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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Remember to Breathe

So this week is a  Body Blog.  The monthly BB will be a new adventure for me.  I have a list of things I've always wanted to do and other things I've always enjoyed (yes, there will be a mountain biking BB so get over it!)  This month???  Drum roll please:  YOGA!

To be specific what I did was Hot Yoga.  If you are not familiar, it's yoga (duh) in a hot room, which was awesome on this particularly brisk snowy day.  The sensation of walking into a too hot room on one of the first snow covered twenty degree days of the season is... overwhelming.  My first thought was "Ain't no way I'll make it.  Too damn hot."  I did have a mat with me to nap on if needed and about a gallon of water so here we go!

I have done some yoga DVDs before but I have never had a live instructor OR (and this is important) witnesses to my non stretchy and non bendy awkwardness so, with some apprehension and an already forming bead of sweat on my brow, I unroll my mat take off any and all appropriate clothing I can and follow as best as I can!

Alexander Mcafee-Chang is a rock star yoga man.   He was brought into Shape Fitness by owner James McGuire to offer the hot yoga experience to his clients.  Well James, that was an awesome call!  He effortlessly guides rookies and veterans alike through an almost whimsical surreal experience.  Set to music (but not necessarily synced)  this is no new age "Sweating To The Oldies"* routine.  You focus on breathing through the motions.  Yes, I said that right.  You breathe through them.  You feel the power of simply inhaling and exhaling as you move from one position to next.  It is really mind blowing.  I have been working out in one way shape or form for over thirty years and have never felt the power of my breathing.

 In sweat, however, I am fluent.  Being a somewhat meaty fella I can sweat standing still at a bus stop in Chicago in February.  So, yes, I was sweating my ass off but the strange thing was I didn't really notice it.  Focusing on the movements, the music and breathing everything else just didn't really matter.  I didn't even drink that much water considering the intensity of the workout ....but that is really it.  It didn't  feel like a workout or some chore.   It was something different.  Almost freeing.

After the practice Alexander took a few minutes to share some thoughts with me.  If I had any kind of smarts or foresight I would have brought either A) some type of recording device (for example : the thing I'm currently typing on!) or B) something to write on....  I chose mystery door C) nothing but a sweaty yoga mat...  Alexander trusted me to paraphrase for him.  He' s a good man.

I started out with asking him to give me 5 things about yoga he would want both of my readers to know. What I got though was more of a dissertation on his passion for the practice (you don't do yoga, you practice yoga.  I didn't know that either!)  When Alexander speaks about yoga he lights up and becomes very animated.  He loves it and what it does to the body and spirit.  It's refreshing to be around someone who is passionate about what they do.  There is no "going trough the motions" with Alexander!  Some of the things he shared in his dissertation were that when practicing yoga you use all of your body's systems.  Skeletal, muscular, nervous, circulatory, digestive (it's recommended to eat lightly and a few hours prior to the practice.  That is good advice!) and all the other ones.  He said that the only other time your body uses all of its systems is during sleep.  I find that very interesting and maybe is a clue to why after such an intense "workout" you feel so refreshed.  Hmmm....

I asked him about some of the negatives or myths that surround the practice.  First thing that comes up is that it is not just for women!  Fellas!  Get your yoga mats to the studio and have the best workout, maybe, of your life!

Second thing was you don't have to be flexible to practice yoga.  The practice of yoga makes you flexible.  Ahhhh.... it's a "chicken and the egg" thing...

Lastly was it's not a religion.  It may feel spiritual and some religions embrace the practice but yoga in itself is not.

So ladies and Gents, if you find yourself in Columbus, OH,  look up my friend Alexander at Shape Fitness bring a water bottle and a good attitude.   You'll probably see me there, albeit sweaty! Best money you'll spend all day... week!

Namaste.



*  Sweating to the Oldies was a series of videos done by Richard Simmons in the 80's and were probably awesome but I have never actually seen one or sweat to an oldie.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

you may be wondering why I've called you all here...

I'm trying something new.  It's the kind of thing I've hinted at and used in varied compartments of my life but I am going to try a different approach.

Drum roll please: This year, two thousand and twelve, I'm going to plan out my life!  Huh?

I have faked my way and shot from the hip for the larger part of my life.  In the grand scheme of how I do things there is rarely a plan... or a back door.  Just having a basic inclination on where i was heading but 100% relying on my quick thinking, luck and common sense to get me through any obstacles i may encounter on my "journey."  However when I set my mind and planning to one aspect or project it very rarely backfires.  It's strange, if you plan and prepare for things that may or may not happen, then when things do pop up (they always do) you handle them in stride without ensuing panic.  No, racing internal dialog basically screaming "OH SHIT!" over and over.  Just react and move on. I likes the idea of the "don't panic."

I have labored under the Robert Burns quote "The best laid plans plans of mice and men..." but I never really thought about it.  I have always felt it doesn't matter what you plan, it's the unexpected that gets you.  Well there is some truth to that but it doesn't mean "don't plan!" it just means you never know what's around the corner so be flexible.

So this year it's not some crazed resolution shouted from a mountain top.  Instead, I have laid out some goals and directions that I want to go with my life AND I intentionally balanced them out.  My PLAN (nice huh?)  covers Professional, Artistic/Creative, Personal and Private goals.  All will be chronicled here except the private stuff (duh... it's PRIVATE!)

The first one is an easy guess: my weight/fitness.  My whole life I have made this too complicated.  It really isn't that tricky on the science side: calories in and calories out.  There is some other factors that push the numbers around a little bit... but not that much.  I have a whole new support team around me and even have some competitions going on plus other shenanigans, so stay tuned!  Basically: stay active, monitor what I eat and keep training for bigger and badder-er races.  The first one is a tower race in late January.  I don't have all the details but it's up a bunch of stairs... in a tower.  What else do I really need to know???

My new post workout snack?  Choco Milk-o!


Delicious!

It's 150 calories, 2.5 fat grams and 8 grams of protein!  As far as post workout snacks go it ranks pretty high for the "it's got what you need" factor.

 Onward and Upwards.

Listening to Iron & Wine The Creek Drank the Cradle... just can't get into it.  I've tried.