Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

Progress: a handstand!

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
23 June 2011
0

I’ve been practicing yoga for over 6 months now and I’m finally getting to the point where I can do some of the poses that were too challenging at the beginning.  While it’s not obvious to me the strength I’ve gained, I know that I must have to be able to balance and hold myself up on my hands for Crow Pose.  More recently (this week, actually), I’ve even managed to do some handstands against the wall, with my yoga instructors spotting me.  I’ve got to work on my core to be able to hold it myself, but I’m getting there!  It’s a great feeling, since I always thought my upper body strength would never be enough for a handstand.

Now, in both classes this week, I was able to do an assisted handstand, even coming off the wall with tonight’s.  But for my teacher guiding my hips so they’d stay stacked above me, I’d say I was doing a real handstand.  I’ll be working on getting up on my own and staying up, then doing it away from the wall.  I’d also like to try some of the crazy balance poses I’ve seen, which is sure to work my upper body and core.  The physical changes may have been gradual, but the effects are becoming noticeable now.  By the end of the year, I’ll be walking on my hands!  😛

I was really proud of myself this week for doing handstands (I even did it twice today).  The more I do them, the better I get!  Soon I’ll forget what it was like to be too weak to get up.  Won’t that be great?  Now I just have to figure out how to get some of the simpler poses right… I still can’t rotate my biceps the way I need to for Down Dog and my hyper-extended elbows don’t help the situation.  Ironic how I am advancing into harder poses, but those basic ones are still difficult.  The hopeful news is that my teachers have been practicing for years and years, so I’ve got time to get better!

Yoga gains

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
26 April 2011
0

Well, right when I was first starting yoga, I wrote about “Yoga Pains” and now it’s all about my yoga gains.  While I still suck at a lot of moves and struggle to figure out how exactly each pose should feel, I’ve definitely gotten better.  From the first downward facing dog of the night, I can already bring my heels to the floor.  I was nowhere near that three months ago.  I finally started to understand this concept of pushing the floor away – no matter what I did when I first started, my palms just wouldn’t stay glued to the floor and I pretty much was only using the heels of my palms to keep myself up in downward facing dog and plank pose.  This created a strain in my wrists that was painful.

I’ve gotten better at regulating my breathing, but still feel like I fill up too fast and those deep gulps of air just don’t last very long for me.  I guess I’m still breathing in too much air right away.  My shoulders stay away from my ears and I’ve been pretty good at remembering to lengthen through everything.  However, a lot of this lengthening strains my right shoulder because I have to raise my arm above my head and the constriction there doesn’t help the looseness I have in the socket.  I have to try a lot harder to keep my shoulder in the socket, properly stored away.

I’m still working on keeping my legs engaged during poses and not getting shaky so quickly.  And while it’s getting much easier to maintain a handstand (with some help keeping my legs straight up), I’m still weak in a lot of areas.  I’ve noticed that I’m improving in all areas, but gradually.  My upper body strength has been pretty pathetic since sometime in high school, so it’s nice that I can work on that.  My low back has been troubling me for over three years and it’s feeling a little less strained when I stand.  Most of all I think it’s nice to take out an hour of my time twice a week to focus on my body.  I don’t find my thoughts wandering when I’m in class.  I just concentrate on what is before me and the moves that we are working on.  Then at the end, I completely let go for the resting part and sometimes even fall asleep from being so relaxed.

I still find yoga to be too challenging to be enjoyable (for the most part), but then again, I get bored when it’s not hard enough.  We’ll see if I continue on when I’m no longer living at this apartment complex.

Yoga pains

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
08 January 2011
1

At my apartment complex, there are free yoga classes each Tuesday and Thursday night.  This was one of the reasons I really wanted to live here – so I can finally try out yoga!  I went to both sessions this week, which are taught by different instructors.  On Tuesday, the instructor took us through a nice, invigorating set.  It was a good intro and she took it slow and easy.  Then on Thursday, the other instructor went through much more challenging moves that left me quite sore afterwards.  I’m having trouble lifting my arms without slowing down a bit, but it’s a good kind of sore.

My overall impression of yoga is somewhat neutral.  While I like the idea of taking yoga and the instructors were both great, I find that there is a lot of strain on my body, like in the wrists.  I have bad shoulders that also didn’t handle the moves too well.  I think I’d gain a lot in strength and flexibility if I stick with it though, so I absolutely plan on attending every class that I am free for.  However, I don’t find myself getting extremely passionate about it and the whole yogi lifestyle, but maybe that’s something that will grow on me.

