The Inside Life: Behind The Scenes With A Fitness Instructor – Part 2

A DelhiPlanet Exclusive – Checkout the introduction to the Inside Life Series here

We’re back with the last and final part of our series on the Inside life of a Fitness Instructor. Checkout the first part of this series here. We continue our conversation with former gymnast and fitness expert Lia McInnis and delve in deeper into what her daily life is like:

DelhiPlanet (DP) : What kind of challenges would you say are involved in this profession. Do you have to ensure that you regularly practice your routines and stay at the top level of fitness at all times ?

Lia Mcinnis(LM) : The biggest challenge with this profession is that you cannot be sick or injured. It is very reliant on your own fitness and falling sick means a loss of income for that period unlike any other job where there is sick leave. You also need to be updated about all the latest trends and changes in fitness. I have to stay at the top level of my fitness and at this point I cannot live without Exercise. I was actually too involved in exercising before but have changed that now (from 3 hrs to 45 minutes) per day.

DP: What kind of preparation do you do before every class ? Do you feel nervous at any time ?

LM: Music is a very important part of my classes so I arrange my music before the classes. Most of my preparation is mental as I just need to choose the drill to do and I have 100′s of them in my mind.

Teaching a fitness class is actually about pleasing people and is all about customer orientation. People have to like you otherwise they will not return to your class and eventually that class would be closed which would impact me and the gym. When I join a new gym , I feel nervous in the beginning just like when one joins a new job. Because the people are new I have to prove myself again and have to make sure people like the classes. I feel nervous when the people in the classes are new(first timers) as they have to be won over so that they come back next time.

DP: That’s very interesting, I guess Fitness Instructors inherently get to know a lot about Customer Service through their occupation. Describe your average and most hectic day, what motivates you to work hard and teach up to 5 – 6 classes a day.

LM: I’m normally up at 5:15 am and teach my first class called Bootcamp from 6 – 7 a.m . Then I teach another class for Older people from 8 – 10 a.m. Thereafter I go to the university for my classes till 12:30 p.m. Then I teach another class from 1 – 2 pm and then I teach private classes from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. Sometimes I also teach Boxing from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

DP: That is truly mind-blowing. Coming back to the joys of the profession, your occupation involves interacting and meeting a lot of people. Have you made any really close friendships from people you have met in your classes ?

LM: Every regular student at any of my classes is a friend and someone I would stop and say hello to. If I work at a Gym for a long time I end up making good friends with some of my students.

DP: What would you say is the one best and one worst thing about being a fitness instructor ?

LM: Best Thing: I can be loud, crazy and strict and still get paid for it and people love me for that.
Worst Thing: The sound of the alarm in the morning.

DP: Women across the world spend a lot of time and money in trying to look fit and sexy and at times get involved in unhealthy habits like severe dieting, excessive smoking etc. What is your advice to people in this regard ?

LM: One should do everything in moderation including exercise. Diet is key to looking good and staying fit. One should strive to eat clean with diets containing less sugar, oil and fat. Lots of salad, protein, Pasta and Healthy Sandwiches are good for the body. One should always stay well hydrated but drink more water.

DP: Thank you Lia for your time and for sharing your thoughts with us. What is your goal in Life and what countries would you like to visit in the future ?

LM: My goal in life is to make a difference in people’s lives by teaching fitness to young people, and as I get older to old people. I suppose I will always be involved in fitness.

I would like to goto San Francisco and New York in Summers. Also Cambodia and South America. I have never been to India would love to come someday.

Note: The Inside Life and all content published as a part of Inside Life is owned by and exclusive to DelhiPlanet. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Inside Life: Behind The Scenes With A Fitness Instructor – Part 1

A DelhiPlanet Exclusive – Checkout the introduction to the Inside Life Series here

Tall, Slender, Slim, highly attractive and very fit. Five characteristics that can make a woman extremely desirable. However, for a fitness instructor these characteristics are not only important but highly essential.

Stop for a moment and think about the lives of fitness instructors. Their job is to make you us feel good and to keep us healthy. They work their minds and bodies at the same time and if you’ve ever been to a fitness class you will have noticed as to how they speak out the instructions, demonstrate the poses and also observe that people are doing them right, all at the same time. A good fitness instructor not only needs to know the skills of what she teaches but also needs to look stunningly fit, so that she can develop an aspirational effect (The desire to look as good as your instructor by regularly attending their classes and adhering to their advice) around her. While we have the luxury to fall sick or chuck a sickie a fitness instructor doesn’t have this luxury. Falling sick is equal to leave without pay and very rarely do the instructors get paid leave.

Down Under, in Australia fitness is a big deal as is evident from the superlative performances of Australia in various different sports. Thus, we decided to take you behind the scenes into the life of a gorgeous, stunning and extremely flexible Aussie fitness instructor. We talked to Lia Mcinnis, who is a boxacise instructor at the University Gym in UNSW to get an idea of what her life is and what she feels about her occupation.

DelhiPlanet (DP) : Hi Lia, Welcome to DelhiPlanet. A very warm welcome to you from the entire team at DelhiPlanet. Let’s start by getting to know you better, please tell us something about yourself.

Lia Mcinnis(LM) : Hi, my name is Lia Mcinnis and I was born and raised in Canberra, Australia. I was a competitive gymnast from the age of five, a sport which took me all around Australia for various competitions. I competed in gymnastics till the age of 18 after which I focused more on my education.

