Restorative Pilates & Licorice Root

I'd text Erin, my Kinesis and Pilates instructor, last night that I wasn't feeling great.  Of course I had high hopes of getting a great night's sleep and waking up refreshed and ready to hit it hard at work and in my workout. Not the case.  I text Erin this and said I was a no go.

Well I got home about noon and tried to nap, unsuccessfully for an hour and then text Erin asking if I could come in for an easy Pilates session.  So that's what I did. Not easy in the form of easy exercises but easy in the form of more stretches instead of power moves.

She had me do what she calls restorative Pilates focusing on fluidity and breathing through moves.  We did most of the session on the reformer.

But then headed over to the wall for a stretch I haven't done before.  Erin was a collegiate athlete so some of stretches are athletes based.  This stretch is a variation of a runner's stretch.  With a mat or blanket on floor (to cushion your knee), we started out on all fours with feet against wall.   Then we picked up the right leg and put knee on the mat and shin against wall (similar to how your leg is when doing a standing quad stretch holding foot close to your booty).  Next left foot goes on floor so leg is in a 90 degree angle. The goal is to lean back against the wall so you are in a straight line from right knee to head.  Don't worry if you can't get all the way there, you'll definitely feel the stretch.  Then repeat on other side.

While at Pura Vida Club, I started chatting with another Pilates instructor.  Stacy is like me and doesn't sleep well.  She asked me if I'd tried Licorice Root.  I said no and here's what she said to try:

30 drops of Licorice Root in 8 oz of water
Up to a half teaspoon of iodized salt (Stacy used a fourth of a teaspoon so I'm starting with that)

You need to add the salt because licorice is diuretic.  You drink this for 5 nights in a row.  It's suppose to help re-set your adrenal glands.  I'm giving it a try starting tonight!

Next time you're not feeling 100%, instead of missing a workout completely, consider doing a restorative Pilates, stretching, or even a walk and save the high intensity workouts for another day.