Using It - Thurs 23rd March

[Mitra]

Who's using it today?

I'll be doing "normal" level yoga postures - a sort of maintenance level, with the emphasis on core and lower back strength and stability. And that will be my final session for this week :cool:.

You know, I feel a bit of a fraud posting my exercise here with all you big boys and girls who do real workouts :o.

[Ottawa]

Today is a day off for me and I'll pick it up tomorrow.

[Shadow]

Janet - You silly girl :eek:! Your workout is every bit as "real" as what the rest of us do! Just because you do a different discipline doesn't mean it is any less of a workout. In fact, I bet all of us "weighties" would be unable to do half the postures you do - so you are most likely one up on us ;). And I know your flexibility is far greater than what I have - and flexibility is a part of fitness too. Having done one legged squats, planks (supine & prone), etc, and some of the other moves you do, I can guarantee that they are work - regardless of whether they're done in yoga or a more traditional exercise routine!

Randy - Enjoy your rest day :).

Finished my week with chest, back and planks. This week is one of those where I'm extremely glad it's finally over :p.

[Ottawa]

As well Janet, there are several Pilates moves and other Yoga moves that are just too tough for some of us.;)

In the Sculpting class I just have to mimic or try something relatively similar to some of the moves used to do core strengthening towards teh end of teh class. There is one that I have to miss totally and just hold some crunches until it is over. You begin flat on your back and end up like this ... http://www.suite101.com/files/articles/94000/94867/ACF11CF.jpg ... and then you hold it. I just can't get it.

[Mitra]

I did that one yesterday :D. Except with arms horizontal. But I went into it from sitting upright, arms overhead, then leant back and lifted my legs up as I lowered my arms. I can't remember how long I stayed - about 4 breaths, I think - maybe 80s or so.

Out of interest, I had a look to see what the formal way to get into this posture is in yoga. It's part of a sequence:

Sit with back upright, legs stretched out in front.
Plank & variations. Put your hands on the floor behind you and lift your hips up into the supine (?) plank. Repeat a few times. Then back to the starting position, and do the plank sideways on each side a few times, and back to sitting again.
Table posture. Bend your knees, and with palms behind you again, lift your hips so your thighs and body are flat, like a table. Raise one leg straight up in the air a few times, then repeat with the other leg.
Boat pose. (that's the one in Randy's picture). From the table pose, lower your hips to the floor and raise your feet, straightening your legs (at this point, still supported by your hands behind you), then raise your hands and stretch your arms forwards. Stay a few breaths.
V. Then bend your knees a little, take hold of your heels and straighten your legs, with your forehead on your knees/shins (this is one of Lisa's V-postures!) Stay a few breaths. Then back to the starting position
Lie down and rest!I didn't do the whole sequence yesterday ;).

But, Randy, you might find this way an easier way to get into it than from lying on the floor - not that there's anything wrong with getting into the position that way, but when it's hard already, I don't see that tiring your muscles before you even get there has much benefit. Maybe when it's easy and you need to add more umph ;).

[ShayKNJ]

I did a 40 minute total body workout on the total gym.

[Ottawa]

Mitra,
I find I am top heavy and it is just hard to balance using that form so I do a 45 degree ab crunch/situp holding a weight with my feet, and hold it for the same time. Another one of the guys in the class is the same way although most of the women can do it and hold it. The Planks I can get since they are just hard effort. Most of the class is shaking by the end of each plank since she makes us hold the pose 30 seconds with a short shake it out between different sides.

[Mitra]

The physicist in me wants to suggest that if you have your top half a bit more upright (to move the centre of gravity inwards), legs lowered a bit (to move the centre of gravity out), and have your arms horizontal (to shift a bit more of the mass in the direction of your legs) you should be able to sort the balance out. But having seen strong men in yoga classes struggle with leg raises that are easy for weak women, I suspect that part of the problem might be that it's harder for you to hold a 90° bend than it is for the women.

I like looking at these traditional yoga sequences, but I don't use them in practice - with the recommended breath rate of about two breaths per minute, the sequence above would take about half an hour. And that's without any standing work, lying, any significant backbends or twisting. They're really only feasible if you are spending two or three hours a day on this stuff. And I'm not!

The way I've been taught takes some key postures, and links them together with suitable preparation, compensation, and adaptation to get the effect when you can't do the posture in it's traditional form (which is what you're doing with your ab-crunch instead of the boat).

[realruth]

A rest day for me.

[hawk]

I got a full upper body weight work out in today. 50 minutes. This morning I went in early and did 30 minutes of cardio on a tread mill. I did the weights after work. Boy does it ever feel good. I cannot believe how addicting weight lifting can get. When I can't do it I feel like I'm climbing the walls. Tricep kick backs were the bomb. Now I'm all warm and endorfins are kicken in. I feel like I can take a deeper breath. Ahhhhh:p

[Shadow]

Lynn - What a fantastic summary of the day :D!!! I know that euphoric feeling - it's just the best! So glad you were up to working out today!

Shay - Yeah for you!

Ruth - Enjoy your rest day :).

[banshee]

Another enforced rest day for me <sigh>. This is turning into a terrible week for exercise. I had to move some of the boxes I had stacked up from the office move, and had to really struggle with them to move them without using my back muscles. Impossible I know, but I tried to minimize it, and then immediately went and lay down with a heat pack. Tonight I'm going to do some slow stretches, but the weights have to wait.

[Shadow]

Mary - If there's any inflammation, make sure to use ice and not heat :). Hang in there - I know it's hard to be patient, but healing takes time :(.

[alpdiver]

Another enforced rest day for me <sigh>. This is turning into a terrible week for exercise. I had to move some of the boxes I had stacked up from the office move, and had to really struggle with them to move them without using my back muscles. Impossible I know, but I tried to minimize it, and then immediately went and lay down with a heat pack. Tonight I'm going to do some slow stretches, but the weights have to wait.

I am in full agreement with Shadow. Cold temperature is recommended by physical therapists and chiropractors to reduce inflamation. If possible, treat the affected area for 20 minutes, 2-3 times a day. Once the inflamation is gone (usually 3 to 7 days) then you might try alternating heat with cold, about 20 min for each to facillitate healing. Also, if the problem is in the lower back, the following exercise works wonders for me:

Lay on the floor (carpeted is a must for me!). Position your legs so that the upper part of your legs are vertical (straight up and down) to the floor. Bend and support the lower part of your legs on something (chair, bed, ottoman) so they are perpendicular to the floor. Extend your arms straight out to the sides of your body at shoulder level. Put your head and neck in a neutral position (use a rolled up towel under your neck if needed to be comfortable). Then just RELAX for as long as you want to, or can. Three to four minutes works for me!

[Shadow]

Welcome, Alpdiver :D! Great advice - and I could feel myself relaxing just reading about the exercise you suggested! Made my back sigh and say "oh yes" :p!

[Mitra]

Welcome Alpdiver.

That's good advice,generally, but whenever I have lower back problems that position is uncomfortable and worsens the pain. Lying face down on the floor (cotton rug on top of the carpet is my preference, so I have padding but don't get a face full of wool!) is my starting point, working up to propping myself up on my elbows.

My problems are usually sacro-iliac.

[banshee]

Mary - If there's any inflammation, make sure to use ice and not heat :). Hang in there - I know it's hard to be patient, but healing takes time :(.

It was my understanding that you should use ice the first 72 hours and then heat after that. It seems to be helping. I'm going to do slow stretches today. I did a little this morning, and while it hurt, it was a good stretchy kind of hurt.