Calves Roll Out

I did my usual Monday Kinesis and Pilates training session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  My calves were still sore from being shredded in the step class I hadn't plan to take last Thursday.  My calves were so bad Saturday it hurt to walk!

Some how that still didn't get me out of running the stairs in Kinesis.  Erin had me do cable work with so quick intervals to get the heart rate up like 20 seconds of mountain climbers used Bosa ball will ball side down and flat side up then straight into push ups keeping Bosa ball in same position, then  repeat.

In Pilates she put the through the ringer as usual but left some time in session to roll out my calves.  Erin used a bar to roll on them then had me use the foam roller.  I'd used the roller before for my calves but only rolling calves on it, not rotating leg on the roller.

Here's Erin talking me through the calves roll out.

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.

Glutes Day

Today was glutes day in Kinesis and Pilates at Pura Vida Club.  Erin had me do several exercises (in addition to squats and lunges) that focused on the glutes....otherwise known as the booty muscles.  We did several moves on the Bosu ball.

The first was the bridge with a glute lift.

The second was frog lifts.  It looks funny but it works!

Here's Erin showing the moves.

I got really excited in Pilates when I was doing a roll up to a stretch and realized I could get my head to my knees.  One of my workout warrior year is to get my head to my knees while sitting with straight legs on the ground.  Now to get my head to my knees with a flat back.  Upping the goal!

Heart Rate Raising Warm Up, Scorpion, & Oblique Crunch

I knew I was in for an intense workout when I walk in to Kinesis and Erin at Pura Vida Club tells me the warm up:  30 second rounds of jumping jacks, speed squats, butt kicks and high knees, quick rest, then 30 second rounds of jumping lunges, mountain climbers and burpees followed by slide out push ups.

Then on to machines for two exercises of 45 seconds each with one minute jump rope in between each two exercise set.  Talk about non-stop!

Since we did a lot of arms in Kinesis, Pilates was filled with more leg work.  Most of the session was on the Cadillac and wunda chair.

Couple of great exercises for you to try are the scorpion stretch and oblique crunch on your side.

Watch the video to see Erin explaining how to do these two moves.

Pilates to Kickboxing

Friday was an intense workout day. It was a two-a-day workout day for me.  I did my first Pilates session of the new year with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  I had a mini goal reached in that session.  There's a move on the Cadillac machine where you are sitting with your legs out straight and dive forward to try to reach your feet.  I was so excited when I could touch the bottom of my feet.

Then I went back to the club for a 30 minutes session of Muay Thai Kickboxing with Sean.  I knew it was going to be tough when the warm up involved a fire hose size rope stabilized by two heavy weights.  Hold the ends of the rope I had the move ropes up and down as fast as I could for 20 seconds then lift both ropes above my head as fast as I could for another 20 seconds.  After the first round, Sean says I have four of those. Buck up little camper was all I could think!  From there we did series of kicks and punches.  My heart rate soared, I couldn't breathe and yes I felt like I was going to puke.  It's tough but I loved it!

6 Months To Go!

January 3rd.....six months to my 40th. Time to kick it in high gear!  We'll I had every intention of that with a run then hour ballet body class but the shoot I had scheduled for Thursday got pushed up to Tuesday afternoon.  I spend time wandering through Ice Castles and even did a little ice climbing to the top of one.

So on the way to and from to Silverthorne I thought about my workout challenge to myself.  What is really that I want to accomplish?  Well get in best shape of my life of course but that includes some specific goals.  I don't want to be skinny.  I want to be athletic.  So in the next 6 months I want to get back to running 5 miles with ease, get some definition in my arms, strengthen my core, and be able to put my head on my knees.  The last one is my flexibility goal.  I thought about maybe I should try to be able to do splits again but head to knees is a bigger challenge.  I had a yoga instructor show me recently how to start:  stand with knees bent, hands on calves or back of ankles, and start by just trying to get chest to quads, and breathe into the stretch taking several breaths to deepen it and work toward goal.  So ladies what to be in a bikini on their 40th, I want to be able to put my head to my knees.  Guess we all have goals!

Cat Stretch

I had an awesome Pilates session on Thursday, November 10th with Erin at Pura Vida.  Okay all my sessions are great but this one was just what I needed.  We did a lot of work on the reformer including some new moves for me.  I just seemed to be really focused and in the zone today.  It was one of those days that my legs were wobbly after the workout.  That's a good thing!

One move I do regularly in sessions is the cat stretch.  Here's a modified way to do it at home using a fitness ball.

Swan On A Mat

Monday was Pilates and Kinesis with Erin at Pura Vida Club and boy did she push me hard!  So hard that I barely got through my mountain climbers series.  We did a lot of shoulder work, which is good for me since I have issues with my right one.  What I love about my Pilates/Kinesis combo is that it is a full body workout that I get pushed to the max in.  We ended the session with a great series of stretches for the legs.

With all of the shoulder and upper body work Erin had me do a move called swan on the mat.  It's a to strengthen your back.  We did it using a foam roller.

Stretching For A Long Spine

Well after my insane workout weekend and being sore and bruised from my mountain biking crash, I did just Pilates (normally do Kinesis and Pilates on Mondays) with Erin at Pura Vida.  Today she really focused on stretching, working out the kinks, and alignment.  One of the exercises we did on the reformer is called the Long Spine.  It feels so good stretch and elongate the spine!

Sports Fusion Massage

I have been way overdue for a massage!  So today I got one.  I went to the Allegria Spa in Beaver Creek.  Of course it's fitting my massage therapist was a former pro snowboarder!  I'm not big on massage to relax. I want one to help my overworked, overused muscles.  So Justin was the perfect therapist for me.  I got the Sports Fusion Massage that promotes sports relief and clear breathing.  It's gear for relief from exercising at high altitude.  It combines hot stones, sport and deep tissue work using wintergreen and arnica body butter with eucalyptus steam to help restore clear breathing.

After several weeks of pretty intense weekend hikes I was in desperate need of this!  One of the best massages I've ever had.