Success Along the Weigh

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Stand up paddle in Kauai: Part 2

So where was I? That's right, I was trying to do stand up paddle.

After falling on two numb feet and then having to hoist my body weight up onto the paddle board using nothing but my brute strength, I tried to tell myself the worst was over. I fell...big deal but more importantly, I did something I never thought I'd do in having to use that strength and I suppose it was good to know that in a pinch, if I had to depend on it, I could. I was back to knee paddling again. I tried to keep the weight off of my ankles this time and it took more core balance. I did well but I was ready to just be up on the damn thing already. We got to a shallow part and I mean so shallow the board fin could hit if you were in the wrong place. I felt a little better about trying there but also knew I could do serious damage if I fell wrong. The instructor directed me out to a place slightly deeper but where I could still touch. I was getting ready to try and he said "I just saw you tense up! You're not ready!" I loosened my shoulders, took some deep breaths and tried to get out of my head. When he saw I was more relaxed, he told me to do three long, deep strokes on each side and then stand up and if I felt wobbly, go back down to my knees. I did three strokes and went to the other side and he told me two more on each side and then stand and when I did, the paddle went into the water with the curve side down...completely stopping me dead in the water. He told me to try it anyway and to look up to get my balance. I knew the whole "look at the horizon" thing from the Mr's tape but I swear to God no matter how many times I told myself in my head to look up, it would not do it! It was like I was physically incapable of looking up no matter how much I wanted to. My knees were so wobbly and shaky I was like a freshly born Bambi trying to stand. I felt all of that balance board training fly right out the window. In reality, it didn't help me with that at all. Maybe muscle wise but yeah, I don't feel like it was nearly close enough to feeling the same that I would recommend it to people as a way to train. I kept telling myself under my breath, "you can do this, you can do this!" As I continued to rock with no way to regain my balance or gracefully go back down to my knees, I tanked over the side in a deliberate tuck and roll fall. (My own creation)

It was much easier to get back on the board and I laid on my stomach for a second as he encouraged me to try again and I told him to hang on for a second. I told him the Mr fell four times and I wanted to beat him. He thought that was pretty funny as the Mr asked what we said. I didn't repeat myself until later. The instructor said he makes people try twice then he will spot them. So he paddled over to me and got in a T formation at the top of my board to keep me stable and now I had to paddle us both.

Great. That nagging voice in my head said "you will fall forward, crush him, drown him underwater and they'll have to peel him off the front of you." I said "I'm going to kill you if I fall forward!" He assured me I wouldn't fall on him...glad he had confidence, I didn't. I stood up, slow and shaky and was finally able to get my damn head to look forward. Score! My knees were unstable again with the slight bend in them, which I thought you needed for balance. I could feel myself losing it again. I heard the Mr say to try to lock my legs because it helped him. I did and it did stabilize me which was surprising since we both thought you needed your knees kind of soft for control. But there I was...stand up paddling!

My paddling still kind of sucked but I was moving, there was proof and that's about all I cared about at that point! We all talked and I apologized to both of them for not looking at them because if I did I was going down.

I remembered the Mr talking about the horrific arch pain he had when he did his the first time and because I already had foot issues, mine kicked in with record speed. I kept trying to relax my feet and keep the weight in my heels but that arch pain was not fun. As we approached our turnaround point, we had about 400 yards to go when the pain shot from my arches up into my shins and toward my knees. This is what my chiro would call "pain I shouldn't push through." I let the Mr know I was having a problem with it and let him know it was more than the arch pain he was feeling. I kept having visions of me having to be towed back by motorboat (they do that) or having to wuss out and paddle on my butt or something. It wasn't how I wanted to go out but this injury was not happy with me. That's when I let the instructor know I had a foot injury. The information didn't seem to compute with him one way or the other. I suppose in his mind he was saying something along the lines of "you should've told me up front." This was also when my shoulder blades really started getting to me, not so much from SUP but from the upper body workout I did the day before. I mentioned that too and I told him about our weight loss.

