Plyometrics

I recently told my father I would email him some of my workout routines that Marcus and I have put together. Marcus puts them together for his martial arts class or to help make my workouts more intense; I’ve put them together because I like variety, and because sometimes I obsess and search workouts on the internet.

So, instead of just emailing him, or rather, emailing my Mother so she can print for him (see the blog Hello? The power of CONNECTING and how technology has changed things for reference on my Father’s computer skills), I decided to write a blog about it...for my Mother to print for him.

This is almost ironic because my early education in fitness was primarily from my Father. He taught me how to ride a bike and lift weights properly. One of his oldest friends had me leading aerobics in gym class at age 12. I swear my Father knew all of the phy-ed (physical education) teachers in the whole city where I grew up. My father’s influence was omnipresent, at least in my formative years around workouts and fitness.

So it’s an interesting flip of roles that I’m now checking in with him on his workouts. That I’m now talking to him about his diet, workout routine and overall health. And of course, it’s no coincidence that the man I’ll likely marry (Marcus) is a serious fitness junkie - though he’s mellowed on his own workout routine in the last few years because his kidneys are napping. In the past, Marcus would train in Jeet Kune Do 2-4 hours a day after an 80-mile bike ride. On the days he didn’t bike, he’d cross train by doing what he called The Bruce Lee workout, which consisted of thousands of kicks, punches, or slips. According to Marcus, Bruce Lee’s notes illustrated Bruce taking a move, like a round-kick for example, and repeating the movement 5000 times. Marcus was a little less ambitious – he only repeated the kicks 1000 times. It’s probably good that Marcus has mellowed.

The truth is, it’s not that my Father doesn’t know what to do, it’s just that...well maybe he doesn’t know what to do about his eating, because since retirement he’s slowly gained weight. But I think he had a routine while teaching, and since he was a fitness teacher (high school, mostly), he was working out throughout the day. As a retiree, his routine is a little more sedentary, to make a gross understatement. He’s still strong as an ox, in fact he lifted 250 lbs on his 70^th birthday, but he carries extra weight, and his blood sugar, as well as his pant-waist size, reflects his more retired lifestyle.

So...I told him he should be getting more out of his workouts and that it’s probable he’s become a bit complacent in his workouts. He replied, true to form and sarcastic, “a little?” Yes, Dad, a little is your influence creeping into my language. (My Father has always had a great sense of humor, annoyingly great at times when he was pointing out his children’s idiosyncrasies.)

So after all of that, here’s a few exercise routines for my Dad or anyone else out there.

Very important FORM note for all exercises:

Feet should be pointed STRAIGHT, stance should be between hip and shoulder WIDTH. We’ll call this balanced stance. (The exception on this is The Crab.) Patella (point just below knee cap), must be over 2^nd toe. KNEES should not pass beyond your TOES. (Your butt has to move backward & torso down to thighs to maintain this proper form. Use a mirror to ensure your knees don’t wobble as you go down. If they do, SLOW DOWN and correct your form. Go SLOW DOWN, and quick UP, if you can. If this still creates a wobble, go SLOW the whole time until you build up strength. This will strengthen your knees & help prevent knee injury. Also, get barefoot-style shoes for your workouts. (I like vibram fivefingers.) This will strengthen your feet, legs and all the very important stabilizer muscles. For squats, imagine a ski jumper or as Marcus likes to say, “knees to boobs.”

For this blog, I’ll share the plyometrics Marcus does before class and recommends for clients. (I do these 3-4 times per week.) For tomorrow’s workout blog, I’ll share my variation on the 300 workout. (The movie 300.)

Sifu’s Plyometrics:

Do each exercise for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Marcus calls it 30-30s. Repeat the whole set 2-4 times per workout. You may get sore so the first time you may want to only do 2 sets.

Kick & Twist

Kick with right leg, twist torso toward right leg with left arm swinging forward.

30 seconds for each leg.

Dynamic Lunges

Stand hip-width apart. Step forward into a lunge, be sure your knees bend to 90° angles and not beyond. After lunge push yourself up back to starting position. Switch right and left every other lunge forward.

Switch-step Jump Squat

Start in balanced stance. Step forward 1-foot with the right leg, step backward 1-foot with the left leg, squat down. Jump up, switch your foot position, repeat.

The Heisman

Looks very similar to The Heisman trophy. Side-step dynamically, lifting inside knee to elbow. Keep pelvis tucked and back straight.

The Superman

Start in balanced stance. Squat down, jump up with arms extended toward the sky. Pretend you’re trying to take off like Superman.

The Crab

Wide stance, feet/knees turned out, thighs parallel to the ground. Shuffle to the right starting the shuffle with the left leg, land in the original wide stance. Back straight; hands in prayer pose in front of your chest.

