Trying to Fit Yoga in for Friday May 18

[lorajc]

Morning Ladies -

This morning I did High Step Challenge ....only burned 330 calories during that and then I added on Lotte Berk Hip Hugger Abs Blast & High Round Assets Blast 20". I also did Yogafit Moodlift Yoga 30" (since my depression really kicked into high gear last night).

I have to go to my Mom's and get her some more clothes for her stay and I have some other running around to do.

Jen - The meeting with the Social Worker was okay, but the Occupational and Physical Therapists were there also and I didn't really care for them. They were snippy. They have 4 week plans drawn out for her recovery and both my Mom's family doc and the doc at the inpatient place say she only needs to be there 2 weeks max. WTF??? My Mom's not really helping the situation, as she's forgetful and doesn't remember some stuff that's important. My Mom is such a BIG part of my life and routine and this sure has changed things. This has made me realize just how much I'm going to miss her when she's gone and I've become severely depressed. I know I can't let her know that, but I did call her last evening (after she said not to call any more for the evening) and told her I missed her and "our routine". Her spirits are good most of the time, however, she really was in a bad place yesterday morning. She was having a bad morning with multiple problems, her attitude sucked, she wanted to die, and she told me not to call there any more! She said she didn't want to talk to anyone. While I was grocery shopping, she called the house and left a voice mail message that she was sorry and just frustrated and was feeling a bit better. Later last night she told me she was very frustrated because of a lot of things, but the one thing that put her over the edge was the fact that it took her 1 hour to get her underwear on and she didn't want to ask for help for that....since it is so humiliating! I totally understand. This whole situation sucks big time. She has had many visitors and even more phone calls.

Yes, I kept Peak 10 and the other one with Kacey. She is a good trainer. I wish she'd do more. Peak 10 is actually a pretty good program. Maybe I should try it again. Are you familiar with it? Chris Imbo does the weighted segments with that VS model Fredrequie (I know.......you're probably rolling your eyes) and Kacey does the cardio segments. The other workout I have with the male model is with Kacey and Lucy Vanos (spelling??) and it's a circuit workout that alternates between cardio & weights. I used to like it and I think it's around 45-50 long....so it's good for when I'm working and need a quick one.

Well, I've babbled enough here.

Hi Kel........................earth to Yve!!!

take care everyone............be back later.

 

[HipChick]

Good morning! Sorry I wasn't around yesterday. I was just very busy & also had a meeting outside of the office at 2 that ended up lasting the rest of the afternoon. I did visit here briefly & I think I posted once but didn't have much time to spend "hanging around". Yesterday, I did the 51 minute premix on KPC because my DH & I ended up getting back from our meeting relatively early (around 10:30) so I wanted to do something a little longer than I originally planned. That premix includes combos 2 & 3, plus the high instensity portion, as well as the warm up & cool down/stretch. I had severe DOMS from PLB so the workout was a little difficult but I made it through & then added some yoga during lunch to help further stretch out my sore muscles. I had sort of a late night last night, hanging out with a girlfriend, so this morning, I just did The Firm's Time Cruch Workout. As I said on Wednesday, that's one of my "go to" workouts that I do when I really don't feel much like working out. It's pretty short at about 40 minutes & it's a circuit-style workout that includes some cardio & also works all the major muscle groups too. The ab section in this DVD is really good too & leaves me feeling like I really worked my core. I wish I'd felt like doing something longer or more intense but at least I did something. I also plan to fit in some yoga during lunch again too.

