DPP 6: NLXF Beat Down

One round is:

Ladder/steps/hurdles straight

Ladder/steps/hurdles lateral left

Ladder/steps/hurdles

Lateral right

5 burpees, 10 push-ups, 15 sit-ups, 20 squats.

And you do that 8 times.

22:25. I wasn't first, I wasn't last. And I beat Tim (so what if it was only 40 seconds).

Finishing some thoughts.

Currently passing over Detroit, in a tiny tin can airplane that is shaking like its seizure meds have worn off during a Pink FLoyd light show. Doing all I can to NOT think about it. Even Paul Rudd isn't doing all that much to help, nor was cleaning off my desktop, but I did come across a blog post that I started last month while I was at yoga training. 

While completely out of my workout and eating routine, I figured I should at least try to keep my body as happy with me as possible. And the way I could see doing that was the Clean diet. It's a specific plan to follow, not just the typical "eating clean" concept. For example, not just no dairy, soy, beef, wheat products, but no citrus fruits, strawberries, eggplants, eggs, and other random stuff. They have reasons for everything that you can't have, and its all in a book, its not just totally random. Theres also the notion that breakfast and dinner should be liquid meals, with lunch being the only solid food meal that you intake during the day. Needless to say, you only stay on the "cleanse" for three weeks, and I figured my two week span would be just fine. 

The first day was miserable. All I wanted was my regular food. And I wanted ALL of my regular food. All at once. In my face. Hungry. But since the first day, I didn't really get hungry. It probably helped that due to the schedule I was forced to eat my meals and snacks in accordance to the designated breaks in our 13 hours days. I guess I did have a hungry morning. All i could think about was pancakes and breakfast food, until after my workout, then I was fine. I was lucky enough to be able to hit the gym all but two mornings of the two weeks. At least an hour of cardio and some occasional lifting was at least enough to stunt the mental insanity that generally happens when I go without working out. We also had a 90 minute yoga practice every morning, and the first week we had so many practice sessions that there were several more hours of yoga practice added on to that. 

I have quite the hippy random sounding bullet points in my notes here, like the fact that I definitely felt a difference in my body, I just wasn't sure how. And seeing how I consume food completely differently. It helped me by working on the sweet tooth, despite never using sugar. At least at home. I don't think I have ever personally actually bought sugar. Since I moved back from school, splenda has been my definite. friend. By Day Five I was usually skipping my dinner snack completely.

The following is literally my thoughts of the time,

My entire body is a big what the hell without NLXF, but then adding 12 hours of asanas on top of that....I'm tight and sore as hell, but it's screaming at me to push harder at the same time

My body is just sick of the repetition. Although I would MUCH rather be at the gym all day. I'm dreading doing the practice so many times today. It's my joints that are angry. It's the same motions literally 20+ times. And they are DEEP motions. And it's annoying cause I want to lift upper and lower, but I won't function later if I do. My cervical spine is so compressed today I'm slightly worried about headaches later. Which would be fine if I could take a day to relax. Not even lazily, just not contort my body for 6 hours of the day. My range and flexibility and strength is growing scarily fast though. It's almost unbelievable. Eh, I'd tightened a lot. But I'm ok with that for the most part it was all muscle growth that caused it. If say I'm back to the peak of where I was when I was going five days a week. ...after less than a week of taking 8 months off.

RYT Day Eleven. Final Countdown.

Day Eleven: Student Led Practice, Feedback, Yoga Wellness Coaching, Mobility Testing & Choreography

• "Silence is a gift"
• James gave me Voice of the Day for my Mat Series. Both in front of the class and in private. Yay! :-)
• Wendy and I figured out the perfect way to remember the Foundation series sequence. Just tattoo the whole sequence down your forearm….in stick men form.
• It's hard to demonstrate your yogic strengths when you can't really do most of the original party tricks. 
• Speaking of strength, I have a decent amount of upper body strength. From kickboxing and lifting and general movement, I am perfectly capable of doing pushups. But I can't. My arms just lock stuck at a certain point going down, and I can't get past a certain level before it crashes. This has annoyed me to no end watching other people succeed far more than I when they started in a worst place. It took until this course to understand. James is a huge advocate for opening up the shoulders. We do shoulder rolls 4 times in the sequence. Now multiply that by however many times we do it a day in practice and workshops and such. We are basically blowing open our shoulders into mobility. And its fantastic. At the gym the other day, I figured I should keep up the attempt like normal, and I lowered down to pushup position. And popped through a good 15 pushups from my toes, no problem. Lightbulb on! My shoulders are so tight and locked in that my chest physically couldn't open enough to get to the full expression of a pushup. Needless to say, the revelation is potentially life changing. At least at NLXF ;-)
• I love surprising people with things, such as my hidden core strength. I do abs people. Lots and lots of them. You may not see them, but trust me, they're there.
• But also with freakish things. James had me playing with my pigeon toed ness in front of the class, I didn't realize how much I could do with my feet that others couldn't.
• Workshopping someone who is feigning to have polio with a bad short leg just seems like pure karma for all my DisneyWorld claims….