I realize words alone don’t describe this as well as pictures, but we will have pictures, diagrams and video sometime in the near future. Leave a comment if you have questions. These exercises are great because they work on cardiovascular but are also strength-building.

Dad, let me know if you have questions, though I suspect this will be like riding a bike.

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The Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth, aka, The Tibetan Five or Five Tibetan Rites are some of my favorite and most frequently recommend exercises and stretches. I love these exercises and they're simple, short, and have been used by Tibetan Monks for years to promote flexibility, health, fitness and youth! They're reminiscent of yoga, but more... concise and easy to do on your own at home.

Doing these while on the road for work, especially my month working on the documentary Nanking in the very-foreign China, saved my life and my body, I swear! The website I used, lifeevents.org, mentions doing this before a yoga or workout routine, and I agree that they're good for a warm-up stretch and actually do get your heart rate going (especially once you get up to 21 reps), but I also really like doing these at the end of a hard workout because I'm all warm and need a nice stretch and cool-down. After The Tibetan Five, I like to meditate. I think these exercises put me in a more centered, meditation-ready state. That's just me. Let me know how it goes for you. Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions or feedback.

5 Tibetan Energy Rejuvenation Rites

We've been practicing, teaching and recommending the 5 Tibetan Energy Rejuvenation Exercises since 1998. You can do the whole routine in 15 minutes and only need enough floor space for your body while laying down and enough air space for your arms to be outstretched.

The 5 Tibetans represent a great way to keep your body in shape when you have limited time for a physical workout or limited space for a complete yoga routine. You can easily do the exercises in the space at the foot of the bed in most hotel rooms. We use the 5 Tibetans as a warm up for our morning yoga or body workout.
How do I begin to benefit from the 5 Tibetans?
If you are not used to exercise or have not been formally introduced to yoga techniques of breathing and relaxation, then your first tip is to start out slowly. Start by performing one to three repetitions of each of the movements one time each day. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and do not strain or force any position that causes pain that indicates possible injury. A little soreness is perfectly okay but really you should start out slow enough not to have any physical hindrances the following day.
Where should I perform the Tibetans?
Anywhere you have room is perfectly okay. Make sure to use a carpet, towel, yoga mat or padding to prevent discomfort caused from too hard a surface.
What is the best time of day to perform the 5 Tibetan?
The entire series of movements may be performed 2 to 3 times per day. As with all forms of holistic body work, sunrise and sunset are great times to be honoring your body with physical work. These are the best times to start your practice, but you may work them into your schedule as you see fit.
How many time should I repeat each exercise?
You want to work toward performing each of the movements 21 times. When you first begin, try to do 1 or 3 repetitions of each exercise. After a week, try to do 3 repetitions, then pause and try 3 more. You will certainly feel stronger in some of the movements than others. If you have trouble performing a complete set of 21, try to break it down into 3 sets of 7 repetitions with a pause between each set. Once you've achieved 21 repetitions of each exercise, you don't need to go on to more repetitions. These exercises are for restoring energy, not necessarily building strength. If you feel great after doing 21 repetitions of each movement, feel free to add another session later in the day to perform another set of 21 repetitions each.
What is the recommend breathing pattern?
We recommend a specific breathing pattern to follow with each exercise. If you feel tired or light headed while performing these movements, make sure you are not holding your breath.

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Tibetan Rejuvenation Exercise Movement #1

Sufi Whirling, Whirling Dervish, Memories of the Grateful Dead in Concert, Having fun like a 3 year old Rite 1: Stand upright, extend your arms at shoulder level away from your body and spin clockwise (if looking at a clock face on the floor). Keep your eyes looking directly in front of you, do not focus on any one point, let your vision blur as you spin. Turn up to 21 times or until you feel unstable or dizzy.

Breathing: breath in and out of your stomach. An opera singer, stage actor/actress or yogi experiences the benefit of breathing from this point of the body. When you stop spinning, breath even more deeply from your stomach until your head stops spinning and your balance returns to normal.
Tips and Recommendations: Work your way up to 21 spins. Speed is not so important, just try to spin 21 times and stop.

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Tibetan Rejuvenation Exercise Movement #2

Leg Raises, Bending at the Waist, Tummy Tucks Rite 2: Lay down on your back with your arms to your side, palms up, keep your legs straight, begin your inhalation, raise your legs off the ground until as high as possible and pick your head off the ground, bending your neck with your chin falling toward your chest. Begin your exhalation and return to laying flat on the ground. Repeat up to 21 times.

