COSMOS

[clevermanka]

But WTF it's on FOX?



Today's Tumblr is Tuesday, February 25: Dance. I worked hard to find an assortment of representation (not all white, hetero, trim/lean), so let me know what you think.

I need to start moving more on non-gym days. I hope when the weather warms up I can convince myself to get out of bed early enough to resume morning yoga. Most of the time I wake up early enough to get an hour of yoga in before I have to start getting ready for work, but it's so cold that I'm uncomfortable in my poses. Not good for promoting focus and flexibility. I'm considering doing a program of 300 kettlebell swings per day that I saw on Breaking Muscle. Nothing fancy, and you do them during the day as you can. But 300 swings per day. Trying to figure out how to navigate that around an eight-hour work day where I don't have a kettlebell at the office.

And now it's time for my hourly walk around the building. I didn't get a single walk in yesterday. Mondays are always a little nuts, and I had a long meeting on the other side of campus. I barely completed my task list for yesterday as it was. So I'm not missing any walks today.

Edit: Back from my walk and I forgot to mention that I got an email from KU today that said: Congratulations on completing your Health Assessment Questionnaire on the HealthQuest wellness portal! Did you know you are just a phone call away from a Health Advisor? The Health Advisor will help you understand your personal health risks and can leave you with a better understanding of how to use HealthQuest resources to make lifestyle changes.

The average conversation with a Health Advisor lasts only 10 minutes and you’ll earn 5 credits automatically after completing the call! To speak with a Health Advisor, call 1-888-275-1205, option 6. Health Advisors are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

By completing the required Health Assessment Questionnaire and earning 20 additional credits (for a total of 30 credits) by July 31, 2014, you will qualify to receive the premium incentive discount for the 2015 plan year.

I'm really, really tempted to do this. Just to see what they could possibly suggest I do to improve my health. Eat less saturated fat, probably. I need to go into it armed with a boatload of study references. Might be a fun thing to do on a slow afternoon.

Comments

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking about mixing up my exercise routine and throwing some strength(ish) training in there. Maybe some modified pushups and stuff. Working out with the machines two days a week. I'm tossing ideas about, but I love the kettlebell swing idea. It could be do-able but it'll be tricky to mix it in with a work day. Hmmm…. thinky thought time!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I fucking love strength training and I will talk your ear off about it if you are interested so you just LET ME KNOW, BB. I can also direct you to some scale-able bodyweight workouts on Breaking Muscle, which is basically my go-to blog for weight training info.

Even though last week was a bit of a fail, I know I'm building muscle. I can see it in my legs, back, and even my chest. But if I want to lean down I gotta get more active in general since I'm unwilling to eat less or differently. So, more yoga. More walking. More kettlebell!

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!! I saw a thing somewhere - can't remember where - about modified push-ups, like doing them against the wall or against a chair until you're strong enough to actually do push-ups. I was thinking of giving that a try. I need to do more upper body things. Running on the elliptical is awesome but I've hit a plateau with weight loss and i really need to mix it up a bit. The gym on campus has a lot of machines I can use so I thought a couple of days a week could be actual weight training stuffs, and then the other three could be either walking outside or hitting the elliptical.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yes! They're called wall push-ups or incline push-ups and they are totally legit. Here is an article about progressing them (http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/strength-conditioning-al-kavadlo-week-1-day-2) on (of course!) Breaking Muscle.

If you're doing them right, push-ups work your back and shoulders as much as, if not more than, your arms. So if you're not feeling them in your pectorals and deltoids, you need to adjust your form.

Here is an article on common mistakes people make with push-ups (http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/pimp-your-push-up-3-common-mistakes-and-5-challenging-variations).

Also, remember to squeeze your glutes to help you stabilize in plank pose!

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Awesomesauce with a side of kick ass!! Those articles are very helpful - I've been guilty of wrong elbow positioning and aiming my hands in instead of out. Thank you <3

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

You don't know how happy I am to help. RIDICULOUSLY happy. I missed my calling as a trainer/therapist twenty years ago and now I am too lazy to go back to school so I love it when I can help my friends with stuff like this.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to take advantage of the help! I've been pretty much doing it solo since I started. I had a trainer-turned-professor do a physical workup on me when I started, but she's gone now and, frankly, she never really followed up on me and my progress anyway. So I just go it alone and figure it out on my own :)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

If you want more advice on building a program, let me know. Heck, Building Muscle has an entire body weight program (http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/18-weeks-of-free-bodyweight-workouts-54-workouts).

