The continued challenges of my "March Madness" quest to exercise every single day in the month.
Thursdays have become a double workout day and today was no exception. Since the threatened snow storm turned out to be nothing more than a flutter, I got up and went to the gym for a 6 AM training session with Tara. I only have a few more personal sessions with her. I'm going to be really sad when they are done.
Today we returned to that lovely bench (I believe it is called a Roman Chair, as I discovered in my half-assed internet searching) where you stand up and then bend over doing sort of a reverse crunch. The purpose is to exercise your back, and boy does it. I am really starting to see some definition. My shoulders are rapidly becoming my favorite body part.
In between doing sets of those (with a weighted plate, of course) and then curls, and then this weird thing I can't even begin to describe, she had me doing all sorts of squats with weights. It was a good workout... which she ended with some core work. Back, butt and abs. I sort of waddled out of there.
Then after work, I rushed out in the still flurrying (but not sticking) snow to go to my Thursday night yoga class at 8 PM. It was a great power vinyasa from the always wonderful Adrienne and I love the small venue. My only complaint (and really it is more just me whining than anything) is that she's been on this Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) kick lately and its like my least favorite pose. I'm not even sure why. I'd rather fall on my face attempting crow (which I did... three times) than do this not that terribly difficult pose. I do go through phases with poses though, so I'm sure that will turn around eventually. I used to dread doing one-legged anything, and now I'd almost rather do a one-legged chaturanga rather than a two-legged one. ALMOST.
And even though my butt hurt from yoga last night and then my morning squat workout, I didn't even mind that there was a lot of time spent in and out of Malasana (a yoga squat). I do reserve the right to change my opinion on that tomorrow morning... during my 5:30 AM bootcamp class. Guess I should go to sleep before my alarm goes off for that one.
Day 6
Day 5
Day4
Showing posts with label power yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label power yoga. Show all posts
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
March Madness - Day 6: Private Party
The continued challenges of my "March Madness" quest to exercise every single day in the month.
I had a workout planned for today, but this afternoon I got a wonderful invite from my friend Kathy that I couldn't refuse. Lest you think this means I skip my workout, I didn't. I just changed my exercise plan. Instead of the elliptical and more jumping jacks than one person could really stand, I got in some power yoga. Kathy was getting a private class from my beloved yoga teacher Adrienne and she graciously asked me to join them. It was such a wonderful treat. I almost don't even have the words.
The class was full of Adrienne's wonderful power yoga moves and she really pushed us both, but to be in a space with just two people with an instructor really devoted to you is just so special. Especially when that teacher knows what you can and can't do and how to push you. And Kathy had this amazing padded floor, that made my wobbly crow attempts a lot less painful when I crash landed.
Anyway, I'm sure my hamstrings and forearms aren't going to love me tomorrow morning, especially since I have to get up super early for a personal training appointment. But whatever. My trainer Tara is used to me doing something wacky and coming in all sore by now.
Day 5
I had a workout planned for today, but this afternoon I got a wonderful invite from my friend Kathy that I couldn't refuse. Lest you think this means I skip my workout, I didn't. I just changed my exercise plan. Instead of the elliptical and more jumping jacks than one person could really stand, I got in some power yoga. Kathy was getting a private class from my beloved yoga teacher Adrienne and she graciously asked me to join them. It was such a wonderful treat. I almost don't even have the words.
The class was full of Adrienne's wonderful power yoga moves and she really pushed us both, but to be in a space with just two people with an instructor really devoted to you is just so special. Especially when that teacher knows what you can and can't do and how to push you. And Kathy had this amazing padded floor, that made my wobbly crow attempts a lot less painful when I crash landed.
Anyway, I'm sure my hamstrings and forearms aren't going to love me tomorrow morning, especially since I have to get up super early for a personal training appointment. But whatever. My trainer Tara is used to me doing something wacky and coming in all sore by now.
Day 5
Sunday, March 25, 2012
This Week's Exercise: Phew! Are My Legs Tired
Didn't have a chance to sit and do my daily exercise round up, so figured I'd sum up this week.
Monday 3/19 - Chased after my daughter. Might not sound so hard, but she's six and was riding her bike at the time, for well over a mile. She looped four times around our apartment complex and expected me to keep up, and I did my damnedest. At one point I was ahead of her and she was shouting for me to go faster, and a neighbor laughed that I had a very tough trainer. Indeed.
Tuesday 3/20 - Training session with Kristin. I was complaining that I have actually gained half and inch in my arms, and that I haven't lost weight recently, despite my diet. Her solution. Just make me do a lot of reps of things really fast. She gets that little stopwatch out, hands me a 30 lb barbell and it was all downhill.
