Hoppity Hop-Frog to Habit Vero

 Hidden in the bottom corner of the Vero building, Habit is a convenient little find if you happen to work close by.

I tried to be present during their busiest times to see how the fight for machines went….however there never seemed to be more than a few people scattered throughout the space! Joy!

The classes were relatively small in numbers also, with the after work sessions averaging 3-4 attendees and the lunch time classes only a little busier.

The space is very light with windows down one side, it is laid out over a large enough area to make it feel spacious and not cramped.

The first room you enter as you pass reception and the physio rooms, is the weights room. This area contains ample machines and free weights, along with a stretching space, all gloriously lit by natural light from the windows.

The next area is the cardio room with the usual offerings of a few of everything. Rowers, cross-trainers, treadmills and bikes.

The space beyond this is used for circuit, H.I.T training, boxing classes and the like. The space is available for anyone to use when classes are not in progress. It has one wall completely open to the outdoors And covered only by mesh, which gives it a liberated feeling and some air flow, it is large and the boxing bags and other cross-training equipment is varied and laid out well. For an inner-city gym to have an outdoor feel, I thought this was pretty special.

The other room used for classes is indoors and smaller. This is used for yoga, pilates, power, spinning and barre. Is is well air conditioned and has lighting which can be adjusted to fit the mood of the class. The trainers were all very sweet and helpful. Classes are mostly kept to 45 minutes and are run on a regular schedule of 8am, 12.15pm, 1pm and 5.30pm on weekdays.

I gave the power, barre and yoga classes a go during my free week trial! Barre was a fun way for someone with very poor coordination skills (me) to feel mildly graceful whilst still getting a good cardio workout with some familiar moves. It could be likened to pump style classes with repeated lunges/lifts but all with a focus on the bar and a little rhythmic dance inspiration. The power class was very similar to other pump classes. Yoga was a lovely treat for someone who lacks flexibility like myself! The class, being only 45 minutes, did not repeat or hold poses but moved fluidly and slowly through a range of motions only once. This meant that feeling of dread when you know you have to downward dog another 5 times before child’s pose didn’t feature, and there was no room for boredom due to repeating sequences many times. The end of this class featured a long meditation which was the perfect way to end a productive yet relaxing class.

The entire space is very well air-conditioned and is cleaned regularly throughout the day.

The opening hours of Habit are relatively restricted, 6am-8pm Monday-Thursday, 6am-7pm Friday and 8am-2pm weekends.

Membership prices are around the $22.50/week mark, with an extra for towel service.

Overall, a very pleasant environment to be in!

Bali Baby

Whilst I was lucky enough to get to travel to this beautiful place in 2016, I only used one Gym!
Running outdoors in Bali is difficult due to the heat and the crowded narrow streets, BUT there are plenty of gyms about so that you can workout in air conditioned comfort during your trip.
Check out the facilities at or near your accommodation, the friendly locals will no doubt help you out too!

The only Gym I used here was at Legian Beach Hotel.
It was very small but VERY cool, the air con was a dream!
It had a couple of treadmills, some free weights and a bike, plenty for a little mid-holiday fitness session :)
The view out the window was of the pool which made being indoors and away from the action a little more bearable too!

Again, be conscious of hydration needs in hotter climates, not just with water intake but with electrolyte intake too.

Cruise Life

Ahoy from the ocean!!!
In 2016 I went on two cruises with P&O and aside from them being WONDERFUL I managed to keep my fitness up for upcoming races whilst I cruised my little heart out.
I cruised on the Pacific Pearl to some Pacific Islands and also the Pacific Jewel to the Whitsundays.
Both had gyms down on a lower deck and both provided everything I needed, however the Pacific Pearl's gym was superior.

Pacific Pearl:
This gym was very spacious for what I expected of a cruise ship gym!
It was also very well air conditioned which was essential in the climate we were travelling in.
The gym had a line of about 4 treadmills against some mirrors which proved useful for stabilising whilst the boat moved- instead of staring at a static point in this situation it pays to simply gaze at your moving legs in the mirror. This allows your brain to compensate for the movement of the belt from left to right and up and down as it can see where you need to land after you have been suspended in the air.
There were also a couple of cross trainers, bikes and rowing machines along with a separate little level for free-weights, weights machines and stretching.
There was a toilet right next to the gym for convenience.

Pacific Jewel
The gym was smaller than the Pearl's, it still had 4 treadmills (one was out of order) and a cross trainer, a bike and a small space for weights.
The air conditioning however was completely insufficient.
I asked for the temperature to be turned down on two occasions but this did not happen and unfortunately I suffered a severe electrolyte imbalance due to the excessive sweating and had to be hospitalised on the ship.
Thankfully I received great care there!
If the climate wasn't so hot outside this gym may have been suitable but unfortunately it was not so great for this trip. Thankfully it was a short trip!

So- for those cruiselings planning a holiday on the ocean- check out the facilities with your cruise company before you leave and be conscious of your hydration and differing needs with a change of both climate and diet on-board your holiday!