Ok, here's something I found. In my time training, I found little emphasis on core muscle training until about 15 years ago. Then it came to my forefront, but in the arena I was in, bouncing around various martial arts, it was still not focused on. It was kind of a given that when you do your techniques properly, your body will build the areas necessary - becoming strong all over. My body did so. I strengthened in many areas. BUT! Had I been mindful of what I know now, i think i would have built myself differently to an extent - better posture overall, perhaps had more power in what I was executing etc.
Here's the thing I'm trying to get at. I am pretty good at 'engaging my core', as per what the trainers I had would say "tighten the abs, bring pelvis under more", but in my past, that was about it. It wasn't until I started doing the dance training that I watched and watched and just saw these highly skilled women moving the way I wanted to - not just with a strong abdominal region, but upward lift FROM the abominals (refer to Ms. Paulina Seminova's posture with LIFT! and I assure you her core muscles/abs are fully engaged). For me THIS is now my core endeavours- engaging my abs, my pelvis, lifting up through the spine all the way to the top of my head, and keeping my shoulder-blades together as much as possible. If I train from that, I will build way better form and a way better feminine form that I aspire to.
It is a pretty important part of core strength for me to focus on because without it, I start rolling my shoulders in, much like a DUDE (like Mr. YummyPants Tighty-Whitey here). Looks good on him, but not ideal for me. Remember, what you repeatedly do, you will build/enforce. I also think it has something to do with my rib not getting better. SO That is a focus on today's 700.(I am not a fitness trainer, these are just my own experiences and focuses for my path in fitness)
CRANK THE MUSIC!!!!
"Run This Town" - JayZ with RhianaMust stretch out the hamstrings, so I'll start with Wushu style straight leg kicks.
- Straight leg kicks: Right leg 50
- Straight leg kicks: Left leg: 50
- Inside (to balance yesterdays' outside) crescent kicks: Right leg, 25 kicks. Left leg, 25 kicks (50)
- Front kicks: Right side, 50 kicks. Left side, 50 kicks (100)
- Side Kicks: Right side, 50 kicks. Left side, 50 kicks (100)
- Rear-leg roundhouse kicks: Right side, 25 kicks. Left side, 30 kicks (55)
- Front kick, roundhouse (alternating) - 50
- Front kick, same leg roundhouse (alternating) - 50
- Rear leg Roundhouse, spinning back kick -did 10 or 12, but lost count (daughter came in), so back to SQUARE ONE! (teaching mind to stay focused!) 50
- Rear leg Roundhouse, spinning back kick -by 26, kicks get mushy... and what wouldn't get MUSHY while by "Always be My Baby" byMariah Carey is playing in the cool down portion of my Workout playlist?!?! How did that even get ON THERE?!??! "Rumor Has It" by Adele... better... 50
- Front kick, rear leg roundhouse, spinning hook, leg sweep - 52
"Burn It To The Ground" - Nickleback
These two songs ROCK the heavy bag - time to KICK SOMETHING!- Heavy bag roundhouse kicks: right leg 50
- Heavy bag roundhouse kicks: left leg 50
- SLOW back kicks: Right leg, 25
- SLOW back kicks: Left leg, 25
I was aspiring for 700 today, but got revved up to go for 750.... but if you look at the bottom of the list, (not sure you can read my fast scribbles) but I forgot to note the 50 heavy bag roundhouse kicks I did for the LEFT SIDE! woops, but YEEEAAAHH for 807 (not 757)!!!!!
"aaaahhhh..." major hip stretch cool down. Sooooooo gooooooood. There's going to be some hurtin' tonight. Ha ha!
There is something about doing a workout like this that really gets to me. I am not sure how much women in our society allow themselves to be aggressive/exert power. I don't think that within society, the aggressive trait in women is very appreciated. It depends on how that aggression/power is exerted, but even I tend to back away from aggressive/forceful behaviours in daily life. I wouldn't define myself as aggressive (or am I?!... ha ha!), but this kind of training, gives me an outlet to focus, build my body in a way that may be effective one day if I should ever need it, and that lets me get in the mind-frame of EXERTING POWER. AND I LOVE IT! We are human beings with a whole range of emotions. They all play at one point in our lives, whether we express them or not (stiffle them).
Have you ever gotten in an argument with someone that was SO heated? Your breath was charged, you body had adrenaline coursing through your blood, your muscles seething, your stomach was swirling with an electrical charge and then you just let it OUT! and there it went... and then you took a moment, perhaps walked away... I don't advocate getting to this point in relationships at all, but in the handful of instances I have gotten to that point... there is a smidge of release, freedom of all that aggression/frustration that gets propelled out of me, and you know what? It felt GOOD to exert power (not power over someone, but just power from my own emotions). It is almost always overshadowed, however, with the horrible feeling of what is going on, but that moment, that breath after the release... do you remember that? I think pulling that expression in to the gym, and resolving issues other ways is the best way to express aggression in a healthy way :)
That is what this kind of training is like for me - taking anything that is whirling inside me and just exerting force, getting it out, but instead of these emotions being a detriment to a relationship etc., they make me stronger, they have a chance to be expressed. It is like what I imagine a test fighter pilot to endure: you are sitting within a powerful machine, taking it to new heights, pushing it further, seeing just what you can achieve, checking in with your instruments (always) to know "can you go higher? can you add power? where are the limits?" and then you DRIVE, you push, you push through your own limits.When all is said and done, when you come back to the ground, when the music shifts to something slow and moving, after the shower, after the guzzle of water, there is just peace - physically and mentally, and yes, even spiritually.
It is a way for me to express that side of myself in a productive way and find balance through physical movement. I love it.
It is a debate, I suppose - aggression, whether it is necessary to express or not. I think the answer is in how power is exerted that makes the difference and is important in a life of power. If I don't drive myself, I will not grow and we are SO meant to grow, aren't we?
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