That’s right. I have thrice used my television and Comcast DVR to record and do workout programs – twice since I last wrote about it.
First, I did the Namaste Yoga show again. I liked it, but shamefully I think I like it because it isn’t all that hard. Or, at least, doing it myself in the privacy of my living room means I don’t push it all that much. Regardless, I like it on a morning when I have a 7:30 meeting and can’t both get enough sleep and wake up in time to go to the gym, but dread the way I’ll feel if I don’t do *something*. The woman’s voice is soothing. So soothing, in fact, that I barely get irritated when she veers away from telling me how to do the new position and starts telling me that my breath is the foundation of everything I do. Or mysterious things about the air and my spirit. Lady, I do not know what that means for my everyday living. But I do like your complacent confidence in my capacity to maintain crane.
Second, I did a one-two punch combo of a stretching show and, of all things, a bellydancing show. I had recorded a bunch of different options, and these were the fresh ones I could do given the equipment I have added to the reality of having a downstairs neighbor who probably doesn’t want me thumping on her ceiling at five in the morning.
The stretching was sort of like yoga, but more… prosaic. Cathe the Stretch Max instructor was in a fitness room studio setting with a bunch of ladies in matching-eqsue outfits (like when Destiny’s Child or The Supremes wear outfits from the same materials but in different designs. Like that). With yoga the ladies are in nature somewhere, or dimly lit wood-floored rooms in nice but non-matching-esque outfits. I liked the stretches a lot – they woke me up, and seemed to target some muscles I use for running in a way that yoga hasn’t yet.
I don’t even know what to say about the belly-dancing. Even in my very own be-shaded living room I felt a little like a jackass, but also a little like a twelve-year-old girl trying on a secreted lipstick and nylons. Also a little curious-yet-uncomfortable about the intense Westernization and assimilation of this centuries old North African dance form. I mean, the show is called “Shimmy”.
Final analysis, though, is that these are a good option for me on light workout days, or days when the gym or an outdoor run aren’t an option. Or, frankly, when I want to do twenty minutes of easy yoga.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Random Entry #4 Women, Hearts and Sports
Tomorrow, February 6th, is the 22nd Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. I think it's a day worth celebrating and promoting -- I am sporty now, in my own way, and like to encourage that for all of us.
This week is also National Women's Heart Week, another worthy, worthy celebration! The Get Fit Challenge is *all about* our fitness and health, and our hearts are at the center of that (well, usually a little left of center, but you get the idea).
A couple more reasons to Get Fit this week!
This week is also National Women's Heart Week, another worthy, worthy celebration! The Get Fit Challenge is *all about* our fitness and health, and our hearts are at the center of that (well, usually a little left of center, but you get the idea).
A couple more reasons to Get Fit this week!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Random Entry #3 The Cold
One thing I’ve noticed about this challenge – the most communicative people are those who like yoga, and those who like cross-country skiing. I promise my attitude about the former is quickly clearing up (I mean, hey, I did yoga *at home* today! See the previous entry).
My feelings about skiing are mixed, however. I know it’s great exercise, and it would be a great entry on this blog. I like to imagine myself hearty, rosy-cheeked, cruising smartly down well-groomed trails, puffs of well-earned steam floating from my hale, healthy lungs as I think virtuous thoughts about the benefits of outdoor activity.
But, honestly, the true picture is far less romantic. Rosy cheeks give way to a runny nose, and my virtuous thoughts give way to fervent prayers for a speedy release from the vice-grip of cold that won’t shake loose no matter how hard I am working. No matter how many times I tell myself I am supposed to warm up once I get going…I don’t. Not enough to make the first horrible freezing half hour worth it, and not enough to overcome the hours of relentless self-talk I have to endure to make myself go outside in the winter to be active. And when all is said and done, my loved ones are forced to endure my whiny, crabby attitude about the whole endeavor.
So God bless and God speed, cross country skiers! And outdoor winter runners! And snow-shoers! I admire and envy your fortitude! For my part, I salute you from my running track, my spin class, my yoga pose, and my swimming pool! I salute you from the warmth of my space heater, the warmth of the sauna, the warmth of an extra pair of slipper socks! I salute you from the bottom of my warm, warm heart!
