Saturday, January 26, 2008

Motivation for fatcats and possibly for chumlies of Fatcats!

Right ho! Top of satdee morning to you all. Day 26 of the great dry and the reason I don't drink at the moment became clear to me this morning when I sprang out of bed before 8 in the am-unheard of! All my bitching and moaning about missing rum (and I do) fell by the way side as I realised I felt sprightly and gleefully in hungover. I looked across to the paramour, who lay crumpled with nowt but his Gloria Swanson face mask visible and I suddenly felt a burst of EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

I decided to capitalise on this by heading out for a long slow run, whereapon I got lost once again, but I didn't care because it's a beautiful day, mild and almost sunny, and I feel good.
But firstly.
The week.

Sunday, a skippity hoppity poodley 10 k run, slow and peaceful, listening to Ray Montagne, coveting homes and gardens. Nice.

Monday short 6k, but that wasn't the best bit, oh no, not by a LONG shot. I have found a new way of torturing myself. it is called skipping and I highly recommend it and also fear it. I took myself off mid loop to the Band Stand in Bushy Park where I did skip until I had completed 600 revolutions. Then-gasping for air- I put my rope back into my fanny pack and ran home. Then I walked to my pappy-in-laws- house to drop him off a jumper and back home, a further 2k of calf singing.


Wednesday-I walked to Rathmines and back. About 10k.

Thursday- I was pretty chained to the desk on thursday but I did a lot of stretching and yoga mid-day. Which made me really sleepy for some reason, also I am attempting to do a handstand. Can you do a handstand? I can't. I am as clumsy as a two-toed spider. But I'll master it, oh yes.

Friday-Skippy skippy, another 1000 + 20 by accident. Hard work. But terrific fun, so many variations.

TODAY! I ran a wonderful 15k, no twinges, no aches, no niggly pains and aches. Felt hella strong on the way home. Off now for breaky.

Labels:

31 Comments:

Blogger Megan McGurk said...

Your exercise schedule sounds like you're in training, FMC.

I only went to the gym 2x this week but I did give up the bagels again and my stomach's happier.
They are pure evil.

3:20 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

They are but I have to say I like one now and then toasted and SLATHERED in garlic and herb cream cheese.
You could be right about the training. Unbeknownst to even myself I was obviously planning a long run today. Of course the weather is a major factor, hard to make yourself go out when it's lashing.
I building a jump box this week too, about two foot high and sturdy enough to take my weight, then as well as skipping- which if really terrific for warm ups as well as an exercise in itself- I"m going to include that into my 'home gym' (on/off one fluid movement, repeat, it's from crossfit)

Can you do a handstand? I keep thinking I"m going to fall over.

3:47 p.m.  
Blogger Andraste said...

Once again, only managing to work out on the weekends. Today, elliptical, lunges with weights, leg stuff (lifts and squats with weights, mainly for the saddlebags) a few minutes on the exercise bike to cool down. Tomorrow, probably much the same.

Gah. The sunrise has GOT to start getting earlier this week, for rabbits that can't get up in the dark. Otherwise the walking a mile a day (from my parking space to work is a little less than half a mile) will have to do.

4:11 p.m.  
Blogger aquaasho said...

Hi FMC Sounds like a good week for you. Sunday and Monday for me (in France!) involved racing and running. Tuesday off. Then Wednesday and Thursday involved Gym in the mornings and run in the evenings. Friday ran 15 miles as part of my long runs for Rotterdam marathon. Today was 8 miles in lots of pain cos I have huge pains in my arse (not a huge arse thankfully just huge pain..) A scheduled massage Monday will sort that out hopefully. The massage is usually more painful than the injury but it works wonders. Hopefully 10 miles and a swim tomorrow if I can get out of bed early enough......

4:40 p.m.  
Blogger James McInerney said...

Gym on Monday for the first time in '08. Felt a twinge on my right knee when i was on the bike. Forced myself through it and have regretted it since. Have been hobbling since - should've taken your advice about warming up and stretching. Not too bad today. Also went to gym on Wednesday. Must. do. better.

