Day 4 (Yoga)...Intense! Could use better organization.

I was fearing today from what others had told me.  I wasn't even sure what Yoga was.

Going in, all I really knew was that I would be working on it for 90 minutes.  That scares the hell out of you when you are 20 minutes in and sweating your ass off.  What sucks is that there wasn't a clear description of how that 90 minutes was going to be broken up.  For anyone out there who will try this, let me explain.

• You start with a very short warm up with some basic stances and movement.
• You then have about 40 minutes of "Moving Asanas."  These remind me of katas.  They are precise movements that end up into poses.  Many are very repetitive.  They seem to help build strength, flexibility and balance.  You will be sweating.  Some are complicated and you won't get them if you are watching the DVD for the first time.  I was actually getting frustrated because I couldn't always figure out exactly what they were doing.  I had to go back and watch the DVD while taking notes tonight (kind of what I did with the ab ripper DVD yesterday.  You really can't be watching the DVD and trying to figure it out on the fly if you are going to get anything from it.  I tried that at first and got very frustrated and almost quit.  But I got through it and at least got the idea of what was going on (although I'm sure I missed a lot of repetitions and sides).  It was during this that I thought, "oh no...I'm going to have to do THIS for 90 minutes????  Thankfully that wasn't the case.
• About 45 minutes into the DVD (45 minutes left) you do balanced postures for 10 minutes.  These are the crazy Yoga poses that you might have seen before.  I don't think I could do any of them.  It was then that I had to admit to myself that I simply won't be able to do some of this stuff for quite a while.  At least I tried each one and when I'd fall, I'd get right back and try to get back into the pose until they were done.  These take major coordination, strength and balance.
• At about 55 minutes in (35 minutes left), you do floor work which is essentially stretching and some held poses.  Challenging stuff but some of it is a bit of a nice break.
• At about 73 minutes in (17 minutes left), you do "Yoga Belly" which reminds me of Ab Ripper but slowed WAY down.  This goes on for about 7 minutes.
• At about 80 minutes in (10 minutes left), you do stretches.
• At 85 minutes in (5 minutes left), you do some poses that don't seem to do anything.  I think they are just ritual.  I'll probably skip these next time.  I mean "corpse pose?"  "Fetal pose?"  Really?  I don't think my 90 day picture will be different if I don't do these.

Some things I learned:

1. Don't wear shoes or socks.  I started with both and realized everything works better in your bare feet (which is also what they use in the DVD).
2. There are no real breaks.  You have to pause the DVD if you need one.  I never did really other than to towel off some sweat.
3. Almost all the routines start with one foot/side and repeat with the other foot/side.  However, it is very hard the first time to understand where one routine starts and ends.  There is a timer at the bottom with titles which has actually been very useful with the other workouts.  However, it doesn't seem to be correct in this workout most of the time.  Most of the time, there will be a number of seconds up there that doesn't correspond with anything.  I would recommend actually watching the DVD once before you work out and taking notes to the movements.  It will soon seem clear how things are proceeding.  My notes are at the bottom of this blog.
4. Don't get discouraged.  Do as much as you can with the idea that you will get better as time goes on.  This stuff is hard.  If you can't do a pose, just keep trying even if you keep falling.  Just keep getting back up and try to get into it again.  Don't give up.
5. Yoga blocks are bullshit.  You don't need one.  They are supposed to be used in poses if you can't touch the ground...you just hold on to the block.  You can use almost anything instead of a real yoga block.  I used the box my free weights came in.
6. Yoga mats are bullshit (mostly).  I am doing everything on carpet.  I'll admit that sometimes my back foot slips a little.  But I think that is only because I'm on a pool of sweat.  It would be worse if I were on a mat.  I would NOT want to do this on a hard floor.
7. It will take a WHILE to get the breathing down.  Right now, I'm going to focus on getting through the routine correctly and having the right form.  I'll try to get the breathing correct here and there, but I'm lucky if I can get through the routine correctly.