At the age of 18, I wanted to be either a psychologist, a nutriontist or a physiotherapist. Since I couldn’t make up my mind I decided to do a double degree in psychology and sports science. My life as a gymnast along with my academic interests drew me to fitness and so I started working as a fitness instructor at the age of 18 and have now been doing it for eight years (and with that I just gave you my age).

DP: That’s a really interesting story. What is it like to grow up in a country like Australia where there is great importance placed on fitness and sports ? Was it something that was a part of your family legacy ?

LM: Although I have been born and brought up in Australia, I have grown up with some exposure to American culture. My father is American and is a big fan of Baseball. When he came to Australia he became a part of the local Baseball league and eventually played for the Australian Base League. Thus from a very young age I was exposed to sports and fitness. I also think that I had special talents and a gifted body as I could do my first cartwheel at the age of four years.

DP: A cartwheel at the age of four, no wonder you became a Gymnast !!! How challenging is it to become a gymnast. Please share some of your favorite memories with us.

LM: I started training as a gymnast at the AIS at the age of five and was selected to be in the Olympics 2000 squad for Artistic Gymnastics, so the training actually started 12 years before the Olympics. I continued to be a part of the squad for the next three years but then made the choice to pull out as the squad members attended gym school and not normal school.

The preparation was also too hard and demanding for a seven year old. However I continued training at a local club and was a part of the National squad that traveled to Hawaii for the Aloha Fest. Our team won the Bronze medal. In Australia, gymnasts are not put under that much pressure as compared to countries like Russia and China. However we did train for 30 hours a week. I learned a lot of good lessons and inculcated qualities of team spirit and hard work through this experience.

DP: You are very experienced fitness instructor having taught in various health clubs across Australia. What kind of training programs does one need to take to become a fitness trainer in Australia?

LM: To be a fitness trainer in Australia one needs to have a level -3 certification in order to teach on the Gym floor and level – 4 certification to teach Personal clients. To teach fitness classes one needs to do an Aerobics Modules, while to teach Boxing you need to do Boxing workshops. The skills in these areas keep changing and you need to get re-certified every two years. I finished the first two courses by the age of 18 and started working thereafter. I started working at Hyatt, Canberra followed by Alive Health and Fitness, Southern Cross and then Anytime Fitness in Canberra. Currently I work at UNSW in Sydney. I also have my own Business where I run Bootcamps for women.

DP: Now let’s talk a little bit about the profession of a Fitness Instructor. How long does it take to become comfortable in the role after having gained the necessary certifications ?

LM: Initially I started teaching one on one classes as I didn’t think I could do group classes. I actually started teaching group classes by accident or you could call it “fate“. One day while working at the Southern cross gymnasium in Canberra one of the instructors pulled out of a class at the last minute and no one else was available. At that point I had to jump in and fill in for her. I thoroughly enjoyed that experience and decided to take advance certifications that allowed me to do different kinds of group classes.

We’ll continue the rest of the conversation with Lia and give you an idea of what life as a fitness instructor is in the next part of this episode. Stay tuned.

Note: The Inside Life and all content published as a part of Inside Life is owned by and exclusive to DelhiPlanet. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Inside Life : Delving Into The Work Of A Television News Presenter, Part 2

A DelhiPlanet Exclusive

We’re back with last and final part of the first feature of “The Inside Life“. Checkout the first part here. We would now present the remaining part of our Interview with noted News Presenter for Televisa Monterrey (A Mexican News Channel), Miss Christine Waller.

DelhiPlanet (DP) : So Christine, as we understand it reporting News involves dealing with a gamut of emotions. You could be reporting a war or you could be a reporting a funny incident. What kind of demeanor are you instructed to maintain? Do you get ever let go of your emotions while reporting say something sensitive or tragic ?

Christine Waller (CW) : You know, this is an interesting question. Perhaps under different circumstances, I may be more affected by the tragic details of a difficult story. But since my reports do not require me to immerse myself in the culture or place where the story is happening — all of my research is remotely conducted — this does not tend to be a problem for me. What’s more, my reports are short and deal with the large scale picture… there’s not enough time to get involved emotionally in a period of just 3 minutes. Although, during the research stage for the segment, you come to realize that so many things are happening in the world… the average person may choose to ignore this reality, but as a journalist it all fits into the larger world context you are trying to report on, so it can be difficult in that sense.

DP: Now then, coming to a question that a lot of girls would like to know about and a lot of guys won’t mind knowing about is about the way you maintain your looks and appearance as presentation is very important part of Television. Many young girls and women get influenced by the image and looks of young and attractive women like you who regularly appear on television. Please tell us as to how you maintain your looks and your advice to other women who might be reading this ?

CW: I think broadcast journalism allows for quite a bit of flexibility in this regard. What’s most important is that you tell a good story. From there, the make-up artists can work some real wonders. My advice for young women would be to be healthy, eat well, exercise regularly, love yourself, and go find a great story to tell!.

DP: That’s surely great advice. I bet that men would adore women who can tell good stories, that don’t revolve around gossip . Please tell us something about the shooting process of a News Broadcast. As there can’t be any re-takes or mistakes, how do ensure that you won’t stumble or get tongue tied at some point.