4:45 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Well done folks, it shouldn't really matter if it was once or five days we worked out/biked/ran/did weights. It's that we did something. Full stop.

Docky, be careful with the twinge, cold compress and elevate it every chance you get. I learned the hard way to warm up properly when I banjaxed myself last year. Take care, and well done for the start.

Aisling! 15 miles, and then an 8 miler straight after, you're a machine, and you're making me do the 'I'm not worthy' wave. You're going to FLY in Rotterdam. Do you have a time in mind? 2 hours some minutes perhaps?

Now, can anyone do a handstand?

7:27 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

I can't even remember the last time I tried to do a handstand.
Last week at the gym this really tall guy did one without any support or leaning against the wall. He was straight as a board and steady. Very impressive.
I've read that it's good for getting blood to the brain.

8:07 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

That is what I want to do!

8:24 p.m.  
Blogger aquaasho said...

I'd love to do a handstand! Don't yoga folk say it reverses the aging process? I loved cartwheels as a kid..

The time I'm going for in Rotterdam is as close to 3 hours as I can get, not to break it. I have to do some speedy training first. Luckily for me I have two friends doing the same so I have company on the long runs, it REALLY helps.
Have you a goal in mind yourself FMC?

9:19 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Ah yes, under the 5. Nothing more dramatic than that so far, although I would like to be quicker. When I say I"m really not speedy I'm not joking. Distance I can do, distance at speed not so much.
Having said that I'm going over to Balmoral in March with a chumly to take part in their Mad March Marathon weekend, a sort of pre-season training weekend for runners with lectures and what not. If galloping about the Highlands and listening to some pros talk running doesn't help with my less than stellar speed I'm truly just buggered.

Until then I'll keep training and trying to do handstands.

11:07 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

So how are you attempting to do them, FMC?
Please tell me you're doing them next to a wall in case you fall over to start.
You could break your neck otherwise.

12:21 a.m.  
Blogger John Mc said...

God I am soooo hungover today. Whiskey and Stella, and evil, evil combo.

Otherwise, Did 3 days in the gym doing an hour each day of wattage training. One day did an hour of Power Yoga. Highly recommend the Rodney Yee DVDs. Heading out for a 2 - 3 hour bike ride tomorrow, if the biblical weather we are having lets up.

I can do a headstand no prob, and a handstand using the wall to get up first. Still can't get up without it. The aforementioned DVD has a section on handstands. Breaks it down nicely. Basically get into downward dog by a wall. Pick one left up in the air, and kick up with the other leg. Use the wall as a support.

1:38 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Best way to do a handstand, for starters, is up against the wall. If you are doing it in open space and start falling over, just bring your legs down, bending at the knee, and tuck into a forward roll, remembering to keep your chin to your chest! You could also start out with a headstand, it isn't as difficult.

Check this out: The website actually has some basic pics to help out. They also mention doing a handstand with your stomach against the wall, but I think you have to be a contortionist to do that, I have NO idea how to get up into a handstand with stomach against wall.

Orfy

Link: http://www.tulsagymnastics.com/Routines%20folder/Handspring/handspring.html

The Handstand

The handstand is one of the basic fundamental skills from which many other skills stem. The mastering of this skill will lead to development of other skills and reinforce them along the way. However, as easy as it can look, many gymnasts find it a puzzling skill to get right.

The first and foremost problem is insufficient strength. Muscles in the legs are needed to kick the body up to the handstand. Arm muscles are needed to hold the handstand. Stomach and back muscles are needed to keep the body straight.

Secondly, gymnasts learning handstands may have a fear of kicking over too hard. While the prospect of falling over the other way is a scary thought, it is necessary to kick up hard enough to get to vertical. And to learn exactly how hard you need to kick, you need to go over, and from there work by trial and error to see how much force you need to apply.

