When winter hits, like it just did in Montana, my hubby drives a plow truck. If winter happens to hit in full force over a holiday weekend, my girls are not in school and my workout schedule changes.
Here are a few thoughts on getting plenty of exercise around your home, with your kids and everyone having a great time.
Find a big sled and haul your kids around. I just returned from pulling my girls down the road to get the mail. They laughed the whole time and I was shedding layers after the first uphill stretch. Drag em through the deep snow and give your hamstrings and glutes a workout!
Chop & stack some wood. Use your core muscles, your arms and shoulders will feel just as much as they would from a trip to the gym.
Shovel, shovel, shovel! Think about your core and posture and clear off your sidewalks, decks and pathways. Great exercise for your whole body!
Put on your boots and trudge through the snow. Walking around in the snow is an amazing workout for your legs, heart and lungs!
It feels great to sit down after spending a day outside! Remember to drink lots of water! It is really easy to get dehydrated in the colder months when we are not so focused on staying hydrated in the heat. No matter the temperature our bodies always need plenty of water!
Enjoy these beautiful winter days and play hard! It is really fun!
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
More From Home... Or Where You May Be!
Another simple at home exercise!
Stand facing a wall with your palms on the wall at shoulder height, feet hip distance and parallel, preparing for a standing push-up. This will become more difficult the further away from the wall you stand, begin 2-3 feet from the wall.
Engage your core muscles, drop your shoulders and maintain your neutral spinal alignment.
Lower your torso, maintaining your posture, hold in the "down" position for 5 deep breaths and return to the "up" position, 1 repetition. Repeat for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, alternating with the kneeling torso lean.
Fun, simple, can be done anywhere!
Stand facing a wall with your palms on the wall at shoulder height, feet hip distance and parallel, preparing for a standing push-up. This will become more difficult the further away from the wall you stand, begin 2-3 feet from the wall.
Engage your core muscles, drop your shoulders and maintain your neutral spinal alignment.
Lower your torso, maintaining your posture, hold in the "down" position for 5 deep breaths and return to the "up" position, 1 repetition. Repeat for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, alternating with the kneeling torso lean.
Fun, simple, can be done anywhere!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Make Do With What’s In Front Of You!
The other day I had my schedule all figured out. I had a plan for my workout, I was lifting weights and it was time for my legs. There were a few exercises I had not done in a while and they were circling around in my head. I left my house to meet my first client and suddenly my schedule changed, not in a bad way, just different, and with the change, my exercise window narrowed.
I work with my clients in a small gym that is equipped with what I need but not all the bells and whistles of the bigger, local health club. My plan was to work with my morning client and head across town to the health club. With the schedule change I still had time to work out, but not to drive to another gym and therefore not what I was anticipating for my leg workout. Of course I was going to be fine changing my workout but for a few minutes I was frustrated and thrown off track. I loosened up a bit, reworked my routine and "made do with what was in front of me".
The point of all this? How often do we get thrown off, mentally or physically, when something doesn't go as anticipated? Does exercise or preparing a healthy meal get put aside because there just is not “enough time” or we don’t have the “right” equipment or ingredients? How trapped are we inside the “little boxes” we create around the elements of our lives? Are there areas where we could be more flexible?
In this, the first of ? installments, I ask you to look at areas that are stumbling blocks in your life. Is there room for flexibility? Is it possible to break down some preconceived walls and “make do with what is in front of you?”
Coming down the pipes will be an at home workout and a couple quick exercise fixes as well as a few, or a lot, of words on the simplicity of healthy eating along with a recipe or two. Stay tuned and give yourself a few minutes to get your blood flowing!
I work with my clients in a small gym that is equipped with what I need but not all the bells and whistles of the bigger, local health club. My plan was to work with my morning client and head across town to the health club. With the schedule change I still had time to work out, but not to drive to another gym and therefore not what I was anticipating for my leg workout. Of course I was going to be fine changing my workout but for a few minutes I was frustrated and thrown off track. I loosened up a bit, reworked my routine and "made do with what was in front of me".