Don't forget lower body stuff like squats and lunges. Curvy ladies like us carry a lot of strength in our lower bodies and building those muscles is going to promote fat loss better than focusing on upper body strength. It kind of sucks because I think upper body work is more interesting and sexy to do. But lower body work gives faster results.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Squats and lunges are a bit tricky for me. I have what they call runner's knee, I think. My kneecap is off from where it should be and it grinds when I do steps, lunges, squats, basically everything. I can do to a point but i have to be careful not to screw them up or I won't move for a while.

I did a mix of both upper and lower today, and then capped it off with two miles on the elliptical. Another problem I have is extreme shyness in the weight rooms. THere are usually a bunch of guys in there and they make me twitchy about working out in front of them. I doubt that I'm even really on their radar but they're most definitely on mine in that, "Jeez, I look like a goon compared to them" way.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I hear you on the feeling like an awkward, unwelcome dork in the gym. It sucks.

For your knee, I highly recommend seeing a physical therapist or (better) a sports therapist who embraces the concepts of functional strength and mobility. Regardless of whether the issue is due to poor maintenance or an acute injury (or a combination), s/he can determine your appropriate range of motion and prescribe movements that will strengthen the joint. I am a firm believer in squats as therapy. Done properly and with attention to existing issues, they can totally strengthen and stabilize any weak joint that's necessary to your posterior chain (ankles, knees, and hips). Doing them wrong is a recipe for disaster, as I learned from personal experience. Talk to a good coach or PT and learn how to do a proper squat for your body.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

True dat!

I do need to see somebody about the knee but there's the whole time/cost issue about that. I can't afford to see a therapist for it and I can't really afford any treatments. I could talk to a trainer at the gym, if you think that might help.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I think it couldn't hurt. You might also ask a trainer if s/he has any friends in the PT business who work with uninsured people at a reduced rate. If you find a good one, you might only need one session so they can evaluate your knee's range of movement and ability to bear weight under stress. From there, you can take the PT's suggestions to a trainer.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Good deal! There are a couple of trainers in health services I can talk to, see if they know someone.

In other news, I think I did the push-ups right - I am so feeling it in all sorts of places in my back and ribs. The ribs could be due to something else but the back is definitely the push-ups.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I seriously injured both my knees when I was young (once was stupidity, the other a martial-arts tourney), to the point that I had to go through months of immobility and physical therapy. I always thought I couldn't do squats because of that, and they'd hurt and grind and stuff.

However, once Crossfit showed me good form, and then Clevermanka continued to help train me in such, I found that most of my knee issues today aren't about the old injuries so much as poor form brought about by weakness caused by - you guessed it - not doing squats, step-ups, kettlebell swings, and stuff.

I've been taking it slowly and carefully, watching form more than anything, and only recently started using the kind of weights a man "should" use. And whaddya know? Doing these movements no longer hurts my knees - and if it does, it's usually about general inflammation, so I just stop if it's twinging; if it hurts otherwise, it's probably that I'm getting tired and falling back to bad form.

So I second finding someone who can be there with you as you practice good form. Anyone can learn good form on YouTube, but actually seeing if you're doing it correctly and how to correct form issues if not is a real skill you have to develop.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Don't forget all that mobility work and the massages! That stuff is just as crucial as the exercise itself when you're building strength around a damaged joint.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Now that's a good point. Getting my stupid-tight tendons out of the way makes a HUGE difference in being able to work those areas.

Hm. This might be more challenging than just getting good form and practicing. Mobility is HUGE if the injury is due to tightness....

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

And this is why I'm so interested in Sports Therapy....

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

My friend Flissy (Omchantress) is really big into fascia work and I'm definitely adding that into things. Man, I wish I knew all this stuff, oh, 20 years ago! Not that I would have bothered to do any of it, though.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Good info to have - thank you!

