Hoping to save the good name of Gumby from the ravages illness and travel brought last week, YHC brought a new playlist and extra-stretchy weinke for this morning’s workout. Here’s how it rolled:
Disclaimer
Savasana, Devo.
Windshield wiper – 5 Breaths
Right ankle on left knee and twist left, face right, arms T – 5B; flip it – 5B
Cat/Cow – 10B
Plank, Sun Salute 2B each pose, 2X together then 2X more OYO, meet in Mountain
Up, down, half-way lift, chaturanga, UpDog, DownDog.
Right leg high, to nose, high step through to runner’s lunge – 2B
Sweep arms up and stretch – 5B
Arms down and back to plank. Sun Salute OYO X2, meet in DownDog.
Repeato other side.
Right leg high, to nose, high step through to runner’s lunge – 2B
Sweep arms up, the to prayer-center, then twist to Right (elbow on knee). Hands stay or spread to deepen twist – 5B. Then back to center and twist to left, right hand on ground – 5B. Back to center, frame foot, SunSalute OYO X2, meet in DownDog.
Repeato other side.
Step back with Right foot into Warrior 1 – 2B, Warrior 2 – 2B, Face side: 5-pointed star -2B, Fold at middle, straight back and stretch inner thigh, hammies, back, whatever feels good for 10B.
Back up to 5-pointed star, Warrior 2, Warrior 1, step up to Mountain. Sun Salute 2X OYO meet in Mountain.
Step back with Left foot into Warrior 1 – 2B, Warrior 2 – 2B, Face side: wide-legged squat all the way down and slowly shift weight to right side, left leg straight and toes up = ninja stretch 10B. Use hands to walk to left side and stretch right leg 10B. Walk hands to middle and slowly raise torso. Warrior 2 – 2B, Warrior 1 – 2B, step up to Mountain. Sun Salute X2 OYO.
Squat and lower to back (roll if want).
Dead Pigeon 10B each side.
Savasana and refresh of Devo
Announcements:
Q school at SunValley/Outland AO April 29 – meet at 6:30 @ Bojangles (Madison has details – and watch Twitter)
Need Qs for Gumby: Sign up here. High Tide and I can help with the music and weinke
Moleskin:
It was great weather this morning – cool, not raining . . . all perfect for a solid outdoor beatdown, so it was hard for YHC to turn my back on the chance to have a pre-run (very mini beatdown). But the call of duty prevailed, so I headed in and got ready to stretch . . . by stretching. Well, actually, just using the roller, but still, there’s enough irony there to be worth the mention.
Anyway, it was great to see the regulars, some irregulars, and one site FNG: WELCOME BULLWINKLE. Thanks to Madison for the rescue with the extra mat for Bullwinkle.
John 15:4, NIV: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
With more cars than PAX, YHC got Gumby going knowing that things were a little off. Sadly for one of us, it only took being off a little to make all the difference . . .
Start in seated position, long spine relaxed shoulders, legs comfortably crossed, eyes closed and relax. Focus on breathing.
MEDITATION/DEVO: Refuse to worry!
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” – Luke 12:25-26
The main Thang:
Lie down onto back: windshield wiper slowly following breath. 5/side
Grab knees and rock front to back until get to seated then to table top for: cat/cow 5B
Table Top: bend right/left with breath 5B
Plank, Chaturanga, up dog 2 breaths, down dog and peddle out, walk up and sun salutation with breathing at each position. Meet in upward salute.
Warrior 3 (R planted, Left leg swings up), step back to Warrior 1, 2, Peaceful, elbow to knee and side stretch. Stopping at each pose for 2 breaths.
Hands down, runner’s lunge stretch (crescent stretch) 5B
Plank to salutation series 2X following your breath. Meet in Mountain.
Warrior 3 (LEFT planted, R leg swings up), step back to Warrior 1, 2, Peaceful, elbow to knee and side stretch. Stopping at each pose for 2 breaths.
