S&F Catch-Up: Let us know about what you’ve been up to in February

[CBDB]

Just a quick catch-up post asking what kind of workouts or fitness plans people are involved in? Have you managed to keep up the momentum from January? Have you explored some new workouts? Or have you kept going with something you started in January, like YWA yoga monthly’s calendars?

February is always a strange month for me. It’s after the fabulous YWA January 30-day journey has finished. And January is a month full of choice! Always filled with offers of all sorts of 30-day plans, from yoga, Pilates, or even indoor rowing. So once February comes along, it feels like there is always a lull, a ‘relax-into-the-year’, but also a risky slow-down of S&F momentum and I have to intentionally seek out some plan or routine that keeps me going.

In my case, I’ve focussed on doing my daily rowing (through the RA 30x30 min plan, see healthunlocked.com/strength... add to that my usual running 2-3 times a week. Then I wrap everything else around those two key workout routines.

But that also means, as I attend to post-run and post-row stretch needs with a thorough 10 min routine, I do get my daily 10-20 min S&F session ticked off, but I often don’t manage anything else.

So I’ve done only 3 YWA Yoga sessions so far in February, although I was committed to embedding it more regularly again. It is just such a good way of a whole body and mind check, gentle and strong. But I do have to be content with doing it maybe 2-3 times a week, unless…. Unless there is a new, tempting and motivating daily challenge….

So I’m looking forward to  ChannelRunner2 ’s March Matness, starting in March. ( healthunlocked.com/strength... )

I have seen that YWA recently dropped a daily practice that mixes up Pilates with Yoga quite explicitly, but it’s behind a paywall. 🙁 But I’m so glad the monthly YWA calendars are there for the sporadic yogi of us to drop in where and when we like and when we need.

I recently got reminded of the general benefits of yoga when watching this YouTube channel from a weightlifter who switched over to doing 30 days of yoga, which I thought was an enjoyable watch:

Matt D’Avella (11 min) I tried yoga every day for 30 days

youtu.be/jvUej9iVQyQ(Not working as expected?)

So, what kind of workouts or fitness plans are people involved in this February? Did you also sense the February lull after an active January? And how did you cope with that? Have you managed to keep up the momentum? We would love to hear!

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And for those who are new, our key standard links of all things S&F are provided below:

★ Our classic 5-week S&F plan: healthunlocked.com/strength...

★ Always popular YWA 30-day Yoga journeys: healthunlocked.com/strength...

★ And a link to all our topic folders: healthunlocked.com/strength...

[dijep 30D Graduate]

Ooh ... You've made me go and count up , according to my kitchen 4 weekly planner I've done 23 S&F sessions in February so far. Some of these like my physio exercises are literally less than 10 minutes but I'm still counting them💪👍I've been working through YWA Align plan but I have missed a few and swapped a few for a Pilates session instead. My aim (quest over in B210k) was to do some S&F every day, I have missed a couple but I'm happy so far.

This year I've found my January momentum has carried on into February. By the end be of January I could feel that the S&F had helped with my running (after a bit of a drop off in December) so I think that it really helped keep me at it

I really like that you are doing a S&F catch up it definitely helps keep me accountable so . . .

Thank You 😊🙏

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to dijep]

You are very welcome 😃😊🙏 and it does sound like you’ve got some mighty momentum going there. Fabulous.

On your kitchen planner, do you rather use it to plan ahead or track what you have done so far? (As ever, I am interested in everything to do with planning 🙂📝🗓️)

[TheTabbyCat Graduate in reply to CBDB]

Thanks for posting a "catch up " CBDB. I was just wondering where I could add my ,modest , achievements without writing a new post.

I watched the video and was very interested in how a young, fit athletic man coped with yoga. I've never really been attracted by it so I really can't comment except to say that I'm impressed by his progress in 30 days. I have hip problems so never could,and probably never will, be able to sit with crossed legs. I'm a little bit intrigued by the mental aspect.

At the moment I'm concentrating on regaining a very modest level of fitness. I have a small dog who doesn't need a lot of exercise, but 2/3 walks every day are the norm. I walk with a stick when I'm outside but in the flat I don't use it and I try to avoid "furniture walking" 🚶.

I've just concluded the NHS,1st level for the 2nd time. I didn't move on to the 2nd level because my shoulders were totally cream crackered! As my gp puts it,I'm no spring chicken. My exercise days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday come what may!This is the only way forward. I'll have a go at the 2nd level on Tuesday. I'm still not very good at the push ups and I need a door bar for the pull ups. I'm struggling a little with thigh stretching, I do them sitting down, I'm quite chuffed with all the rest. 💪

Thanks for all your support and encouragement🙏

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to TheTabbyCat]

It sounds like you are doing awesomely well!! And 2/3 walks with your dog is brilliant. I seemed to only manage 2-3 walks per week! So I am in awe of all you dog walkers!

