Thursday, September 29, 2005
Yoga for Strength take 2
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Yoga for Strength video
Portions of tape: vinyasa, balancing poses (session 2)
Duration: ~30 minutes
Notes: This was our first time through the second half of the Yoga for Strength tape, which we found to be more difficult than the first half of the tape. This segment focused on balancing poses. Particularly difficult were the pendulum (we could only just get ourselves off the floor, much less bend forward), crane (very hard on the wrists, and hard to hold for more than a few seconds), brave warrior (for which we needed a chair to keep ourselves from falling over), boat pose (Radagast's SO kept tipping forward, and Radagast's abs were screaming), and half moon (we had trouble raising our rear legs high enough). So, in brief, we had trouble doing just about all the poses. That said, we're already sore, and this will surely be a good strength workout.
Soreness report: Already sore minutes after doing the workout.
Exercise type: Yoga for Strength video
Portions of tape: vinyasa, balancing poses (session 2)
Duration: ~30 minutes
Notes: This was our first time through the second half of the Yoga for Strength tape, which we found to be more difficult than the first half of the tape. This segment focused on balancing poses. Particularly difficult were the pendulum (we could only just get ourselves off the floor, much less bend forward), crane (very hard on the wrists, and hard to hold for more than a few seconds), brave warrior (for which we needed a chair to keep ourselves from falling over), boat pose (Radagast's SO kept tipping forward, and Radagast's abs were screaming), and half moon (we had trouble raising our rear legs high enough). So, in brief, we had trouble doing just about all the poses. That said, we're already sore, and this will surely be a good strength workout.
Soreness report: Already sore minutes after doing the workout.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Pure and Simple Stretch take 9
Who: Radagast's SO
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor
Duration: ~40 minutes
Soreness report: Shoulders and hips still a little sore from Fat Burning Workout.
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor
Duration: ~40 minutes
Soreness report: Shoulders and hips still a little sore from Fat Burning Workout.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Fat Burning Workout take 1
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Workout video
Portions of tape: warmup, aerobics 1-6, cooldown (entire tape)
Duration: ~70 minutes
Notes: This low-intensity, beginner workout left us exhausted. We did better following the steps than we did on our first Kathy Smith video attempt, but some of the moves still left us a bit befuddled; The aerobics moves are more complex than in Kathy Smith's Body Basics. The background exercisers are a nice component of the video - they look like real people (you can't count their muscle fibers!), and Kathy interacts with them regularly during the video (so they're not just shadows of the star). We didn't like the music as much as in Kathy Smith's Body Basics video, but it wasn't distractingly bad. The clothes and studio decoration scream out "late 80's".
Radagast's SO's arms were worn out by the end of the tape, thanks to constantly waving them around.
The reviews of the tape on Video Fitness strike us as very accurate now that we've completed it.
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Workout video
Portions of tape: warmup, aerobics 1-6, cooldown (entire tape)
Duration: ~70 minutes
Notes: This low-intensity, beginner workout left us exhausted. We did better following the steps than we did on our first Kathy Smith video attempt, but some of the moves still left us a bit befuddled; The aerobics moves are more complex than in Kathy Smith's Body Basics. The background exercisers are a nice component of the video - they look like real people (you can't count their muscle fibers!), and Kathy interacts with them regularly during the video (so they're not just shadows of the star). We didn't like the music as much as in Kathy Smith's Body Basics video, but it wasn't distractingly bad. The clothes and studio decoration scream out "late 80's".
Radagast's SO's arms were worn out by the end of the tape, thanks to constantly waving them around.
The reviews of the tape on Video Fitness strike us as very accurate now that we've completed it.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Pure and Simple Stretch take 8
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor (complete video)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Notes: Radagast was still extremely sore from the previous day's Body Basics video, and thus found this video to be quite painful (but in a good way).
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor (complete video)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Notes: Radagast was still extremely sore from the previous day's Body Basics video, and thus found this video to be quite painful (but in a good way).
Friday, September 23, 2005
Body Basics take 9b
Who: Radagast
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Body Basics video
Portions of tape: warmup, arms, aerobics, abs, legs, butt, cooldown (full tape)
Duration: ~70 minutes
Notes: Radagast did this shortly after getting home; he was tired before he did the tape, and exhausted by the end of the tape. About five minutes after completing the tape, he flopped onto the couch and took a two-hour nap.
Oddly, Radagast felt a bit nauseated after completing the tape; this is the first time that has happened with any exercise tape (but was common when Radagast used to jog in college). Radagast wonders if the mild nausea was related to the very large lunch he had eaten a few hours earlier.
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Body Basics video
Portions of tape: warmup, arms, aerobics, abs, legs, butt, cooldown (full tape)
Duration: ~70 minutes
Notes: Radagast did this shortly after getting home; he was tired before he did the tape, and exhausted by the end of the tape. About five minutes after completing the tape, he flopped onto the couch and took a two-hour nap.
Oddly, Radagast felt a bit nauseated after completing the tape; this is the first time that has happened with any exercise tape (but was common when Radagast used to jog in college). Radagast wonders if the mild nausea was related to the very large lunch he had eaten a few hours earlier.
Body Basics take 9
Who: Radagast's SO
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Body Basics video
Portions of tape: warmup, arms, aerobics, abs, legs, butt, cooldown (full tape)
Duration: ~70 minutes
Notes: Feeling exhausted as usual at the end of the tape.