CW: There is quite a bit of production process behind a news broadcast. In my case, a large portion of my report is pre-recorded. The process is as follows: I pick a topic that I’d like to report on that week, usually the most influential international news story going on from Wednesday to Friday. I research about it, and write a script that goes beyond just reporting the facts but include a brief analysis. From there, the news editor will help me make any necessary adjustments with the report regarding my grammar. On Sunday evenings, before delivering my report on live television on Monday morning, I go to the station and record my script. During the night, news producers will match appropriate images to my audio recording. Monday morning, I arrive to the station and interact with the main news anchor on live television, introducing this week’s topic and closing the report with a few comments.

DP: Wow, that surely seems like a lot of work. But then I’m sure that you party just as hard as you work because it’s a general perception that people in the media have really hip and happening lives with really wide friend circles. Is this true in your case and can it be generalized for all ?

CW: Actually, for most local news reporters, having a job in broadcast televsion is just like any other job. It’s true that due to my position at Televisa, I’ve been invited to moderate certain events in the city as a master of ceremonies, or attend other public openings, but nothing extraordinary. In most cases, the networking you conduct as a journalist is more due to your personality and not your position — always looking to meet new people, hear new stories, and make new contacts.

DP: Well said, you seem to be a good proof of the fact that Man is a Social Animal. So tell us something about your popularity, have you ever met someone who was a regular follower of your newscast? Do you expect people to recognize you when you go out somewhere. If not, then do you do wish for the same.

CW: I have a group of close friends who faithfully follow my reports. I also upload my reports to YouTube for my family in the U.S. to watch. I’ve received some interesting comments from viewers through these on-line forums. As to whether people recognize me in public here in Monterrey, not so much… I suppose I’d need more air time for that, maybe someday!

DP: And finally, we would like to know some funny incidents that you’ve been involved in. Viewers love it when people on television make mistakes especially newscasters who always seem perfect.

CW: Oh, I have plenty of these. I still get very nervous just before delivering my report in front of our viewing audience of over 1 million people in metropolitan Monterrey, but at the very start when I was first learning how to participate with the news program, I used to get even more nervous. There was one time when the camera man counted down, 3-2-1, you’re on! He pointed to me to let me know that I was on live television and I completely blanked. I had no idea what to say. It was terrible! Although only 2 or 3 seconds of silence passed, it felt like a lifetime. They actually had to cut directly to my segment before more time passed because the news producers said I looked like a ghost!. It was embarrassing but very funny at the same time because all the news anchors said that is bound to happen at one point or another. Let’s just hope that it doesn’t happen too soon again!

DP: That would have surely been really funny. It was great talking to you Christine, thank you very much for your time and I’m sure our readers would have got some understanding about the Inside Life Of A News Presenter.

Note: The Inside Life and all content published as a part of Inside Life is owned by and exclusive to DelhiPlanet. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Inside Life : Delving Into The Work Of A Television News Presenter, Part 1

A DelhiPlanet Exclusive

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be a Doctor, an Engineer, an Architect or a Teacher. Hmm, not really, because these are some of the most common occupations in the world and most people more or less have an idea of what these people do. However wouldn’t it be exciting to get to know a Professional Dancer, a Musician, a Investigative Journalist, a Travel Writer, an Actor, an Archaeologist, a Disc Jockey, a TV Host etc. There are 100′s of occupations in the world and sometimes it’s just so fascinating to meet someone who’s work is very different from the normal run of the mill stuff, especially so when it involves interaction with the media, appearing on television, attending a lot of parties, traveling etc.

While from the outset it appears that such people have really great jobs and a terrific life, that’s mostly not the situation and it’s just another instance of the “the grass being greener on the other side“. But even the realization of this fact is not enough to satisfy human curiosity and to answer the question “why does this person get to a great job with so much money and fame while my life’s going nowhere“. To answer such questions we at DelhiPlanet decided to introduce a new theme of articles titled “The Inside Life“.

The Inside Life would take an in depth look at the lives of people in occupations that seem very creative and interesting from the outset. Here we would get to know these individuals through personal interviews and would find out more about their life and work in their professions. We start of this series by interviewing a Television News Presenter. A News presenter is someone people see everyday and someone they sub-consciously develop an attachment with. The news presenters bring information about the world to us and take us into the lives of other famous people. Their jobs involve hours of exposure to the television, frequent travel and recognition.

So what’s it like to be one, let’s find out in an exclusive interview with noted News Presenter for Televisa Monterrey (A Mexican News Channel), Miss Christine Waller.

DelhiPlanet (DP) : Hi Christine, A very warm welcome to you from the entire team at DelhiPlanet. Let’s start by getting to know you better, please tell us something about yourself.

Christine Waller( CW) : Hi, my name is Christine Waller and I’m originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the U.S. I have lived in Monterrey, Mexico for the past couple of years working full time for a company called CEMEX as part of their Corporate Communications team. I also work with a local TV station called Televisa, delivering a weekly report on live television about US – Mexico relations.

DP: What kind of News do you present and for how long are you infront of the Camera daily ?

CW: Every Monday morning I deliver my report on live television at 7:30am about a broad range of international topics covering such issues as the 2008 U.S. Primary and Presidential Elections, the 2008 Olympics, U.S. – Mexico Border Politics, etc. My report lasts for about 3 to 4 minutes, but approximately 5 hours of preparation are necessary for this seemingly short period of time.

