You have to go upside down man....seriously.
So, I took a little time out last night. I figured that I'd just do something I'd regret and monitors are expensive...
When I checked the page this morning though the ads are working, yay, I WIN!! *cheer*
When I checked the page this morning though the ads are working, yay, I WIN!! *cheer*
So, I'll be expecting some sparkly poops later...wait. I got off track there. What was I saying?
Ah yes, I WIN. So, click away peeps - every click you make on the ads around this site will go into an ad-sense account that will be paid to the Snailstalker Trailwalker fundraising! :)
Anyway, moving on.
In my training routine I make sure that I have variety and that I'm doing plenty of resistance training to complement my cardio training. You can see in many sources that higher proportion of muscle fibre in the body means that your recovery from endurance events is faster (Ben Green, Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Doug Dupont and various others).
So yesterday was pole day. Some of you know, some of you don't, that I go to Pole Fitness lessons every week (and I <3 them!!). Now, before pole, Tom (my gym and pole bud) and I decided that we were going to attempt to do handstands to improve (by improve, I mean actually execute) some of our moves on the pole (thinking Iguana Mounts into Bow and Arrow!!).
Which looks sort of like this....(but when we're doing them it's far less graceful and much much more sweaty....)
Ah yes, I WIN. So, click away peeps - every click you make on the ads around this site will go into an ad-sense account that will be paid to the Snailstalker Trailwalker fundraising! :)
Anyway, moving on.
In my training routine I make sure that I have variety and that I'm doing plenty of resistance training to complement my cardio training. You can see in many sources that higher proportion of muscle fibre in the body means that your recovery from endurance events is faster (Ben Green, Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Doug Dupont and various others).
So yesterday was pole day. Some of you know, some of you don't, that I go to Pole Fitness lessons every week (and I <3 them!!). Now, before pole, Tom (my gym and pole bud) and I decided that we were going to attempt to do handstands to improve (by improve, I mean actually execute) some of our moves on the pole (thinking Iguana Mounts into Bow and Arrow!!).
Which looks sort of like this....(but when we're doing them it's far less graceful and much much more sweaty....)
Yeah, this isn't me...wish it was ;) This photo was taken from PoleFly on Pininterest! (Picture is hyperlinked).
Well. Apparently I cannot do something that all 10 year old girls can do. What the hell handstands!!? Since when were they such a trial? We tried them against the wall, we tried them in the middle of the room, hell, we even tried to walk up the wall to get into one....not ONE handstand was done. Furthermore, apparently, the hip-flexors are REALLY useful to handstands. Today my butt hurts. I can't stand up, or sit down, going to the toilet is interesting and dressing....well. There's a reason we have naked gaming nights...I guess I'll just have to apply that to naked blogging 0_o (TMI?)
So. Yeah. Handstands. After about 45 minutes of trying to get into one Tom eventually touched the wall with his foot.....and then crumpled sideways into a ball of "ouch" and "oh f*ck".
VICTORY! (Of sorts). We'll take what we can get here - you all know my approach to victory...if it looks like a win, or being close to a win, I'll take it!
I kind of got my foot neeeaaar the wall....it was close enough. I'll take it. I only landed on my head once...no damage done ;)
After the incidences (yes, plural....) it has been decided that there needs to be more ab/core work in our routine (ab work. Ugh. You know you've done abs right when you feel like you've been kicked in the stomach by a million tiny, but really strong, gerbils).
The ab Challenge has been set: June has 30 days...we'll do a 30 day challenge.
VICTORY! (Of sorts). We'll take what we can get here - you all know my approach to victory...if it looks like a win, or being close to a win, I'll take it!
I kind of got my foot neeeaaar the wall....it was close enough. I'll take it. I only landed on my head once...no damage done ;)
After the incidences (yes, plural....) it has been decided that there needs to be more ab/core work in our routine (ab work. Ugh. You know you've done abs right when you feel like you've been kicked in the stomach by a million tiny, but really strong, gerbils).
The ab Challenge has been set: June has 30 days...we'll do a 30 day challenge.
How many of you have been sucked into this? I personally feel that days 22-30 seem like a bit of a waste of time....I mean, who WANTS to do 200 crunches? But the gauntlet has been thrown down, I can't let Tom win *grin*.
After the gym session and some discussion on the benefits of split sessions VS whole body sessions for strength training (any input on this would be appreciated - we're going whole body split!) and a small meal it was time for pole.
That protein shake was a bad idea.....spinning, upside down on a stomach full of protein shake. I do NOT recommend it! Walking to the lesson was also a bad idea....the heavens OPENED on the way home and I quote "we're going to have to go slow, we're a girl and a gay and there's puddles". Lol, thanks Tom xD
Anyway, tonight was an AMAZING session! We started off with some basic spins, they're always fun and get you in the mood for pole before we moved onto the inverts we've been practicing. For several weeks now I've been working on "butterfly" (which invariably ends with me squealing at a pitch only dogs and young children can hear and sliding down the pole in terror) - Tom the git has actually perfected the move (damn him), but tonight, first try up BOOM the magic happens. It might not be graceful (I'm always being told by my dear instructors to point my feet. Really, I'm so far past being graceful that pointed feet aren't going to fix me) but it was correct and it worked.....butterfly 0, me 1 :D
After the gym session and some discussion on the benefits of split sessions VS whole body sessions for strength training (any input on this would be appreciated - we're going whole body split!) and a small meal it was time for pole.