I’ve found that I’m not that great at doing yoga.  I can’t breathe as deeply as I feel I should be.  I get so wrapped up in the moves that I forget to take deep breaths – I often catch myself taking shallow breaths.  Both times I have had trouble staying on the mat (but maybe that’s normal?).  I wonder if there are weighted ones or if I’d have to use weights to keep the mat in place.  I also suck at a few of the poses because my back bends backwards too far, my right shoulder shifts in its socket, and my hips click out of their sockets.

I do feel like part of the discomfort is because I am just weak in my back and arms, which is exactly why I wanted to start yoga in the first place.  I also feel like I’ll feel better when the weather warms up and the room is not so cold.  So, while I feel it’s definitely worth it to continue the classes for this year, I’m not sure that I would pay for classes in the future.  Maybe I’ll try pilates or that yoga class that is done in the pool!  It’s nice to have a class to attend, someone to lead you through moves and keep you going, so I’d love to find a class that I’m passionate about.

The marathon obsession

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
06 February 2010
4

Besides travel the world and skydiving, I’d say that running a marathon tops everyone’s “to do” list (or for the more ambitious, perhaps a triathlon).  Why?  What’s the draw?  I don’t quite understand it, because to me, marathons hold no interest.  Then again, I’m not as into endurance sports as most people seem to be; rather, I prefer sprinting and strength exercises.  Plus, I much prefer being in water than jolting my knees on land.

It seems that marathons have become a rite of passage.  Much like the Greek system has a pledging process, during which pledges undergo certain challenges to prove they deserve to become a brother or sister in the organization, marathons (and training for them) seem to be a process people go through to be inducted to an unofficial club of sorts.  Ultimately it’s more about bragging rights and being able to say that you’ve run a marathon than just being healthy or running for enjoyment.  In fact, most people who run marathons find it excruciatingly painful and just barely finish their first few.  But it’s one of those things that’s hard enough that people respect you for doing it, yet easy enough that just about anyone can do it, so long as they set their minds to it.

Running comes pretty easily to just about everyone who isn’t confined to a wheelchair.  It’s a natural thing humans do, and though techniques vary, the skill isn’t really hard to pick up.  Other things like swimming are harder for people to pick up, which is why I think triathlons are things that only more elite athletes go for.  The average Joe finds learning to swim and bike, then having to compete in those on top of running just a bit too hard.  That’s my theory on why marathons make the list while triathlons get far less attention.  Marathons are a good middle ground between not doing anything physically challenging and going for a triathlon.

I’ve never gotten into them and may never attempt a marathon.  That accomplishment just doesn’t mean as much to me.  I’d rather be able to hold static exercises for longer, be able to pump more weights, or do endurance stuff submerged in water.  I’ve never been a great fan of cardio exercises.  I like strength and agility more.  So though I’d love to go ocean swimming, I don’t feel the need to prove myself by swimming the English Channel.  I guess that’s why I loved swimming the butterfly stroke and doing long and triple jump.  There’s a lot more skill involved in addition to the strength and power you need to do those events.  I’d also love to become a better shot with a pistol, revolver, rifle, and maybe even a bow and arrow.  Oh, and traveling the world and skydiving are definitely on my “to do” list.  But marathons?  They just aren’t my thing.

Human hamsters

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
15 September 2009
2
photo credit: allellipticals.com

photo credit: allellipticals.com

College students love to work out.  Go to the campus recreation center and you’ll find students engaging in a variety of activities.  Some of the most popular are running on the treadmill and “cycling” on the ellipticals (or whatever you call that motion).  All that energy exertion is great for those looking to burn calories and build endurance and slim down, but it’s lost in the power used to operate the machine.  So it’s not surprising that the students of Cal State San Bernadino are now a part of a new concept: using that energy to power a building.  After all, if they can make hamsters run around in wheels to generate electricity, why can’t humans pump ellipticals to do the same?

When I first heard of this idea, I remembered actually thinking a similar thought before.  I don’t know about the resources needed to set up the infrastructure so that the energy used is directed to a power grid, but if it’s not too much, this is certainly an interesting way of getting your electricity!  For the CSUSB students’ fitness center, equipment cost $15,000.  Not too bad.  There’s a one-to-one ratio of how many minutes a typical workout can power a laptop for – imagine that: you use your laptop for five hours a day and you have to work out for five hours to power it.  That would certainly teach you to conserve energy.  The same time will power a flourescent bulb for three times as long.  It really is hard work to create electricity, but the students at the CSUSB fitness center manage to provide that building’s power.

photo credit: thaisilvestre on flickr

photo credit: thaisilvestre on flickr

This reminds me of a product I saw once, which was only a concept at the time.  You know those Chinese stress balls (baoding balls)?  They’re two stone or metal balls that you roll around in the palm of your hands.  It works muscles in your hand that don’t get used much and improve dexterity and flexibility of your fingers.  Well, one guy decided to fit batteries inside them, then using the kinetic energy created by moving them around, charge the batteries.  Not a bad idea, if it’s effective.  Then going for a bike ride could mean more than just exercise, but could potentially power the very light on it that blinks in the night.  Hula hooping would be more than child’s play or a test of skill and could charge batteries for your camera or alarm clock.  When you start to see the world in those terms, every form of kinetic energy becomes a potential way to convert it to stored energy.