I am so looking forward to hearing how you will fare with the NHS S&F programme. It is close to my heart, as it was my entrance into all things S&F several years ago. It really helped me get stronger and more confident that my body could progress. And it did.

(My highlight was being able to do the complete set of bench-dips easily and without rest, by end of the 5 weeks!)

I hope it will do the same for you. And amending the workouts to your body is absolutely the right way to go! Slow and steady progress is the key here, I think, and it sounds like you’ve got that down perfectly!

Let’s keep on keeping in!

[TheTabbyCat Graduate in reply to CBDB]

Thanks or your encouragement CBDB, I read somewhere that just walking wasn't enough so my walks with Wiggles🐾🐾 have to be supplemented with S&F.

Well done for all that rowing!I've just had a look at one of the rowing videos, I had no idea what a modern rowing machine looks like, awesome! It must be an amazing workout, I thought the way the number of strokes per minute were counted was very clever. I'm a fan of anything computerised, even if sometimes I have to look things up. Now I understand why you're so "hooked" on it

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to TheTabbyCat]

😊😃🚣‍♀️🚣‍♀️🚣‍♀️

[dijep 30D Graduate in reply to CBDB]

It's weird because I realised that my planner originated from keeping track of when my previous dog was suffering with really bad arthritis and I'd record his activity and try to work out how this effected his discomfort. So I started using the same method after having knee pain when running.Anyway it's now morphed into a to rolling 4 week plan/ record. At the start of the 4 weeks I write down what I want to achieve in the time, say it's day 2 X 10ks I'll schedule them into the weeks then I record my runs and daily activity. I'm sure it's no where near as organised as your plans as I know you are a master planner but it works for me.

I loved the YouTube clip. It's really interesting to hear how a young guy like him found the whole experience.

[MissUnderstanding]

I’m totally off the wagon at the moment! I’ve really struggled since the fall and my wrists taking ages to heal. My hiit classes aren’t on at the moment either so I’m hardly doing any strength/flex. I’m really missing it. I think I might need to make myself a proper timetable or find some local classes until my lovely PT friend is back doing the hiit again.

Once my cold has gone, I’m making a plan!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to MissUnderstanding]

ooohh yess! Plan! I wouldn’t be able to do anything without a good plan! 🤣🤣🤣

But , I would also say your post-run stretches definitely count towards S&F.

Also, get ready for ChannelRunner2 ‘s March Matness! I can’t wait!

[MissUnderstanding in reply to CBDB]

I love the idea of March madness but I think I’ll find the daily workout overwhelming. I’ll end up getting stressed out about being behind or feeling bad that I haven’t done it. YWA monthly calendars have the same effect on me. I think I’ve recently come to the realisation that those challenges are brilliant but they don’t work for me. 😢

I wonder if there are any of these sort of challenges with a weekly workout? Even if it was a longer workout, only having one to do would be mentally much easier to manage.

I hadn’t thought about post run stretches counting. I’m definitely doing better with those since I set it as a goal on the bridge to 10k quest one time!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to MissUnderstanding]

yeah, we did have some weeklong challenges in the past, and I’ve got some ideas for those. So watch this space.

I know exactly how you feel. I had a streak of doing daily yoga for almost 2 years, not missing a single day. To be honest, I was relieved when I broke that, as a more relaxed routine gives one also more flexibility in one’s daily life. I decided then that I didn’t want to go back to an everyday yoga practice.

[MissUnderstanding in reply to CBDB]

Fantastic! Excited to see what’s coming along.❤️

[Cmoi in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I'm so glad you posted this MissUnderstanding because YWA, RED and similar monthly challenges have exactly the same effect on me.

This year I actually got through all the 30 Days of YWA, finishing on the 31st January, but only by dint of doing two sessions some days when I'd got behind. Did I love it? Feel stronger and as though I'd made progress? Want to continue daily practice? No. I found it both physically and mentally stressful. Sure, I had some good days, but I had some frankly crap ones too.

I've not been able to admit this before as everybody else seemed wildly enthusiastic, and I felt I'd be the wicked fairy turning up at the christening if I dared to say anything less than 100% positive. As you say, these challenges can be fantastic, and that's wonderful for those who enjoy them, but they just don't seem to work for me.

[MissUnderstanding in reply to Cmoi]

It’s hard isn’t it! I can absolutely see that it works for other people. Those challenges can be great motivation for some but anything that aims for every day, or even specific days gets me in a panic about missing days or being BEHIND. I know that it doesn’t actually matter, and I’ve even tried dipping in and out on days that I’d like to do yoga etc but I just can’t get my headspace right. Couch to 5k worked so well for me because it was so easy to do it when I wanted, and I’ve like things like NRC plans and the magic plan which are the same.

