Barefoot & On The Mat: January 2022 Happy New Year!

[toaster]

cyana, my way of keeping my feet warm is not to spend much time outside, LOL. I definitely remember feeling like a rolly-polly when going outside in the snow as a kid! Glad your tights helped you. Thanks for the additional info about 7 Min of Magic. That might be a good practice for me today do next Saturday after I teach and before I have my photo shoot.

Sandra, I definitely thing you are smart to go with gentle for the rest of this month. I usually consider days I do gentle yoga only to be my "off" cays, but I think as I get older, I'm going to need to model after you and take more full off days.

Speaking of Armatics Taster, yesterday I found this similar video that I want to try today. (Note that it is in Japanese, but I don't think the instructions are needed. )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e4o...index=1&t=266s

[Pat58]

Morning all, yesterday featured a premix from Bernadette Giorgi's Attitude, parts of the weighted ball routine and mat work, followed by the Lower Balance section of Yee's Core Centered Yoga.

Cyana, I did follow Nourishing Meals and did Tom Malterre's Elimination Diet too. My retired naturopath promoted those cookbooks. Cold feet - I'm like Beth, I keep my feet warm by staying in - or running from the car to the office, store or home. Seriously, when I'm out in casual clothes I wear hiking socks and my hiking boots, and always thermals under my jeans. You might like this trick from my childhood - we saved the Wonder Bread plastic bags and put our feet into them then into our boots.

Sandra, I'm working on finding more "just what I needed" workouts and forgiving myself for not using my KCMs.

Waves to all!

[toaster]

Pat, LOL - I remember the Wonder Bread bags!!!

[toaster]

cyana, I also meant to reiterate that I don't think Firelog is for everyone! José de Groot reminded me of this again in today's yin challenge when she said to only do the poses that you need; you don't have to do all of them.

That being said, when I teach firelog/double pigeon, I like teaching a version where you sit with basic crossed legs but then put the front shin on a block, like the first variation here:
https://www.yogajournal.com/practice...e-feel-better/

You could also use a 2nd block like in the 2nd variation and/or sub blankets for either/both blocks.

[cyana]

LOL on the Wonder Bread bag trick. I learned the bread bag trick as a kid. I only had one pair of boots (and not great ones, at that) and on snow days, I wanted to play outdoors all day. My socks always got wet and my feet would freeze, so I learned (on my own) to put my feet in plastic bags to keep my socks from getting wet. Too bad my grown up self doesn't share my childhood love for being out in the cold.

I'm getting ready to make some turmeric paste from scratch. Also hoping to make a pot or two of soup today, as well. TBD on whether I'll try to make a batch of seed crackers.

Work-out is on the TBD plan also, LOL. Trying to figure out how many hours I have to achieve everything on my ambitious list.

I'll report back later on my achievements.

[luvcritters]

cyana, when I walked the dogs many times a day I wore, and still wear, waterproof hiking boots. I usually only need one pair of socks and it doesn't matter how thick they are. The boots keep out water and the cold. I wear them all day every day because they're comfy and because I might have to go with Miss Meow if she gets out. There are self-heated boots but with cold feet there's no heat to throw back. My husband had a self-heated coat that's still in the closet. He said it was good for 25 F or below outside, but in the car, once the car got warm it had to go.

[Paine]

Today is an unplanned rest day. I couldn't make myself workout this morning.

Beth, sometimes it's annoying to have one knee up in double pigeon pose and I fear I will torque my knee. I will have to try it adding a block or pillow--thanks for the suggestions!

Cyana, you worked 13 hours straight--yikes!! I admire your tenacity.

Cyana and Pat, speaking of girdles and garter belts, do you remember the sanitary napkin belts we had to wear before adhesive sanitary pads were invented, LOL?
Let us know what kind of soup you end up making. I love soup.

Pat, Beth and Cyana, I'm laughing at the Wonder Bread bag trick. I grew up in Southern CA and lived most of my life in Southern CA so I never heard of that one!

[yogapam]

Good morning!

I just finished my morning yoga & plan to head out walking soon.

I used to do double pigeon/fire log very easily, but it eludes me these days. I’ve got some sort of ROM impingement in my right hip joint. I fixed the glute med issue thankfully, and I think it was masking this issue. Yep there is always another issue popping up, lol. I’m having it X-rayed when I get home. I’m glad I can keep moving and getting my steps in. Beth, that’s a great mod! I’ve used my small rectangular bolster under my front shin instead of a block. I’ve done it here & improvised with a pillow.

Paine - Ugh, I so remember those sanitary belts.

Cyana - Sorry to hear you’re back to working those long days!

Back later to post my workouts….
Waves to all!

[toaster]

cyana, I'm very impressed you came up with the plastic bag trick on your own! Yeah, I don't recall having a problem with the cold when I was younger, either.

Paine, I thought that the bag trick might be a South Philly/South Jersey thing, but I guess not if Pat knew about it too. Oh yeah, you definitely don't want to torque your knee in double pigeon (or any pose!), so you could prop it OR skip it, whatever works better for you.

Pam, double pigeon is (relatively) easy for me (with some space between the top knee and the lower leg), but sometimes I like doing the propped variation instead to mix it up. I agree that a pillow or cushion often feels better than a block! Sorry about the right hip issue; hope you can get some clarification around that when you get home.

Speaking of double pigeon, I did A LOT of it in Erich Schiffmann's Lotus today! I didn't do lotus itself, so double pigeon was my practice. I also did that Japanese arms video I posted earlier and I really liked it!

[KarenJo]

Hello, ladies. On the day that I last posted I just got in my hand exercises and a couple of seated forward bends at bedtime. It’s something.
The next day (last Sunday) I did do Jane’s floor workout from her Gentle Yoga, took the dog for her usual 1-mile walk and did my hand exercises. The hand exercises only take a few minutes and are to counteract the effects of arthritis at the base of my thumbs. I’ve been neglecting them.
Monday I did my own 25-minute yoga routine and my hand exercises in the AM and Rodney’s Garden seated hip-opening routine from his Yoga for Meditation (and several others) DVD without the DVD plus a 10-minute seated meditation at bedtime. For some reason it takes me half as long to do this 13-minute yoga routine on my own and it doesn’t feel like I’m rushing.
Tuesday was just my hand exercises and a short bedtime stretch.
Wednesday I did my hands, a longer stretch/yoga session seated on the floor and a 5-6 minute meditation in bed.
Thursday I did Day 30 of Lee Holden’s 30 Day Qi Gong Challenge, a 20ish minute session on my stationary bike to the Lavender Fields France DVD from the Ambient Collection, and the Complete Arm Series from Catherine Isaacson’s Authentic Pilates Series DVD. Ages since I did that last one. It’s from 2004 and I think VFer Karyn told me about it.
Friday just my hands and a bedtime stretch (this is getting to be too much of a pattern)
Yesterday I helped move some furniture we were giving to another retired teacher my sister used to work with who’s house burned down, potted up some plants for outdoors which involved hauling some bags of damp soil, and a decent set of stretches and yoga seated on the floor at bedtime.

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