April on S&F: Our Virtual Workout Mat

[CBDB]

Just dropping our collective April virtual Mat. So no matter what you are currently into, from Yoga, Pilates to Tai Chi, here is a collective virtual mat with some suggestions of what to do with your mat this month.

I’m still following my own PlantarFasciitis Prevention Plan, so I’ll be dropping some weekly exercises to strengthen ankles, feel and legs. My first week is here: healthunlocked.com/strength...

But below , a few other links to various types of follow-along workouts to wake up your whole body:

★ FIRST, for our yoga fans: Yoga with Adriene YWA calendar: yogawithadriene.com/calendar/

★ SECOND, regular session or even live sessions for our Pilates fans, The Girl with the Pilates Mat: youtube.com/@TheGirlWithThe...

★ THIRD For those continuing to practice the daily Five Tibetan Rites, here is the link to our TR challenge with all videos. Just choose one that you like and get twirling! healthunlocked.com/strength...

The Five Tibetan Rites offer a great daily or regular little mobility practice.

So feel free to reply to this post when you do a workout. We’d love to hear how you are getting on.

And our general guidance is below:

If you are just joining us, big WELCOME to you and any new Virtual Workout Buddies! A short daily practice like Yoga or Mat Pilates is perfect to get some S&F into your day. But if you are looking for something else, here is a nice welcome post to invite you to the many S&F opportunities here on the forum: healthunlocked.com/strength...

And feel free to - as Adriene says - “find what feels good”, meaning if your knees feel too sensitive, amend that Child’s Pose. And if you find full planks are the stuff of nightmares, rather do half planks than full ones. Do whatever feels right to get the maximum enjoyment from these sessions. And definitely get creative with props.

Upwards, crow-wards and down dog-wards another months practice!

(Save this post to get notified of any updates from everyone here on the mat.)

Happy working out everyone!

[Gthants Graduate]

I often find it really hard to do more than the most basic stretches at home. I often do a Pilates class once a week at my gym and I find it easier to do my stretches and a bit of yoga/Pilates there during the week, along with a few machines.

Got back at 11 from work last night. Managed 6 hours sleep. And have done 35 minutes in the gym this morning. Now back to wfh.

Trying to work around a sore achilles at the moment - typical as I splurged on new running shoes!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Gthants]

Sore Achilles doesn’t sound good. 😔🤕 Did it appear after or before you bought new shoes?

New shoes! Exciting!

We are all so different. I love my little workout corners which have crept into both one room both upstairs and one downstairs. But on days on which work just gets really hard, my rowing machine is the go to and I add a thorough stretch routine afterwards, including a focus on ankles.

As that workout corner is in the guest bedroom, I sometimes fear what it looks like to guests. Sometimes there are resistance bands with ankle wraps tied to bed legs and a shoe box with all sorts of resistance bands and exercise stuff. 🤣🤣

Hope your ankles improve!

[Gthants Graduate in reply to CBDB]

Have not even tried the shoes yet!

I had a late show in London last week and ran from the theatre to the station to catch a train that would get me home an hour earlier. It was cancelled ...

Ankle felt sore on the train. Next day it was really painful. I think the short run without stretching was enough to do ... something. The day after I had another show in London and for the first time in ages I took the tube and allowed the escalators to transport me; I always walk briskly between station and West End and never stand on escalators up or down.

Less sore now, but I can't risk running yet. Did gym this morning and will continue to do my targeted exercises during the day.

I hope to get to new running shoes soon!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

My yoga platform has changed which has caused a few hiccups but now I've got my proper paid access so I am looking forward to getting back into taught sessions. I've set a goal of 16+ sessions as part of the Bridge to 10k forum monthly quest (and aim for those not all to be quick meditation or breathing practices 😆)

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

I should add that my usual asana practice base is the bathroom and that's been full of repair stuff as MrGM continues his shower leak busting quest...

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to GoogleMe]

Shower leak … oh no!!! I know how that feels. We have at the moment a mysterious leak out of an overflow pipe that comes and goes, and we cannot track it down! Hubby thinks we have to rip up our beautifully renovated bathroom floor, but it’s the nicest room of the house!

Fab to hear about your yoga practice!