This isn’t a criticism at all of those everyday monthly challenges, just an acknowledgment to myself that what will happen is I’ll get stressed and feel worse instead of better! We’re all different. I’m excited about other challenges though. The sorts where it’s “complete these workouts in a set time frame” are often fun, especially if there’s a badge at the end!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Cmoi]

Even more awesome that you stuck with the YWA 31 days, then!

I have to admit, I do like 30-day challenges, especially in January. It feels like i can get my patterns and habits embedded right at the beginning of the year.

But I know I am a planner at heart, so this speaks to me.

So you are definitely not the “wicked fairy dropping in on a christening” and I am so glad you posted this! I wonder if running also speaks to so many of us, as it’s not a daily practice - at least for most of us - and it is so flexible in weekly patterns, types of workouts, locations, use of gadgets and tech. So I think it works for everyone, including the most planner-hungry of us as well as the spontaneous athletes.

[ChannelRunner2 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Of course I have to chime in here 😉 March Matness isn't a challenge. It's a celebration. 🥳 So there's no falling behind!

And it's one exercise per day (except on a couple days when it'll be two), so we could add a weekly thing where we do all from that week, maybe? Or, since it's really a 34 exercise sequence, we could just build every day, so if you missed a day, you'd just add two exercises...

All that typed, I, too, was relieved when January was over since I did Pilates every day... It's just too much - at least with a full routine. We'll see how March goes! 🤣

[alpacagirl]

I’ve been doing the nhs fitness studio 10 minute workouts but not very consistently. Thanks for re-sharing the indoor 30 day rowing workouts - I may have a go: although they look quite hard😅 Mr AG uses the concept2 all the time but I find it really daunting - it resides in a trailer outside and you are looking at the blank end wall when rowing - it’s easier to shut your eyes tbh. 30 minutes is quite long too - I just about manage 20! Mr AG sets up that little pace boat for me and I hate it edging too far ahead😂 I love running (slowly) outside as it’s interesting but with half term have lapsed this week.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to alpacagirl]

Well done! The 10min workouts are great!

Rowing: what I would recommend and what I did was:

- if you don’t have one yet, get yourself a Concept2 smartphone cradle for a couple of pounds ( shop-uk.concept2.com/parts/... ).

- run Spotify for music in the background. Music helps me immensely. You can also run podcasts in the background. (Bluetooth earplugs are essential, here)

- a game changer for me was also to - whilst rowing - watch the coach on the RowAlong YouTube video (on the smartphone in the cradle) and while listening and trying to match the coaches movements.

- if the 30 min feel too daunting, have a look at this playlist. There are lots of shorter ones:

ROWALONG FOR BEGINNERS

youtube.com/playlist?list=P...

It took me 2 years to really fall in love with rowing , but once I discovered the RowAlong channel, which taught me all about technique and the diverse world of rowing workouts, there was no stopping. (See my seasonal mileage (May to April) in the picture, so I can relate. Between seasons 2018 and 2020, I really didn’t know how best to use the rower. That changed, as one can see, with me discovering free YouTube channel RowAlong)

So hoping it will do the same for you!

My annual mileage

[alpacagirl in reply to CBDB]

Thanks so much for that - I will definitely try out the beginner Rowalong videos they look much more doable and I need some technique tips and practice. I do need to get a phone cradle - surprisingly cheap. My son mainly runs but does use the rower sometimes - he calls the trailer ‘The Pain Box’ - which I found particularly off putting😂

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to alpacagirl]

LOL 🤣🤣 yeah.. I recognise that rather male gym culture of being in “the pain cave”. 🤣🤣

P.s. there is a super friendly Facebook group for that RowAlong channel, which I have found useful, as there are not (yet) many rowers on S&F.

It’s at m.facebook.com/groups/17108...

[alpacagirl in reply to CBDB]

The concept2 phone cradle has arrived and I did the first beginner RowAlong row today - it was only a 5 minute row with technique tips and I felt warmed up enough to tack a 2k row onto it. I surprised myself by really enjoying it - I don’t usually. I think the video gave it a focus. You have inspired me - perhaps I will even fall in love with rowing in time😅

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to alpacagirl]

woohoo!!! That is so amazing to read! And I would so love to hear about your journey!

So great to have a fellow rower!!!

[Oldfloss Administrator]

Yoga with Adriene... Align....ticking them off as I go... my regular daily routines... a few walks and getting the runs in...feeling easier because of the S and F work...thanks you!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Oldfloss]

That’s great! It sounds it’s all coming together, again. So nice! Awesome!

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to CBDB]

Slow and steady, as ever! 🤣