Breath In: Raising your legs and head
Breath Out: Lowering your legs and head
Tips and Recommendations: When starting out, bend your legs until your stomach strengthens. If your feel discomfort, place your hands (palms facing down) under your buttocks to support your lower spine. As you progress, straighten your legs and try to raise and lower them at the same speed. Once you have worked up to 21 repetitions, try to move at a nice steady rhythm without stopping.

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Tibetan Rejuvenation Exercise Movement #3

Morning Neck Warm-up, Hotel Pillow Recovery Posture, Camel Asana in Yoga Rite 3: Kneel with your legs together, arms extended, palms of your hands on the side of your thighs, drop your chin to your chest, begin your inhalation, raise your head and lean back, move your hands to the back of your thighs and let them drop lower and support your weight, crane your head and neck backward, relax your lower spine. Begin your exhalation, start to come forward back to kneeling position with your head back up in the straight position. Repeat up to 21 times.

Breath In: Going backward
Breath Out: Coming forward
Tips and Recommendations: When you start this exercise, use the weight of your head to come forward instead of forcing your chin to your chest with your muscles. When you lean back, avoid craning your neck, simply let it drop with its own weight. Eventually, you can bring your shoulder blades towards each other when you're in the back position. Keep a steady movement while going backward and forward. Keep your eyes open to maintain balance. Later, try the movement with your eyes closed to feel the difference and see if you can relax even more in the backward position.

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Tibetan Rejuvenation Exercise Movement #4

Table Posture, Wrist warm-up and Neck agility Rite 4: Sit on the floor, legs a little less than shoulder width apart, arms to your sides with hands extended flat on the ground and fingers pointed forward, drop your head toward your chest, begin your inhalation, raise your buttocks off the ground while bending your knees, shift your weight to your arms/hands and legs/feet, continue to raise your buttocks until your trunck and thighs are parallel to the ground, let your head fall back. Begin your exhalation and return to sitting position with your head dropped forward. Repeat up to 21 times.

Breath In: Raising off the ground
Breath Out: Returning back to sitting position
Tips and Recommendations: When you begin this exercise, just try to get from the starting to ending posture. It's easier to do it than read about it. In the beginning, you might not be used to your body weight on your wrists. Doing some wrist warm-ups before you begin can prevent discomfort. Once you have worked your way up to 21 repetitions, try to perform the movements without stopping.

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Tibetan Rejuvenation Exercise Movement #5

Inverted-V, Yoga Cobra to Downward Dog Rite 5: Get down on the floor on your hands and knees (in push-up position) with hands and legs a little less than shoulder width apart. Begin your inhalation, come up on your toes with weight in your arms, straighten your legs, arch your back, lean your head back, do not let any of your body touch the ground except for your toes and hands (Cobra in Yoga). Begin your exhalation, bend at the waist, bend your knees, push your buttocks up into the air, make an inverted V shape with your legs and arms straight, tuck your chin toward your chest (Downward Dog in Yoga), try to put your feet flat on the ground. Begin your next inhalation and repeat up to 21 times.

Breath In: Raising hips up into an ^ shape - downward dog.
Breath Out: Hips down & head coming up into cobra.
Tips and Recommendations: In the beginning, you will need to find where to place your hands and feet to make a complete inverted-V shape. You may do this exercise for years and never get your feet flat on the ground (a symptom of western living and always sitting in a chair). Once you've worked your way up to 21 repetitions, work on keeping a steady rhythm while going in and out of each position.

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Finishing Posture Recommendation
After Exercise 5, lay flat on your stomach with your arms stretched out from side to side like Christ position. Keep your chin on the ground and close your eyes. Feel you heart pumping and blood circulating through your body. Wait until your hearth beat and breath returns to normal. Turn your head to once side and take a few deep breaths. Relax for 1 minute.
Begin your day or continue with your morning yoga routine or physical work out. You should have more than enough energy to get you jump started. If you perform the 5 Tibetans before bed , make sure you have 30 or 45 minutes to relax after Rejuvenation your energy. I've spent time laying in bed afterward and felt like I had drank a pot of coffee.

If you're really interested and want to learn more or find alternative interpretations, I recommend searching one of the following: The Fountain of Youth, The Tibetan Five or Five Tibetan Rites. You will find something that works for you. Also, I started in 1999 with this book which I highly recommend as it gives a bit more background and insight.

 

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My Favorite Things...or how daily pleasures lead to greater contentment

This is the second My Favorite Things blog this week. Keep in mind though that I'm not endorsed (currently) by any product or Italian restaurant (Arrabiata recipe), and if I were, you all would know about it.