DP: That’s an interesting fact Ms. Waller (shown below in action while delivering a report ), I’m sure not many people are aware about the preparation that goes in before delivering a report on live television.

DP: So tell us, Did you always love to be in front of the camera from an early age or did you start liking it at a later point of time.

CW: I think that I’ve always loved telling stories from an early age more than being in front of the camera. My mother says that ever since I could talk, I told stories to whoever would listen, and that ever since I could pick up a pencil I was writing stories for whoever would read them. My passion is much more about telling good stories, in my personal and professional life, than being center stage on camera.

In high school, I gained a bit of experience as a student reporter on our internal high school news channel which was broadcast throughout the community . Later in college, I published my stories through a variety of University Creative Writing Journals and other media channels. These expereinces were helpful in making me realize that the world of journalism was something that suited me well, but again, it’s always been more about telling good stories, whether in print or broadcast format, than anything else. .

DP: I see, “the ability to tell stories” that’s seems to be an important quality that should be inherently present in someone looking to be a journalist or a News Reporter. Now tell us something about your work as a TV Presenter, how rigorous are the schedules and how hard is it to be in front of the camera ?

CW: The most rigorous part about being a broadcast journalist is most certainly finding and developing an interesting story. Presenting the story on live television is just icing on the cake. The most difficult part is looking at the world through an angle not seen before, finding out why the story I want to tell is interesting, and what is the best way to tell it. Then it’s a challenge to organize the details of the story in such a way that a broad, general audience clearly understands what you are trying to communicate, how the story fits into their personal life, and why they should care about listening to the report.

Since I participate with the morning news program, it is a challenge to wake up at 5:30am to arrive to the station for them to do my hair and make-up before appearing live at 7:30am. It’s important to have plenty of coffee on hand. Another challenge about actually being in front of the camera is staying on your toes, and to be ready to answer any question they may throw your way.

Catch the rest of the interview here .

Note: The Inside Life and all content published as a part of Inside Life is owned by and exclusive to DelhiPlanet. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

DelhiPlanet Weekends : The Million Dollar Vacation

Imagine a vacation where you get to stay in a three bedroom-suite lined with gold and marble – with crystal chandeliers, a lounge with a 1.5m plasma TV and laptops. If that isn’t exotic enough then add the fact that there would be a personal butler to tend to you 24 hours a day between private jet excursions, where you can claim a handmade Persian rug in Iran, receive a spa treatment at the Dead Sea and hit Bahrain to dive for pearls – which will be fashioned into gifts by on-site jewelers.

Well, if all of this sounds like a dream then you’ll be amazed to know that sometimes it just takes a lot of money to change dreams to reality. Apparently all of this is on offer at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, reportedly the world’s first seven star hotel. Built at a construction cost of over US$3 billion, the hotel has 302 rooms and 92 suites and is reputed to be the most expensive hotel ever built. Much of the interior decor is in gold and marble. The main central area houses an expansive marble floor, balconies and a large patterned dome above, picked out in gold.

For a cost of $1,025,000, the hotel offers a seven-night package with all of the above. In addition to this the deal includes all food and drink at the hotel’s 13 bars and restaurants and an on-demand chauffeur-driven $410,000 Maybach supercar. The boys can play at the ultra-exclusive Abu Dhabi Golf Club while the girls will make their own fragrance with experts from Yas Perfumes. Other adventures include a desert island tour, deep-sea fishing and champagne at a romantic venue at sunset (Source). Now, that’s what you call a “Million Dollar Vacation“, which also sounds like a nice idea for a new reality T.V Show.

DelhiPlanet Weekends : 5 Places Where It Pays To Be A Guy

Ah, the weekend is here again. The only time of the week to relax, chill or go out, visit friends, visit places and in general do things leisurely. In most places of the world the working week is from Monday To Friday with Saturday and Sunday being holidays. However there is some variance with regards to this in the middle-east. For instance, most middle east-countries including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Kuwait have a working week from Saturday to Wednesday with Thursday and Friday being off-days. However in Egypt, Syria and the UAE the working week is from Sunday to Thursday. So if you’re in one of these places you’re really gonna miss “Saturday Nights“.

Well, this weekend we’ve got something really suited for the young,single and eligible bachelor, a species that is most certainly the most widespread. So what are the factors that would influence the decision of young bachelor to move to another city. Well let’s see, level of development, public transport, cost of living, leisure and entertainment, drinking age, etc, etc and at some level the kind of women. After all who wouldn’t like to move to a city that is not only well-developed but also has an excellent male-female ratio with some really good looking and easy to talk to girls.

Recently a survey was done to find out the top cities of the world having the most beautiful women where the results were determined by: Quality of women, Male to Female ratio and Ease of talking to women. Let’s have a look at what the top 5 cities are:

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Take a trip across the streets of Amsterdam (check the exclusive DP Travel Coverage here) and you’ll find so many beautiful women cycling across the streets. The women of Amsterdam and dutch women in general are naturally beautiful and very Independent. They usually make nice home-makers and are known be better in relationships as compared to their other european counterparts.

