Well-Trained Bodies May

[Ali in OR]

Sunday is usually a rest day here, but dh and I got a little hike in after taking dd back to her foster home. I'm calling this Hike #1 for my summer goal of doing a lot of hikes in our area. Most places will be completely new to me if they aren't wheelchair accessible (I've always had dd along), so this was my first time in this particular place. I'll get on the treadmill here next for today's workout.

[skimomma]

I did end up running on Sunday so I did a little more than I planned last week.  For this week, I have to juggle another long weekend trip when setting realistic goals.  We leave on Thursday night and return on Monday night.  But because it is a camping trip, I have a LOT of prep to do, which cuts into what little free time I have on weekdays.  I will be able to run easily while camping so do plan to run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, giving me 3 runs.  I will probably be able to squeak one in tomorrow as well for a total of 4 this week.  I am registered for 4 CF sessions as well.  This morning's is already done.  It was another lift/skill day so I feel very much like I should add a run but I simply don't have a window of time today.  And 4 Pliability/yoga.  I have the option of attending a real yoga class on Wednesday, if I have time, so I will leave that option open.  So, it's 4/4/4 for me this week.

[wintermom]

It's a long-weekend for us in Canada (Victoria Day), so it was a holiday today. Dh and I walked the dogs in the woods early this morning then we played doubles tennis outdoors for the first time this season. It was a lot of fun, but harder on the body than indoors. It tired me right out - we played with a hard hitting couple which add to the intensity.

I also completed a few little items in the backyard, such as re-purposing a canvas canopy to be the "cushion" of the wicker bench I found at the end of a driveway (I already spray painted it). I also dug out the sod for a pathway, and moved some river rock from my meditation garden to use in the pathway. My body will definitely pay for all this activity tomorrow! 

 

[Toocrazy!!]

I’ve been pretty steady here. Walks, pickleball, resistance/weight work. At my trainer Friday, I graduated to the 45 pound bar for bench presses😂 I’m pretty proud! My pushups are getting better and I’ve added dead hang to my home workouts. I can now actually hang about 5-6 seconds. Lots of room for improvement obviously but last week I couldn’t get my feet off the ground.  I’ve never had any upper body strength my whole life, so these milestones are actually pretty exciting to me. 

[mommyoffive]

4 hours ago, wintermom said:

It's a long-weekend for us in Canada (Victoria Day), so it was a holiday today. Dh and I walked the dogs in the woods early this morning then we played doubles tennis outdoors for the first time this season. It was a lot of fun, but harder on the body than indoors. It tired me right out - we played with a hard hitting couple which add to the intensity.

I also completed a few little items in the backyard, such as re-purposing a canvas canopy to be the "cushion" of the wicker bench I found at the end of a driveway (I already spray painted it). I also dug out the sod for a pathway, and moved some river rock from my meditation garden to use in the pathway. My body will definitely pay for all this activity tomorrow! 

 

I love your new space!

[Laura Corin]

8 hours ago, wintermom said:

It's a long-weekend for us in Canada (Victoria Day), so it was a holiday today. Dh and I walked the dogs in the woods early this morning then we played doubles tennis outdoors for the first time this season. It was a lot of fun, but harder on the body than indoors. It tired me right out - we played with a hard hitting couple which add to the intensity.

I also completed a few little items in the backyard, such as re-purposing a canvas canopy to be the "cushion" of the wicker bench I found at the end of a driveway (I already spray painted it). I also dug out the sod for a pathway, and moved some river rock from my meditation garden to use in the pathway. My body will definitely pay for all this activity tomorrow! 

 

Gorgeous! 

Right now I'm sitting on the bench that Hobbes and I set up last year. The planting isn’t in flower yet, but it's looking healthy. 

Yesterday - good walk up the den at lunchtime and yoga after work. My mood lifted, for some reason,  last week, so I'm doing better. 

On Sunday, Husband and I did an out-and-back six mile total walk to work out how and where I got lost last weekend.  On the way, we came across a horse farm with a designated fenced gallop - not a usual sight in that area of depressed former mining communities. 

