Pilates

Check-in

5 Comments

Two weeks ago I set out on a “Birthday Challenge” and it’s time to check-in with how it’s been going.

To recap, my challenge is this,

April 1-may 12 I will

Run 64 miles
Practice yoga 16 times
Do 16 Pilates workouts 
Meditate 32 minutes a week (this is going to be the hardest to achieve but I need it)

Funny thing about the meditation part.  I wrote 32 minutes a week in the post but somehow got stuck on the idea of 32 minutes TOTAL over the entire 6 weeks.  Subconscious resistance to meditating? No way. 😉

I have been meditating-and loving it-just not quite 32 minutes a week.  My body and mind have started to crave the quiet time and although it’s a huge challenge to be still, physically and mentally, I’m excited by the prospect it holds.  At first I caught myself labeling my mediation time as either ‘successful’ or not and quickly realized how unnecessary and unhelpful that is.  Yes, sometimes I find it almost impossible not to day-dream or make a grocery list as I sit but still, I sit and do the work and will count that as sucess.   Both weeks I ended up sitting for 13 minutes total per week.

I’ve been sore!  I’m finding it a little hard to recognize and respect where my body is at right now.  I’m not that out of shape and it’s coming back quickly but I am still finding it challenging to remind myself that it’s fine if I want to walk after only running a mile or that it’s cool if all the other runners pass me on the trail.  The goal is to push myself within my current limits, not to be the fastest or the most hardcore athlete out there.

Over the last two weeks I’ve run 15.5 miles, practiced yoga 4 times, and done 4 Pilates workouts, as well as taught lots of classes, walked dozens of miles, and ridden my bike a time or two.  I am feeling stronger, calmer, more flexible, and a little leaner than I was on April 1st so I would say I’m right on track!  I will bump up the intensity of my workouts a little as the weeks progress and my body adapts to the challenges I give it.

Do you get motivated to move in the Spring?  Do you notice that your workouts change depending on the season?  Spring and Fall are definitely my favorite running seasons, both because of the weather and because the scenery is beautiful and changing rapidly.

 

Plank

3 Comments

I am grateful to have a job that gets me moving.  Mondays-Thursdays I teach mat Pilates, Modern dance, yoga, and dancers workout classes.

Teaching is a great workout and gets me sweating and stretching everyday.

But it ain’t my workout.

My focus is on my students and often I only do a few repetitions of an exercise then watch and give cues/corrections.  And even when I do the whole workout it doesn’t provide the same stress release and endorphin high as getting into my own zone.

Several times a week I make sure to workout for me.  I have an arsenal of exercises at my disposal and often do a quick mix of yoga, Pilates, running, and tabata.

I have a new favorite exercise in my box of tricks.

It’s a variation of side plank with an added balance/core/hip element.

Start in a plank with your feet a little wider than normal (wider than hips)

Rotate heels to one side and come into a spilt leg side plank

Lift your front leg and float it over the back leg

Tap your lifted foot to the floor behind your body

Don’t get too comfortable! Your going right back up

Set the lifted foot back down in front of your bottom foot

And back to plank

Now for the other side…