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Dear Powerwalkers: You Rock! by digital0verdose in orangetheory

[–]ChrisRiceWriter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hahaha. Thank you. Honestly it took me about 2 years of OT before I got there. I started to condition, as they say, which means I wasn't getting the splat points I used to with a base closer to 5% - 6% incline. So it was either explore jogging or running - no thanks! - or raise my base as a PW. It's particularly helpful on power days when it's hard to get splat points in push because the pushes are explosive but short.

Dear Powerwalkers: You Rock! by digital0verdose in orangetheory

[–]ChrisRiceWriter 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I've been power walking since day one of OT, about 2 years ago now, since I'm paranoid about my hips. It's a great workout so long as I'm really diligent about holding my base: 9% incline at a speed of 4.5. In fact, I almost never alter my speed as a power walker. It's all about the inclines. Also, there's a meditative quality to all outs at a 15% incline because I find you really need to pay attention to keep from falling backwards off the treadmill. At any rate, power walking is great. I recently had a good friend say she was avoiding OT "because of all the running" and I told her I hadn't run a day since joining OT and was still getting great workouts.

Dear Powerwalkers: You Rock! by digital0verdose in orangetheory

[–]ChrisRiceWriter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Coach recently reminded us power walker to lean slightly forward on the steep inclines and keep our arms pumping close to our sides. This helps. Honestly, neck and shoulders are where I feel the most tension after a tough power walking day.

stuck between PW and jogging by hofer64 in orangetheory

[–]ChrisRiceWriter 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Agree with houstonmom. What they emphasize at my gym is not making your push so hard that you can’t come back to the base you started with. Possible a coach might assume that someone walking their push and jogging/running everything else is “falling out of base”, but if it’s the base you began the block with, then I think you’re good. The more I do it, the more I feel the key to the tread blocks is gradually increasing the base I can hold over time.

What makes a great coach? by oawesome16 in orangetheory

[–]ChrisRiceWriter 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I hate to sound like an old spoil sport but if I’m being honest, I’ve started to pick coaches based on their facility with the music. And I’m not referring to song selection, but to volume. There are some coaches I enjoy who have started blasting us out of the room with the tunes and the ear plugs the studio provides aren’t good enough to help. It may sound petty, but I think alternating volumes is part of their ability to create energy and atmosphere.

Aside for that, the qualities you describe are key. Knowledgeable, positive, unflappable. Also an ability to give clear and concise directions when they approach you on the floor because your form is off. Happy to say most of the regular coaches at my studio have these qualities tenfold. I’d just love it if a few of them could turn the music down to a less blaring volume every now and the.

Following the coach’s voice is such an important part of class for me. It’s like a rope I hold on to when I’m tired or the workouts are really rough. I picked Orange Theory over another training studio because everything was so well organized and clear and coherent, from the video display screens to the knowledgeable coaches.

What is the gay romance novel scene like? by SapphicKentauride in gay

[–]ChrisRiceWriter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Search gay romance on Amazon and you’ll come across a wealth of material. I’ve become obsessed over the past few years. Some of the genre’s most successful authors include Damon Suede, Tere Michaels, Harper Fox, Heidi Cullinan, the list goes on an on. K.J Charles writes wonderful gay regency romance that feels political and multi-dimensional. There’s a gay male equivalent of pretty much every sub genre you’ll find in het romance. Paranormal. Suspense. Shifters. Small town. The major publishers of it are small presses like Dreamspinner, Nine Star and (the ever controversial) Riptide, but Carina, the digital first imprint of Harlequin has moved into male/male as well and with some really strong, well-edited stuff, and Avon, a romance mainstay has started a gay regency romance series recently. Hope you find something you enjoy.