While taking my post-workout shower, I realized that one of My Favorite Things is my shampoo and conditioner. I use MSM by Ultra Aesthetics. Geesh this might be the girliest blog I've done yet! I'll try to top it in the near future with a blog on The Vagina Monologues or something. Anyway, about MSM and post-workout showers. Is there anything better than a shower just after an intense, dirty and sweaty workout? Seriously, they are so much better than normal showers. The only caveat is that today I felt like my legs were going to give-out because I played beach volleyball for my workout and running in sand always makes my legs a little mushy. So besides almost collapsing in said shower, it was fantastic.

Is this blog about My Favorite Thing being post-workout showers or my shampoo and conditioner? Well, since I'm the queen of this blog (with no king besides Papa Internet), and I make the rules, it's both.

MSM Shampoo and MSM Conditioner by Ultra Aesthetics. Never heard of it? Well, it's a bit obscure, but once you find it, you may never go back to other shampoo and conditioner.

I buy MSM shampoo & conditioner at my local neighbor Co-Op that has lots of healthy, organic, and alternative foods, supplements, and beauty products. Whole Foods may also carry it in certain locations, but you can also get it online at http://www.nourishingfoods.com/UltraAesthetics.html. Though I cannot vouch for their customer service or shipping. Other brands make their own version of MSM shampoo and conditioner, but I haven't tried them, so just check their ingredients and the integrity of the company.

Here are the reasons I like MSM Shampoo and Conditioner:

• The ingredients list is relatively short. Anyone who's read ingredients on hair-care or cosmetics knows the lists are not only lengthy, but also frighteningly unpronounceable. MSM's ingredients are mostly pronounceable.
  
• Beauty products are not regulated by the FDA on organic certification, so they can sort of set their own standards. While MSM doesn't claim to be organic, the ingredients are relatively benign and are not as chemical as other hair products I've used and researched.
  
• If you've ever been or know anyone who has been pregnant, doctors pretty unanimously tell expectant mothers to avoid dying their hair during pregnancy. Think about that for a moment. Anything that hurts the fetus hurts the mother, albeit in a reduced manner since adults immune systems are stronger. Still, with all the toxic exposure in most of our daily lives, it might be prudent to avoid toxins wherever we can, and although we're not dying our hair in this blog, if hair dye can seep through the scalp to potentially harm a fetus, it must wreak at least a little havoc on our systems too.
  
• It makes my hair strong.
• It makes my hair shiny.
• It smells delicious, but not too floral or feminine (as much as I love being a woman, I don't want to smell like one of those lotion and perfume stores - or as I like to say on my crasser days, I don't want to smell like a stripper). My attempt at describing the smell is some lovely blend of citrus, papaya, and some tropical flower that makes me want myself!
  

As for my hair. I really don't do much to my hair besides wash and condition it, and sometimes do old-fashioned pin curls when I feel like creating a curly-headed doppelganger of myself (which I typically do while watching a movie so I'm not sure it really counts as hair-doing). Since I added bangs to my hair (or rather, a skilled hairdresser added them), I blow-out my bangs. As far as the rest of my hair? I blow-dry it maybe 1-2 times per month. Also, besides shower-activities, I don't spend more than 5 minutes a day on my hair, average. So, I think I fall into the relatively low-maintenance category of hair-care. So the shampoo and conditioner counts, and I'm willing to spend a little more than the $2.99 cheap stuff at drug stores.

Here's why My Other Favorite Thing in this blog is my post-workout shower:

• It's like a warm and happy reward for working hard. (That sounds like another...more perverse job, doesn't it? Anyway, moving on.)
• Somehow it completes the workout for me. Like I don't feel done until I've showered and dried myself off. Sort of an exertion and cleanse ritual. (Did I just do it again?)
  
• Scrubbing muscles with hot, soapy water is the best after workout and I swear it acts to make me less sore. (I usually use an abrasive scrubber that was a gift from a very sweet man who had extremely soft skin, and believe me, it works. I think they're available at Asian markets which makes sense since the best scrub I've ever gotten was a from an angry woman at a Korean spa. Okay, maybe she wasn't all that angry, but she scrubbed me like she was.)
• The hot water and relaxation post-workout makes me a little drowsy and if I have the time, I get to take a nap (or go straight to bed depending on when I workout). Which is another one of my favorite things for another blog...Naps. Mmmmm.
  

Also, about both of the aforementioned Favorite Things, they're both simple and accessible daily pleasures. I think we all would do well to appreciate more life's daily pleasures. I know that's true for me when I get caught up (aka obsessed) about other, not-so-pleasurable things. Now ultimately, I'd like to attain the zen-state where virtually everything is pleasurable or at the very least, feel contentment in most things. But for now, I'll cultivate the daily pleasures in the pursuit of making everything...more contented.

That's it for now. Weigh-in. What are your daily pleasures?

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