Our yoga instructor had to try the headstand slowly last week, and I assume he will do so again tonight (the Thursday night yoga classes will be dedicated to inversion while Sundays will be the regular yoga stuff).
I am not sure if I said that but when I tried that (Not even trying to do a full headstand, but slowly walk the feet up the wall) I felt a really bad pressure in my spine below my neck and somethign was telling me to stop right there. I told him after the class and he said I was too far from the wall (although I am NOT certain of that). He suggested a "modification" which, I am afraid, is even more difficult than the regular headstand. Basically, in his modification, all the weight of the body rests on the forearms and although the crown of the head lightly touches the floor, it does not carry weight and you can turn your head from side to side.
So, Mel, if you want a challenge, you can try THAT!
(although something is telling me you will do as easily as the regular headstand).
Alena
(I HATE the hot weather)
Good idea to stop Alena! A spine is nothing to fool around with!
My DH was trying that modification the other night. He came within inches of knocking our new(ish) flat screen TV off the stand
Our weather has been hot the last few days, a little less today. Love that the weight room in the gym has AC.
Sorry, Sacha But I suffered through watching the Leafs for MANY years. It's nice to live where there is a winning team. DH, who is Canadian now happily cheers for the Flyers although he used to be a die-hard Montreal fan...even tho we lived in Toronto.
I'm thinking about trying to do a serious lean out. I'm kind of ambivalent about it. I'm in a good place right now physically and mentally about my body...not sure I want to mess that up to see veins.
Work continues to be a constant food fest. Maybe that's why I want to really lean out I feel like an alcoholic working in a bar.
I thought about doing a cardio class before my yoga last night, but when I got to the gym there was a sign on the door that the class got cancelled and instead, there was a 1/2 hour Core Express class. Pffft - the instructor is a nice guy but somebody needs to explain to him that ab exercises do not consist of crunches and back extensions only. I still believe that one of his classes was the reason why my back got into trouble - endless back extensions over and over and over.
So I did a 10 minute warmup on the elliptical, then played with weights for 30 minutes and then I had my regular 1 hour yoga class. Very groovy. We were trying some new poses (I thought my hips got dislocated) and there were only 4 of us so each person got a good amount of attention from the intructor.
Some more preparation for the headstand. I am still in the dolphin stage but we were supposed to stack a number of blocks in an inverted V pattern and then stand one block on top, on its side. Once our forearms and head were on the floor we were supposed to test if our spine will touch the side of the top block - I did not think I could get there, but I did and it was not even too hard. But I think I will practice the headstands in the privacy of my home first. I am sure they will involve some nasty falls. It was a very good class though, and it helped with the post-workout soreness, so I am pretty much ok today - that was the plan since tomorrow is TRX.
I'm here, I'm lurking. I came back from Belize with a bad ear infection, possibly from my river swim the day before we left. I haven't had an ear infection in a while but either the medication or the ear infection itself is wiping me out. I sleep in and then want to go to bed by 9pm.
Anyway, I keep looking at the blog for the Crossfit I plan to join. I feel terror. Lots of terror. Mostly from the idea that one day I'll have to do a real pullup. I even checked out another Crossfit's website for a Crossfit that is further away but still quasi reasonable. Their pullup bars are just as tall. Oh well, anyway I am waiting for the ear infection to clear up and then I'll make an appointment to officially sign up.
He suggested a "modification" which, I am afraid, is even more difficult than the regular headstand. Basically, in his modification, all the weight of the body rests on the forearms and although the crown of the head lightly touches the floor, it does not carry weight and you can turn your head from side to side.
So, Mel, if you want a challenge, you can try THAT!
(although something is telling me you will do as easily as the regular headstand).
Alena
(I HATE the hot weather)
The forearm stand in my book is just as easy if not easier than the full headstand. I never ever ever let my head touch the floor. It does require that you have strong traps and rhomboids. Which actually you should have with headstand as well.
Forearm stand should always be learned before headstand because if you DONT have the strength to to forearm stand and keep your head off the floor then you dont have the strength to do headstand without putting too much weight on your head and messing with your spine.
I do it against the wall as I have no inverted balance, but it is actually one of my favorite poses. I end every session with it. When I was pregnant that pose was sheer heaven to alleviate pelvic pressure if only for a blissful 20 seconds.
Nelie: OMG. You FLEW home on the plane with that ear infection didn't you! That must have been a miserable experience. Hope your feeling better soon.
Mel: A serious lean out huh. Good luck should you proceed. Are you using a new plan or just doing what you do with 90% or more consistency.
I think my workouts are going to have to be modified for a while. I'm getting help with the plantar fasciitis. The taping works great which is a good sign. I have found that it improves as long as I stay off it. No workouts. I go back into the gym, hit the elliptical and I'm miserable all over again. So, maybe I can do my cardio on my bike (trainer) and if I'm good about my keeping my foot parallel it might work. I'm trying to avoid casting or a cortisone shot. LOL. It's always something...
Hi Lydia,
The doctor who diagnosed me told me "Never have a cortisone shot. They hurt like **** and they don't work that well." So.
Tell me how you do the taping? (inquiring minds want to know).
