I was happy to finally unleash my appetite on all the veggies that I can eat, but I also noticed that comes with the price of more--more reps, more sets, more jumps. But definitely worth the 'cost.' I'm trying to stick to PCP rules--80%full.
Otherwise, the diet has been fairly easy to stick to; I've done well cooking & prepping everything ahead of time, and when I've been caught eating out in social situations, I've successfully steered friends towards places with healthier options--a kabob house (meat on a bead of fresh greens) yesterday, a Moroccan place with plenty of decent salads on Friday, and the local cafe (Open City) with some fairly healthy breakfast options on Sunday. (A couple of their meals feature arugula salad. For breakfast. Love it.) Tonight, I did hit a happy hour for my grad program, for prospective students & alumni. All bar food, all carb-y. I had a spoonful of salsa, then headed home for a proper meal.
At this point, there's only one thing I could use a break from--the eggs. (And I'm sure we're just warming up). Seriously, I think I may end up triggering one of the bomb-detecting devices on the subway. In the interest of my social life, I'm open to doing some substitutions...
The workouts go well. I still keep forgetting to bow, especially when I break up the rope, strength/agility, and flexibility segments. Throughout the PCP, I never really finished out the recommended sets of dips, within the proscribed range of reps. This morning I successfully pounded out 4 sets of at least 6 reps; a definite first. The new bar-stool chairs, with their wide, flat surfaces, are definitely helpful. And I'm loving the targeted freestyle & shadow boxing. For a while, I was starting to feel robotic; now, I just slap my round, albino nemesis with whatever combo works best.
The challenges remain the same--the flexibility (slooooowly getting better) and trying to get enough sleep. (I flipped from night workouts to mornings, again, but my z's took a hit last night.) I'm sure my form, especially on back-kicks and side kicks, is atrocious. And I can definitely relax a bit more on the stretches, especially the Big One. I did work in a couple extra sessions on this puppy over the last week or so; hopefully I can squeeze in 1-2 more before Friday.
My right ankle has been feeling gimpy the last several days; that, along with my Improv show and trying to catch up with friends, has put Aikido on hold for almost 2 weeks. Obviously, I'm not worried about losing my physical condition, but would like to retain what I've learned so far.
One interesting side-effect of our more realistic, organic, messy free-style kicking and punching: I notice myself sizing people up more, imagining what they might be like as adversaries.
Off to stretch, meditate, and sleep. Hope every one's week is gong-fu-y.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Day 37: Alive and kicking
Just checking in, still alive and kicking... ...the ping-pong ball.
It's been a busy week; my last improv class, our showcase on Sunday, and having to exercise skill in balancing a social life/friendships, diet, workouts, and sleep. All in all, not bad, all workouts & sets knocked out, but I'm looking forward to being a little more regimented during the coming week.
Details later (hopefuly early) this week.
Off to sleep...
It's been a busy week; my last improv class, our showcase on Sunday, and having to exercise skill in balancing a social life/friendships, diet, workouts, and sleep. All in all, not bad, all workouts & sets knocked out, but I'm looking forward to being a little more regimented during the coming week.
Details later (hopefuly early) this week.
Off to sleep...
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Day 28: Sweet Meditation and Some Sweet New Gear
Mindful Consumption and Mouthful of Meditation
Friday afternoon, I lept 'off the wagon', deliberately, and enjoyed the following:
The bran muffin was sweet, with earthy tones from the whole wheat. I savored the silky texture if the foam from the caramel indulgence, with it's own earthy, coffee flavor. The sweetness from the muffin seemed to mask the sweetness of the coffee drink. There was a richer, more varied texture to the muffin, which changed as the fluffy cake was compressed by the tongue, giving it a doughy consistency accented by the hard, more bitter flakes of oat & bran. The sugar rush kicked in right after the muffin was gone, but with half the drink to go. I felt the same rush as I do after a filling meal or the first couple minutes if rope, but more sudden, almost panicked, as if my body were looking to justify it's own reaction to the sugary spike coursing through my veins. The coffee became fluffier an creamier as it sank lower, the froth gradually overtaking the liquid and the spirals of caramel syrup replacing the sweetness of the muffin.
Two hours later, the sugar high burned off, I noticed I was hungrier than usual. And, therefore, crankier. I found I was quicker to get frustrated; I lost my patience at the grocery store checkout, of all places, when the card reader didn't register my debit card strip, and I had to switch to a credit card, instead. I didn't mellow out again until after I managed to grab some dinner.