Day Six of Yoga Tricks.

Day Six: 90 min yoga flow w / workshop, Sun salutations practice, Asymetrical Series workshop, Group Teach, Adjusts & Assists

• Starting a practice with heavy thoughts will only lead to frustration and significant degeneration of mood.
• Learning to teach yoga means lots of people practicing on you which also means a LOT of pushups and bruised knees. 
• I learned I have hyperextended knees while workshopping pyramid in front of the class.
• As it has been for my entire life, when speaking to a group, I need to SLOW DOWN.
• Being told that I have a voice and style meant to teach yoga, makes me blush and smile really big. 
• No SI stretch poses, sidebands, or pigeon. Ever. Yes, you heard me. No pigeon. 
• My hips are a lot tighter than they used to be. Firelog used to be a breeze. I blame running. 
• "Issues are in the tissues."
• James made the declaration that I will be doing dropping back bends by the end of the intensive. I want to doubt that highly, but so far his instincts are amazing….we'll see!
• Making a huge emotional/mental switch from a bogged down negative morning to an energy vibrant happy evening is a really good turn around.
• In my class, we have a hippie widow that shares a hitch bit too much, a female Iraq vet, a hoola hoop instructor that lives in a van, and an ACT essay grader. 
• I come and go so much from this hotel that most of the time, I totally forget where I parked. 
• Learning pose adjustments and assists is not only super helpful, but also ridiculously nice to play the student and get all stretched out at the end of a long day.

Lookin like a Fools 5k

I ran my first 5k last weekend. Which is really strange actually, I run on the treadmill every day. And I mean EVERY day, for 10+ miles, but I have never run a 5k, or any race for that matter. What it boils down to, is that I hate running outside. How am I supposed to watch Real Housewives when I'm out running on the sidewalk with nothing but squirrels to look at and my own thoughts to drive me completely insane? If anyone should not have free time in their own brain, its me. It just gets so freaking boring. I'd stop after a mile, guaranteed. Not even the Jersey Shore soundtrack can keep these feet pitter pattering once I'm officially bored. But Tim has become a runner over the past year or two, and has done a couple of 5k's himself. Somehow, i have never even been able to attend a race of his. This does indeed make me a bad person. And when I heard that a bunch of NLXF members were going to be running in this 5k (Fool's 5k), I figured I might as well give it a shot.

The NLXF crew

 I had planned on practicing outdoors before the big day. Never happened. Oops. Day of race. Low 40s. Cold. Br. With a thousand people racing, we had to be there over an hour early. Did I mention it was cold? But we survived along with my lovely NLXF pal Jen and started the race with everyone else.

Braving the cold with Tim & Jen

 I could have done much better. I had to stop to tie my shoe three times in the first mile. And right around mile two, I was hit with a massive shin splint attack. I tried to relax, but yeah, good luck with that when you have burning searing pain in your shins that only grows with every hit of the pavement. It was my last desire in the world, but I knew that if I didn't walk a bit, I would be crawling to the finish. And I'd have to forget any workout I had planned for the rest of the day. So I walked for maybe a tenth of a mile. So not too bad. But I was never even winded in the slightest, so that’s happy. I remember back in the day of the mile run at school. I was lucky if I could get 20 minutes. And thats looking on the upside, I would have never thought this would happen. But I did.

After the Fools 5k!

 Of course Tim beat me, by 2ish minutes. I blame at least one minute of that on the shin splints, but considering Ive never really run outside. I think I did pretty damn good.

 Besides, it gave me a reason to eat a Scratch mini cupcake completely guilt free once I crossed that finish line!

I feel like a family member just died. Irreplaceable. I don't know how I'm going to run.

Gooonnnnggggg.

I'll admit, its been far too long since I've gone to yoga. I have just gotten so sick of the "fauxga" that this town has to offer me. I could only do the mediocre practices for so long. I've been missing it and craving it though. And my body has been screaming for it for a few weeks now.

