Breathing easier

Another successful visit to Angie, my osteo/massage therapist today. I was having pains in my shoulder and mid back when I was breathing deeply - while it did hurt it was really a bother! Now, it's gone in one side and much less in the other side. I'm told it has to do with my lungs not moving around as they should (when I breath) and the fascia which surrounds it all. The end effect is that my back isn't hurting and I can breath deeply without hurting. One more visit and I'm hoping well have all this stuff worked out and me moving fluidly again.

I missed half of my kettlebell workout (I had to take son to the Doc's to have a sprained thumb confirmed!), so wonderful Laurissa (who now has a blog too) let me take 1/2 of the kettlebell class, and then stick around for the Power 1/2 Hour workout - have I mentioned how much I love this lady?? ; ) All in all I think it was a 45 minute workout. I can't remember the specifics, but I was sweaty and happy at the end of it!

I grabbed a quick shower, and dried off with my workout pants (I hate it when I forget to pack the essentials!) and off to see Angie.

The other fun thing I did today was put up an arbour (from Lee Valley....mmmm, Lee Valley, I seriously LOVE that store)! When we moved into our house 2 years ago I found an old honeysuckle vine near the side of the house - but it was in bad shape (infested with Aphids and the wood was too old) and didn't have anything to climb on. Since then I've been babying it and trying to revive it...here's some pics of it!

The first bloom is healthy and the second one isn't...its still a work in progress. After that I just waked around the garden and took pics of the flowers - which I will leave you with!

Nite

Columbine

Cranesbill bloom

the last of the Primrose blooms

first of  Daylilies

last of the lungwort (puminaria ssp.)

chives about to bloom

the last, spent tulip

& we have forget-me-nots everywhere.

Super Saturday!

Well, after yesterdays double workout I opted to have a 'workout free weekend'! Now, that doesn't mean I'm not working the old body, it just means I'm not having an 'official' workout. Instead I took the kids to the spring frolic - and had a blast.

We walked down, I spent more money that I should on tickets ... and released the kids! LOL! There was face painting, candy eating, prize winning, and game playing - here's a few pics:

After lunch we had play date, yard work (gardening is damn hard on my back!), laundry on the line, and a few quick errands. We had a great supper (chicken, broccoli, green beans) and then grabbed the dogs and an extra kid and hit the park. The dogs had a great run - and I Fur-bin-ated them! (this is something I hate to do at home as it makes such a big mess in the yard).

All is quiet now as I sit here with a rum and diet coke (rum from the Dominican). I must say I'm feeling like I worked out today. Is it possible that yard work is harder on me that a 60 minute workout with Craig? The difference is that Craig is harder on me at the time and I recuperate much faster.

I'm off to veg in front of the TV and snuggle my hubby.....

Nite!

PS I forgot to mention that some of the 'die-hard Core' ladies and I are planning another special little something for Laurissa and Craig - stayed tuned for more details! : )

Double workout

I wrote this yesterday, but was so tired last night that it completely slipped my mind to post it!

We started the day at 7:15 with a 45 min kettlebell workout with Craig! About halfway in I was asking myself 'WHAT were you thinking???' - LOL! All in all it was an excellent workout, but unfortunately it's a blur. We did a 10 minute super set, a tabata of swings/box jumps, and 2 quads (one done early and the other late in the workout).

We grabbed a shower, got cleaned up and was at the office at 8:30. Really, this is a great way to start your day. As Craig says, you can look at just anyone in the building and KNOW that you have done more already in the day than most will be doing all day! :)

Here's what this afternoon's workout looked like (done twice):

• 50 double handed kettlebell swings
• 100 scissors
• 100 low jacks
• 30 leg lower, v-through, butt lifts
• 25 Side crunches (each side)
• 25 crunches (hanging from the bar)
• 100 high knees

After lunch I gorged myself refueled with a portion of raisins & almonds, small yogurt, pita with real chicken and veggies and a LOAD of water! :) MMmmm, I'm feeling much better now!

I think I was as laid back I get today (due to that nice, tired feeling after the second workout!), but remarkably I wasn't sleepy tired, or too physically tired to keep moving. I actually had a pretty productive paper-movin' day at the office (I usually make Friday the day to removal all those half finished projects, notes, permits, etc from my desk).

Upon returning home, I dropped my bags and grabbed the dog leashes - off to the park for a walk/game of ball/rumble with whoever else might be there to play with!

Hubby made supper:

I figured I had the extra calories to burn, so I had me the last Stella (thank you Craig W.) and my pita pizza. Then a hot tub to loosen all the sore muscles, then snuggled with the daughter to watch 'The Princess Bride' (love that movie!).

All in all a pretty stellar day!

New 'do'

Made the sacrifice and opted for the hair cut over the workout - what 'da think?:

It's always fun to get my hair cut, Derek (my hairdresser and neighbour) likes to straighten it to get a 'good cut. Fror those of you who don't know I have curly hair, naturally curly hair - I think maybe its like my trademark. When my son was younger (and my hair was longer) one of his friends told me I had 'lion hair' which I've always thought was the best description. It looks and acts like a lion! LOL!