I substituted a 3-mile run for the rope today; I'll be knocking out the new workout in just a few.
Gear
And to tackle this week's work-outs, here are a few new additions to the apartment:
I shopped around for shoes, but couldn't find anything that was both sturdy (not just for pretty looks) and flat-soled. Luckily, Amazon saved the day with the martial arts sneakers above. Did my first work-out in the park with them two days ago--a world of difference on the kicks!
I'll be trying out the two bar stools above in a few minutes. One looked like it had been used for some home carpentry, then returned to the store, so I was able to talk Target down to $5. Together, they were around $30. Not bad for a home-made dip station--and a better set of chairs for the kitchen. I'll also be putting together the pull-up bar for some fun tomorrow--looking forward to getting back into the real pull-ups.
How is everybody else doing with the workouts? Anybody else still sore, aside from yourse truly? I think the goal this week, along with the working on the spacial awareness punches and getting down the new, targeted punches and kicks, is going to be to focus on more skillful sleeping.
Off to go hang a ping-pong ball--then kick its ass!
Friday afternoon, I lept 'off the wagon', deliberately, and enjoyed the following:
The bran muffin was sweet, with earthy tones from the whole wheat. I savored the silky texture if the foam from the caramel indulgence, with it's own earthy, coffee flavor. The sweetness from the muffin seemed to mask the sweetness of the coffee drink. There was a richer, more varied texture to the muffin, which changed as the fluffy cake was compressed by the tongue, giving it a doughy consistency accented by the hard, more bitter flakes of oat & bran. The sugar rush kicked in right after the muffin was gone, but with half the drink to go. I felt the same rush as I do after a filling meal or the first couple minutes if rope, but more sudden, almost panicked, as if my body were looking to justify it's own reaction to the sugary spike coursing through my veins. The coffee became fluffier an creamier as it sank lower, the froth gradually overtaking the liquid and the spirals of caramel syrup replacing the sweetness of the muffin.
Two hours later, the sugar high burned off, I noticed I was hungrier than usual. And, therefore, crankier. I found I was quicker to get frustrated; I lost my patience at the grocery store checkout, of all places, when the card reader didn't register my debit card strip, and I had to switch to a credit card, instead. I didn't mellow out again until after I managed to grab some dinner.
I substituted a 3-mile run for the rope today; I'll be knocking out the new workout in just a few.
Gear
And to tackle this week's work-outs, here are a few new additions to the apartment:
I shopped around for shoes, but couldn't find anything that was both sturdy (not just for pretty looks) and flat-soled. Luckily, Amazon saved the day with the martial arts sneakers above. Did my first work-out in the park with them two days ago--a world of difference on the kicks!
I'll be trying out the two bar stools above in a few minutes. One looked like it had been used for some home carpentry, then returned to the store, so I was able to talk Target down to $5. Together, they were around $30. Not bad for a home-made dip station--and a better set of chairs for the kitchen. I'll also be putting together the pull-up bar for some fun tomorrow--looking forward to getting back into the real pull-ups.
How is everybody else doing with the workouts? Anybody else still sore, aside from yourse truly? I think the goal this week, along with the working on the spacial awareness punches and getting down the new, targeted punches and kicks, is going to be to focus on more skillful sleeping.
Off to go hang a ping-pong ball--then kick its ass!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Days--or Day--27 & 28
On the PCP, I felt that the trade-offs were always pretty clear; I worked out EVERY day, rain or shine, no matter how little sleep I've gotten, or how much, or what other activities I subjected my body to. Likewise, I stuck to the diet, no matter what sugary, carby garbage friends and co-workers shoved my way. PCP was linear.
The past week's soreness and fatique have been a wake-up call. All the stuff that I ignored or essentially shelved on the PCP--sleep, stretching, and coping with stress--has a MUCH bigger impact on my progress on the KFB. Some of that I chalk up to how out-of-shape I was pre-PCP; I could stomp blindly ahead with workouts and diet on 6 hours of sleep and still see tons of progress. But now, the starting line is in an entirely different place. I began this journey near my physical peak--to push further, I can't ignore that little list of 'shoulds' I put up on my blog last July: more sleep, better protein, and consistent stretching.