So today, when I got the chance to take a workshop, I jumped on it. Especially when it was being led by the teacher that I had been doing some research on last summer in taking my certification courses with. But his intensive landed in the middle of my Africa trip, and with athletic season, the 9 month course just wasn't really an option. Not so much the timing of the weekends, but the fact that they are held two hours away and I would be doing a massive amount of driving.

ANYWAYS. When I heard he was the teacher, I was itching to see if I would even mesh with him. There are plenty of instructors that you just know, right away, that there is no way you could spend 200 hours of instruction with them. Especially in such a close contact activity of yoga practice. And if you tried, forget zen, you would end up punching them in the face.

But the workshop was great. I had a little ADD problem in the beginning, it having been awhile since I actually had to focus and be still. Not to mention the screaming sensation from my shoulder girdle and chest that I got. Apparently lifting weights doesn't do much to open the heart center? ;-)

We ended the practice with gong meditation. Now, I know, total eye roll. How much more hippie can you get? I thought the same thing, I was just ready to chill in savasana until class was over. But with the first strike, and the vibrations that just hit you. I was sold. I have no idea how long we laid there. 3 minutes or 30. But I was so relaxed and zen that I could have laid there all day, not a single muscle twitching and letting those vibrations just wash over and relax me even more. *sigh*

But besides the amazing feeling I walked out with physically, I was also rereminded how much I want to get trained. Know more, be able to explain more, and be better. And I think James might just be the guy to do it. His fiancee was his demonstrator and if he taught her to do that, I think he has the right idea going. Plus his style and overall personality were a good fit. I like him. I could learn from him without getting frustrated. He has another intensive this July. I think I have a little bit of looking into that to do….. :-)

Silly me.

I have been running for five years now. Mind you, on a treadmill, not outside. I like being able to stop whenever I want, watching trashy reality tv on tivo, and running year round despite the weather. Running outside seems like a mind boggle to me.

I just signed up for a 5k in March. I do a 5k every day inside. More like 3 or 4 5ks. Why am I so terrified?!

A rollercoaster of an NLXF week.

I gotta say, the beginning of this week's NLXF is a lot better than last week. I have been meaning to write a whole post about my addiction and life orienting NLXF, but its still in the works. Alas, you'll just have to deal with my highs and lows of last week.

Monday-
5:30am class had pissed off Ryan so he was in a horrible mood. We suffered for it, but it was only slightly.
Second to last burn out set of the day, I was throwing a right roundhouse and completely rolled my ankle. Not just a little bit, but so far over that I couldn't balance on it on the hop into the roundhouse and just totally crumpled to the ground. Pain I can deal with, the fear of having to take a few days off of class is NOT acceptable.

Tuesday-
Ankle was weak and wobbly, but good enough to work on. 5:30 had pissed off Ryan so much again that there was no stretch, no warm up, straight into the work out. And I thought I was going to die. It was walk in at 6:30 in the morning, completely cold body and into suicide squats. I was pissed. Plus his mood was so filled with angst and vindictiveness that my anger just grew the whole class. And I sure wasn't the only one. People were livid.

Thursday-
Ryan was finally back to himself.
I had quite the "clouds opening up" philosophical moment that lasted the whole class. A section of the boot camp was racing steps. And I know that I focus so hard on them that it has a tendency to slow me down. I know this because when I let go of my brain and just go, I can fly a lot faster through them. Its like I think the step is going to jump out from under me or I am going to miss it or something. At the one moment, it just ran through my brain, "The step will always be there. The step will never change" You'd think I was in the asylum as much as I was chanting that in my head through class. And even the next day, going through bags, the bag will always be there. Trust that it will, and hit it harder.

Friday-
Before class even started, I had the joy of hearing a Gretta story revolving around her desire to be body slammed by Creed. Even if it was in punishment for telling future classes about the workout. She might be the single most entertaining source possible at 6am. Her completely out there in the open crushes on both Creed and Ryan and how they make her "swoon" is enough to make anyone laugh. Not to mention the looks on her face when Ryan tells us to watch his hips (a very happy look) or when he announces Burpee pyramids (this one is usually accompanied by silent profanities).

For some reason, I had done a total 180 since Monday and I was just able to go to town during the Gauntlet. I killed it. I had more power in both hits and kicks than I have in a long time. Creed called me out by name four times in an hour, with an "atta baby" attached to each one. Its his catch phrase, but that many. I knew it wasn't one of those faux encouragements. Even with a less than stellar Week 5 (of this particular session, not overall) weigh in, I was feeling pretty good.