I'm going to make an appointment with one of the trainers in the gym, see if they can help me make sure I'm doing squats and lunges right. Like you said, videos can show you good form but it's hard to tell unless someone is there with you, correcting you if needed. I definitely do not want to hurt myself!!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Wooo! Keep me posted!

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

I absolutely will! :D

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

Lately I've been doing sun salutations with a plank between downward dog and cobra. It's all the yoga I can handle. I am adding in some modified push ups afterwards and I think I'm doing something right because for the past 2 days I've felt sore in my upper back and chest mostly, then my arms, instead of my arms being the most fatigued spot. Feels good!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yay for feeling good and feeling like you're doing something right! You know, I used to despise Sun Salutations, but now I find them invigorating and relaxing at the same time. Nice combo!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

They are the perfect thing after a day of work. Just enough flow, I can hold positions if I want, and I know them well enough to let my mind wander if I want or I can really work on my form. Then I toss in whatever moves I need to to work on other parts of my body, it's been A LOT of outer hip stuff lately.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yes! Exactly. I love the flexibility of Sun Salutation. It can be invigorating, meditative, whatever I need it to be at the moment!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

Also allows good moments to stop and play with the cats, and downward dog is always good for a nose binking session.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. <3

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

I'd second this. Using a wall or a set of stairs to gradually adjust your angle for pushups is going to do much more good, because your whole core is engaged throughout the process. Kneeling pushups take your glutes out of the equation, and so remove some of the strength-building benefits.

I'm currently geeking out on Supple Leopard, by the guy who runs mobilitywod.com -- also a good reference for squat and lunge progressions and adjustments. Good luck!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I need to pick up Supple Leopard again. I got overwhelmed about two chapters in.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

I'm taking it a little bit at a time myself. The whole concept of torque and watching my 'elbow fault' has made an enormous difference in my pushups, such as they are. And now I've got clearance to work on Turkish get-ups again!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Woo Hoo!

[hdsqrl.livejournal.com]

I tried the Health Advisor option at my company, and quickly figured out that I knew more than she did. I suspect you'll eat your health advisor ALIVE. But, still, it might be fun to do just for that reason alone. ;)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

That is entirely, 100%, and completely the reason I'd do it. SO MEAN. So awesome.

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

I totally knew this was your reason!

I moved my yoga mat by the heater. That way I'll actually do my limited exercising without waiting to get warm enough to feel like doing anything, which often turns into not doing it.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Even with our faboo space heater, I get chilled. The cement/ceramic floors are just killers as far as heat distribution.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! I'm planning to earn my 5 points by getting into theoretical arguments with them, too.

But who knows? They might be open-minded and maybe even educated.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, good intentions foiled by poor training. This'll be fun ;-D

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Damn server blocking Youtube....
Is this the Cosmos with Neil Degrasse Tyson?

I won't be getting up early until daylight savings time starts. Then I'll have sun streaming in my window to wake me up!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Is this the Cosmos with Neil Degrasse Tyson?

Yep!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hope your "health assessment" for BCBS is better than the one they set up for LMH's insurance. We keep getting letters suggesting that Jbird add this or that prescription, all because it's what is SAT (my term for Standard American Treatment) for diabetes. It was not only disappointing, it's become downright annoying. They are pushing the statins like WHOA and his cholesterol isn't even that high.

I'm really enjoying this thread with all the muscle talk.

And have you seen this? Plus, I LOVE THAT SONG

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh! I love that song, too. I need to check out a Jason Derulo album because I like every single he's put out on the radio. I also love her little groove-down at 1:02.

Just FUCK THE AMERICAN HEALTH SYSTEM. Seriously. I am so done with it.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on both of the above!

I'm just thoroughly disgusted with the "ask your doctor" ads on every channel. WHY is this even LEGAL? It's drug-pushing, plain and simple.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Oh PS... Love the dance collection, and COSMOS!!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thanks for letting me know!

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

I love Neil deGrasse Tyson!!

really enjoyed your dancing pix.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I love him, too! Happy to hear you liked the Tumblr collection. Thank you for letting me know!