Hands down, runner’s lunge stretch (crescent stretch) 5B
Plank, Chaturanga and salutation series 2X following your breath. Meet in Mountain.
down to table top, then feet wider and sit up to ease back onto six (support with block or hands if can’t fully land on six), 5B
Transition to Down Dog through table top. Up on toes. Lift R leg straight up, cheetah, back, cheetah, Left foot flat on mat and Right knee at 90degrees and do large circle 2X forward, then 2X reverse.
Sun Salute OYO ending back in Down Dog.
Up on toes. Lift LEFT leg straight up, cheetah, back, cheetah, Right foot flat on mat and Right knee at 90degrees and do large circle 2X forward, then 2X reverse.
Sun Salute OYO ending back in Upward Salute.
Lower down onto toes and rock back like baseball catcher. Use hands/fingers to keep balanced if needed. 5B
Back to table top then right foot forward and flat on mat, bend in knee if can’t make straight. Left leg still on knee and foot on arch or toes. Half forward fold. Hands on leg or foot if can stretch that far. 5B.
Back to table top and straighten right leg, cheetah, straight, cheetah, straight and tabletop.
Repeat stretch on left leg (left foot forward and flat (bend knee if
needed) and stretch over it and breathe 5B.
Back to table top and straighten LEFT leg, cheetah, straight, cheetah, straight and tabletop.
Straighten Right leg and place, toe down, on left side and twist body to left and gaze to left toes. 5B
Straighten LEFT leg and place, toe down, on Right side and twist body to Right and gaze to Right toes. 5B
Child’s pose, walk fingers out. Head to mat if possible with six on your heels. Breathe 5X, then finger walk to left 5B, right 5B
Plank to Mountain. Face LEFT and step wide for wide-leg forward fold. Keep breathing, but take a few minutes to gently stretch, using slow side-to-side movements if you want, or just shifting hips to get slightly more/less stretch in each side.
Step to top of mat and Sun Salutation with 2 breaths at each pose, meet back at Sun Salute.
Eagle Pose ~5B then switch
Bridge with a bind
Roll it out.
Rest all the way down, relax and deepen your breath. Devo revisit: Refuse to worry!
Announcements:
Opening for this Saturday Outland Q – contact Madison
Paper Jam has the Q next week (his Gumby VQ)
Plenty of other Q opportunities. Don’t be shy. Go for it! http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4dafae28aa8-gumby
Moleskin:
Things got off to a slow start this morning. Only 4 other PAX joined YHC when the clock struck 0530. Arena had spotted Madison’s car in the lot, but he wasn’t here. After a while he and Paper Jam came in. Turns out they took a wrong turn at Albuquerque and got a bonus mile on their planned warm-up run.
Sadly for Nomad, things also didn’t go as planned this morning for him. At some point early on, his lower back decided it was time to stop being nice. It communicated it’s displeasure by sending shooting pain to his brain and effectively ending his workout for the day. By the end, he was able to get to his car when we all left, but his back was still not right.
YHC has had a similar encounter with a recalcitrant back, which had a fit while I was putting down the double kettlebells at a Skunkworks post last year. Moving was hard for the next few days, and only after many weeks did my back finally stop complaining. I guess the moral of the story is: Injuries suck and can come at the least expected times. If you have a story to share along these lines, post in Comments. Or if you see a better moral, ditto.
Thanks for the chance to offer some suggestions and get stretchier.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”
Those PAX brave enough to venture out into the pea soup of a fog this morning were rewarded with some solid active recovery in the hut at the end of Fullwood Lane. Here’s a quick recap, in case you missed it:
Disclosure, Devo (Savasana)
Windshield Wiper -> leg fold
Table Top for Cat/Cow
Extended Child’s Pose
Sun Salutation (Vinyasa) slow at first (walkin’ the dog!)
Fire Hydrant, Cheetah, Runner’s Lunge w/twist, Warrior 1, 2 & Peaceful, Standing Side Stretch with Sun Salutation between each set.
Table Top to Awkward Airplane
Boat/Canoe
Happy Baby
Butterfly
Dead Pigeon
Savasana
No Announcements
Moleskin:
Great group today. Thank you for the opportunity to provide some suggestions.
