Stretching and Exercising

A few days ago, Paula asked if I could write more about the exercises I've been doing, and I've also had some questions about the stretching I've done for a few months now. So today I'm going to write about all that!

Some of you, who have read here for a while, will remember that several years ago, I did a number of rounds of BeachBody workouts. I did the 21 Day Fix, Hammer and Chisel, and a couple of others. I really liked them, but I also got tired of doing the same rotations of workouts day after day. That's a personal boredom issue, not a problem with the program. 

In our current season of life, paying for workouts or gym memberships doesn't feel like the best use of our funds, so I've tried to get creative with free online workouts that allow me to use the weights and tools I already own. Free is our friend right now!

So first, let me talk about the stretching. A few months ago now, I looked up some different stretching sets on Pinterest and then ended up putting together my own list of stretches based on what I needed to stretch most. My back is my tightest area, so most of my stretches focus on that. If you need to work on legs/arms/shoulders for stretching, you could easily switch out some of what I have listed below.

* I start by sitting on the floor with my legs out in front of me (flat) and reach as far forward toward my toes as I can get. I hold that for fifteen seconds and then repeat that stretch twice, each time trying to get closer to my toes. 

* Then I get on my knees and crouch down with my arms out in front of me as far as I can reach. (Basically a child's pose if you're familiar with that.) This one is REALLY helpful for stretching my back. Sometimes I will also stretch left and right with my arms, while in this pose, in addition to stretching out in front. I do this one for 15-30 seconds, depending on how tight I feel.

* Next, I stretch out fully on my stomach, with my legs out straight and push up with my palms (upward dog, if you're familiar) as far as I can to stretch my lower back. This one is one of my favorites in terms of how it feels. I do this for about 15 seconds.

* Then I pop up and stand with my feet flat and my palms flat on the floor - bent in half. (Downward dog.) I do that one for about 15 seconds also. 

* I repeat the last two at least once for 15 seconds, and sometimes I repeat them one more time as well.

* Then I stand up straight and bend over, letting my arms hang close to the floor. You could touch the floor if you want (and can) but I just let me arms hang. I stand there, loosely, for about 45 seconds.

* Then I stand up straight and raise both arms over my head and stretch as far as I can for about 15 seconds. After that, I stretch left and right (still with arms outstretched) for about 15 seconds each.

* I finish by linking my arms behind my back, down low, pushing out as far as I can. I do that for about 15 seconds as well.

That's my stretching routine! I do this one every day! 

Now...for the workouts!

I've tried SO MANY DIFFERENT workouts in recent months. I'll mention a few of them here in case what I've landed on doesn't fit you very well, but maybe one of these others might!

* Back when I was at WillowBridge, I had an annual subscription to Walk at Home by Leslie Sansone. I first learned about Leslie probably 20 years ago, when I was first out on my own. I had a couple of her VHS tapes (!!!!) and liked them. Now she has a website to replace all those bulky VHS tapes (ha!) and the annual subscription is actually really affordable. Leslie focuses on walking in place, basically, which means you can walk in your own living room. It's not just in-place marching. You do go up and back and from side to side, but the point is that it's low-impact, easy to do in a small space, and that girl has some ENTHUSIASM! It was the easiest kind of workout for me to do in those days, but it's not big on strength training or anything very intense. At my age, I still need to increase intensity beyond what that offered. 

* I've tried a number of workout lists that I found on Pinterest, too. By that, I mean there isn't an accompanying video, but there are just lists of things you can do for so many reps or a specific amount of time. While I can do that, it's not my favorite. Sometimes I don't remember what an exercise is called, and I spend half my time looking up how to do the move. But if you are good at knowing the names of exercises and don't need the accountability of a video leader, you can find all kinds of workout lists online.

* Earlier this year, I was using the website called Nourish, Move, Love, which is run by a really sweet lady. She has a ton of free videos, and she also has a lot of videos for pregnant and postpartum women, so if that's you, this might be a great fit! (Side note: those two sets of workouts are also good for beginners in general.) I liked her and am not saying I will never do these workouts again, but I wanted to keep looking to see if I could find something that fit me better. 

* That is when I found Faithful Workouts. Apparently this lady also used to have the VHS tapes, and now she has moved on to website format as well. I think she has a paid version of things you can do, but for free, you can go to her calendar every day and access an encouraging verse or quote, a Christian song to listen to, some healthy recipes for each meal, and four workouts to choose from. The workouts range in time and difficulty, so you can choose what works for you. She has a lot of workouts that are all about stretching. She has some that can be done from a chair. She has some that don't require any equipment. Lots of options! :) 

In the foreseeable future, I imagine I will toggle between Nourish, Move, Love and Faithful Workouts, depending on what I need most. Nourish, Move, Love is a little bit more intense and uses more equipment. Both are great, in my opinion. 

Hope this helps give you some ideas if you're looking to move more!