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Body Basics video
Portions of tape: warmup, arms, aerobics, abs, legs, butt, cooldown (full tape)
Duration: ~70 minutes
Notes: Feeling exhausted as usual at the end of the tape.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
A.M. Yoga take 5
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee
Portions of tape: relaxation, workout, guided meditation (full tape)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Intensity: Low
Notes: Radagast found this a nice way to relax at the end of a busy day; Radagast's SO skipped the guided meditation.
Soreness report: We were both still a little sore from Yoga for Strength.
Exercise type: A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee
Portions of tape: relaxation, workout, guided meditation (full tape)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Intensity: Low
Notes: Radagast found this a nice way to relax at the end of a busy day; Radagast's SO skipped the guided meditation.
Soreness report: We were both still a little sore from Yoga for Strength.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Yoga for Strength take 1
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Yoga for Strength video
Portions of tape: vinyasas, inverted poses (session 1)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Notes: The workout was challenging, as it sometimes moved quickly between various poses, and at other times required holding poses for extended periods; both of us found holding dog pose for two minutes to be strenuous. The cuing was good overall, but not overly detailed; we're glad we've done Yoga for Beginners before attempting this tape, as otherwise we wouldn't have known what the poses were.
The video started with a "look at what I can do" segment where the camera pans lasciviously over a dramatically lit Rodney Yee as he does a 5-10 minute sequence; we don't think we'll be doing that sequence anytime soon.
Radagast was unable to do the plow pose and shoulder stand, and thus has two new goals: do plow pose and shoulder stand.
As a side note, we were recently given some foam yoga blocks (from Yoga Props), and they helped a lot - they're much more adjustable, and softer, than textbooks.
Soreness report: We're already feeling sore, and it's only been a few minutes since the workout.
Soreness report the day after: We both have more muscles sore than not; highlights include the middle back and shoulders.
Exercise type: Yoga for Strength video
Portions of tape: vinyasas, inverted poses (session 1)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Notes: The workout was challenging, as it sometimes moved quickly between various poses, and at other times required holding poses for extended periods; both of us found holding dog pose for two minutes to be strenuous. The cuing was good overall, but not overly detailed; we're glad we've done Yoga for Beginners before attempting this tape, as otherwise we wouldn't have known what the poses were.
The video started with a "look at what I can do" segment where the camera pans lasciviously over a dramatically lit Rodney Yee as he does a 5-10 minute sequence; we don't think we'll be doing that sequence anytime soon.
Radagast was unable to do the plow pose and shoulder stand, and thus has two new goals: do plow pose and shoulder stand.
As a side note, we were recently given some foam yoga blocks (from Yoga Props), and they helped a lot - they're much more adjustable, and softer, than textbooks.
Soreness report: We're already feeling sore, and it's only been a few minutes since the workout.
Soreness report the day after: We both have more muscles sore than not; highlights include the middle back and shoulders.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Pure and Simple Stretch take 7
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor (complete video)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Notes: We did this routine while a cabbage gratin was baking in the oven.
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor (complete video)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Notes: We did this routine while a cabbage gratin was baking in the oven.
A.M. Yoga take 4
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee
Portions of tape: relaxation, workout, guided meditation (full tape)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Intensity: Low
Notes: Radagast's SO didn't do the relaxation or meditation, instead choosing to clean out mouse cages.
Exercise type: A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee
Portions of tape: relaxation, workout, guided meditation (full tape)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Intensity: Low
Notes: Radagast's SO didn't do the relaxation or meditation, instead choosing to clean out mouse cages.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Pure and Simple Stretch take 6
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor (complete video)
Duration: ~45 minutes
Notes: This stretch video helped us discover many new aches and pains from yesterday's yoga; we paused the DVD to continue a few particularly good stretches.
Exercise type: Pure and Simple Stretch
Portions of tape: standing, floor (complete video)
Duration: ~45 minutes
Notes: This stretch video helped us discover many new aches and pains from yesterday's yoga; we paused the DVD to continue a few particularly good stretches.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Yoga for Beginners take 3
Who: Radagast and SO
Portions of tape: warmup, standing poses, forward bends, seated poses, inverted poses, deep relaxation (entire tape)
Duration: ~75 minutes (tape was 1 hour)
Notes: Radagast's SO is still tired of relaxation segments, and plans to not do that segment next time. Radagast and SO are both getting better at keeping their backs straight, but it's still challenging.
Portions of tape: warmup, standing poses, forward bends, seated poses, inverted poses, deep relaxation (entire tape)
Duration: ~75 minutes (tape was 1 hour)
Notes: Radagast's SO is still tired of relaxation segments, and plans to not do that segment next time. Radagast and SO are both getting better at keeping their backs straight, but it's still challenging.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
A.M. Yoga take 3
Who: Radagast
Exercise type: A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee
Portions of tape: relaxation, workout, guided meditation (full tape)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Intensity: Low
Notes: Radagast enjoyed doing this shortly after waking up; it was a nice start to the day.
Exercise type: A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee
Portions of tape: relaxation, workout, guided meditation (full tape)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Intensity: Low
Notes: Radagast enjoyed doing this shortly after waking up; it was a nice start to the day.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Body Basics take 8
Who: Radagast and SO
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Body Basics video
Portions of tape: warmup, arms, aerobics, abs, legs, butt, cooldown (full tape)
Duration: ~75 minutes
Notes: We did the whole tape again, and again are absolutely exhausted. Radagast is already feeling sore just minutes after doing the tape.
Exercise type: Kathy Smith's Body Basics video
Portions of tape: warmup, arms, aerobics, abs, legs, butt, cooldown (full tape)
Duration: ~75 minutes
Notes: We did the whole tape again, and again are absolutely exhausted. Radagast is already feeling sore just minutes after doing the tape.
