Monday, August 24, 2009

WHY ROW?

A body row is essentially a push up turned upside down.
It can be done by virtually ANYONE, as it achieves a strong rowing action without any stress to the lower back.
You can set the handles high, and position the feet so you are more upright, so the row is easy. Or you could set up so your arms hang straight down from the handles, and elevate your feet on a plyo box, and the row is much more difficult.
Some crazy folks can even keep their feet in the air, so that their entire body weight is in their hands....I consider that to be one of the hardest pulling exercises!

Whether you have access to a Smith Machine, a Squat Rack, some Bandit Loops, a TRX or a VERSUS, you can easily incorporate this into your routine.

Don't worry about "out growing" this exercise, as you can imagine are PLENTY of ways to make it more difficult ;)

Seeing as your strength training workouts HOPEFULLY consist of a push, a pull, a squat or a lunge and a core exercise.... the body row can add variety to your pull choices!

Another important reason to incorporate the row is the fact that you probably sit at a desk or in a car for SEVERAL hours a day, 5 days a week, so strengthening the awareness in your upper back
while improving your posture might just be what you need :)

There are also different ways to grip the bar or the handles while you are performing your body row. Whether its underhand, overhand, mixed grip, internal or external rotational as you pull in...I promise new muscles will be worked.



TIME on the mind yet again


http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1917458,00.html

VIOLA!

Combine
2 handfuls of kale
squirt of flax oil
scoop of protein of your choice, RTN, pea protein or VEGA
1 1/2 banana
blueberries or cherries
water

Power up the blender, and you are good to go!

This is a phenomenal way to get some green veggies--- without even tasting them :0

GREEN SMOOTHIES

You have to give this one a try! NO more EXCUSES ;)
the following is all you need...













Friday, August 21, 2009

Only 3 MONTHS out and look at Momma go!


Starting with her Versus warmup, Emily gets her core firing. She moves on to planks and bridges and into some TGU's.
Single leg work, some pulling action and some more core stability work follow. Check out this beautiful 24 kg swing. This lady in black is SMOKIN ;)








Technically we don't offer childcare at the studio, but this baby and his parents are pretty special to me!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

It really matters what you ate, eats!

Even world famous Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Boyle is getting in deeper with his nutrition :)

Check out his latest blog post August 18th...I love it.

http://mboyle1959.wordpress.com/

Sunday, August 16, 2009



It has definitely been a crazy few weeks and I have been neglecting the blog! I helped out my buddy Aaron Brooks with a photo shoot for his corrective exercises. Here is one after the 4 hr AMAZING shoot with Jess. I better save this one, seeing as Aaron is going to soon be a household name for those of you in the fitness industry ;)












This weekend I got to get back to cooking so I wanted to share my latest EASY meal with you!
Remember my little Southie garden? Well I have grown some awesome tomatoes, eggplant and peppers so I decided to use some :)













Stacey's Stuffed Pepper's


1 cup of Basamati Brown Rice

2 cups of Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- you know how to cook rice ;)

1 white eggplant sliced and microwaved with sea salt and pepper for :45 sec

2 large green peppers stems removed and cut in half lengthwise

1 can of aduki beans rinsed and drained

1 can of diced tomatoes rinsed and drained

1/4 cup of jalapeno peppers

Your favorite cheese ( I used Manchego Sheep Milk)

add oregano, sea salt, pepper to taste (or experiment with your favorite seasonings)

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Combine rice and other ingredients

Stuff the halved peppers to the brim :)

Top with your sliced cheese

Cook for 20 min's and VIOLA dinner for 4 with leftover's :)))
STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON THIS MEAL ;)

Thursday, August 13, 2009













This morning I went for my 6 month cleaning at the dentist... YAY gotta love it. No cavities ;)


Like a magnet the latest Time Magazine attaches itself to my hand...hmmm I wonder why this picture would entice me?!?!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857-1,00.html


What are your feelings on this?

Saturday, August 8, 2009

THE IN BETWEEN STATE

The following is some PRETTY POWERFUL STUFF

I suggest you take the time to read it. I took the time to type it, so please read it :)


"It takes some training to equate complete letting go with comfort. But in fact, "nothing to hold on to" is the root of happiness. There's a sense of freedom when we accept that we're not in control. Pointing ourselves toward what we would most like to avoid makes our barriers and shields permeable. This may lead to a don't- know- what- to -do kind of feeling, a sense of being caught in-between. This in-between state is where the warrior spends a lot of time growing up.