The point of all this? How often do we get thrown off, mentally or physically, when something doesn't go as anticipated? Does exercise or preparing a healthy meal get put aside because there just is not “enough time” or we don’t have the “right” equipment or ingredients? How trapped are we inside the “little boxes” we create around the elements of our lives? Are there areas where we could be more flexible?
In this, the first of ? installments, I ask you to look at areas that are stumbling blocks in your life. Is there room for flexibility? Is it possible to break down some preconceived walls and “make do with what is in front of you?”
Coming down the pipes will be an at home workout and a couple quick exercise fixes as well as a few, or a lot, of words on the simplicity of healthy eating along with a recipe or two. Stay tuned and give yourself a few minutes to get your blood flowing!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Roll Away
The series of exercises will center on a stability ball. The stability ball is a great, versatile and inexpensive fitness tool. In addition to use as an exercise prop, they are great to sit on and help to improve core strength and stability and if you have kids, they will love having a giant ball around.
The first exercise is simple enough. If it seems too easy just keep at it for a bit and the results will show themselves!
Begin standing, with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back, spine in neutral, core engaged. Hold the ball just below chest height with your arms extended out in front of you. With your breath, hinge forward at the waist to touch the ball to the floor. Continuing with your breath, use your core to lift the ball overhead.
As I said, this is a subtle exercise. Continue to lower the ball to the floor and lift it overhead with the rhythm of your breath for 15 to 20 repetitions. Be aware of your posture, core strength, engaging the muscles of your arms and the flow of your breath.
Have a great Monday!
The first exercise is simple enough. If it seems too easy just keep at it for a bit and the results will show themselves!
Begin standing, with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back, spine in neutral, core engaged. Hold the ball just below chest height with your arms extended out in front of you. With your breath, hinge forward at the waist to touch the ball to the floor. Continuing with your breath, use your core to lift the ball overhead.
As I said, this is a subtle exercise. Continue to lower the ball to the floor and lift it overhead with the rhythm of your breath for 15 to 20 repetitions. Be aware of your posture, core strength, engaging the muscles of your arms and the flow of your breath.
Have a great Monday!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
This Week...Stretch!
This week’s exercises turned into a series of stretches that will also engage and strengthen your muscles. In this review I changed the order a bit to improve the flow, finishing it up with the sun salutations. Next week the exercises will be done with a stability ball. If you don’t already have one, it is a great fitness tool to have in your home.
1. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, bend your torso into a forward bend and walk your hands out to plank position keeping your shoulders away from your ears and your core engaged. Take a deep breath in plank position and press back into "downward dog". If your hamstrings are feeling tight, keep your knees slightly bent. From down dog, walk your hands up to meet your feet, ending in a forward bend with your hands on the floor. Take a breath, walk your hands out to plank, press into down dog, walk your hands to your feet and so on.
Great to get your blood flowing, engage your arms, core and legs, stretch your hamstrings...love it!
2. Begin standing, feet together, shoulders down and back, core engaged and your arms by your sides. Take a deep breath and bring your palms together with your arms straight out in front of your chest. While opening your arms to your sides, just below shoulder height, reach your chest forward, hinging at your waist. As you are leaning forward, find your balance on your left leg and extend your right leg out behind you, lifting your leg off the ground and keeping your hips level. Take a deep breath and return your lifted leg to the ground. Repeat the cycle, balancing on your right leg and extending your left leg behind you.
Repeat this series for 10 repetitions, switching legs each times.
3. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, drop your shoulders and engage your core. Take a large step, about leg length, back with your right leg and drop into a low "runner's lunge." Engage all the muscles in your extended leg, reaching back through your heel. Reach your arms straight overhead, all the muscles in your arms engaged.
Take a deep breath and on an inhale, bend the knee of your extended leg while maintaining the lunge of your front leg. Straighten your extended leg and continue to bend and straighten your leg for a series of 15 repetitions, working with your breath. Step your back, extended leg up to meet your other, lower and relax your arms. Take several deep breaths and repeat with the other leg. Perform 2-3 sets.