[Eos]

No walking but lots of lifting and hauling for me. Today I'm sitting for a long time so I'm heading out soon for a walk.

[Wheres Toto]

I took another one of my super hilly walks yesterday.   My calves and shins always kill after those hikes no matter how much stretching I do.   

Today I'm going to do some yoga and maybe a flat walk.   I have a little bit of a cold so feeling wheezy (asthma) and don't want to push it.   

[wintermom]

5 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Gorgeous! 

Right now I'm sitting on the bench that Hobbes and I set up last year. The planting isn’t in flower yet, but it's looking healthy. 

Yesterday - good walk up the den at lunchtime and yoga after work. My mood lifted, for some reason,  last week, so I'm doing better. 

On Sunday, Husband and I did an out-and-back six mile total walk to work out how and where I got lost last weekend.  On the way, we came across a horse farm with a designated fenced gallop - not a usual sight in that area of depressed former mining communities. 

Glad your garden is looking healthy! That is such a treat after the winter to see how the plants made it and are thriving. I only lost a few grasses and plants that were in raised planters. 

What is a "designated fenced gallop?" I'm picturing a racing ring with a rail around it, but I could be completely wrong.  

[wintermom]

I've got a few things planned for today: finish planting the cedars, play tennis after work, walk the dogs (already done). I didn't sleep very well as my body was sore and aching most of the night. I'm going to try and keep the activity relatively light. 😉

[Lady Florida.]

I went for a short walk yesterday just to try and get back in the habit of walking. I noticed clouds building so I went out for a walk before the rain came. It ended up being just 1.25 miles. 

When I got back I did 35 minutes of yoga and stretching, which felt really good.

[Ali in OR]

Bodyweight circuit x2 this morning and I'll aim for getting a walk with dd this afternoon.

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, wintermom said:

Glad your garden is looking healthy! That is such a treat after the winter to see how the plants made it and are thriving. I only lost a few grasses and plants that were in raised planters. 

What is a "designated fenced gallop?" I'm picturing a racing ring with a rail around it, but I could be completely wrong.  

That's right - a deep-sand-floored ring for training. 

I lost a rhododendron this winter, but it wasn't looking well last year.  The soil is not ideal - I didn't plant it. 

[Wheres Toto]

I did do about 30 minutes of yoga this morning, and I've walked up and down a double flight of stairs 4 times.   I had some work situations come up that prevented my walk but I figure the stairs is a good compromise.  

Interestingly, the stairs hurt my legs less than hills.  

[skimomma]

It's day 2 of my week and my goals are already jacked.  I intended to run, do Pliability, and go to CF today.  I was registered for the after work session of CF but just got a call that I need to present to a group for my job during that time.  So, I have to cancel and there are no other sessions today.  Given my travel plans this weekend, this means my goal of 4 CFs will not happen.  I can get a maximum of 3 now.  I *may* be able to add a run to my day tomorrow to substitute in but no promises.  I did my run and Pliability for the day.

[Harriet Vane]

Finally home, if only for a few days. Traveling a lot is brutal. We were out of town for two weeks at the end of April. Then a quick trip for ds' graduation less than a week after our return. Then last week I was away all week helping dd move. And I have one more trip for one more graduation and yet another move for my niece. 

So with all the cleaning and work of moving for dd and with all the long hours of driving, I made it a priority to schedule gyrotonics today. Thank God. She did some trigger point release on my shoulders and then we did all the usual stuff and golly, I feel much better. Everything looser and more snugly in the right place. My movements are neither as stiff nor as jerky as when I woke up this morning. I'm going to go in again on Thursday because I think I really need the extra before the next long drive. 

[Laura Corin]

A walk up the den today. More wild flowers out now. Angelica is the tall white one with the rowan tree behind. The light yellow is a form of comfrey and the small white stars are stitchwort. It's quite an ancient woodland, which increases the variety.

I've found an Ashtanga yoga class that I might try out next week. When I last attended one around seven years ago, the repetition was comforting and the sequence was physically demanding. 

