Out & About #760 | Studio Bon + Taste Casserole Rice (Chartwell Centre)

​In light of my strained neck, a last-minute appeal to reschedule my slated Sunday slot for pilates was made. The request was revoked, as same-day cancellations or swaps were not permitted. The studio policy - one that I had never heard of nor signed in acknowledgement of until that day - enabled "make-up classes" for cancellations on short term notice, however these classes were to be held outside of one's regular slot, pending availability, and within two weeks of the original cancellation.
With their weekend sessions assuming prime slots, my options were limited to weekdays, either mornings commencing at 10 AM or evenings at 7 PM. Neither option was viable in consideration of my work schedule, especially with the surging 401 congestion levels associated with economic recovery. I grudgingly accepted my fate, offering to take a day off based on class availability.

An eventual confirmation of a Tuesday morning opening at 10 AM led to my application for a half-day vacation. We commenced the day even earlier than the standard work day, setting  ̶f̶o̶o̶t̶ tire on the highway even before 9 AM. Weather was wondrous and, thankfully, so were traffic conditions. I arrived twenty-five minutes early to the only (official) group class for the day; private lessons would take place in parallel in other sections of the space, yet were unlisted from the posted schedule.
A total of four instructors reside at Studio Bon. Besides the owner, I have had the opportunity of learning from two of these instructors during my time at Sum Pilates. Younger, fiercer-looking, and sharing the same name as a rising artist in the Latin music scene, the final member of the instructor quad was unveiled. As with previous sessions, I had stated my case prior to the start of class, noting aspects and angles of movement that I was refrain from. She gazed upon me with a blank stare, expressionless and potentially questioning the reasoning behind my profession. Perhaps she found it odd that I was informing her of injuries, and proceeded to place the responsibility on me to moderate my own movements, noting that I should inform her in the case of pain. It was a different response than the previous two instructors, who had urged caution of the injury and gladly agreed to provide modifications.

​Soon, I was joined by a trio of Chinese-speaking ladies on the floor. The class was now full.
Instead of a cardio warmup sequence, we were instructed to stand behind the Reformer Carriage, just behind the shoulder rest, and face the footbar. Several rolldowns were executed, followed by rolldowns with rotation: Placing one hand in front of the forehead, the rolling up portion entailed rotation of the upper body in the direction of the bent arm. This was then repeated with the other hand. Standing hamstring curls were also performed: With one foot positioned along the centre axis of the Carriage and the other before the shoulder rest, one was to extend and retract the leg. Reminders to utilize core strength were made, though there was nothing to be heard regarding maintaining stability of the standing leg (in regards to hyperextension, rotation, etc.)

Lying on the Carriage facing upwards, a series of blogilates' level core exercises followed. Single leg extensions in tabletop position were conducted on one leg before moving to the other. Next came double leg extensions, then flutters at a "low diagonal", a qualitative description for inclines of 45 degrees or more (with the hips as reference point). The final move of this section were reverse crunches with ankles attached and knees slightly open. Rather than positioning the palms by one's side or having them looped through the hand straps, we were instructed to grip the bars affixed to the shoulder rest. The configuration made tired wrist and tensing of muscles from the shoulders up. While we were to press the shoulder blades onto the Carriage while executing the routine, I found the position offered more discomfort and tightness than needed for proper engagement of the core. As the other girls hugged their knees to combat the tremendous flexion, I rolled my wrists in relief.

​With the footbar in the highest position, slow bridges were executed. Form reminders were provided at this stage. We then graduate to single leg bridges, where one leg was folded on top of the other into a Figure 4 and half bridges were performed for roughly five reps. This move further evolved into a single leg bridge with one leg extended, sweeping from the ceiling to hip-height and back. There were, initially, no form reminders here, thus I took to my own alignment checks by placing fingers on the pelvic bone to level hip height. It should also be noted that a higher spring tension was used for these exercises, placing emphasis on endurance rather than overall stability of the Carriage and lower body.

Using the Reformer Box in both "long box" and "short box" configurations, back exercises involving the rope portion of the hand straps were conducted. On the long box, the body was curved over the edges in a downward facing C-shape and legs adopting a wide stance at its corners. We were then to flex upwards while pulling the ropes towards the hip; a variation of this move involved keeping elbows tucked into the ribs for tricep extensions. I had been wary of this exercise in review of shoulder discomfort from a previous class, though quickly learned that lying facedown resulted in less tension than sitting upright. Releasing the hand straps, Superman and Swimming made brief appearances. 
The instructor then shifted to the short box, describing a side-lying position with the knees bent at 90 degrees and the hand strap fitted over the top knee. It was an odd position for the elbow as there was insufficient space for the entire body to rest comfortably, introducing neck tension where the elbow was unable to provide support for the head. A variation of this exercise involved extending the top leg and fitting the hand strap into arch of the foot for a pullback.
Without familiarity of these exercises in mat form, it would be difficult to understand the muscle being isolated. A fire hydrant on all fours summons tremendous core control, with focus on 90-degree alignment and ribs being tucked into the spine. The side-lying position removed strain on the wrists, yet instead instilled tension in the neck due to inadequate surface area to support the elbow comfortably. Reminders for the main move were called out (ie. keep the resting leg bent at 90 degrees without letting the calve drop), though there was no advice to be offered regarding the supporting muscle groups and alignment. Was the spine in alignment? Are the hips stacked? Was the head flexed forward? These were form corrections that attendees ought be made aware of to maximize the class and, more importantly, prevent injury.