4. Root around in your cupboards for a couple paper plates and sit on a hard surfaced floor. Place your heels on the paper plates with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart. Sit up tall, drop your shoulders and engage your core with your palms rooted to the floor, fingers forward, just behind your sits-bones/butt/hips…inhale and slide your heels forward on the plates, bending your elbows and leaning slightly back. With your exhale and maintaining your core engagement, slide your heels back toward your body and return to your seated position. Repeat for 3 sets of 15.
You can modify this by maintaining the upright body position, sliding out one leg at a time, twisting and engaging your obliques when you return to seated, crossing your arms at your chest and eliminating them as balance, etc.
This will target your hamstring, glute and core muscles. Have fun!
5. Sun salutations 6-10 to get your blood flowing and welcome your day!
Have a great weekend!
1. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, bend your torso into a forward bend and walk your hands out to plank position keeping your shoulders away from your ears and your core engaged. Take a deep breath in plank position and press back into "downward dog". If your hamstrings are feeling tight, keep your knees slightly bent. From down dog, walk your hands up to meet your feet, ending in a forward bend with your hands on the floor. Take a breath, walk your hands out to plank, press into down dog, walk your hands to your feet and so on.
Great to get your blood flowing, engage your arms, core and legs, stretch your hamstrings...love it!
2. Begin standing, feet together, shoulders down and back, core engaged and your arms by your sides. Take a deep breath and bring your palms together with your arms straight out in front of your chest. While opening your arms to your sides, just below shoulder height, reach your chest forward, hinging at your waist. As you are leaning forward, find your balance on your left leg and extend your right leg out behind you, lifting your leg off the ground and keeping your hips level. Take a deep breath and return your lifted leg to the ground. Repeat the cycle, balancing on your right leg and extending your left leg behind you.
Repeat this series for 10 repetitions, switching legs each times.
3. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, drop your shoulders and engage your core. Take a large step, about leg length, back with your right leg and drop into a low "runner's lunge." Engage all the muscles in your extended leg, reaching back through your heel. Reach your arms straight overhead, all the muscles in your arms engaged.
Take a deep breath and on an inhale, bend the knee of your extended leg while maintaining the lunge of your front leg. Straighten your extended leg and continue to bend and straighten your leg for a series of 15 repetitions, working with your breath. Step your back, extended leg up to meet your other, lower and relax your arms. Take several deep breaths and repeat with the other leg. Perform 2-3 sets.
4. Root around in your cupboards for a couple paper plates and sit on a hard surfaced floor. Place your heels on the paper plates with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart. Sit up tall, drop your shoulders and engage your core with your palms rooted to the floor, fingers forward, just behind your sits-bones/butt/hips…inhale and slide your heels forward on the plates, bending your elbows and leaning slightly back. With your exhale and maintaining your core engagement, slide your heels back toward your body and return to your seated position. Repeat for 3 sets of 15.
You can modify this by maintaining the upright body position, sliding out one leg at a time, twisting and engaging your obliques when you return to seated, crossing your arms at your chest and eliminating them as balance, etc.
This will target your hamstring, glute and core muscles. Have fun!
5. Sun salutations 6-10 to get your blood flowing and welcome your day!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Paper Plates: More Than Just For Picnics...
Root around in your cupboards for a couple paper plates and find yourself seated on a hard surfaced floor. Place your heels on the paper plates with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart. Sit up tall, drop your shoulders and engage your core with your palms rooted to the floor, fingers forward, just behind your sits-bones/butt/hips...
Inhale and slide your heels forward on the plates, bending your elbows and leaning slightly back. With your exhale and maintaining your core engagement, slide your heels back toward your body and return to your seated position. Repeat for 3 sets of 15.
You can modify this by maintaining the upright body position, sliding out one leg at a time, twisting and engaging your obliques when you return to seated, crossing your arms at your chest and eliminating them as balance, etc.
This will target your hamstring, glute and core muscles. Have fun!