So, tomorrow MAY be a double workout day - I'm not sure yet. Shanan and I are taking a 45 min early riser Kettlebell class (7:15 - 8:00). This sounds like a great way to get another 45 min kettlebells in (with Craig), and now that Core has showers its easy to clean up and walk the block to work! Also, Friday's is casual dress day at work so jeans will be in order!

If we are feeling fine, then at noon we have the 30 min Power Half Hour with Laurissa. I'm planning on playing that by ear....I'll keep you posted!

Later!

I can see clearly now....

Ok, finally I get it. That mind over matter thing.

It's one thing to tell yourself you can do 'it' (whatever it might be, in my case its heavy kettlebells - like 36 or 40 lbs bells), its a completely different thing to BELIEVE that you can do 'it'. Today, I believed I could do it and I did - simple as that. I guess before I was telling myself I could do it without believing that I could.

I'm done being afraid of heavy weights, or put simply, weights that scared me. I think this stems from my back injury (car accident 7 years ago). It took me so long to start to be mobile and strong again that I don't ever want to go back there. I'm afraid of re-injuring my back. However, I'm not accounting for my increased fitness and strength - I haven't really believed in it, until now.

This all happened due to a lack of kettlebells at the Studio today. There are two kettlebell classes going on at the same time, and therefore there is always competition for the 'good' bells (the bells of the proper weight for the individual) get taken up fast (like all the size 9's in the shoe store!). So, today I was stuck with either a 20 lbs (too light) or a 30 lb - 30 lbs it is! And I did great! Actually, it was doubled moves today (moves with a kettlebell in each hand) so I was swinging 60lbs!!!! For the double handed swings (two hands on one bell) I used a 36lb and was looking for a 40 lb!! : }

I didn't fight it, and I didn't stress that I couldn't do it. I just looked at it and knew I could do it - and I did! Now, I didn't get as many reps in as the rest of the ladies who were using lighter weight - but I did great. I'm not sure how that lightbulb moment happened - maybe I just relaxed, stopped worrying and enjoyed the movements?

Anyway, I'm happy and feeling like I more challenge  - a challenge is "a test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking". This shall be my motto for the next while!

Nite ; )

Nite

Long weekend catch up

Lets try this with images and a few captions.

Friday night we had neighbours over for drinks after supper - the kids played (mostly in the dress up clothes)and the adults drank!

Saturday I went to kettlebells and hubby took the kids to the Bluenose Marathon - they did a 4.2 Km! I'm very proud!

Sunday was yard work - my son has become the lawn mower. I think this is great, it frees me up to do REAL gardening!

I also took the girls for a nice long trip to our park.

Monday was relaxin' - and some more yard work

This bed under the window was pathetic before. Now there are some nice grasses and its nicely mulched!

Daughter and I also planted the containers - she chose many of the plant (I wouldn't usually choose snapdragons, but hey, she liked them!) and we got dirty together. : )

There were other things like a family BBQ on Sat night (Aunt Ruth from Thunderbay, Uncle John from Dartmouth, and sissy Alexa from Ottawa were all here!), and a trip to the Dingle today with the Wallace family. Sadly, I don't have pics of everything.

So, I only worked out Sat, but the whole long weekend was extreemly active - and boy, it had better be to burn off some of the calories I in took in the form of alcohol!

That's allllll folks!
Nite

Pain Management

Its Saturday, and as Monday is a holiday (aka no workout) I thought it appropriate to take in one of Craig's one hour Kettlebell classes - aka Pain Management Sessions (this is what hubby calls his time with Craig!)

Here's what the workout looked like/what I can remember of it:

• tabata - double handed swings/jumping on the plyo box
• snatches - 20 per side
• PAIN
• double handed swings/around the body with a rest (stilling the bell when it gets to your chest, then change direction)
• PAIN - a Quad (10 burpees, 10 mountain climbers, 10 bootstraps, 10 burpees)
• 20 jumps on the plyo box
• MORE PAIN
• superset - of pain...I can't remember what we did, but it was a full 10 mins without rest....
• tabata - double handed swings/snatches
• more snatches (we did 100 in total for the workout)
• and finishing with 100 Bootstraps - in a race.

The first man and woman to finish win a free class! Sadly I didn't win. There was alot of pain, I don't remember that kind of pain during an exercise ... ever! I did, however, finish the 100 burpees. I really didn't think I would.....first 30, feeling the burn. Fighting to 50. Ok from 50 to 60. Don't remember 60 - 80. At 80 Craig is at my shoulder yelling encouraging me to finish "knees, heels...KNEES, HEELS!!!". Funny, that much muscle fatigue and I'm feeling ok now, and hour later - guess he really knows what he's talking about! ; P

I'm tired now, but its a beautiful day out there - I'm gonna clean the house, putter in the garden, walk the dogs, and we have neighbours coming over for drinks after supper tonight (which should be a BBQ)! Nice!

Later

PS Hubby took the kids to the Bluenose Marathon today while I was at class - I wish I'd been there to see it, but he took pics and I heard all about it.....encouraging healthy, active lifestyle for everyone! :)