Only growing my ego more when I walked in for my second class of the day at 9:15, and Creed told me before we walked into class, "Clare, you're an animal. No, you are, and you know why." Which then proceeded into yet another bag slaughter session.

Beast mode. Success. Now just to buckle down this carb and sugar intake in the next five weeks. For some reason, my self control the past few weeks has been lower than it has in years. I've gained seven pounds since New Years. And that better stop!

Run Run Run.

The current rotation....Asics needs to start making color!

DPP #14: My baby has an Owie!!!

My treadmill belt started tearing awhile ago. It is quickly disintegrating and that is quite possibly the scariest event of the year. Its been mine several years and several thousand miles (roughly 10 a day). I have searched and found no suitable replacement. Desperate measures have been taken. Hoping for a Hello Kitty Miracle.

DPP #8: A pretty pink protein drink!

Today's protein shake got a little bubbly in the blender. But light and airy is so much better than concrete sludge when it comes to a pretty pink protein drink!

Few things to touch on.

Ok, so who had the best Thanksgiving? Or at least who had the best food? Between trying to make sure my thousand dishes didn't suck, my parents leaving the country the next day, and me having to work most of the holiday, I'm going to assume that most of you win over me. Not to say mine wasn't perfectly fine, just not overly fantastic. I do enjoy pecan pie though, and even though I force myself to stick to one slice, yum!! I'll post some more later though, with pictures!

My brilliant brother tore both his ACL and lateral meniscus in a football game last week. We found out this morning that he has surgery tomorrow. My parents made it to Germany just fine, but of course my mom is less than thrilled learning about the surgery. I'm hoping it doesn't affect their trip. Few things could affect a birthday romp across Deutschland visiting Christmas markets. But of all things, this could. Luckily this first surgery is an outpatient one. They are only fixing the meniscus first, and then going back in for ACL in a month or so. Poor kid. He's so physical that it's going to be rough, we'll have to keep a good eye on him though. He is one to try to work out when sick and injured, and this is definitely NOT the time to pull that.

Being a Nordyke, I am well versed in this injured field of reference. When we moved back to Iowa, my first few months were playing nurse/babysitter/chauffer to my mother who had just gotten done shattering her leg in Africa and was basically out of commission for half a year. Plus, with my own ankle injuries all growing up, if anyone is ready to take on the task this week, its me! And Tim, not to exclude him. He is totally helping out a lot. Its majorly helpful that his current job has the hours that it does so he can take over for me when I should be at the office for at least a little while.

As a side note, its the last week of this Next Level Extreme Fitness session. And what do I do yesterday morning? I SLICE my finger on a brand new Ninja blender blade. Massive tears. Half pain, half because i thought I would be out of kickboxing for the last week. I mummied out my finger this morning with plenty of gauze, and other than a few twinges, I was good to go! No outpour of blood like yesterday morning. Which is good, cause that was NO GOOD!

Things I love about today:

• Killed the Kickbox Gauntlet this morning. I partially thank the playlist. Buckcherry makes me want to punch things.
• Learned that Tuesday is 80s Day at NLXF. Gotta get to shopping this weekend!
• Tried a new protein shake concoction. Peaches and sugar free vanilla syrup. Yum.
• Got in a ten mile run before 11am. The remaining 5 miles took the same amount of time.
• Received the call that I could claim Veterans Day and take the day off.
• Baked a batch of tasty pumpkin cookies for the video board kids tonight. Green sugar decor!

• Mom delivered me the new sugar free peppermint mocha lattes to work, and then when I wasn't there, brought it to the house for me!
• Trying out Dad's new Livestrong bike.
• Getting a full days workout in before having to work a double of games tonight. Volleyball and basketball, but Ill take that over football any day (sadly, Ill do just that tomorrow)

Yogi Thoughts.

Headed off to Colorado for a week of vacay relaxation soon, but I have a quick post for you first.

Food for Yogi thought: 
If there is no wind, there is no sailing.  If there is no breath, there is no yoga.  Only Indian gymnastics on a factory made rubber mat. 

Kickbox Killer! (Reference)

We kick boxed for the first time during training today. I loved it. LOVED it. I think I just like to hit things. And from the following pictures, I think I might be good at it....

A FULL weekend.

