YogaMindWarriorBody

Life is Change!

2010-10-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. I'm moving to Tara Mandala in Pagosa Springs, CO.

I will be working at this Buddhist Retreat Center for a few years. I will no longer maintain this blog site. My writings can be found at my new blog spot.

Thanks everyone!

Stay Tuned

2010-05-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Summer break is coming! I have been so busy with school and clients that I have had no time to write and send you updates!

Stay tuned, with summer just around the corner, I'll have a bit more free time to write. Lots of exciting stuff in the works. I can't wait to share it!

New Classes at the JCC Palo Alto

2010-05-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Starting Saturday May 8, 2010

Intermediate Vinyasa Yoga

9.00am-10.15am

Coming in June

Kettlebell Bootcamp Series

TBA days/time

Stay Tuned!

Swamped!

2010-03-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

I am swamped this week and next! It's the end of the quarter, that means exams and papers. So no article this week. Just a few moments to spare between classes, clients, and studying to touch in with workshop information.

Places are filling up for Saturday's Back Bending Workshop! This workshop will spend 2 juicy hours unlocking the spine to gain greater pain-free mobility. Most people gain spinal mobility from the lumbar spine, unwittingly creating disc issues. We also tend to rely on the thoracic spine for shoulder mobility, another big no-no. This workshop will reveal the dysfunctional movement patters and most importantly how to break these habits to gain greater mobility to unlock hidden power. Good stuff, not to be missed!

Location: Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto, CA
Time: 2.00-4.00pm
Date: Saturday, March 20
Cost: $30 for members
$50 for non-members

I love charts!

2010-03-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

Many of you may already know this about me, I love charts! I love tracking, logging, calculating, and organizing. I find the process enlightening. As I track and enter data, I see patterns revealed. Hidden details that my subconscious tucked away, but raw data cannot suppress. My latest favorite log is available at Fit Day. This allows you to enter your food, activities, mood, goals and body statistics. It then spits out the information in all sorts of graphs (calories, fat/protein/carbohydrates ratios, nutrition analysis, and daily calorie balance). Love the information it provides! So useful to see it in this form.

Over all, I felt I was making good choices. The charts reveal that indeed, yes, I have been. But when you total up sum of those choices, they have a cumulative effect that I was not aware of. I see now there are areas I can refine, such as the ratio of fat/carbohydrates/protein.
The ideal range is:
10-35% protein (rebuilding muscles, structure)
45-65% carbohydrates (energy, ATP-cellular energy)
20-35% fats/lipids (energy storage, hormone balance)
Where each of us falls in this ratio depends on your metabolism. Your metabolism is the cumulative effect of your genetics and daily active level. Some people are more efficient converting carbohydrates (or protein, or lipids), so eating more carbs (or protein, or lipids) makes since.

Currently, I am playing around with my ratios. I'm trying eat more proteins and less fats. I'm happy with my carb intake. I also want to reduce my daily intake of calories by 200 calories each day. Before looking at the graph I was overwhelmed by this idea. Now, looking at the graph, I can see where little shifts in my choices will make a big impact. So exciting!

Upcoming Workshops

2010-03-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

March 14, 2010
Finding your Inner Doctor:
Health, Ayurveda, and Yoga
Co-presented with Dr. Santosh Kulkarni
10.00am-12pm
@ Yoga Mind Warrior Body Studio
$40

March 20, 2010
Healthy Back Bending:
The Gateway to a Healthy Spine
2.00pm-4.00pm
@ Palo Alto JCC
$30 for members
$40 for non-members

Stay tuned for more Kettlebell, Yoga, and Recovery workshops. Lots of stuff in the works and exciting news in the making!

Reworking pathway to pistols paid off!

2010-02-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

About six months ago I stopped doing pistols because of asymmetry in my hips. It was throwing everything off and my body was finding ever changing bizarre patterns to compensate. I decided to do a complete rebuilding of the pathway. All the hard work paid off!

In honor of RKC II certification happening this weekend in San Jose, I decided to try out the new pathway to pistols. It felt great! I was able to do the pistol with 12kg on both sides. May not sound like much to some, but I was pretty pleased. My hips stayed level, foot firmly planted (not on toes like in yoga), spine long, and no knee dips.

For those of you scratching your heads, the pistol is a one leg deep squat (similar to yogic squat). Foot flat to earth, one leg straight ahead of you, pull the hips back, keep spine long, and lower down a few inches above the earth. Push/pull back to stand.

I've been working on deadlifts to build more hamstring/glut strength, getting them to engage properly has always been my work. I've also been working on balancing QL muscles, both the abductors & adductors, and core for overall stability. I have also found I get more power when I work with breath inhale retention for the drop down with explosive exhale to rise. This helps the spine stay long so there's no "power spillage".

Military Press and Chataranga (4 Limbed Staff Pose)

2010-02-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

I'm working with a handful of clients to build strength in the their Chataranga (yogic push-up). It's a challenging pose and can be intimidating. The alignment in this picture is perfect. Most, however, are not able to keep their elbows hugging into their ribcage, hips & pelvis on the same plan, or spine long. I see people dive their weight into their shoulders with hips high and elbow flying out to the sides and behind their wrists.

The key to holding this pose properly is core strength. Core is not just the rectus abdominus, it's the whole tubular region including latissimus, serratus, obliques, and quadratus lumborum (a little glut action never hurt either). To build this awareness and engagement, I have found great results with military presses.

Both moves are based on the same basic alignment principles.

Spine must remain long (to create space for muscles to engage fully)
Shoulder blades down visualize pulling them into your jean pockets (this keeps collar bones long so pecks, latissimus, serratus can help anchor bones into place
Core & Gluts engaged (for full power and stability)

Once you feel strong with military presses, you can begin to integrate Chataranga into your routine. The key to getting lower in chataranga is moving the sternum forward along the horizon, not straight down. This forward motion allows you to keep the upper arms & elbows hugging into the side body (rib cage).

Vata (Air) Derangement and Bloating: UPDATE

2010-02-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

Feeling so much better! I just added digestive enzymes to my vitamin mix and the bloating has gone down significantly. Oh thank god. I take them 4x daily; when I wake up in the morning and with each meal. I never really believed that digestive enzymes were worth it. They just seemed like expense hope in a bottle. However, I could feel (and see) the difference as soon as I started taking them.

Vata (Air) Derangement and Bloating

2010-02-16T09:13:00.001-08:00

Vata (Air element) Derangement and Bloating

For the last few months I've been dealing with bloating. I wake up flat tummy; then about an hour later I look 5 months pregnant and feel horrible. The pressure is crazy, uncomfortable, and unbecoming. I am sorting through food allergies, gluten is already gone. Dairy is now being eliminated. I still love my Greek yogurt, but soon........no more; no more string cheese, no more yogurt, no more quick cheese snacks goodness. I need to get my belly health back.

Vata is one of the Ayurvedic doshas. Ayurveda is a 5000 year old medical tradition. It looks at balancing the internal body with the external environment. There are three doshas that represent the 5 elements Vata (air/either responsible for movement in body), Pitta (fire/water responsible for metabolism in body), and Kapha (earth/water responsible for structure & lubrication). Water is in 2 doshas because it makes up most of our body composition. Each person has all three to various degrees. This unique composition means that no two people will find balance in the same exact way. There are however, general principles at help to guide each of us to find balance.

There are foods that increase Vata. Bloating is one of the symptoms of too much Vata in the diet. Foods like eggs, gluten, dairy, simple sugars, broccoli, white meat chicken, and cabbage. So my dinner last night of broccoli, chicken, and potatoes was probably not the best idea to pacify my bloaty belly.

Look for New Classes and Locations!

2010-02-14T15:56:00.000-08:00

So excited to be offering new kettlebell classes at the Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto. This will be a 4 week series with 2 classes per week. I'll be offering Demo classes throughout the month. See below for all the vital information:

Location:
JCC
Fabian Way, Palo Alto

Demo Dates/Time:
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 @ 9.30-10.00am
Thursday, March 11, 2010 @ 9.30-10.00am
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 @ 9.30-10.00am
Thursday April 2, 2010 @ 9.30-10.00am

Series begins: Tuesday, April 5, 2010 9.30-10.30am

Description:
This is a progressive class that focuses on alignment, flexibility and strength. Kettlebells provide a fast paced pain free free workout that tones the whole body while improving cardiovascular health. Come in to enjoy an efficient, sweaty, and fun fitness session. Open to people of all fitness levels.

More class announcements and locations coming soon.

Lifestyle Balance: Importance of Cross Training & Recovery

2010-02-11T08:48:00.001-08:00

Finding balance is undervalued these days. There seem to be two main camps out there these days: 1) coach potato, go to work-eat-watch TV crowd; and 2) turbo workout, constant movement, multiple workouts each day, the go-go-go crowd. Both suffer from very different chronic issues that can lead to the same imbalances and injuries.

First, let's meet the coach potato, you know who you are already (we've all been there :) ). Too busy, too tired, too little time to take care of yourself properly. You experience weight gain, achy body, back pain, shoulders up around your ears. Most coach potatoes have completely checked out of their body's. Over time there is little understanding of what is truly happening on the inside, with little understanding of body mechanics as the unused neural pathways disintegrate. Coming back to the fitness world can be overwhelming (even intimidating). There is a huge risk of injury for these folks in daily living. With diminished muscle tone, tightening of under utilized connective tissue, and lack of understanding how to move with proper alignment injury is just around the corner.

Second, the turbo crowd. There's a big turbo crowd in the bay area. With the amazing weather, it's easy to train for marathons, bike racing, triathlons, and other endurance competitions all year long. These folks risk injury due to over training (aka under recovery) issues. Muscles continually contracted, connective tissue tightened around joints, causing inhibited movement which means there's a pull the skeletal structure causing injury. With hours spent on intense training, there is very little attention spent on proper stretching and recovery. 5 minutes on a foam roller will not undo the damage caused by the 2 hour training session.

Balance, balance, and balance; the key to both moving pain-free and moving efficiently is balance. Life is all about finding balance. For every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Strength must be balanced by flexibility, activity with recovery, it's all part of the same equation. I've talked to so many people who feel like they need to work up a sweat, be in a "doing" mode or they're just wasting their time. There is a fundamental lack of understanding that certain types of yoga/stretching/pranayama (breathing exercises) create a pivotal physiological effect in the body that will dramatically improve your abilities (either sport specific or in life in-general).

Overall, I have to say, be kind to your nervous system. When you're always on the go, diving head first into your activities, the nervous system stays on constant alert. Ready to fire, fight, or run, this constant state of readiness actually causes diminished results (the reverse of our desired results). The system can't stay at these heighten levels for long periods of time. That wasn't their design. Slower reaction times, limited range of movement, weight gain (yes, I said weight gain) and uncontrolled movements are the result of over training. Ironically, under training will land you in the same spot. With under use, the nervous system begins to "shut down" pathways to unused muscles groups. Weak muscles, slow reaction time, weight gain (hum, there it is again), and, yep, spastic movements are the result of lack of use.

Balance, balance and balance, the key to life is finding balance. Strength must be balanced with flexibility, activity with recovery (no, sitting in front of a TV or computer does not count). Consciously slowing down and listening. That may sound a bit new age, hippie for some, but a good athlete (yogic warrior) actually listens to their body. The body is constantly sending signals; eat, sleep, speed up, slow down, move left, move right, jump, drop, deep breath, etc. The more we listen, the more we can hear. When we shut down or only listen to what we want (ego drive desires*) to hear, the body stops communicating and goes into protection mode (if you don't, it will). Suddenly you may notice your weight increase as the body begins to store away extra energy potential, or you may notice a decrease in your endurance as your frazzled body can no longer respond to the constant challenge, or you may experience sleep issues because the nervous system has forgotten how to switch over to relaxation mode. Balance, Balance, Balance, that seems to be my mantra today.

*I say that with no judgment. It's a fact of life. We all have egos, that's healthy, that's how we motivate to achieve our goals. But when we let the ego drive the bus, so to speak, that's when we get into trouble. Over inflated ego leads to attachment to the outcome and defining yourself as the outcome. Under inflated ego leads to no motivation to take a risk and lack of empowerment.

Flexibility and Fitness

2010-01-29T14:49:00.001-08:00

"Regular stretching exercises promote flexibility-a component of fitness-that permits freedom of movement, contributes to ease and economy of muscular effort, allows for successful performance in certain activities, and provides less susceptibility to some types of injuries or musculoskeletal problems." (Concepts of Fitness and Wellness, 8th Edition)

I just had to share this quote from my current reading. Anytime I find outside support for my fusion style kettlebells & yoga, I get a little jazzed. So often I see people throw in a token 5minute stretch after an hour of working out like somehow that is going to do the trick. Then they wonder why they're in so much pain. It honestly breaks my heart.

Flexibility should not be an afterthought to your fitness routine. It should be an integral component of the workout. Proper alignment and flexibility will allow for balanced muscular development. But wait, there's more! :) Not only will you reduce new and recover from old injuries, your pain free workouts can evolve to keep you interested and engaged. Also, when the muscles are working in harmony, you can begin to develop cardiovascular health for long term health.

Wonderful World of Quadratus Lumborum

2010-01-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

The great thing about muscles are the names. They tell you so much; location, attachments, size, shape. Take the Quadratus Lumborum (aka QL), the name lets you the it's a small square muscle near the lumbar vertebrae. It's not paid attention too often and is usually thought of only as a last resort when dissecting hip flexor imbalances (if at all).

When people have hip mobility issues often times the QL will be recruited to do the work of the psoas and illiacus. In the short term, it gets the job done. But over the long haul it can take a toll on the lower back. It's important to engage the appropriate muscles to do the appropriate movement.

I have been working with several corrective exercises but am super excited to add in the Yoga Tune Up Cork Screw. It's a very subtle exercises that paints a complete picture in just a few moments. When done 3 or 4 times throughout the day, it can complete rebuild your neural pathways and allow you to build functional hip flexor strength with out recruiting the QL. Love it!

You need another person to perform the technique (so you get a true measure of your recruitment pattern), but there are a few tricks to doing this solo too. When you come in for your session or class, I can demonstrate the technique and pass along corrective exercise homework. It won't take long before you notice the difference in your hip mobility and decreased lower back back pain.

January 23, 2010 National Yoga Day

2010-01-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

I'm super excited about all the events happening this January 23, National Yoga Day. This is a day to generate excitement and draw new people to the practice. It is a day of no excuses. Yoga classes are free! So in honor of this I am offering the following:

Yoga Mind Warrior Body Studio
609B Cowper Ave, Palo Alto
8.00-9.00am
Balanced Body Burn
A fabulous combination of yoga therapy and foundation kettlebell work. Provides powerful, pain-free workout that balances strength and flexibility.

Equinox Fitness
440 Portage Ave, Palo Alto
12.30-1.00pm
Conscious Conditioning: Tune It Up! TM
A 30minute demo class will give you a flavor of things to come. This takes Yoga Tune Up foundation work to the main studio. Learn how to workout with conscious awareness of alignment. Tune Up and Tone Up!