Yesterday, I stayed later than I wanted at work, then went directly to a Peace Corps 50th anniversary party I had committed myself to attending--my second of the week. Unlike the first, there weren't many diet-friendly options; all of the protein came with mandatory carbo-packaging: empenadas. I had 2 of them, just to get in the protein grams, along with some raw carrots (good) and corn-bread (bad) for 'veggies.' Aside from a few sips of cranberry juice, I stuck with water. The party went late; by the time I got home, I was exhausted. Worse, I didn't have access to the gear I needed for pull-ups and Kung-Fus. The apartment buidling's gym was closed, and it was far too late to go 'hang out' in the park.
I contemplated doing everything but the bar-dependent exercises, but then I stopped myself. Really, what would be the most 'skillful' response? Staying late at the party wasn't very gong-fu; however, neither was working out until 1:30 a.m. then logging 5 hours of sleep, then getting up and trying to tackle the stresses and challenges of the day ahead. Unskillful decisions are not math--yes, they have a multiplicative impact on your day, but they don't equal out to a positive in the end just because they are negative. So I skipped yesterday's workout, and basically did Day 27 and Day 28 same-day; I did my Day 28 jumps along with the workout, mindfully at my bran muffin and slurped my caramel delight in the afternoon, and hung out in WAFB this evening, all after getting a fairly good night's rest.
Maybe there's a lesson here from meditation. As our thoughts wander and get tangled up in the random laundry lists our mind spews out, it's best not to fight or push them away, but just let them go and return to focus on the breath. As we make less than ideal decisions, is it really best to try to scramble to 'catch up'--to sprint back to the point where we strayed from the path, then sprint to where we think we should be? Perhaps it's better just to stroll back to the path with the same attention with which we walk it.
My stretching and levels of (in)flexibility are still pretty atrocious; however, I did manage to touch my toes on the twist-leg forward bend, as well as the half forward bend. Possibly for the first time since I last sucked on my thumb.
One more thing I realized this week: on the PCP, as I knocked out increasingly difficult leg exercises, I would inevitably wake up with painful leg cramps in my calves--a direct consequence of nil stretching. So far? Nada--none. Not a single episode.
Onward to Day 29.
The past week's soreness and fatique have been a wake-up call. All the stuff that I ignored or essentially shelved on the PCP--sleep, stretching, and coping with stress--has a MUCH bigger impact on my progress on the KFB. Some of that I chalk up to how out-of-shape I was pre-PCP; I could stomp blindly ahead with workouts and diet on 6 hours of sleep and still see tons of progress. But now, the starting line is in an entirely different place. I began this journey near my physical peak--to push further, I can't ignore that little list of 'shoulds' I put up on my blog last July: more sleep, better protein, and consistent stretching.
Yesterday, I stayed later than I wanted at work, then went directly to a Peace Corps 50th anniversary party I had committed myself to attending--my second of the week. Unlike the first, there weren't many diet-friendly options; all of the protein came with mandatory carbo-packaging: empenadas. I had 2 of them, just to get in the protein grams, along with some raw carrots (good) and corn-bread (bad) for 'veggies.' Aside from a few sips of cranberry juice, I stuck with water. The party went late; by the time I got home, I was exhausted. Worse, I didn't have access to the gear I needed for pull-ups and Kung-Fus. The apartment buidling's gym was closed, and it was far too late to go 'hang out' in the park.
I contemplated doing everything but the bar-dependent exercises, but then I stopped myself. Really, what would be the most 'skillful' response? Staying late at the party wasn't very gong-fu; however, neither was working out until 1:30 a.m. then logging 5 hours of sleep, then getting up and trying to tackle the stresses and challenges of the day ahead. Unskillful decisions are not math--yes, they have a multiplicative impact on your day, but they don't equal out to a positive in the end just because they are negative. So I skipped yesterday's workout, and basically did Day 27 and Day 28 same-day; I did my Day 28 jumps along with the workout, mindfully at my bran muffin and slurped my caramel delight in the afternoon, and hung out in WAFB this evening, all after getting a fairly good night's rest.
Maybe there's a lesson here from meditation. As our thoughts wander and get tangled up in the random laundry lists our mind spews out, it's best not to fight or push them away, but just let them go and return to focus on the breath. As we make less than ideal decisions, is it really best to try to scramble to 'catch up'--to sprint back to the point where we strayed from the path, then sprint to where we think we should be? Perhaps it's better just to stroll back to the path with the same attention with which we walk it.
My stretching and levels of (in)flexibility are still pretty atrocious; however, I did manage to touch my toes on the twist-leg forward bend, as well as the half forward bend. Possibly for the first time since I last sucked on my thumb.