Here are my notes on the Moving Asanas:

You will see a TON routines begin and/or end with this:

1. Runners Pose
2. Plank
3. Vinyasa
4. Upward Dog
5. Plank (perhaps followed by a push up)
6. Downward Dog
7. Swing heel up (routines always start with right first, then repeated with left)
8. Bring knee up into Runners Pose (with right knee used first, then repeated with left)

Nail that down because you will be doing it over and over.

OK, so I just realized that I have 7 pages of written notes for the Moving Asanas.  It is getting late so I'll type them up tomorrow (for you and for me).

Later!

Day 3.5...getting used to Ab Ripper

The Ab ripper routine is a 15 minute disc tacked on to 3 of the 6 workouts you initially do.  Tonight is my second night doing it.

The routine has 11 different moves with 25 repetitions each.  It moves very quickly...VERY quickly and has no breaks.

Since it moves so quick, I've found myself trying to figure out the proper move/form as they are starting and then never really being able to focus because I'm too busy watching the TV.  And many of these these seem really hard, at least for me.  Without the focus and being able to really push myself, I'm not able to keep form or complete even close to 25 reps without a break.  And if I take a break, they are running on to the next exercise before I get done.  Then I'm even more behind on the next move trying to figure out form...etc.

So that's two Ab workouts done and I don't think I've gotten much out of either.  Kind of discouraging.

In order to get around this, after I was done I skipped through the DVD and copied down little stick figures and notes for each move.  I can now look over this and get used to exactly what they are doing and not have to watch the TV.  Hopefully, I'll be able to focus more on what I'm doing and get more out of the workout.  We'll see if this works the next time this comes up which is Monday.

By the way, here are the moves (writing this to help me remember):

1. In and outs.  You sit on your rear, balance with your hands at your sides to the floor and bring your knees back and forth toward and away from your chest without letting your feet hit the ground.
2. Bicycles.  Same form as #1 but you hold your legs out and pedal your feet forward 25 times and then revers 25 times.
3. Crunchy frogs.  same form as #1 but instead of balancing with your hands, you hold them out to your sides and then hug your knees as they come in to your chest.
4. Cross leg/wide leg sit ups.  Lay on your back with your legs spread.  Sit up and then touch one of your toes 25 times for each toe.  That is the wide leg form.  If you cross your legs, it is harder.
5. Fifer scissors.  Lay on your back.  Both legs straight...one hovering just above the ground and one pointed straight up.  Hold and switch every few seconds without letting either touch the ground.  25 switches.
6. Hip rock and raise.  Lay on your back, arms to your sides with your knees apart but your feet together (making a diamond).  Lift your feet up essentially bringing your knees up toward your chest and then push your feet to the ceiling.  Then pull your knees back down and return to beginning position.
7. Pulse ups (heels to heaven).  Similar to #6, but start with both legs straight and pointed to the ceiling.  Then push your heels up up to the ceiling, lifting your lower back off the floor and return.
8. V-up/roll ups.  lay on your back, arms to your sides, legs extended.  Do a normal sit up but when the small of your back hits the ground on your return, lift your legs (still extended) and try to touch your toes again.  Then lower back into starting position.
9. Oblique V-ups.  Lay on your side, bottom arm to your side along the floor and top arm bent with elbow out and hand to your neck.  Keep your legs straight and feet slightly off the floor.  Then try to touch your elbow to the side of your leg by bending your body into a V toward the ceiling.
10. Leg climbs.  Lay on your back with one leg straight up to the ceiling and one leg bent with foot on the ground for support.  Use your hands to climb the extended leg and touch your toe and then return.
11. Mason twists (40 reps on this one).  Sit on your rear with your knees bent.  Clasp your hands together.  Lift your feet slightly off the ground and move your hands over your body, touching the ground to the left and right of where you are sitting.

Do you see how you might not master the moves immediately?