Jewish Community Center
3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
2.00-3.00pm
Yoga Tune Up TM Demo
Come join in on the fun at the Jewish Community Center Open House Weekend! Participate in the Free class and experience the amazing benefits of Yoga Tune Up work. It will help take your practice to the next level or aid in injury recovery. The applications for the work are endless.

2010-01-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

Understanding Breath:

The Diaphragm, Thoracic Spine, and Alignment

Breathing:

It is important to understand the various patterns of respiration in order to help clients & students move more efficiently. Understanding this will help you create an individualized and unique training session and obtain meaningful results. Habitual improper breathing patterns lead to structural misalignment that inhibit natural movement patterns. By helping people breath more fully, you will help create a physiological chain reaction that will shift mental focus, movement patterns, and strength development.

There are the three primary muscle groups most strongly involved in breathing. They are the intercostal muscles of the thoracic ribcage, the abdominal muscles, and the diaphragm. Most people in the US are stressed out, have a poor diet with little nutrients, and don’t get enough exercise. Not only does this leave them weak, but the muscles of respiration become shortened and pull on the structural integrity of the bones. Therefore, being able to identify poor breathing skills is critical for meaningful, lasting results.

Thoracic breathing, fit or flight breath, activates the sympathic nervous system. The upper ribs & chest expand on inhalation with little involvement of the diaphragm or abdomen which are held in tightly. This creates a vigorous upper body breathing pattern with heightened arousal, anxiety, and stress appropriate only for emergency situations. Problems develop when the diaphragm remains continual

y tense and inspiration does not allow enough oxygen into the lungs. This breath is inefficient and requires more energy than it provides. Over time, gravity pulls the blood in the alveoli (hallow cavities of the lungs that are the primary site of gas exchange) into the lower halves of the lungs, leaving only the top portion of the lungs for gas exchange. Light headedness, headaches, cold hands & feet, hyperventilation and an anxious mind are all the result of this shallow breath.

Results of Long Term Thoracic Breathing:

When breathing is shallow, there is a drop in the level of CO2 in the system; shifting the blood toward alkalinity (too much alkalinity is toxic to the system). With the CO2 levels lowered the arteries that feed the brain contract (causing headaches) along with the muscles (which produces muscles tension as they draw excess calcium into the tissue) and the nervous system becomes excitable (producing inappropriate muscle responses).

As time passes and we age, this habituated improper breathing will cause the thoracic spine to develop an accentuated curvature. Ossification of cartilage in the ribcage accompanied by flabby underdeveloped abdomen and tightened diaphragm muscle make proper breathing nearly impossible. Movement may become painful as the spinal column is pulled out of it natural primal alignment pattern.

The Abdominal Muscles:

Abdominal breathing occurs with little resistance from the abdominal muscles also, the intercostal muscles have little to no involvement. The abdomen simply pushes forward while remaining relaxed in response to the diaphragm descending. This is a relaxing breath because of this lack of muscular engagement. It offers no power or tension nor does it offer any protection for the spine. It does, however, assist in providing increased blood flow to the visceral organs below the diaphragm. This intern promote

s peristalsis (contraction of smooth muscle to aid digestion).

The Diaphragm:

Diaphragmatic breathing involves the downward motion on the inhalation and up on exhalation. The taut abdominal muscles also lift up and in with exhalation helping to push the diaphragm against the lungs and expansion of the lower ribcage (intercostal muscles) on the inhalation helps stretch the outer edges of the diaphragm to create more space for the lungs to fill. This breath stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (calming & cooling to the body) creating mental clarity and attentiveness.

Techniques to Open the Diaphragm:

There are main ways to tone and stretch the diaphragm including manual therapy (hands on pressure point work), pranayama (breathing exercises), and even cardiovascular workouts. Moving straight into cardiovascular work without addressing the underlying alignment issue is an inefficient approach.

Beginning each session with various breathing techniques will enable your clients to have stretch and tone the thoracic spine. Unlocking this area before working with the kettlebells will create greater mobility for a more efficient workout.

My favorite is Uddiyana Bandha, a yogic belly lock that creates a vacuum to pull the internal organs up into the ribcage. This is a powerful way to work the muscles from the inside out. As

the vacuum pulls the internal organs into the ribcage, the pressure not only stretches but begins to tone the diaphragm, abdomen, and intercostal muscles. The expansion of the diaphragm also allows the intercostal muscles expand and thoracic spine is unlocked. When this happens, we find the mobility needed for a more powerful workout.

Caution: this should be done on an empty stomach and is not appropriate for pregnant or menstruating women.

Proper Technique-Uddiyana Bandha:

Start with legs in wide stance as if preparing for a sumo squat. Sweep the arms up over head and draw in a deep inhale filling the lung. Exhale hedging at the hips as you bring your hands to the thighs. Empty the lungs completely. With empty breath, pull your belly button into the back of the spine and up into the ribcage. Drop your chin down onto your chest to prevent in pain in your throat. Your belly will appear hallowed out. Hold your breath out for as long as you feel comfortable. Release the belly, come to standing, and then take in your inhalation. Repeat 3-5 times to warm the belly and spine before working out.

This breath takes some time to learn. You may not get it the first few times, but in time it will get easier.

Conclusion:

I have seen some amazing result utilizing this technique with my clients. Many of them have come back to working out due to back pain after taking a few years off. Using this first to correct alignment and breathing techniques, they were better able to perform the RKC protocols.

Concepts of Physical Fitness: The 4 Pillars

2010-01-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Most of the time we think of Physical Fitness in terms of the "vanity checklist". How do I look? How do I look in my favorite jeans? Or, how much do I weigh? For 2010, I want you to move beyond these aspects of physical fitness and develop a more detailed view.

I want you to consider two other key aspects of physical fitness:
1) health-related physical fitness-this includes metabolic fitness, blood pressure, and bone integrity
2) skill-related physical fitness-the ability to work effectively, enjoy leisure time, and even meet emergency based needs

As you consider these aspects, then ask yourself how your current workouts support the bigger picture of physical fitness. I work at several different gyms and am always struck by how many people spend so much time on the "hamster wheels" (treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical machines, etc.) then complain of sore backs, knees, and necks. These machines may offer a good sweat, but at what expense? Do they really contribute to increasing your physical fitness?

Alignment errors contribute to many of the aches and pains people experience on these machines. With tight psoas muscles, pelvis are pulled forward into an anterior pelvic tilt and put strain on the lower back. Others will crank the tension up surpassing their muscles strength and put unnecessary strain on the knee joint. My favorite, however, is people looking up to gaze up at wide screen TVs, distract them from their workouts and the pain they cause in their necks. I see these errors because I too spent hours on the hamster wheel convinced I was getting a good workout. I would look for the calories burnt and feel so proud of myself. But this style of workout was not contributing to my overall physical fitness. It was in fact, contributing to my injuries. There was no one to check my form, alignment or make sure I was creating a balanced workout plan.

Planning is everything! Balance is key. Strength, flexibility, agility and relaxation are the 4 pillars that help build greater physical fitness. I now integrate these concepts into my workouts with kettlebells, yoga, and massage.
More to come on this next week.............

Wheat-free Rededication

2010-01-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I've adjusted my diet in various ways to try to find inner & outer balance. Health & weight issues usually drive the adjustments. This year the adjustment will be health related. When examining my diet, I have found refined sugars, wheat, coffee have re-emerged in my daily routine. I feel it to in my joints and muscles. So now it's time to detox. I'm starting off easy with eliminating wheat and refined sugar. That tends to be easier for me. I experience withdraws, but it's manageable. As a former chef, I have spent years living as a gluten-free vegan, and know my way around a creative kitchen. There are so many healthy alternatives, I don't miss it flavor wise. The convenience is the only adjustment challenge. A little more menu planning is needed, my motivation is easy because I know how much better I will feel.

As for the coffee! That's different and I'm not sure I want to give it up again. I love the smell, the flavor, and ritual of drinking coffee in the morning. So this one may be around for a little longer.

New Year, New Writing

2010-01-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've written anything, that is for sure. For those of you who don't know, I'm back to school working toward a degree in Physical Therapy. Much of my energy has been directed toward that, rather than my blog.

This year I am rededicating myself to writing. It will not be a daily event, but a weekly event. My focus will be alignment, muscles, postures, and patterns of functional movement. Each Sunday these articles will be posted, the first to come this Sunday, January 10, 2010.

I look forward to the new year and new writings!

Goal setting and Sankalpas: Going deeper

2009-10-07T13:25:00.001-07:00

Most of us start working out for vanity goals; loose weight, drop body fat, or fit into a favorite pair of jeans. Those are great short term motivations that get us off our butts, but they loose their luster quickly. How motivated are you really going to be over the long term if your only goal is to get into a pair of easily replaceable jeans? If you're anything like me, not long.

If you talk to any sport psychologist, coach, or professional trainer, all would agree that proper goal setting is extremely important. There are innumerable studies that all point to goals enhancing performance. So you may ask, "what is proper goal setting?" Well, I'm glad you did. Let's explore.........

First understand different types of goals:

subjective goals (have fun)
general objective goals (loose weight)
specific objective goals (decrease errors in game)
outcome goals (beat other team)
performance goals (increase MaxVO2 reps)
process goals (improve alignment in warrior pose)

It is important to understand the type of goal because the benchmarks to obtain each are different. When you choose a subjective goal, like having fun vs. a performance goal, like increasing MaxVO2 reps, your benchmarks will be very different. With different benchmarks, comes different workouts. Knowing this at the onset is important. If on Tuesday your goal was to get out on the field, kick the ball around, and have fun with some old friend in a game of soccer (football depending upon your country of origin). Then don't get upset with yourself on Wednesday because your team lost the game. That wasn't your original goal.

The above situation reveals what happens to most of us when we start working out. We set one goal, but become upset when we have not achieved a benchmark for an entirely different type of goal. Well of course you didn't, you took no steps toward achieving the goal. So no, you will not slim down if you keep power lifting and increasing your calorie intake. No, you will not get stronger if you do Restorative Yoga. No, you will not get more flexible if you never stretch. Simple, but all true. Know your goals, set appropriate benchmarks.

Goals also require constant adjustments and re-evaluation. Once you've achieved your goal measurement, it is time to move onto another goal with different benchmarks. In this way, you are constantly staying motivated and engaged in your health and well being.

A Sankalpa, on the other hand, goes deeper than goals. It requires self study, pattern awareness, and resolve to grow as person. They are simple positive, sincere statements that express what our deeper motivation to achieve as whole person. These statements are to help remind us of our determination to move past our dysfunctions, fears, and insecurities. Utilized as an inner mantra or chant, they are the mega goal to reset "normal" perspective.

Examples:

I listen impartially and respond compassionately.
I accept that I am worthy.
I create a cleaner environment.
It calms me to expose my imperfections.
My challenges reveal alternate options for success.
Bathed in embodied self awareness, I speak my truth with compassion.
Each moment I inhabit with peaceful confidence.

Repeat the sentence to yourself each day while you drive, are challenged at work or in relationship, or as part of your mediation practice; these simple statements become your new reality. Each time you repeat it, it becomes apart of your consciousness. Just as in your goal setting, Sankalpas should be changed as you embody their meaning.

If you find that you are resistant to Sankalpas, ask yourself why. Is it too "hippie woo woo"? Does it sound crazy? Or are you a little scared of deeper change? Does it sound hard?

Before your next workout, set a goal & sankalpa. Know what type of goal you set, whether it is long term or short term and then set benchmarks to measure. Repeat the sankalpa as often as you can. Begin to observe any shifts in your perspective. Experience how goal setting and sankalpa work together as you move into deeper self awareness.

Gluteus Minimus

2009-10-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

While pouring over yoga asana books to reveal poses that involve the gluteus minimus, I found it challenging to even find that it existed. Because of its location deep to the gluteus medius, it is often left out of the picture or cut away to reveal other deeper muscles that are involved in the same actions. Most of us are completely ignorant not only to its location but to its action.

This is the smallest of the gluteal muscles (relative to gluteus maxiumus & gluteus medius). Located deep to the gluteus medius, this fan shaped muscle helps to create an interior capsule for the hip joint. As the fan opens, it attaches to the surface of the ilium between the anterior and inferior gluteal line and behind the margin of the greater sciatic notch. The muscle fiber tapers, becoming a tendon, as the fan closes in on the insertion point at the anterior greater trochanter boarder.

This muscle is involved (engages, flexes) in abduction & extension of the femur and is called upon as a synergist to assist the tensor fasciae latae when balancing on one leg. Meaning in YTU Dynamic Abductor Lifts & Moon Rises Minivini, it is engaged in both legs, never getting a break from side to side, but involved for different reasons. The anterior fibers of gluteus minimus continue to work in synergy with the tensor fasciae latae by rotating the femur inward to external rotation.

The understated muscle is an important team player that stabilizes the hips and thighs when balancing and in standing poses. Unfortunately, because of its understated presentence it is often forgotten. Its fibers can intertwine with piriformis and superior gemellus (responsible for external rotation), and the outer portion of the vastus lateralis (involved in hip flexion). With its hidden location and intertwining relationship, many of us focus our awareness to the more glamorous muscle groups with mystical mystic (aka piriformus) when we experience any rotation issue in the hips. This deep muscle cannot be ignored. If it becomes shortened and tight, it will pull the femoral head deeper into the hip socket, shortening and externally rotating the leg. If the muscle is overly relaxed or flaccid, balance will be impossible. The hip and thigh will loose control of abduction and hips would loosely swish from side to side and legs would internally rotate. So the next time you move into Triangle Pose, don’t just focus on the back leg stretching the gluteus minimus with a deep internal rotation; know that is also being toned as it engaging at its end range of flexibility to stabilize. The front leg is also stabilizing the pose as the muscle engage and fires to external rotate.

Knee Deep In It

2009-09-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

I'm knee deep in the second half of Yoga Tune Up Teacher Training. I have tones of homework and am learning so much! I can't wait until I have the time to start sharing it with all of you. The cross over to kettlebells is beautiful and I've been playing with combo workouts. I really think it is a profound combination that will allow people to feel connected to their body's more quickly.

Stay tuned until next week.............

Thursday Sept. 3 @ 6.30pm

2009-09-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

Subbing a Lululemon yoga class this Thursday evening. Located at the Oval on Stanford Campus, it's simple to find. Just take Palm Drive all the way to the end to the beautiful grassy area, lots of parking all around the Oval.

It should prove to be a fun class. Free to everyone and appropriate for all levels.

See you there!

Yoga Tune Up Teacher Training

2009-08-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

This week Equinox is hosting Jill Miller and her Yoga Tune Up Certification. I am taking the certification training and loving it! She really knows her anatomy and bio-mechanics. We have been learning about proprioception and how to reprogram our neuropathways. Amazingly simple postures accessible to all people become layered with micromovements to have maxium impact. I am practicing the moves and feeling a huge shift in my ablity to engage. She is able to get us into the connective tissue, facial layers, and deep muscle tissue.

Stay tuned, I'll be pulling together classes and workshops to present the information!