That protein shake was a bad idea.....spinning, upside down on a stomach full of protein shake. I do NOT recommend it! Walking to the lesson was also a bad idea....the heavens OPENED on the way home and I quote "we're going to have to go slow, we're a girl and a gay and there's puddles". Lol, thanks Tom xD
Anyway, tonight was an AMAZING session! We started off with some basic spins, they're always fun and get you in the mood for pole before we moved onto the inverts we've been practicing. For several weeks now I've been working on "butterfly" (which invariably ends with me squealing at a pitch only dogs and young children can hear and sliding down the pole in terror) - Tom the git has actually perfected the move (damn him), but tonight, first try up BOOM the magic happens. It might not be graceful (I'm always being told by my dear instructors to point my feet. Really, I'm so far past being graceful that pointed feet aren't going to fix me) but it was correct and it worked.....butterfly 0, me 1 :D
Again, wish I looked like this.....but this is from "Mary Adrenaline" on Flickr.
So, that's a butterfly (now, if you want to imagine me doing it, put in a red face, another 20Ibs of fat and sweat dripping.....you're almost there :p).
Using her better judgement, our instructor (Karen) decided that using my (rather large - and strong) leg muscles would better benefit my inverts. So we got told to get into an inverted crucifix...
Using her better judgement, our instructor (Karen) decided that using my (rather large - and strong) leg muscles would better benefit my inverts. So we got told to get into an inverted crucifix...
Again, imagine more sweat and crying.
And then into a one-legged inverted crucifix...
Same again...but with actual tears from the BRUISES that are already forming
Wow. Karen always makes things look so easy (as do all of our lovely instructors) but this one....eeek!
So, up and over, down a bit into a FRICKING HANDSTAND.....(see, they're everywhere!!)
One leg forward (yes, the back leg thank you.....moving the front leg forward really hurts (as I found out)).
Aaaaaand hands off the ground.
BOOM.
First try (well, second try but I'm actually going to be shameless and blame Karen for that one).
That felt easy....the bruises started forming when I was actually ON the pole, but I didn't feel like I was going to crash and burn. Until it's time to dismount. Um....do I walk my hands forward? Should I slip and roll? Crap, well I have to get off of the pole SOMEHOW...I'll walk my hands out...
Oh dear, didn't think this one through. Now I'm at an angle to the pole, with my legs still wrapped around the pole, upside down and if I leg go I'll get the pole up my bum as I slide down......ROLL ROLL.
What felt like an hour later I'm standing on my feet being laughed at. So much for graceful.
Still, even after Karen showed us how to dismount (it was the slide and roll) Tom and I spent the evening forgetting the easy, graceful way and falling off the pole onto our faces. Ah well. I've never sold myself on my grace.
The next time up I wanted to get a picture to share with you all but as soon as that damn camera comes out I basically turn to jelly and wobble and slide my way off the pole....it might be a while till we have pictures. Especially pictures of me looking even a little bit graceful!
I did have ONE moment of grace though....and even Karen looked surprised!
So, up and over, down a bit into a FRICKING HANDSTAND.....(see, they're everywhere!!)
One leg forward (yes, the back leg thank you.....moving the front leg forward really hurts (as I found out)).
Aaaaaand hands off the ground.
BOOM.
First try (well, second try but I'm actually going to be shameless and blame Karen for that one).
That felt easy....the bruises started forming when I was actually ON the pole, but I didn't feel like I was going to crash and burn. Until it's time to dismount. Um....do I walk my hands forward? Should I slip and roll? Crap, well I have to get off of the pole SOMEHOW...I'll walk my hands out...
Oh dear, didn't think this one through. Now I'm at an angle to the pole, with my legs still wrapped around the pole, upside down and if I leg go I'll get the pole up my bum as I slide down......ROLL ROLL.
What felt like an hour later I'm standing on my feet being laughed at. So much for graceful.
Still, even after Karen showed us how to dismount (it was the slide and roll) Tom and I spent the evening forgetting the easy, graceful way and falling off the pole onto our faces. Ah well. I've never sold myself on my grace.
The next time up I wanted to get a picture to share with you all but as soon as that damn camera comes out I basically turn to jelly and wobble and slide my way off the pole....it might be a while till we have pictures. Especially pictures of me looking even a little bit graceful!
I did have ONE moment of grace though....and even Karen looked surprised!
AND there was a camera out ;)
Today's lesson? I bruise like a peach man.
Moral of the story? Don't let the things you think you're scared of get in the way :)
(Come on, got to have a little bit of cheese right ;)).
And the adverts.....click to fundraise! :)
Today's lesson? I bruise like a peach man.
Moral of the story? Don't let the things you think you're scared of get in the way :)
(Come on, got to have a little bit of cheese right ;)).
And the adverts.....click to fundraise! :)
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