Since I've been getting a lot of workout questions in the last few months, we're gonna test out a new series, Workout Wednesday. This is where I'll talk about what I do to complement my yoga practice. I'm not a certified personal trainer, so this won't be instructional, but rather an opportunity to share what I do that makes me feel great. I'd love to hear what you do to complement your practice down below in the comments along with any questions you have for future workout posts.
I'm so psyched that the YBC Community was open to the idea of Workout Wednesday. It means a lot because it means that we've got a great little tribe. My favorite type of yoga people are the ones who are open minded and kind hearted. I once went to an arm balance workshop with a master teacher who said the worst thing you could do for your body is lift weights. Blanket statements like that just kill me, but I know quite a few yoga people who don't agree with lifting weights so I was worried about sharing in this space, but I'm really glad I did. I felt like through your comments on the last post I got to know you guys even better, and I'm psyched to keep the ball rolling.
So today I'm sharing a sample of workouts from this past week. I want to preface this by saying that I realize my job affords me the flexibility (har har) to start my work day when I want, or break in the middle of the day so I can scoot over to the gym. I would be lying if I said it wasn't one of my favorite things about working for myself, but I know that not everyone can do that. I remember being a school teacher and trying my hardest to squeeze in gym time but it wasn't ideal and half the time if I did make it over to the gym, my workout would be crap because I'd be so overtired and underfed (living alone and being 24 meant that I literally lived on frozen m&m's, cheerios and scrambled eggs - I wish I were joking). So please remember that the best thing you can do for yourself is do what you can with what you have and let that be enough.
This past week, I kept a workout journal recording my thoughts afterwards, and I hope you'll share your typical workouts down below in the comments!
Dead lifts
Wearing: lululemon capris, asics sneakers
Day 1:
Warm up- Roll out using a foam roller. Drape myself over a stability ball to open the front body. God does this feel good, but I swear people think I'm crazy just laying over this ball with my eyes closed without moving for a solid minute straight. Use a PVC pipe to open up the shoulders and chest. Ahhhhh, feels so so so good!
Weight Lifting-Work up to 1 rep max for dead lifts. This takes about 20 minutes. Woo, hit a PR today of 135! I am a beast! ...Until I glance at the girl next to me, who is shredded and putting up 175. Then I am no longer a beast. Womp womp.
Then- 7 rounds of: 12 deadlifts, 9 cleans, 6 push presses. This takes about 25 minutes. I am nearly dead at the end of this and feel really weak. Maybe because I didn't eat enough food of substance yesterday. You know how sometimes you just kind of nibble throughout the day? That's what I did yesterday and today I feel weak. I always find that my diet the day before impacts how I feel the day of a workout.
After- Lay in a puddle of my own sweat for a minute trying to catch my breath. I swear I never used to sweat this much before I started lifting weights. Yikes. Then, 20 flutter kicks, one 30 second low navasana hold, 30 oblique crunches each side, 30 toe touch sit ups.
Then, 15 minute hip opening yoga sequence and time to go home. Yay!
Day 2: Rest Day
Day 3, wearing lululemon capris and bra.
Warm up: roll out with foam roller, chest opening over stability ball, PCV pipe to open up shoulders and chest. Hip opening yoga with attention to hamstrings and hip flexors. I'm well fed and well rested and ready to kill it.
Then: Work on clean form. 3 reps at warm up weight and then I do one clean and keep adding weight until I find my one rep max. My cleans are ba-rutal today. I have a weird fear once I start adding more weight that I'm going to fall and hurt my tailbone even though I have never once falling during a clean. I feel like I'm making zero progress, and the woman next to me has at least 15 years on me and is cleaning triple what I'm cleaning so I feel about this small. Got a serious case of the poor me's.
Then the complex above: 1 clean, 3 front squats, 1 jerk, 3 RDLs. I do this 20 times as fast as I can without compromising form. Woo, I love this complex! It's hard but it's not impossible. I feel unstoppable, I've got this!
Then: handstand work and yoga to stretch to low back, hips and arms. Walked outta there like a boss. Call the police, cuz I murdered that workout.
Day 4:
Snatch work for 20 minutes (right now just working on form because I'm still relatively new to it.) Something doesn't feel right with this snatch but I'm too chicken to ask someone next to me to film me so I can see my form. The weight room is crowded but I work up the nerve to film myself by placing the phone on the floor. Yikes, Candace, your form is crap - the bar is swooping way out in front. (By this time I was at the end of my 20 mins.)
Then: 5 sets of 6 Russian split squats with 20 lbs dumbbells. I haven't done these in forever and they're so hard but feel so good. When I was last doing them regularly, maybe two years ago, I would always tweak my lower ab because I was so sweat in the core. I notice now that I'm stronger and more stable throughout my mid-section. Yassssss.
Then: 5 rounds as fast as possible without compromising form - 40 second handstand hold, 100m row, 30 kettle bell swings, 80 single jumprope. Ok will be no problem. I got this. My little circuit is all set up, no one can bother me, I am good. *Gets 2 rounds into it* OMG what was I thinking?! I am for sure going to die. No you're not, Candace, you've got this. No I freaking don't, I am such a weakling, this is awful! No you're good, you got this! *5th round ends* Ok I didn't die. I almost died though. But I didn't.
Then: handstand practice and yoga for chest and legs. Time to leave, yes!
Day 5: Wearing sweaty betty shorts and tank (old, similar here).
Warm up: Yoga sequence for upper body, 5 minute jumprope. How fun is jump roping? I could do this all day. *two minutes later* How much longer, I'm dying!
Then: Snatch work for 20 minutes (again, because I realized the day before my arms were straight when I was coming up - bad bad bad form, and needed to practice it correctly) Ok so if I fully extend my hips and micro bend my arms, the bar doesn't swoop up, I don't think. *works up the courage to tape myself. Watches video.* Yeah, ok, so it's not perfect, but it's not wrong at least.
Then: hang cleans, pushups, burpees over the bar - 3 sets of 21 reps, 15 reps and 9 reps Ok I love these workouts, I've got this no problem. *10 reps in on the first set of cleans* OMG WTF was I thinking?! *Last set* You got this you got this you got this. *Last rep* Yeah that's right, I didn't pass out! Boom! Beast!
Then: handstand practice, and core work. Handstand practice, yes! Let me show you what's up. *Does one handstand, arms feel like jello.* Yikes I'm really tired, mayyyybe it's better to rest. *Starts core workout*
Day 6: Wearing werkshop pants.
Active recovery - long day of filming yoga classes for the YBC Official App, YouTube channel and upcoming packages.
Day 7: (tomorrow)
Warm up
Then: 3 sets of three overhead press at 70%, 80% and 90% of max weight.
Then: 10 pushpress at 50% of one rep max and 80 single jumprope as fast as possible without compromising form for 8 minutes.
Then: core and yoga for upper body.
Let's talk: What's a typical workout look like for you? Any favorites on rotation?
My fave workout pieces below