My feelings about skiing are mixed, however. I know it’s great exercise, and it would be a great entry on this blog. I like to imagine myself hearty, rosy-cheeked, cruising smartly down well-groomed trails, puffs of well-earned steam floating from my hale, healthy lungs as I think virtuous thoughts about the benefits of outdoor activity.
But, honestly, the true picture is far less romantic. Rosy cheeks give way to a runny nose, and my virtuous thoughts give way to fervent prayers for a speedy release from the vice-grip of cold that won’t shake loose no matter how hard I am working. No matter how many times I tell myself I am supposed to warm up once I get going…I don’t. Not enough to make the first horrible freezing half hour worth it, and not enough to overcome the hours of relentless self-talk I have to endure to make myself go outside in the winter to be active. And when all is said and done, my loved ones are forced to endure my whiny, crabby attitude about the whole endeavor.
So God bless and God speed, cross country skiers! And outdoor winter runners! And snow-shoers! I admire and envy your fortitude! For my part, I salute you from my running track, my spin class, my yoga pose, and my swimming pool! I salute you from the warmth of my space heater, the warmth of the sauna, the warmth of an extra pair of slipper socks! I salute you from the bottom of my warm, warm heart!
Thing #10 A Video At Home
This one was on the list for a long time – do a workout at home with some sort of helpful person on the TV guiding me through. It languished on the list, in spite of its obvious convenience, because I couldn’t figure out which workout to do. Should I buy a DVD? If so, which one? Better yet, should I go to the library and pick out a few, or look online and put them on hold and go pick them up? A great theory I have yet to put to practice.
No, dear reader, laziness won the day here. Turns out the cable I pay a lot of money for has a health channel, which in turn has many hours of workout programming. I just set ye olde DVR, recorded a bunch, and picked one that looked do-able (which means didn’t involve equipment I don’t have at home, and wouldn’t bug my downstairs neighbor at 6 in the morning).
Here’s the kicker – I did yoga. In my own home. Of my own free will. It felt pretty good! I added a brisk walk downtown today since once I fast forwarded through the commercials it was only about a 25 minute workout. Still and all, if felt good to do the poses – even in spite of the breathy, encouraging tone of the invisible instructor and the super-human flexibility of the ladies actually doing the “practice” on-screen.
No, dear reader, laziness won the day here. Turns out the cable I pay a lot of money for has a health channel, which in turn has many hours of workout programming. I just set ye olde DVR, recorded a bunch, and picked one that looked do-able (which means didn’t involve equipment I don’t have at home, and wouldn’t bug my downstairs neighbor at 6 in the morning).
Here’s the kicker – I did yoga. In my own home. Of my own free will. It felt pretty good! I added a brisk walk downtown today since once I fast forwarded through the commercials it was only about a 25 minute workout. Still and all, if felt good to do the poses – even in spite of the breathy, encouraging tone of the invisible instructor and the super-human flexibility of the ladies actually doing the “practice” on-screen.
Thing #9 Swimming Again
Swimming went better this time – it was a better workout, and less stressful.
Helpful things I learned from doing it the first time (or got helpful tips from faithful readers):
1) Wet my hair before I put on the swim cap. It helps protect the hair. I also continued the fine tradition of putting in a leave-in conditioner the night before.
2) Lots of lotion after lots of soap helps cut the chlorine smell.
3) The goggle marks disappear after about an hour, with no permanent damage.
4) If I don’t push off so hard from the side of the pool, I force myself to work harder *and* my goggles don’t fill with water.
It was a good workout. I definitely felt more of a rhythm, and there’s something really great about water. It was especially good because I did it on a morning where I couldn’t make a full hour class, had an early meeting, and still wanted to work out. If I continue, I might consider hiring a coach for an hour or two to give me some basic pointers so I’m not reinforcing bad habits.
Helpful things I learned from doing it the first time (or got helpful tips from faithful readers):
1) Wet my hair before I put on the swim cap. It helps protect the hair. I also continued the fine tradition of putting in a leave-in conditioner the night before.
2) Lots of lotion after lots of soap helps cut the chlorine smell.
3) The goggle marks disappear after about an hour, with no permanent damage.
4) If I don’t push off so hard from the side of the pool, I force myself to work harder *and* my goggles don’t fill with water.