One more thing I realized this week: on the PCP, as I knocked out increasingly difficult leg exercises, I would inevitably wake up with painful leg cramps in my calves--a direct consequence of nil stretching. So far? Nada--none. Not a single episode.
Onward to Day 29.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Day 23
Evening workout again--tomorrow, back to mornings...
I just polished off a banana-date milkshake; probably too carb-y for the evening snack, and I'm not sure I'm going to bomb my system with that much sugar again. Sweeter than just about anything you could find at Ben & Jerry's. I would have taken a picture, but was simply enjoying it too much.
I just polished off a banana-date milkshake; probably too carb-y for the evening snack, and I'm not sure I'm going to bomb my system with that much sugar again. Sweeter than just about anything you could find at Ben & Jerry's. I would have taken a picture, but was simply enjoying it too much.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Day 20 and the last week
Long time, no write.
Fortunately, not the case for the workouts--or the diet. Both continue strong, overall.
Meditation is about the same--lots of buzzing thoughts, and still a struggle to not get caught up in them--or not get caught up in the struggle to not get caught up in them. Every time I feel like I'm straying from the 'present' path, I try to focus my attention back on the breath. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it sucks. Either way, I'm trying to break the habit of 'judging' or 'rating' the session or, worse, berating myself for not focusing enough--I feel like that sort of defeats the purpose.
Today was probably the biggest test of the diet thus far--our department director's 'retirement'/(not really) 'going away' lunch. (In fact, she's transitioning to another role, but will still be engaging in many of the same activities with our team). At one point, our conversation in my part of the room turned to weird things everyone has eaten. I'll spare the stories from overseas (e.g., pancakes with extra 'protein'), but I've now added elk to the list of meats I'd like to try.
And since this is the good 'ol US of A, every transition must be celebrated...
...with tons of carbs and sugar. Unfortunately--or, fortunately?--I didn't snap any camera-phone pics of the ginormous chocolate chip cookies and red velvet cake, all washed down by litre after litre of sugary soda. That was just dessert; lunch was pizza--from Pizza Hut. I stuck to my guns, and stuck with the fruit salad (as my morning fruit snack), then ate a later lunch of sauteed ground bison, steamed squash, and quinoa. (It was easy to avoid Pizza Hut; I worked there in college and, like the red Everclear Kook-Aid that I drank to near oblivion sophomore year, I've already consumed enough for one lifetime, and will never go there again). I've been pretty open about the diet; it's actually easier this time around, since most of my colleagues have already seen me drop my first 25 lbs or so during the PCP (sorry, can't resist a little bragging--it still amazes me...) I just tell them I'm doing another diet/exercise thing, they make a mental note--but hopefully not to avoid inviting me to happy hours, where I'll merrily drink water and socialize.
The workouts have proved a bit more challenging over the past 6 days. I started off the jump-kicks with a little too much gusto, and suffered a small muscle pull. Running 4 miles with a friend later in the weekend was probably not the wisest move, either. I've laid off the Aikido all week, just to play it safe, and I rotated my workouts to evenings, allowing me to sleep in until 8:00 a.m. I also stopped at 6 sets of kicks during work-outs the past two days, rather than the full 8--again, just to play it safe.
It seems to have worked; I just knocked out Day 20, flying kicks, punches, sucky stretches, and all, and the leg bicep has held up fine. Otherwise, push-ups, pull-ups, dips, V-sits--all completed to the max.
Flexibility is still the challenge. And since I'm desk-bound much of the day, I recently resurrected my stand-up desk:
I figure since I'm trying to become more flexible, I can use every advantage. Toward that end, I'm also hoping to add several longer sessions of wide-angle (forward bend?) to my weekly routines.
All in all, I'm starting to notice subtle changes--my balance feels better; I can much more easily stand on one leg while doing my set of shoulder/arm warm-ups before the work-out. I've also been 'surfing' on the Metro a lot more--that is, just standing and focusing on my center of gravity to stay upright, rather than grabbing one of the germ-infested overhead hand-rails.
So the gonfu keeps getting a little stronger.
Fortunately, not the case for the workouts--or the diet. Both continue strong, overall.
Meditation is about the same--lots of buzzing thoughts, and still a struggle to not get caught up in them--or not get caught up in the struggle to not get caught up in them. Every time I feel like I'm straying from the 'present' path, I try to focus my attention back on the breath. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it sucks. Either way, I'm trying to break the habit of 'judging' or 'rating' the session or, worse, berating myself for not focusing enough--I feel like that sort of defeats the purpose.
