One of the things I've managed to do recently is to exercise at home. And by exercise, I mean a proper one that leaves me drenched in sweat and completely spent after each workout. I've been meaning to exercise at home since the quarantine started but it was only when a friend suggested that I use the Down Dog app that I was able to really do it regularly. I was actually a bit hesitant at the start because I wasn't sure a paid app would be much better than readily available youube workout videos. However, Down Dog came with what I think was a free trial (either that or it was free to use until June 14) so I said I could try it out and if I didn't like it, I could just stop.
As it turned out, this suite of workout apps is perfect for me. I first downloaded Down Dog HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). You can select the workout level for your upper body, lower body, and core and how long you want your session to be. What's really good about this app is that each workout is really different from the next. This keeps things interesting because I am always curious to see what kind of exercises will make up my next workout. Also, whenever I have to do a really difficult exercise, I always wait for that same exercise to pop up in a future workout session so I can see whether I can do it better. Down Dog HIIT also does a good job in balancing difficulty during a workout session. Sometimes, after a couple of really tough exercises where I feel I can't do anymore, it'll throw in a really easy one that helps me rest a bit more and regain my breath. This app has really helped me exercise about 4-6 times a week in the last month and I hope I can sustain this.
After a couple of weeks, I started using the Down Dog Yoga app as well. I shied away from it at the start because I am terribly inflexible but then I realized that my lack of flexibility is the best reason to start doing yoga. My workout routine now usually starts out with an HIIT session (usually 20 minutes) followed by a yoga session (usually 10 minutes).
Another bonus about using the Down Dog app is that at the end of your workout, you can take a look at the music that was played during your session. I've added several songs in my Spotify playlists based on the music I heard while exercising. Cool!
Oh and I had to buy a yoga mat. I had to get one because during my first HIIT workout, during which time I still didn't have a mat, I needed to do one arm side push-ups which meant that my hips were on the floor. Let me tell you, it really hurt! I think both my hips were bruised after that workout and I decided immediately that I needed a yoga mat. Gotta say, it has really helped. And now that I am also doing yoga (albeit very poorly LOL), I have no regrets with my purchase.
Obviously, my free trial with Down Dog has expired so I've had to pay for it already (thankfully, you just need to pay for the entire Down Dog suite; you don't have to pay for the individual apps). I decided to pay for a full year because it costs about half of what it would cost if I pay per month over 12 months. I also got a 33% discount because I paid for it through their website (rather that via Google Play). I was a bit worried paying for the app on the website because I wasn't sure how secure my credit card payment would be but some friends suggested I create a Paypal account, link my credit card to it, and use that to pay. I now have a Paypal account, another first for me during this quarantine.
A couple of other firsts:
I got to try ube pandesal. These were pretty good, made even better with a cup of coffee!
I also finally got to try Aguila Corned Beef!
When the quarantine started, I searched online for recommendations on the best corned beef and Aguila was suggested a lot, along with Highlands Gold and yes, even Purefoods. These last two are readily available at the supermarket but Aguila wasn't. It was only three months after the quarantine started that I finally saw it in the supermarket shelves so I made sure to get a few of them. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype. (I also think Highlands Gold and Purefoods Corned Beef are pretty good, too. I still alternate these three brands. :))
Down Dog: https://hiit.downdogapp.com/
As it turned out, this suite of workout apps is perfect for me. I first downloaded Down Dog HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). You can select the workout level for your upper body, lower body, and core and how long you want your session to be. What's really good about this app is that each workout is really different from the next. This keeps things interesting because I am always curious to see what kind of exercises will make up my next workout. Also, whenever I have to do a really difficult exercise, I always wait for that same exercise to pop up in a future workout session so I can see whether I can do it better. Down Dog HIIT also does a good job in balancing difficulty during a workout session. Sometimes, after a couple of really tough exercises where I feel I can't do anymore, it'll throw in a really easy one that helps me rest a bit more and regain my breath. This app has really helped me exercise about 4-6 times a week in the last month and I hope I can sustain this.
After a couple of weeks, I started using the Down Dog Yoga app as well. I shied away from it at the start because I am terribly inflexible but then I realized that my lack of flexibility is the best reason to start doing yoga. My workout routine now usually starts out with an HIIT session (usually 20 minutes) followed by a yoga session (usually 10 minutes).
Another bonus about using the Down Dog app is that at the end of your workout, you can take a look at the music that was played during your session. I've added several songs in my Spotify playlists based on the music I heard while exercising. Cool!
Oh and I had to buy a yoga mat. I had to get one because during my first HIIT workout, during which time I still didn't have a mat, I needed to do one arm side push-ups which meant that my hips were on the floor. Let me tell you, it really hurt! I think both my hips were bruised after that workout and I decided immediately that I needed a yoga mat. Gotta say, it has really helped. And now that I am also doing yoga (albeit very poorly LOL), I have no regrets with my purchase.
Obviously, my free trial with Down Dog has expired so I've had to pay for it already (thankfully, you just need to pay for the entire Down Dog suite; you don't have to pay for the individual apps). I decided to pay for a full year because it costs about half of what it would cost if I pay per month over 12 months. I also got a 33% discount because I paid for it through their website (rather that via Google Play). I was a bit worried paying for the app on the website because I wasn't sure how secure my credit card payment would be but some friends suggested I create a Paypal account, link my credit card to it, and use that to pay. I now have a Paypal account, another first for me during this quarantine.
A couple of other firsts:
I got to try ube pandesal. These were pretty good, made even better with a cup of coffee!
I also finally got to try Aguila Corned Beef!
When the quarantine started, I searched online for recommendations on the best corned beef and Aguila was suggested a lot, along with Highlands Gold and yes, even Purefoods. These last two are readily available at the supermarket but Aguila wasn't. It was only three months after the quarantine started that I finally saw it in the supermarket shelves so I made sure to get a few of them. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype. (I also think Highlands Gold and Purefoods Corned Beef are pretty good, too. I still alternate these three brands. :))
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