That seemed to open up a whole other side of him because he told us how he was also a personal chef and how he loves to cook healthy. We talked about chia seeds, how we each prepare brussels sprouts and all kinds of health related stuff which thankfully seemed to make the ride back much easier to handle. My feet finally just went numb from the pain so yeah, the dismount was going to be interesting. As we approached Hanalei Bay and the small sand bar on the side, he told me to just paddle up and "park" it on the beach. I did and we high fived as the Mr caught up to us. We posed for a few pics and then he had to be on his way for his next class. I think I made him late with how slow I was. Sorry, C!

Paddling back toward the beach, see Bali Hai (mountain from South Pacific) in the middle of the pic?

I'm parkin' my ride and the Mr is paddling in.

Our boards safe to shore.

I wanted to check it off the list, I did and that's about that. I would love to say I picked up a new sport that I'm going to love doing but I honestly think it would be quite a few years before my feet would ever allow me the opportunity. Moreover, I think for me personally I will have to be much thinner to do that again. It has nothing to do with my abilities because I know I can do it but I just know that with my muscles in my legs possibly being an issue with me for a long time, the less weight I have on them the better. I'm not trying to dissuade anyone bigger from doing it. Just go in knowing at first the board moves more and every little motion affects your balance until you're used to it. I think most companies will rent 12' boards and to people up to 300 lbs. Oh yeah, request the 12 footer too. Unlike the Mr on his first time, I didn't get that more stable 12' board, I got the 11' 6" which doesn't sound like much on paper but trust me, it is on water!

The next day, our anniversary, I was basically crippled. The pain and soreness were in my ankles, of course, but went up my shins into my abs, hips and thighs. The one place I didn't feel pain? My arches. Weirdos. I cried a lot the next morning, the Mr massaged my legs as best he could, I did my PT stretches and I existed on pain relievers so I could at least walk. I might've walked like Frankenstein but it was a mode of transportation. So there you have it.

I felt like I was seriously being tested and it was kind of like the universe laughing in my face like "HA! You thought you knew exactly what you were getting into...bwaaahahaha!" I don't like that feeling of not knowing what to expect but I guess I proved my perseverance and that when faced with public humiliation or finding a way to lift myself on a board out of the water, that seemingly impossible task became possible somehow. I'm not saying I'll never do it again I just know personally, I want to be a lot thinner before I do and I want to give the feet all the time they need to fully heal first. Don't worry, I found my groove with something else.

Have you been stand up paddling? Where? If not, where would you like to?

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

My attempt at stand up paddle in Kauai

The Mr did stand up paddle on the Hanalei River on Kauai back in 2010. I remember how nervous he was when he did it. He said before we left he was going to do it and as our trip went on, I never heard much about it. It was a few days before we left that I said "so are you going to do that or not?" Feeling I'd thrown down the gauntlet, he called and made his appointment. He loved it, instantly declared himself a paddler with one session under his belt and has been chomping at the bit to get back to it wherever he could. I knew when I finally did it, I wanted it to be on the Hanalei as well because, well, it's Kauai. Where better? When he did it, I was a Jacqueline of all trades. I ran the big DSLR camera, the crappy point and shoot AND the video camera all at the same time. I wanted him to have a ton of pics/angles, etc. I knew I sadly wasn't going to get the same thing with no one staying behind to document it so I was going to get crappy hard shell fogged plastic pictures of my attempt at stand up paddle. So fair warning, most of the pics except maybe the first two are gonna suck. I won't lie, I'm still a little torqued off over that but unless we hired someone to do all of that, I suppose I'm lucky to have anything at all. At least that's what I keep telling myself. *Grumble* Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to the Mr for hopping right up on the board, never falling and filming me too while trying to keep up. I'm just being mopey and can't help but shake my head as stuff like that is my norm.

When I decided I hadn't psyched myself out, I ended up never once being nervous at all. It wasn't because I was all calm, cool and collected but it was more like "I just want this over with so I don't have to think about it anymore." I also knew that based off of prior trips, the second half of the trip is full of sodium bloat, extra weight and decreased muscle stamina due to not working out every day. So I scheduled it for our second full day on the island for the first appointment of the day so I'd be at top form. (We even did the Upper Body Vacation Workout the day before, which was kind of a mistake because I was sore SUP day!) When we got there, we signed in, met my instructor which was a local guy who was of course, a cutie. Thanks for the pressure, God.