Caracas, Venezuela

There’s something about this developing latin american country that just amazes you. It’s a well known fact that Venezuela has won the maximum number of Miss World and Miss Universe pageants and has a thriving beauty industry. The women here take great pride in their appearance. Regardless of their socio-economic status, it is estimated that Venezuelans spend one fifth of their disposable income on beauty products, a startling statistic for a country in which 80 percent of its population lives below the poverty line. A study conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide revealed that 65 percent of Venezuelan women think about their looks “all the time,” in contrast to the 27 percent of American women in the same category.

In Caracas’s shanty towns, jumping over puddles in sloping alleys of clapboard houses, high-heeled women in tight low-waist jeans work their way to the bus stop. A mixture of Amazonian Indian, African, and European blood has created a race that, although subtle to the foreign eye, is quite exotic. As women pass by, men will compliment them and unlike most countries of the world these compliments are well received and are followed by a hug or a thank you. Someone we met also told us that turning 18 years old is something that all girls look forward to in this country, because at this age the girls father usually gives a major beauty enhancing gift to the daughter.

Now this is surely a place worth visiting for the young and eligible bachelor.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Venezuela, Brazil along with Argentina form the trio of Latin American countries which boast of an extremely attractive female species. The women of Buenos Aires are naturally beautiful and every women in Buenos Aires is a model waiting to be found. The parties are legendary and the clubs and events are overloaded with beautiful, approachable, and fun women.

No wonder that Argentinian men are masters at flirting and consider it to be a part of their culture.

Copenhagen, Denmark & Stockholm, Sweden

Finally the Scandinavians have the kind of looks that most people can just dream of, Tall people with blonde hair and blue eyes. Scandinavian women are one of the most approachable, educated and friendly women in the world and the sex ratio is also extremely good in these countries. Definitely a must visit place for the eligible bachelor.

While the countries listed above definitely score on the ratio and ease of talking factors which is the criteria on which the survey is based on, it must be said that all countries of the world have good-looking women and in general women are always beautiful in one way or the other.

DelhiPlanet Weekends : The Perfect 10

0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10 digits which when put together can form infinite other numbers and quantities. Each of these digits have some special characteristics and qualities associated with them both mathematically and numerologically as well as historically. The Number 9 is regarded as the King Of all numbers as it is the only number which when multiplied by any either natural number would always have the sum of the digits as 9. The Number 7 on the other hand is also quite significant as it occurs very frequently in our nature and life (7 Colors of the Rainbow, 7 Days Of the Week, 7 Chakras in the Human Body, 7 Deadly Sins etc. ).

And then there is something special about the number 10 as well – it is a sign and symbol of perfection. 10 on 10 is the sign of a perfect score, All the great sportsmen in history have been associated with the number 10. So much so that if you are watching a football match and wish to know who the best player in the team is, then all you need to do is to find out who wears the Number 10 jersey.

This week DelhiPlanet delves back into history to re-capture some amazing moments and re-live the magic of the Perfect 10.

When The Aussies Were Lakered

It’s not very often that you see the Aussies humbled in cricket and that too by one man. However in 1956 during the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, one man single handedly destroyed the Aussies with figures of 19/90 for the entire test. Jim Laker took 9 wickets for 37 runs in the first innings of the test match and 10 wickets for 53 runs in the second innings. Laker who was married to an Austrian national at the time and she didn’t happen to know much about cricket. On the day of his achievement when he arrived home, his wife asked him, “Jim, did you do something good today?” after she had taken hundreds of congratulatory telephone calls. Remarkably, Laker had also taken all ten wickets in an innings for Surrey against the same Australians earlier in the season, the first time a bowler had taken all ten against the Australians since Ted Barratt did so in 1878.

Jim Laker’s record of 19/90 was something that happens only once in the lifetime of a sport and it is very unlikely that it would ever happen again. Surely a great example of a Perfect 10.

The Perfect 10 X 7

At the tender age of 14, Romanian Gymnast Nadia Elena Comaneci became one of the stars of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. During the team portion of the competition, her routine on the uneven bars was scored at a 10.0. It was the first time in modern Olympic gymnastics history that the score had ever been awarded. In those days the scoreboards were not even equipped to display scores of 10.0—so Nadia’s perfect marks were reported on the boards as 1.00 instead. Over the course of the Olympics, Comaneci would earn six additional 10s, en route to capturing the all-around, beam and bars titles and a bronze medal on the floor exercise. The Romanian team also placed second in the team competition.

After Nadia there have been very few other gymnasts who have managed to get the perfect score of 10. America’s Mary Lou Retton is another name that comes to mind. Mary had perfect 10s on floor exercise and vault in the 1984 Summer Olympics. These days however it’s not possible to score a perfect 10, not because the gymnasts are not upto it but because the new perfect score is now 17.

Just like Laker, Nadia’s performance was also something that is most unlikely to be ever repeated by anyone. Yet another instance of a Perfect 10.

When Pakistan Were Kumbled

Well, for this one we’ll just let the images and the video do the talking. Anil Kumble’s feat of 10 wickets in a innings was surely a great achievement which happened right here in Delhi and it just goes to show that even Indian sportsmen are capable of achieving the perfect score.

