Month: January 2017

#Just5Minutes – That Time I Almost Died Doing The FIRM for the First Time in A Long Time 

That time you decided to take back your muscles, because you are 4 weeks from going on a Yoga Retreat with The Mindfulness Center at Pura Vida Resort & Spa in Costa Rica, and you decided to go back to what works best – old school Firm workout videos. And you even bought a VHS VCR to play your library of VHS workout tapes on. But, then you almost died 20 mins into your workout….. In college when I didn’t do the FIRM for one week, despite still working out, I used to get what I called the “one month of leg pain” when I started doing it again. In just one week, my muscles can decondition that fast, even when I’m still active. The good news is, muscle has memory, and the FIRM does deliver results in 10 workouts. I was lucky enough to go to the actual FIRM Gym during my freshman year of college Charleston, SC. After I had left the College of Charleston to transfer to the University of Maryland, The …

#Just5Minutes – Holy Buti Yoga! 

Okay, so that may be one of my favorite workouts ever. And my favorite sports bra/posture wear for my hypermobile shoulders by AlignMed.   My full workout tonight before my middle son woke up sick with the croup that his older brother gave him: – 30mins spinning/indoor cycling at home  – 30-45mins strength training and PT exercises  – 40 mins Buti Yoga workout on YouTube 

#Just5Minutes and Catching up, even though the challenge is over – Day 2 of Athleta’s #PowerVita yoga challenge – Cresent Lunge

Same as day 1, when you are Hypermobile, you learn to not “go there” just because you can, or because it makes your pose look prettier.  Yoga with Hypermobility is all about restraint and not going as far as you think you should or are told you should. In fact, true strength in yoga with Hypermobility starts when you stay within proper range of motion and hold it, to help your muscles gain strength to help stabilize your joints and do the work your connective tissues cannot.  So, my crescent lunge does not have a deep back bend, and my back leg is not super straight, nor is it hyperextended. It may not be the most perfect or prettiest cresent lunge, but it’s within proper range of motion for those of us who are Hypermobile, and trying to stay in this “normal” range of motion is where our real work is. This is wear we gain strength and how we prevent injuries from doing yoga and “going too far.”  I aim to lunge my front …

Catching up – Day 3 of Athleta’s #PowerVita Yoga Challenge – Dancer’s Pose 

Same as day 1, when you are Hypermobile, you learn to not “go there” just because you can, or because it makes your pose look prettier. So, I keep a micro-bend in my standing leg and do not bend all the way over with my leg stretched way up, just because I can. It’s much harder to show restraint in this pose for many of us who are hypermobile than to bend way over with our leg stretched way up, which is often considered “prettier.” Yoga with Hypermobility is not about diving way into a pose just because we can or because our yoga instructor says that we should. In fact, the real strength in yoga with Hypermobility starts when you stay within a safe range of motion and hold it, to help your muscles gain strength to help stabilize your joints and do the work your connective tissues cannot.  

Day 1 of Athleta’s #PowerVita Yoga Challenge – Triangle Pose

When you are Hypermobile, you learn to not “go there” just because you can, or because it makes your pose look prettier.  Yoga with Hypermobility is all about restraint and not going as far as you think you should or are far as you are told that you should.  In fact, true strength in yoga with Hypermobility starts when you stay within proper range of motion and hold it, so that your muscles gain strength to help stabilize your joints and do the work your connective tissues cannot.  So, my triangle pose may not be the most perfect or prettiest, but it’s within proper range of motion for those of us who are Hypermobile, and trying to stay in this “normal” range of motion is where our real work is. This is how where we gain strength and how we prevent injuries from doing yoga and “going too far.”  I figured that I would join Athleta’s #PowerVita challenge,. Especially because I just happened to be wearing my favorite capris by Athleta for my workout tonight …

#Just5Minutes – At Home Workout and Inversion Strength Training 

#WorkFlow – how I break-up the boredom of sitting too long and staring at my computer way too much – practice inversions, along with push-ups, planks and a few strength exercises with my TRX bands – and after 60 mins on the treadmill. Oh and I love my new headphones! Who needs Beats or Bose anyway? These are just as good for $60 and they match my iWatch, which I love also. 

#Just5Minutes – 30 mins on the Indoor Spinning Bike

Because even when planning two conferences and having a boatload of work to do, you need to just get it done – even if it’s 11:55pm at night. My cut off for getting a workout in, even for 5-10 minutes, is 11:59am. Crazy, but it’s another trick or rule I have in my head to keep me going, even if I really don’t want to – as long as I start working out or moving by 11:59pm, the workout counts for that day. If I haven’t started by 12:00am, then then the workout counts towards the next day, so I should just go to bed.  It doesn’t always work, but it did last night – 30 mins on the indoor spinning bike done! Even though I really didn’t want to…..