exercise

Dragon Boat Obsessed

So, is it sad that on Thursdays at 7:30am I’m totally bummed that I have to wait five whole days until I get to go on the Dragon Boat again? Tuesdays aren’t as hard as Thursdays–it’s just two whole days that separate practice, but from Thursday morning to Tuesday morning seems like an eternity!

Luckily it’s the weekend.

I guess I should be grateful. What I’ve learned from paddling so far is that I’m a lot more sore on Thursdays than I am on Tuesdays. It’s a reminder that sometimes a little rest for exhausted muscles is a good thing.

Paddling is so much fun and the team is great. If you’re interested, I can’t recommend it enough.

Dragon Boat ObsessedMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:04:19-04:00

Dragon Boat

On Tuesday I joined a Dragon Boat team in Hartford. You can visit the team’s site on Facebook, if you’re interested. Over the past few years I’ve had two clients recommend joining a Dragon Boat team. It actually fits into my schedule since I’m an early riser, and since I teach in the evenings I can’t join most team sports.

And quite frankly lately I’ve been really missing being part of a team. When I was in college I played field hockey and did theater. In both there is a team and a group of people working together to achieve the same goal. I miss that. Plus, it’s a fun excuse to get a workout with a group of people.

So Tuesday, I set the alarm clock a little earlier (we meet at 6:30am–really, not that bad) and went to my first practice. Now, I had no clue what I was getting into and I wasn’t that good. I couldn’t even keep time with the rest of the boat, let alone do the exercises properly. Being a […]

Dragon BoatMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:14-04:00

Don’t Be Afraid

Pilates can be confusing and awkward both for the new participant and someone who may be familiar with Pilates but is learning something new. However, if you start a new exercise nervous and afraid of doing it wrong, you start the exercise with your whole body tense. That won’t help.

So I know it’s hard sometimes to relax, but next time you learn a new exercise (whether Pilates based or something else) just try not to worry about whether or not you’re doing it right. Let your body feel how it feels. It will feel different in your body–no one has the same experience or the same body. By noticing what it feels like, you’ll learn how to do it right.

To this day there are some exercises I struggle to do perfectly. But it’s okay. It’s not about doing every exercise right. It’s about learning about your body and working to the best of your ability that day.

Plus, the only person watching you do the exercises is your instructor and I can guarantee they were once in the same boat too.

Don’t Be AfraidMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:14-04:00

Thomas Jefferson’s Exercise Habits

I went to Monticello last weekend (a place I’ve always wanted to get to, especially since the HBO John Adams film came out). Our docent was wonderful and I asked about Jefferson’s exercise habits.

She said he was really into balance and that after studying for about 8 hours (he usually studied about 15 hours total per day) he would go for about a mile run. I’m not sure that is super balanced–eight hours of studying to 10 minutes of running, but it is still pretty cool. He also rode his horse a lot. Now what I’m most impressed with is that he ran and I’m intrigued to know what he ran in. Did he go barefoot or was he in a pair of leather and buckle shoes?

She also said that he ate very small portions, mostly vegetables although he did eat meat and loved dessert. You can see he was a man of small portions in the image above, which reflects his actual size.

I, for one, am intrigued to know more.

Thomas Jefferson’s Exercise HabitsMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:35:23-04:00

Workout Buddy

Sometimes it’s easier to stick to your workout plans if you have a partner to be held accountable to. So tonight call a friend or two and make plans for some kind of workout or physical activity on Saturday. Call another friend for Sunday.

You can plan to go hiking together or just take a walk. Or look for a fun exercise class you’ve felt intimated to try. Going with a friend will make it easier. Make being active fun by doing it with friends and picking movements you like.

Workout BuddyMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:57-04:00