There are a number of pre-runners and pre-drivers (like me). Everyone had a mat of some sort (camping pad is fine). Though I think I speak for everyone when I say that we missed Fireman Ed’s king-sized workout mat. And Fireman Ed, of course.
YHC hopes the stretching today helps recovery from the abuse we subject ourselves to the rest of the week at our workouts. And that the words of wisdom from John Ashcroft “Lessons from a Father to His Son” help us remain strong against the abuse the world inflicts on us every day in the rest of our lives.
Devo verse: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
It’s nice to see the regular guys at Gumby, but also nice when we get some site FNGs. EarlyBird was EH’d by Booyah, and got some pre intel so that he came with his own mat. Fireman Ed asked me about it yesterday at #F3Skunkworks, so came totally unprepared. Q fail. I’ll do a 10 Pigeon penance. So did he suffer on the concrete? share a mat? bail out?
Read on to find out.
Opening/Disclosure/Devo – Savasana
Slow pace through sun salutation, then 5 rounds of High Lunge Sun Salutes (focus=hips, legs, groin)
Dead Pigeon (focus=hips)
Plow (focus=back)
Roll up to catcher squat (focus=feet/toes)
Sun Salutation into Low Lunge series (focus=hips, quads, lower back, groin, ham strings)
Fire Logs (focus=hips)
Bound Angle (focus=groin)
Savasana/End
Announcements
Sign up for BRR (yes, that drum has started beating)
Moleskin
So, after half-a-year, YHC forgets that some guys need additional intel to know what to expect at Gumby. Like, “Bring a mat.” So when I was telling Fireman Ed to post at Gumby yesterday after a particularly unsavory Bulldog beatdown, I just said where and when. Didn’t tell him to bring a mat. But I put it in the reminder tweet. Didn’t help. He showed up ready for anything, except an unforgiving concrete floor. Fortunately for everyone (especially Fireman Ed), High Tide travels with a 4X8 roll of high-density foam, like you’d see on the garage floor in front of a workbench. (Back story: it’s for his parking lot TGUs.) Anyway, with crisis averted, and Q fail rescued by co-site-Q, the workout went well. EarlyBird brought the M’s mat. (T-claps for asking the right people the right questions.)
Sign Up Genius is ready for you to Q. Please grab a date and let me or High Tide know if you have questions or want help with the Weinke (you don’t want my help on the music). Link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4dafae28aa8-gumby
T-CLAPS TO JAILBREAK – signed up this morning before I could get this Back Blast out!
Devo Verse: God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
With 12 days until Christmas, it seemed appropriate to bring a little gift to the PAX at Gumby this morning. So YHC scoured the web and poured over the offerings until just the right thing appeared. Details below . . .
Disclaimer, Meditation/Devo: Our soul finds rest when it rests in God.
Tabletop. ~10 breaths
Plank ~5-10 breaths
Baby Cobra ~5-10 breaths
Down Dog ~5-10 breaths
Half-way Lift. Forward fold ~5-10 breaths
Sun Salute. Halfway Lift, Updog, Downdog.
3-legged Dog, Low Lunge. ~5B Twist. ~5B
Plank. Sun Salutation OYO, meeting in DownDog.
REPEATO Left leg 3-legged Dog, Low Lunge. ~5B Twist. ~5B
Sun Salutation OYO through once and continue until meet in Mountain.
Forward Fold, Halfway Lift, Lower down onto 6.
Dead Pigeon 10B Right side. Flapjack.
Knees to chest and rock slightly to massage back for a minute ~5B
Rock to toes. Stretch ankles/toes for 10B
Time to see what Swissa Claus brought for the Pax: Crow (aka Crane, aka BAKASANA).
Back to Plank, Updog, DownDog. 3-legged Dog.
Warrior 1 5B Warrior 2 5B
Side Angle. 10B to slowly rotate top shoulder up, opening chest and gaining more space in the side body.