They loaded the boards into his truck and we followed him down to Hanalei Bay. I studied the Mr's video from his lesson many times over the past few years, I knew that I would start out in shallow water and the instructor would hold my board while I got my footing. Well...that's how the Mr's went...that's not how MINE went. Kick back and pick up a mai tai people.

My instructor was great. Very nice, personable, knew what he was talking about and got down to business with his lesson. Your knees at the center of the board, put your knuckles down (with paddle in hand) on the board to push up, pressure in the heels and not in the balls of your feet or you'll go off balance. Long, deep strokes (I swear I almost busted out laughing 3x as he was talking about doing long, deep strokes...I'm a 7 year old boy), focus on the paddling and not the balance and be completely relaxed because tensing up is going to throw you off. He reminded me the board is designed to float, I'll be fine and asked if I'm ready to go. I nervously laughed because even though I didn't have butterflies (I think my compression shorts squashed them all) it's the getting ON the board I have had no way to simulate all of this time. It was totally out of my control and doing it in front of, you know, a pack of kayakers and other beachgoers watching me wasn't high on my to do list. I got on pretty gracefully on my knees and he told me to rock back and forth on it to see how stable it was. Uh yeah, I suppose that's stable...for a board floating on water! He said he wanted me to paddle out a little bit because it's easier to stand up when you have some momentum. Pardon? You want me to paddle real fast then stand up at the same time? I don't remember signing on for that. I specifically remembered the Mr having the little scrawny haole ("how-lee" aka white) boy hold his board for him while he got his balance in the shallow part and THEN paddled out. I would like that guy, please. He said to sit on my feet and get comfortable first and he'd tell me when to stand.

Oh, should that have been the time I told him I was recovering from a foot injury in which the tendons on the front of my ankles I was now paddling on were all screwed up? Nope. I didn't want to be treated any differently than anyone else and I didn't anticipate being on them long. Just under a quarter of a mile later, my feet were asleep because I couldn't get the long, deep strokes he wanted. (*giggle*) I was holding myself up from holding myself up. Finally we got to a point where I could no longer see the bottom of the notoriously shallow bottom of the river. This is where he wanted me to stand for the first time. I tried to lift off of my ankles every now and then but the fronts of my ankles were flat against the board like one long after workout quad stretch and my first time standing resulted in me attempting to stand on two numb feet. You can guess how that ended.

As I kind of dug the refreshing dip as a relief from the hot sun, I then realized I couldn't touch the bottom of the river. Oh fer real?? I see some shoreline behind my instructor and I tell him we'll need to swim over and I need to get back on the board and he's like "no, you can get back on the board from here." I looked at him like "whatchu talkin' about Willis!?" and he flashed that smile like "hey, no biggie sistah!" and I said "have you SEEN my size?" That is the conversation happening below...

He told me to grab the hole in the middle of the board (where you carry it) and then lift my chest up onto the board. Oh really Mr 145 pound man?? Let me get right on that. I told him I couldn't and he told me I could so I tried. While I've got much better upper body strength than ever before it was a lot harder not having a bottom to touch to help propel me up. It took me a few pushes but I got at least halfway on the board, checked my HRM (I was at 148) and then I told my instructor "I just remembered my husband is taping my big ass from behind, THAT has to be attractive," which is exactly what I'm saying here...

I'll be honest, if I ever thought that was a possibility, I never would've done it. It was something that never crossed my mind that I would have to hoist my big okole up on a paddle board after having fallen off in the deeper part of the river. I guess I'm glad to some degree I didn't think of that scenario. I finally laid flat out on the board to give my ankles a break and regain my composure. I was spread out like a beached manatee. I had to go back to paddling on my knees. This felt really awesome given I did exercises on my knees on the hard floor so even though it was a little padded, I was feeling kind of like it was never going to happen. The concept of standing up on the board while it was moving just seemed like a completely impossible task for me and you'll find out tomorrow...it was.