Lora - For goodness sakes, you & your mom have really been through a lot & I can't imagine how difficult losing your dad must have been for you. But you have also come through all of it so well & I'm sure you wouldn't have it any other way at this point. I don't have a relationship with my mom at all (long story that perhaps I'll get into at another time) & she lives on the opposite end of the country but I'm very close to my dad & he lives about 30-45 minutes from me. He's in his early 70's now so I try to see him as much as possible. It's so strange to think of them as being "old", isn't it? Like your mom, my dad is still very active & young in heart & mind so I find it difficult to think of him being the age he is. Anyway, I also agree that sometimes things work out fo a reason too - like you not finding your dream job yet because your mom needs you right now. I guess maybe it's a form of karma or something. So I do admire what you do & the relationship you have with your mom. I know you & she are having a very difficult time right now but I guess all you can do is continue to keep up with what's going on & continue to call & visit her frequently (even if she says she doesn't want you to). Hopefully, this will end up only taking 2 weeks so she can get out of there quickly. I'm so sorry this is humiliating for her & I can't imagine how she must feel but hopefully she will recover & get out of there quickly. I'm also sorry for the depression you're experiencing & I hope you feel better soon. Oh yeah... nice workout!

Jen - Like Lora, I used to have Kacy Duke's Sculpt & Groove but ended up getting rid of it because it never really grew on me at all. I just never found the workout very effective or fun at all. I actually liked her in the Lucky Vanous Ultimate Fat Burning System video (& he wasn't too hard on the eyes either - LOL!). I never tried Keli's Abs & More but I have heard it's an effective & fun workout. I also like some of her other workouts, like The 10 Minute Solution Kickboxing DVD. That's a really FUN workout!

Hey, since this check-in is about yoga, I was wondering if you girls have a favorite pose or sequence? As for a standing poses, I really enjoy Triangle because I can really feel the stretch in my inner thighs & groin area, in addition to the rest of my legs. I also like Extended Angle because I feel the stretch in my side & ribcage, as well as my legs. I'm not a huge fan of sun salutations, although I do them to help warm my body up for more intense stretching in my routine. As for seated poses, I love nearly any form of torso twists, Bridge (& Wheel when I'm feeling up to it), & Pigeon (I can't do the full version but I'd like to achieve it one day). A few that I'm not as fond of are Plough (it puts a lot of strain on my neck), Tree (I can do it great on one side but can't seem to keep my foot up on the other), & Table (I just don't feel any kind of benefit from this one, although Baron Baptise sure uses it a lot in his Core DVD). I enjoy Headstand but I do that pose utilizing a device called The Yoga Lift so there is no strain on my neck & I can still enjoy the benefits of the inversion. How about favorite instructors? I don't have tons of yoga DVDs but of the ones I own, I adore Baron (I just love his style) & I enjoy Natasha Rizopoulos in the Yoga Journal Series. I guess you would call these my "go to" yoga DVDs.

Oh my, I am chatty today, aren't I? Talk about babbling - LOL! So I guess I'll leave it at that for now. I hope you girls have a great day & I hope to hear back from you too. I'll be sure to check back in later...

 

[lorajc]

Kel - thanks for the kind words about my Mom. Yes, we do have a wonderful relationship. It's strange cuz as a young child, I was a Tomboy and was always Daddy's little girl .....then when I turned into a teenager...I became a rebel and was "nobody's girl" ...then when my Dad passed, it brought me and Mom closer and we have remained the closest out of the 3 daughters. Actually, my one sister in town is "estranged" from my Mom and I never talk to her either. That's a story for the Jerry Springer show!! LOL. My other sister is in Columbus (which is 3.5 hours from here) and my Mom and her do not get along very well. They have a very "strained" relationship. I have a totally "honest" relationship with Mom and speak to her daily on the phone, as well as visit her at least 3 times a week! It's strange cuz now I'm the good daughter after all these years and back in "the day"...I was the black sheep. Bah.....

Regarding Yoga (since you're right......this IS the yoga thread). I absolutely am addicted to forward bends, twists and hip openers. I love practices that have both triangle and twisting triangle, as well as side angle and reversed side angle. I don't particulary LOVE sun salutations in excess...but I like to warm up with a fair amount of them. I also recently have become addicted to plough pose and shoulderstand. Makes my upperback loosen up and shoulderstand makes me feel so good with all of the blood rushing to my head.

