Yoga class last night was pleasant in a sort of “I don’t really feel like I’m getting much out of this” way. The class last week felt more…achivey. I (we) did, however, learn the sun salutation, which I’m not any good at at *all*, and feel very clumsy doing. And we don’t have class next week because it’s a bank holiday, so if I don’t practice it on my own I’m never going to get better. I’m not especially good at practicing things on my own, but I did one round of it and a few other back-and-ab-strengthening poses this evening. *waves a little flag*
At the pool this evening I talked with a man who used to be an All-Ireland champion rower, and said I thought rowing looked like a lot of fun and I’d love to try it. He told me where and when to go to meet the Rushbrooke rowing club, and I thought wow, that’d be great! And then I got out of the pool and walked home and my back, which has been pretty good of late (knock on wood) was quite thick and achy and uncomfortable. This is probably a hint that rowing is really not a very good idea until I’ve strengthened my back a lot more than I currently have. That makes me sad, because I’d *really* like to do it. :p
The problem, of course, is that in order to improve without injuring myself, I have to go gradually, and I am not at all *good* at gradual. I’m more the “go like hell’s bells for a little while then collapse and stop for weeks/months/years” sort, which is not particularly practical for fitness. Yoga and pilates are both supposed to be good for that kind of gradual improvement, but I’d pretty much have to follow a regiment on my own, and historically, I don’t really do that. The yoga class I’m taking is a good start, but it’s *too* gradual–a couple times a week would be a lot better. (What was that I just said about not good at gradual?)
And, along those lines, so far it appears I’m the fastest swimmer in Cobh and I wish to God people would get out of my way. (As
*pantpantpant* Okay, I think I feel better now. :)
This icon has nothing to do with the post. I just found it and so far it’s my favorite Doctor icon I’ve seen, so I wanted to use it. :)
miles to Minas Tirith: 123
ytd wordcount: 79,400
sekrit number: 6.75
If you’re doing it correctly, which the club should be able to help you with, rowing won’t hurt your back and should strengthen it.
The problems I had with my back (specifically from rowing) were usually due to being on the rower for a really long time (spending 3+ hours doing any one type of exercise is going to ache)which would also cause my form to go completely wonky and generally short-lived.
There are a couple of places online you can look at to see what the correct form is and stuff. http://www.concept2.co.uk/ is for indoor rowing machines and has a training section. It’s not a direct translation to on-the-water stuff but it’s pretty good. I think the Row Perfect system is a more direct translation to on-the-water rowing but I don’t know much about that.
oh. shoot, that anonymous post was mine. Oops.
Nice icon, alright.
A friend from work has similar complaints about slow swimmers. He does many lengths each morning in the pool in the Mardyke Arena and gives out yards about the lane discipline and slow-coaches dawdling in the fast lane(s).
Perhaps it’s a Cork thing. If the swimming lane discipline is anything like their road lane discipline I’m surprised there aren’t mass drownings in Cobh each week.
I’m not a very fast or efficient swimmer (it takes me about an hour to swim a mile), and I can’t, absolutely can’t share a lane when I lap-swim. Which means I can rarely manage to lap swim. :( See, I can’t look while I’m swimming – if I wear goggles and can see, then I can’t regulate my breathing. I don’t know why, but if I can see, I can’t swim and breathe at the same time. So I have to swim with my eyes closed … and in any case, I wouldn’t be swimming with my glasses on and hence would be half-blind even if I could wear goggles and watch what I was doing.
I hate public pools. Grump.
Yay, Doctor icons! (She said, being very full of the Doctor love right now. ^_^)
Iconlove indeed. Mmmm… I need to buy that second season if it’s out yet. Didn’t think it could get better than 9 back then, but 10 managed it. (So is that icon up for grabs somewhere?)
Yeah, I’ve got the maker-information in my comments for it. Yoink away. :)
That one of yours is very nearly perfect too. Rawr. He’s so adorable. :)
Tell your coworker that I have huge sympathy for him and if it weren’t totally impractical I’d come swim at Mardyke and we could dominate a lane and snarl at anyone who got in our way. :)
It’s worse here than anywhere else I’ve swum because I’ve never before swum somewhere that I was *clearly* the fastest person in the pool. There are often slow coaches in the way at any pool, but this is the first time there’s never been anyone I could at least make an effort to lane up with to scare people away. (Not very friendly, am I?)
And it may be the time of day I’m swimming–realistically I won’t get up early enough to go to the MWF morning lap swim, and there’s equally little chance I’ll go to the late-evening lap swim, so the fast people may be swimming then. I’m going to have to move closer to the pool before I find out. But right now, just, argh! Get out of my way! :)
That’s really odd. You obviously need your own pool. :)
You’re awesome. Thanks!
Maybe you need a different yoga class. I took yoga Mondays and Fridays at our local fitness center. The Monday instructor was AWESOME and although it was a beginner class, she’d help us make modifications based upon our own flexibility levels. I’d go in grumpy – I hate to exercise, especially if it means I have to get in the car and drive somewhere to do it – but I’d leave all happy and stretched out. The Friday instructor was a lot more laid back and spiritual, did the same routine every week, and although I also left feeling happily stretched, it just wasn’t as much FUN as the Monday class.
FWIW, I never practiced. Yoga’s not about Getting It Done And Going WHEW! It’s about the breathing and stretching and finding calmness within yourself. Aaaaah.
Now if only my arm would get better so I can go back.
How do you not hit the wall if you swim with your eyes closed?
(I totally need to get back in the pool.)
*laughs!* Oh gods, ‘adorkable’ is perfect. came over Monday night to watch a couple episodes of the new series with me, and we were giggling over how he is definitely the dorkiest Doctor ever. And that’s all part of his charm. ;)
This is the only one there’s any chance of me going to. :)
I thought the adorkable icon was bery bery funny and cute, yeah. :)
I have to find the perfect Tenth Doctor icon for the caption “Proud Member of Dork Nation”. There are a couple of specific scenes that already come to mind for screencaps! ^_^
Totally!! Maybe if I win the lottery I could get one of those “endless pools” or whatever they’re called, the small ones that generate a current to swim against so you don’t have to have a big giant pool.
Of course, that would mean I’d have to actually BUY lottery tickets. Hah. ;D
I glance every now and then to check where I am, but mostly it’s the sound- the water sounds different in the middle of the pool than it does slapping up against the wall. But sometimes I whack my hand into the wall anyway. ;)