Be Easy on Me
Posted: February 12, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Awareness, blogging, Comfort, crossfit, exercise, family, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, intensity, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, Now, paleo, passion, pilates, running, Spirituality, Stillness, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 9 CommentsWe can only evolve so far sitting still in comfort-
Take a gentle moment to close your eyes and observe the thoughts that arise within your mind. You don’t have to share what popped up although chances are, your mind either brought up something from the past or moved into the future. More times than not, this mental commentary is a constant distraction that keeps us from focusing on the here and now.
As we begin to slow down in this hectic world, our mind quiets down and begins the slow process of focusing on one thing: Now. In the present moment there are no marathons in two weeks, parent teacher conference in two days, fear of failure, or anxiety prior to showing up to the big event. These “things” are the direct result of our mind endlessly sliding from the past into the future.
When we settle into stillness and embrace the life in front of us right now, our fears and worries dissolve.
The Workout-
A simple Walk, nothing more.
Notes:
The greatest gift of stillness comes when we’re able to maintain this present moment. Just something to ponder whilst taking a self-shoot of yourself, in the bathroom, after blasting your abs at the gym …
Cool Place to Park
Posted: February 11, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Awareness, blogging, Comfort, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, intensity, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, motivation, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, planks, running, Stillness, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 11 CommentsSeven attitudinal factors constitute the major pillars of mindfulness practice: They are non-judging, patience, a beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, and letting go-
Day after day in my blog-o-thing reader, I read stories from passionate men and women who have been neglecting their bodies. They lead the lives of a secret double agent, as they try to hide the pain from themselves and from others close by who love them. They go through heart wrenching injuries, blog about said injuries, all the while inflicting tremendous pain on their children, friends and family. Or they try to make a desperate, tear filled, heartless effort at holding on to the shreds of a life they had before they kept re-injuring themselves.
They tell stories dutifully detailing the pain they have gone through for a quick thrill, a medal and a t-shirt or a furtive moment of being superior to their peers. Oftentimes they lament not remembering making the decisions that tore apart their knee, their back, their life: “It just happened …“.
It’s easy to judge from the outside looking in on this madness. How could someone risk everything in life, for what really?
The Workout-
Our signature Workout. The perfect fusion of body weight work, breathing control and being present in every moment.
One Minute Hand Stand Hold
One Minute High Push Up Plank
How many times through is up to you?!?
Notes:
I want to spend the rest of this week talking about three, immensely powerful words: Stillness, Awareness and Comfort. It really has taken two years and 600 posts to come up with just three words. STILLNESS, AWARENESS and COMFORT… Something to think about this evening as you take pictures of your feet, while resting an icepack on your sore knee.
Lo Fi Groove
Posted: February 4, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, fitness, free range, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, motivation, natural, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, social media, Super Bowl, walking, whole foods, WOD, World, yoga 12 CommentsWhatever you do, it should be an expression of the same deep activity. We should appreciate what we are doing. There is no preparation for something else-
It’s amazing how some days (like today) we slowly roll out of our warm beds, rub the concrete form our eyes, wake up and the world seems beautiful, awe-inspiring at every turn, full of wonder, kindness … Pretty cool indeed. We haven’t even looked out the window to see what the true weather has in store for us. The sun shines on us this day, the future seems promising and bright, we feel healthy and energetic, and our lives are full of love.
Although other days (tomorrow) on which our life is eerily similar to the movie Groundhog Day, we roll out of bed and wake up to a sense of darkness, already believing the world is bleak, dark and ugly, that the people around us are feeble-minded newts, that the IT Band ache we have been nurturing will be the end of us, that our past weeks worth of slowing down to listen to our bodies was wasted, and our future is bleak because your pretty pink socks are in the wash … **“I can’t run today with an outfit that does not match from head to toe!”**
We are so easily swayed and affected by our caught up in the moment emotions, desires and rambling thoughts. When we fantasize about the newer, cooler purple Brooks pure connect 2’s or get caught up about the miserable fight we had last night against our body during yoga class? Tomorrow is going to suck to no end! Our lives have become similar to one long stare at the brilliant sun shining down upon us: We are ever so blinded that we simply cannot see beyond this very moment.
The Workout-
Crocodile Breathing, Dead Man Rolls, Dead Bugs, KB Arm Bars, Perfect Turkish Get Ups … Breathing goes a long way today (hint).
Notes:
At the end of the day, when we are wrapped up in bed pondering the thoughts of the last 24 hours … Few things in life appear to be as important as we think they are while we are thinking of them.
**A show of hands if you have ever uttered these words?!? Come on don’t be shy, purge your feelings this morning.**
Who did That to You
Posted: February 1, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: 5k, blogging, confidence, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, Happy Hips, health, hipster, hope, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, motivation, natural, paleo, passion, Patience, perspective, pilates, Practice, running, trail running, walking, Warm Ups, whole foods, WOD, yoga 35 CommentsMeditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away or become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already-
One mistake we often make is misunderstanding how confidence affects us, some firmly believe confidence is something you either have or you don’t have. Confidence is a skill that develops when we nurture our bodies, discover self-awareness and practice, yes practice- Confidence.
When we talk about confidence, inevitably the topic of success creeps into the conversation. It’s nearly impossible to go out and have a huge success in life and instantly gain confidence. Finishing your first marathon does not mean you have more confidence, you had enough when you clicked “submit” after filling the registration form out (in your jammies), picked out your matching running outfit, stocked up on useless fuel gels and finally showing up at the Start Line.
We preach here: little “victories” every day in your preparations and work effort. When you leave work for the weekend, the gym this afternoon, the studio … You should be able to say that you have just “won” by doing what you needed to do to achieve your long-term goal(s). Each small victory (as small as they may seem), one after another, accumulate. Moving us closer to the big victory’s in life, like making it through a 90 minute power yoga session, a 4 hour-long marathon and especially the first firm grip and foot placement at the beginning of a day long climb.
The Workout-
Our signature Happy Hips Warm Up followed by whatever you feel like doing today, enjoy.
Notes:
Confidence, did it magically fall in your lap this morning? Probably not. Take care this weekend and be well.
A Dream Within a Dream
Posted: January 30, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: crossfit, Dreaming, Dreams, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, Freshly Pressed is Overrated, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, pain, paleo, passion, pilates, recovery, running, Sacrifice, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 5 CommentsInside myself is a place where I live all alone and that’s where you renew your springs that never dry up-
Pain, injury, surgery, pain, injury, surgery, rehab, surgery, rehab … Before I injured myself, over and over again. I was rarely quiet or still long enough to notice, or care what was happening to my body. Through all the pain therapy and bio-feedback sessions, I was merely following instructions from those who wanted to help me, I never felt alone during these times … “the springs never dried up”. Now, when I’m alone. When I lie in bed at night, surrounded by the quiet, still night air, I feel these springs renewed.
In these personal moments, I find myself content to watch how life will unfold. Mindful of how I was before.
Notes:
Time to Medivate
CultFit 