[Brittany1116]

PT yesterday and tomorrow. Ballet tonight. I'll probably bike Thursday. Plus I have been on a cleaning rampage, so lots of activity there. 

[Lady Florida.]

Weather didn't cooperate for a walk today as it rained on and off most of the day. I did a 50 minute strength training YouTube video. I needed some strength training anyway so I'm glad I was forced to workout indoors. 

My massage therapist has been working with me on stretches to do daily and getting me off weekly sessions. She now says I can do every other week. If during any skipped week I really feel I need a session I'm to call her and she'll work me in. The goal is monthly maintenance and as long as I'm faithful with stretching at home she feels I should be there by the end of the year.

[knitgrl]

Went to the cancer exercise class. I have four more left. Leg press at 130lbs and the arm pull thingy at 67.5. They gave me a new workout routine to do at home, so we'll see how that goes.

Also got my orthotic repositioned today. Hopefully, it will do what it is supposed to. I find it difficult to communicate with the woman who does the fitting. I don't think I am a whiny-pants, but she was very defensive and argumentative and it's just hard because this stupid foot thing is just about going to put me over the edge. Cancer + treatment has been fine. It's the minor foot swelling that has trashed my motivation and reduced me to tears.

Thinking I might self-medicate with a tiny glass of Kahlua and high quality dark chocolate this evening. Tomorrow is another day to begin again.

[Ali in OR]

11 hours ago, knitgrl said:

Also got my orthotic repositioned today. Hopefully, it will do what it is supposed to. I find it difficult to communicate with the woman who does the fitting. I don't think I am a whiny-pants, but she was very defensive and argumentative and it's just hard because this stupid foot thing is just about going to put me over the edge. Cancer + treatment has been fine. It's the minor foot swelling that has trashed my motivation and reduced me to tears.

This is just not how it's supposed to be with orthotics. Adjustments should be expected as the norm. Shriners was always so fantastic for my dd, but even the small local place is happy to make adjustments to get it better. Sorry you're experiencing this.

[Ali in OR]

15 min Fitbymik cardio. I know, not long enough, but it was a good workout.

[wintermom]

@Laura Corin Gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing! Keep them coming. I've been watching British gardening TV shows on Britbox and I really wish I had the same climate and plant varieties to use here in my own garden. "The Instant Gardener" is my most recent watch, and enjoyed all the information on choosing the right plant for your yard. I just need my yard to be in the UK. 😅

--------------------------------------------------

I'm still in recovery from the long weekend mode, and the doubles tennis I played yesterday did not help me recover. It was just an opportunity to get frustrated and more sore. ☹️ It's raining outside today, which will force me to actually rest. 😉 

Edited May 24, 2023 by wintermom

[skimomma]

CF and yoga class done for today.  I will not have time for a run so I am going have to officially revise my goals for the week to be 3/4/4 CF/Run/ROM.  I need to plan better in the future so that last-minute things don't derail my plans.  This will still be a stretch.  I am currently at 2/1/3.  Getting the remaining CF and Pliability won't be a problem but to hit my run goal I have to do a one hour run on each day of my camping vacation.  That might be hard if the weather or anything else does not cooperate, but I will try!

[Harriet Vane]

Weights and core at the gym this morning. Still exhausted from the last few weeks of inadequate sleep, so I am prioritizing naps, resting, and a long sleep tonight. I might even take my magical magnesium mix to help.

[Wheres Toto]

Didn't make my walk today.    The air conditioning at work is broken and I got a call that they had an opening today instead of waiting until next week, so I had to stick around until they showed up.   I did go up and down the stairs a bunch of times. 

[Laura Corin]

I discovered in the course of a 95-minute online meeting, where I  and 50 other people just listened with our cameras off, that even a fairly small Roget's Thesaurus is effective as a weight if used for long enough for upper body exercise,  interspersed with one leg squats and heel raises. 

Brisk walk in glorious sunshine at lunchtime.  Brave people were swimming in the North Sea without wetsuits.

