Sunday, February 28, 2010

Being still is a metaphor for wanting to be free more than anything else

The decision to be physically still represents a fundamental posture in relationship to life itself. It means you're making a commitment that no matter what happens, even if the whole world seems to be falling apart, you will not move. In the unenlightened state, constantly driven by conditioned impulses of fear and desire, we are always moving. Not moving is a metaphor for the goal, because one who is enlightened is one who inwardly never moves from that which is most important.


Thanks Magi


My main goal for 2010 was to make time for meditation.
Every Sunday night :)
Being still is one of 3 main components of Meditation.

Progress

not Perfection ;)

Pictures are such an amazing way to track progress. Clothes and measurements are good, but nothing can track progress like pictures. You can weigh yourself, track body composition, but its the photos that tie it all together.
They allow you to pinpoint exactly what is changing!

Preparing for your first show is complicated. You have to gain muscle + weight and have faith in the process. There is an end goal in mind. It is all preparation for that day on stage. THAT ONE DAY.
It is not like you go through each and everyday thinking that your body looks great...BECAUSE IT DOESN'T. It's changing and growing and shifting.

As my boobs get smaller and my arms get bigger, sometimes I ask myself "why am I doing this again?" Because its a CHALLENGE, a goal, an experience, a process.

I LOVE BEING STRONG, its just something that I have always taken pride in. Seeing my strength gains helps me get through tough training days.

Pics from November and then from February, see anything different?!?!?




Monday, February 22, 2010

She's BAAAACKKKKKKKKKK

:)

In full effect! Be prepared for an overload of great posts this week....I OWE IT TO YA!
I have spent the past 5 days chained to my bed with some sort of the FLU, pig flu, regular flu, I don't know what it was but it STUNK BIG TIME.

Luckily last week was my DE-LOAD week when it came to training. Coach Nick's advice was to "move my body" and get nothing more than a light sweat going 3-4 times during the week. These workouts should be like one big warm-up, no localized muscle fatigue. I could have chosen from light band circuits, light cardio, body-weight dynamic movements. No plyometrics, no jumping rope, nothing that would make me sore! You know what that means to Stacey.....YOGS YOGS YOGS ;)

While I was living in bed I kept my computer close and tried to update myself as much as possible on what I had actually gotten myself into by signing up for this competition. I will share articles on all of things, ASIDE from getting their body's physically ready, that Figure Girls have to do to get ready for Stage Day.

First off you have to pick your suit. ASK MY MOM, it took me FOREVER to pick out a prom dress, I will never be able to pick out a wedding dress and I mean NEVER. So this whole suit picking is proving pretty trying. I perused the internet for suits that caught my eye.




I got my fabric swatches in the mail and have narrowed down my choices. I want to go with a variation of the above paisley pattern, with one of the swatches below.
I also got my heels this week :0

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

SOUTH BOSTON YOGA...


is getting it done!
I have been a student here for over almost 2 years. I have watched the studio grow and expand, and most nights it is BURSTING AT THE SEAMS!
I can't explain how the place and the people have changed my life for the better :)

For the month of February South Boston Yoga is offering 2 free classes each week.
RESTORATIVE** with Sara on Wednesday night at 7:30p
&
ALL LEVELS*** with Dorian Thursday night at 7:30pm.


Who can turn down a FREE class ?!?!?!?

**Using bolsters, blankets, blocks and straps this soothing class supports a gentle body opening and a calm and meditative mind. Sessions include some breathing exersizes, deep relaxation and a nourishing sequence of supported postures to guide the body to a place of rejuvenation and centering. Great addition to a more vigorous practice or to rehabilitate from injury.

***Hatha/Vinyasa led yoga class. These classes are open to a wide range of practitioners, aimed towards a moderately vigorous level with modifications given for both beginning and more advanced students.

CHECK OUT SOBOYO

In addition to the free classes, Sunday evenings at 5:00pm are Community Classes for $5
Trust me when I say Community Classes are rocking, since it is the 2009/2010 Body Awakening Teacher Trainees that teach em!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Leg Days

As you all know I am in the middle of training for my first figure competition. I am still in the "BULKING" stage of my training. Due to the fact that I have a restricted diet because of my food allergies, it's been harder for me to put on mass.