Things that made me happy this weekend:
New (to me) flat screen for the bedroom
Getting past a tough spot in Nancy Drew
Various items dipped in Nutella
16.5 mile run today
Sweating nine gallons during hot yoga yesterday
Delicious dill mushrooms and raisin spinach
Working on friend's birthday gifts
20 mile bike ride
French toast and eggs at Newtons with the family
Borders going out of business sale
Paying $8 for my Cipro meds
Skyline, Ninja Assassin, Gullivers Travels, and Marmaduke
Copious episodes of Ally McBeal
Baked Trevor muffins
Chipotle Burrito Bowl and cheesecake
A happy weight on the scale this morning
Relaxed muscles
A lot of Tucker Max's audio book

Things that made me unhappy:
Gas prices
Typhoid pills make me sick
Olivia broke a bowl
Tomorrow is Monday

A Disney Magical Day.

Today has involved.

A glorious two hour morning workout.

Salmon burger lunch at Epcot complete with pretzel roll breadstick and a shared maple creme brule dessert.

Catching up on some interwebs.

Massage at the Spa.

And will conclude with another light workout, an Irish dinner at Downtown Disney, and of course, more awesomeness in general.

Who says spring break can't rock as an adult? :-)

It's Only Six Days.

For anyone that reads this on a regular basis, you might have the idea that I am kind of a body conscious person. I'm not even skinny, but I am pretty food watching sensitive, I workout like a fiend, and just in general try to keep it all in check. Mainly, so I don't end up like this tragic mess again.

Point being, my aunt and uncle have been participating in the Clean Program, and have had crazy results. My dad bought the book, mom read it in a matter of days, and they started yesterday. Well, I have a little bit left of the book, but we are starting tomorrow. The whole program is three weeks. But most people have to start at one week and then give it a rest. We are heading to St Louis on Tuesday, so we will only last for six days the first time, but I get my wisdom teeth out the day after we get back, and I wanted to at least give it a go before Disney World. So if all goes well, we will at least have one more round after this one before we leave in March.

The book is super easy to read and understand, but its all about how our bodies are virtually toxic with all the crap that we eat these days, and the three week cleanse should be a good relief to that stress. It's pretty simple actually, just quite intense. Simply put. There is a list of things to eat, and a list of things you better not touch with a ten foot pole. And its not just things you normally think are bad. Yes, cheese, yogurt (all dairy) are out. As are all breads and cereals basically. But also no tomatos, grapes, bananas, grapefruit, peppers....its interesting to read the science behind it. No eggplant either! Or coffee.... (eek).

But of the Yes List, you eat a liquid (smoothie or soup) for breakfast, a solid lunch, and then a liquid dinner. There must be 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.

That's pretty much it. I think the hardest parts are going to be actually eating lunch (my first actual meal isn't usually until 7pm) and then not eating after dinner. And the coffee. And no juice packets. And no chocolate. Pretty much just going to suck. I just must chant, its only six days. Its only six days.

And then....First Watch breakfast in St. Louis!!! That part, shall rock.

Addendum: Also helping is knowing that my mother, my father, and Tim are all sharing in the misery....

Is there Working Out Anonymous?

I think I might have a problem. An addiction if you will. So we are in the middle of the snowpocalypse, blizzard, average snowfall for an Iowan February, whatever you want to call it. Schools are closing, people are driving like they were taught by Mr. Magoo, and stores are running out of eggs and milk (because clearly thats all we need to survive the 12 hours we might be stuck inside).

But my phone rang moments ago. Unknown local number. I screen my calls (because I'm deaf and have a hard enough time understanding the people I know and love that call me) but Tim decides that he'll answer it for me. Well, it turns out it was one of my instructors at the rec center (mind you, NOT my personal trainer) calling to let me know that her class was cancelled for tomorrow morning and she just wanted to let me know personally so I wouldn't risk my life coming in thinking I would be able to work my nonexistant (yet still somehow sore) triceps.

Now, it might not seem like its a big deal. But this woman isn't a friend of mine. We don't hang out. We've never hung out. I didn't even know she knew my name, let alone had my phone number to call me at home to let me know that I dont need to come in that early. This is a sign that I might be there a little too much. Instructors know i am there every possible second I can be, and will be there no matter what.

Case in point the fact that I was at the gym three different times today. In the morning for pilates and some biking, in the afternoon for more biking, and then this evening for bootcamp class. Those are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays and Wednesdays are worse though. Upper body class, yoga class, biking, and abs class. Fridays are personal training and biking.

The sad part is that I would be there even more if I didn't have both a treadmill and elliptical in my house....