Power of Desire

2009-08-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

"As a [person's] desire is, so is his destiny. For as his desire is, so is his will; as his will is, so is his deed; and as his deed is, so are its consequences, good or bad." The Upanishads

Last week I wrote about the power of desire on the YMWB Facebook page. Desire is neither good nor bad, it is our relationship to the desire and it's motivating force. Inspired by an article I read in the Yoga Journal, I began to reflect about the nature of desire in my life. YJ pointed out how our society as a whole relates to desire through our language. If desire is perceived as "good" it is called aspiration. If desire is perceived as "bad" it is called an obsession. But whether considered good or bad is often determined by the object of desire rather than the motivation of desire. I will use weight loss for the purpose of this posting.

Why do you want to loose weight? Often we are motivated for "vanity" goals. We want to look good. It is about how we see ourselves in the mirror or how we think other people see us. Some may take this a step further, not only is it the way people see us, but how they will judge us, categorize us, and relate to us. However, these goals of vanity are short lived. When the goals are skin deep, you begin to limit your view of the world. Your lens becomes fogged, you see yourself on the surface only, you may even begin to see others through this same lens of your vanity goal. Who appears to have attained the goal, who appears to have not attained the goal. Judgement may slip in as well. Judging yourself and other having attained or not attained the goal. Your desire for weight loss will slowly take over everything you do and think (obsession). Then once the initial vanity goal is attained, how do you continue your fitness routine? The vanity goal is no longer there to strive for, now what? Some will loose interest in the fitness routine, dropping it to the side lines and slowly going back to old habits. Others who have dived into the desire of the vanity goal and who have fully identified themselves with the surface elements will find a new vanity goal to hone in on.

What if you started off by looking deeper at your desire at the onset of your fitness planning? Move past the vanity motivation in the very beginning. Set your goal, aka create the motivation for your desire to something that can be maintained with ease even when the vanity goals are long gone. Find out what your inner truth is beyond the surface reflection of the desire. Weight loss is often a benchmark and reflection of a greater goal being attained: desire for healthy lifestyle, maintain healthy blood pressure, balance the hours spent at a desk, healthy heart, connect with breath and body daily, develop concentration, learn discipline, etc. These are desires that move deeper than the skin and can be maintained when all the vanity benchmarks have met. The desire has a healthy, long term outlet.

KQED Reporting on "Power of Interval Training"

2009-08-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

The power of interval style training has finally made it to "mainstream" reporting. This morning as I sipped my tea and ate breakfast, I listened to a report on the Health Diagnosis about interval training. Athletes have known for a long time interval training will help them get to their goals more quickly and efficiently. Science is finally expanding to move past the professional athlete and applying the same principles to the rest of us. They are finding non-athletes can benefit from this style of training as well. It's about time! That's one of the reason's I love kettlebell training. At it's very roots, it is a key tool for interval style training. That's part of why it offers such powerful results!

Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Sodhana)

2009-08-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, Alternate Nostril Breathing has come back into my daily practice. I feel great doing it and have been finishing all my classes with it to share the benefits with my students. Sometimes I don't have the time to explain the full benefits of this pranayama (restraint of prana/breath; breath control; breath work), so here is a bit more information for all of you.

Technique:
1) bring the two peace fingers of your right hand (index & middle finger) to the space between your eye brows
2) cover the right nostril with your thumb, breath in through the left
3) cover the left nostril with right ring finger, release the right, and exhale right
4) breath in right while keeping the left covered
5) cover right, release left and exhale
repeat process for several cycle, try to increase both the inhale/exhale and the number of the cycles

Benefits:
1) balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain
2) calms the mind, reduces mental chatter
3) alters mental state
4) calms the nervous system
5) reduces anxiety

Swings & Sun Salutes: Powerful workout based on conscious movement

2009-08-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Today I did one of my favorite workouts and utilizes the foundation movements from both kettlebells and yoga. It's great when I don't have a lot of time to spare, but need to move my body. I sweat as my heart rate goes up quickly. I engage all my muscles to support conscious movement. Best of all it's both effective and efficient.

Swings a key kettlebell foundation move. The basic movement is based on the deadlift form, engaging the hamstrings, gluts, and core as you move from the hips. Swings require fast paced movement, focus, and awareness of where you are in both your body and space. There's no doing it half way, you have to do it like you mean it! This helps me connect with my own determination and confidence.

Sun Salutes are a foundation to flow yoga. There are many different variations (including lunar salutes). But each variation takes you through key movements such as forward folds, inversions, lunges, and back bends. Sun Salutes require strength and flexibility to work together as you move through the flow.

For me, this is the ideal fast paced efficient workout! I love it and I think you will to when you give it a try.

Subbing Class

2009-08-13T20:24:00.001-07:00

I just got back from subbing a class for a good friend and yogini Lisa Haily of BeYoga Studio. It was great fun being out at the Stanford Oval Park teaching at sunset on the soft grass after such a hot day. These classes are great! Sponsored by LuluLemon, they are free to the public and offer a great space to build community. Hip-Hip Hooray for making it possible!!!

The Playful Life

2009-08-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Santa Monica where I completed a week long training with Shiva Rea called Pranafication. I feel great, rejuvenated, and all together "pranafied". Prana, for those of you who don't already know, is your life force or chi. This training focused on various ways to re-charge and re-connect with the flow of life.

I walked away from this training with a greater understanding of myself and what I need to feel good from day to day. How do I stay active without feeling drained? What are the key components of my day? What is a must to recharge and what needs to be put on the side lines? These were the key topics addressed and each day I was surprised to learn the answer. Shiva Rea presented us with practices that pushed our edge while giving us permission to engage at whatever level we needed to being mindful not to push us over the edge. We danced the line of effort and effortlessness. We experimented with new styles of meditation, we heard lectures from cutting edge academics, we danced, we laughed, and we sweat.

I have returned knowing I need to play more each day. My days have become so focused on the basics, that I have forgotten to have fun with my activities. Play more, worry less! Play, as I was reminded, can appear in many forms. Put on your favorite song and dance like a crazy woman in the livingroom. Sing at the top of your lungs in the shower. Skip to your car. All forms of play that no one has to see, but that recharge the soul. Meditation doesn't have to be sitting rigidly in one spot, it can be as fluid as Tai Chi. Mantra's don't have to be challenging Sanskrit words, they can be energetic intentions that calm the mind.

Life doesn't have to be stuffy. It can be spacious and expansive. All you have to do is open your mind and be willing to take the first step. Laughing helps, too!

Yoga Mind

2009-07-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

I am often asked about the name of my studio "Yoga Mind Warrior Body". Why that name? What does it mean? Most people can wrap their imagination around the concept of the warrior body, visions of lean muscle mass and strength bubble up effortlessly. But when it comes to the yoga mind, most people have a difficult time with the concept.

Yoga offers many benefits beyond just the physical. Modern western classes tend to focus on the asana (postures). We have become accustomed to expecting a "workout" from our yoga classes, sweating, working, and moving. Rarely do you find teachers who help guide you beyond the physical aspects of yoga into the deeper realms that it offers. By moving past the physical into the breath, drishti (gaze), and internal study; the chaos of our mind begins to settle.

One of my teachers once compared the mind to a monkey in a cage. The monkey will create noise, jumping from place to place and rattle around to get our attention. But if you give the monkey a toy, it will settle and focus all it's attention onto the toy. The "toy" we offer up is the breath. Throughout the practice we focus on uji (victorous) breath; breathing in and out through the nose creating a soft HA sound as the throat gently contracts (AKA Darth Vader Breath).

It is through this style of breathing (and other forms of pranayama; yogic breath work) our body can switch from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system. Yoga then offers more than just movement for the body but a space of healing for the body. The Parasympathetic nervous system allows the body to switch from the "flight or flight" mode and move blood and nutrients to the digestive, reproductive, glandular, and immune system. This is where the body can self repair damages acquired during our stressful days. With our breath as the guide, the mind settles and we can become observers our practice; noticing each sensation without attaching a story or judgement. We simply flow as the breath invites us deeper inward and adjusting the practice to create greater challenges while dancing the delicate line between effort and effortlessness. You will know you have crossed the line when the breath becomes short, shallow, and difficult. This is the indication you have move back into the "fight or flight" of the sympathetic nervous system. Coming back to the smooth breath, we can move back to the parasympathetic nervous system.

So we see how yoga begins to offer us lessons that can be taken off the mat and back into our daily life. As we move in and out of asanas with our breath as the focus, we can move in and out of more challenging situations with a steady mind. We become unfazed by the chaos around us and can fluidly meet these challenges making clear decisions with ease. No longer a life of reaction, but living a life a conscious action.

A Question of Motivation......

2009-07-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

I am often asked about "finding motivation". It's been coming up for many of my students lately, so I thought I would re-address the question. How does one find the motivation to do [BLANK]? The ironic and sometimes cruel aspect to this question is "it depends". Finding motivation is entirely personal. There is no one answer to the question, I can only direct you toward a path that might provide the answer. The path is simply getting to know yourself better.

There comes a point where you look in the mirror and say "enough is enough". There maybe a moment of clarity and honesty that drives you make the commitment to yourself to take the steps necessary to make the shift in your life, the choice of evolution. You can see the excuses for what they are, excuses. These excuses are a waste of time. Your mind holding you back from your fullest potential. They no longer hold weight and are left with the only logical solution, shift your energy from being a victim of your circumstance, to taking charge of your life.

If you are struggling with an issue, really take a look at it from all angels. See your role in the situation and own it. Typically, the motivation will unfold from the space of strength of full awareness. The human spirit is capable of going to the moon and back again. So what is holding you back from evolving?

The Constant

2009-07-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are "Lost" fans, you are already familiar with "the constant". The Constant is one thing in your life that will remain steady regardless of the ever changing chaos around you. The Constant will ground you, keep you centered, and allow you to stay present.

Recently, I injured my hamstring and had a lose in the family. When I injured my hamstring, I had to completely revamp my workouts. The focused shifted from my much loved swings and snatches to the presses and Turkish Get-ups. It was with this shift I choose my constant which is my diet. I made the vow that no matter what, I would listen to my body's needs, eat healthy nutritious foods, not too much, and mostly veggies. As the nature of my workouts shifted, so did my nutrition needs. I stayed focused and made the changes. Then my energy was being pulled away from my workouts as my family prepared for a lose. My workouts took the back burner, but my constant remained. It was through my diet that I was able to stay grounded and healthy.

By choosing a constant, I was able to stay connected and aware of my body's needs. This kept my energy up, my weight level even, and me sane. Now that the dust has settled, I have been able to move seamlessly back to my ideal routine. I feel good and strong with my workouts. My hamstring has healed and family demands lessened allowing my focus to be honed once again. I highly recommend choosing a constant when you see transitions coming on the horizon.

Finding Time

2009-07-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

As many of you have already noticed, it has been a long time since my last post. Life has recently taken a few crazy turns. These turns have taken me away from my blogging, my workouts, and my overall ideal routine.

This is not uncommon for any of us. We all experience the start and stop of our ideal routine. When I say ideal routine, I mean the pattern of living that allows us to take care of ourselves by eating well, working out, and having quality time with friends & family. The key is not getting upset that you fell out of the ideal routine, the key is getting back on track.

For me getting back on track is all about getting my priorities in check. Most of the time when my schedule gets squirrely, I'm not making myself a priority. I'm putting something or someone else ahead of my own needs. Now there are times when this is necessary and unavoidable, this is life presenting us with a dance as we weave in and out of its challenges. When we feel challenged most of us "just can't find the time to......", you feel in the blank. It could be "find the time to eat right" or workout, or meditate, or go to yoga, or be with loved ones. Sometimes it happens all at once with a dramatic event. Usually it happens slowly, with one thing at a time slipping off the calendar. Once they're all gone, it can seem a daunting task to get them back into our lives. We just can't imagine how we ever did it all to begin with.

Time is a funny thing. We really do have lots of time, it's usually energy we lack. It's not about needing more time, it's about needing more energy to pull ourselves out of bad habits, bad eating, no exercises, and not connecting with the people we love the most. The real question becomes not about "finding time" but "how do I find the energy to get back to my ideal routine?" Here are somethings that help get me jump started back on the path to a healthy lifestyle.

Look at what I'm eating. Eliminate the simple carbs and sugars that cause big ups and downs in my energy level. These will creep in during high stress times as they are easy & fast foods that seem filling but offer no real nutritional value. I personally need to eat more fruits, veggies, and lean protein while avoiding grains and sugars.
Look at when I'm eating. I try to make sure I have even energy throughout the day. I need to do something simple for breakfast, lunch is my largest meal, and have a small something for dinner. This means not snacking in the evenings. It's surprising how this basic, logical, simple rule of thumb will help you in volumes.
Get back to working out. It doesn't have to be a lot at first, just picking up the kettlebells and swing with a small goal in mind. For me, kettlebells offer the most efficient and powerful workout (but that's for another post). I usually find once I'm in the rhythm, my energy picks right up and I can get a workout in without much effort. It's about picking it up and trying. Don't quiet before you start.
Take a few moments for my yoga & meditation practice. When I come back to it after a long break, it may just be a few sun salutes, sometimes just a good old down dog, nothing much. I find that once I start to move and open up cranky muscles, I don't want to stop. It feels good to stretch and open the body up. Mediation can be more challenging. My mind will naturally jump around. That is when just taking a few moments to observe the breath becomes my practice. I start by feeling the breath, noticing each sensation in my body as I expand and contract. This space of observation allows the mind to focus on one point, after sometime it settles down and I can move to deeper layers.
Be compassionate. There's no need to beat yourself up. Just do it. No whining, no judgement, no stories or excuses, that's a waste of perfectly good energy that could be utilized for something more interesting and helpful. Look at where you are, see where you want to be, and put one foot in front of the other.

Hamstrings still tender

2009-06-08T08:40:00.001-07:00

My hamstrings are still tender, but I'm moving forward with my workouts. This morning I got back into the swings. It felt good overall, but man, could I feel those hamstrings and gluts working today. I'm trying not to overstretch the hamstrings, just keep them active and engaged.

Back from Santa Monica

2009-06-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a yoga workshop in Santa Monica. It was a great weekend with lots of juicy yoga. However, I had a crazy experience with my hip/hamstring in class. Basically, it was a loud pop and the sensation of my femoral head being pulled out of the socket and rolling over a tendon. POP! I can walk, it doesn't hurt, it's more of an acute awareness of where the hamstrings are attaching. To say I am walking funny is a kind description of my current stride.

My goal this week is to take it easy on the hamstrings. That means no swings or snatches which intensely engage the hamstrings and gluts with each crisp snap of the hips. TGUs and presses will be the bulk of my workouts this week. I haven't really focused on them in awhile, so it will be a good thing to get them back in the mix.

Heavy swings yesterday & presses today

2009-05-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

I did 30minutes (30sec/30sec) of swings yesterday. I did the first 5 sets with the 24kg, then had to switch it up as my grip started to get toasty. My rounds were as follows:

2 hand swing 24kg
transitions 20kg
single hand 16kg

I would simply move up and down the line of kettlebells. It was a late afternoon workout. I don't do as well with afternoons, but my morning was packed and I needed to stay on top of my workouts. Rather than skip I swung.

