Friday Musing

"Don't move the way fear makes you move.  Move the way love makes you move.  Move the way joy makes you move."
~ Osho

xoxo

Foxy

Quote source: Yoga.Guide (Yoga for Yogi's) Instagram account
Image source:  http://www.cgear-sandfree.com/products/sand-free-rugs/sand-free-rug.html

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 28

Today I did Day 28 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's practice focused on preparation for Dancer's pose (or Natarajasana).

As Erin says, this pose requires flexibility in the hips, hamstrings and quads.  My flexibility is quite poor in all of these regions, but the preparation definitely helps stretch and lengthen the required muscles.  The stretches are fun to do, and feel so good.

Dancer pose is one of my favourites, even though my version of it is not perfect.  If you keep proper alignment, are breathing calmly and deeply, and are feeling the stretch in the right muscles, you're doing the pose correctly.

Yoga teaches us that you don't have to do everything perfectly in order to enjoy it.  Nothing is imperfect - it's your version of perfect.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 27

Today I did Day 27 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's practice was especially for the legs and hips.  These stretches are great for those of us who sit at a desk for most of the day.

Some of these stretches are really intense, and it's perfectly acceptable to take an adjustment and work your way into the pose.

Take note of your thoughts today.  Take care to cultivate positive energy in yourself.  The world will respond in kind.

I feel so corny for stealing this from Erin, but, as she says "Be good, feel good".

xoxo

Foxy

Workout Wed 25 Feb 2015

Gym programme is back in full swing.

Today was upper body day and the programme was as follows:

Workout time:  3:00 - 4:10 pm

1.  Elliptical trainer - 10 mins - 1.05 km

2.  One-arm dumbbell row - 6 x 12 - 8 kg

3.  Seated tricep press - 3 x 12 - 8 kg

4.  Dumbbell shoulder press - 3 x 12 - 2 x 4 kg

5.  Bench press - 3 x 12 - 10 kg

6.  Barbell curl - 3 x 12 - 10 kg

7.  Alternate hammer curl - 3 x 24 - 2 x 5 kg

8.  Tricep pushdown - 3 x 12 - 25 kg

9.  Hula hoop - 5 mins

10.  Standing oblique crunches - 2 x 12 - 8 kg

I did quite a bit of stretching afterwards because my shoulders and biceps were aching.

I do feel like a boss though.

xoxo

Foxy

Appreciate the Gift of Silence

“Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature, which is unbounded Consciousness. Our essential nature is usually overshadowed by the activity of the mind.” - Patanjali

xoxo

Foxy

Image source:  Facebook - can't recall where

Workout Tues 24 Feb 2015

Had to drag myself to the gym today because I got busy with a few other things and didn't feel like tearing myself away from my work.

Today I hit legs and programme is as follows:

Workout time:  2:55 - 4:05 pm

1.  Elliptical trainer - 10 mins - 1.01 km

2.  Standing calf raise - 3 x 12 - 30 kg

3.  Seated calf raise - 3 x 12 - 37.5 kg

4.  Leg extension - 3 x 12 - 10 kg

5.  Leg press - 3 x 12 - 37.5 kg

6.  Lying leg curl - 3 x 12 - 15 kg

7.  Back extensions - 3 x 12 - 4 kg

8.  Crunches - 2 x 12 - 8 kg

9.  Stiff-legged deadlift - 3 x 12 - 16 kg (2 x 8 kg kettlebells)

10.  Standing oblique crunches - 4 x 12 - 8 kg

I think I'm going to be stiff tomorrow.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 26

Today I did Day 26 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's challenge involved stretches for the shoulders, neck and upper back as well as the hips.  This is definitely a go-to session for those of us who sit at computers all day.

It's a great idea to spend 10 minutes in the morning and in the evening stretching like this to keep these important parts of our body healthy and fully mobile.

I feel looseness in my shoulders and neck - it's so relaxing to feel like you have alleviated pain and tension through movement and taking care of yourself.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 25

Today I did Day 25 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's practice was based around sun salutations.  This was a fun and energy-fuelled session, and is a great way to start the day.

