What Uncle Joe brought to the potluck...

Last week I spent a lot of time on my feet.  I don’t have a desk job, but I certainly was standing more than usual.  And, for bonus points, my new grand-dog came to visit and he has LOTS of energy.  What saved my butt (and my tired back!)????  Pilates.

In the short-term sense, Pilates helped me stretch out the stiff places and get some movement back into the stuck and sore spots.  Pilates is the right kind of movement for when we don’t much feel like moving because it really does make us feel better when we get started.

More importantly, Pilates helps me in the long-term sense.  I recognize it when my posture gets wonky.  I feel it when my spine needs to lengthen or my core control slips.  Even better, Pilates lets me fix those things, whether I drag my reluctant body out to the studio and the equipment or just take a second or two to realign right where I am.

Thanks, Uncle Joe!

Because tree...

Under normal circumstances, there are two exercise bikes in my living room, my dear spin bike and Brent’s recumbent bike.  (I realize that not everyone would make this decorating decision, but I have priorities.  Also, Brent’s bike is too big to go through any other doorway in the house, so I don’t have much choice about his.)  However, in December, my spin bike moves to my studio because it needs to make way for the Christmas tree (which actually lives in the living room year round, just in the steamer trunk next to the couch for the other eleven months).  As I mentioned, I have priorities.

What this means is that I get a different view from the saddle.  It’s not like I’m unfamiliar with the studio since I work there and all, but I’m used to staring at the same part of my house while pedaling away.  It’s a small shift, but it does actually make me think slightly differently.

What else might we shift slightly to get a new perspective?  It doesn’t take wheeling a spin bike through the house, getting your kid to help you lug it down the back stairs safely, and steering it into the studio to change things up, but maybe throwing down the yoga mat in a different room or taking it outside can open new possibilities.  Trying a new route for a run or walk or bike ride outside can do the same, as can testing out a different instructor or sport or activity.  Let’s make it a little new, just for fun. 

Monday Workout: Back!

Now that we’re all rested up from our holiday weekend, it’s time to get back to work.  This week we have kettle bells, which are always good for both building muscle and getting the heart rate up, plus some work with the Bosu to keep us working on our stability and balance.  Just for fun, we are also doing the barbell twist because it’s a fun way to work our oblique abdominals.  Three rounds!

kb swings	30
kb 1 leg pass or twist	20
kb 8s	10
plyo/reg/mod jacks	30
rows	20
kickbacks	10
Bosu or reg step ups	30
Bosu or reg curls	20
barbell twist	10