Rajah's exercise journal (comments very welcome :) )

[DoeWDW]

Good morning, Tammi!

I know you've had a lot going on lately. Just wanted to let you know we haven't forgotten you on the Journal board.

My whole family is on the lookout for DDR now. Even my teenagers recognize they are not exercising enough and want to use DDR to help them get moving. Thanks for posting about it and giving me the idea.

If you find the time, maybe some exercise will help you too!

to you, Tammi. Come back when you're ready. :happy1:

 

[Rajah]

Okay, I'm back. Let's try this *again*.

I'm now under 3 different "doctor's" orders (different type/level of doctor) to exercise, so I'm back to trying the Tai Chi again. I've even asked if my friends, who frequent a nearby gym, could pick up a schedule of that gym's classes and price lists for their classes. I'm hoping Tai Chi will be one of them at a time I can go. My friends said they might go with me if I did

Anyway, tonight I just did some warmup exercises again. Doubled-up some of the warmup exercises, the ones that focused on the muscles I'm having the most trouble with (back especially). I was going to do some DDR as well until I almost fell over when I stopped the warmup. Man I'm in pathetic shape now. So, rather than risk injury, I stopped. And will try again (if people will give me some pushes please) tomorrow.

Anyone taking bets....will I make a week?

 

[DoeWDW]

You'll make it Tammi!! You're doing the right thing - taking it slow and easy. Ease yourself back into the groove. There's no rush.

Tai Chi sounds so wonderful and soothing. I've often wanted to try it. Have you done it before? Let me know how it is, OK?

We did finally get DDR and the kids use it on a regular basis. I have yet to try to use it for a workout. Mostly I end up laughing at how uncoordinated I am! I truly should work it into my schedule though, especially on rainy days like today when I won't be able to walk outside.

Glad to see you back! Take your time and you'll be amazed at how quickly exercise becomes second-nature to you again!

 

[Rajah]

Hi Doe

I started up with some Tai Chi (from DVD) about 8 months ago. Did it fairly well for about 2 months, then got these hives and stopped and haven't done more than the warmup since. But I love it -- it's beautiful, very focusing, relaxing, the best way I've found yet to stretch out those "kinks" you get in the back sometimes. Easy to do but at the same time healthy. Perfect for me, especially in my current situation.

I also realized after talking to a friend last night that my arm wasn't tired-weak from the Tai Chi, it was from the computer game I'd been playing that involved a *lot* of mouse use. It had completely slipped my mind that I'd already worn out that arm before I even started. So maybe I'm in a little better shape than I thought. Not much better because I still had to sit down, but I was able to stand in the knees-slightly-bent pose for most of the exercises, which is about 10 minutes.

Dunno if I'll do any tonight. Probably not because a couple of friends of mine are kidnapping me to go to the Rodeo tonight, but I suspect we'll be getting enough walking in for that to count.

 

[DoeWDW]

May I ask which Tai Chi DVD you're using? I'd love to add Tai Chi into my workout routine. If I do something very aerobic in the evening, I have trouble winding down to sleep. I'd think that Tai Chi would help me work those muscles while being relaxing enough that I could still get to bed on time. Also, I work at the computer all day and my back muscles could use the stretching!

The rodeo sounds like fun!! Hope you have a great time!

 

[Rajah]

Doe -- it's called Tai Chi for Beginners, by Dr Paul Lam. And it's great. The next DVD, the 24 forms, isn't as good, but I *very* highly recommend the Tai Chi for Beginners.

And I do the Tai Chi / warmup close to bedtime all the time -- it can either help me wake up and focus (like at work when I do the warmup there when my cube-mate's not around) or slow down and relax at night. Really it seems that however I approach it is what it does. If my mind is focused on waking up and getting energized, that's what happens. If it's focused on relaxing and slowing down, that seems to be what happens. Dunno if that's just me, though.

The rodeo was great! This, believe it or not, was the first time I've been to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo even though I've lived here for almost 15 years. We had a *blast*. And we're going to try to go back for another concert if that one isn't sold out.

I didn't get quite as much exercise as I expected to get, but I got a *lot* more than I usually do, including even some "weight lifting" -- sorta. LOL! You know those rides that spin you really fast and if you're seated with others, whoever's on the outside gets squished and whoever's on the inside better hold on tight to try to lessen the squishing of the person on the outside? Well, I was on the inside. LOL!

We did do a good deal of walking - surely not as much as even a slow day at any Disney park, but a lot more than I'm used to.

I think I'll probably still go do a few minutes of Tai Chi warmup so I can try and slow down and go to sleep.

 

[DoeWDW]

Thanks for the info on Tai Chi, Tammi - sounds like something I'd really enjoy and could easily fit into my schedule!