Uniting The World With Yoga – An Exclusive Interview With Queen Yogini Kristin McGee, Part – 2

We’re back with the last and final part of our exclusive interview with the amazing Kristin Mcgee. If you’re new to yoga and are looking for a place to start then look no further cause with Kristin McGee’s invigorating yoga techniques you’ll find yourself on the road to fitness much earlier than you imagined. You can catch our previous coverage on Kristin and her yoga programs at the following links:

1. Uniting The World With Yoga : An Interview With Kristin McGee, Part -1
2. Introducing Kristin McGee – The Queen Yogini Of The West

And now for the remaining part of our interview.

DelhiPlanet(DP): Kristin, you are an incredibly fit person, do you diet or avoid any particular kind of foods. Also do you suggest any diet to your students so that they can achieve the true benefits of your program. We recently talked to our readers regarding the Paul McKenna theory of “eat whatever you want, whenever you are hungry but in the right amounts“. Do you also believe in this.

Kristin: I really believe in the “everything in moderation” approach. I try not to label foods as bad and good but as how do I feel when I eat this. Sometimes my body craves a good steak. Most often I really love fruits, veggies, yogurts, fish, chicken, whole grains and tofu, oh yeah and a glass of wine and dark chocolate! I think Paul McKenna is right when he says listen to your body and try and go off of internal cues when you are hungry eat and stop when you are full and listen to your body if it tells you it wants something let it have it but also know how much is right for you.

DP: “Everything you could possibly ever want, have or need is right here inside of you“, happens to be one of your favorite quotes which was actually created by you. In today’s world there is so much greed, want and desire and every person is just chasing material benefits. How do you think one can overcome this and actually get to feel the way your quote describes. How does yoga help in achieving Mind Control

Kristin: I think the benefits of yoga are very subtle and it’s not so much about controlling the mind but getting to a mind state where you start to realize that truly all we really need is to take care of our health and our self, be with the people we love, do something we really enjoy in order to have food and shelter and certain treats and other than that there isn’t much more to life. I’ve been realizing after 14 years in NY that I really don’t need all that much. I love teaching yoga, I like staying healthy, I love my boyfriend, my family and my friends and I just keep trying to remind myself every day how lucky I am to be alive and breathing. When you are more conscious of your breath in yoga practice, you become more conscious of each awesome breath you take each day and you don’t feel you need much more to make you happy.

DP: Please Describe what a normal Kristin McGee Working Day is like.

Kristin: I wake up very early and sometimes do stomach churning. Then I have a nice healthy breakfast—my favorite meal of the day—then I’m off to teach. I walk everywhere or take the subway to and from client’s homes and the gyms and studios where I work. I always carry snacks for mid morning and mid afternoon and I usually have a healthy sandwich of tofu or hummus for lunch. I do my own practice sometime during the day and when I get home at night I check my emails and write for Veria where I have a blog. I make a healthy dinner and read some of my yoga magazines or do a crossword puzzle. I’ve been trying to make more space for mediation and if my honey is in town we share a glass of wine and take a walk along the river on the West Side highway. I’m in bed around 10 or 11 most nights.

DP: Yes folks, we forgot to mention that Kristin is a great writer too and has her own blog here. Kristin, please tell us something about your retreat workshops. We know that you recently held a retreat course at Morgan’s rock in Nicaragua and prior to that in Marrakesh, Morrocco. What kind of retreats would you like to do in future ?

Kristin:I met a woman named Erica who leads retreats to exotic locations through her company called Escape To Shape and she hires me as their premier yoga instructor. I loved the trip I did in Sicily and Morocco was very interesting. I’m teaching at Kripalu in September and next June was asked to lead a retreat in Nicaragua. It is such a great way to see a new part of the world and wake up and do yoga every morning and meet wonderful people from all over the world. I would love to do a yoga/wine retreat or a yoga/chocolate retreat. I will look in to organizing that and I’d also love to do something like that out in Sun Valley, Idaho where I’m from and maybe combine it with sking in the winter or hiking in the summer.

DP: That’s sounds great, you surely are Uniting the world with Yoga. Tell us, do you believe that in order to be true yogi it is necessary to shed all materialistic desires and lead a very simple life devoid of any body pleasures. This happens to be a kind of impressions a lot of people have about yogis.

Kristin: Not at all. I think yoga fits in to any lifestyle. It is human nature to want nice things and we should give ourselves the things we like—body pleasures especially. People crave touch. Babies love to be hugged and nurtured. Adults love to connect on a physical level with each other and I think that is the most beautiful forms of union of them all.

DP: How affordable are the yoga classes that you take. Are the meant for only upscale New Yorkers or for the average man as well ?

Kristin: No. Classes range from as little as $15 up to $150 for privates. And many studios offer work exchange programs. I have a sliding scale for my private clients and try to accommodate everyone I can. Privates are definitely expensive but group classes and dvds and home practices are very inexpensive or free!

DP: Please share with us your experience of training the Winter Olympics particpants at Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002. Were any of the participants fitter than you .

Kristin: Oh yes! All the Olympic athletes are in incredible shape. I loved working with them and showing them ways to actually not push so hard but to feel good when they practice. The Olympics are all about competing, in yoga there is no competition so it was wonderful for them to drop that armor and just do something good for their bodies and minds.

DP: Do you believe in the concepts of Karma, Past Life and Re-Incarnation. Also would you like to be born again and if so as what and where ?