Thursday 3/21 - Another training session with Kristin, since she murdered my arms on Tuesday and they were like jelly, she switched to legs, with lots of weighted squats and some awful exercise that has the quaintly called good mornings. Who comes up with these things? Then I had some time to kill before yoga so I hopped on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes. Went to yoga, where Adrienne was obsessed with planks, and made us hold full wheel for what seemed like an eternity. Was mostly just happy that I didn't cave and drop to the ground during it.
Friday 3/22 - Just a quick half hour on the elliptical at home after I put my crazy kid to bed. I think that it appreciated being used for something other than holding my sweaty gym clothes.
Saturday 3/23 - Had plans to go for a bike ride, but seasonal allergies and damp weather dissuaded me from that. So after trying hard to hang with Isabel on the monkey bars for a little bit (I still can't do them, or a chin up, despite my best efforts), I ended up getting stuck doing some household stuff and missing the gym altogether. But I got a bit of a workout when I helped my friend (a girl scout troop leader) bring all her 30 odd boxes of cookies into her house (up a flight of stairs) and then after they were sorted back down into the car.
Sunday 3/24 - Got up for my 8:30 AM yoga class, and lots of high planks were in store. She also really had us moving, and much as I may grumble and sweat while doing them, I love when we really get into the flow. I nearly passed out unconscious during Shavasana, and was almost completely able to tune out the screaming spinning teacher from across the hall. Then I had a little break when I saw my weight loss consultant, and headed back to the gym for a training session with Randi. Of course I thought it was at 11 and it was at 11:30. So I went upstairs and ran on the dreaded treadmill for about 25 minutes. Still hate the treadmill. No change there. And when I got down to the training station, I was still huffing and puffing and Randi wanted to know if I was OK. When I told her I'd just run, she told me that was stupid. I love some brutal honesty. She had me do some upper body stuff, and then some things that involved me hopping on and off the stair stepper, finished off with some tricep dips. I unsurprisingly passed out cold immediately after I ate lunch.
Hoping for the week to come to focus a little less on weights, and a lot more on cardio, just as a weight loss experiment, so we'll see how that goes.
Monday 3/19 - Chased after my daughter. Might not sound so hard, but she's six and was riding her bike at the time, for well over a mile. She looped four times around our apartment complex and expected me to keep up, and I did my damnedest. At one point I was ahead of her and she was shouting for me to go faster, and a neighbor laughed that I had a very tough trainer. Indeed.
Tuesday 3/20 - Training session with Kristin. I was complaining that I have actually gained half and inch in my arms, and that I haven't lost weight recently, despite my diet. Her solution. Just make me do a lot of reps of things really fast. She gets that little stopwatch out, hands me a 30 lb barbell and it was all downhill.
Thursday 3/21 - Another training session with Kristin, since she murdered my arms on Tuesday and they were like jelly, she switched to legs, with lots of weighted squats and some awful exercise that has the quaintly called good mornings. Who comes up with these things? Then I had some time to kill before yoga so I hopped on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes. Went to yoga, where Adrienne was obsessed with planks, and made us hold full wheel for what seemed like an eternity. Was mostly just happy that I didn't cave and drop to the ground during it.
Friday 3/22 - Just a quick half hour on the elliptical at home after I put my crazy kid to bed. I think that it appreciated being used for something other than holding my sweaty gym clothes.
Saturday 3/23 - Had plans to go for a bike ride, but seasonal allergies and damp weather dissuaded me from that. So after trying hard to hang with Isabel on the monkey bars for a little bit (I still can't do them, or a chin up, despite my best efforts), I ended up getting stuck doing some household stuff and missing the gym altogether. But I got a bit of a workout when I helped my friend (a girl scout troop leader) bring all her 30 odd boxes of cookies into her house (up a flight of stairs) and then after they were sorted back down into the car.
Sunday 3/24 - Got up for my 8:30 AM yoga class, and lots of high planks were in store. She also really had us moving, and much as I may grumble and sweat while doing them, I love when we really get into the flow. I nearly passed out unconscious during Shavasana, and was almost completely able to tune out the screaming spinning teacher from across the hall. Then I had a little break when I saw my weight loss consultant, and headed back to the gym for a training session with Randi. Of course I thought it was at 11 and it was at 11:30. So I went upstairs and ran on the dreaded treadmill for about 25 minutes. Still hate the treadmill. No change there. And when I got down to the training station, I was still huffing and puffing and Randi wanted to know if I was OK. When I told her I'd just run, she told me that was stupid. I love some brutal honesty. She had me do some upper body stuff, and then some things that involved me hopping on and off the stair stepper, finished off with some tricep dips. I unsurprisingly passed out cold immediately after I ate lunch.