I'm glad you had a chance to get out with your friends and have a great time! The ride sounds fun! I've never been to a rodeo - is it like a fair or carnival with rides and concerts, only with the added attraction of all the rodeo events?

Hope you had a good night's rest and are ready for the weekend!

 

[Rajah]

Sure Doe, hope you enjoy it.

The Rodeo in Houston is a combination traveling carnival (you know, pay wayyy too much for tickets to ride on pretty much cookie-cutter rides? But with a few good ones thrown in), food show (like the Food & Wine Festival at WDW), animal show (mostly farm animals, with petting zoos and pig races and stuff), rodeo (bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, chuck-wagon racing, etc), shopping festival, concerts, museums of things like kid's artwork or crafts, and a bit more thrown in. Way too much to see and do in just one day. I didn't realize it was that big myself until I got there.

Anyway, to my exercise for the weekend -- didn't do anything yesterday because I started some new meds and, as warned, they made me dizzy, weak, tired, and upset stomach. Not good conditions for exercising. So I exercised my way right to bed for the night. LOL.

Today was better as far as initial side effects go. Mostly just a headache. Had a friend over for about an hour and she brought her two little girls (3 and 5) who were very well behaved, but I learned I'm in no way ready for kids of my own yet. LOL! Didn't do too much exercising keeping up with them, other than going up and down the stairs about 6 times. But then tonight I did my Tai Chi warmup again. Helped stretch out the back and neck muscles that had tensed up from the headache. Still got the headache, but not quite as bad as it was. I may even go dig out the DVD (been doing the warmup from memory) and try the first couple of moves again while I wait for my laundry to dry.

 

[DoeWDW]

Tammi, I hope all is well with you! Here's some extra for your Monday!

 

[Rajah]

Thanks Doe.

Didn't get any exercise in yesterday, but today I did both my Tai Chi warm-up, a brief review of the moves, then one run through the entire sequence (though I forgot one transition move -- otherwise, I remembered the sequence pretty well for not having done it in 6 months).

Overall, about 20 minutes of Tai Chi. (well, with some DVD fast-forwarding/skipping to get to the right areas ) I think I need to bring out the 24 forms DVD again.

 

[Rajah]

Did another round of Tai Chi warmup and one run through the sequence (by memory) last night. Takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on how slow I move. And I'm impressed that I remembered everything except two transition movements without having to follow the instructions.

 

[marsh0013]

hi tammi, i'm new to your journal, hope it's okay that i'm stopping by

that tai chi sounds like a really great way for you to get your exercise in, and also to relax you! i know it's hard to fit in time to exercise, but i'm glad you've found something that you enjoy doing and can fit into your schedule

keep up the great work, and i hope you have a wonderful day

 

[Rajah]

Hi marcia! Of course it's okay. I welcome anyone who wants to stop by.


Didn't get much in last night, only about 5 minutes, but I was exhausted so I guess that's fair.


Let's see...have I done enough for the 1-week exercise clippie again?

 

[DoeWDW]

Tammi, I vote YES! to your 1 week exercise clippie, especially if it will help motivate you to do more!!

Isn't it great how your body and mind have remembered your Tai Chi routine? It sounds like just the ticket for you right now!

Keep up the great work, Tammi!!

 

[Rajah]

Yay, thanks Doe.

It really is great to see how well I remembered it. Surprising, but great.

And it's interesting to see how much I'm aching today after not getting my Tai Chi in yesterday. Ugh, I'm about to go up the walls because my back and legs are aching so much, and this is *after* 2 bottles of water and an advil. I'm about ready to get up right here and do some Tai Chi here in the office and so what if my coworkers think me strange. I've already taken 3 walks down to the cafeteria (round trip makes for a 5-7 minute walk), and am about to do a fourth.

 

[DoeWDW]

Your body must really miss the stretching!! Have a nice stroll to the cafeteria!

Tai chi in the office....hmmm, you may start a new trend! I say go for it!!

 

[Rajah]

No kidding. I've done a bit of stretching this afternoon and another walk, and the ache's gone down a little.

Definitely need to do some Tai Chi tonight.

 

[Rajah]

Made great progress tonight.

I did a full 35 minutes of Tai Chi tonight, consisting of the Tai Chi warmup, running through the instructions for what I was calling the transitional moves that I was getting wrong, then 3 times (or was it 4?) through the beginner's sequence, then even put in the 24 Forms DVD (the next step) and went through the instructions on one more move. I wanted to do more, but that was as much as my ankle would take.

 

[DoeWDW]

Tammi, hope all that Tai Chi has you feeling better this morning and throughout the day!

 

[Desiree]

Tammi, hope your ankle heals up. Keep up the good work on the Tai Chi though and have a happy Friday!