This is the second in the “Stuff I’ve Tried” series of honest-not-for-profit reviews. In case you’ve missed the first, you can see it here, it’s as straight forward and blunt as this post should be. In saying that I’ve only just started writing so who knows where we’ll end up.
I’m gonna try and always keep these posts different, interesting and short. If anyone has any suggestions on stuff to review, let me know.
Sweat 1000
What the hell is SWEAT 1000? Well, according to the website, SWEAT stands for “Specialised Weight Endurance Aerobic Training”, however, I do think that Elzaan describes it best with “It’s pretty much exercising in a night club“. And she’s right too. Sweat 1000 is a super high-intensity workout, complete with a live DJ, laser lights, and a smoke machine. Seriously.
Now, I get this may sound a little cheesy. I thought so too at the start. But the truth is the more you do it, the more you appreciate how different it is to anything else you’ve ever tried and the more you enjoy it. The class alternates between running (read sprinting) on a treadmill and weight training with almost no rest, the theory is, that by the end of the hour you should have burned 1000 calories – I came close once at 980cal but mostly I’ve averaged about 800cal per class since starting at the beginning of August. That’s hands down better than any other workout I’ve ever tried in my life.
So, what did I like about it? Mostly I liked that I don’t need to think about it, I arrive and do whatever the instructor tells me. No walking around a gym waiting for machines or trying to put a program together. I liked that they run 1 class at 3 different fitness levels so you can choose how far you want to push yourself on the day. I also liked that I got super fit within a month and dropped a few kilos in the process, so that’s a plus. What I didn’t like is that the classes tend to be more female focused – lots of bum and tum exercises – but in saying that, I was often one of only 2 guys in a class of 20 women. My biggest gripe though was that it became a little repetitive. The classes are meant to change daily, and for the most part, they do, kinda. One day you’ll be doing a low step class with dumbells and the next day a high step class with dumbells – same same. However, sometimes there would be boxing bags strung up or training ropes hanging from the ceiling making your session just a little different and interesting – I wish there had been more variety.
The biggest question is would I go back? Well, Elzaan and I are currently debating that exact question! We both love it. We love that it’s different, that it’s hard and that it works. We also love how close it is to home. What we don’t love so much is the price. At R2000 a month (unlimited classes) it’s a little steep. I’m not saying it’s not worth it, I just think it’s a little steep when combined with our other gym memberships. We joined on a promotional special of R1000 for a month of unlimited classes (I think that’s actually still running – so check it out) and now that we’re hooked we’re crunching the numbers to see what package would maybe suit us best.
The conclusion: It’s awesome, but don’t take my word for it, the first class is free so try it out and decide for yourself.
Armani Code
Armani pitches this new fragrance as having the elegance of a man who knows exactly how to wear his clothes with a discreet, casual ease, giving him a certain allure and seductive power. I mean, seduction and allure aside, I’m pretty sure that’s me. : )
I was excited when this arrived in the post. I mean, there’s nothing better than a new fragrance right? The possibilities of how awesome you’re gonna feel when you smell good are endless!!!
My reaction to the first spray? “Meh”. Yep, just “Meh” this was however in strong contrast to Elzaans reaction of “Ooooohhh, that smells nice” – truth be told though, she says that about nearly every fragrance I sample. She’s the best! : )
The conclusion: I like spicy woody fragrances. This was an incredible generic mix of sweet on sweet and definitely not for me. I mean, I’ll probably end up wearing it casually every now and then, but if you’re looking for a unique stand out fragrance, keep looking.
Dewars Scotch
This bottle of Dewars 12 year old landed on my doorstep about 3 months ago as an invitation to the launch of Dewars in South Africa. Or was it the re-launch? I’m not sure, I wasn’t able to attend. Awks!
By this time, you should all know that my poison of choice is Bourbon, but that hasn’t always been the case. Before I discovered the sweet delicious nectar of American Bourbon, I was a whiskey man who spent many a night jiggling his whiskey between the ice blocks in the glass. So I know a thing or two about whiskey…or at least the kind of whiskey I like. I opened this Dewars as part of a recipe I was trying out for The Manhattan Cocktail a couple posts ago. Its purpose was to ‘wash the glass’…but I mean…what was I supposed to do after that, throw it away? So I drank it. Yum!
Yum!
I’m not even gonna try to give you a history lesson on Dewars and how it’s one of Scotlands oldest blended scotch whiskeys, nor am I going to tell you all about how Dewar was a marketing genius making his whiskey world famous. You can do all the reading yourself on their brand page here.
I will, however, say that it hit all the right flavor notes for me. It has that sweet honey, caramel flavor that made me love Jonnie Walker Gold so much. Come to think of it, that’s what got me hooked on bourbon. Hmmm, hooked is a strong word. I don’t have a problem or anything. I can stop anytime I want to.
The conclusion: It’s not gonna get me back on to the Whiskey train anytime soon, but I may have a glass or 2 when I feel like switching it up and I’ll proudly offer it to my whiskey drinking friends.
That’s it for August. I’m open to suggestions for September.
Okay. Stay fancy.