You can overcome this fear by learning how to safely "bail" out. One way is to do a forward roll out of the handstand. Another is to do a quarter twist and step down. Either of these can be applied when you feel that you are going to fall over backwards.

Once you get a better idea of how much you need to kick, try doing some handstands against the wall. While standing facing a wall, kick up to handstand so that your back and feet are touching the wall. As you become more experienced with this exercise, move your hands closer to the wall so that you become less dependent on the wall and more dependent on the strength of your arms.

Holding handstands for a while at a time will also develop the muscles you need. Begin by holding handstands against the wall for 15 seconds at a time. Every several days add on another chunk of time (i.e. another 5 seconds). Then, with a spotter, do some handstands on the floor. The spotter should hold your legs only tight enough to make corrections if you begin to fall.

Also try doing handstands so that your are in a handstand with your stomach against the wall. Move your hands closer to the wall and hold the handstand there. Push your shoulders out so that they are almost touching your ears, and keep your whole body tight. This will work the muscles in your shoulders and upper back responsible for balancing.

Some common mistakes while learning handstands can become bad habits and make handstands harder to maintain.

The hands should not be wider or narrower than the width of your shoulders. This is the optimal base distance for a handstand.
Keep your head neutral. If your head is arched back, it will cause your back to arch. If your head is tucked forward, it will cause your back to round.
Your torso (midsection of the body) should be straight as a board. Have someone observe your handstand from the side and see if your body is straight.
Your legs should be tight, straight and together. In fact, your entire body should be straight and tight.
To test to see if you are strong enough to hold your body straight, lie on the floor on your back, with your arms down by your side. Tighten your body, keeping it straight along the floor. Then, have someone lift only your feet about 3 feet into the air. If you are still tight, your legs, hips, and torso all should still be as straight as they were when you were still flat on the ground.

Finally, once all these drills have been mastered, practice. Know how your body responds to certain changes, and see what works best for you. Over time, you will learn what a good handstand feels like, and can then try to make it consistent. Good luck!

1:40 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's a cool blog showing the fundamentals of handstands with great pics.

http://beastskills.blogspot.com/2005/04/handstand.html

Orfy

1:47 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember doing Hey Presto at school except doing things like Hey Wobbly Jelly, Hey Knife and Fork etc? Or Hey Crab when you had to go right over into an arch thing?

God, those were the bendy days.

This week I did the stepper machine, the elliptical for about 40 minutes each on different days. I did leg work on the machines in the gym when what I really need to do is trunk and upper body stuff. And I swam one day. That accounted for 4 days. The other 3 I was as idle as an Eric.

8:22 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Medbh I'm doing both, up against a wall here, which I can just about manage. I don't fling my self againt, I do like a wheelbarrow and walk my legs up, supporting myself with my hands. Then out on the grass in the park/back garden where I'm tumbling about all over the place.

Orfy
"Secondly, gymnasts learning handstands may have a fear of kicking over too hard. While the prospect of falling over the other way is a scary thought, it is necessary to kick up hard enough to get to vertical. And to learn exactly how hard you need to kick, you need to go over, and from there work by trial and error to see how much force you need to apply."

Yep, that's me to a T. I can collapse and roll pretty well though so I don't flop straight down and knock the wind out of myself.
But thanks a million for the link, there will be much reading and even more practice, I particularly like that core elevation to see if a person is strong enough. I suspect my core strength is the problem.

John, ouch. Bad mix indeed.
I think I will check Yee's video out. Without the gym and with the bloody rain in this country is would be good to have an alternative on those very wet days. Of course I could go to a class, but it's way across town and so the whole thing takes three hours (going, class, trying to get back across the M50) and that does not make a person calm.

Sam, that's a pretty full week. Well done indeed. Ah flexibility, it's a use it or lose it item. Especially as we age.
Right, off to watch Sweeny Todd with the Spaniard and the little goth kid. A laydeees morning if you will. And yes I stuck my little finger right out when I typed that.

10:52 a.m.  
Blogger Pat said...