Anxiety, heartbreak and tenderness mark the in-between state. It's the kind of place we usually want to avoid. The challenge is to stay in the middle rather than buy into struggle and complain. The challenge is to let it soften us rather than make us more rigid and afraid. Becoming intimate with the queasy feeling of being in the middle of nowhere only makes our heart more tender. When we are brave enough to stay in the middle, compassion arises spontaneously. By not knowing, not hoping to know, and not acting like we know what's happening, we begin to access our inner strength.

Dwelling in the in-between state requires learning to contain the paradox of something's being both right and wrong, of someone's being strong and loving and also angry, uptight and stingy. In that painful moment when we don't live up to our own standards, do we condemn ourselves or truly appreciate the paradox of being human? Can we forgive ourselves and stay in touch with our good and tender heart?

When we find ourselves in a place of discomfort and fear, when we're in a dispute, when the doctor says we need tests to see what's wrong, we'll find that we want to blame, to take sides, to stand our ground. We feel we must have some resolution. We want to hold our familiar view. For the warrior, "right" is as extreme a view as "wrong". They both block our innate wisdom. When we stand at the crossroads, not knowing which way to go, we abide in prajna-paramita ( the perfection of wisdom). The crossroads is an important place in the training of a warrior. It's where our solid views begin to dissolve.

As we continue to train, we evolve beyong that little me who continually seeks zones of comfort. We gradually discover that we are big enough to hold somthing that is neither lie nor truth, neither pure not impure, neither bad nor good. But first we have to appreciate the richness of the groundless state and hang in there.

It's important to hear about the in-between state. Otherwise we think the warrior's journey is one way or the other; either we're caught up of we're free. The fact is that we spend a long time in the middle. This juicy spot is a fruitful place to be. Resting here completely---steadfastly experiencing the clarity of the present moment---is called enlightenment."

-Pema Chodron

Shared by David, Maggie, Joanne and Todd of SOBOYO

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Flower Power

I was definitely naive to think that today could not be better than the days before. I now truly believe that life is what you make it.

From the moment I met David Vendetti I was in awe of his presence. Throughout this week he has managed to give all of us in the program a piece of him :) And you too can give those around you a piece of yourself, thus creating a better place for everyone you come into contact with.

Here is an example of something amazing that I helped to happen this afternoon.

When we rose from Savasana to the left of our mats was a flower :) It's crazy how happy one little flower can make you. David then told us that the flower was part of our homework. Intrigued I listened closely. We were to give this flower to someone to spread our Yoga to others. 57 of us left South Boston Yoga and scattered across the city.

I called JT and told him about the flower, he asked me who I was going to give it to. I told him I was thinking about my friend Shannon. He suggested I give it to one of the girls at my favorite coffee shop (he has great ideas). For those of you who don't know Southie, the gals at at Gourmet coffee can be a little rough around the edges ;) One of the girls is pregnant and I wanted to give her the flower.

I stood in line with my flower and ordered my usual coffee. I gave the mom- to- be the flower and she got very emotional and said that I made her day. She asked me if I wanted to know why and I agreed to listen. She said that orange was her husband's favorite color flower and that he had recently passed away.

Stunned I left and walked around the corner to my apartment.

Ahh the power of a single flower.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

9 Day Intensive

I am now halfway through my intensive introduction at South Boston Yoga. 2009-2010 is the year I will earn my 500 hr RYT. There are 57 of us in the teacher training program together, some of us are in the 200 hr program, while others are back from last year to complete their next 300 hrs, the rest are going for 500 :)

I feel as though this group has been together for months and yet today is only day 5, its crazy. I expected great things to come from my decision to embark on this journey, but little did I know how much I would be changing my life for the better.

It is like I am back in school again; only this time I treasure every moment of it. The early mornings are filled with physical practice, pranayama, and yoga sutras. We eat lunch together and then break into small groups and teach our peers, work on adjustments, as well as study anatomy and postural patterning. What could be better?



The process of Yoga consists of clearing out the history of the body while simulanteously moving forward in your Yoga Practice, these together allow you to come fully into the Present :)

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