Kristin: Ooh that is a very tough question and one that I may not be able to answer until I’m in my 80’s! I think karma is real—what you give is what you get. I’m not 100% about the reincarnation. I kind of believe that we regenerate through nature and when my body decomposes it becomes part of the earth which makes beautiful flowers which bring sunshine and happiness to the next generations.

DP: You come from a family that loves music and we know that your father is a great piano player. Please name some of your favorite present day music artists. Do you also listen to Indian music.

Kristin: I love Indian music and often play a lot of Ram Das and Krishna Das in my classes. I know those are more chanting and I’d like to hear other types of Indian music when I come to visit India. I’ve always loved James Taylor and I like John Mayer and Coldplay and anything my boyfriend, Tim, plays. He is the real DJ in our relationship and he introduces me to great music all the time I just don’t remember the names of the bands half the time!

DP: Please tell us something about your hobbies. What else do you like to do in your spare time ?

Kristin: I love to ski and play tennis. I like to be in nature and hike and camp and fish and I’m rafting the Colorado River with my dad in the Grand Canyon for 19 days in July. I love to do crossword puzzles. I like seeing my friends and going to movies. I love going out to dinner and to the theater. I love to dance and I love to sing. I love when I’m home in Idaho with my whole family and we make homemade tacos and play board games. I like to read and I like to learn more about wines and cooking and I love to travel.

DP: Finally, What is the Dream or Mission of Your Life and How would you like to be remembered as ?

Kristin: My dream mission in life is to continually grow in to being a better person. I would hate to stop learning or discovering all that this world has to offer. I want to keep discovering my inner world, as wel, and share the most authentic me that I possibly can. I want to inspire people of all ages to do the same and to be happy and feel connected to their truest self. I want to build my Bendigirl brand and help build young girls and boys self esteem one breath at a time. I want to get married to my boyfriend Tim O’Shea and make little O’Shea babies so I can nurture them and bring them in to this incredible world. I want to be even half as incredible and amazing as my parents have been to me. I want to share what they’ve given me with my children and grandchildren. I want to give back to my parents as much as I can. That goes for my brothers and their wives as well anyone who has helped me continue on my path. I never ever want to take any of these people, Tim, mom, dad, Kraig, Kara, KT, KC, Kristopher, Julia, Daniel for granted.

I’d like to be remembered as a really good person, one who always tried her best and learned from her mistakes and who was truly wonderful and giving from the depths of her heart.

DP: Thank you so much Kristin for sparing some time for us, I am sure lots of people will benefit from your knowledge and you are really doing some wonderful work. I hope that you had a nice time talking to us.

Kristin: I want to thank you so much. The fact that we have already connected makes me feel like I’m on the right path and doing something good in my life. You inspire me to continue on this path. I want to visit you in India and I want to learn. Together you can teach me more and more about your culture and I can show you what I’ve learned so far in my Yogini life in NYC.

Namaste

Oh yeah and “Always always remember that everything you could possibly ever want, have or need is right here inside of you”.

Note: This is a DelhiPlanet Exclusive Presentation. Reproduction of this article in any form in full or in part without prior permission is prohibited. If you wish to spread the word, kindly link to the post.

Uniting The World With Yoga – An Exclusive Interview With Queen Yogini Kristin McGee, Part – 1

It is an ancient science that was crafted by the gods with the purpose of keeping all human beings fit and healthy. This science makes a person “aware” of oneself by uniting the body, mind and soul. It is known around the world as “Yoga“.

In today’s fast paced world, each one of us has so many desires and wishes and the only way one can work towards fulfilling them is to stay away from all kinds of health problems. One of the ways to stay fit, healthy and content is to become aware or as people would like to say become “yogic“. The word yoga has many mis-conceptions associated with it and many people think that “being yogic” means to shed all desires and lead a plain and simple life. Well, it’s time to clear those mis-conceptions and give you an insight into how you can become a Yogi In The 21^st century.

As promised earlier we are delighted to bring to you an exclusive two part interview with the world-renowned American Yogini Kristin McGee (read all about her in our introduction article here). We asked Kristin a range of questions about what she thinks about yoga, what it means in today’s world, her role in spreading the knowledge of yoga and her interest in coming to India. Ofcourse, we also peppered it up with some personal questions about herself and her life in one of the most happening cities of the world, NYC.

DelhiPlanet(DP): Namaste Kristin Ji, A very warm welcome to you from the entire team at DelhiPlanet and all the people of India. How do you feel about talking to us and connecting to the people in India ?

Kristin: I am super excited!

DP: Have you or anyone from your family ever visited India ?

Kristin: Unfortunately, no!

DP: So then, what places would you like to visit in India and how well do you understand Hindi ?

Kristin: I would love to visit Mysore since it is the home of Astanga and Patabi Jois. I’d also love to go to Pune where BKS Iyenger has his home. I would love a full tour of the country actually and am open to experience every part of the wonderful history and culture that you have. What are your recommendations for me?

I believe Hindi is the language still spoken by many Indians and it is a direct descent of the Sanskrit language which I use when I teach yoga asanas.

DP: Well, I am sure you would like to go the Taj Mahal in Agra. You should also visit Rajasthan, Kashmir, Kerala and ofcourse our city Delhi . Tell us something about your initial interest in acting. How were you drawn to it and what kind of roles did you enjoy doing the most.