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Monday, May 20, 2013

Back to reality

Oh my Lord, coming back from Hawaii is so hard. I'm not just talking about crying on the plane as the little Asian lady smiles and waves aloha from the jetway or leaving behind the sweet pups we took on field trips from the Humane Society but my Lord, the JET LAG! Basically you're having to adjust back an entire day's worth of hours. It usually takes us about a week before we're within 2 hours of our previous routine or at least enough that the Mr can make it to work without falling asleep at his desk.

We come back and the phone goes on Do Not Disturb (where it doesn't ring but they can leave voice mails) because without fail people have called with some kind of non-issue or idle chat that has interrupted the one alloted nap time we've scheduled to combat the extreme fatigue we get a few hours after waking up. So yeah, we're still in a fog and have a few more days of that before we get any sense of normalcy back. We're technically still on vacation until Wednesday so I'm trying to enjoy that.

Yesterday was our first workout and man it sucks how quickly you lose those rock hard muscles even if you got in some workouts on vacation. We've got the house stocked up with fruits, veggies and lean meats. I'm a little bummed I have to go back to full time chef but it's time to get back to it. We ate like we were just introduced to Western food and had 2 weeks to consume it and to say it made us feel like big piles of dung is an understatement.

So we're back...I'll have updates on some of the cool things we did that made this trip the kind I've dreamed of for so long. The list is long so you'll have to bear with me for doing the longest vacation recap in history over the next week or so but lots of life changers. Thanks so much for everyone who followed me on Instagram and commented or liked my pics. Here are a few in case you missed them...

What did you guys do this weekend?

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Until You Fail Hybrid Workout - Lower Body

Happy Friday everyone! This is a continuation of yesterday's Total Trainer/ Free Weight/ Body weight workout that we do. It's called "Until You Fail" because there are no set amount of reps per exercise. You do each move until your muscles reach failure or your form begins to suffer and you immediately stop and move on. This is the last workout in my series this week. I hope you've liked them as much as I liked creating them! Let's get to it, shall we?

Narrow Squats - Keeping your legs together and pushing the booty back so the knees don't go over the toes, squat. Repeat.

TT Leg Press- (I use setting 10*)- Do leg press with attention to not put knees over toes.

Pulsing Lunges (Gilad)- A butt numbing move from Gilad's old workouts. In a lunge position, do small "pulsing" lunges in a quick manner paying attention to form. When that leg/rump cheek starts burning, switch legs.

TT Rope Abduction- (I use setting 6*)- Facing the number plates, hold on to the pulley handles and put your feet inside of the rope pulley so the rope is resting on the outer side of your feet. Keeping a firm grip on the handles, push your feet outward making a V, then bring legs back in. Repeat.

Deadlifts- Using free weights, bend to about 45 degrees. Lower the weights until your back is straight at almost 90 degrees. Use your hamstrings, glutes to raise yourself up, not the lower back.

Sumo Squats- Squat using a wide stance at just slightly more than shoulder width.

TT Rope Push Downs- Using the same basic stance as the abduction exercise, put your feet on top of the rope instead of letting it rest on the side of your feet. Push the rope down toward the floor so you're working the hamstrings and glutes.

Standing Glute Kickbacks- Keeping your legs straight, kick one leg back behind you until you feel it in the glute and return to start position, repeat and switch legs. You can use a chair or wall for balance if you need to.

TT Cross Legged Leg Press- (I use setting 10*)- Do a leg press but cross one leg over the other knee. (Like you would just sitting down). Focus on hamstrings and glutes and don't let knees go over toes.

Leg Lifts- Lay on the floor on your side. Lift leg from closed position toward the ceiling so if someone was looking at you, you'd look like an L...for leg lifts...sounds like an episode of Sesame Street. Repeat then switch legs.

Lateral Lunges w/weights- (I use 20 lbs*)- Standing with the weight in your left hand, lunge to the right side so the weight in your left hand almost touches your right ankle. Keep your back straight and chest up. Repeat and switch legs.

