Author: KickboxingDiva

50-something woman traveling around the world with her husband, exercising, eating, and enjoying.

Categories
Exercise Fitness New York sports Weight Yoga

Starting The Day With Yoga

75 minutes of Anusara yoga this morning with Ursula before running all my errands!  The Crunch gym description says:

Based on the teachings of John Friend. This class balances an opening to grace and the higher self with strong attention to alignment. The result is a strong synthesis between mind body and spirit. Taught in the Vinyasa style, Anusara Yoga is open to all levels. 

The class went really well so I expect to continue with the yoga classes at least twice a week.  With two to three kickboxing classes a week and walks/runs in the park, I will have a full weekly workout schedule.

After dinner with two old friends, I now possess the name and address of an acupuncturist and a chiropractor.  On my list of to-dos is to make an appointment to see them.

Categories
New York

Happy Chinese New Year

Yes, I’m a bit behind in terms of the Chinese holidays and I’m way behind in terms of this blog.  I’ve done a bit of traveling but trouble with my knees continue to plague me. Happily, I am getting back to the gym.  While I haven’t worked my way back to actual kickboxing, I’m getting some weight work and conditioning done.

I’m also being optimistic and have restarted the Couch to 5K in 8 week podcast program.  Today I did my third run, or Day 1 of Week 2 of the program.  I downloaded the iPod app that allows me to listen to my own music while still getting the benefit of the podcast coaching.  Best of all, the app is free on iTunes.

Because my knees are so stiff [I’m having problems just sitting down and getting up without help], I’ve started yoga classes at my local Crunch gym.   I attended  my first class on Saturday morning…90 minutes!  It went well and I think I should definitely focus on flexibility for a while.

Tomorrow I have an early morning yoga class to start the day right.  wish me luck.

Hope springs eternal!

Categories
New York

Completed 2nd Week of Couch to 5K

OK, I only got to do 2 of the three iterations of Week 2 of the Couch to 5K in 8 week podcast this week but I also went into the gym for two conditioning/strength training sessions.  My sister had a  problem downloading the podcast from the site so my recommendation is to go to the iTunes Store and do a search for “Couch to 5K” and download the podcast from there.  Next week is full of travel for me again so I will try to do more at-home exercises with the SPRI Xering   I think I need to strengthen my legs so I can help my knees ….

Categories
Exercise Fitness Home

Lots of Ab Exercises This Morning

I met with my trainer at Crunch today and we focused on abdominal exercises.

Categories
New York

Doing a Baseline

Today was another rest day so I thought I would take some Home Fitness Tests for sit ups, push ups, and stretching.  I skipped the step and vertical jump tests in consideration of my bad knees.  Overall, I’m feeling fairly satisfied.  Now all I need to focus on is getting my weight down.

  • I did 32 push ups for the Top End Sports Push Up Test at Home [with one 10 second break after the first 20] so that also was excellent for a woman my age.  Yes, I cheated and saw how many I needed to complete and didn’t bother doing more than that. LOL  According to the Sparkpeople.com site, I’m only average but they allow for modified push ups for women.
  • I did 54 sit ups in 60 seconds, which according to The Top End Sports Fitness Test, is excellent for a woman 46 – 55 years old.  I’m excellent according to the Sparkpeople.com site as well.  Woo Hoo!
  • I did 30 squats for the Top End Sports Squat Test at Home [yes, I did the minimum needed to get an ‘excellent’ because I am inherently lazy]
  • I was only average for the Top End Sports Sit & Reach Flexibility at Home test. This simple test is designed to measure the flexibility of your hamstrings and lower back. The sit and reach test has long been used as a test to represent a person’s flexibility, though actual flexibility may differ around the body.  I didn’t have a step so my results may not be accurate but close enough.

 

 

 

Categories
New York

Taking A Day of Rest But Looking At Knee Exercises

Today was a day of rest and although my knee is behaving so far, I thought I would explore some possible knee strengthening exercises.  I found the following on the WebMd.com site:

 

 

These are exercises geared to address osteoarthritis but will generally strengthen your knee muscles.  I liked these exercise particularly because they are pretty simple and I might even manage to remember them every once in a while!

Categories
Exercise Fitness New York

Week 2 of the Couch to 5K Begun!

Woo hoo!  I completed the first of three iterations of Week 2 of the Couch to 5K in 8 week podcast!!!  It took me a couple of minutes longer to do the 3.5 mile loop of Prospect Park but, in my defense, my body is one big soreness.  My arms aren’t really functioning after two personal training/kickboxing sessions. My knee is also occasionally buckling as I walk [just to keep it interesting LOL].  I am hoping that I’ll get over the hump by next week.  Of course, now that I look at the website, I should have waited a couple of days before I began Week 2.  Here is the link to download an excel spreadsheet that lays out the program. 🙂

Week 2 comprises a 5 minute walk followed by 5 intervals of a 2.5 minute easy jog and a 2.5 minute walk.  The podcast finishes with a 5 minute walk.  The added 30 seconds on the easy jog weren’t  problem but it could have been that my jogs aren’t very fast…. I am PSYCHED that I could finish it despite my fatigue from the week.  Woo Hoo!

I need to focus on stretching my quads a bit more.  I like the site’s suggestion although I don’t see myself doing this on the streets of New York in winter…

Quadriceps Stretch

Kneel on your knees (without resting back on your heels). Lean back with your body erect and your arms to the side. Hold for 15 seconds.

 

.

 

Categories
New York

…And We are Back!

Yes, it’s about time to get back to business!  Yesterday was my first day back to the gym for kickboxing and it was clear that 6 weeks away makes a major difference…

We did drills but the session was hampered by my bad knee.  I went back to see Jack at Wu Lim Qi Gong Master, 179 Grand St (between Baxter St & Centre Market Pl) in Chinatown for a massage.  It was extraordinarily painful but I’m hoping it will bring some relief.  Jack says that I need to express myself verbally more as keeping everything in is not good for me [told to me through the very nice lady up front after my massage].  I guess I should yell outright as he works out my knots LOL. 

I started listening to the web casts again so I get my brain back on course for healthier eating.  We’ve fallen off the wagon during the vacation and post-hurricane week.  With the holidays quickly approaching, some diet awareness is in order.  One of the web casts says that losing fat and getting in shape is 80 percent diet.  Not necessarily eating less but eating better.  I need to internalize that information.  I know my trainers have been telling me that for years….

Categories
New York

We’re Back In Time For Hurricane Sandy

We’re very lucky– we still have water and electricity unlike many other New Yorkers.  Still trying to make a DVD of our Tanzania trip.

Categories
Travel

Tanzania Next Week For A Safari!!!

We are setting off for Tanzania next week!!!  This will be my first safari and I’m not sure what to expect.  I’m reading up a bit on Tanzania and it’s wildlife.  The first book I read was My Serengeti Years: The Memoirs of an African Game Warden by Turner Myles.  It was an interesting read because it presented stories of a world that is clearly gone.  Myles wrote how much the Serengeti and the world had changed in his lifetime; I can’t imagine how much different it is today [can’t wait!!!].

I’ll be joining my husband there. Hopefully, we’ve packed appropriately.  🙂