Today, it is all about the military press. I will be doing ladders. I also want to play with bent press form, bottoms up, & the bell (rather than handle grip). I haven't done presses in some time. So this is my re-introduction to press work.

Diet Adjustments

2009-05-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

I've played around a bit with the timing of my meals. I have been working later and unable to eat my main meal in the evenings as suggested by the Warrior Diet. I have taken to the Ayurvedic suggestion of making my main meal lunch. So far so good. My pattern now is very specific. I eat grains only in the morning, just a small amount of cooked grain medially of mung, lentil, brown rice, red rice, black rice, and wild rice. This medially has been soaked overnight & cooked ahead of time. That means in the morning all I have to do is take a small amount (less than 1/4 cup) and add goji berries, mulberries, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamon, agave, and soy milk. I make it so it is more of a "soup" than a "portage" style. The items added are very specific; each has important vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, anti-inflammatory, digestive aid, etc. Nothing is random. Portions are small.

That's how the day starts. Then lunch rolls around and I have lean protein with lots of veggies. Sometimes a slice of cheese. Cheese is my current "sin" food. The key with lunch is getting lots of protein for energy and fiber from the veggies. The proteins tend to be buffalo, chicken, or fish. Veggies are what is in season currently; kale, dandelion greens, spring onions, carrots. I always allow one sin food to the mix. Otherwise, my subconscious will protest and all heal breaks loose. I tend to sabotage myself if I get to rigid with anything. It's as if I never out grew the "no" stage, or more like it was never allowed to be fully expressed so now as an adult I have to deal with taming it rather than suppressing it.

Dinner is a simple salad or artichoke or soup. Maybe a bit of fruit for dessert. Nothing big, I keep it nice and light. The key is easy to digest. I find that if I eat a large portion at 8pm I feel like crap the next day. This has been working well so far. Mostly just breaking the habit of feeling the need for "full" belly at night. I tend to wonder around the house asking myself it I'm hungry or thirsty. Drinking water or tea takes the anxious feeling away. Simple stuff really.

My workouts feel strong lately, I feel like I am falling into a good healthy pattern. I try to workout in the morning time frame. My body prefers getting it out of the way right off the bat. Plus the lunch meal refuels and rebuilds. Sometimes, however, I end up with an afternoon workout. I eat a hand full of nuts, drink my turmeric tea, and all is well. Finally, a patten that I can easily maintain without too much fuss. I've stopped listening to the well intended advice from other and started listening more closely to my body. Funny how the system gets more refined overtime. I've gone from one extreme to the other, but the middle ground seems to be the hardest to stabilize on. Perhaps because my poor body just doesn't know how to respond to balance. Hopefully, it will enjoy being there for awhile.

MVO2

2009-05-20T11:31:00.001-07:00

Today was MVO2 day. I'm working at getting back to the 16kg and today was a great break through.

MVO2
40 sets 6 reps w/ 16kg
40 sets 7 reps w/12kg

During the first set I worked on staying in good form, not using my arms/shoulders and focus on using the hips. I also started to add a swing to the reps to work on building my speed to move into a full 7 reps w/ the 16kg.

When I transitioned down to the 12kg, it felt so light! I thought I could fling it out of my hands. This really allowed me to go deeper into the work with my hips. By the end of the second set I was really able able to snap them forward, very crisp.

Once again, I felt great after the workout and had to make myself stop. It's always good to walk away with more energy than you walked into a workout with.

Fun with Flow & KB

2009-05-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

I just did the following and I feel great. I did it with the 12kg just to check it out. Next time for sure with the the 16kg. I did drop the bell once because my hands were so sweaty, but nothing a little chalk can't fix for the next time. I was able to get into a rhythm that felt great, very meditative as I focused on breath and proper alignment.
Warrior Warm-up:
5 cycles
10 snatches
10 swings
10 clean/squat
20 transition swings between sides
5 Ashtanga sun salute B (one breath cycle)
no break between sets
Small break then moved into another flow from Budokon and tacked on a few things from my bag of tricks to spice it up:
The Jungle Boogie Flow
3 cycles
5R/5L Fighting Crocodile
3 each direction Circling Lion
10R/10L Belly up Lion
10R/10L Core work with KB

Finally ended with cross plow-pose core work.

It felt great, I ended with more energy than I started with and had to make myself stop. I love workout days like this one!

Having fun with workouts

2009-05-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

I have been having so much fun with my workouts lately. Even though I dropped a bell size with my MVO2 workouts, I'm still doing them at least 2xweekly. That along with a heavy swing day and sprinkling in my "creative days". It's the creative days I look forward to the most. This is where I have been playing with the "flow" of the exercises. Really beginning to to examine the link, common denominators, and how to off set them to create a well balanced workout. I have been creating little "vinyasana" flows for kettlebells and yoga. I love sharing them with my classes and getting their feedback. Stay tuned, there's more to come with all of it. I'm developing them just a bit more for the YouTube page. :)

Distant Memory.............

2009-05-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since the RKC, I stepped down my KB from the 16 to the 12kg to work on MVO2 36/36. Now the 16kg seems like a distant memory. Sometimes I can't believe that I actually would fly through MVO2 with the 16kg. Currently, I am working on getting it back into my regular line up once again. Man, some days it just feels heavier than others. This was a medium day for me. I did half my session with the 16kg then switched to the 12kg (so light at that point) to continue my sets. Right now I am working MVO2 36/36 with 12kg and 15/15 with 16kg. I am trying to get both the set numbers up and the reps up. That means I've also been throwing in swings with the 20kg to get the grip & hip strength up to support higher numbers.

Sometimes I forget you have to continue to work on your strength, otherwise you will loose it. It is like Sisyphus rolling the stone up hill. The moment you pause, it will roll back down on you. Not a happy moment when it comes time to start back up. Luckily my MVO2 work is improving, unfortunately not with the weight I'd like it. But time is on my side!

Spring Challenge!d Starts May 15

2009-05-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

10 weeks and 20 pounds lighter! Join this program designed to support you during your personal transformation.

Program offers the following support:

Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consulting. This will provide you with menu plan, shopping list, and healthy lifestyle suggestions.
Kettlebell workouts. Each week receive a new workout schedule; review key alignment details, and a take home kettlebell (yours for the 10 week process).
Unlimited access to Hell's Bells Yoga Boot Camp classes. This is a fun way to stay on track with your workouts.
Yoga & meditation practice. Yoga & meditation will help stretch out sore muscles and relax the mind to support healthy weight loss.
Weekly private meetings to review progress, update workouts and menu to hold you accountable during your transformation.

Staying on track to loose weight can be hard, but you don't have to do it alone. When you meet your goal, you will be rewarded with 50% saving on a 60 minute massage treatment. The person who looses the most weight will receive a FREE 90 minute massage. Keep it all off for three months straight, receive a Free 60 minute massage.

Must RSVP by May 15!!!

I can't help but wonder...........

2009-04-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I see things that make me wonder.......why? Why on earth would you have your client wear running shoes AND put a 45 pound weight plate under their heals to do kettlebell swings? Why? Clearly there are too many people out there with too little knowledge doing too much damage to too many peoples body's!!!

Last night while teaching yoga, it was all I could do to not step out of the room to tell the trainer to just stop training his client before he hurt her. Bad pelvis alignment on top of a compressed spine means that some poor woman who spent good money is going to be in extreme pain, if not today, then VERY soon! Who is she going to blame, her "trainer" or kettlebells? Hum............This is why trendy new workout videos can be very bad news to an amazing tool like the kettlebell.

Kettlebells are require high skill movements, deep body awareness, and time to get it right. Something most people just don't understand. If your going to do something, why not do it right? It's good to actually take the time to learn the tool, see what it does for your body before you start tossing it willy-nilly into someone else's hands! It is so hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that people have such little understanding of the human body and how it works who then in turn work in a field that requires a deep understanding of the human body and how it works. They just guild people around the gym, slap them on a machine and think they are strength trainers. This is when I am so thankful for my massage/yoga background. I bring a different perspective to strength training. There are a handful of other people out there who have this foundation of body mechanics with their training work and I am proud to say most of them are RKC trained.

For anyone new to kettlebell training, be sure you do it right! Please find someone who is RKC certified trainer to work with. Get your form down, learn about alignment, and understand how YOUR body works!

Teaching at Live Healthy Expo

2009-04-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm teaching two classes at the Live Healthy Expo at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Looking forward to exposing more people to the Yoga/KB fusion. Super exciting opportunity.

Teaching Friday:
2.00pm-3.30pm
Teaching Saturday:
4.00pm-5.30pm

Learn more here: http://www.lhexpo.com/

Made My Way Thru Easy Workout

2009-04-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

I was able to make my way through a simple workout. My allergies are on the way out, so I was able to do the most basic of workouts. My body wanted to do more, but my allergies were banging around in my head and mucus was flowing. I banged out a few hundred swings just to get the heart rate up. Today I'm going to try military presses and squats. As I am having more moments of being able to breath freely and less moments of a stuffed up nose, I think today should be a good workout.

Allergies and holding off on training.

2009-04-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

I get horrible allergies in the spring time. My nose becomes a fountain, flowing freely and unabashedly. I am unable to do much. My head hurts, my throat gets scratchy, and my life goes into a holding pattern for a week (sometimes longer). I am in holding pattern currently. I've tried to push past it before and ended up getting sick. So I learned my lesson the hard way. I try to stay active with walking and cut out the yoga and kettlebells. I eat right and sleep a lot to give my body the nutrients and space to rebuild. Each year I try to be clever and avoid this, but each year the pollen hits the air and I fall just as hard as if I had done nothing at all.

I went for a great hike the other day, that felt good but my allergies were still going crazy. This may be the year that I take an anti-histamine. I need to stay on track, but I don't want to push myself back at it too soon. I'm in this for the long-term healthy lifestyle, not short term gains that will be lost just as easily as they were developed.

Check out the article below. It was in the sf paper today.

Check out the article in SF Newspaper! See how the Kettlebell World is being presented!

2009-04-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

John Wild Buckley keeps an old copy of Mr. America magazine from 1942 because of the cover, specifically the anvil-shaped weights sitting at the feet of that year's barrel-chested, barbell-clinching winner.

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"Kettlebells have been around awhile," he said, "but they're difficult to learn, so people just quit on them."

Buckley, 31, a former personal trainer at Equinox Sports Club in San Francisco, is a World Kettlebell Club master instructor, who now trains people exclusively on kettlebells, mostly at the Breakaway Performance Center in North Beach.

Bells, as they're called by those who use them, are primitive-looking pieces of equipment that look like cannonballs with handles. They weigh anywhere from 8.8 pounds to 88 pounds and can cost hundreds of dollars each.

They're also one of the most popular forms of high-level fitness pursuits at the moment, even though they are as old-school and basic as they come. Once mostly the province of top-level mixed-martial artists and serious competition-level strength athletes, all kinds of people are discovering the power of this simple tool.

Though many champions in the sport are male, women are some of the most enthusiastic and talented kettlebell swingers.

"Love them. They were a revelation to me," said Amy Bernstein, 48, who has been training with kettlebells for almost two years.

"I think it's because we're busier than most. It's a pretty efficient workout," she said. "It's not for someone who wants to sit on stationary bike and read a magazine. This is intense. You get results. You know it's working because the next day you always feel it."

Since the early 2000s, when Soviet Special Forces trainer Pavel Tsatsouline popularized Russian kettlebell training in the United States and was named Hot Trainer by Rolling Stone magazine, kettlebell technique has evolved and spawned new and competing schools of thought and style.

Russian Kettlebell Club style is tension-based, like powerlifting, requiring short bursts of power. American Kettlebell Club style is more relaxed and endurance focused. Finally, the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation combines the best of American and Russian styles and is committed to fitness and wellness.

The basic kettlebell repertoire includes the snatch, the jerk, and the clean and jerk, standard weightlifting moves which are done differently because of the kettlebell's shape. The bells are swung from one static position to another- from the floor to the chest, then overhead, back down to the chest and the floor. The basic style is hard and power-based but over time, it's evolved to incorporate more graceful, flowing movements.

"You're dancing with the bells," said Buckley, a 6-foot-6, 325-pound affable giant who can move as precisely and delicately as a ballerina when maneuvering massively heavy weights. Buckley, who practices international style and is founder and head coach of the Orange Kettlebell Club, last month took first place in his weight class in kettlebell sport at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic 2009.

The advantages to working out with kettlebells are numerous. Patrick Jernigan, a San Francisco kettlebell teacher in the more traditional Russian style, said, "It's like a portable gym; you can take it anywhere." Jernigan does private classes and occasional group sessions at Synergy Fitness Studio on Sacramento Street and Valencia Street Muscle in the Mission District, and when the weather's nice, he meets people at parks near their homes

The power and beauty of the kettlebell as a workout tool lies in its design.

"When you do a press, the weight is not right in your hand, it's off center so it's more challenging to your stabilizer muscles," said Jernigan, "When you work out on machines, you exercise prime movers, muscles that move you in one direction. When you work with free weights, you have stabilizer muscles that control what goes on in more than that one direction. Kettlebells are more challenging to stabilizer muscles than barbells or dumbbells."

"Twenty minutes straight with a kettlebell is like working out for 1 1/2 hours," said Erica Walters, 36, a political consultant who has been using kettlebells to work out for the past two years. "When I first started I would be in a puddle after 15 minutes."

Physical fitness is not the only benefit.

"Once you get into the sport of it, 10 minutes is a long time to hold something heavy. You just keep pushing," Buckley said. "It's amazing what it does to your will. What I've seen it do to my clients and friends - they can deal with anything. Your patience and ability to handle things under duress goes up."

Kettlebell enthusiasts are passionate - and their numbers are growing.

"Generally people who really get into kettlebell lifting are kinda quirky," Buckley said. "They want to do something that takes a certain amount of skill - you don't just get stronger, your technique improves over time. It's like martial arts. But you can mold a program to accomplish whatever you want. In Russia, it helps people prevent injury and maintain strength well into old age."

Peter Pelaven, 48, a probate attorney in San Francisco, had a severe back injury and chronic pain from a ruptured disc and nerve damage. After he built up his strength, he started training with kettlebells.

"They seem to give a good workout for the core of the body surrounding the spine," he said, "My back used to go out on a more regular basis, and now it's actually not gone out."

Although kettlebells can be used safely and effectively by people at all fitness levels, from top athletes to the injured or elderly, experts stress that working with a reputable trainer is a must to avoid injury.

"If you just grab it and throw it around, you're probably going to hurt yourself," Buckley said. "You're dealing with momentum and manipulating a heavy weight through space, but under correct supervision and by taking proper steps to learn, you become ridiculously stable."

Besides the obvious conversational benefits, there are bragging rights too.

"I'm way stronger," Walters said. "I have another trainer that I do boxing with and she says I'm harder than all the boys."

