SELF Workout in the Park (2010)
Weekends seem to be used for workout posts lately… this may turn in to a trend (at least for the rest of May/first part of June)!
Last year I participated in SELF magazine’s Workout in the Park in Chicago with my friend, Diane. When I was telling my mom how much fun we had, she immediately started planning her trip for the 2010 event (yes, a year in advance!) and she registered for it the day registration opened*. I’m so excited she participated in it with me this year.
Workout in the Park is basically one giant workout with vendors you can visit as well. It was open from 11:00-3:00, and set up into three areas: the Main Stage, the Quiet Zone and the Rebounding Zone.
The Main Stage is where all of the cardio workouts are that you can just join and follow. There were nine different workouts offered, one after another, while we were there. We participated in the “Masala Bhangra” one, which was a Bollywood style dance workout, and “Retro-Robics,” which was a aerobics class set to fun old music (think Flashdance and Grease style). There was another workout, “Cardio Tai Box,” a sort of cardio punching/kicking workout that I did and really liked last year, and it was offered again, but we were standing in line to get some free loot. Ha ha. The classes were really similar to the year before, and had many of the same local instructors, but that was fine with me, because I obviously enjoyed it enough to come back!
You can see the main stage and people stretching
The Rebounding Zone was a separate area where you did a trampoline workout. There were only 475 slots open (classes every 15 minutes), so you had to have an arm band to get in. That was the first thing we got in line for when we got in, and the last workout we did. IT KICKED OUR BUTTS.
Not our class, but you get the idea
The class we took was taught by this instructor (picture below) from a local Crunch Gym. My mom wanted to take our picture with him so she could show her coworkers what they were missing out on (originally, she thought they would come with her).
He wondered why women kept asking him to take his shirt off
We started off just bouncing in place, and honestly, that felt great! It was such a relief to be on an elastic surface!
But then the squats started. We would do low squats and hold them, AND do low squats and bounce in place! We also spent a lot of time doing crunches with one leg straight out in front of us. Ugh. It was hard! And the instructor was pretty funny, he would walk around and encourage people to keep going, but he was kind of getting in their faces about it.
We were happy that was the last workout we did since it pooped us out so much!
We signed up for the “Breathwork Meditation” class offered in the Quiet Zone. The Quiet Zone had a lot of yoga and pilates focused classes. Like the Rebounding Zone, you had to have a wristband for these classes, but there were more spots available. The class we did was a simple yoga class that focused on equalizing your breathing (same count in as out) and ended with a heavy meditation focus. My mom and I really liked it (it was her first time trying yoga). And it was neat to see all of the different women in there who were so flexible. It definitely inspired me!
We spent the rest of our time checking out all of the booths and getting free loot. I got about a million SOYJOYs and single serving containers of Silk Chocolate Milk. Garnier also gave away a lot of cool stuff and offered makeovers.
Half of the booths
I got my gait analyzed at the Asics booth, and they said the same thing that dude at the running store told me a few weeks ago – I don’t overpronate, and the Adrenalines may have too much support for me, which is why I have calf issues. Oh yes, calf issues I have. My calves were somewhat sore during the Main Stage workouts we did. I think that is why the trampoline workout in the Rebounding Zone felt so good.
The whole event was a lot of fun (of course, it is hard not to have fun around my mom – she is pretty much open for anything and a blast to be around) – we are already talking about going next year! It is pretty cheap – $20 to enter and that includes a magazine subscription (and all the free loot you get there!).
Some of the giveaways we took (I am sending most home with my mom)
All pooped out and ready to go home
We bought the t-shirts** from the event and wore them to see Iron Man 2 in the IMAX with my dad and Steven. Yes, we are big dorks.
Have you ever participated in a group workout in an outdoor setting? Did you like it?
Chicago actually has a lot of outdoor workouts during the summer! I think if I lived closer I would be there a lot!
*I only have two complaints about this event, and one is that I tried to register early and my registration did not go through and it was difficult for them to fix it for me.
**My other complaint? $20 for this t-shirt. Really? Really?
Themocracy
What a cool event!! I’ve always wanted to do their workout in the park! So fun that you got to do it with your mama 🙂
I saw someone post about the one in New York! I didn’t know they did it here- looks like a great time!
Oh gosh that looks like so much fun! YaY! I love the trampoline stuff, that looks amazing! So fun that you got to do that with your mom. 😀
That sounds like SO much fun! I’ve always wanted to try a trampoline workout. And, yoga and stuff. The bollywood one sounds fun too! I’ll have to check out dates for next year…You two look so cute in your matching outfits.
🙁 Fun.
Why the sad face? Are you coming next year?
I want to go next year! If only to see that guy with his shirt off … damn!
I’ve never done anything like that before. When I was in Hawaii on vacation though, I went on an early morning run to a park to take photos of the sunrise and people were meeting in the park to do group yogo outdoors. I would imagine lots of stuff is offered outdoors in Hawaii though. Someone asked me if I was there for the yogo haha.
Looks like fun~ Today was just Giant Yoga day in PA as well…many of my friends participated. I have never done anything like that but I think I would really like to some day!
What a fun event, I would love to go to something like that. Love all the free swag too! 🙂
This looks like so much fun! I’ve never done anything like this, but I hope Self comes to Boston!!
Sounds so fun 😀 Looks like you had a great time!
Sounds like a great time… I think it’d be fun but I’m super self conscious when it comes to working out… I always feel like I look DUMB! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I am glad you had fun with your Mamacita! I definitely made the right decision to stay home, but I will probably go next year because it looks like just as much fun as last year! 🙂
Oh that sounds like a lot of fun! Wish I lived near Chicago!
It sounds like you had an amazing time with your mum! Those workouts sound fantastic, especially that retro-robics. I would have loved it ;).
All the goodies that you got look great too.
Btw.. How was Iron Man 2? I can’t wait to go and see it!
To me, Iron Man 2 was not as good as the first one. I felt like it didn’t have a very good story line, and was a bit bored in certain parts. I didn’t find any of the new characters annoying though, which surprised me. I would definitely see it in the theater – it has some cool special effects!
That looks like a lot of fun! I have never done something like that!
That looks like so much fun. I am really jealous that you have such a fun mom who will do things with you.
Wow! That looks like so much fun. And all that swag is amazing! I love that your mom wanted to do it with you.
WHOA! that is some awesome free loot. that is why I do all these races really – the free loot.
Soooo, that guy would have what? an 8 pack? 10? I’m not even going to mention his HUGE man boobs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ITx4-w0WxQ&feature=channel
BUILDING KICK!!!!!
Ha. Tell me you’ve seen that guy in Idiocracy 😉