I’ve recently gotten back into exercise videos. They’re a convenient way to add variety. Will and Andrew both like to try to do the movements with me, so they’re a great option for when I’m home with one of the boys, need a workout, but it’s too cold or icy for the jogging stroller.
I’ve been using T-25 for quick, intense, targeted workouts, and have added a yoga video to my repertoire for stretching. Rather than buying one, I requested one that looked good from my library’s inter-library loan system. If I find myself using it a lot, I can always buy it later. More likely, I’ll try a different one for a while to keep things interesting and can always check this one out again in the future.
Yoga Foundations with Travis Elliot is a DVD specifically designed for people new to yoga. Many yoga videos I’ve tried have moved too quickly through the poses for me to have time to correctly align myself because I’m a beginner. I wanted a DVD that wasn’t just labeled “beginner”, but that had ample verbal instruction for me to align myself correctly, and time to do it. This one meets those requirements. His clear verbal instructions meant I could move from pose to pose without staring at the screen, and when I looked up to check, I was almost always in the correct position. Perfect! The DVD lets you select whether or not you’d like background music, and I liked the sound of Travis’ voice. I anticipate that after I have mastered the poses in each of his segment, I’ll try a different DVD so I don’t need to listen to unnecessary instructions. For now, this one is perfect.
I felt stretched and relaxed afterwards, but not like I’d had an intense workout, making it a great option to do after a cardio workout if I have time, or on one of my off days.
I’m loving having it from the library, because I could have just returned it if I didn’t like it. No sunk cost, no environmental cost. Sweet.
Confession: I have an ulterior motive for improving my yoga abilities. Last year in Grand Cayman, I fell in love with paddle boarding, and the place we rented from had a paddle board yoga class. They advertised it with this gorgeous photo of bikini-clad yogis out on the glistening blue water of the Caribbean, balancing on their paddleboards, the ultimate paradise vacation cliche. I wanted in.
I want to don an athletic looking bathing suit, paddle confidently out onto that gorgeous blue water, and attempt to keep downward facing dog from becoming submerged sea-dog. So, darn it, I’m going to. I’ve got my T25 core workouts to strengthen my core (necessary for balance) and I’m going to keep working on my yoga.
I might fall off. I might get a pose wrong. There’s even a tiny chance that my devotion to SPF 50 means I won’t be mistaken for a celebrity. But I am going to paddle out there, grinning like crazy, and I’m going to do yoga with the shining blue waters of the Caribbean as my studio. That image, that end-goal, will keep me going through the icy, dark winter days to come!
Question from Brian:
Brian is another half marathon runner, and he’s been unable to run because his L5 disk is bulging. I realize we’re not doctors or physical therapists, but if you have personal experience with this and can make recommendations for him to run by his doctor, he’d love to hear from you. Sometimes non-runners in the medical field recognize when something is a good idea to try, but don’t come up with it on their own as quickly as another runner would.
It’s so frustrating when an injury prevents us from running – and it can be really helpful to connect with to other people who’ve had similar experiences. Anyone been in a similar boat? Please share any thoughts you have in comments, or find Brian on Facebook.
Brian – I’ll be thinking of you, and hope to hear that you’re on your way to recovery. I hope you are able to heal and get back to running, and that during the time when you can’t run, there’s something you can do to stay active and keep from feeling crazy! I know physical therapy has helped lots of runners, if you look into that, I’d love to hear how it goes. Wishing you the best.
For Fun, Here Are Some Random Photos From My Week:
I just started doing yoga on my rest days, and I’m really digging it! I bought Christine Felstead’s Yoga for Runners: The Essentials, and it’s been great for my hips and hamstrings. I have her intermediate DVD that I tried out over the summer, but that was a bit too much for me. So I’m starting with this “beginners” DVD and working my way up. Loving it so far!
No real advice for Brian, other than possibly trying yoga or PT like you suggested.
I actually have the Runner’s Guide to Yoga by Rountree Sage, which is a book, and the corresponding video, and the video was too long and too quick for me so I haven’t used it much yet. Hoping to get back into it after I complete some more practice at a true beginner level. I had forgotten that I have that book in our gym closet, I should pull it back out! It’s helpful to read through the poses while you’re not actually exercising to reaffirm your understanding of positioning and alignment.
I have a different back issue (mine is disc degeneration versus Brian’s bulge) but a back issue, nonetheless. I have chiropractor treatments (I was very picky in selecting my doctor – I wanted a certified sports rehab chiropractor – they’re out there but hard to find) and find that the more I run the less I need treatments/adjustments…odd, I know, but even my doctor says that they’re related circumstances! My other saving grace is KT Tape…I should have partial ownership in this company with how much of this stuff I buy! They have a website with great taping instructions for (literally) EVERY body part! I’ve passed on strips of this tape to several friends with a wide variety of injuries/issues and it has worked for every one of them (plantar fasciitis, IT band, general knee issues, pulled tendons, shoulder problems, etc). Without this stuff for my lower back I’d never be able to run!
I’ve heard great things about KT Tape (but luckily haven’t been injured and needed it myself, knock on wood). People say it can really help! So I had some chronic hip pain for a while, and after a few doctor’s visits we finally (duh!) figured out that it was because I spent so much of my day holding my kids on one of my hips. I would actually shift weight to the non-child-holding hip to compensate, and was causing myself regular hip pain from carrying them around, holding them during dinner, etc. This was when I had a 6 month old and 22 month old, so it was hard to eliminate the behavior. I found that when I started running regularly, the hip pain dissipated. If I didn’t run for a week, it came back. Something about that regular movement made a huge difference. Very different than what Brian’s going through, but your mentioning it reminded me of that. Sometimes before I ran I would tend to “rest” parts of my body that hurt when instead I should have been trying to strengthen them. No more hip pain, and it’s such a relief!
Thanks Kelly – I really appreciate your support. It means a lot. I believe in time, things will get better and hopefully, I will break in my new Asics! 🙂
Wish you the best!
oops…that was from me 🙂