension band loosely placed on one hand and the other hand outstretched to meet it, a circle was formed in front of the body. One would then translate this circle within the same plane by rotating against the tension band. The activity summoned strength from the shoulder, upper back, and lower back, exposing weakness based on range of motion.

​In order to execute the final set of moves, we adjusted the height of the footbar and added a platform extender to the end of the Reformer. Placing one foot on the platform extender and the other against the Reformer box, we proceeded to balance on the leg closer to the footbar while extending and retracting the other. This was repeated after a perpendicular turn to target the inner and outer thighs.
The class concluded with a stretch akin to Child's Pose, yet with the legs draped on either side of the carriage and hands extended out against the footbar. Following this was the sanitization process and payment via cash.

​Despite the reduced number of participants, I found it harder to maintain focus in the presence of the older lady. Her reps were rapid, executed in advance the instructor's direction, leading to an interrupted flow on my end. Attempts were made to match her speed, though it grew increasingly more difficult as the class progressed.

Subsequent sessions were not scheduled at my time of departure. Beyond Studio Bon's slated move for late August/early September, a total of four classes remain at Sum Pilates. It is with optimism that this period is sufficient in completing the transition, and that my next Bon experience shall entail upgraded equipment: "We have towers! It's nicer and has more components", or so I was informed.

​Braving the humidity, I ventured to the nearby What A Bagel to fuel the upcoming week's need for carbohydrates. The York Mills outpost had been spotted during last Sunday's visit to CoCo, and instantly deemed a POI for a future occasion.
Thankfully, the wait time was minimal. Once permitted inside, I perused the selection of day-old bakery offerings by the entrance. 

​Eventually, I settled on a discounted Whole Wheat Loaf. It revealed no signs of mistreatment nor exhibited dryness in texture. A Half Dozen of bagels was also selected at the reasonable price of $4.50. Pumpernickel, Whole Wheat, Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Raisin, Mixed (Poppy Seed and Sesame), and Poppy Seed were amongst the chosen assortment.

​Following a stopover at McD's, I hopped back onto the 401, where I was graced with the pre-COVID congestion levels I had been acquainted with since acquistion of my full license.

A Maple BBQ & Bacon Quarter Pounder was secured, along with fries and a Tropical Coconut Pineapple Smoothie (in the absence of Blueberry Pomegranate).

​My purchases were sliced and promptly plastic-wrapped for cold preservation, while the rest were stored at room temperature for fuss-free feasting. Dense as bagels tend to be, the Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Raisin were ideal for snacking, sans-condiments. They both offered adequate flavour and needed not any additives to maximize their potential. More conventional options such Pumpernickel and Mixed were elevated via dehydration and margarine/peanut butter. The toasting process managed to restore plumpness while maintaining crunchy edges.

​The Whole Wheat Loaf, which was sliced rather thinly, crisped up nicely in the toaster. A distinct cavity in its upper third hindered the thorough spreading of the preferred condiment, leaving the edges rather bland. Margarine was declared the ideal partner, with jam as the runner-up, and homemade pecan butter in last place (likely due to absence of stabilizers for spreadability).