Buying equipment

Experts recommend buying kettlebells online. Here are a few resources:

Orangekettlebellclub.com (AKC/WKC Kettlebells, 8kg-48kg, $29.95-$164.95)

Dragondoor.com (RKC black kettlebells, industry standard for cast-iron bells 4kg-48kg, $47-$219)

Russianreds.com (RKC Russian Red Kettlebells, slightly less expensive bells, 4kg-32kg. $115-$149)

Aderkettlebells.com (high quality, less expensive, 4kg-92kg)

Performbetter.com (Sport bells suitable for beginners, 2kg-32kg, $29.95-$164.95)

Upcoming workshops

Patrick Jernigan, RKC: Noon April 26. $60. Synergy Fitness Studio, 3556 Sacramento St., San Francisco.

Cecelia Tom, RKC: 2:30-4 p.m. April 25. $10 off for Chronicle readers, go to www.praxiskettlebell.com/ for details.

John Wild Buckley: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. May 9. APEXWellness Training & Wellness Studio, 632 Commercial St., San Francisco. orangekettlebellclub.com.

Tips on finding a kettlebell trainer

John Wild Buckley says to "look online at the blogs and get a fair representation of what people are into."

Make sure the trainer is certified with a reputable organization.

Find a trainer who follows a style that appeals to you.

Check out the workshops and conferences they've attended. See if they are dedicated to their own education.

Find out how much experience they've had training people. Ask for references.

Attend a workshop and see how you like it.

E-mail us at datebookletters@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Partial Detox & Time to Re-group

2009-04-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

Ah! This is a challenging detox and I need to take a time out to regroup. My energy level is too low, simple workouts far too challenging, and cravings for starch far too intense (which I have succumbed to on more than one occasion and I'm only two days in!). I am going back to the "Ayurvedic Warrior Diet" cycle since my system seemed to have liked. This morning I have focused on my teas, water, and had a small apple to reduce the craving for a big bowl of cereal. I'm starting to feel a bit better, the cobwebs are clearing, and my focus honing in on the most important thing-my health!

My workouts have been crap. The past two days I have been weak and exhausted at just the site of a kettlebell. Today I am hoping for better results. I'm due to do the heavy swings and I think it should go well. I can feel my body shifting at just the idea of going back to the warrior cycle of eating. Lite & raw by day and gradually becoming more complex for the evening meal.

I'm super excited about having picked up two classes at the Be-Yoga Studio in Menlo Park. I will be teaching the following:

Starting Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wednesday 7.00am-8.00am
Eclectic Flow
This playful class mindfully blends various yogic traditions to create a down to earth practice that is both challenging and rejuvenating. Available to people of all levels, we will be working with various yogic techniques in a fluid and fun flow.

Starting Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday 9.00am-10.00am
Warrior Flow
Warrior Flow is a strong and engaging practice designed to discover your inner warrior. Cultivating strength that honors flexibility and flow that will allow your yogic warrior to be unleashed. Be prepared to sweat, work, and move with balanced confidence.

I've finally figured out how to do basic editing of my videos for YouTube, which is exciting for me. I am no longer dependent upon someone else to edit my work! Yeah!!! Slowly I have been getting some new stuff up and I'm continuing to get more information up all the time. I am always looking for new ideas to if you have any questions, let me know! I can address them through the video clips.

So far I have had questions about:
*plank & side plank drills
*chaturanga (aka Hindu push-up)
*chair pose & yogic squat (aka Hindu squat)
*ankle alignment (strength & mobility issues)
*low & high crescent
*how to keep shoulders down with presses

The Yoga that's right for you

2009-04-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

From time to time I will play around and experiment with different Yoga practices. I like to see what different styles have to offer and what I can learn from both the style and the teacher. Spring time I usually do a detox of some sort, so that means heated Yoga practices always come back into my awareness. Ah, nothing like 100degree room to make you sweat and move toxins out of the system.

I think you see where I'm going, Bikram Yoga. Now the first time I tried it, I thought it was okay. But the more I took it, the more I found it to be a horrible class. The teacher cued for students to do things that would put their joints in jeopordy of injury. There was no awareness of the body, how it functioned, and how each person will hold each asana differently depending upon their structure. Your bones, muscles, and tendons will decide how deep you can move into an asana. A skilled teacher will be able to see which layer is holding you back and give you individual ques to move you deeper more safely. So the cue for people to push their knees to the back of the wall or to push their knees onto the ground so their heels float off the ground-very bad and extremely dangerous! This pushes people past neutral and into hyper-extension! Add extreme heat, and there, my friends, you have a recipe for knee injuries all around the room. Seemingly intelligent people follow along without question as if yoga is a magical form of movement where you can't hurt yourself. It drives me crazy, that, and the teacher who snapped every time it was time to change positions (really? snapping? you're snapping at me to move? in yoga! is it the heat talking or is it okay for me to want to smack him? maybe it's just the heat....) Of course there's the also the fact that every teacher has to say the same thing. Bikram has a franchise, so to be a qualified teacher, you must do his training (fair enough) and follow his script (what?!). So that means every class will be the same, always (sort of like McDonald's). There maybe a slight variance but all the ques are the same, every class will be the same as the last. This makes me sad on the inside. I love the flow, I love not knowing where the class will go, I love the adventure of vinyasa. To see the creativity of the teacher, the skill as they layer each one of the poses, you get a sense of the person guiding you down the river of asanas! So cool when you get a highly skilled guide. Not to say every class is great, but man, when it clicks, it is pretty amazing. Bikram takes the joy right out of it. It's the only class I actually leave feeling worse than when I walked into the room. That my friends, is not a good thing. When I, a fairly calm hippie chick, actually plots out how to smack a fellow yoga teacher upside the head, it can't be good.

The last time I took the class (about a week ago), I had to think of it less as a physical practice and more of a spiritual practice. My practice was to remain in a situation that made me angry with an open heart. Stand there with the bad ques, the snapping, the heat, and the script and not let it get under my skin. Not let it bother me. Not let the voice in my head yell at the teacher and call him names. I worked on moving past my own judgements of what "yoga should be". Then I focused on moving beyond just "not letting it bother me" and move into a space of compassionate acceptance. For me it felt like being in the chaos with a calm mind. I don't have to follow what is being cued, I know myself and my body. I know how to safely push the boundaries of my physical practice. My practice for the last Bikram class I will ever (fingers crossed) take was to not get angry with what I perceived as an injustice and killing of the human spirit through bad yogic technique (drama! lol). My practice was to understand it for what it is and to move through what was offered with a compassionate awareness of the human condition. What works for me is just that, what works for me.

*Side note: I still think every teacher should take an anatomy class and watch the DVD "Anatomy for Yoga Teachers". Invaluable information about body structure and alignment.

Over view of the week & planning for the next

2009-04-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

I've been sticking to the training plan this week. I have to say, the 36:36 MVO2, is mentally challenging, I can do it physically, I just start to play mind games with myself. I have grown accustomed to the short attention span of the 15:15 protocol. The 36:36 takes focus and determination. There's so much time to think; and frankly, thinking can get me into trouble. I mostly will try and do calculations in my head. So if I'm off in math land, my alignment begins to suffer. Focus is the name of the game!

This week training plan:
grease the groove with 8 kg pistols
Monday/Friday MVO2 36:36 12kg 16reps
Tues: Military Ladder Press 5 sets up to 5 count, bent press work, & jerk press work
Wed: Heavy swings 24kg 2 hand swing, 20kg transitions, 16kg one hand swing; 20 reps for each type for going for 10 sets
Thursday: TGU 16kg as many as I can on each side straight through no switching, finish with windmills, squats, deck squats, burpies, and whatever else I can think of :)

Lots of Yoga during the week, working with Duncan Wong's DVDs and I have also started to incorporate direct work with various styles of martial arts. I have been enjoying it quit a bit and find that it helps to channel my extra energy in a healthy way.

I am also going to be starting my Ayurvedic Detox plan. It should be interesting to see how things go with that. The eating schedule is different than the Warrior Diet plan, but won't be overwhelming. Basically the day with be much the same with the addition of steamed veggies for breakfast and lunch. Snacks of blueberries/blackberries and apples during the day. Dinner will be Kitchari and steamed veggies.

Kitchari is pretty tasty vegetarian protein source, despite it's overall appearance. The recipe is:
1 cup yellow mung dal (split or whole)
cup basmati rice
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
2 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 small handful fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons ghee (purified butter)
1 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon bark
5 whole cloves
4-5 crushed cardamom pods
10 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups water

Wash the mung dal and rice until water is clear. Soaking the dal for a few hours or overnight helps with digestibility.
In a blender, put the ginger, coconut, cilantro and 1/2 cup water and blend until liquefied.

Heat a large saucepan on medium heat and add the ghee, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns and bay leaves. Stir for a moment until fragrant. Add the blended items to the spices, then the turmeric and salt. Stir until lightly browned

Stir in the mung dal and rice and mix very well. Pour in the 6 cups of water, cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, then turn down the heat to very low and cook, lightly covered, until the dal and rice are soft, about 25-30 minutes if mung beans are split, and 1 hour if whole. Add water if needed.

This recipe and many others can be found in Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing (second edition) by Usha & Vasant Lad. This recipe can be found on page 79.

KB & yoga plan for the week

2009-03-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm back on track today with kettlebell workout and scheduled yoga class. I am trying to incorporate more yoga classes in order to learn more and it's always good to be guided through classes rather than queuing all the time. I've also got my kettlebell workouts planned for the week.

Today's workout:
36:36 12kg 15 reps
today I made it through 20 sets only because of a time issue. The next time I do it will be Friday, my goal is 40 sets

Yin Yoga class this afternoon and a walk around town while I run errands will be a nice cap to the day.

I have one more class to teach today and off to bed early. I'm starting to get more early morning clients which is very exciting to say the least. This shift is pulling me back into the old pattern of getting up early and going to bed early. Which I'm happy to get back to; something about mornings is so refreshing especially in the spring/summer time.

As for the KB plan for the week, it is as follows:
Monday, Friday=MVO2 36:36 cycle with 12kg
Tues, Thursday=press ladders & TGUs 12kg
Wed=heavy swings 24kg

Yoga Focused Week

2009-03-27T18:28:00.001-07:00

This was a strange week. I only did kettlebells once, a nice and very quick, heavy swing day. That was it. I am trying to re-establish a home base for my yoga practice, so I have been playing with a local studio that had a great offer of $40 for 30 days unlimited classes. Can't go wrong with that.

Now I have a plan for next week with kettlebells and a schedule for the yoga classes I liked. I'm on track with the "Ayurvedic~Warrior Diet". Overall, I'm feeling good. I feel like I should be shedding my layer of baby fat pretty soon. My muscles feel good and strong. My flexibility is pretty good, although my mobility works against me from time to time.

Ancient Asana Wisdom: Spiral Alignment for Kettlebells

2009-03-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been working on one of my personal "ticks" with the snatch and swing. Due to the lack of strength in the inner thigh, my knees tend to wobble inward (you can really see this in the 5 min snatch test). This wobbly knee means I loose the power in my legs and have to work harder and consequently less efficiently.

There is a style of yoga (rather popular these days) called Anusara. It was created by John Friend. He has a keen view of alignment and breaks down the body with the idea of spirals, with the limbs corkscrewing back into the torso. Even the torso itself is spiraling with energy up the center channel of the body (aka Kundalini energy). So I have been applying my rough knowledge of this style to my kettlebell workouts. Working with the spirals of my legs into the hips, creating better stability as I consciously engage my muscles and move through my swings or snatches. I have to stay focused on this, the moment my mind floats elsewhere, my knee goes back to wobbling and collapses inward. I anchor my foot to the earth and corkscrew it back into my hip and hug the muscles into the bones. I specifically chose this direction of the leg back into the hip, because I have a natural tendency to be loose in the joints, so I wanted to really hone in on the joints staying stable. So far so good. I can't wait until this is more natural and requires less direct focus. I think a few more weeks of greasing the groove and I should be good. Then it's onto other aspects of my movement. Always working on being more efficient and connected.

Official 1 Week of Warrior

2009-03-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Today marks the day, my first week of Warrior(ish) Diet. I feel good over all. I think my system is finally getting used to the Hemp Protein. I wasn't as bloated last night as previous night. That's a good thing, but the belly choir is still churning away, so I know there is still a ways to go before I am fully there.

My energy level is okay. I don't feel uber strong or a buzz of energy surging through me. But I am able to get through the day fairly well. My workouts generally take me a little while to get into, but I can do them and frankly should try to push and do more. This week I will focus on the eating cycles that are recommended and see how that helps the energy level. I also want to be more efficient with the workout planning. Really sit down and come up with a pattern to burn the layers off as well as work on my strength.

Today's workout:
MaxVO2 16kg and shooting for 80set of 15:15
I'll update later with whether or not the goal was met and what the energy level was

Update:
Made it through the 80 sets regardless of having busting through the NewGrips
Energy was good, although at set 40 my belly started to go off, making crazy noises, from what I believe my have been the depths of hell. Not confirmed yet, but it is a strong potential. Despite the noisy belly made it through feeling pretty good.
Added in backbends, headstand, ab work, and side plank work for sh*ts and giggles

Coming down the Wire

2009-03-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

I'm coming down the wire to the first full week the Warrior(ish) Diet. I haven't mastered the cycle fully yet, but my body is getting used to the general pattern of eating. Today it wasn't until 4.00 that the uncontrollable hungry came up and grabbed in at Trader Joe's. I felt the pain and desire. My mind started to whirl. I wanted to grab cookies, crackers, bread, and cheese. I wanted to rip open the packages and shovel the food into my face. Instead, I decided to breath. I closed my eyes and remembered what my goals were. (I'm sure I looked like a hippie freak in Menlo Park doing breathing exercises in the middle of the grocery store, but who cares!)I remembered where I want to go & what I want to do, my health and fitness goals, my overall well being. I remembered how I looked in the mirror naked (shivers down the spin), that my friends is a powerful vanity manipulator. My heart stopped racing and the hunger pains slowly subsided. I continued to shop and everything I picked up came into question. Does this fit in the plan? How will my body react to this? These were the key questions I asked myself with each item. I didn't want to make a stupid purchase based on a craving. Next time I eat before I shop. Much faster that way.

My workout:
Not feeling super strong today, but knew I had to move. I'm not sure if it is just the adjustment to the Warrior Diet or if the nutrients are off. I'm still sorting through it. I didn't feel like I was bogged down with cobwebs, so that's a big plus.

Warrior vinyasa flow

5/5 20 kg snatches alternating

double 8 kg pistol work

5 deck squats
10 swings 16kg
10 hardstyle jerk presses double 12kg
5 sets

3sets of 10 reps double 8kg snatch

double 12kg snatch 10 reps
sun salute B
3 sets

Progress with the Warrior Diet?