TT Calf Raises- (I use setting 10*)- Start in leg press position but just rise up onto your toes and lower. Repeat but do not push past the point of discomfort, these can hurt like a mutha the next day if you do. I won't tell you how I know that.

Step Ups (stairs/bench/step)- Using an aerobic step with 4 risers, a weight bench or 2 steps at your home, step up onto the object, step back down, switch legs and repeat.

Leg Curls using weight- (I use 15 lb weight*)- Put a free weight on the floor where your feet will hit. Lay on the floor and hold the weight by using your feet to grab it, then raise your feet toward your glutes and lower. Repeat. Don't use a weight that is too high for you, the position is awkward.

Inner Thigh Raises- Lay on your right side. Bend your left leg somewhat behind you and lay your right leg with your inner thigh pointing toward the ceiling and toes pointing to the right. Raise your right leg toward the ceiling with your inner heel slightly higher than than your toes. Repeat and switch legs.

TT Side Leg Press Split Squats (chair/bench) - Using a chair or weight bench behind you, get into the lunge position and put your left foot on the chair (top of the foot resting on the object). Lower yourself into a lunge on the right leg. Repeat then switch legs when you're tired.

TT Leg Curls using pulleys- (I use setting 6*. Requires a leg curl rope pulley for the machine)- Hook up the leg straps to your ankles, lay face down with your legs at about 90 degrees. Press your legs straight, focusing on the quads. Repeat.

Fast Feet - Last move! Run in place quickly to shake off some of the soreness you might already have.

Stretch!

Consult your physician before starting this or any exercise program. User assumes all risks!

*= this is what I use and I'm telling you as a frame of reference. NOT suggesting you use those settings/weights.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Until You Fail Hybrid Workout - Upper Body

This is a kick ass hybrid workout I made in March that utilizes our Total Trainer (or Total Gym for those of you who have one of those), free weights and even a resistance band. It's one of our favorite new workouts. There are no set number of reps or time limits, you do each exercise until your muscles reach failure or your form starts to suck, then you immediately shake it out and go on to the next exercise. Because you're smart people, I likely don't have to tell you this but in case someone's having an off day, don't exercise until you're in pain or injure yourself; be smart please. ;-)

I'm sure I don't need to explain this but just in case the FW indicates a free weight exercise and TT indicates a Total Trainer (or Total Gym) exercise unless otherwise noted. I LOVE this workout and I hope those of you with the availability of this equipment whether at home or the gym do as well! The weights listed are the weights *I* use, NOT what I suggest you use! It's more a frame of reference.

FW Military Press- 20 lbs. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and slight bend in the knees. Push weights above head until almost fully extended then lower down to shoulder height and repeat until failure.

TT Tricep Row- Level 6- Sitting with your feet on the incline and booty on the bottom, row your arms to your side and slightly behind you, hold for 2 seconds and repeat until failure.

FW Lateral Raise- 15 lbs. With a slight bend at the elbows, raise the weights to shoulder level and slowly lower to the hips. Repeat until failure.

TT Chest Fly- Level 6- Sitting with your back to the numbers scale (or pointing down), do chest flys and repeat until failure. (Do not over-extend your arms behind you!)

FW Rows- 25 lbs. Bending at the hips to just above 90 degrees, slight bend in the knees, row the weights from an outstretched position from the floor, close to the armpits so the shoulder blades almost touch. Slowly release back toward the floor and repeat until failure.

FW Tricep Extensions- One 25 lb weight. Gripping the weight with both hands, place behind your head with elbows bent at 90 degrees. Raise above your head being careful not to hit your head with the weight. Repeat until failure.

TT Side Cable Pulls- Level 6- Sitting with your legs pointing to the left and crossed ankles, grab both handles and pull across your chest so you're pulling yourself up and down. Repeat until failure then switch to the other side.

FW Front Raise- 15 lbs. With weights by your hips on either side, raise the left up to shoulder height in front of you then switch arms and repeat with the right. Do both until failure.

TT Push Offs (Decline)- Level 6- Lying on your stomach on the decline with your face close to the floor, use the arm bar where the footboard would usually go and push off using the position that's most comfortable. Repeat until failure.

