Just breath ...

Wednesday - Strength Training

• Kettlebells - 30 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and 2X Fat Blast Workout)
• Bikram Yoga - 90 mintes (class at local studio)

My lesson for today was to just breath. No matter what problems or issues arise or stand in my way, I can tackle them as long as I just breath. Breathing is one of the most crucial elements of any exercise. It helps you to maintain your form and technique. It also helps to provide your body with much needed oxygen. Proper breathing technique is just as important as having proper form and technique.

One thing that I like about Lauren's workouts is that she really tries to focus on breathing technique. As she does each exercise, she goes through when to inhale and exhale. This is especially useful for someone like me, who still isn't comfortable enough with weight training to know proper breathing technique. This morning I did the 12 minute Fat Blast Workout twice after doing the Joint Mobility Warm Up. I am not disappointed with these workouts at all. I really do feel like I am short changing myself though. The 8 lb. kettlebell is not heavy enough therefore I am not getting the most out of these workouts. My boyfriend and I are looking at joining a gym that has locations near his place and mine. He has decided to start working out on a regular basis so I decided that I would support him. I know how difficult it is to start a healthy living journey alone and if I can help then I won't let anyone do it alone. The gym we looked at near my place only had two kettlebells (a 10 lb. and a 15 lb.) so I will be able to continue my training for at least a little while. He is supposed to be going to check out the location near his hplace this week to see if he likes that one. Hopefully, that location will have heavier kettlebells for me to use. Either way, I don't want to purchase any new kettlebells until after we make that decision. I am also excited about the potential of working with a personal trainer. New members are given a one hour session with a personal trainer for free. I am hoping that the trainer will help me make sure that I am training adequately for my races.

After work today, I went to my Bikram Yoga class. My favorite instructor was back from her vacation. I can now officially say that my training is bcak on track after my vacation hiatus. Before any yoga class, it is important that you set an intention for that class. If it is your first Bikram class, your intention should be to just stay in the room. My intention for tonight's class was to just breath and to live in the moment of the asana (pose). That may not seem like a difficult intention and when the class first started I didn't think it would be. Of course, I didn't account for the number of people in the class. Math lesson of the day: the temperature of a Bikram class is directly proportional to the number of people in the room. The more people in the room, the hotter the room is. We had at least 40 people in the class tonight and it felt that the room was at least 120 degrees! No joke! I think my intention for the class really helped me overcome the extreme temperature of the room. Several people actually left the room, which is a huge faux pas. I stayed in the room and moved through each posture using my breath to control my level of effort. I was able to move into Toe Stand and find my balance. I still have to work on moving out of the posture correctly though. I also felt no in my knees during Fixed Firm Pose and I normally feel just a little bit of soreness. Tonight's class helped to reassure me that I am doing what my body wants.

Not every week of training is going to be perfect but as long as I keep at it I will continue to improve. My running will get easier. My kettlebells will continue to improve my overall strength and fitness. My yoga practice will continue to help me calm my mind, recenter my focus and realign my body.