Hoping for the week to come to focus a little less on weights, and a lot more on cardio, just as a weight loss experiment, so we'll see how that goes.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Today's Exercise: Standing on My Head!
I've been diligently working hard in yoga to try and do a headstand, and tonight, it finally happened. My fantastic teacher served as a spotter and I pulled my legs right up and held my pose. Honestly, holding it was hard, but getting down without doing the equivalent of a belly flop onto my mat was the most difficult part of the whole thing. That's why I was grateful for my spotter. It's really unbelievable to me that just a few years ago I was unable to move my neck to the right because of two herniated discs and pinched nerves. To now have worked my muscles to a place where they can do something like standing on my head is quite the feat, and one I never would have dreamed of doing back then.
My crazy/wonderful teacher has decided to really push us "regulars" and she had us to our normal vinyasas, and toss in some handstand practice too. I almost had it, I had one part where I was floating up, but I just wobbled and lost it. We're also working on some crazy balancing pose, that I can't even describe, where you are on bent arms and have one leg hooked around and another out straight. I'm getting closer, but definitely not quite there yet. Than and Crow have been the hardest for me. Something about those forearm balances just are the thing I struggle the most with.
And this ridiculously hard class was AFTER I did my half hour training session with the wonderfully hyper Kristin. She had me focused on my lower body and lots and lots of squats with some really hard weights. And she kept me longer than my 30 minute session, since her next person cancelled on her. Thank goodness I had yoga, or lord knows how long I would have been there. Then again, I just willingly signed up for a double session with her when I get back from vacation. Maybe I'm the crazy one.
My crazy/wonderful teacher has decided to really push us "regulars" and she had us to our normal vinyasas, and toss in some handstand practice too. I almost had it, I had one part where I was floating up, but I just wobbled and lost it. We're also working on some crazy balancing pose, that I can't even describe, where you are on bent arms and have one leg hooked around and another out straight. I'm getting closer, but definitely not quite there yet. Than and Crow have been the hardest for me. Something about those forearm balances just are the thing I struggle the most with.
And this ridiculously hard class was AFTER I did my half hour training session with the wonderfully hyper Kristin. She had me focused on my lower body and lots and lots of squats with some really hard weights. And she kept me longer than my 30 minute session, since her next person cancelled on her. Thank goodness I had yoga, or lord knows how long I would have been there. Then again, I just willingly signed up for a double session with her when I get back from vacation. Maybe I'm the crazy one.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Today's Exercise: I Think I Might Be Crazy
I had Isabel today, so I couldn't really get in a full workout (since the gym's daycare was closed). But we did find a power yoga episode on Demand from one of the fitness channels, and I did that, while Isabel tried alongside me griping that warrior 3 was hard. Watching her was quite distracting, so not sure I got the best workout, but it was better than nothing and at least it was fun.
But back to me being crazy. We drove out to Brooklyn to visit some friends and go to a going away party, and along the West Side Highway in Manhattan, and along the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, there are these gorgeous well-kept bike and walking paths. Despite yesterday's snow storms, these paths were cleared and were getting quite a bit of use. There were plenty of people happily jogging and biking along, and while I may gripe about being in the cold, I experienced a sense of jealousy. All I could think of was how I would love to be bopping along the West Side Highway. I actually WANTED to be running. And was itching to be out on my bike (though my bike is the furthest thing from winterized). I keep saying that I've yet to experience that elusive runner's high that people talk about. But yet, for the first time, I willingly wanted to be out running. Not just because of my training, but because I think while I might actually enjoy it a little bit? Who knew that would ever happen. I still gripe and complain in my head while I'm doing it, but when I'm not out doing it, I wish that I was. So obviously, I've come to the conclusion that I've completely lost my mind.