Today was probably the biggest test of the diet thus far--our department director's 'retirement'/(not really) 'going away' lunch. (In fact, she's transitioning to another role, but will still be engaging in many of the same activities with our team). At one point, our conversation in my part of the room turned to weird things everyone has eaten. I'll spare the stories from overseas (e.g., pancakes with extra 'protein'), but I've now added elk to the list of meats I'd like to try.
And since this is the good 'ol US of A, every transition must be celebrated...
...with tons of carbs and sugar. Unfortunately--or, fortunately?--I didn't snap any camera-phone pics of the ginormous chocolate chip cookies and red velvet cake, all washed down by litre after litre of sugary soda. That was just dessert; lunch was pizza--from Pizza Hut. I stuck to my guns, and stuck with the fruit salad (as my morning fruit snack), then ate a later lunch of sauteed ground bison, steamed squash, and quinoa. (It was easy to avoid Pizza Hut; I worked there in college and, like the red Everclear Kook-Aid that I drank to near oblivion sophomore year, I've already consumed enough for one lifetime, and will never go there again). I've been pretty open about the diet; it's actually easier this time around, since most of my colleagues have already seen me drop my first 25 lbs or so during the PCP (sorry, can't resist a little bragging--it still amazes me...) I just tell them I'm doing another diet/exercise thing, they make a mental note--but hopefully not to avoid inviting me to happy hours, where I'll merrily drink water and socialize.
The workouts have proved a bit more challenging over the past 6 days. I started off the jump-kicks with a little too much gusto, and suffered a small muscle pull. Running 4 miles with a friend later in the weekend was probably not the wisest move, either. I've laid off the Aikido all week, just to play it safe, and I rotated my workouts to evenings, allowing me to sleep in until 8:00 a.m. I also stopped at 6 sets of kicks during work-outs the past two days, rather than the full 8--again, just to play it safe.
It seems to have worked; I just knocked out Day 20, flying kicks, punches, sucky stretches, and all, and the leg bicep has held up fine. Otherwise, push-ups, pull-ups, dips, V-sits--all completed to the max.
Flexibility is still the challenge. And since I'm desk-bound much of the day, I recently resurrected my stand-up desk:
I figure since I'm trying to become more flexible, I can use every advantage. Toward that end, I'm also hoping to add several longer sessions of wide-angle (forward bend?) to my weekly routines.
All in all, I'm starting to notice subtle changes--my balance feels better; I can much more easily stand on one leg while doing my set of shoulder/arm warm-ups before the work-out. I've also been 'surfing' on the Metro a lot more--that is, just standing and focusing on my center of gravity to stay upright, rather than grabbing one of the germ-infested overhead hand-rails.
So the gonfu keeps getting a little stronger.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Day 15 and the week gone by
It's been a busy week, and as with the previous 90-day endeavor, scheduling workouts has proven to be the week's challenge.
I usually like to do the workouts in the mornings. First, it's a great way to start the day (cliched, yes, but true), and second, it sucks trying to force them in at night, when I'm getting tired, hungry, bitchy, and generally not my best self. (Imagine those 'Snickers' commercials, where one of the group turns into diva/rock star/acclaimed-film-director-cum-pain-in-the-ass). Unfortunately, after my visit to see Jenny off to Africa, I apparently ate or drank something (the humus? The tap water in Philadelphia, aka 'Philthydelphia'?) that turned my stomach in knots. No Peace-Corps-esque ceremonies worshiping the porcelain gods, but enough to put my sleep schedule totally out of whack for the rest of the week.
Luckily, that was all that was out of whack. I stuck with the diet like a champ; only once did I have to cave and stop at a store for some carbs with lunch (a croissant; less grams than called for, but probably a lot more butter & salt). Otherwise, I'd already had the foresight to cook & weigh all of my breakfasts & lunches, and managed to nail all of my dinners, as well. Lots of cooked ground bison; organic, free-range chicken breast; steamed veggies (carrots, potatoes, beets, & sun-chokes); whole-grain bread; and mesclun salad with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, & cucumber.