FW Hammer Curls- 20 lbs. Holding each weight like a hammer, curl up and down repeating until failure.

TT Bicep Curls-Level 6- Your choice as to whether you want to do incline or decline position. Repeat until failure.

FW Upright Rows- 25 lbs. With both weights in front of your legs, row up to shoulder height with elbows pointed out and hold for 2 seconds before releasing back down. Repeat until failure.

FW Shoulder Rolls- 25 lbs. Roll shoulders forward and back until failure.

Lawnmowers (Resistance Bands)- 2nd highest resistance band- Putting your foot on the resistance band about 1/4 of the way down from the handle you use, stand up straight and pull back like a row or like you're starting a push mower being careful not to rotate your back. Repeat until failure and switch arms.

TT Pull Ups- Level 6- Lying on your stomach facing the number scale on an incline, use the arm bar to do pull ups. Repeat until failure.

FW Shrugs- 25 lbs. With the weights at your side, shrug your shoulders up toward your ears. Focus on using your shoulder muscles, NOT your neck! You don't want to look like a pro-wrestler! Repeat until failure.

TT Hanging Pulls- Level 6- Lying your back with your feet tucked on the board under your booty (on a decline), grab the handles and allow yourself to hang until your knees almost touch the footboard. Pulse upward concentrating on working the triceps until failure.

Tricep Dips (on stairs or bench)- With the bottom of your palms against a stair or weight bench, get in a crab or bridge position. Push up and lower down concentrating on your triceps until failure.

Pattycakes- With a partner, do pattycakes in a fast rhythm varying height and speed to shake out the arms which should be like jelly and get one last kick of cardio. If you don't have a partner, do it in the air, against a weight bag, etc.

Stretch!

Consult a doctor before starting this or any fitness program. User assumes all risks!

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Hotel / Vacation Ab Workout

This is a good, easy workout for your hotel since you pretty much just need your body weight for 99% of it. Welcome to my quick but effective ab workout!

Crunches- Lying on the floor with your hands supporting your neck, crunch up toward your knees until your shoulder blades are off the floor, hold, release slowly.

Reverse Crunches- Lying on your back with the lower back supported, raise feet in the air and push your feet up toward the ceiling using your abs lifting your booty off the floor.

Elbow to Knee Crunches- When doing crunches bring your right elbow toward your left knee, go down, then come up with the left elbow toward right knee.

Sit Ups- With bent knees, sit up, hold, release back down.

Sit Ups with Rotation- When you get 3/4 to the top of the sit up finish with a rotation to the right, release then repeat on opposite side.

Oblique Crunches- Lying your side on the ground with legs at 45 degrees, put your hand against the back of your head (like you're supporting your head during a regular crunch). Crunch your obliques by trying to reach your elbow to your hip. Repeat and switch legs.

Oblique Crunches with Legs- Same as above but as you're crunching up, lift your hips/legs off the floor so you're almost making a V from the side.

Raises- Like a reverse crunch but bend at the knees and bring them into the chest by rocking back.

Planks- Facing the ground, rest on your forearms and toes sucking in your stomach to strengthen the core. Hold the position until you almost face plant...but don't.

Side Planks- Lay on your side, using the forearm on the floor, press up and hold the position. If you're feeling strong, extend the arm holding your body weight at an angle.

Superman- Lying flat on your stomach, put your arms in front of you like Superman and arch your back so your arms and legs lift up from the ground. Hold the position, release and repeat.

Backpack Wood Chops- Grab a heavier backpack, tote or even a gallon of water/juice and do standing wood chops. With object extended in front and slightly above eye level, chop downward toward one hip, raise it back up then chop down toward the other hip.

Consult a doctor before starting this or any fitness program. User assumes all risks!

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Lower Body - Body Weight Workout

This is a great lower body workout that requires no equipment so you can do them anywhere. The PT Exercises are obviously for me but if you happen to have PT that you're skipping (ahem...you know there are a few of you out there that are guilty! ;-) ) then consider that your reminder!