I still do yoga on a pilates mat with a yoga mat on top (remembering how irritated my PF was after the Bikram yoga sessions). My yoga teacher commented that I should try just two yoga mats because it's hard to balance on my pilates+yoga combo (he was showing me some poses on mine).
Ennay: I have heard of the Strassburg sock. They gave me something similiar to wear while I sleep. It's a boot that keeps my foot in the same position. The elevation can be varied which is good. I'm just now getting used to sleeping with it. The first night I think I tore it off about three hours later. The "gentle" stretch actual hurt. I wear it now when I'm sitting at my laptop.
Alena: Thanks so much for the insight into the shots. I did some online "research" about it too and found similar experiences. I also read that it can decrease/damage the fat pad of our foot as well as ligaments/tendons. So...I'm thinking "No Thank you" One woman reported feeling the fascia "snap" during a step class after having the shot. No. I need to be conservative with this, suck it up and just rest it.
Oh! and Great Tip with double mats! I'm doing that! Recalling your experience in the yoga class I asked my podiatrist about doing teacher training next year even though I have a fallen arch." He said it would actually be good for the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the foot. Even the balancing poses. Again, they say these things, we experience something different...It really is something we just have experiment with and find what works for us.
Another thing I found interesting online is that I probably shouldn't do standing weight training. Hmmm, that would be the dead lifts, rack pulls, backsquats where the idea is to press down into the ground through your heels. Makes sense...My planned modifications look like hamstring curls on the ball and machine type exercises. As a benefit, I will have some great ideas for future clients who may be suffering from this as well. Right?
To answer your question about the house thing, the saga continues. Sellers market in Fairfax and a buyer's market here in Columbus. I've only had two scheduled viewings. Two! It's been on the market a month. I'm trying to keep a positive spin on this though. It's been a very taxing year and now that many things are finished this month feels like a bit of a respite so maybe it's good that things are a little quiet right now. Looking forward to more showings after school is out.
Lydia - good thinking about avoiding the cortisone shots as long as you can..I've heard some stories about scarring issues & increased damage from over-use iso healing, after the shots. And I agree... this will give you hands-on experience for a future trainers perspective. Good luck on the house front, and good for you to have things calming down a bit.
Lydia- I second (third?) the opinion on the cortisone shot. I had one a few years ago in my elbow after months of severe tendonitis due to bench pressing. It helped in the short term with the pain- so I bench pressed more long term I could see a flattish area on the outside of my elbow where I gotten the shot and the muscle and tissue had atrophied. It's normal now, but I'd never do it again unless I were in excruciating pain and there was no alternative.
I also had one in my hip many years ago for fibro pain, and again, it lessened the pain but was so painful I never repeated the experience. Another member here gets them in her back periodically but for her the alternative is surgery.
ps- I wish I could buy your house! We will probably end up in Columbus in a few years, but the timing isn't right.
4th on the avoid the cortisone shot. The relief is temporary, the risk of tendon rupture high.
Several years ago I got a treatment with a cortisone soaked pad where they used electrical current to drive it into the tissue. Kind of a combo of the standard pt electrical stimulus and a medical drug delivery patch. I dont know if they still do it but it worked well and the risks are so much lower. I was thinking by now I would see more people getting it. I wish I could remember what it was called.
Ennay: Thanks for the suggestion! That sounds like a much better alternative if there is no other option. I'm adamant now. No shot. I'll catch up on some reading/studying and just switch gears here.
Mel: That would be awesome if you could buy my house. I'm pretty convinced that I'm going to be selling this thing myself since the realtors aren't bringing anyone through. Ticks me off; I guess they can't exactly open up a closet and bring out a lot of potential buyers just because I'm listing.
Beautiful day though. I'm pouring an Italian Roast from my French press and hitting the patio. Enjoy everyone!
No exercise for me again yesterday - I was just wiped out exhausted after preparing for appliance delivery on Wednesday, the actual delivery of the appliances and subsequent shelf install on Thursday plus the ongoing stress at work. Couldn't even shake myself out of bed early enough for yoga yesterday.
On the upside, I was looking at my workout calendar for the month and I've made my yoga 24 out of the last 29 days, some days with two sessions. I am so close to being able to touch my toes I am beside myself.
Got in a good run today, getting back on the strength training tomorrow.
But I suffered through watching the Leafs for MANY years. It's nice to live where there is a winning team. DH, who is Canadian now happily cheers for the Flyers although he used to be a die-hard Montreal fan...even tho we lived in Toronto.
I feel like an alcoholic working in a bar.
That must have been a miserable experience. Hope your feeling better soon. 
Again, they say these things, we experience something different...It really is something we just have experiment with and find what works for us.
Makes sense...My planned modifications look like hamstring curls on the ball and machine type exercises. As a benefit, I will have some great ideas for future clients who may be suffering from this as well. Right? 
long term I could see a flattish area on the outside of my elbow where I gotten the shot and the muscle and tissue had atrophied. It's normal now, but I'd never do it again unless I were in excruciating pain and there was no alternative.
I'm pouring an Italian Roast from my French press and hitting the patio. Enjoy everyone!