Plank and Sun Salutation OYO, meeting in Down Dog.
Repeato Left foot . . . Side Angle Right side . . . Sun Salutations, MEET IN MOUNTAIN.
Wide Leg Forward Fold 10B.
Lie down like savasana, neck stretching. Flapjack and repeato.
Savasana and closing.
COT
Announcements:
High Tide has the Q next week
Gumby closed week after that Dec 28
Madison has Q to kick off new year on Jan 4.
Sign up for your turn at the front. http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4dafae28aa8-gumby
Moleskin:
Thanks again for the opportunity to lead. It was fun to try to come up with something new and fun; challenging, but attainable. And somehow tied to Christmas (Partridge in a Pear Tree). I thought of doing a 12-days-of-Christmas, but that would be way to much like hot yoga, not recovery/stretching. Anyway, I hope you guys had fun trying Bakasana. Let me or HT know.
Thanks for the take-out, Paper Jam.
Stay safe, enjoy time with friends and family, and keep Christ in the center of your Christmas.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.
Matthew 11:28
Our core group of PAX took shelter from the storm this morning and were treated to several new flavors of downpainment – Gumby style.
Disclaimer, Savasana and Devo,
Warmup:
Hug right knee 2B, release. LEFT 2B, release. Repeat 3X.
Lift both knees and fold to right side, arms “T” and head left. Hold 5B. FLAPJACK.
Swing around to TABLETOP: Cat/Cow 5X, follow breath.
Plank, Updog (hold 5B with small shifts to deepen stretch), Downdog (WALK THE DOG) 5B, step/hop to top and start sun salutations with extra breath at each pose until back to top. Then 2nd time from mountain all the way through OYO, follow breath.
The Main Thang:
Pyramid/Ninja series:
Together: forward fold, half-way lift, lower to plank then inhale to Updog, exhale to Downdog.
RIGHT leg straight out. Bend knee and draw very large circles, 3X clockwise, 3X counterCW, then draw knee to chest and place foot between hands (may need to tent fingers) and come into WARRIOR 1. Hold 5B
Straighten front leg and PYRAMID. Start bend with hips, finish with back. Hold 5B.
Shift torso and feet to face left for WIDE-LEG FORWARD FOLD. Shift right and left slightly to deepen stretch. 5B
Squat on left foot for NINJA STRETCH. 5B.
Back up to WIDE-LEG FORWARD FOLD. Use breath to deepen stretch. 5B
Back to PYRAMID over RIGHT leg. 5B
Back to WARRIOR 1. 5B Step up to Mountain and 2X Sun Salutations OYO, meet in Mountain.
REPEATO Pyramid/Ninja series, opposite side. Then:
Raise RIGHT leg for TREE. Place foot into left thigh, not on knee. Hands together at prayer center. Hold 5B.
Grab RIGHT big toe with first two fingers and straighten leg in front, then slowly swing to side to open and stretch. Left hand out straight from shoulder parallel to ground. 5B Slowly release and lower foot back to mat.
2X Sun Salutations OYO, meet in Mountain
REPEATO TREE, left side.
2X Sun Salutations OYO, meet in Mountain
Half-way lift, take arm bind and use right hand to pull left elbow for folding side stretch. 5B. Back to neutral and up to Mountain. Repeato LEFT side for 5B.
Lower down to catcher’s squat on your toes and use slow and slight movements to stretch toes and Achilles. 10B
HALF-SPINAL TWIST: Down to six, Right knee up and over left leg, left leg folded under so heel touching right thigh/butt, twist right with LEFT elbow on leg and LEFT hand holding left knee for support, hand open, fingers up. Right hand reaching around to touch mat. 10B
Repeato LEFT side. 10B
Savasana and closing.
No new announcements
Moleskin:
YHC was glad to bring some new material to Gumby. I’m sure Booyah will add even more to our smorgasbord of stretches next week when he’s on Q.
I don’t know about you, but the Ninja stretch really takes me as close to pain as I want to go – obviously I need to do it more to loosen whatever it is that’s so tight. And it’s a cool looking stretch – pretty sure not part of orthodox yoga (bonus).