Returning the Box, thigh and core exercises continued on the Carriage. Tabletop crunches, crunch holds, hundreds were familiar to me, though the extensive number of repetitions for hundreds at a "high diagonal" were undeniably challenging.
The thigh routine utilized a total of three red springs - quite a heavy amount in comparison to other classes. Feet were placed on the footbar to start, and the knees would be extended.

1. With feet in "first position", extend into Froggers
2. With feet placed parallel at hip distance and flexed, extend while keeping heels down
3. With toes on footbar and heels up, extend for lying narrow squat

It was beyond my expectation when we were instructed to thread the feet through the hand straps and extend the legs towards the ceiling. On the adjacent Reformer was a student that noted intensity of the tension level, as she was unable to extend her legs altogether. Sideways Scissors and more Froggers were executed, though details of the final move were not sufficient enough. Confusion over took the class at the mention of single leg Froggers, where one leg was to be bent and extended and the other extended and shifted laterally. Specifics such as pointed feet in the extended position and flexed in the bent were also not addressed until asked.

​The instructor had made efforts to be specific with instructions, but despite precision in choice of words, the direction was not always clear. The utterances themselves were unable to summon imagery for reference, especially with the exercises already being foreign. Meanwhile, the instructor did not demonstrate the moves personally either, even in the face of four equally confused students. While it can be argued that interpretation of vocabulary may come as easily to those without English as a first language, I rightfully defend my own comprehension abilities.

I departed my make-up session with mixed feelings. Atrocious soreness was sustained in the hamstrings, reminiscent of the pains experienced from my first badminton match in middle school. However, whether this sensation is owed to high-tension pilates or the four rounds of EMOM undertaken the day prior (or both) is uncertain. The class placed greater emphasis on building strength via weight and repetition rather than overall precision and control, adopting an attitude witnessed frequently in blogilates.

The instructor's origins remained a mystery to me, for she appeared local with no hint of a Korean accent whatsoever. Her tone of voice was relatively monotonous, fluctuating minimally over the course of the 57-minute session. It was a calm tone that likely aided in concentration for some, though the lack of intonation made it harder to differentiate between critical elements.

​Up next on the itinerary was some much needed TLC.
Although my original intention had been to work remotely to the best of my abilities, insufficient battery life affirmed that logging out and off would be the righteous way of spending the half-day vacation. 

Concluding the morning's appointments was a late lunch at Chartwell Centre. We returned to Aromaz, where the coveted Whole Wheat Raisin Loaf/大提子麥包 was acquired, along with several other popular Chinese bakery items. Purchases of six buns or more were exempt from tax, thus our assortment was expanded to include the following:

• Pineapple Bun/波羅包
• Hot Dog Bun/腸仔包
• Century Egg Puff Pastry/皮蛋酥
• Egg Tart w/ Puff Pastry Shell/雞批
• Ginger Milk Egg Tart w/ Puff Pastry Shell/薑汁撞奶蛋撻
• Chicken Pie/酥皮蛋撻

Raging appetites led us back to Taste Casserole Rice. The Four-Course D / 特價四和 (D) was selected once more as supper takeout, and frozen Pork and Chive Buns for stashing in the freezer. For immediate consumption were two lunch combos, each including a hot beverage as part of the set.

Lunch Combo D8 (新鮮沙嗲牛肉三文治) comprised a reduced sugar milk tea and substantial club sandwich. Between toasted, crust-less slices of white bread were cucumbers, satay beef strips, tomatoes, and a folded omelette of unrivalled plushness. Every bite was phenomenal, with the next mouthful delivering more contentment than the last. The medley of textures and flavours was harmonious, as was the portion size in the face of hunger.
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Lunch Combo E14 (洋蔥豬排飯) was a straightforward combination of steamed white rice and pork chop with onions. Despite simplicity in its concept, satisfactory execution of this dish is rare to chance by. Taste Casserole Rice's edition was not only fragrant but tender - scrumptious without a shred of sogginess. The dish was paired with a hot lemon tea

​Supplementing the meal was a single Pork and Chive Bun and dessert of Coconut Milk Sago and Grass Jelly (椰汁鮮草西米露), which was neither too sweet nor bearing prominence of coconutty aromas. Both picks were extremely budget-friendly, with the steamed bun averaging a unit price of one dollar and the milky traditional dessert at $2.99.

We proceeded back onto the highway around the 2:15 PM mark, completing the return trip in roughly forty minutes. Traffic had been lenient; the emerging (post-)fall foliage against sunny, blue skies also made for a splendid view on the way back

Sampling the Four-Course D set, our opinions remained consistent with the previous month's iteration. Although the Pork Hock contained more skin than flesh this time around, the commentary nonetheless aligned with the last visit. The Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetable remains the household favourite, with the tangy profile of the Braised Pork Hock with Salted Dried Chinese Plum securing a solid second place.