Kristin: I wanted to be an actress from the day I was 4. I used to sing Shirley Temple songs like “on the good ship lollipop” to my dolls and perform in my bedroom. I’ve always loved live theater and musical theater and I think I would adore the glamour and beauty and drama of the Bollywood films produced in India. I like taking on any role that challenges me to open up more and find something new about myself. I think acting and yoga are very similar in that respect.

DP: Have You Seen Any Bollywood Movies. If so, please tell us which ones have you seen and which one is your favorite ?

Kristin: One of my all time favorite movies is Monsoon Wedding–I’m not sure if it is considered a Bollywood film or not. I love Mira Nair as a director. I love the colors and the sights and the beauty and the humor. I love how happy the Indian culture is and how they love to make things larger than life. They don’t settle for dull or mediocre. Please introduce me to some more Bollywood films that you recommend.

Recently, I just ordered 4 dvds from Hemalaaya all on Bollywood Dance. I can’t wait to try them!

DP: While still studying Acting at NYU you decided that you also wanted to master Yoga. What caused this sudden transformation ? Was it a desire to stay slim and fit or something else ?

Kristin: We were doing yoga in the morning to open us up and help us connect to our breathing which is very important for actors. I actually realized that staying slim and fit was just an added bonus to the focus and flexibility I was getting from the practice.

DP: Today if I were to take you back in time by 10-12 years and offer you a choice of being “Kristin McGee – The Great Actress” or “Kristin McGee – The Great Yoga Guru”, then which one would you choose.

Kristin: Most definitely Kristin McGee the Great Yoga Guru but I feel unworthy of such a title and feel like I don’t quite deserver the title of Guru how about Kristin McGee the Great Yogini !

DP: The past few years have seen the development and introduction of new yoga techniques in India where more time is devoted to intense breathing exercises than doing asanas. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art Of Living Foundation has made Bhastrika and Ujayi breathing a part of his yoga workouts while Swami Ramdev teaches Kapalbhatti breathing. Do you constantly update and innovate with your Yoga workouts to include such elements or do they stay the same for long periods of time

Kristin: I completely agree with both Swami Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that the breath is the foundation of the practice and it’s important to incorporate pranayama such as kapalabhati and bhastrika in the asana practice. I’ve recently been doing an hour long pranayama class every Wednesday before a two hour asana practice and it is incredible. I love alternate nostril breathing.

DP: Yoga was like Love at First Sight for you. You were able to do the most difficult asanas after only a few classes. For the average person who is slightly above the recommended weight how long would it take to see the benefits of yoga, provided regular practice 3-5 times a week.

Kristin: Yes yoga was love at first sight for me but I definitely couldn’t do the most difficult asanas after just a few classes! I actually was good at the headstands and arm balances but it’s taken me years to get more open in my hamstrings and to develop strength in my core and lower back. I think the beautiful thing about the yoga practice is it is a life long endeavor and there is no end result we need to achieve. If you start doing yoga, you’ll feel so good you’ll want to do it as often as possible. Any time you do any asanas, even if it’s just 5 minutes a day, your body will feel and see the results. 3 to 5 times a week is great as well. Listen to your body and you’ll know when and how often you like to practice.

DP: The Girls and Women of today, around the world are highly influenced by Media and Television and choose unhealthy eating habits inorder to appear like the models and actressses that they see. What message do you have for such girls and women. Can one achieve the perfect model figure by healthy eating and yoga.

Kristin: I think there really is no such thing as “perfect” by other people’s standards. I try and tell everyone to just realize they are already perfect just as they are. The yoga practice helps us get more connected to our self and eventually we do what makes us happy as opposed to trying to fit some unreal image that they plaster in Hollywood magazines. I really hate to see what it does to people and I myself have struggled with eating disorders in the past and when I discovered yoga, I found that I need to love my body from the inside out first and foremost. The rest will start to take care of itself—I promise !

DP: You yourself are an extremely attractive and fit person, so do you ever worry about putting on weight or ageing ?

Kristin: I am a woman so of course I worry about all those things! But I look at the yoginis in their 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s and they’ve aged so gracefully and beautifully. I think laugh lines are gorgeous and I think even a little tummy filled with love is attractive. I’m trying to embrace more of myself everyday and do what feels good as opposed to worrying about the external fears and pressures.

DP: Many people in India and around the world believe that in order to enjoy the true benefits of yoga or anything spiritual one must completely abstain from all forms of non-vegetarian food and alcohol. Please share with us your thoughts on this.

Kristin: I try not to be too dogmatic in my approach and believe spirituality and diet and lifestyle are all very personal things. I don’t like to preach to my students and I think ultimately it’s best to do what makes you feel good. If you prefer to abstain from alcohol and red meat I think that is fine and if you like to eat hamburgers and drink a beer I think that is fine too!

Well, that’s all for Part – 1 of this series. Stay Tuned for Part – 2 and find answers to the kind of diet you should take while doing yoga, the effect of yoga on calming the mind, Kristin’s yoga retreats and much more (Catch Kristin in yoga action with young kids in the picture below ).

Note: This is a DelhiPlanet Exclusive Presentation. Reproduction of this article in any form in full or in part without prior permission is prohibited. If you wish to spread the word, kindly link to the post.

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