If I do a sequence of poses I string together, I typically follow the format that Rainbeau Mars uses in Yoga for Beauty - Dusk. She does the sun salutations, standing poses, hip openers and then goes into plough, shoulderstand and twisting as finishing poses. I love this sequencing because she explains that all of the hip openers works the toxins out of those large storage depots in the hips and after that, you need to redistribute the blood back thru your system in shoulderstand.

My fave instructors are Shiva Rea, Rainbeau Mars, Eion Finn and Bryan Kest. I also like Tilak Pyle a lot...but he only has one DVD out...Altar of the Heart.

My favorite practices are: Rainbeau's Yoga for Beauty Dawn & Dusk series, Eion Finn's Power Yoga for Happiness & Pure and Simple Yoga, Shiva's Fluid Power and Yoga Shakti and Tilak's Altar of the Heart. I also like Bryan Kest, but I don't really have a fave practice by him.
I've also been getting a lot of use out of Power Yoga for Athletes by Kim Fowler lately and I'm enjoying my Xflowsion fusion workouts lately also. Calm Down Dog is becoming a fast favorite.

Hopefully, I'm off to do some Classical Stretch unless I get sidetracked.

 

[just_another_jennifer]

Hi ladies! No workout for me tonight. I was hoping to get one in since I am feeling better, to make up for the one I missed, but this week was tough again, so I needed the break. What little I did is working on me anyway-my hamstrings are pretty sore today. I am looking forward to tomorrow-I have a hair appointment. I am going to Starbucks for a treat tomorrow, too! Banner day!

Lora-Gosh, you talking about the difficulties your mom is going through is totally reminding me of everything I went through with mine. I am so glad you are close with her. I am also glad she called to say she was sorry about the comments she made. It is really hard during times like this to separate the person you know and love from the fustration of the illness that seems to compel them to say hurtful things they wouldn't normally say. Sounds like your sisters will not be of much help in this situation and that most of her care will fall on you. I would be pretty freaked out if the rehab center told me two weeks, too. Unless they have some really really comprehensive home health care plan, I can't see how that's possible. You are doing so well to keep exercising during this time. I wish that I hadn't quit exercising for so long. Keep doing whatever it is you're doing to stay motivated-you will get through this and be glad that you still took the time to take care of yourself, too.

I am not rolling my eyes about the Frederique tape! LOL! After all, I have Carmen Electra's series and I love the Cindy Crawford & Claudia Schiffer workouts I own, so what on earth would I have to say about that?! I heard those workouts were very good-especially back in the day! I looked at Kacy's website the other day. It's pretty nice, but of course, has no new information on any workouts. She seems much more involved in personal training. On another note, do you have the Hollywood Trainer series with Jeanette Jenkins? Just wondering if it is any good.

Kel-What good questions! Let's see...I guess my favorite instructors are Steve Ross (no DVD's, just has workouts on the Oxygen channel) and Bryan Kest. I also like Erich Schiffman and Ana Brett & Ravi Singh. I really like plough and shoulderstand. I loathe hip openers of any kind, which probably means I should be doing them much, much more. }( Not really because they don't feel good, but because I can't even get into some of them. Cow pose has to be the worst pose ever. I also like any pose that works the hamstrings-forward bends, triangle, etc., as I used to be particularly flexible there. As Seane Corn says, we tend to over exploit the areas we are most flexible and neglect the areas we aren't. I am totally guilty of that! I think it's because we want to apply goals to yoga the same way we do to other exercise, so we are more motivated by poses that we can go farther in than others because we feel closer to our goal. I think that actually misses the point of yoga to some degree, but it doesn't stop me from feeling that way. Let's see, who else...I like Shiva's style (and incredible music) and Seane's philosophy, but I don't tend to gravitate toward their workouts when I am picking something to do. Shiva is a little wild for me as she is more free-flowing and Seane gets so caught up in the details, she stresses me out more than calms me. I also like Baron Baptiste, but don't tend to pick his up very often either-his music is usually not very motivating.

Have a great night ladies! I have just hit my wall and have got to go to bed! Talk to you more later!

Jen

P.S. Lora-you can pm me anytime-I think you said there maybe something you wanted to discuss the other day after I was feeling better.