The question is, is it effective?  Would making a bicycle that can power its own lights, and perhaps some batteries, be worth the extra cost in design and manufacturing?  I hope it is.  It’d be a great way to encourage a fattening population to stay active.  Something as simple as having one of those ab roller machine-type things that powers batteries can keep people moving by putting their feet on the handlebars and rolling it back and forth.  Talk about a lazy man’s workout.

Exercising consistently

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
26 April 2009
0

I’ve been feeling a huge lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in my life recently, which exaggerates my continued languor.  I don’t know if it’s because of my diet that I feel so tired or if because I feel so listless that I’m not bothering to eat well.  I guess both things kind of perpetuate each other, leaving me drained and nutrient-deprived.  Ok, it’s not that bad, but I do feel like my energy level has not been up to par with my old self.  Fruits and salads were so much more accessible back in the dining halls!  I know people tend to eat terribly when it’s a buffet, but I really did enjoy having a salad bar and baskets of fruits laying around.

I’ve been trying to convince myself to get back into the good old days, when a workout was routine and expected, but it’s hard when I don’t even have sneakers.  I also have this “need” to only work out when I can shower afterward, but I tend to feel like working out when I’m showering.  I hate to take too many showers in a day (why waste the water?), so I need to time it just right.  Perhaps this is why I prefer to do static exercises that don’t produce as much sweat as cardio would.  I’ve been telling myself to set aside half an hour each afternoon/evening to do some simple strength exercises, but somehow the time always flies by and next thing I know, it’s time for dinner.

I found a series of short videos online through the UCLA Rec Center, which leads me through some quick and simple “at your desk” exercises that can counteract the effects of sitting too long (something I am very much guilty of).  I did them once and it felt good, but I wasn’t able to remember to keep doing it.  Am I going to need to set an alarm to remind myself?  After all, it’s only 15 minutes – plenty short to fit into my schedule!  I always fare so much better when I have a set regimen, coach, and team to work out with.  This whole self-motivation thing is hard to do when you keep convincing yourself that your personal well-being can be pushed aside for higher priority things.  But, as many of the contestants in The Biggest Loser said, much of the reason they got so overweight was because they neglected to take care of themselves.

I have spent time reading books and articles for personal enrichment.  I play games here and there to destress and work my critical thinking and motor skills.  Yet, I do nothing for my physical health, in terms of strength, endurance, overall fitness.  So I think it’s time to get back into that mindset that everyone starts the year with and revamp my life.  I need to tone my core, I want to work on my triceps, and I should slim down ever so slightly.  Starfish brought in a machine that measures your BMI and fat percentage, which we all tried one night.  My BMI has always been within the normal range, nothing exciting, but my fat percentage is a tad on the high end.  That doesn’t come as too much of a surprise – I have very thick thighs that have quite a layer of fat on them and my belly’s got its fair share as well.

I really wish I could swim to work out, but I didn’t bring my cap, googles, or competitve suits.  Can you imagine me doing the fly in a bikini?  Especially one that has this strange flap that hangs down halfway to my bellybutton.  Let’s not even talk about how silly that would look or how easily a “wardrobe malfunction” could occur.  I was thinking that if the pool is deep enough, I could try just doing some exercises treading water.  Now I’ve just got to convince myself it’s worth it to look like a fool in a family style pool and get to it.

I want to try to do that on the weekends (or any nights that I manage to get back around dinnertime).  Days that I don’t get to do that I should be doing some basic dryland exercises.  There’s so much you can do with just your body and gravity, as I was telling Lorry the other day, when he was asking me about how to burn away belly flab.  I still remember a lot from my years of training, but it’s no use if I don’t do it.  Pretty soon, I’ll start to forget everything I once knew, except that I once knew it.  Sometimes I get really nostalgic for those days when I used to compete and train with a goal in mind.  Always a better run, a longer jump, a faster swim, or more endurance.

I must motivate myself to work out again.

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