So, first thing this morning I wrote a LONG and detailed post. It started off by telling you how much I disliked Tuesdays when I was in school and how this morning started out really crappy, I couldn’t get out of the dorm room to use the bathroom, I slipped and hit my head, my throat is really sore, the laundry got rained on, blah blah blah. As I wrote my mood started to improve and I was determined to turn my day around. 3 seconds before I was ready to publish the post it disappeared. !#%*^??*?!!!!!
Oh what a day.
I absolutely LOVE traveling but I am having one of those mornings where I just want to be HOME! I want to be surrounded by friends and family and English and I want to cook and I want to go to the gym and I want to do laundry with an automatic washer and DRYER! It’s the little things…
Oh yeah-sorry I was M.I.A. yesterday. I mentioned before that internet is a bit wonky in China, well apparently wordpress is actually “not authorized” here. I have always had a bit of trouble logging on but usually I can find a way in. Yesterday I tried several times to no avail and maybe that is what happened with my post from this morning…
ANYWAYS…
We are now in the small town of Yangshou, which is gorgeously surrounded by bamboo forests and limestone karsts. It is one of the most touristy towns in China. It also happens to be one of the most touristy weeks in China, hence sleeping in a dorm. We have our own room for tonight, woo hoo! I barely slept last night due to the coming and going, snoring and farting. I hope to never sleep in a dorm room again!
Yesterday I had an interesting buffet breakfast. I ate a small bowl of sautéed cabbage, half a medium steamed dumpling, most of a boiled taro root, most of two fried eggs, green and red pepper rings, and a bunch of watermelon. It was satisfying and held me really well until it didn’t anymore and just before 3pm I got REALLY HUNGRY. We went to a “hotpot” spot on the recommendation of the hostel and were not disappointed. I ordered the tofu, broccoli, corn, and pepper and it was perfect.
I very much enjoyed every bite of the thick top layer of veggies and left about 3/4 of the rice that was underneath.
After lunch we walked on a lovely paved path up the river. We walked for over an hour and I did a little treadmill and elliptical training along the way!
Tate is sick with a cold so by late afternoon he headed to the hostel to watch a movie and I went back up the trail for a run. I am on a big running kick lately. The 5 weeks off in late-April/May really rejuvenated me and now I am ready to RUN! I got rained on a bit and sweated a lot and by the time I finished I was wet from head to toe! I actually like running in a little bit of ran, it makes me feel tough and the shower afterward feels even better!
I was really bummed I couldn’t post yesterday because I wanted to share with you an addendum to June Goals.
THE PUSH UP VARIATION CHALLENGE
For my June Goals I have been doing 50 push ups every other day and it’s time to kick it up a notch.
Mondays push up variation comes courtesy of dancer, personal trainer, and dear friend of mine, Corinne Penka.
“Spiderman” Push Up Variation
- Complete one full push up
- Keeping body flat, booty in line, and stomach lifted, raise right knee towards right shoulder (thigh parallel to floor)
- Return right leg to start
- Repeat left side and continue for as many reps as you can complete with EXCELLENT form
” imagine that you’re scaling a building to flee a supervillain and it makes it even more fun!” (from Corinne’s comment)
Your butt, hips, abs, obliques, back, and arms will thank you!
I managed 3 sets of 10 reps (each push up counts as one rep) and finished off my 50 with 2 sets of 10 plain push ups.
Arm days this week are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. Feel free to send me your favorite push up variations so I can give them a whirl.
It’s pouring out and I am feeling a bit tender today. It’s a good day to have few ambitions and let myself rest. My plan is for good,long yoga and Pilates sessions, some good nourishing food, a nap, and a movie! If it clears up later a walk along the river would be great but we’ll see…
I have a couple new favorite push-ups thanks to the P90X routine (dude. i sound like an infomercial for them, but I’m NOT. i just like their workouts!).
The first is called Stagger Arm/Stacked Foot pushups. Regular push-up position with one foot stacked on the other. One arm is out under the shoulder (let’s say you’re starting with your left hand out). That arm does a normal push-up with the elbow bending out to the side. The right-hand (for this example) is closer to the ribs and the elbow goes back when you lower more like a yoga chatturanga. Do five reps and switch to right-hand under the shoulder, elbow out and left hand close to the ribs like chatturanga.
The second push-up I like from the workout is reach high and under push-ups. You do a regular push-up and then roll over into a side plank (balancing on one arm, keep the hips up). Reach the top arm way up into the sky and then fold it under your raised hips in front of your belly like you’re going to scratch your back, reach high again and place the hand back down. Repeat the push-up and reach high/low sequence on the other side.
Blessed be for great arms and shoulders!
Thanks for these great ideas. The first one I have seen in magazines before but have been avoiding it so this is good motivation to give it a go. The second one I love and is a good reminder to put it in regularly. I really want to try P90x! How is it going for you?
Thanks for reading and all the great comments!
your form would make spiderman jealous! i love the shout-out, lady. hope you’re doing well.
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