Barefoot & on the Mat February 2022: Slip off your shoes and join us!

[Margot]

Good morning all!

Yesterday's workouts:
- ChiBall Energise & Tone (20 mins)
- HealthBarre Online Group
- Neighbourhood walk
- Ellen B - Yoga Delight, a Kundalini-inspired workout with Amy.
- ETV Gail's AM Workout

Pam & Paine - I'm not a fan of push-ups either or planks for that matter. All these moves aggravate my shoulder. That's a good idea Pam to use a wall mounted barre. Sometimes, I use a chair or bench for downward dogs and plank work, so it's not so intense.

Sherry - Thanks for mentioning Timberlake yoga. I had a quick browse through her classes and they look just up my street.

Carolyn - I love to see animals lounging around in the classes. I had to laugh during Gail's workout yesterday, when she quickly had to go off screen to move her cat away from her equipment. Apparently, he turned off the music in a previous class. It was also fun watching him bat around a toy around the floor. It kept me amused. I cancelled my hair appointment back in January until March and it really needs a cut now. Luckily, it's still so cold here I can wear a hat when I go out.

Sandra - Hope your knee is feeling better today.

Beth - Did you succumb and try Miranda's class?

Pat - Hope the weekend training went well. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Cyana - Hope you had fun in the kitchen over the weekend and managed to have a work-free weekend.

Waves to all!

[toaster]

Margot, not yet! Since I am still doing yoga every day (sadhana ends tomorrow), it's not always easy to fit in any "extras" - plus, in the past week or two, my time for fitness has been shorter overall. I might try it on Friday...

Sandra, glad your knee rehab seems to be helping, although I'm guess it's still frustrating having to go through this again.

Carolyn, I'm sure that is a relief to know that you won't get pulled in on Saturdays! I am very lucky that even though my job is quite challenging at times, it's pretty rare for me to have to work an evening or weekend. I haven't done Split Sessions in awhile - you are right about the band work! And that one squat move towards the beginning (sort of like a squat/DL combo) always gives me DOMS.

Pam, I usually do some type of push-up variation too.

Paine, you said "I'm not fond of pushups these days." Does that mean you used to like them?

Sherry, hope your back is less cranky (and Pat, how is yours?). How is your Peloton subscription going?

Happy Tuesday to Linda, cyana, Karen Jo, Garrie, and everyone/anyone else!

[cyana]

Quick post and run - anyone else having trouble getting into VF the last several days? "This site can't be reached" message comes up. And when I get in, the view is a little wonky. I think I'm going to have to try a different browser.

I did a live Holden class yesterday and started today with 50 stability ball crunches and some sit to stand hovers on the ball (20).

Must run - multiple meetings today plus covering for someone who's off. Waves to ALL!

[Paine]

Erich Schiffman Beginner Backyard Yoga: Reclining Lotus practice and Shoulder Stretches practice

This morning Pam inspired me to bring out my Schiffman DVD. I still love Erich's voice.

Pam, I like your idea of using a wall mounted barre for pushups.

Beth, I used to not mind pushups at all! I'm not as strong as I used to be so I avoid pushups these days. I've always done the wussy girl pushups on my knees though so they are easier. Pushups on my toes hurts my lower back because I have a long torso.

Cyana, I haven't had problems getting into VF. I use Google as my browser.

[YogaGal]

Tuesday - Jessica Smith’s Steady, Ready, Go! workout from her Burn Fat + Have Fun dvd, followed by Joelle’s Yoga for Shoulder Pain. My right shoulder has been a bit sore occasionally, so I decided I needed to show my shoulders a little love today.

Margot: I also love seeing animals in classes. Both Bird and Kassandra have had dogs and cats wander into a few of their yoga videos. Kassandra even did a video at an animal sanctuary that I’ve yet to do. I recall Jessica having to edit out something from a YT workout; when she came back she reported that Peanut had gotten into trouble and was now in time out!

Beth: A few years ago, I did have to go into work on a couple of Saturdays to teach when we were short staffed. It throws a wrench in your weekend having to “dress up” and drive in to work just to teach for 1.5 to 2 hours. I will say that I can’t work overtime; I just shift my work hours that week or work less hours some other week if I go over 25 hours/week. I think it’s the band work in Split Sessions that gives me DOMS. I’m a little sore today, but not too bad.

Paine: I have a short torso, but have never been a fan of pushups! Some of it has to do with my wrists not liking it. I don’t mind planks done with forearms on the floor.

cyana: Same as Paine; I haven't had problems getting into VF and I use Google Chrome.