I am conscious of the need to check in with my body during the day and keep myself in tune with how I am feeling and the messages my body sends me.

Make up your mind to be in a good mood today.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 24

Today I did Day 24 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's session was gentle yoga to do in the morning to start your day by bringing awareness to your breath and to your body.

I was pretty chuffed that Erin suggested doing this sequence in your pajamas.  That is exactly what I was doing anyway.

Be awake to the possibilities of the day.

xoxo

Foxy

Friday Inspiration

"There are two basic motivating forces:  fear and love.  When we are afraid, we pull back from life.  When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance.  We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections.  If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create.  Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life."
~ John Lennon

Image source:
http://shop.ethanrussell.com/collections/john-lennon/john-lennon

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 23

Today I did Day 23 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  This session was about working the upper back and the neck.  Everybody can benefit from this, because most of us sit at a desk all day and our posture tends to suffer.

This felt really good as I know that I carry tension in my neck and back.  The eagle arms section is pure magic for stretching around the shoulders.

I am so enjoying these videos and can't believe we are a week away from Day 30 and the end of the challenge.  Keep going, fellow yogis.

xoxo

Foxy

Workout Thurs 19 Feb 2015

I haven't done one of these posts in a while because I have really not been in the mood for weight lifting these last two weeks.  I went to the gym last week Friday as well as yesterday but didn't record my workouts.

I am seriously ashamed to say that I have been dreading going back to my "serious" programme because I know that the first few days back after a short break are punishment.

Today I decided to smash an upper body programme and it went as follows:

Workout time 10:20 - 11:15 am

1.  Elliptical trainer - 10 mins - 0.83 km

2.  One-arm dumbbell row - 6 x 12 - 8 kg

3.  Alternate hammer curls - 3 x 24 - 4 kg

4.  Dumbbell shoulder press - 3 x 12 - 2 x 4 kg

5.  Bent-over barbell row - 3 x 12 - 10 kg

6.  Bench press - 3 x 12 - 10 kg

7.  Seated tricep press - 3 x 12 - 7 kg

8.  Low row - 3 x 12 - 22.5 kg

Enjoyed today's session, and I need to get back to a committed weights programme.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 22

Today I did Day 22 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's session was a restorative flow.  Lots of slow movement, lots of stretching into the legs and hips.  You will benefit from this if you find that you sit at a desk for most of your day.

This session is perfect to do before bed, as it slows the body and calms the mind and perfectly prepares one for sleep.

Today's post is a bit later than usual because I had a busy day and needed to make time to do yoga and write.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 21

Today I did Day 21 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's work was about preparing for headstands.  If you are unable to do a headstand, fear not - you can still do today's challenge.  I am unable to do headstands but this session made me feel stronger and more tuned into what my body is feeling.

Trust your body on this one.  If you feel that you aren't yet ready to gracefully lift into the posture, keep working on the prep postures.  Prep postures can never be underestimated.

Always be careful to look after your back and neck while working towards headstand.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 20

Today I did Day 20 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  This one was particularly beneficial, for me because I know that my shoulders are not the strongest part of my body.  When doing weight training, I enjoy shoulder exercises the least.

Having said that, I sincerely enjoyed today's practice.

Shoulder strength is definitely something I need to continue to work on.  I feel that this is a more fun way to go about doing so than lifting weights.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 19

Today I did Day 19 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's challenge is about twisting your way to a healthy body.

Twisting poses are excellent for digestion, spine mobility and flexibility and for the maintenance of good posture.

It's important with any twisting posture not to restrict your breathing.  If you find that you are struggling to breathe calmly and deeply, ease out of the posture a little bit.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 18

Today I did Day 18 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  This session was a full-body sequence.  It helped me feel energised and awake and made me feel like I could fearlessly face my day.

Today I need to keep in mind affirmations and think about those "things" for which I'm deeply grateful.  These things are abstract, like my heath, my family, my loved ones, and my friends.

It's so easy to feel despondent and hopeless while one is in certain situations.  But I hold on to my belief:  you are not your situation, you are not your past, you are not your mistakes.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 17

Today I did Day 17 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's challenge was a full-body slow flow.