[knitgrl]

Not a great day, energy-wise. I went in for my mammogram; everything looks good, so I'm happy about that. The exercises the cancer center gave me are divided into days 1, 2, & 3. I completed Day 1, doing 2 sets of almost everything. It left me pretty tired, so I am having dd13 pull dinner together.

[Ali in OR]

Just a 15 min arm dumbbell workout this morning.

[skimomma]

I did early morning CF and Pliability today.  CF was a beast!  Lots of running.  Which is good since I don't have time to run before we leave today anyway.  So, all I have left of my "revised" weekly goals is 3 runs while camping.  Fingers crossed.  I'll be off grid until Tuesday and we will be packing up and driving home on Monday (no activity) so I will be setting my goals for next week on Tuesday.

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, Ali in OR said:

Just a 15 min arm dumbbell workout this morning.

Every bit counts. 

[Laura Corin]

After supper,  I walked up a farm track - about 3 miles in total. This is hedgerow tree day in Laura's flower survey - horse chestnut, hawthorn and rowan.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Laura Corin

[Harriet Vane]

Gyrotonics again today. I love my trainer so much--she brought in a bunch of new stuff, both to address my sore shoulder (I did something to it while helping dd move) and also to keep building in new ways and new directions. It's fun and interesting to do new things and I always leave the studio feeling good.

A friend at the gym showed me a shoulder stretch yesterday that is also helping, I think.

[knitgrl]

Today is better than yesterday in terms of energy, but not exactly ideal. I completed Day 2 of the exercises the center gave me, and was glad that it was pretty short overall. I even did some stretching afterwards that I skipped yesterday.

[wintermom]

Got in a dog walk, planted the last of my cedar trees, and played 2 hrs of really good tennis. I was also productive at work. Win overall! ☺️

[Eos]

Stairs and cleaning have been it for me, which isn't enough.  I had planned a walk with a friend yesterday but she canceled with covid, ugh.  I have another friend walk for today, and did one Wednesday as well, just no big hikes. I have missed my morning routine for a bit while we got our place open, and my hip has flared up with bursitis.  It's getting better but doing my side-lying hip flexing moves will have to wait.

[Ali in OR]

30 min on the treadmill this morning--first 30 min workout this week I think!

[Harriet Vane]

Hit the gym first thing this morning. Though my shoulder is still sore, I think the stretches I am doing are helping. I would like the record to show that I did sixty crunches holding one leg up (15, then switch legs). Golly. 

[knitgrl]

Exercises for Day 3 completed.

[wintermom]

Had a horrible sleep due to body soreness after the fun tennis. Made it through today with lots of sitting through many Zoom meetings. The highlight of the day was doubles tennis with dh, a friend and youngest ds. It was ds's first time playing doubles tennis "for real" at the club. He volunteered to play with us when we couldn't find a fourth player. He was worried that he'd slow us all down, but he actually played very well. It was a really fun evening! 

[Eos]

18 hours ago, Harriet Vane said:

Golly. 

!!

[Eos]

A beautiful 2 hour walk yesterday with a friend who had to keep stopping to breathe, on flat ground.  She's been to a doc and is going to see a pulmonary specialist - worrisome.

 

[Ali in OR]

Yoga this morning. Looking forward to a 3-day weekend here. Dh and I are hoping to get in Hike #2 on Monday when we don't have dd and don't have to work. Just 3 more weeks of school and summer is finally starting to feel close. You build relationships with students over the course of the year--that part of ending is kind of sad. You have to start all over with a new batch of kids in September. But I'm looking forward to having some downtime.

[Laura Corin]

I walked 14 miles further along the cross-county trail including a couple of good hills. Straight through the old coalfields   - mostly now wooded or flooded into lochs. It's odd country though.

One more day and I will have walked the whole route this spring.