2009-03-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Not sure if it's progress or that I'm getting used to the undereating phase, but today was a little easier. Made it to about 2 before the crazy hunger set in and had an apple and 2 handfuls of blueberries. Had the usual shake of Hemp protein powder in the morning along with the Tulsi/Green Tea, and water. I also tried out a new shake about 11am. It's called Metabolic Reset. It is designed to be more of a meal replacement to loose weight. Not sure if I liked it. Especially since I am wondering if I might be bloating up during the day. In the morning I feel good, but by the evening I feel gassy & puffy bloated (highly technical term "puffy bloated"). Maybe it's the hemp protein powder? Maybe the new shake? Maybe it's,..... I don't know, it's got to be something, I'm not eating that much so it should be pretty easy to figure out. Could it just be my system letting go of toxins? Whatever it is, I want it to go away. According to the Warrior Diet book, it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks to adjust fully to the method. I have a couple of events this weekend so eating should be an interesting adventure. I'm going to do my best to stay on track, but since this is new, I won't beat myself up for not being perfect right out the gate.

As for the workout today, it was down, dirty (well, not so dirty as much as it was fast). It went as follows:
5/5 TGU 12 kg
3 set 20 transition swings 16 kg
3 reps light rest between sets (goal was 5 just ran out of time)

snatch 6,7,8,9,10 ladder style no rest just continuing to switch hands 12kg (very fast well under 5 min.)

Hump Day & the Warrior Diet

2009-03-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

Wednesday wasn't too horrible. It was actually a bit of a breakthrough day for me. I had the lunch time hunger that wouldn't go away. All I could think about was food! That's not very health and in the Ayurvedic approach unfulfilled desire can create toxins in the body & mind. So I danced with how little I could eat and be able to move on. A serving of smoked salmon and 2 handfuls of blueberries seemed to do the trick (oh and some coffee too). I would love to be able to be able to figure out when & what to eat before the hunger takes over like that. I don't want to go through the conversations. Although the conversations were very revealing this time. Now it's not about being able to maintain the energy I need to get through work and workouts, it was about blood sugar and not wanting to be cranky. If I eat then I'll be happy. Silly brain, that's not going to make me "happy" and there are other ways to get the blood sugar balanced.

Tracy reminded me this morning "meditate, meditate, mediate"! Thank you!!!! Yes, mediation is something I have kept separate from the revisit to the Warrior Diet. But it can't be. It needs to be an integral part of the process. Anytime you drastically reshape your lifestyle approach, mediation will help to balance out the momentary chaos it creates. Within the chaos there is so much to learn and it's important not to let it control you, but to observe without judgement.

I was once told (as a joke) that if I had enough self loathing then I can succeed with my ultimate goal. Because if you hate yourself with the old ways enough then you will change and recreate yourself into something new and better, something that you love?! Hmmm, that's not good! I couldn't even engage with it as a joke, it made me sad on the inside (lol). I know there are people out there motivated by self loathing and a desire to change what they hate in order to love the new creation. I don't know if that's possible however. I take a different approach. You have to accept yourself in all forms, even if it's something you want to change, it's still you. Big, small, skinny, muscular, smart, dumb, addict, lazy, whatever separate the behavior from the person. Love yourself enough to change the underlining pattern & the habits that reflect the pattern. Love yourself enough to step up to the challenge. Love yourself not the behavior, but understand what you are capable of doing.

Side note about the workout:
had cobwebs that I pushed through and completed 50 reps 15:15 of 20kg 2 hand swings
did a warrior flow vinyasa sequence inspired by shiva rea's & duncan wong's teachings
worked with Jordan on Hardstyle jerk press & pistol work
felt good about the overall energy level, had to push past the "i don't wantas", not sure at this point how much of it is psychological and how much is nutrition, it's a tough call...........

Continued experiment with Warrior Diet

2009-03-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

So it's now Wednesday and I'm still sorting through how the Warrior Diet can work for me. I have blended in my Ayurvedic training and am eating foods that are for my dosha type (body composition type). I am a blend of Kapha & Vata. One of the more challenging types to balance due to the fact they are polar opposites (good times). Kapha is the Earth/Water elements and Vata is the Ether/Air elements, it is a fine line I must walk to keep both balanced. Typically what Kapha needs to stay balanced will make Vata go off balance and vise versa.

Here are some links if you want to learn more about this approach:
http://ayurveda-foryou.com/treat/doshadiet.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda
http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/ayv_home.htm

As I mentioned last time, I gained weight on the Warrior Diet the last time I tried it. I was eating dinner at 9.00pm because of my work schedule and when I was eating, I was eating anything I could get my hands on and then going to bed. Not a good combo for me. This time I am being very mindful of what types of foods I eat, they must be balancing to both doshas (this makes the list of foods rather small).

Yesterday I was so hungry at lunch time I couldn't see straight. So I did eat scrabbled eggs and a small green salad. Not so bad. Dinner was a huge bowl of soup with lots of veggies and chicken. At this point I'm trying to figure out how to get over the hump of the day with enough energy to workout, train clients and do massage. I start my day with a 10 oz cup of warm soy milk with hemp protein, which does me well until about 11ish. That's when I need to figure out how to get the nutrients I need without bogging down the system.

During the experiment, my workouts have been small. It's like I just can't push past the cobwebs that hold me back. This is not good. I'll try this for a week and if it doesn't change then I need to drop the idea of the Warrior Diet method and find something else that will work for me.

Weekend Experiment

2009-03-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

I did a little experiment over the weekend. Did two days of veggie juice, soy milk, tea, coffee during the day and lean protein with lots of veggies for a health dinner. Saturday went well, although I did eat dinner a few hours earlier than normal as the blood sugar level dropped and the people around me commented on how snappy I was (who me ;~) ). I didn't snack that night, which is a huge step for me. Sunday made it through to about 3.00pm then had a big bowl of chicken stock with hand full of kale, a few mushrooms, wakame (sea weed), miso, ginger, one green onion, and one carrot. Yummy! and hit the spot. Dinner was a few hours later lean protein & veggies. I was over at my friend's place (you probably have one just like him, you know, the one that can eat anything and never gain weight -- grrr!). Had some popcorn and a little chocolate and tried not to feel too bad about it. I would say overall, the experiment went pretty well. So Monday, I'm trying it out to see if it works for me today. So far miso soup with tofu for breakfast, 2 eggs for lunch, soy milk for snack, planning on lean protein and veggies for dinner. Being very careful about grain intake and experimenting with less is more theory.

Pretty much this week is just a continuation of the experiment. Keeping food as simple as possible. Working toward an Ayurvedic version of the Warrior Diet. Giving it a try with a little more wisdom than last time (I gained weight last time). I'm really taking it day by day and listening to how I feel, letting my body be the guide.

I finally did it.............

2009-03-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

A small group finally made it to brunch at The Top of the Mark. The views of the city were amazing, such a clear day. Brunch was the main mission and at their silly prices for a buffet, I was getting my money's worth. I started off with oysters on the half shell and the decadence just continued from there. So tasty! I felt like the guy from Monte Python (just one more bite, it's wafer thin).

On Monday, I woke up and just wasn't hungry. What a great way to start the once a week liquid fast. I decided not to eat solid food until sun down. The whole day was nothing but water, tea, and some soy milk. I was surprised how I just wasn't that hungry. (of course the small village I ate the day before probably had something to do with it) Whenever I did feel a little hungry I would just drink some water and it was gone. Good to know for the future. I know I have lost touch with what it feels like to be thirsty v. hungry, so this once a week exercise will be helpful in retraining myself.

New tracking software

2009-03-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

So I have been driving myself crazy tracking 50 million different things on various highly inefficient pads of paper. Tracking, mind you, and never doing a damn thing with it. I knew enough to know tracking can be good, but not enough to know how to do it properly.

The other day I stumbled up TheCarrot.com application for my iPhone. Yeppy! Mind you it is only day 2 of using it, so the shiny toy may fade away, but it has helped me see exactly how many carbs I actually eat. Good lord! As a former and recovering vegan I was forced to be very mindful about my nutrient intake, my protein source was all plant based. Due to my body type, it is easy for my to pack on the pound with the carb intake increased. So when I switch over to eating meat again, I thought I was doing pretty good with decreasing the carbs. Apparently not enough. Just looking at the protein-carb-fat ratio, I am way off. I need to sit down and get a better understanding of how to increase the protein and decrease the carbs. Boy, just when you think you have a clear understanding of what is going on, BAM! a new reality check just to keep you on your toes. :~)

Refining the Snatch

2009-03-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

I took a step back this week and rather than work with the 16kg Snatch; I decided to lighten the load and work with the 12kg to refine my movement patterns. I have been working with a wobbly knee rolling into the mid-line, never hurts me, but not the best in terms of muscle development (and leaky energy). What I have noticed so far is on the down swing my hips tilt (one higher than the other) and this is when my knee drops in. So I have been focusing on level hip and noticed an instant change. It is still not second nature, as I have to remain focused on it the whole time.

I also spent more time working on the jerk and bent press. Good stuff. Once I get the rhythm down I can see being able to move heavier weight. That seems like it could be fun!!!

Perception Shift: Training Schedule and Weight Loss Goals

2009-03-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Since I have started training with kettlebells, I have lost inches! I love it. My shape has changed, I am much stronger and I feel great. This has happened with surprisingly little effort. I changed some eating habits and the weight came off. However, I'm not fully there yet. It's the final few pounds/inches that I "struggle" with. This is where the dedication comes in. I can hold at this weight and size pretty easily, however, this is not where I want to hold. So now the real work comes in. I have to make more changes to both what I eat and how I exercise.

During RKC, I got a taste of what I was able to do. I push myself, but never that much in one day let alone 3 days. Based on how quickly I recovered, I have to say I probably could have done a little more, or kept it going for a longer period of time. So how does that translate into my daily life, with clients, classes, and workshops. How do I push myself a little more but still leave enough for all of the other activities in my life? Where is my true edge? How do I train to reach it without crossing over? This is what I have been asking myself the last few days.

As for the food, I was told awhile ago, on several different occasions by different Ayurvedic Doctors & Yogis, that I should consider a juice fast once a week. This would help with my digestion. Taken as a day of rest and meditation, the juice fast is supposed to help on not just the physical but with the spiritual realm (if you happen to believe that stuff). So I have been looking at my schedule and trying to time the best day for a juice fast each week. My primary reaction to the idea however, is fear. I try to come up with a million different reasons why it will never work. Or how I will just start it next week, but next week never happens. I watch the fear come up and it tries to become logic. I just continue to observe the emotion and understand where it comes from. There is a small part of me that is afraid of change, not just my habits, but of my patterns that create my perception. If I make this change, if it helps me drop the final few inches, then my body will have undergone a full transformation. I will physically look and feel differently. This will mean that I can no longer hold onto the image of the "thick" girl. I will have to adjust my perception of myself. See myself in a different light and know that other people will see me differently as well. This I find to be my biggest challenge. I believe this is why I have always been on the roller coaster of weight going up and down. Not because I couldn't stick with the routine, but because I couldn't change my perception.

Joint awareness while stretching........

2009-03-03T18:37:00.000-08:00

I have been noticing for sometime the strange contradiction that seems to pop up while stretching. People will move heavy weight, workout hard and then do a few stretches because they have heard it might be good for them. Stretching is seen as an after thought rather than a key counter balance to support their activity (and their ability to continue the activity safely).

Often, especially with people who have either broad shoulders or who have issues in engaging their lats, I see people who are attempting to get into a "cobra" stretch and cry a little on the inside. With their shoulders jammed into their ears, elbows flying away from the body, shoulder joint rolling into the mid-line of the body, legs passively behind them with their ankles hinging, they are more likely to injure themselves than prevent injury.

I couldn't find an exact picture, but this will do for the discussion.

There are several things that could make this pose a more efficient stretch and more active in building strength. Let's start by looking at a key foundation point, the hands. Notice how his hands are bubbling and tight, spread the fingers wide and anchor through the base of each of the fingers. This provides a stable base and shifts the stress out of the wrist. Moving up, notice the elbows moving away from the torso (leaking energy, not good). By rotating the elbows in (imagine hugging into the ribs), you provide space to lengthen out through the collar bones and draw the shoulder blades down. It is also good to not just toss the head back thereby compressing the back of the neck. As I actively draw the shoulders down I imagine drawing C7 down away from the base of the skull. Try to create as much space as possible in the back of the neck, this will save you pain in the long run.

Keeping the above in mind will help create space for a deeper stretch through the chest and belly.

As for the claim this is a low back strengthener. Well, that's only true if your active in the lower body. No letting the ankles bend (ouch! more leaky energy). The hips are pressing down as the sternum is lifting to the sky. This is the anchor of the pose. As the hips anchor, the tail bone is in "cat tilt", in other words is curling down into the ground. This activity helps to prevent any compression in the low back. The legs are also pressing into the ground with each toe nail pressing evenly into the ground (and no bend in the ankle, did i mention that? :~) ).

This is an active stretch/strengthen posture, you are staying in your joints, muscles are hugging into the bones as they elongate. As always, the breath is fluid and full.

Check out the YouTube page for more info on this!

The Press and Spine Awareness

2009-02-26T08:14:00.000-08:00

Today Jordan guided me into the Jerk, the Push, and the Bent Press. This is to help me move to the next level and achieve some of my goals for the year. These will help me move heavier weight and make greater gains than just the Military Press alone. As we were working on form, we both noticed that when I focused on lengthening my spine the weight went up with greater ease. When the spine is long, my frame is long, so my muscles can fully engage to support moving the weight. With the compressed spin, the muscles are also compressed, and therefore under strain with no place to go when the loaded.

Take notice of the spin when doing your presses and see how it goes. When I focus on lengthening my spine, I give myself a few key phrases:

1) lengthen from both ends of the spine-out through tailbone, up through crown of the head
2) breath space between the vertebrae
3) drop the shoulders away from the ears
4) keep the chin moving into the back of the throat as the tips of the ears left to the sky

Thank You

2009-02-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who has given me a shout out of congrats! It reaffirms just how amazing the RKC community is.

I am so excited to get back at it. I took yesterday off to recover and now I am so excited to get back to my workouts. Today will probably be a big swing day and I'll throw in some pistols, squats, and presses. Should be fun.

As for the hands, they held up pretty well during the training. The first day I wasn't as on top of the taping/protection as I should have been. After all, they were "just swings". HA! So I got the beginnings of a blister which I taped right away. Then, when I took the tape off, the blister came off with it. Not cool, but not as bad as it could have been. Then I just kept the NewGrips on and all was good. I just can't say enough about the NewGrips. Transition swings are challenging, but do-able when careful.

RKC completed!

2009-02-23T16:31:00.000-08:00

RKC San Jose 2009 completed. Jordan did a great job getting me ready for the weekend. I felt strong during the workouts. I can't say enough about MVO2 workouts as well. This is an amazing way to get your cardiovascular abilities. I never felt winded, tired, or worn out during the workouts. This enabled me to focus on the skills development portion of the training. Good stuff! My weakness was with the military press. I got some pointers on how to improve my technique and therefore my muscle tone.

My proudest moments:
1. passing my snatch test in 2 1/2 minutes flat
2. being told my swing was "bad ass"
3. Pavel telling me my movements were "crisp" and I was a "machine"

Areas to continue work:
1. military press
2. continued work with MVO2, I want to get up to 80 sets with 16 kg
3. front squat to press with 16 kg

I want to thank the amazing team of teachers. Each unique and so willing to share their knowledge and skills. RKC is an amazing group of people all dedicated to the ideals of functional movement training. Thank you!