Currently I am on a 3 day on, one day off split.
And it goes a little something like this...Legs, Upper Body Push, Upper Body Pull, followed by a rest day and then back to legs!
As you may have heard, training for your first show is full of trial and error.
You try something and if it doesn't work, you try something else.
When doing uni-lateral leg training I was definitely making huge strength gains, I just wasn't getting the muscle density that I needed. Coach Nick Tumminello changed my programming to bi lateral leg exercises so that I could get the size I needed before I lean out! He knows what he's doing.....it's working.

Thanks to some serious hard work, I have a newly found ASS; which I appreciate greatly :)
My quads, hamstrings and calves have definitely developed as well.

I am lifting HEAVY and sticking to the basics. Bottom line---The basics work. You just have to do them with CORRECT FORM! Here are a few tips for some of my lower body favorites.

When I am Front and Back Squatting I make sure to sit back with my butt rather than thinking that the squat initiates with a knee bend. From my days as a HARDSTYLE kettlebeller I think about driving my heels straight through the floor and envision spreading my heels apart as I lower and lift the weight.

When I am Romanian style Dead lifting, I make sure to keep the bar as close to my legs as possible on the way up and down and I keep a nice flat back.

As I discussed in my previous post...YOUR WARM-UP is the MOST IMPORTANT part of your workout!
I also wanted to share with you a great warm-up for a lower body workout :)



I begin with a kneeling hip flexor stretch for :30 and then I twist into it for another :30. Totaling 1 min on each side. With this I begin to open my hip flexors and engage my stabilizing glute.

I then move to lunges with arms extended overhead. With this exercise I continue to open my hips and activate my glutes but I also get some nice thoracic extension.

Moving on to activate my lateral stabilizers I perform 1 min of exercise on each leg (beginning with an isometric hold and then continuing on to dynamic lunges)

Up next I perform 1 minute of climbers in the upper push up position. I slowly bring my right knee into my chest keeping tension with my left leg and vice versa. All the while engaging the stabilizers of my shoulders, my entire core, glutes and hip flexors.

I flip myself on over and come into a static hip extension. I add in some abduction with alternating hip extensions getting some crazy glute min med activation!!!!

Next comes the tamed down version of a single leg burpee. Here I focus on driving through my heel and getting my whole posterior chain involved (a single leg dead lift of sorts)

I finish up my warm-up with some isometric squat holds(continuing on to dynamic squats) with big time thoracic extension. I want to make sure that the glutes and hips are active along with my erectors and paraspinals being lit up for my squats!


GO AHEAD GIVE IT A TRY :)))

Sunday, February 7, 2010

The WARM UP ISSUE

I say this time and time again....your warm-up is the most important part of your workout. Without it, YOU GOT NOTHIN'. A proper warm up decreases the incidence of injury as well as improves performance. This is the case for several reasons, some being more apparent than others.
When you first start to move, your heart rate increases. This in turn increases blood flow to muscles and oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells goes up. Your body's systems are now aware that there is an increase in demand impending :)
This being said, you always want to make your warm up specific to your workout. Remember your warm up shouldn't make you tired, it should get you ready for what's to come!
Whether you are strength training, doing yoga, or running... you must warm up. And since these activities are all so different, your warm ups will be specific for each activity. I generally spend 8-12 minutes warming up.
I always like to say that the yogi's had the right idea thousands of years ago, they begin to warm the body with Sun Salutations, before initiating any rigorous practice.
Completing a dynamic warm up is going to automatically increase your flexibility and range of motion when done properly. Focusing in on joint mobility (ankles, knees, hips and shoulders) is also a great idea :)
Now I like to take things a step further. I include a third component. Posture plays a crucial role in body alignment. Body alignment is necessary for proper activation. And last but not least proper activation allows your body to handle loads safely and efficiently!
No body's perfect at least my body ain't! So in order to make the most of my workouts I have to have a great warmup!!!!



Check out this one that I use on my Upper Body Lifting Days...








Thursday, February 4, 2010

THE "yoke" OF YOGA IS TRUST. YOGA IS LEARNING TO TRUST---FIRST YOURSELF, AND THEN LIFE ALL AROUND YOU.


thanks Jeannie xo

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