It was a good workout. I definitely felt more of a rhythm, and there’s something really great about water. It was especially good because I did it on a morning where I couldn’t make a full hour class, had an early meeting, and still wanted to work out. If I continue, I might consider hiring a coach for an hour or two to give me some basic pointers so I’m not reinforcing bad habits.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Thing #9 Swimming
I swam laps for a half hour this morning. This activity is a perfect example of why I need to try things twice – I could tell that it will be a great workout, and a great meditation, but I was getting used to the new equipment so much that today’s swim wasn’t particularly fun or contemplative.
I swam a lot as a kid, at least recreationally. I took some beginner lessons, and (get this) I took springboard diving lessons for two years in junior high with my friend Molly. And I spent every summer in junior high and high school splashing around in a neighbor’s pool with a bunch of neighborhood kids. It was great, though I am certain it left me with a lot of bad swimming habits. Those are very, very fond memories, however.
That’s probably why when I arrived at college and was required to fulfill PE credits, I chose to do self-directed swimming laps. I could go when I wanted, and I had to go for a certain amount of time. I would smoke afterward, but swimming before smoking is better than *not* swimming before smoking.
But I never used goggles, or a swim cap, and I certainly never really paid attention to the etiquette of the lap pool. I haven’t swum regularly since my sophomore year.
Today was fine. The goggles aren’t natural or comfortable yet, the suit wasn’t a great athletic-fit choice, and my stroke was more “flail” than “crawl”. But it felt good to be in the water, and I could go on my schedule and not someone else’s, and it certainly got me working hard. I will certainly try this again, and give it another real shot.
Other thoughts:
1) I notice that when I am going to try something significantly new, and it isn’t on someone else’s timetable, I procrastinate. I got in the pool a full half hour later than I intended. But I swam my laps, by golly!
2) Swim goggles are complicated little buggers, but they let you see underwater. I had never used them before in my life, and once I got the fit right they were really, really cool. I could see! For a glasses/contact wearing girl, that’s a big deal. Even the goggle marks on my face for the subsequent forty-five minutes made me feel tough. And big thanks to the guy in the lane next to mine who saw me struggling and offered sage and useful advice.
3) Swim caps are good, but they aren’t perfect. But then again, I’ve got a lot of hair at this point. It got damp, but not wet.
4) My swimsuit still had sand in it from a vacation two years ago. That is apropos of nothing, though it did make me long for a hot, sunny beach to justify the gritty reality of a sandy swimsuit.
I swam a lot as a kid, at least recreationally. I took some beginner lessons, and (get this) I took springboard diving lessons for two years in junior high with my friend Molly. And I spent every summer in junior high and high school splashing around in a neighbor’s pool with a bunch of neighborhood kids. It was great, though I am certain it left me with a lot of bad swimming habits. Those are very, very fond memories, however.
That’s probably why when I arrived at college and was required to fulfill PE credits, I chose to do self-directed swimming laps. I could go when I wanted, and I had to go for a certain amount of time. I would smoke afterward, but swimming before smoking is better than *not* swimming before smoking.
But I never used goggles, or a swim cap, and I certainly never really paid attention to the etiquette of the lap pool. I haven’t swum regularly since my sophomore year.
Today was fine. The goggles aren’t natural or comfortable yet, the suit wasn’t a great athletic-fit choice, and my stroke was more “flail” than “crawl”. But it felt good to be in the water, and I could go on my schedule and not someone else’s, and it certainly got me working hard. I will certainly try this again, and give it another real shot.
Other thoughts:
1) I notice that when I am going to try something significantly new, and it isn’t on someone else’s timetable, I procrastinate. I got in the pool a full half hour later than I intended. But I swam my laps, by golly!
2) Swim goggles are complicated little buggers, but they let you see underwater. I had never used them before in my life, and once I got the fit right they were really, really cool. I could see! For a glasses/contact wearing girl, that’s a big deal. Even the goggle marks on my face for the subsequent forty-five minutes made me feel tough. And big thanks to the guy in the lane next to mine who saw me struggling and offered sage and useful advice.
3) Swim caps are good, but they aren’t perfect. But then again, I’ve got a lot of hair at this point. It got damp, but not wet.
4) My swimsuit still had sand in it from a vacation two years ago. That is apropos of nothing, though it did make me long for a hot, sunny beach to justify the gritty reality of a sandy swimsuit.
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