Corn Huskers Lotion and the Deal with the Devil

2009-02-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

I have for sometime resisted the idea of using Corn Husker's Lotion. As a suburban girl from California using anything on my skin that I can't identify where it came from and how it came into existence makes me feel funny on the inside. For as long as I have been working with Jordan, I have been trying to find a replacement for this devil's potion. Alas, it is with defeat in my heart and my head hung low, I slithered into Safeway (yes, the devil's layer itself) to purchase this potion. Everyone has their price. For me, it is clearly my hands. Please with the purchase of this potion, let my hands be safe from rips, may they be safe during RKC, let this evil unknown chemical source of moisture work blessed magic on my hands!

Preparing for RKC

2009-02-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

This week I am focusing on getting ready for the RKC in San Jose. I met with Jordan last week for a few last minute pointers and advice, which helped take the nervous edge off my mind. At this point, no more MVO2 with snatches. I want my hands to be ready for the weekend. I need to pick up the "corn huskers lotion", which Jordan swears by, to keep the hands maintained during the certification. Apparently, most people will tear their hands over the weekend. I don't want to be one of those people. I would like to walk aways from the certification weekend with the hands in tacked. This is my secondary goal for the weekend, primary of course, being to do my best and pass with flying colors!

I went back to the 8kg for the pistol practice I've been doing. I tweaked a few movements with the pistol, now the form is back and they look a lot better. I wanted a solid pistol by RKC level 1 and I feel good about it. I know it's not expected until level 2, but I wanted to be uber prepared. Next year I would like to do RKC 2, but I want to be prepared for it physically this year. That is why one of my goals for this year is the pull-up. With the pull-up and pistol mastered this year, hopefully next year at RKC 2 I will be able to absorb even more information.

This week workouts are focused on just keeping me moving, no break throughs, no injuries, just focus on the purity of the foundation movements that will get me through the certification.

Great workout today

2009-02-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

Feeling really good about my workout today. It went as follows:

16 kg TGU
5r/5l

16kg 2 hand swing for 10 reps
16kg deep squat
3 rounds no break

12 kg clean, press, windmill
5r/5l

I did the above for 3 rounds with small breaks only. Just tried to keep moving. During breaks I worked on back bends and handstands.

8 kg pistols
5r/5l
they weren't the prettiest pistols but they still count. I was a bit toasty after the above workout, but I want to stay on top of the pistol progress. I want to build up my strength and stability so I can do the hop transition that looks so cool! (of course it's not about the looks ;~) ).

I finished it off with handstand wall walk downs. That's where you come to a handstand up on the wall then walk it down to plank. I want to get to a point where it is not problem to do that then walk it back up the wall. I was not able to do it today, but I feel like I'm close.

Workout and classes

2009-02-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today I started of with MVO2, 100 sets (50 on/50 off) 15/15 sec. 6 reps 16kg. It was the first time back since the shoulder and it felt great. I just love how I feel afterward. Later in the day I taught a class, did some 2 hand swing sets with them with the 20kg and 1 hand swings with 16kg. Super fun stuff. And as always threw in some sun salutes for good measure. It was a playful group of women so we also did hip mobility with some belly dancing moves. Just good clean fun!

Finally YouTube Video Up!

2009-02-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time coming, video for YouTube! Super happy with how it looks, although there will be more changes, more video, and more goodies to come. Currently, there are just a couple informative videos on Wrist Strength & Recovery Methods, Hip Openers, general information about my studio and the full video of the 5 min snatch test (117 w/ 16kg!!!). I have also added a link directly to the page on the side menu. So it is easy to find. Hope you find the information helpful!

Arm is doing better

2009-02-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

So being proactive with the arm is paying off. Today it feels great. No pain at all. Did a few swings to get the blood moving and all signs point to good! No pain with full mobility. Aside from using the Zheng Gu Shui, I was doing some self massage techniques. It's a deep tissue technique called scraping and yes, it is as horrible as it sounds. It's slow deep work where you scrape the length of the muscle in question. It was a challenge to do on myself but worth it. I will be posting some stuff to YouTube and I'll be sure to do a bit about this and other helpful self massage techniques.

Still taking it easy

2009-02-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

My shoulder still hurts with an external rotation and extension. But not all the time, which is very good. I've been massaging it out and applying Zheng Gu Shui to the area. This has really helped a lot. I spoke to a Chinese Medicine Doctor and if it's not better by the end of next week, I'm going in for some acupuncture. I want to be 100% for the RKC, no messing around. So I just have to get this thing taking care of properly.

I find it slightly ironic that I just declared my goals for the year (all but one focus on the shoulder strength & mobility) and then bam, I have to deal with a shoulder tweak. Ah, how the universe will test us in small strange ways. Now I have to put the ego portion of the goals way on the back burner honing in on the essence of the overall goal. Strong, healthy, fluid shoulders that are able to support pull-ups, hand stands, and deeper binds this is the goal. How to get there, train with wisdom.

Today while teaching I only used the 8 kg (shockingly light), but strength was not the focus. The focus was all about mobility. Just checking things out, seeing how the shoulder reacted to the movement under a slight load. Not so bad and once I was warm I didn't feel the shoulder issue at all. That is a good sign.

Forced Day of Rest

2009-02-05T19:42:00.000-08:00

So frustrated today! I had to take the day off, as I was getting an awful pinching pain in my left shoulder. Every time I did the movement like the beginning of a military press I would feel a sharp pain in the deltoid. Ah! Today was supposed to be pressing ladder day, so it was a no go. I work on people who have this same pain, I know what needed to be done to release the spot. I've done it a million times before. It's just a challenge to do on yourself. I just stayed with it all day working it when I could. Now at the end of the day I'm finally feeling some relief. I'm hoping to be back on track for tomorrow and the military press.

Yesterday's workout and new goals

2009-02-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

So my resent workouts have been as follows:

Yesterday:
MVO2 15/15 sec 20kg 2 hand swings
I made it to 60 sets with 11 reps before my grip got toasty,
that's when I dropped weight to 16kg
20 sets with 10 rep 1 hand swing
20 sets with 11 rep 2 hand swing

8 kg pistols
5r/5l
I was able to move through this pretty easily, so I think it's time to start work with the 12 kg

squats with 24 kg 3 sets of 10
one leg dead lift 24 kg 3 sets of 5r/5l

*my gluts are pretty sore today, I was hoping my legs would be as well, but not so much

So after this workout I realize I have 3 physical goals for the year.
1. the pull-up
2. move from down dog to handstand using push-pull method of strength, not momentum
3. pistol jump, being able to transition from one leg to the other in pistol
ok, maybe 4 goals
4. perform proper bind for pigeon & king dancer pose, the shoulder mobility!!!

So I now have 4 physical goals for the year, that are do-able with some hard work. I sometimes feel a little weird having goals. The hippie inside of me wants to protest. No! Not a goal, it's about the journey not the destination!!! But I know these for tasks I have place before myself are not going to be where I hang out. They are simply bench marks for me while I continue to grow and evolve. They are ways to keep me actively engaged in my transformation. It's not bad to have a goal, it's the relationship you choose to have with the goal. Are you obsessive and sacrifice your safety, overwork, let your ego drive the ship toward this goal? Or do you recognize it is indeed simply a direction, hold it with compassion, and wisely plan your journey to move toward it?

Faux Spring and Early Detox

2009-02-04T13:00:00.000-08:00

I was riding my bike to work on a beautiful faux spring day. The sun was out California Poppy's and daffodils were in bloom. My body just started to crave the first detox of the year. I usually don't do much detox work until April. I like to take the Ayurvedic approach and work with the rhythm of the seasons. But with the early spring like weather, it just seems to be calling out. I picked up a little detox kit from Trader Joe's and will start the 14 day process tonight. I haven't tried this one before, but it seems like some good stuff; liver, digestion, and fiber. Seems like a good start. I'll still do the big one in April with the Panchakarma as well.

Fine tuning my snatch work

2009-02-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

I took a look at Nikki Schlosser's blog TRAIN HARDstyle. She had been noticing the hip snap as the key to moving more quickly. I took that information and started to look at my own swing time vs. snatch time and found my hips were also a little sluggish with the the snatch work. So today's MVO2 was all about focusing on the hips. Now that I have the hand situation worked out, I can really dive back into the high volume work I love so much. The focus on the hips was good stuff. I felt like I was moving more in balance today, which I haven't felt in a long time. It was exciting to actually start getting an additional snatch in the mix. So I was doing 6 to 7 reps in the 15/15 16kg.

After the session I did a bit of yoga that focused on Hanamananasa (forward splits) and pigeon pose with bind. I noticed that I started to loose some of my flexibility in the hips when doing the high volume snatch work. So now I make sure to really stretch it out. I want to be able to move deeper into both of these positions, so I need to stay focused. I worked a lot with pulsations of the breath and active engagement and dis-engagement of the muscles with breath. I first learned this technique from Shiva Rea and her Fluid Movement Yoga Teacher Training. I found it interesting and helpful, but it just didn't stick as a practice for myself. I think this in large part due to not truly understanding how to fully engage in the first place. I was then reintroduced to it when doing a workshop with Pavel. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks! It was as if I finally had the missing puzzle piece and everything that Shiva had tried to teach me finally made since. I just love it when that happens. So her methods have now been intertwined with Pavel's creating a framework from which I can work.

So all in all I feel good about the workout today and can't wait for what tomorrow will bring! Maybe some squats, dead lifts, warrior III? Who knows?

More Practice

2009-02-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

Monday's workout was all about the Turkish Get-Up. I did more TGUs than I have ever done before in one workout. At the time, I felt like I was wimping out on the workout. I integrated TGU with several back bending vinyasas, played with Duncan Wong's "flying, push-pull" method, threw in a few pistols with the 8kg and called it a day. I walked away from the workout feeling like I didn't really do much. I didn't break a sweat, my heart-rate barely got up there, and I felt fine.

This morning, however, I feel a little sore in the hamstrings. More than I thought possible from what I did. But, there you go.......

TGU
16kg 5r/5l
1 set
12kg 5r/5l
3 sets
Vinyasa flow with backbends and push-pull practice between sets

16kg renegade rows
5r/5l
3 sets

8kg side plank press
5r/5l
1 set

Morning Walk Challenge

2009-02-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, I started to see an Ayurvedic doctor. It was due to lifelong issues with my health that a "regular" doctors just didn't know how to address. They treated the symptom and not the cause. I worked with her for awhile. She gave me some very important tools for staying healthy. Healthy not just physically, but healthy emotionally. One of them was morning walks. This is different than a morning jog or work out. It is simply a walk, rain or shine, (although much easier in the shine) getting out in the morning before working out or coffee, and "smelling the roses".

For a long while this dropped out of my routine. Recently, I've been working with a friend who is going through a challenging time. I have been trying to help and coach her as best I can because I know how hard it can be to turn things around for yourself (hell, we all do). I remembered how helpful morning walks were to me, so I advised her to do the same. Start the day off with a nice slow walk that focuses in on breathing-nothing more, nothing less. Then it clicked, I can't tell her to do something I haven't done in so long. So the very next day I was out there. Out there more than just remembering how amazing it felt, but actually starting the day to start the day with this meditative activity. It grounds you, gets the blood moving in a healthy way, sets the tone for how you engage with the people and the environment around you. Good stuff. Each step linked to each breath, taking in the beauty that is all around us. I even grew found of walking in the rain, recapturing my child-like since of play. Now, snow? Never had to deal with that...... :~)

My challenge to those who think it may seems silly (cause I did at first, too) is to try it for a week. Get up and take a 20 min walk, then move on with your day as usual. You will see and feel the difference.

Recovery Foods: Flax Seed Tea

2009-02-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

Recipe:
4 T. Flax Meal
2 C. boiling H2O
Dash of cinnamon, cardamom
agave, honey, or stevia to taste
optional lemon juice (especially good if taking tea for cough)

Benefits of this tea are pretty amazing. It happens to be one of the few plants that has a multitude of qualities. First, flax is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acid (which our body's can't produce on their own), actually providing 50% more than fish oil. Second, it has innumerable healing qualities for the body as a whole. Flax helps the immune system function properly by being both a laxative and expectorant that soothes irritated tissues, controls coughing and relieves pain by helping cells repair themselves. The tea itself has a soothing effect on raw, sore membranes of the throat, digestive, and urinary organs.

Check out this link for more information than you could possible ever need to know about the wonders of Flax seeds.

Continued work with Yoga & Kettlebells

2009-02-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

My training yesterday was spread out between classes and clients. Started off the day warming up with a 4 sets of 10 snatches each side with 16 kg. Then I taught a few classes; kettlebell focus was on swings & squats and the yoga class focused on back bends. I try to have the two be a counterbalance to each other. Once classes were done, I saw a private client, then a nice break for my own training.

My training:
10 each 8 kg pistols spread out through the workout

16kg snatches 10 each
12kg pressing ladder
8kg side plank press
alternated these for 3 sets

finished with swings
2 hand for 10, 1 hand 5 each side, 10 transitions
16kg for 5 sets

wrist relief (YouTube video coming soon)
hip release (YouTube video coming soon)

Philosophy of Recovery: Yoga as Balance to Kettlebells

2009-01-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

This morning I sat with my computer in front of me, drinking tea, and listening to a philosopher speaking of the demise of solitude. Due to technology our society is being pushed forward with such momentum that we are loosing site of privacy and therefore depth of knowledge. We are being forced out into the ether in such a public way, sharing without connection, well actually more presenting ourselves more than share. Sort of like what I'm doing now :~) lol! But more so with social networking sites. Which is great to be able to share information with people you have never met (which has been invaluable for me in my journey), but unfortunately, doesn't let us connect any deeper.

So it is through this constant push and rush we are training our nervous system to be constantly on the move. This frazzles the system and can lead to a whole other host of other issues (illness and injury). So it is important to be able to balance this outer world of push and rush with an inner world of a deeper slowing down. Everything needs a counter balance (every action has an equal and opposite reaction). Yoga is an amazing form that allows you slow down, connect deeper, and let the nervous system recover. This recovery leads to balance, clarity, and the ability to move with greater wisdom.

I have been fusing my training with kettlebells and yoga for some time now. I have found that the kettlebells really help me move stagnant energy. I see this with my weight loss and my mode shifting for the better. It gets my heart rate up, helps me gain greater strength in ways I never knew possible. With this possibility that has become manifest, the yoga helps me tap into it and channel it in the form of conscious movement. I absolutely love it. I used to watch other peoples practices with such admiration, thinking that I could never do it myself. I simply didn't know how. I didn't know how to create dynamic tension, I only know how to stretch and release. This meant I kept releasing muscles that didn't know how to engage in the first place, I became weak. So the question became, how to get from my weakened state into a condition that would allow me to move? With kettlebells, I finally get it. I am constantly training my nervous system to work as a whole unit with muscles that fire when needed, engage and support movement. I am able to then slow it down, thereby translating it into the core movements for my yoga practice. Yeah! I love it.