YHC did have some killer music on tap, but stopped it for the opening savasana, then forgot to turn it back on. If anyone is heading to the north pole, ask Santa for a smart-watch for YHC, so I can start and skip music from my mat, like High Tide demonstrated a few weeks ago.
Stay safe and healthy this week, gentlemen, and thank you for the privilege of leading.
Here’s the devo if you want to re-read it or share out.
-SM
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. Psalm 119:14
Perhaps you’ve seen the TV ad in which a person answers the door and finds someone who hands over a check for an enormous amount of money. Then the amazed recipient begins shouting, dancing, jumping, and hugging everyone in sight. “I won! I’m rich! I can’t believe it! My problems are solved!” Striking it rich evokes a great emotional response.
In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, we find this remarkable statement: “I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches” (v. 14). What a comparison! Obeying God’s instructions for living can be just as exhilarating as receiving a fortune! Verse 16 repeats this refrain as the psalmist expresses grateful gladness for the Lord’s commands. “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
But what if we don’t feel that way? How can delighting in God’s instructions for living be just as exhilarating as receiving a fortune? It all begins with gratitude, which is both an attitude and a choice. We pay attention to what we value, so we begin by expressing our gratitude for those gifts of God that nourish our souls. We ask Him to open our eyes to see the storehouse of wisdom, knowledge, and peace He has given us in His Word.
As our love for Jesus grows each day, we indeed strike it rich!
Dear Father, open our eyes that we may see wonderful things in Your law. Thank You that Your instructions give wise advice.
YHC was surprised by the lack of pre-whatever cars in the lot this morning. And even more surprised to see the dark form of Kilowatt coming around the front of the building. I knew he was coming from some DMs last night, but where was his car? Did he run in? . . . No. Turns out there’s parking on the other side of the building. Who knew – besides Kilowatt?
Pondering such universal questions, YHC headed in and got ready for today’s edition of Gumby.
Disclosure. Savasana & devo.
The Main Thang:
Table top Cat/Cow followed by side bends
Sun Salutations – slow 2-breath pace at first, WALK THE DOG, then OYO 2X, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
CHAIR, STEP BACK WITH RIGHT to Low lunge/Crescent twist (RIGHT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
CHAIR, STEP BACK WITH LEFT to Low lunge/Crescent twist (LEFT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
BACK THROUGH TOGETHER TO DOWN-DOG, THEN STRAIGHTEN RIGHT LEG, STEP UP: Warrior 1, 2, Peaceful, Standing Side Stretch (RIGHT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
BACK THROUGH TOGETHER TO DOWN-DOG, THEN STRAIGHTEN LEFT LEG, STEP UP Warrior 1, 2, Peaceful, Standing Side Stretch (LEFT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
Bridge and hold. Release, hug knees and release tension with slight rocking. Repeat 2X
Extended Child’s Pose, Walk fingers RIGHT. Walk fingers LEFT.
Down Dog/Cheetah 3X RIGHT, 3X LEFT
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
Closing savasana.
Announcements:
Tomorrow: 6:30 Blakeney Chick-fila for Paper-Jam led workout
Tomorrow: 9:00 – 10:30 @ McKee Elementary for F3Dads/2.0 Football and Fun
Next week YHC will Q (my mistake: Booyah has 12/7 Q)
Bring Toys next week for Operation Sweet Tooth
Sign up to Q Gumby http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4dafae28aa8-gumby
Moleskin
Great to see two Site FNGs this morning. Hope the workout met or exceeded expectations. I know the music caused some aural trauma with TR – or at least he was the only one who wasn’t shy about saying something. Zamfir 8-tracks are on back-order, so I’m not sure when we’ll have those rolling.
Q signup is now live, so don’t wait to jump in and deliver your own flavor of stretching and songs.
Thanks for posting, gentlemen.
In closing, remember: Gratitude is a natural response to God’s grace.