Well done! There's always the Olympics. Try a hand-stand against a wall and have someone to hand. The wall is very helpful for all sorts of yoga postures.
The next VERY difficult step - moderation - is within your grasp I'm sure.

12:22 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Meh, moderation is for pussy cats, not fatcats. I like to embrace little challenges. It keeps me ticking.

7:01 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I spent a large part of my childhood upsidedown and going backwards. Backward walkovers I particularly loved. Backward dives and somersaults I was quite fond of, too.

My week has been a disaster, only one pool visit - plus a weekend away didn't help. And I don't think i can count swimming against the high pressure jets in my aunt and uncle's pool - as i swam too quickly for the jets and kept bumping in to the wall, which both surprised and amused me.

8:48 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

"I spent a large part of my childhood upsidedown and going backwards. Backward walkovers I particularly loved. Backward dives and somersaults I was quite fond of, too. '
How Linda Blair of you. Are you still that flexible?

12:09 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

....as a (possible) result of which I now have a spinal fusion in my lower back so, no - stiff as a board.

12:14 a.m.  
Blogger Caro said...

I did the usual three gym sessions, 2 very good and one a bit twingey. But to my delight I did some weights I couldn't manage before so I am getting stronger. And my legs are looking really toned, which is nice.

8:15 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Huzzah! I always like going up a weight too. Well done Caro.

9:46 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I ran most days this week but not more than about 8k , I am easing myself back into it
My Gym membership is up on Friday, like you I am thinking of letting him slip away in favour of out door running, I have a cross trainer and weight bench at home, though rather dusty I could put them to good use. I only went to the gym for the treadmill but yesterdays shopping trip saw the purchase of much sought after accessories, a chip pan that only needs a tea spoon of olive oil and most importantly a discreet pair of earmuffers for running!!! You can’t even see the little dingers, my love of chippies will no longer be frowned upon and my fear of cold ear syndrome abated. So yeah think I’ll scrap the gym.


Oh and I can do a handstand and I can also back-flip Ooooh!

10:04 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Well done, I can do neither. Must practice some more today.

10:15 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm gonna try this at lunch time,
http://www.ehow.com/how_2101884_do-handstand-chair.html

12:18 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Good luck with THAT.

1:26 p.m.  
Anonymous eddie Fy said...

Hoire a good tipo from the Koran..as given from heven to the profit mahammitt....it will relaay bring blood to your head....

the profit...may jalallla and mallalla bliss him...sez this is before sex with a reluctant wife...

Dip your lash in a mix of olive oil and hot wayer..than coat your lash with sprinkling of madras curry and hot pakrike pepper...then shove it up her fat pussy and waits for the steams to squirt out of her ears...

2:48 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When applied in cool, wet weather, it can cause burning
of the leaves and the russeting of fruit. Due to the popularity of
organic gardening, organic potting soil and compost are available at most garden centers.
Grab a few bags of organic potting soil and lean them up against the sunny side of your garage or
a brick wall of your home.

Here is my website ... superannuate

12:02 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And just as I mentioned above that you simply came across a large
number of distinctive types of medicines, but still
you're in problems. Unlike many other medical facilities, the Fayette Chiropractic Center offers walk-in therapy. The most common injury experienced by accident victims is whiplash. Different from other girls, she did not wear the very sexy short dress and very high-heeled shoes, she only wore a white skirt, which suited her slim figure very much, and her hair was very straight, she had white and smooth skin, a pair of big eyes which could speak for her, I saw the unique charm in her. ’ ”   The final breaking point, she says, was when he said he wanted to move his ex-stripper girlfriend in with them.

Also visit my web blog - Sivan

7:54 a.m.  
Blogger anosh said...

شركة مكافحة حشرات بالخرج
مكافحة النمل الابيض بالخرج
شركة تنظيف بالخرج
شركة تنظيف فلل بالخرج
شركة تنظيف شقق بالخرج

8:44 p.m.  

Post a Comment

<< Home