It's important to work on slowing your mind as well as slowing your body.  In my experience, a racing mind causes stress and panic.  This does no favours for your mental, emotional or physical health and well-being.

This was a lovely session which helped me to centre myself and bring my focus to mindfulness and gratitude.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 16

Today I did Day 16 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  This challenge is about preparing the body and the muscles to get into the splits.

I can't do the splits:  as has been mentioned many times, my hips and hamstrings are too tight.  Despite this, I was in the mood to push my body a little bit today, and I did this challenge regardless of the perceived limitations I believed my body to have.

It is quite a tough challenge, and I did have to back out of a few of the poses, particularly the hamstring stretches.  I was feeling pins and needles in certain parts of my body and twinging pain in other parts.  That was enough of a message from my body to tell me to back off.  Never ignore these messages - take care of your body by listening to it.

xoxo

Foxy

Workout Fri 6 Feb 2015

I went to the gym on Monday but didn't record my workout.  I didn't enjoy Monday's workout as I was in pain in a few places and I was trying to exercise despite the pain.

I haven't been to gym much this week, but have been doing yoga.  I went to gym yesterday and decided to pick up my programme on leg day.  Programme was as follows.

1.  Cycling - 15 mins - not sure how many km were cycled as I used a spinning bike.

2.  Seated leg press - 3 x 12 - 37.5 kg

3.  Seated calf raise - 3 x 12 - 30 kg

4.  Lying leg curl - 3 x 12 - 15 kg

5.  Stiff-legged deadlift - 3 x 12 - 15 kg

6.  Walking lunges - 3 x 10 - 10 kg (2 x 5 kg weight plates)

7.  Back extension - 3 x 12 - no weight plate

8.  Barbell step-up - 3 x 12 - 10 kg (used a weight bag that looks like a mini punching bag)

9.  Crunches - 3 x 12 - 8 kg kettlebell

Going to have a social weekend and that means I'll be back at yoga class on Sunday afternoon.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 15

Today I did Day 15 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Today's challenge is about consistent movement, and so it is a lovely energising session.

When you feel like you want to get out of a posture because of the burning sensation in your legs, find the strength in yourself to push past that discomfort and keep holding that asana.  Breathe a bit deeper and steady the breath.  The automatic reaction is to breathe faster and shallower, but this will aggravate your discomfort and disrupt the peace in the mind.

Honour the solitude that you have cultivated through your practice.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 14

Today I did Day 14 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  Despite the video being called "Yoga for Runners", these are great stretches and asanas for anybody.  This was a difficult practice for me because I know that my hips and hamstrings are very tight.  There were definitely poses with which I struggled.

Even if you're not feeling particularly strong today, you can still get on your mat and do a gentle yoga practice.  You can always come out of a pose and rest in Child's Pose if your knees are taking strain, for example.

Be kind to yourself today.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 13

Today I did Day 13 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  It was a session focused on the hips and lower back.

Today was a little bit tough for me because I know that my hips are tight.  It's worth doing today's challenge to push yourself and your body.  Never push yourself too hard or engage in negative self-talk.  Your body will surprise you when it's ready.  Yoga always requires the practice of patience and love.

xoxo

Foxy

30 Days of Yoga with Erin Motz - Day 12

Today I did Day 12 of Erin Motz's yoga challenge.  The focus of today's challenge is to stretch and release tension in the hands and wrists.  This looks like a simple sequence with absolutely no challenge until you do it yourself.

The most important part of this workout is to be gentle on your wrists and joints.  Don't pull too hard on your fingers, don't put your whole body weight on your wrists, and don't cause your body any sudden jarring movements.  It is also important not to get frustrated if you find that you are a bit tight in your wrists and forearms and your body isn't allowing you to get fully into certain postures.  Get into a posture until you feel a little pull, and hold it there.  That pull means you are stretching and you are working into those muscles - feel proud of yourself for this.

During this practice, keep mindful of how your hands and wrists feel and be thankful for all the tasks that your hands allow you to do every day.

xoxo

Foxy