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
With the smoke from distant fires hardly noticeable this morning, YHC gave the disclaimer and got things going with a couple of crates of brick pavers. Here’s what we did with them:
Get a pair of bricks and mosey to the far end of the bus lot. Deposit bricks and circle up for COP:
SSH-15IC
8-count Man-maker – 6IC
Hillbilly – 15IC
Windmill – 5IC
LSS – 20IC
Grab bricks and head to ball field for the Main Thang.
Partner up. Starfish: P1 stays at base and does designated exercise with both bricks, P2 runs to center and does 10 perfect-form squats, runs back and flapjack. Once both Partners have run to center and back, move to next base.
1st – SLOW side arm raises
2nd – SLOW front arm raises
3rd – SLOW folding uprights (football goalposts)
Home – Mummy/zombie pose w/macarana hand flips
Mosey to playground equipment and find a pullup or supine pullup bar. Count off.
Up & hold 5 count then 5-count descent. Recovery Merkins OYO, starting with 13. REPEATO minus 1 Merkin each round until all PAX have called the 5-count hold.
Mosey then back to parking lot and place bricks ~ 2feet apart.
Plank walk left. Plankorama until all done, then plank walk right.
Mosey to grassy end of parking lot and circle up for Mary:
LBC X20
Dead Bug X10
Back Scratcher X15
One-legged Flutter X 10
Other-legged Flutter X10
Freddie Mercury X15
Mosey back to cars, return bricks to crates and circle up for COT.
Announcements:
No Peak51 on Thanksgiving
Sign up for Joe Davis run on January 7. 5K or 10K option
Operation Sweet Tooth. Site Q is Slim Fast. Bring toys and toiletries the week after Thanksgiving.
Moleskin:
Great work this morning with a good mix of Peak veterans and younger blood. YHC tries to offer something a little off the beaten path, and hopes the bricks delivered. I’ll get more before I roll this out again, so we can double up for those wanting more weight.
Apparently some guys haven’t played ball before, because one pair was rotating clockwise, instead of counter-clockwise like it’s usually played: 1st to 2nd to 3rd to home. Or maybe they were just exercising the “modify” option.
T-claps to Tweetsie for the solid takeout.
And thanks to the group for giving me the opportunity to lead.
YHC looked forward to pushing things a bit with the workout – ‘cause that’s just what we do, right? Right! Here’s how:
Savasana/Devotional
Prelim:
Cat/Cow – 5B
Plank > Up Dog > Down Dog – WALK THE DOG > into Sun Salutation In Cadence 2X fully through, then 2X OYO Meet in Mountain.
The Main Thang:
High Lunge
Low Lunge, then add Quad stretch (not sure what the fancy name is)
Sun Salutations 2X OYO, Meet in Mountain
REPEAT 1&2 stepping up with LEFT foot
DEAD PIGEON: Hold for 10B, Flapjack 10B
Sun Salutations 2X OYO, meet in Mountain
PIGEON (modified) or DEER (both legs bent)
HOLD 10B > Sun Salutations 2X OYO
REPEATO Right Knee forward 10B
Double Pigeon (Firelog) 10B > FLAPJACK 10B
Reclining Bound Angle Pose while we revisit devotional message
Announcements:
You can get a decent Yoga block at Amazon for less than 10 bucks. Here’s a link, but there are other options. Wally probably has some, too. It’s about the same price as a super double mocha Frappuccino, but oh, so much better for you, so don’t put it off; just get it and start bringing it.
High Tide will be rolling out the ________ (insert macho-sounding Gumby-friendly word to replace “downpainment”) next week. Music will no doubt be first rate.
Moleskin:
Pigeon is my Everest. I’ve gotten better, but I’m still only at the first base camp. I hope the added challenge of this more advanced pose was fun to try and helpful.
Apologies for the music fail. I liked the new album on Prime, but didn’t know it was so short.
Thanks for posting, gents. I appreciate the opportunity to lead.