General Fitness Day

2009-01-29T15:33:00.000-08:00

Today's workout was a "general fitness" day. This means lots of burpies, deck squats, swing intervals, squats, and working on Duncan's "flying" technique. I really want to master this technique this year. I guess that and pull-ups are my fitness goals. Luckily, they use the same technique of engaging the mid-section, that tightening of up of the space between tailbone and belly button. Duncan's technique is essential the upside down variation of the pullup. So this is the year I master both!

I also want to shed the layers of protective pudginess. I'm just so tired of seeing it. So I am revamping (as always the diet and exercise plan). There is such a strong part of me that wants to do MVO2 everyday. MaxVO2 is so much fun, better than a runners high, stronger and longer lasting. When I get up to 80 sets I feel like I have really burned lots of calories. However, I don't think it's very good on the body, to just do one thing. So I'm trying to figure out how to work it in smaller set amounts to each practice. I'll keep you posted on how that works.

As for the diet, I've just been trying to eat lots of veggies, lean protein and avoid simple carbos. I let myself have some, otherwise I go through a horrible bendging process on day three/four. Typical for any addiction. So I try to eat it early in the day when the body needs the energy as a quick start. It seems to be working okay. I keep looking at the warrior diet, but I get home so late, I just can't make that the "big meal". It seems to work best when I just keep it simple throughout the day. I teach lots of yoga, so I can't be too full ever. I train and do massage so I need the protein and other nutrients to keep me going. I just try to eat foods my body can easily assimilate. My digestion can get a little sluggish, so I need to be mindful of what, when, and how much. But I think that's true for everyone. Part of the fun of being human.

Follow-up New Grips Review

2009-01-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

I've done the MVO2 workout two time since I last wrote. The second time, I tried to tape my hands. It took time to do it right and was extremely challenging to do on myself (especially the right hand). When I got into the practice, it once again started to role and my calluses started to hurt. I couldn't get to them to file them down, so I just kept going until it didn't feel safe any longer. So it was back to the New Grips for a second try. With the knowledge that they slide when my palms start sweating, I made some adjustments. First, right off the gate I focused on technique. I had to make sure I was hooking the bell from the very beginning. This helped hugely. I also started to slide the pad off during the down time and kept it off during the "off" set. This was key! I was able to make it through 50 sets without too many issues. So I may have found my high volume solution-technique and "air-it-out"!!!

BBC Horizons- Why are skinny people not fat?

2009-01-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

I watched a great documentary last night and couldn't help but think about Sara Cheatham's last few posts about the lame excuses people have about being overweight. They didn't blame the "fat virus" (although they did mention it briefly) but actually dove deep into human physiology. It explored why it is that some people appear to be able to eat whatever they want while others seem to struggle throughout their lives to keep their weight down. The documentary followed the lives of people involved in an experiment. The people were supposed to eat more than double the suggested calorie intake. It was crazy amounts of food they had to get in their body's. Two of the participants actually couldn't get the amount needed each day. Their body's actually produced a gag reflex, when they tried to push through it, they would vomit.

The results were very interesting. The participants had varied results, like the gag reflex for some, others actually built more muscle. Their body's were uber efficient, metabolism actually increased and they only had a 2% gain in body fat. Their body's actually built muscle even when they were doing no physical activity. Crazy!

It was also interesting to learn that our body's start off with a certain number of fat cells. They will expand to their fullest, then our body will begin to make more of these cells. To loose weight, the cells will decrease in size only, we will never loose the cells themselves. So we can make more, but never get rid of them. This means people with more fat cells have body's that are better able to convert calories into fat cells. To compound the body's of children are even more efficient at creating more fat cells. So if you were a plump child your body was producing more fat cell then if you are an adult putting on weight. Physiologically your body is hardwired to convert calories to fat because it believes this is what you need to survive. This is what it believes your resting weight needs to be in order to survive.

They discussed another study that took obese people, controlled the calorie intake to insure they were getting proper nutrients etc. then studied their brains reaction to food stimulus. They found that even though they were eating properly, they felt "full", when they saw food their brain would react as if they were being starved. Their brains were sending signals they needed to eat the food. Even though the participants reported just prior they were not hungry. So, for people who are overweight and just beginning the processes of loosing weight their brains may actually be hijacking the process. So they have to be extra mindful, constantly aware of the choices needed to reprogram their brains & body to reset the resting rate to something more healthy.

However, this does not seal your "fat fate", you always have a choice. The documentary kept coming back to this common sense, logical conclusion. It is important to understand your physiology and make the appropriate choices to support a healthy lifestyle. Each person will have different struggles, some may have more challenges than others, but we each have to make the choice to be healthy.

Duncan Wong Warrior Workshop

2009-01-25T10:11:00.000-08:00

It was another double feature yesterday of Duncan Wong. For those that don't know him, he has an amazing practice that blends together martial art and yoga (what he calls Yogic Arts). It's a pretty amazing practice; graceful, aware, rooted in conscious strength.

The last time I saw him, I had a mixed reaction. The last workshop he was flighty and scattered. This time it was like he was a different person. He was really able to break down the techniques of flying, not jumping with the legs and momentum but flying from the core using a push-pull technique. With the kettlebell work I've been doing, I feel like I can actually move forward with this practice. I feel strong enough to fly, I just need to master the technique.

He has a super fun practice based on strong technique and staying in the body. He's not about flopping and have a sloppy practice of over flexibility. He really did a great job of re-enforcing being present and aware of your body and how it moves with wisdom.

Check out his stuff on YouTube, just look for Duncan Wong, Yogic Arts, Urban Yogi.

New Grips Review

2009-01-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

New Grips are made of neoprene type material, so they don't absorb your sweat but they also don't really allow the palms to breath. This means as the palms get wet, the padding begins to move around. Not so great when your goal is to do high volume snatches. On the plus side, it's shape and thick padding really makes you think about your grip as a whole. Jordan has taught me a great technique of hooking the bell. It has taken me quiet sometime to psychologically let go and not feel the need to cling to the bell and over grip. The New Grips actually reinforces this hooking of the bell. So I just need to figure out how to keep it from moving around so much. I was thinking about taping it on, but then why not just tape the hands (it tends to start rolling up when I've done it in the past) and I think the tape may actually ripe the New Grip padding itself. Any advice would be great!

Choices

2009-01-17T19:25:00.000-08:00

Today after work I so wanted to go out to dinner. It would be so easy, so simple to not have to cook. But alas, I have so much good, healthy food at home. So it is home that I went. I cooked up a tasty stir fry of carrots, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini with chicken. I made a sauce of spice red pepper, peanut butter, and Bragg's amino acid. Of course, I then wanted some dessert. So I took a cue from Tracy and made a healthy version of the rice pudding with brown rice, agave, and soy milk.

Funny how we are faced each day with these little choices that add up over time. Our choice to take the easy way or to put a little effort into something different, something better for you. Yesterday, I took the easy way out. Today, I put a little effort into my choice and feel so much better for it. My hope is that the more I make good choices, the easier it will get. The more I put energy into the pattern of eating healthy, working out, building my business, and having healthy relationships with the people around me, the easier it will be to stay on track.

Overall, I feel good about the choices I made today. I didn't work out today but a least I ate properly, saw a few clients, and kept in touch with friends. Tomorrow is going to be a good work out day with MVO2 of swings and more time with friends. Good stuff.

Open House Today

2009-01-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

My studio space is in the same building as Decamp Jewelery. The woman who owns the shop is having to shut down and is selling all of her inventory at 60-75% off. She does some amazing work. She sent out information to all of clients and also introduced me & my work to them. So today, I'm in the studio all day for an Open House. This is designed for people to come in and ask questions about the practice, classes, and workshops. Really excited!

For anyone interested:
609 B Cowper Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301

www.YogaMindWarriorBody.com

MY HANDS!!!!!!

2009-01-16T09:13:00.000-08:00

Just the other day I was thinking about how good I was with hand maintenance. They are after all one of my "money makers". I need soft, strong hands for deep tissue massage. I had after all been trying to slowly build up some calluses on the hands, not too big, not too small, something just right for kettlebell snatches. I thought I had it down, the pumus stone, the chalk, the daily check ins. Clearly not. Yesterdays MVO2 was cut in half. I had been chalking up between sets, giving the hands a grind down with the file, and then at set 50 I felt it. It was that distinctive stinging sensation. First, denial! No, it just can't be. Then I finished the set, only to see a blister had come up on been broken. I finished the second side and there is was, that same stinging sensation! Crap! Both sides!!!! But I had been so good, I did all the right things? I was so mindful. How could this possibly happen to me? Am I not a good person? What the hell is happening? So, snatches had to stop. I made it to 25 sets on 25 sets of rest and my body was still wanting more exercise. So I did 70 set of 20kg two hand swings (35 on/35 off). That helped somewhat. But I clearly needed a new plan, especially if I want to keep my goal of doing MVO2 2x a week!

Got home and waiting in the mail was the RKC package! Right on the front page were some helpful hints about hand care. I've already tried the sock thing and that wasn't enough. So I went online and ordered myself the NewGrip gloves. They should arrive in 3 short days (special rush delivery), just in time for my new MVO2 day! We shall see how they do. Hoping for the best.

Being Present

2009-01-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity. B.K.S. Iyengar

I was doing my dishes this morning, realizing that I check out of my body when doing the dishes. Puff! I'm gone. I don't enjoy doing them, that is obvious especially today as I had to do the dishes in the sink so I could clear the dishes off the counter. So not good. Actually, completely gross. But, like I said, I hate doing them.

However, if it is through the body that we realize our spark of divinity, then I should be able to do the dishes and have that same sense of divinity that connect with (for just brief little moments) during yoga. There really is no difference. Dishes, yoga, working out, grocery shopping, driving, cleaning the house, running, all of it is simply about a moment of being in our body's, and each moment is simply an opportunity of us to connect with our spark of divinity. So my test was to stay present while doing the dishes and the laundry. Staying connected to the flow of my breath, the flow of each movement, and then it wasn't so bad this morning.

The Ah-Ha moment, it's that easy. The joy of presences is just that close, it's just that easy. I am looking forward to the rest of my day. I am hoping to stay with this awareness as I teach, workout (max VO2 today 15/15 16kg), massage, train, cook dinner, and do the dishes before they build up!

Greensufi Medical Fendraiser - Round 3

2009-01-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

Hi All
Just wanted to send this out there. The Greensufi is an amazing teacher, he was a huge influence on me during my yoga teacher training. His kindness and wisdom is ever present. Any help that you can send his way would be appreciated. Thanks for your help. Click on the below link to make the donation.

http://greenpathyoga.chipin.com/greensufi-medical-fundraiser-round-3

Greensufi Medical Fendraiser - Round 3

Greensufi, Clayton's long time mentor and the Grandfather of Greenpath Yoga needs financial assistance in treating a serious medical condition. This Fundraiser addresses the treatment of a heart ailment known as IHSS which Greensufi has inherited from his mother who died in her 50's.

Big Thanks to all of the 54 Donors of Round One. We are very close to our goal.

Please Give today. Any affordable amount will be greatly appreciated. Together we can raise the funds needed for Greensufi to receive the proper medical treatment. We are looking to raise $1,000. by January 29, 2009. Donations are tax deductable via Greenpath Yoga's non-profit, TRI, a 501-c3 corporation. Your donation is safe and secure with Pay Pal.

For more info on Greensufi: http://www.yoga4health.org

For more info on IHSS: http://www.4hcm.org/WCMS/index.php?overview

Presses, pistols, and squats

2009-01-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today was a quick workout and was a mix of the following:

16 kg military press
2 rounds of 5
2 round of bumps 5 each side

12 kg double military press
3 rounds 5

12kg ladder
2 rounds to 5

16kg rows
3 sets of 5

side plank with 8 kg press

4 1/1 8 kg pistols

headstand ab work

Swings and Sun Salutes

2009-01-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

Today's workout was pretty simple. Just trying to get the heart rate up. It went as follows:

16kg 10r/10l one hand swings
20kg 20 transition swings
24kg 20 two hand swings
sun salute B
1r/1l 8 kg pistol
x7 reps small rest in between reps

117 snatches in 5 minutes!!!

2009-01-12T11:28:00.000-08:00

This is just too much fun. I am getting addicted to the snatch test. This time we caught the whole thing on video and I did a few more than last time. However, I was breathing hard after about a minute into the test. Not good. I think it's due to purely not having done any sort of VO2 training for a little while. So I need to get back at it. VO2 training at least 2x a week. I think this will help me in two ways; 1)cardiovascular abilities increase, and 2) loss weight. I want to drop down to 120 by March. I think I can do it. It's just a matter of staying on top of what I eat. Reducing carbs and increase veggies with lean protein should do the trick. Having done the cooking extravaganza this weekend, I should have no problems sticking to it this week.

I will post the video as soon as I get a copy.

Gluten Free Muffins and Organic Chicken!

2009-01-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

This weekend I made myself some super tasty gluten free muffins that are out of this world. I loaded them up with various dried fruits and nuts, so they are packed with goodness. I also roasted a chicken, made stock and start to soak some beans. I am really trying to prepare wholesome meals ahead of time, so I have no excused to go out to eat. I just have too much good food at home.

Which leads me to a funny story. I was shopping at Safeway, rather than my store of choice WholeFoods, and couldn't find the organic chicken anywhere. Finally I went to the butcher counter and saw the most horrible organic chicken ever. They were dried out and looked very unloved. I asked the butcher if he had any other organic chickens and he laughed at me. "What you actually believe that crap they tell you? You think it really matters?" I stood there a little shocked and without a signal expression on my face answered "Absolutely! You are what you eat and I don't want any additional hormones or antibiotics in my food source." "Fine" he answered and took me to a tiny corner of the store where they had more organic chicken, then said, "You know they lie, they'll say anything to get you to pay more for chicken." I replied, "Lies happen on both sides you know." He grunted as if to say it's too late for this damn hippie chick.............I had no idea that people really don't believe that the hormones, steroids, and antibiotics that animals eat could be safe for us. It blows my mind.

Ladder Press Day

2009-01-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Today's workout was dedicated to the ladder press. The workout was as follows:

warm up with Yoga stretching, sun salutes
3x10reps 2 hand swings 16kg
1r/1l pistol 8 kg
12 kg ladder to 5 reps
proud warrior salute
12 kg ladder to 5 reps
10 burpies
10 deck squats
12 kg ladder to 5 reps
full circle balancing postures
Hanumanasana 8 kg press
head stand ab work
8 kg halo 5r/5l
back-bend
seated lotus meditation

New Rhythm

2009-01-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

I'm getting into a new rhythm and it feels good. This morning I went down to my new studio space and had a great work out. Again, I just can't say enough about having a private space to workout in.
Today's workout:
Yoga Flow: Proud Warrior Flow
12kg ladder press (up to 5)
10r/10l 12kg snatches
20 16kg 2 hand swings 3x
10r/10l 16kg snatches 3x

20kg 2 hand swing
16kg transition swing
alternating between them 36 sec on/off

played with double 24 kg deadlifts

side plank with 8 kg press

cool down with more yoga