[Paine]

Carolyn, when I do pushups, I always use my Tony Horton PowerStands. They are angled handles and it makes pushups much easier on my wrists. When I bought mine 9 years ago, I bought them from Amazon but I looked and they don't sell them there anymore. I use them for straight arm planks too because it's easier on my wrists. This is what they look like:

https://www.fitnessproductsdirect.co...ss-powerstands

[toaster]

cyana, I haven't had any recent issues with VF either.

Carolyn, I agree that just having to go into work for a few hours on a Saturday (or later evening) is sometimes tougher! I have had to do that in the past for special events (and a few tragedies), but luckily it is a rarity.

Today I did a Lift with Cee short arms workout at the end of my workday and a short YouTube yoga practice when I got home from teaching yoga.

[JustSandra]

Hi all!

My knee is recovering pretty well. Yesterday it was about 40-50% better, and today I would say it is about 85% improved. I can't quite straighten it all the way yet, but now I only limp a little bit when I walk. Wish me luck as I return to work tomorrow.

Today's Workout: The Knee routine from Total Body Solution, followed by Winsor Pilates Bun & Thigh Sculpting.

Paine: I often choose to sub pec flyes in place of push-ups. What also works well for me is to do the push-ups using my Fluidity barre.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

[yogapam]

Todays workouts:
~Taught Essentrics
~Barlates Ankle Weight Outer Thigh & Glutes - This was 40 min & a killer, lol. It really focused on the glute med & min. LOTS of reps, I used ankle weights for a little more than half of it. I’ll definitely do it again though, very effective & I’ll take some of the moves to my Essentrics class floor work (fewer reps & minus the ankle weights).
~Yin yoga class on zoom in front of my little electric fireplace, very cosy!

Margot - I used the seat of a chair a lot for for planks & mountain climbers when I was doing Barre3.

Cyana - I hope your meetings went smoothly. I haven’t had any problems getting on VF, I use Safari.

Paine - I love Erich’s voice too!

Carolyn - I often sub in forearm planks too. I even sub forearms in lengthy all fours work too.

Sandra - Glad to hear your knee is better!

Waves to Beth, Pat & and anyone who stops by.

[Garrie A.]

Hi all! (Long time no see.) Popping in with an (overdue) update. First, two general life updates.

These past two months have been stressful. Starting off with work. The first week of Spring semester rush was fairly easy to get through, but the second week was very stressful for me as the store manager tested positive for COVID. Then, over the weekend two temp co-workers who worked with us tested positive. Another temp and I (thankfully) tested negative. I was having to work extended open-to-close shifts that week (because during this time the college offers "extended advising hours"). Everyone who had COVID recovered. Also, one of our part-time people told us in two weeks she has an interview for a full-time job at an insurance firm. She is a great worker, so if she gets this job she will be missed. We hired her before COVID, but didn't rehire her until the campus reopened last year.

Next, my SO and I made the mutual decision to split. We still get along well (have never argued) and are good friends, but are no longer a couple. It wasn't an easy decision to make for the both of us. For now, we still live together and plan to--at least for the next several months.

On the workout front--I've still been working out, but my motivation has waned a bit. Lately I've been throwing in some retro--this week I did Cher's "A New Attitude" (with Keli Roberts as the lead) doing the step and abs one day and the lower body yesterday (and my glutes and inner thighs are feeling it today). I've also been doing some of Tamilee Webb's old Buns of Steel workouts. With the exception of the Platinum workouts (which I love) I always shrugged them off mostly due to the poor production quality. So on a whim one day I did Buns of Steel 4 (on Youtube). Wow--it was harder than I thought. Last week I did Buns 3 (which I have on DVD) and was impressed. I had to take several (very short) breaks during the standing leg section and Tamilee kept going like it was nothing. To me, it actually felt harder than BOS 4 (which has the "super advanced" subtitle). And I didn't even use weights for BOS 3.

I also haven't been knitting/crocheting as much, but that's only because I've been trying a new craft--sewing! On Black Friday I purchased a sewing machine and re-taught myself using YT and Craftsy (I first learned to sew in 9th grade home ec where I made a hideous pair of boxer shorts ). After I made a foldover tote and pajama pants (plus a pajama set and fleece robe), I fell in love. My first machine was a basic mechanical one (Singer brand) but a couple of days ago I upgraded to a computerized Brother-brand. With that I'm also trying my hand at my first quilt.

I hope to check in more often. Waves to everyone!