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
– Psalm 118:24
In the rustic gloom of the Bambi lamp, 11 PAX gathered to observe the sacred rites of the Order of Gumby. Intoning ancient verses and following the mystic ways, they took their places and led by the dwarf called Swiss Miss they began. Let’s peek behind the veil to see what happened next:
Savasana – Meditation/Reflection: Transformation-Stretching based on Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me …
Bend knees and feet flat for Windshield Wiper (~5/side)
Right ankle on left knee and twist to left, arms in “T” and gaze to Right. Hold 5B. Flapjack with 5B hold.
Left leg straight, toes flexed, draw right knee to chest and hold. Breathe and relax down into mat. Hold knee to chest for 5B. Flapjack. Repeato 3B each side
Sit up and draw feet together, knees wide, back straight. Pull your feet in and knees down. Hold 5B.
Left leg straight, toes flexed, draw right knee to chest and hold. Breathe and relax down into mat. Hold knee to chest for 3B. Flapjack.
Release bind and slide onto knees for Child’s Pose. 10B
Table Top. Cat/Cow 5B
Plank. 1Breath. Up Dog. Down Dog – WALK THE DOG. Step or hop to top of the mat and Half-way Lift on INHALE. Exhale Forward Fold. Inhale up to Sun Salute. Once more through slowly together.
The Main Thang:
(Standing Hip Openers): From Sun Salute: Forward Fold, Half-way Lift, Down to Plank. Step forward with LEFT foot to Warrior 1, Warrior 2 (5B), Peaceful Warrior (5B), Triangle (5B), Side Angle (5B)
Back to Warrior 2 (2B), Peaceful Warrior (2B), Triangle (2B), Side Angle (2B).
Back to Warrior 2 -> Peaceful Warrior -> Triangle -> Side Angle
Warrior 1 -> Mountain -> Sun Salutation OYO, meet in Mountain.
Forward Fold, Half-way Lift, Down to Plank. Repeato Standing Hip Openers with RIGHT foot in front.
Warrior 1 -> Mountain -> Sun Salutation OYO, meet in Mountain.
Half-fold with elbow bind. Side stretch (shoulders) RIGHT and hold (5B)
Sun Salutations OYO X2 – follow your breath, meet in Mountain
In Mountain: Half-fold with elbow bind. Side stretch (shoulders) LEFT and hold (5B)
Sun Salutations OYO X2.
Step back with left foot into Warrior 1 -> Warrior 2 -> 5-pointed star -> wide-leg fold -> Keep breathing, but take a few minutes to gently stretch, using slow side-to-side movements if you want, or just shifting hips to get slightly more/less stretch in each side. 10 breaths
Bring torso up to 5-pointed star, step left foot up and face front of mat in Upward Salute.
Sun Salutations X2 – follow your breath
Step back with right foot into Warrior 1 -> Warrior 2 -> Peaceful Warrior -> Warrior 2 -> Fierce Angle Pose (f.k.a. “Goddess”). Hold 10B. Step your feet together and come back to the top of your mat in Mountain Pose.
On you 6 for Dead Pigeon 10B/side
Lie down for shavasana -> Prayer
Lord Jesus, help us to forget our past failures and lack of faithfulness in order to press on toward our heavenly prize. Stretch us toward your goals and your glory. Amen.
Stretch and sit up.
TIME!
Announcements while putting up mats.
Moleskin:
It was a good to see several meatheads swinging KBs in the parking lot when YHC arrived. Another car told me someone was out on a pre-run. All good ways to get warmed up before stretching. My preferred method: rolling with The Stick.
The antler chandelier drew mixed reviews. Some found it too dim, some too gruesome, some “thout it were real purdy.” It did make it a bit harder to read the weinke, so YHC may need to print it in larger type size or flip on some more lights next week.
Great to see another Site FNG. Welcome Slim Fast.
Thanks for following my lead, gentlemen. Hope you got some help for over-worked, under-stretched muscles.
Take time to think about the devotional message for today: Stretching means trusting God in moments of surrender. Stretching means walking into our fears and coming out as people of faith. Stretching means believing in God when we don’t see him working. Stretching means trusting God in all circumstances.