“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
― Mahatma Gandhi, An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth
Today is a better outlook day sleep was sound last night and I didn't need medication to get to sleep - bonus! Up early with Brandon to make sure he had a good breakfast and lunch made. Slowly trying to get him to give up bread/sandwiches but figure it really won't be to bad for him seeing as the kid needs to gain some weight.
Pool WOD
Warm-up (with kick board and fins)
100 Meters front
100 Meters alternating on sides
100 Meter back
100 Meter crawl (no board)
10 x 50 meter sprints with 45 sec rest
I was able to keep the sprints to about 45 sec. 7-10 got up to about 48 sec. Rest on last three I shortened so I started on either 15, 30, 45 or 60 station on the clock.
250 M slow swim, any stroke
3 min water walk against current
2 min water run against current
First time for run against current thought I should keep it short
5 Min of Ai Chi Postures 1-5
Ai Chi - Flowing Aquatic Energy - It is a total body strengthening and relaxation progression that bridges East and West philosophies. Ai Chi integrates mental, physical and spiritual energy.
Ai Chi is a water exercise and relaxation program that has been created to help aquatic practitioners and students enjoy the water in a flowing yet powerful progression. It is an efficient exercise program that increases oxygen and caloric consumption simply with correct form and positioning in the water, it is a perfect relaxation technique for highly stressed, over-challenged clients, and it is ideal for creating improved range of motion and mobility. Ai Chi, created by combining Tai-Chi concepts with Shiatsu and Watsu techniques, is performed standing in shoulder depth water using a combination of deep breathing and slow, broad movements of the arms, legs, and torso. The Ai Chi progression moves from simple breathing, to the incorporation of upper extremity movement, to the incorporation of movement of the trunk, to the incorporation of lower extremity movement, and finally to total body involvement.
Benefits
Flexibility and core (abdominal) strength are the benefits most mentioned by aquatic exercise instructors. The trunk stabilization and pain management benefits of the program are the two
most frequently cited by aquatic therapists. Clients’ comments include quotes such as “a soothing experience”, “mind and body relaxation”, and “ a symphony for my body.” The level of benefits increase with practice. Each session of the Ai Chi program will bring more benefits to the client. As a person becomes more familiar with the program, more relaxation will be gained and more attention will be paid to the smallest move of the hand, wrist or eyes. With that deep relaxation and focus, the brain becomes more alert.
Real or deep relaxation can only occur when you feel stable in the water and confident in your ability to follow the progression. We get the feeling of stability and confidence through repetition.
Water lessens edema in the joints which allows clients to improve range of motion and mobility. The soft, round flowing motions strengthen core muscles while providing a soothing experience. Roundness and softness are a part of life. The circular feeling creates harmony. Roundness and softness don’t strain. They move with nature. If one doesn’t go against nature, one will last long. In Ai Chi, we strive not for rigidity but for tranquillity.
There is a Japanese proverb that says “Willow does not break under weight of snow.” Stiff and inflexible branches, bones, and psyches will break. The pliant willow doesn’t break. Pliant bones, connective tissues and psyches won’t break. Ai Chi is created to make the patient and practitioner pliant.
The flowing movements of Ai Chi will increase metabolism and blood circulation. According to research done by physiologists in Japan, simply breathing while submersed to the shoulders in water (not doing anything else) increases oxygen consumption seven percent. This in turn increases caloric consumption.
Ai Chi improves liver efficiency. The deep breathing done from the diaphragm massages the liver and drives out the vitiated blood.
The naturalness of the Ai Chi movements increases Chi which calms the mind and decreases stress and insomnia.
If your interested when I am out next spring I will teach this to you since you have access to a pool- it would be a great addition to your workouts. I used to be certified in this and it really is a great relaxation and strengthening workout.
Stretch:
Use steps in therapy pool as well as the kiddie area to do stretches, lunge stretch calves, hamstring, pigeon pose etc. Spent 5 min or so with jets on back surgical site in order to work on scar tissue breakup.
Review of WOD
Overall work out was good -- I still need to go get my battery so I can see HR in water and land. The sprints were good, harder as they went along. But HR recovery with-in the 45 sec. But 7-10 definitely I had to push hard to get the last 10-15 meters in. So far back seems fine - little difficult to tell due to menstrual cramps (just what you wanted to know).
Diet
Breakfast: Leftover 1 square (3x3 )Quiche, 1 strip of Flank steak
Post-WOD: part of one Left over Chicken Thigh
Lunch: Wild Canned Salmon with Olives, avocado, lemon juice and tomato
Dinner: Lamb Dolmas and Lamb Lettuce Boats with avo-ziki sauce, Cilantro Cauli-Rice, Banana
Cheats - none so far will update on tomorrows blog
Snacks- none so far will update on tomorrows blog
Water so far: 50 oz
Mood
Much improved today. Sleep really made a difference as well as just making a committed to focus on my health. David is seeming to be interactive, so that is helpful. Therapy Appointment this afternoon. Focus will be on what I can do to make me stronger.