[wintermom]

I took a break from tennis and fit in a ton of gardening! Started the day with a dog walk in the woods, as usual, with an additional agility session with the pup and dd. Then I hit the garden centre to buy a few items to "finish off" my garden. I'm sure that I'll still end up buying a few more plants. I just can't resist. I did keep to my list to the garden centre really well, though! ☺️

I planted and repotted various plants for a couple hours (working on arrangements and pot sizes as I went). Then split a few perennials and replanted them. Finished up by spreading a half dozzer bucket of cedar mulch. I'll take a couple photos tomorrow and post them. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Once again a long gap between updates from me. I'm not sure why I have fallen out of the habit of checking in, or even reading the boards as much. I miss you all, but I just am struggling to find the mental and emotional energy to do more than the bare daily minimum.

Anyway, it's been a rocky couple of weeks, exercise-wise, around here. My work schedule has been uneven, and I spent last weekend driving a car-load of my daughter's stuff up to NYC. I made a point of booking hotels for that trip that had fitness centers so I could at least start and end each day with some treadmill time, but I didn't make my step goals or do any additional exercise for the days I was on the road. Even with that short disruption, it took me a few days after I was back home to get back into my routine. 

As of Wednesday, I was pretty much back in the groove, although I'm still not doing as much strength and stretching each morning as I was before going back to the office. 

The Friday night yoga class I'm trying out is . . . fine. It's the class where they try out and train new instructors, so it's a little uneven. And the attitude of the studio is a little pushier than I am used to with my other teachers. I'll continue to go, because I haven't found a viable alternative, but will probably drop it if/when my Saturday morning class resumes in the fall.

As of this morning, I reached my boosted seasonal distance goal. I did the math and realized that, with 3+ days to go, I could bump it to the nice round number of 700K.

I have the annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run next weekend in remembrance of the Pulse nightclub victims. And I am participating in a local event for Global Running Day on June 7 (walking both events, of course), but those are the last organized events I have on my calendar until the series I registered for kicks off in August. In June, I do need to start "training" in earnest for the half marathon coming up in November, which should keep me active.

So, TLDR: Still here. Still walking. Still yoga-ing. Still exercising. Still on the search for more and different things to try.

 

Spring Start 2023 Challenge: 676.3 of 700K
Activity Streak: 101 Days

[Lady Florida.]

Not much the past few days other than stretches and back exercises. That's the bare minimum I need to keep the pain at bay. 

This morning dh and I went on a 2.8 mile walk. It's one of our usual walks but we hadn't done it in a long time. 

[Ali in OR]

Dh and I have an out-of-town hike planned for today, so I did a dumbbell workout instead of cardio this morning. I've mentioned that my shoulder feels normal after maybe 12-15 months of shoulder tendonitis (stemming from doing all teaching last year writing overhead on a smartboard, and one that's mounted 3" too high at that). I was testing range of motion today--lie down on the ground and raise my arms overhead and drop them to the floor. I could not fully drop my right arm last year, and even PT didn't improve that much. I can now drop it, but after a few seconds I do realize it's a little uncomfortable compared to my left arm.

Anyway, all that to say I'm encouraged to do a bit more with dumbbells and not baby my shoulder as much. I used 8 pound weights instead of 5 pound weights for the whole 20 min today--even for flys and moves away from the body. I'm sure I'll be sore later, but I'm also hoping to maybe do dumbbells more often this summer and see if that might help prevent shoulder injury/pain.

I'll try to post a pic from the hike later. This will be hike #3--#2 was taking dd out on a paved path Saturday evening. Dh asked if it counts as a hike if it's paved--I said yes. Today will be terrain we could never do with a wheelchair (but not too long hike).

[Hilltopmom]

Neighborhood beach clean up Sat- raking, moving rocks, etc.

cleaned up our camp and took apart/ moved 3 beds yesterday

Today- 6 mike bike ride this morning

 

 

[wintermom]

Yesterday I played some really fun mixed doubles tennis with friends yesterday, went for my morning dog walk in the woods, and continued to work in my garden. 

Today started with the dog walk, followed by trying to focus on work while getting distracted and working in the garden. The conflict of working at home! It's amazing to have the flexibility to set your work hours (start early or end late), but also challenging at certain times to stay focused. 😅

Tonight I'm playing 1.5 hours of singles. It should be fun and also very tiring. 😉