New Ministry of Magic song

Ministry of Magic has posted a song called "Goodbye Privet Drive." Lyrics are here. Not downloadable yet, alas, but it's really worth a listen: man, these guys are good; their music is so exhilarating and danceable. And they seem to be entering a new period of creativity, promising to release a song a week.

I can't wait for their next CD. I'm certainly going to pounce on this song once it becomes available for sale.

As always, leave a comment, for my own curiosity, to let me know if you like.

Slow kicks variation

pazlazuli showed us a variation on slow kicks last night that just about killed me. But that was good. I have been thinking that slow kicks have been getting easier lately (see my description of them here), but this variation on them just about laid me flat.

In short, you extend the leg out for the kick, slowly, and then--this is variation--lower it slowly until it is just above the floor. Then you raise it slowly back to the waist level position, and then rechamber. Start with one, rechamber, then extend the kick again, raise and lower, raise and lower (i.e., twice), and rechamber. Next kick, raise and lower three times before rechamber. Then four, then five.

OMIGAWD. Brutal. Besides the leg muscles, of course, it targets the abs, particularly the obliques on the round kick, which are the muscles that help keep your torso crunched up as you kick.

Evil, you are pazlazuli Evil! As hard as they were, I'm thrilled to learn this variation, and I'll definitely be adding them into my rotation.