But back to me being crazy. We drove out to Brooklyn to visit some friends and go to a going away party, and along the West Side Highway in Manhattan, and along the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, there are these gorgeous well-kept bike and walking paths. Despite yesterday's snow storms, these paths were cleared and were getting quite a bit of use. There were plenty of people happily jogging and biking along, and while I may gripe about being in the cold, I experienced a sense of jealousy. All I could think of was how I would love to be bopping along the West Side Highway. I actually WANTED to be running. And was itching to be out on my bike (though my bike is the furthest thing from winterized). I keep saying that I've yet to experience that elusive runner's high that people talk about. But yet, for the first time, I willingly wanted to be out running. Not just because of my training, but because I think while I might actually enjoy it a little bit? Who knew that would ever happen. I still gripe and complain in my head while I'm doing it, but when I'm not out doing it, I wish that I was. So obviously, I've come to the conclusion that I've completely lost my mind.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Today's Exercise: I Think My Trainer and Yoga Instructor Are In Cahoots
Last night I did my personal training session with the always crazy Basil. You know, he's the guy who trains my trainer. And the guy who always has my ears ringing by the end of the session because I'm working out so much. That guy. So I'm close to the end of doing this grueling regiment that includes some sort of weight thing called a woodchopper (where you take a 20 lb. weight and swing it like an ax), and then those awful things where you hold two weights in your hands and do pushups (in increasing increments), stand and do pressups, and then some deadlifts for good measure, when my yoga instructor walks by. At first she sees Basil and says a friendly hello, and then she notices me. It's about five minutes before class (and five minutes before my personal training torture ends) and she stares at me and says, "you'd better be coming to class." I grunt that I am but I might not be able to move my arms, as I was in the middle of a series of deadlifts. She and Basil both laugh, and Adrienne assures me that I will be able to do yoga. And I did. After a rough few vinyasas, I actually felt like the room wasn't spinning and made it through class. And, I almost managed to get myself into the <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/468" target="_blank">crow/crane pose</a> (which I've been working on). I only held it for about three seconds before I actually fell on my ass and Adrienne laughed, but it was a step in the right direction. My arms may be super sore this morning (typing was a taxing proposition last night at 10:30 when I got home) but I can see some muscle definition finally starting to happen. Or at lest that's what I'm telling my self to make the pain all worth it.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Today's Exercise: Does Looking for My Swim Goggles Count?
I got up early for my power yoga class, which was fantastic. She basically apologized for not trying to kill us last week, and then proceeded to be brutal through the whole class. So obviously I loved it a real lot. I can't currently move... which is always a good sign.
I was planning on going back later to the gym for a nice swim, but when I got home I had lunch and started looking around for my swim gear which has been hiding since I finished my triathlon in September. My outdoor pool closed and I've been busy with other activities. So I found my swimsuit, started looking for my goggles, realized they were buried deep in my closet under all the random holiday decorations.
Then the idea of digging through that stuff and having to CLEAN out the close of doom got too overwhelming, and I didn't go back to swim. I know, I try and be inspirational, and today I'm coming off as lazy. HOWEVER, I did find my open water goggles, which were with my slightly more accessible SCUBA stuff, so really, I can wear those to the pool and just look silly.... tomorrow.
I was planning on going back later to the gym for a nice swim, but when I got home I had lunch and started looking around for my swim gear which has been hiding since I finished my triathlon in September. My outdoor pool closed and I've been busy with other activities. So I found my swimsuit, started looking for my goggles, realized they were buried deep in my closet under all the random holiday decorations.
Then the idea of digging through that stuff and having to CLEAN out the close of doom got too overwhelming, and I didn't go back to swim. I know, I try and be inspirational, and today I'm coming off as lazy. HOWEVER, I did find my open water goggles, which were with my slightly more accessible SCUBA stuff, so really, I can wear those to the pool and just look silly.... tomorrow.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Today's Exercise: Doubled Up
Last week I had this idea that I could do a training session and go straight to my power yoga class. Let's just say that after the insane workout with my trainer's trainer, I was dead. And I had a birthday party to plan. So I didn't make it to yoga. I did go to power yoga with my favorite teacher Adrienne on Sunday, and dragged my brother along, but since the class was packed with a bunch of new people she kind of went easy on us. It's wrong that I was disappointed by that, right?
Anyway, so on to tonight. I decided to do the same thing, and went to my normal trainer's trainer again... and made it until the last minute before feeling so dizzy and nauseous that I wanted to throw up. A mild improvement! Took a 20 minute rest before going to my power yoga class and got my ass kicked by Adrienne, who was back in her regular kick ass form. The trainer mostly had me doing squats, so some of the lovely warrior positions didn't feel exactly what you'd call great, but I totally survived. And I feel slightly badass. Next time, maybe I'm thinking of adding a relaxing swim to the mix... glutton for punishment that I am.
Thankfully, I've got Kelly Clarkson's "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)" stuck on repeat to help me through the pain.
Anyway, so on to tonight. I decided to do the same thing, and went to my normal trainer's trainer again... and made it until the last minute before feeling so dizzy and nauseous that I wanted to throw up. A mild improvement! Took a 20 minute rest before going to my power yoga class and got my ass kicked by Adrienne, who was back in her regular kick ass form. The trainer mostly had me doing squats, so some of the lovely warrior positions didn't feel exactly what you'd call great, but I totally survived. And I feel slightly badass. Next time, maybe I'm thinking of adding a relaxing swim to the mix... glutton for punishment that I am.
Thankfully, I've got Kelly Clarkson's "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)" stuck on repeat to help me through the pain.
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