thursday’s theme–zen style

The response on yesterday’s post just put a smile on my face! I’m SO thankful for the friends I’ve made in this blogging community and I appreciate your kind words!

I’d honestly love to tell you that yesterday was a better day, but it wasn’t. Not asking for sympathy, just being honest here. In 2 1/2 weeks, the show will be over, Almira Gulch will have cackled her last laugh, and the Wright family is going to take on zero additional obligations! Feels good just typing that out.

————–

I typically plan what we’ll do for Tuesday Trainer a week in advance, but like I told you, I’ve been spread a little thin lately. The idea for this week honestly just popped into my head AS I WAS GETTING THE CAMERA OUT.

I think it’s a pretty good one though. And SO fitting for what I need right now.

To be Zen. To be Relaxed. To be Fluid.

The theme for this week’s Tuesday Trainer is YOGA!!

Here’s how much I know about yoga: Not a lot!

I’ll be honest and tell you that I haven’t done yoga in probably 6 months?? And even then, it wasn’t in a studio – Travis and I completed P90x and did Yoga X. It’s primarily Vinyasa yoga and lasts 90 minutes (you’re supposed to do it once a week). We would get up at 6AM and do it together in our living room! Looking back, I loved that time together- sweating side by side before the kids got up. Hey, Travis – we should do that again! Oh, and honey, we should also make some more of those cute kids!

While I haven’t done it in a while, yoga is one of those workouts that makes you feel SO good afterwards, you wonder why you aren’t doing more of it. For me, it’s a time issue. If I’ve got an hour to exercise, I’m more likely to pick running or weight lifting. I just feel like I get more out of those, for the calorie burn and muscle growth.

Do any of my readers practice yoga as their sole source of exercise?? I’d be interested to know the difference in body composition between someone who primarily practiced yoga and someone who primarily weight lifted. I honestly don’t know the answer.  I’d think that the most balanced approach would be to incorporate 1 or 2 yoga sessions INTO your weekly weightlifting/cardio routine.

Here’s me showing you just how much I don’t know about yoga: 

STANDING HEAD TO KNEE POSE – 4 parts

How to perform the posture:

1. Stand with feet together, shift body weight to standing leg and lock the knee (leg straight and thigh muscle contracted). With an interlocked grip pick up the other foot three inches below the top of the toes. Look forward.

2. Kick the heel of the raised foot forward until leg is straight and parallel to floor. Arms straight, eyes focused forward, body weight distributed evenly throughout standing foot. Lock both knees.

3. Wrists straight, bend the elbows down towards the floor .Keep the elbows touching against the calf muscle, and extend the elbows below the calf muscle. Both legs straight, both knees locked. Eyes still focused forward.

4. Tuck the chin to the chest and bring the head down, rounding spine, touch the forehead to the knee, both knees locked. Maintain balance for at least 5 counts.

A few guidelines for participation (this week is a little different since we won’t be using weights):

• Feel free to give tips on proper execution and technique, verbally, written or both.
• We’ll be doing more of a move SHOWCASE this week – pick something that you’re comfortable performing, but don’t be afraid to do a pose that might be new to us!!
• If your move isn’t correct, meaning improper form or instruction, I will not be able to feature it. Do your homework and get it right!!  As always, I’ll have a disclaimer, but we still want  to be professional, as I’m trying to create an exercise catalog.
• On Tuesday, grab the Tuesday Trainer button, to provide your readers with an easy link to the workout! Simply copy the text in my side bar and paste it into your HTML code.

**DEADLINE for submitting moves is Monday night, the 24th, at 8pm EST. Again, go here to learn how to upload your video!***

Tomorrow – I’m hopefully going to have video of me FLYING as Ms. Gulch!!!  Happy Thursday!!

splendid…lindsay