Work-outs the rest of the week were good. Yesterday's wide-angle forward bend was not quite as pathetic as last week's, though I did use a pillow, and spent most of the time propping myself up, with my arms behind me. I did manage one small stretching victory--I was able to grab my toes on the elevated groin stretch on Day 9. A first in I-don't-know-how long. Since I'm a few grade-levels behind in the flexibility department, I'm wondering if there is any 'extra' stretching I can do. 5 minutes of forward bend while I read the morning news?
I went to Aikido last Sunday, but haven't been back since. One of my classmates was, uh, somewhat hard-core, and I felt like I pulled something in my shoulder. (I also got to class late, and probably didn't warm-up as much as I could have). Nothing major, thankfully; the soreness went away after a day or two, but I didn't want to take chances and over-do it. I hope to be back for class tomorrow morning.
I pulled a 12-hour day yesterday to try to get a draft of a handbook section done for work, so today was 'catch-up day.' After last night's workout, I literally unplugged my alarm clock, took out the batteries, and let myself sleep as long as I wanted to--which turned out to be about 9 hours.
And I finally got to the challenges today. So, for the record:
1. 12 hits with the ping-pong ball.
2. 'Cold,' morning forward bend: finger-tips 2/3 of the way down my shins. (Ugh.)
3. Standing jump: 8 feet and 8 & 5/8 inches (2.657 m).
Meditation seems very 'hit' or miss; if I'm tired or have something planned post-work-out, then my thoughts tend to drag me along for whatever ride they are on in the moment. Since it's getting cold again, I'll probably split up the work-out & stretching/meditation, taking the latter back inside where it's easier to relax--and avoid frost-bite.
Now to catch up with the rest of the team--hopefully everybody had a solid week!
I usually like to do the workouts in the mornings. First, it's a great way to start the day (cliched, yes, but true), and second, it sucks trying to force them in at night, when I'm getting tired, hungry, bitchy, and generally not my best self. (Imagine those 'Snickers' commercials, where one of the group turns into diva/rock star/acclaimed-film-director-cum-pain-in-the-ass). Unfortunately, after my visit to see Jenny off to Africa, I apparently ate or drank something (the humus? The tap water in Philadelphia, aka 'Philthydelphia'?) that turned my stomach in knots. No Peace-Corps-esque ceremonies worshiping the porcelain gods, but enough to put my sleep schedule totally out of whack for the rest of the week.
Luckily, that was all that was out of whack. I stuck with the diet like a champ; only once did I have to cave and stop at a store for some carbs with lunch (a croissant; less grams than called for, but probably a lot more butter & salt). Otherwise, I'd already had the foresight to cook & weigh all of my breakfasts & lunches, and managed to nail all of my dinners, as well. Lots of cooked ground bison; organic, free-range chicken breast; steamed veggies (carrots, potatoes, beets, & sun-chokes); whole-grain bread; and mesclun salad with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, & cucumber.
Work-outs the rest of the week were good. Yesterday's wide-angle forward bend was not quite as pathetic as last week's, though I did use a pillow, and spent most of the time propping myself up, with my arms behind me. I did manage one small stretching victory--I was able to grab my toes on the elevated groin stretch on Day 9. A first in I-don't-know-how long. Since I'm a few grade-levels behind in the flexibility department, I'm wondering if there is any 'extra' stretching I can do. 5 minutes of forward bend while I read the morning news?
I went to Aikido last Sunday, but haven't been back since. One of my classmates was, uh, somewhat hard-core, and I felt like I pulled something in my shoulder. (I also got to class late, and probably didn't warm-up as much as I could have). Nothing major, thankfully; the soreness went away after a day or two, but I didn't want to take chances and over-do it. I hope to be back for class tomorrow morning.
I pulled a 12-hour day yesterday to try to get a draft of a handbook section done for work, so today was 'catch-up day.' After last night's workout, I literally unplugged my alarm clock, took out the batteries, and let myself sleep as long as I wanted to--which turned out to be about 9 hours.
And I finally got to the challenges today. So, for the record:
1. 12 hits with the ping-pong ball.
2. 'Cold,' morning forward bend: finger-tips 2/3 of the way down my shins. (Ugh.)
3. Standing jump: 8 feet and 8 & 5/8 inches (2.657 m).
Meditation seems very 'hit' or miss; if I'm tired or have something planned post-work-out, then my thoughts tend to drag me along for whatever ride they are on in the moment. Since it's getting cold again, I'll probably split up the work-out & stretching/meditation, taking the latter back inside where it's easier to relax--and avoid frost-bite.
Now to catch up with the rest of the team--hopefully everybody had a solid week!
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