Inhale and slide your heels forward on the plates, bending your elbows and leaning slightly back. With your exhale and maintaining your core engagement, slide your heels back toward your body and return to your seated position. Repeat for 3 sets of 15.
You can modify this by maintaining the upright body position, sliding out one leg at a time, twisting and engaging your obliques when you return to seated, crossing your arms at your chest and eliminating them as balance, etc.
This will target your hamstring, glute and core muscles. Have fun!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Help For Your Hamstrings!
This is more of a stretch that a "workout" exercise but it will challenge your balance and core stability and feel great.
Begin standing, feet together, shoulders down and back, core engaged and your arms by your sides. Take a deep breath and bring your palms together with your arms straight out in front of your chest. While opening your arms to your sides, just below shoulder height, reach your chest forward, hinging at your waist. As you are leaning forward, find your balance on your left leg and extend your right leg out behind you, lifting your leg off the ground and keeping your hips level. Take a deep breath and return your lifted leg to the ground. Repeat the cycle, balancing on your right leg and extending your left leg behind you.
Repeat this series for 10 repetitions, switching legs each time, finding your balance, maintain your core stability and posture and moving with your breath.
Begin standing, feet together, shoulders down and back, core engaged and your arms by your sides. Take a deep breath and bring your palms together with your arms straight out in front of your chest. While opening your arms to your sides, just below shoulder height, reach your chest forward, hinging at your waist. As you are leaning forward, find your balance on your left leg and extend your right leg out behind you, lifting your leg off the ground and keeping your hips level. Take a deep breath and return your lifted leg to the ground. Repeat the cycle, balancing on your right leg and extending your left leg behind you.
Repeat this series for 10 repetitions, switching legs each time, finding your balance, maintain your core stability and posture and moving with your breath.
Monday, February 8, 2010
A Twist On The Lunge!
Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, drop your shoulders and engage your core. Take a large step, about leg length, back with your right leg and drop into a low "runner's lunge." Engage all the muscles in your extended leg, reaching back through your heel. Reach your arms straight overhead, your shoulders dropped and with your core and all the muscles in your arms engaged.
Take a deep breath and on an inhale, bend the knee of your extended leg while maintaining the lunge of your front leg. Straighten your extended leg and continue to bend and straighten your leg for a series of 15 repetitions, working with your breath. Step your back, extended leg up to meet your other, lower and relax your arms. Take several deep breaths and repeat with the other leg. Perform 2-3 sets.
Take a deep breath and on an inhale, bend the knee of your extended leg while maintaining the lunge of your front leg. Straighten your extended leg and continue to bend and straighten your leg for a series of 15 repetitions, working with your breath. Step your back, extended leg up to meet your other, lower and relax your arms. Take several deep breaths and repeat with the other leg. Perform 2-3 sets.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Here Comes The Sun
This morning seems like a good one for a few sun salutations, a series of yoga poses that flow together with your breath. These poses will target the entire body and help with mental focus for the day.
1. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel with your arms by your sides, palms facing forward, your shoulders dropped and your core engaged
2. Inhale and raise your arms out to your sides
3. Exhale and "swan dive" forward hinging at the hips bringing your hands to the floor, palms flat if possible, on either side of your feet
4. Inhale and come up with a flat back bringing the chin up and the finger tips to the floor, not standing up completely
5. Exhale bringing your hands back to the floor, hanging in a forward bend, palms flat on the floor if possible
6. Inhale while extending your right foot to the back of the mat, coming on to your finger tips in a low lunge
7. Exhale while bringing the left foot back to meet the right and press back into Downward Facing Dog
8. Inhale and bring your body forward into plank position
9. Exhale and lower to your knees, chest, and chin or into the down phase of a push-up
10. Inhale and come forward into a low cobra position
11. Exhale, pressing back into Downward Facing Dog
12. Inhale, step the right foot next to the right hand into low lunge
13. Exhale and bring the left foot forward next to the right and hang in a forward bend
14. Inhale and lift the arms out to the sides and up, reversing your "swan dive" to stand
15. Exhale and drop your arm back to your sides
Repeat, switching sides. Allow your mind to relax and your body movements to follow your breath!
http://www.yogasite.com/sunsalute.htm
this site shows images of the sequence along with directions if needed!
1. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel with your arms by your sides, palms facing forward, your shoulders dropped and your core engaged
2. Inhale and raise your arms out to your sides
3. Exhale and "swan dive" forward hinging at the hips bringing your hands to the floor, palms flat if possible, on either side of your feet
4. Inhale and come up with a flat back bringing the chin up and the finger tips to the floor, not standing up completely
5. Exhale bringing your hands back to the floor, hanging in a forward bend, palms flat on the floor if possible
6. Inhale while extending your right foot to the back of the mat, coming on to your finger tips in a low lunge
7. Exhale while bringing the left foot back to meet the right and press back into Downward Facing Dog
8. Inhale and bring your body forward into plank position
9. Exhale and lower to your knees, chest, and chin or into the down phase of a push-up
10. Inhale and come forward into a low cobra position
11. Exhale, pressing back into Downward Facing Dog
12. Inhale, step the right foot next to the right hand into low lunge
13. Exhale and bring the left foot forward next to the right and hang in a forward bend
14. Inhale and lift the arms out to the sides and up, reversing your "swan dive" to stand
15. Exhale and drop your arm back to your sides
Repeat, switching sides. Allow your mind to relax and your body movements to follow your breath!
http://www.yogasite.com/sunsalute.htm
this site shows images of the sequence along with directions if needed!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Arms, Back and Core!
This week I wanted to focus on our arms and back so in looking back, pun intended, here is a quick recap of the exercises.
Starting off, after taking a few moments to contemplate your life’s distractions, bang out a set of 15 bench dips or a few push-ups.
Follow that up with:
• “Y”: Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended out from your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ position overhead. Engage the muscles in your arms all the way through your finger tips with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling. Slide your shoulder blades down and back and engage your core. Using the strength of your core and with an exhale of your breath, lift your torso, head and arms off the floor, inhale, lower and repeat. If you are looking for an extra challenge, lift your legs, with your muscles engaged, off the floor at the same time.
• Begin in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!
• Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back and your core engaged. If you have a set of light dumbbells, hold one in each hand. With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm. Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!
• Begin this on your hands and knees. Balance your weight on your knees and one arm, engaging all the muscles of your balancing arm and pressing through your palm and all your fingers. Make a fist with your "working" arm and with a slightly bent arm, bring your fist to your rib cage. This is your starting position. With the muscles in your arm engaged, squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arm, still slightly bent, laterally, (to the side) to shoulder height. Return and repeat for 15 repetitions and switch arms.
Cycle through these exercises for a great arm, back and core series. Have a great weekend!
Starting off, after taking a few moments to contemplate your life’s distractions, bang out a set of 15 bench dips or a few push-ups.
Follow that up with:
• “Y”: Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended out from your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ position overhead. Engage the muscles in your arms all the way through your finger tips with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling. Slide your shoulder blades down and back and engage your core. Using the strength of your core and with an exhale of your breath, lift your torso, head and arms off the floor, inhale, lower and repeat. If you are looking for an extra challenge, lift your legs, with your muscles engaged, off the floor at the same time.
• Begin in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!
• Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back and your core engaged. If you have a set of light dumbbells, hold one in each hand. With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm. Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!
• Begin this on your hands and knees. Balance your weight on your knees and one arm, engaging all the muscles of your balancing arm and pressing through your palm and all your fingers. Make a fist with your "working" arm and with a slightly bent arm, bring your fist to your rib cage. This is your starting position. With the muscles in your arm engaged, squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arm, still slightly bent, laterally, (to the side) to shoulder height. Return and repeat for 15 repetitions and switch arms.
Cycle through these exercises for a great arm, back and core series. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Loving Your Arms!
This is a great one for your arms and shoulders. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back and your core engaged. If you have a set of light dumbbells, hold one in each hand. Two soup cans also make effective weights, the action without weight is great as well.
With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm.
This is a bicep curl to a shoulder press, lower to your hip, lift to an overhead diagonal, lower to your hip and punch across your chest. Switch arms.
Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!
With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm.
This is a bicep curl to a shoulder press, lower to your hip, lift to an overhead diagonal, lower to your hip and punch across your chest. Switch arms.
Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
More For The Core
And shoulders, arms and back!
Begin this one in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!
A great and challenging modification is to start in plank on your knees, roll to side plank, also on your knees, roll over into a crab position(remember crab walking in kindergarten?), over to another side plank on your knees and back to your starting position.
Repeat this in each direction being mindful of your shoulder stability, your core, your spine and your breath. Complete 3 sets of the number of repetitions that you can complete maintaining your body integrity and drink a lot of water!
Have fun!
Begin this one in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!
A great and challenging modification is to start in plank on your knees, roll to side plank, also on your knees, roll over into a crab position(remember crab walking in kindergarten?), over to another side plank on your knees and back to your starting position.
Repeat this in each direction being mindful of your shoulder stability, your core, your spine and your breath. Complete 3 sets of the number of repetitions that you can complete maintaining your body integrity and drink a lot of water!
Have fun!
The Irony!
My internet connection is down at home for the 2nd day. When I noticed had quit working yesterday I spent at least 45 minutes unplugging, resetting and restarting, no luck. When I woke up this morning, the first thing I checked was the internet and packed up my things to get to a wireless spot. I also went through the resetting ritual and shared 45 minutes of my day with tech support. My internet should be back up tomorrow and I am still checking all the lights on my router each time I am in the vicinity.
Distracted? Yep. Mindful? Nope. Enjoying the moments in my day? Not really, I have
missed several.
So my thoughts are heading in this direction. What happens when distractions we take for granted are gone? How much of our days are dictated by the convenience of technology? We are living in an immediate world, that is not ground breaking information. What parts of our lives do we take for granted? Immediate information, instant contact, food in a moment, we live for the quick fix.
As I am sitting here wondering when I will be able to surf the internet again, I am also trying to identify the things that I have come to take for granted and what my life would look like if those things were not always available. For now I need to refocus and enjoy the moments without the World Wide Web. The reminders just keep coming.
Distracted? Yep. Mindful? Nope. Enjoying the moments in my day? Not really, I have
missed several.
So my thoughts are heading in this direction. What happens when distractions we take for granted are gone? How much of our days are dictated by the convenience of technology? We are living in an immediate world, that is not ground breaking information. What parts of our lives do we take for granted? Immediate information, instant contact, food in a moment, we live for the quick fix.
As I am sitting here wondering when I will be able to surf the internet again, I am also trying to identify the things that I have come to take for granted and what my life would look like if those things were not always available. For now I need to refocus and enjoy the moments without the World Wide Web. The reminders just keep coming.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
You Ask "Y"
…for your shoulders and back.
Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended out from your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ position overhead. Engage the muscles in your arms all the way through your finger tips with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling. If someone was looking down on you, your body would be the stem of the ‘Y’ and your arms would form the v. Slide your shoulder blades down and back and engage your core. Using the strength of your core and with an exhale of your breath, lift your torso, head and arms off the floor, inhale, lower and repeat for 3 sets of 15 repetitions. If you are looking for an extra challenge, lift your legs, with your muscles engaged, off the floor at the same time.
Enjoy the day!
Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended out from your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ position overhead. Engage the muscles in your arms all the way through your finger tips with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling. If someone was looking down on you, your body would be the stem of the ‘Y’ and your arms would form the v. Slide your shoulder blades down and back and engage your core. Using the strength of your core and with an exhale of your breath, lift your torso, head and arms off the floor, inhale, lower and repeat for 3 sets of 15 repetitions. If you are looking for an extra challenge, lift your legs, with your muscles engaged, off the floor at the same time.
Enjoy the day!
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